Eritrean ambassador won't accept responsibility for Hague riots

The Eritrean ambassador to the Netherlands, Negassi Kassa Tekle, does not take any responsibility for the riots in The Hague on Saturday evening. He made that clear in a Nieuwsuur broadcast on Monday evening. The ambassador believes it is up to the Dutch authorities and police to punish the rioters and ensure that they adhere to the rules from now on.

The riots broke out during a party by pro-government Eritreans. Opponents of the dictatorial regime showed up to the party and sought confrontation. Eight police officers were injured keeping the two groups apart, and 13 people were arrested. These two groups are often diametrically opposed to each other.

Tekle finds it unacceptable that rioters attacked officers, but at the same time places the responsibility for tackling the rioters on the police. The ambassador denies that Saturday’s riots are a political issue. He dismisses the group that started the riots as “illegal people who are only concerned with disrupting and preventing Eritrean gatherings.” According to Telke, they are not part of the Eritrean community “even though they claim they are.” He adds that the embassy has no control over the group.

Presenter Jeroen Wollars asked Tekle whether the riots did not arise because the Eirtrea dictatorial regime exerts too much influence on the lives of Eritrean community members. The ambassador called that a “distortion of the facts.”

It was also discussed why Tekle still operates from Brussels and has not come to The Hague. The ambassador said that he plans to come to the Netherlands but does not yet know exactly when.