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Ethiopia and Eritrea

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Ethiopia and Eritrea A publication of Ethiopia E Eritrea RPCVs, - an affiliate of the National Peace Corps Association The HE Summer 2002 - Number 25 The Border Saga By Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64) Before I built a wall I'd ask to know a victory over aggression and violence. This is a What I was walling in or walling out, victory for the rule of law over the rule of the jungle." And to whom I was like to give offence. Inside Something there is that doesn't Jove a wall, "The government and people of Eritrea have That wants it down .. consistently maintained that the border dispute Eritrea news 7 [My neighbor] will not go beyond his father's saying, could only be resolved by peaceful and legal Aid and Comfort 12 means, and not through war and the logic of And he likes having thought of it so well force," the official statement of the Eritrean Free Press, cont. 14 He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors." government stated as reported by IRIN (Integrated - from "Mending Waif" by Robert Frost Sites 14 Regional Information Network (www .irinnews .org). "Jn the final analysis, the end Ethiopia news 16 of the war on the basis of a legal determination is a victory for both the Eritrean and Ethiopian Peace Corps 26 The Hague Commission's Decision peoples. It is a victory for the people of Ethiopia, On Saturday, April 13, the Independent Boundary 40 +I 28 but it is the Eritrean people who have emerged Commission in The Hague issued its ruling on victorious." E~E RPCVs 30 border delimitation for Ethiopia and Eritrea . The long-awaited decision has been fraught with Books ~ writers 36 "The outcome was sufficiently obscure to leave violent confrontations, alleged violations, and both countries in a position to claim victory," Touring Ethiopia 42 many assertions following the peace agreement noted the BBc's Martin Plaut. The Hague commis­ signed in December 2000. Following the an­ Editorial 44 sion released a 125-page document, which Plaut nouncement, both Ethiopia and Eritrea claimed says "legal experts make clear that they reject the Contacts 46 victory for their point of view and resolution. Ethiopian claim and draw the border in such a way that Eritrea wins title to the town - if not the area "This is a victory of law and order over anarchy, that bears its name." chaos and violence," said Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin as reported by the UN The name is Badme. Both Ethiopia and Eritrea claim Integrated Regional Information Networks. "This is Badme, which is a village and a district and was Summer 2002 I considered the heart of the initial armed conflict "I have commended [Prime Mi nister Meles Zenawi] between the two countries that continued for two and the Ethiopian government for having so firmly years. According to the agreement, stated that Ethiopia will stand by the decision of Badme remains an Ethiopian village on the Boundary Commission," he said. He also the 620-mile disputed border, as are reiterated that his government would continue the areas of Zalembessa, Alitena, and Bada. long-term bilateral development aid with Ethiopia, "!HE OUTCOME was sufficiently According to Plaut, "Eritrea appears to "based on support of peace, stability, democratic obscure to leave both countries in have made some gains in the west." development, human rights, and good gover­ nance." a position to claim victory," noted In May 1998, Eritrean soldiers began an entry into Badme, which was little more the BBC 's Martin Plaut. International Demonstrations than a few buildings and a barracks A worldwide campaign by Ethiop ians to oppose flagpole flying the Ethiopian flag . the Hague ruling was initiated on March 29, more Ethiopian soldiers told the Eritreans to lay than two weeks before the release of the ruling. down their arms. Gunfire was the answer Following demonstrations in Stockholm, London, and it continued there and along the regional and New York, the DC-based Ethiopi ans Unite boundary abutting each nation until June 2000. planned to hold more rallies in Washington, London, and elsewhere to "demand that Meles US Contributes Funds for Border Demarcation Zenawi's regime and the parliament not approve Calling the Boundary Commission's ruling a the Border Commission's decisions, which is "major achievement," the US State Department has intended to make Ethiopia permanently land­ pledged its support of future peaceful actions. "By locked, weak and poor, " according to the Ethiopi­ accepting the decision, Eritrean President Isayas ans Unite press release. and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles have taken another courageous step to forge a comprehensive Red Sea Ports and lasting peace between the two countries," an In February, some 3,000 supporters of the Ethio­ official statement said. pian