NAIROBI (Reuters) – Ethiopian rebels denied on Tuesday government allegations that Qatar was supporting them, after Addis Ababa cut diplomatic ties with the Gulf State and accused it of backing terrorism and destabilising the region.
Ethiopia, a U.S. ally and the biggest military power in the Horn of Africa, said on Monday it had earlier expressed concern in private about Qatar’s “hostile behaviour” several times.
It said Qatar was backing its arch-foe Eritrea, as well as helping Islamist insurgents in Somalia and Ethiopian separatists like the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
But the ONLF said that the charges were designed only to divert attention from what it called an “unfolding African genocide” by government forces in its remote eastern region.
“Qatar has played a constructive role in Africa , the Arab world in general and the Horn of Africa in particular,” the rebel group said in a statement.
“If there has been a destabilising factor in the Horn of Africa, it has been the regime currently in power in Ethiopia.”
Ethiopia’s support for a Western-backed interim government in Somalia has been a major source of contention in the region, and brought calls for jihad from some extremist groups.
The statement from Addis Ababa on Monday said Qatar’s hostile behaviour “included the output of its media outlets”, a presumed reference to the Al Jazeera Arab satellite TV network.
Al Jazeera has in recent days been broadcasting reports on the conflict in the Ogaden region that have been critical of the military’s role against local rebels.
Qatar, a member of the OPEC group of major oil producers and the world’s biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, is also an important American ally and hosts a large U.S. military base.
On Monday, a Qatari government official in Doha dismissed the Ethiopian accusations as “frivolous and irresponsible” and said the emirate had always done its utmost to fight terrorism. (Reporting by Daniel Wallis, edited by Richard Meares) (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/)
ADDIS ABABA, Apr 21 (Reuters) – Ethiopia broke diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday, accusing the Gulf Arab state of supporting terrorism in Somalia and Ethiopia and spreading instability in the Horn of Africa.
“Whether in Somalia and in other parts of the Horn of Africa — including within Ethiopia — Qatar has been one of the most important supporters of terrorism and extremism in our sub-region,” Ethiopia’s government said in an email statement.
A U.S. ally and the biggest military power in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia said it had long observed Qatar’s “hostile behaviour”, had raised the issue directly on various occasions, and had been patient before taking Monday’s measure.
Qatar, an oil and gas producer, is also an American ally and hosts a large U.S. military base.
“All diplomatic efforts have been deployed to try to persuade Qatar to change its destructive activities … of which Ethiopia has unequivocal evidence,” it said. “Apparently blinded by arrogance … Qatar has remained deaf to all our efforts.”
The statement added that Qatar’s hostility to Ethiopia “included the output of its media outlets”, a presumed reference to the Al Jazeera Arab satellite television network.
JAZEERA REPORTS
Jazeera has in recent days been broadcasting reports on the conflict in Ethiopia’s Ogaden region that have criticised the military’s role against local rebels.
Qatari officials could not be immediately reached for reaction. Ethiopia urged it to “speedily change the misguided policies which have led to this unfortunate situation.”
The statement cited Qatari support for Ethiopia’s arch-foe Eritrea and backing for groups in Somalia where Addis Ababa has thousands of troops fighting Islamist insurgents.
“Qatar has left no stone unturned to cause harm to Ethiopia’s national security. All those who are prepared to foment instability in Ethiopia and undermine the country’s security have been given support and encouragement by Qatar.
“This has gone beyond Qatar’s strong ties with Eritrea. It has indeed provided direct and indirect assistance to terrorist organisations in Somalia and other areas.”
Ethiopia’s support for Somalia’s Western-backed interim government has been a major source of contention in the region, and brought calls for jihad from some radical groups.
Bilateral trade is a negligible $6 million annually, according to Ethiopian officials.
– Additional reporting by Andrew Cawthorne
(Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; editing by Sami Aboudi)
“Qatar: Major Source of Instability”
ADDIS ABABA (AP) – Ethiopia broke off diplomatic relations with Qatar on Monday, saying the energy-rich Gulf state has become “a major source of instability in the Horn of Africa.”
Wahide Belay, a spokesman for Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry, cited Qatar’s relationship with archenemy Eritrea. He called Qatar a “good friend” of the neighboring Horn of Africa nation.
“Qatar has left no stone unturned to cause harm to Ethiopia’s national security,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “All those who are prepared to foment instability in Ethiopia and undermine the country’s security have been given support and encouragement by Qatar.”
Qatar hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Central Command for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to calls for comment, and several ministry officials’ mobile phones were turned off.
Qatar does not have an embassy in Ethiopia, and Belay said he was unaware of any aid from Qatar. Calls to Qatar’s embassy in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, rang unanswered Monday.
This is not Ethiopia’s first diplomatic squabble.
In September, the government ordered the Norwegian Embassy to send home six of its nine diplomats. Ethiopian officials accused the Nordic nation of interfering in its ongoing border talks with Eritrea.
Norwegian officials say they were neutral participants in the talks.
Eritrea and Ethiopia have been feuding over their border since Eritrea gained independence from the Addis Ababa government in 1993 after a 30-year guerrilla war.
Tensions between the two countries remain high because of Ethiopia’s refusal to accept an international boundary commission’s ruling in 2002 on the border demarcation which awarded the key town of Badme to Eritrea.
In apparent frustration at Ethiopia’s refusal to implement the ruling and the lack of U.N. action to press Ethiopia to comply, Eritrea banned U.N. helicopter flights in its airspace in October 2005. Two months later, it banned U.N. night patrols and expelled Western peacekeepers, and earlier this year it started restricting fuel supplies.
