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Eritrean Statehood: the Effects of Arab Intervention, (1941-1993)

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Eritrean Statehood: the Effects of Arab Intervention, (1941-1993) THE CONTESTED LEGITIMACY OF ERITREAN STATEHOOD: THE EFFECTS OF ARAB INTERVENTION, (1941-1993) By HABTOM ZERAI GHIRMAI Department of International Relations A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in International Relations to the Faculty of Humanities, The University of Witwatersrand November 2003 Eritrea: The Effects of Arab Intervention, (1941-1993) ii Table of Contents Declaration……………………………………………………………………………….v Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………..vi Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………...vii Maps………………...……………………………………………………………….viii-ix CHAPTER ONE: .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Aims and Motivation ................................................................................................ 4 1.3 Rationale ................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Statement of problem ................................................................................................ 6 1.5 The Argument ........................................................................................................... 7 1.5.1 Internal ............................................................................................................... 8 1.5.2 External Legitimacy ........................................................................................... 9 1.5.3 Finance/Resources ........................................................................................... 10 1.6 The Geo-political Context....................................................................................... 10 1.7 Geopolitical significance of Eritrea ........................................................................ 13 CHAPTER TWO: Eritrean Question in Perspective .................................................. 16 2. 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 16 2.2 Ethiopia‘s Mythical Unity....................................................................................... 17 2.3 Literature Review: .................................................................................................. 22 CHAPTER THREE: From British Military Administration to Fedreation ............. 33 3.1 British Military Administration .............................................................................. 33 3.1.1 War Economy ...................................................................................................... 35 iii Eritrea: The Effects of Arab Intervention, (1941-1993) 3.2. Ethiopia-Eritrea Federation; ................................................................................... 39 3.2.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 39 3.2.2. Eritrea and the U.N. General Assembly ......................................................... 40 3.2.3. Views of Arab UN Member States on the disposal of Eritrea......................... 45 CHAPTER FOUR: An Overview of the Eritrean Revolution .................................... 52 4.1. Introduction; ........................................................................................................... 52 4.2. Eritrean Liberation Movement (ELM)................................................................... 57 4.3. Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF)............................................................................. 59 4.4. Eritrean People‘s Liberation Front (EPLF) ............................................................ 63 CHAPTER FIVE: Eritrea and the Arab World .......................................................... 68 5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 68 5.2 Israel ........................................................................................................................ 74 5.2.1 Introduction...................................................................................................... 74 5.2.2 Eritrea and Ethio-Israeli relations .................................................................. 75 5.2.3 Jews Issues ....................................................................................................... 78 5.3 Egypt ....................................................................................................................... 82 5.3.1 Introduction...................................................................................................... 82 5.3.2 The Nile Hydro-politics.................................................................................... 83 5.3.3 Gamal Abdul Nasser (1952-1973) ................................................................... 86 5.3.4 Muhammad Anwar Sadat Government (1973-1981) ....................................... 89 5.3.5 Hosni Al-Mubarak (since 1981)....................................................................... 91 5.4 Sudan....................................................................................................................... 92 5.4.1 Introduction...................................................................................................... 92 5.4.2 The Refugee Factor .......................................................................................... 95 5.4.3 The Ideological Factor .................................................................................... 98 5.4.4 The Strategic Factor ...................................................................................... 102 5.5 Saudi Arabia.......................................................................................................... 104 5.5.1 Introduction.................................................................................................... 104 Eritrea: The Effects of Arab Intervention, (1941-1993) iv 5.5.2 Saudi Quest for Security in the Red Sea Region ............................................ 106 5.5.3 Saudi Arabia and Eritrea ............................................................................... 108 5.5.4 Saudi Aversion to the EPLF ........................................................................... 110 5.6 Somalia ................................................................................................................. 113 5.6.1 Introduction.................................................................................................... 113 5.6.2 The Strategic Alliance .................................................................................... 115 5.6.3 The Ogaden War and Eritrea ........................................................................ 117 5.7 Libya and South Yemen........................................................................................ 121 5.7.1 Introduction.................................................................................................... 121 5.7.2 Imperial Ethiopia ........................................................................................... 123 5.7.3 Revolutionary Ethiopia .................................................................................. 125 5.8 Syria and Iraq ........................................................................................................ 131 5.8.1 Introduction.................................................................................................... 131 5.8.2 Eritrea and the Ba’athist Iraq and Syria ....................................................... 133 CHAPTER SIX: OAU’s Fixation of Pandra’s Box and the Eritrean Question ...... 137 6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 138 6.2 The OAU and Eritrea ............................................................................................ 141 6.3 The Sanctity of Colonial Borders ......................................................................... 143 6.4 The Principle of Non-Intervention ........................................................................ 145 6.5 Eritrea‘s question and Afro-Arab relations ........................................................... 147 6.6 The Dergue............................................................................................................ 150 CHAPTER SEVEN ....................................................................................................... 153 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................... 161 v Eritrea: The Effects of Arab Intervention, (1941-1993) Declaration I, Habtom Zerai Ghirami, declare that the content of this research report is my own work unless otherwise acknowledge or referenced. It has not been previously submitted for any degree or examination at any other learning institution. It is being submitted for the degree of Masters of Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand. Candidate: Habtom Zerai Ghirmai Supervisor: Rod Alence (Ph.D) Date: Date: Eritrea: The Effects of Arab Intervention, (1941-1993) vi Acknowledgements It has been customary for literary works and a must for research reports to spare, at least half a page, to acknowledge the individuals, no matter in what way it comes, who
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