Democratic Party held a rally in Addis demanding access to the Red Sea as part of the "The United States remains committed to facilitate pending UN boundary comm issi on in the Hague. the peace process to its conclusion. To this end," An IRIN report noted that rally spokespeople the statement said, "we have donated funds to a insisted that "the country would never have United Nations Trust Fund established to help lasting peace without access to the Red Sea." defray the cost of the delimitation and demarca­ tion of the border, and we intend to make an The Ethiopian government's stance opposed such additional contribution shortly." position, according to a representative . "Nurturing the idea of waging war with Eritrea in search of a There was no indication as to the amount of money sea outlet would not serve any purpose other than the US has donated to the trust fund. creating another 30 years of war." Norway Will Provide Funds for Demarcation An editorial in the Addis Tribune had a more Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen an­ historical point of view: "It is all too easy to stick nounced that his government would contribute to the age-old argument that Ethiopi a cannot US$1 million to assist in the resolution of the border survive without a port or should not be land­ settlement. "Norway will support Ethiopia and locked. Ethiopia has survived for over 3,000 years Eritrea as well as the United Nations in the physical without much use of its sea access. While the demarcation of the border," Petersen said in a modem world developed through trade by taking release issued by the Norwegian embassy in Addis. advantage of its sea access, we spent much of our 3,000 years barricading ourselves from invaders 2 THE HERALD but also from trade and progress. Remember Assab was not created by our desire to take to the seas A Chronology from Le Monde: and trade with the outside world. Assab came to Conflict in the Horn of Africa POPULATION DATA: existence because of an Italian trading company wishing to set up a trading base along the Red Eritrea has an estimated 1889-1941: Eritrea is an Italian colony. Sea. They bought a 20 sq km piece of desert land 3.5 million living with its by the sea for 3,100 Maria Teresa (about 80,000 1941-1952: Eritrea under British administra­ lire) in 1861 from local land owners - hence, the tion. borders between Ethiopia, creation of Assab and then Eritrea and the start of September 15, 1952: UN decides to set up a the Red Sea, and Sudan. our 130 years of trouble that came with it." federation between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Ethiopia has 65 million September 1961 : The Eritrean Liberation Front A Potpourri of Opinions (ELF) takes up arms. people living within the "The Hague Blues" An ode was composed by one M. Filli A., "lyrics by November 14, 1962: Annexation of Eritrea, which becomes the 14th province of area bordered by Eritrea, an Eritrean, no music provided," plus an attribu­ Ethiopia. Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, tion to Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry .. "from an unattributed internet source, via Schlomo 1970: The ELF splits into two branches: the and Kenya . Bachrach's exceptional news service. One verse original ELF and the People 's Liberation Forces (ELF-PlF). This Marxist breakaway canted: group of the ELF becomes the Eritrean "Working together through bilateral diplomacy People's Liberation Front (EPlF). Can bring to the Horn peace and normalcy 1972-197 4: Civil war between the two groups. Accepting sovereignty barriers 197 4: Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie Respecting territorial borders overthrown. We can make good neighbors January 1975: Resumption of the joint And they can use our harbors campaign against the Ethiopian army. Old privileges permanently damaged 1977: Mengistu Haile Mariam seizes power in New contracts could be easily managed ... " Ethiopia. The USSR provides massive aid. The EPlF makes a strategic withdrawal. "Mareb River journal" May 1991: Asmara is taken by the EPlF and NY Times reporter Marc Lacey visited a place in the Mengistu's military-Communist regime Ethiopia/Eritrea region and wrote a piece called collapses. "Bridge Over a Troubled Border in the Horn of Africa." His article (www.nytimes.com/2002/02/11/ April 25, 1993: A referendum ratifies independence for Eritrea within frontiers of international/africa/11BORD. html) describes his the former It alian colony. experience at the Mareb River bridge, which is not unlike the bridge between the US and Canada at May 6, 1998: Outbreak of war between Niagara Falls. "The bridge, once a major transit Ethiopia and Eritrea. point between the two neighbors, ended up May 12, 2000: After a year's respite, the heavily damaged when Ethiopia and Eritrea took peace negotiations are broken off and up arms against each other ...
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