Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
Eritrea’s Response to Oromo Intellectuals: A Masked Diplomacy or Genuine Engagement?
By Yemane G. Meskel
On June 5, 2025, a group of 85 Oromo scholars and professionals issued a powerful “Open Letter to President Isaias Afwerki,” raising serious concerns about Eritrea’s political rhetoric and its increasingly assertive role in Ethiopia’s internal affairs. The Eritrean government’s subsequent response—couched in diplomatic language—merits closer scrutiny, not for what it says plainly, but for what it reveals beneath the surface.
At first glance, Eritrea’s reply expresses dismay over the accusations made, denouncing the letter as “replete with inaccuracies” and laced with “grave and unfounded” claims. Yet this defensive posture is not unexpected. Eritrea, long governed by a highly centralized and opaque political system, has historically rejected external critique, particularly from non-state actors such as scholars, civil society, or diaspora communities. The tone of the letter reflects a familiar strategy: to delegitimize criticism by reframing it as a misunderstanding or a hostile act, rather than a genuine call for dialogue.
Ironically, the response then calls for “face-to-face” discussions between the signatories and Eritrean counterparts. While this may appear conciliatory, it subtly implies a desire to control the terms and venue of discourse. Public accountability—especially in matters of regional policy and interethnic relations—is brushed aside in favor of private conversations shielded from public scrutiny. For a regime with a long-standing aversion to transparency, this preference is telling.
Eritrea’s response attempts to reaffirm its “utmost respect for the Oromo people” and claims a half-century of solidarity with their struggle for fundamental rights. While such statements are rhetorically convenient, they falter under historical examination. Eritrea’s engagement with Oromo political actors—particularly during the liberation struggles—was always secondary to its primary geopolitical interests. Strategic alliances were formed not out of ideological alignment with Oromo nationalism, but from a shared opposition to mutual adversaries such as the TPLF-led Ethiopian regime. Today, the relationship is again being shaped more by political calculus than by principled solidarity.
The most contentious issue, however, lies in President Isaias Afwerki’s criticism of “political Oromummaa.” The Eritrean statement attempts to downplay this, suggesting the President’s words referred only to “vexing ideological interpretations” by fringe elements. But this reframing fails to acknowledge the broader implication: that the term “political Oromummaa” has become a stand-in for Oromo nationalism writ large, and that its delegitimization risks invalidating the legitimate aspirations of millions. To critique “Oromummaa” without specifying which ideology or actors are being targeted is to engage in broad-brush delegitimization.
More broadly, Eritrea’s invocation of peace and justice in the Horn of Africa—along with the claim that “the drum beating and drive for war is not coming from Eritrea”—is a familiar refrain. Yet regional observers will recall Eritrea’s active military role during the Tigray conflict, its continued hostility toward certain Ethiopian factions, and its reluctance to articulate a transparent regional vision. By portraying itself as the aggrieved party, Eritrea deflects attention from its own assertive behavior in a region increasingly defined by fluid alliances, ethnic polarization, and fractured states.
What this exchange ultimately reveals is a deeper shift in the political dynamics of the Horn. Oromo intellectuals are increasingly vocal in regional discourse, asserting their agency and demanding respect for Oromo political identity. Eritrea, for its part, is uncomfortable with this emergence—especially when it challenges Asmara’s self-styled role as a stabilizing force. The open letter and Eritrea’s reply are not merely a bilateral exchange—they are part of a larger contest over political narratives, legitimacy, and the future of federalism and identity in the Horn of Africa.
If Eritrea is indeed committed to peace and mutual respect, then true engagement must begin not with defensiveness or obfuscation, but with honest reckoning, transparent dialogue, and an acceptance that Oromo voices—whether at home or in the diaspora—are not marginal actors but central to the region’s unfolding future.
Yemane G. Mesk is Minister of Information
ERITREA
