Former Peace Corps Volunteers on Peace Mission in Ethiopia
Former Peace Corps Volunteers on Peace Mission in Ethiopia
By Our Staff Reporter
Five former American Peace Corps Volunteers, John Garamendi, Melvin Foote, Michael McCaskey, William Canby and Charles Dambach were in Addis Ababa for four days on a peace mission.
They arrived on the weekend and left on Wednesday. During their visit here, diplomatic sources said that they had extensive discussions with Foreign Minister Seyum Mesfin and Prime Minsiter Melse Zenawi regarding the Ethiopian and Eritrean dispute.
Before coming to Ethiopia the mission had discussion with President Isaias Afworki of Eritrea.
The team left United States with an aim to meet with Ethiopian and Eritrean representatives in search of peace. Diplomatic efforts by US Department of States, the United Nations, the OAU and others have produced a frame work for peace, but they have not yet produced peace. The former Peace Corps believed they may be able to help the leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea find common ground and resolve the conflict.
The team kept low profile. As far as we know they have not talked to the press.
The team leader John Garamendi was a Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Interior from 1995 to 1998. He and his wife were volunteers in Ethiopia. Michael McCaskey is the owner of the Chicago Bears NFL football team. He is a well known for assisting Ethiopians and Eritreans in United States. William Canby is a Judge, US Court of Appeals in Phoenix, Arizona.
