JEDDAH, 3 October — Relations between Eritrea and its former colonizer, Italy, took a sharp turn yesterday with the expulsion of the Italian ambassador in Asmara who angered the host government by protesting the arrest of dissidents and criticizing the lack of freedom in the newly independent state.
The Eritrean Foreign Ministry said the ambassador has already left the country. The ministry spoke of earlier contacts between the two countries asking the Italian government to recall its ambassador discreetly. It said it hoped the move would not affect the “close and historical ties of friendship” between the two countries. Italy maintaines historical and economic ties with Eritrea, which came under Italian rule from 1889 until 1941 before being annexed by Ethiopia. “The ambassador has been asked to leave. The measure was taken in response to the activities of the ambassador that were not compatible with his diplomatic functions,” the ministry said in a statement faxed to Arab News.
Italy’s charge d’affaires in Asmara will run the duties of the ambassador. The move to expel Bandini came shortly after the heads of the European Union mission in Asmara told the government of President Issaias Afeworki of their concern at the arrest of the political dissidents and the suspension of private newspapers. Bandini was president of the EU mission group. The 11 political dissidents were all founding members of the ruling Popular Front for Democracy and Justice.They were arrested after signing a memorandum criticizing lack of freedom and calling for more political openness.
The Eritrean government has defended the arrests of the officials accusing them of seeking to set up “secret cells” in and outside the country. Presidential spokesman Yemane Ghebremeskel, said the arrests had nothing to do with their criticisms of the regime.
