GEESKA AFRIKA ONLINE: Nur Kafi's Column on the Eye of the Horn of African Affairs

IGAD Breaking News (HAN) November 22th, 2005.

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War Statements Between Eritrea and Ethiopia

Nairobi (HAN) November 22, 2005 - The aftermath of the elections left Ethiopia in an entirely unprecedented situation, for which the peculiarities of Ethiopian political culture provided no readily acceptable outcome. Ethiopian governance has historically been based on a willingness to obey any ruler who was able to exercise effective power. In the words of the Tigrayan proverb: ‘the sun that comes up tomorrow will be our sun; the government that rules tomorrow will be our government’. It has had no place for compromise or power-sharing, except insofaras these could be disguised behind a façade of respect for the ruling power. When power has changed hands, as happened most recently in 1991, the old government has lost ‘the mandate of heaven’, and people have started to obey a new government that evidently possessed the capacity to rule, with only a short hiatus of potential anarchy between the two.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said last week his country, which is the dominant power in the Horn of Africa, was unlikely to stage a repeat of its war with Eritrea. And an Eritrean minister told Reuters on Thursday that Asmara would not be "provoked" into conflict. U.N. spokeswoman Gail Bindley-Taylor-Sainte told reporters a military coordinating commission with officials from both sides and from the world body would meet in Nairobi on November 25. "A large number of troop movements have been noticed on both the Ethiopian and Eritrean sides," she added, calling the situation at the buffer zone "tense" and "potentially volatile".

U.N. peacekeepers monitor the demilitarized buffer zone between the two nations. But their activities have been curtailed in recent weeks since Eritrea banned U.N. helicopter flights and other peacekeeping activities.

The spokeswoman said Ethiopia was also restricting movements of peacekeepers in some areas adjacent to the zone. Both Ethiopia and Eritrea have said they will not be provoked by the other side into starting a new war. Top military brass from both sides are expected in Kenya this week to discuss border tensions and troop movements

Eritrea's President Accused Ethiopian Military Maneuvers

Asmara (HAN) November 22, 2005 - Eritrea's president has accused Ethiopia of raising the spectre of renewed conflict between the two neighbours over their disputed border as a ploy to distract attention from Ethiopia's domestic troubles.

Military maneuvers on both sides of an unmarked 1 000km frontier between the feuding Horn of Africa neighbours have raised international concern about a possible repeat of their 1998-2000 border war that killed 70 000 people.

The growing tension along the border coincided with protests in Ethiopia over a May 15 election the opposition says was rigged, but which Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's government says was fair.

Ethiopian authorities have accused Eritrea of supporting the biggest opposition party, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy, whose leaders face treason charges and are accused of inciting the violence in which more than 40 people died.

In an interview with local media late on Saturday, Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki dismissed the Ethiopian claims as a "baseless allegation", the Information Ministry said.

"President Isaias Afewerki underlined that statements about the resumption of imminent war between Eritrea and Ethiopia are the invention of the TPLF and its collaborators designed to divert (attention from) the prevailing internal crisis in Ethiopia," it said. The ministry was referring to Meles' former rebel movement, the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front.

Isaias said that "in a bid to escape from the current internal crisis it is facing, the TPLF regime is resorting to war as an alternative". Ethiopian officials were not immediately available for comment.

Eritrea has grown frustrated at the international community's failure to pressure Ethiopia to implement a border ruling by an independent commission.

Under a 2000 peace deal, both sides agreed to accept the commission's decision about the location of the frontier as final. But when the commission in 2002 awarded the flashpoint town of Badme to Eritrea, Addis Ababa rejected the ruling. The Eritrean statement, on the official Web site www.shabait.com, warned that the country's patience over the border issue was running out.

Isaias "Eritrean Territory is still under Foreign Occupation"

Asmara (HAN) November 22, 2005 - President Isaias Afwerki underlined that statements about the resumption of imminent war between Eritrea and Ethiopian are the invention of the TPLF and its collaborators designed to divert the prevailing internal crisis in Ethiopia.

The President made the salient remarks in a televised interview last night with the national media focusing on Eritrea's development strategy and its short and long-term achievements, as well as regional and international issues. He elaborated that in a bid to escape from the current internal crisis it is facing, the TPLF regime is resorting to war as an alternative.

In this respect, President Isaias stated, efforts made under the cover of the United Nations including the Security Council to save the regime are not new scenarios. Noting that the Security Council is duty bound to implement the Boundary Commission's ruling and as such it has no other authority, the President underscored that the failure of the Council over the past three and half years to live up to its responsibility has no legal, political or moral justification at all. He went on to emphasize that talks on the part of the Security Council alleging that "since war is inevitable, tough resolution should be adopted on the two countries, and that since Eritrea has banned UNMEE helicopter flight, even more tough resolution should be directed against it" represent nothing else but pure "waste of time." President Isaias further underlined that in the event such a situation remains unchanged, the Security Council bears full responsibility for any ensuing consequences.

