A Reuters report that the Eritrean opposition is planning to set up a government in exile is based on an “out of context” quote which appeared in an Ethiopian newspaper, according to Mr. Adhanom Gebremariam, the subject of the interview.  

Reached by telephone in Addis Abeba, Adhanom who chairs the Eritrean People’s Movement (EPM), stated that the interview was with Admas, an Ethiopian newspaper published in Amharic.  

Adhanom explained that he was not speaking on behalf of the 13 opposition groups or about the agenda which will be raised in their March 30 meeting.

Taking pains to explain that the journalist who interviewed him was “a good reporter who did a good job” but made an “honest error”, Adhanom stated that what he told the reporter was that the “congress, among other things, will discuss the strategy of overthrowing the Asmara regime and will discuss contingency plans to fill a power vacuum once the regime is gone.”

Adhanom reiterated that opposition groups are struggling to replace the ruling regime and that this cannot be done without forming a government at some point, preferably before the regime is gone.

Asked how this differs from what was reported by Admas or Reuters, Adhanom indicated that what should have been clearer was that he was speaking for the organization he chairs, EPM, and not the Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA), the umbrella of 13 opposition organizations.

Adhanom was elected chairman of EPM in the party congress that was concluded last week in Addis Ababa.