News Highlights: Ethiopia signs MoU with Somaliland, Impunity fuelling abuses in the Horn, EU increasingly relying on external solutions

In this week’s News Highlights: Ethiopia signs MoU with Somaliland causing tensions across the Horn and beyond; Al-Burhan rejects ceasefire proposal from Taqadum civilian coalition; Sudan’s Resistance committee members targeted; Humanitarian conditions worsen amidst conflict and cholera outbreak in Sudan; Urgent assistance required for drought-affected areas in Ethiopia; UN helicopter stuck in Al-Shabaab territory in Somalia; Testimonies from Eritrea’s prisons; Pro-democracy Eritreans warn about upcoming festival in Australia; Warrap State in South Sudan approves shoot-to-kill law; Impunity fuelling abuses in the Horn, states HRW; Rights of migrants and refugees being harmed in Tunisia; More legal migration necessary, says European Commission; EU increasingly turning to external solutions to migration; At least three people dead following shipwreck off Greece; Tusk states Poland will not accept relocation of asylum seekers; and Number of deaths on routes to Spain almost tripled, states NGO. 

Update: Fourth Front ‘Revenge demonstration’ calls on Eritreans across Europe to join Netherlands demonstration

Fourth Front’ or 4G has announced a demonstration with military character in the Netherlands on 16 October to “take revenge and be compensated for our disrupted festivals,” as announced in a message on Facebook. A poster circulating on social media states the location as The Hague, but the organisers call on Eritreans across Europe to join. A full translation of the message to announce the action has been included below.

Hate speech and threats at the core of Eritrean ‘festivals’ in Germany and Switzerland

Eritrean regime has organised a series of ‘festivals’ and ‘seminars’ promoted as cultural events. On the basis of previous events that have been organised many perceive that the events promote hate speech and incite violence. They have fuelled pushback in the form of protests, legal action and letters from Eritreans in the diaspora and allies opposing the violent message of the Eritrean regime. A new festival was organised in secrecy in Switzerland last weekend, 27 August 2022, and another event was announced in Germany on 3 September – of which the cancellation was announced yesterday, 31 August.