Top Ad unit 728 × 90

Trending

random
.

13 years later, Ethiopia is still allergic to peace with Eritrea

The revolution continues

13 years later, Ethiopia is still allergic to peace with Eritrea

Today marks the 13th anniversary since Eritrea and Ethiopia signed the Algiers Agreement. The agreement stipulates, among others, the creation of an independent Boundary Commission to demarcate the border and their delimitation and demarcation decision is Final and Binding.

When the Commission concluded its delimitation on April 21, 2002, they ruled Badme, the flash point town in which both countries claimed belonged to them, is within Eritrea's borders. Eritrea accepted the ruling without delay, Ethiopia did not.

"...there is no way in hell that the decision on Badme which says it is part of Eritrea can be anything other than illegal and unjust." said an emotional Meles Zenawi, the late Ethiopian Prime Minister.

Eventually, the Ethiopian regime used political jargon to cover up their rejection of the ruling. They went from calling the ruling 'illegal and unjust' to accepting it in 'principle'. That principle came with a precondition, of course. They wanted dialogue before implementing the ruling. The only problem with this ploy is it's illegal. It violates the Final and Binding clause of the Algiers Agreement.

Even if Ethiopian officials genuinely wanted dialogue, Eritrea is more than ready to accommodate them. As Girma Asmerom, Eritrea's Ambassador to the AU said:

"if Ethiopia withdraws its army from occupied sovereign Eritrean territory including the town of Badme in the morning, dialogue between the two countries will start in the afternoon.”

For many people, it can be difficult to understand Ethiopia's refusal to abide by Commission's ruling. After all, this is the town Meles described as “some godforsaken village.” So why reject the ruling if Badme isn't important to Ethiopia?

The problem with the so-called "border war" is it actually had very little to do with the border. Badme was just a pretext Ethiopia used to ignite a war in a failed bid to reoccupy Eritrea. When the conflict started in 1998, Eritrea barely had five years of de jure independence after fighting 30 years of war. Needless to say, fighting was the last thing on Eritrea's agenda. As Bordoli Kiflai cleverly put it, Ethiopia "dishonestly tried to challenge our sovereignty; they tried to take it back claiming a five year warranty."

Unfortunately, 13 years after the signing of the Algiers Agreement, Ethiopia is still allergic to peace. Its occupation of sovereign Eritrean territories violates the human rights of the people of Eritrea and is a major source of destabilization to the region. The UN, U.S., African Union and European Union at the UN need to shoulder their moral and legal obligations to enforce the boundary decisions through punitive sanctions for Ethiopia. Failing to do so only undermines their credibility and efficacy.


Related reading: Border Demarcation FAQ

Algiers Agreement Signatures

Sponsored Ads
13 years later, Ethiopia is still allergic to peace with Eritrea Reviewed by Admin on 8:16 AM Rating: 5

11 comments:

  1. "Ethiopia allergic to peace " You guys are distorting the facts here. Ethiopia is the one who have been asking for dialog since Isias afeweki invaded the northern part of Ethiopia in 1998. Ethiopia wanted to get on with developing it's country and people but no Isias had different ideas when out of blue he sent it's troops inside Ethiopian sovereign land which was a miscalculation on Eritrea's part. Which costed both countries thousands of human life.The situation was reversed with Ethiopia's superiority, then Ethiopia contained the Issue and moved on. Now Ethiopia has other big Issues to deal with like building infrastructure through out the country maintaining the growth of the country and neutralize any threat that stand on its way of development. Eritrea is the least of it's worries it has Egypt and Saudi Arabia to deal with. Eritrea on the other hand is about to implode with it's internal problems to mention some of them attempted coup,thousands fleeing the country every month to Sudan and Ethiopia some drowning in Mediterranean sea and around 30,000 kidnapped in Sinai desert,Egypt. Which was reported by UN. As far as Algiers agreement concerned it has been null and void after the UN peace keeping force left on 31 July 2008 the reason was Eritrean government restricted UN mission forces helicopters flights along the border and asked the force to be reduced by 300 which by itself violated the agreement.Then moved to 25 km buffer zone along the border which violated the agreement again.Does that sound like a country who is looking to make peace with its neighbors. From Ethiopia's point of view the waiting game is better than any other options. Eritrea has failed with out anyone's push. Ethiopia will not be there to save it like it did in the past.

    ReplyDelete
  2. There is no difference between the united snakes of America and its tools the so called UN.UN is controlled by Osama bin Laden Barck,so no justice.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Piazza adigrat wake upp from your dreams kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

    ReplyDelete
  4. If UN is controlled by America. Why did Eritrea sign the agreement WITH Ethiopia United nations as it's guarantor and let them send it's(UN) peace keeping mission to the border to do the demarcation.The truth should not be something you except when it's convenient and trash it when its not. Eritrea said the same thing about African Union during the war 1998. Now Eritrea has it's Permanent Mission of Eritrea to AU and UNECA Ambassador Girma Asmerom in addis Ababa,Ethiopia.

    ReplyDelete
  5. you are idiot!!Ethiopia also has the right to say dialogue before.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Still its not Badme,they have to come into dialogue and solve all problems,The Eritrea gvt is the only problem,to distroy the nation and nationalities.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dialogue with whom?
    TPLF is going to be overthrown soon by TPDM, EPPF and Ginbot 7.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You can find the answer from malelits slave masters in the White House why.

    ReplyDelete
  9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XO7CKU-_Pw

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sEoyqrZeW0

    ReplyDelete
  10. Here is a news about the terrorist groups that are armed by Eritrea to attack Ethiopia.http://www.ethiotube.net/video/28459/Must-Listen-VOA-talks-with-EPPF-spokesperson-about-the-attack-they-claim-they-made-against-government-forces--Novembe

    ReplyDelete
  11. All those groups are in Eritrea which Eritrea is paying by being sanctioned for them to be there. So Ethiopia will make Eritrea pay more when the time is right on top of the sanction. I agree with your point "Dialogue with whom" that is the stand the Eritrean government took 13 years ago.we on Ethiopia side have no problem about it. Our country is at peace and developing fast. Can you say the same about Eritrea ?

    ReplyDelete

All Rights Reserved by Madote © 2016

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

Powered by Blogger.