Stating that Eritrea had demonstrated sufficient patience over the past three and half years with all the attendant sacrifices and disadvantages, the President, nonetheless, pointed out that this patience cannot continue for an indefinite time. "In view of the fact that sovereign Eritrean territory is still under foreign occupation, its right of self-defence is legally and morally ensured under the UN Charter," he underlined.

On the baseless allegation that Eritrea is behind the current popular uprising organized by the CUD party, President Isaias noted that Eritrea's cooperation with the Ethiopian people before independence was conducted without any bias, and that even during the transition period after 1991, Eritrea not only made the necessary contribution to ensure a secure Ethiopia but also live in peace with it both for mutual benefit and regional stability. He further stated that even at this time the people and Government of Eritrea hold the principled stance advocating that there should exist a secure Ethiopia in which all its people live in conditions of equality and harmony.

Regarding the improvement recently witnessed in relations between Eritrea and Sudan, President Isaias indicated that the initiatives Eritrea had taken were exploratory and had borne fruitful outcome. Noting that Sudanese internal problems had created obvious difficulties not only to Eritrea but also to the region and the world at large, he pointed out that Eritrea had made due contribution and positive role within IGAD to achieve a solution to the South Sudan issue. Moreover, President Isaias explained that Eritrea as a neighbor will continue its efforts to promote a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Sudan, as well as ensure the success of the peace agreement already reached. He added that all the Sudanese parties have been informed of this Eritrean pledge.

On Eritrean-American relations, President Isaias stated that since it is imperative that there should exist regional organizations for cooperation in Africa and that countries should create a situation conducive to mutual cooperation among them. In this connection, the President indicated that the United States or other countries are expected to make due contribution. "It is not only a mistake but also dangerous to resort to giving orders through proxy," he stressed.

Pointing out that the problem in US policy towards Africa emanates from the strategy of creating obedience through proxy, President Isaias called on the United States, in view of its influence in the world, to work for resolving problems in a constructive manner, as well as promoting reliable and sustained partnership.

As regards the objective situation in the Homeland, the President underlined that Eritrea has been implementing programs aimed at reinforcing national security and economic emancipation over the past seven years despite the TPLF regime's war of aggression, and that the year 2005 in particular has witnessed a giant leap towards ensuring food security, as well as the construction of various infrastructure in the industrial, trade, tourism, fisheries and other sectors when compared to that of the previous years.

Noting the satisfactory outcome registered at present in identifying problems shaped by the uneven distribution of rainfall and implementing programs to tackle it, President Isaias underscored that efforts to achieve food security in 2006 will focus on promoting irrigation farming being currently undertaken through the construction of reservoirs, water catchments and diversion schemes. He explained that machinery made available in 2005 will be used much more efficiently in 2006.

With regards to infrastructure, President Isaias said that the roads constructed in 2005 are quite significant in number, length and kind as compared to similar endeavors undertaken in 2003 and 2004. Pointing out that the nation registered major progress this year regarding airports, bays, electricity, water supply and telephone lines, including mobile phones, he noted that preparations are underway aimed at further pushing forward these hallmarks of development at an accelerated pace.

In the fisheries infrastructure, the President said that the facilities put in place in Gelalo, Ti'o and Edi, in addition to the ones that had already gone operational in Massawa and Assab along with other bays are strengthening available resources. He added that the type and number of boats have also taken on a positive direction this year.

On the issue of aid, President Isaias said that the relationship with aid partners must be seen as temporary, taking into account the fact that permanent aid partnership is only an indication of persistent and impenetrable problems, hunger and disaster. The President noted that aid should be limited to a certain timeframe.

Speaking on the emergence of organizations operating under the guise of relief aid and by employing the name of major faith denominations but are, on the contrary, engaged in evil plots, acts of terrorism and espionage, he pointed out that the policy enacted in 1994 to monitor such escapades has been enriched following 10 years of experience and put into effect recently.

Outlining the factors that contributed to increase in the price of consumer goods, President Isaias made reference to the rising fuel price in the world market and the effects of war in a nation's human capacity. He further stated that extravagance on the part of individuals and the merchants' voracity could also be cited as supplementary factors. The President went on to say that there is a need for undertaken deep research in this regard as well as extensive public campaigns.

President Isaias further underlined that institutions, particularly the Ministry of Trade and Industry have been stepping up efforts to find solutions to these setbacks and that the problems have in a way been eased. sources: Shabait (Asmara)

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HAN Bulletin is your independent, online intelligence resource edited and published by the regional political historian, veteran newsman and founder of www.geeskaafrika.com (Geeska Afrika Online 1985). Each week he taps his vast network of international intelligence sources to bring you credible insights into geo-political and geo-strategic developments for the Horn of Africa. Contact at nurkafi@geeskaafrika.com (Managing Editor/Publisher)