U.S. Ambassador Massinga says armed alliance “has only called for more conflict,” urges return to Pretoria principles in Tigray


Official portrait of U.S. Ambassador Ervin Massinga, a bearded man in glasses and a dark suit, in front of an American flag

U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Ervin Massinga in his official portrait. (Photo: U.S. Department of State via Wikimedia Commons) [file photo]

U.S. Ambassador Ervin Massinga said the new armed opposition alliance "has only called for more conflict and more destruction" in recent weeks, in an interview with The Reporter published on Monday.

"Just briefly on the alliance: as far as I can see, in recent weeks the alliance has only called for more conflict and more destruction. As I indicated earlier, my government and I do not see that as a viable path forward," the ambassador told The Reporter's Sisay Sahlu. "In that context, let me say that those who threaten civilian airports and the Ethiopians who use them are making a grave mistake." He said he was speaking directly to the leaders of the groups that have joined what they call the Alliance for Survival, "because they are the ones who have to respond to their supporters and justify their actions," and he called on them to put the interests of the people first.

The ambassador said the United States strongly believes that "conflict should never be the first option," and that those in authority must protect civilians caught in the crossfire, "particularly when heavy weapons are used." He went on: "I believe that in the past month, the government and the armed opposition have made such efforts and did not intend for innocents to be hurt."

On Tigray, he said the principles of the Pretoria agreement still guide U.S. policy. He listed democracy in Tigray, "which needs to happen and should have happened," the return of internally displaced people, the full restoration of Ethiopian administration in the region, and the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of fighters. "It is very heartening to see so many long lines of young people looking to sign up for DDR since the events of September 23," he said. Questions over the contested areas, he added, "need to be addressed through constitutional means, just as outlined in the Pretoria Agreement."

He said he had met the leadership of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) many times in Addis Ababa, Mekelle and Shire. "I have not had the opportunity to speak with them since the events of September 23; that is their choice," he said. He recalled that early in his tenure he went to Dar es Salaam to help the talks between the Gov't and the Oromo Liberation Army. "That did not succeed, but the spirit and the intention behind our efforts at that point remain," he said, adding that a new effort "does not have to look exactly like that or exactly like Pretoria."

The ambassador declined to be drawn into the regional side of the war. Asked about the federal Gov't's charge that Eritrea and Egypt are fueling the conflict in the north, he said the United States is working "vigorously" on regional peace and that he would leave such topics to policymakers in Washington, led by the Secretary of State. Asked whether President Donald Trump's recent description of Somaliland as "a completely different country" from Somalia signals a move toward recognition, he said: "There has been no change in United States policy." He warned of "intentional efforts to mislead and confuse" on social media and urged readers to "double-check and triple-check sources, intentions, and facts." On the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, he quoted Senior Advisor Massad Boulos as saying that President Trump is ready to resume mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia.

On the press, he said social media can have a dominant voice in the Horn of Africa. "The antidote to that is more press. The antidote to that is more media freedom," he said. "I think the government here in Ethiopia understands that and is moving in that direction." The Reporter's introduction quoted him as saying it is "more than time for politicians and politics to take a back seat" to the well-being of ordinary people.

The interview follows remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who described the armed groups behind the latest attacks as "separatists." Mereja reported on October 18 on Rubio's remarks and on October 19 on the Alliance for Survival's statement rejecting his labels.

Reactions on X came quickly. Getachew Reda, whose X profile describes him as Advisor Minister to the Prime Minister on Eastern African Affairs and former president of the Tigray Interim Regional Administration, wrote: "Erv has been around long enough to have a better understanding of the subject matter of his interview." Berhanemeskel Nega, who describes himself as having more than 35 years of service in multilateral diplomacy and UN peace operations, mocked Getachew's use of the ambassador's nickname in a reply, and Senait Senay also posted the word "Erv" with an animated image.

In a longer post addressed to the embassy, he called the Pretoria agreement "a quick fix that temporarily 'silenced the guns in Tigray,' but only long enough for the parties to prepare for wider wars." He wrote that "Pretoria has become a textbook case of a failed agreement," and that "Ethiopia needs a fresh, Ethiopian-owned peace process that confronts root causes, delivers accountability, and brings all parties to the table." Zehabesha, which describes itself as an Ethiopian American media company based in Minnesota, published an Amharic summary saying the ambassador had sharply criticized the way the alliance operates. Mowliid Haji Abdi, founder and CEO of Horn Broadcasting Network, highlighted the ambassador's remarks on Somaliland.

Sharing the interview on X, the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa said the ambassador "reiterated the United States' commitment to lasting peace and stability in Ethiopia, the bedrock for economic development and which allows all people to forge their own destinies."

Sources

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