Society
War brews on the new frontier
Published 25 October 2007
Michela Wrong reports on the tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea and the war brewing on the new frontier
A grim deadline expires in a few weeks' time. It will pass unnoticed by the British public, but that doesn't make it any less important, not just for the two nations involved, but for Africa as a whole. For it sets the seal on an abject failure by the west to ensure that a vital African ally respects international law. And the act of defiance our governments have chosen to ignore will undermine peacemaking on the continent for decades to come.
At the end of November, the frontier separating Eritrea from Ethiopia becomes officially demarcated, in the teeth of Ethiopian opposition. For five years, Addis Ababa has done its best to prevent cement pillars being placed along a line designated by the international Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission in April 2002, a ruling that both states originally agreed was to be final and binding. The exasperated commission chairman, Sir Elihu Lauterpacht, announced last November that if the stalemate continued, the border would automatically count as legally demarcated a year hence, pillars or no.
With that announcement, Lauterpacht in effect told the international community: "We've done our bit. The rest is up to you." Its mandate complete, the commission will disband. Law yers, however distinguished, can do only so much. Ever since it emerged that the commission's ruling placed the contested town of Badme, of huge symbolic importance as the flashpoint of the 1998-2000 war, inside Eritrean territory, it has been clear that only realpolitik could secure Ethiopian compliance.
Those five years of procrastination did not come cheap for you and me. A UN peacekeeping force has been deployed along a buffer zone between the two states throughout, at a cost to western taxpayers of more than $1bn. All for naught, because a new war now looks horribly likely. Both sides have moved troops up to the border and Ethiopia recently announced that it was considering terminating the Algiers Agreement, which ended the fighting in 2000. The rising rhetoric feels like an ominous countdown to a resumption of hostilities.
Could all this have been avoided? Outsiders often claim both governments are so pig-headed that outside pressure either has no effect or backfires. But the west never tried. A US diplomat friend used to accuse me of naivety when I struggled to interpret governments' behaviour. "Look at what they do, not what they say," he would scold. The Addis regime looked at what the west did when confronted by its defiance, not what it said, and concluded - correctly - that it had nothing to fear from continued intransigence.
Since the days of Haile Selassie, giant, Christian Ethiopia has been regarded as the Horn of Africa state the west had to keep onside, too big, too strategic, too poor to ignore. The war on terror buttressed that belief, notwithstanding evidence that Addis Ababa's aggressive behaviour was destabilising the region.
So, after Ethiopian troops shot nearly 200 de monstrators protesting against rigged elections and jailed the opposition, western donors made only token adjustments to the $1.9bn in funding they give Prime Minister Meles Zenawi each year. Any disapproval Washington might have expressed over Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia rang hollow, given the enthusiastic help it lent the army as it hunted retreating Islamist forces. And Ethiopia's warning that it might terminate the Algiers Agreement came soon after the US state department said it was preparing to put Eritrea on its list of terrorism-supporting states for its role in Somalia: a green light to Addis if ever there was one. What they do, not what they say.
One doesn't have to be an admirer of the Eri trean government - undemocratic, stiflingly militaristic, cynically ready to support any rebel group that threatens Meles - to quail at the ramifications of the west's limp behaviour. By indulging a delinquent favourite, the inter national community has set a precedent other regional bullies will happily follow. We can expect a repeat next door in Sudan, where the government and the rebels have yet to demarcate the frontier separating south from north. The Eritrea-Ethiopia dispute was bitter enough. In Sudan, oil pushes the stakes even higher. Khartoum has already refused to implement a "final and binding" ruling defining the limits of oil-rich Abyei Province. What is the likelihood of its complying with any border ruling that locates oil deposits out of reach in the south?
Africa as we know it is a recent invention. Quixotic and impractical, its colonial frontiers are poorly charted and easily challenged. Fear of the mayhem that would ensue if member states regarded existing boundaries as being up for debate prom pted the Organisation of African Unity, in 1964, to embrace the doctrine of uti possidetis, that colonial borders should remain as they are. The Eritrea-Ethiopia debacle, which will be finalised next month, undermines that principle, weakening future attempts at peaceful arbitration. The message it sends is that "final and binding" frontier rulings are negotiable; and that while minnows must obey international law, large countries with friends abroad can defy it with impunity. There could be few more dangerous signals to send a fragile continent.
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50 comments from readers
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ikotubo
25 October 2007 at 10:18 Of all the so-called Africa speclialists, Michaela Wrong has established herself as the only one who truly understands my continent the way ordinary Africans do. Sadly, her peers and policy makers in the West often elect to see the region through the eyes of our countless tyrants and kleptocrats. And the result remains as a living testament to their cruel and mindless idiocy.
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A_Rod
25 October 2007 at 11:14 The overall analysis presented by Michela Wrong is refreshingly insightful. And I hope it is widely read by the public as well as those who might help influence Western policy toward Africa.
However, her assertion that Eritrea's support of Somalia is cynical is way off the mark. It is Ethiopia's illegal invasion of Somalia and the direct support that Ethiopia is getting from the West that is appallingly cynical.
As a Somali, I'm grateful to see that at least one country is vocally siding with the victim of Ethiopia's invasion.
In addition to the thousands who have been killed as the result of Ethiopia's invasion, hundreds of thousands of Somalis are being displaced. And the West continues to give nearly two billion dollars to the architects of this brutal terror against the Somali people.
From my vantage point, this is the height of cynicism--and imperialist hubris.
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gerezigehare hagose agame
25 October 2007 at 14:00 i read all the articles written by michela wrong ,
the eritrea regime is now collapsed , the ethiopian are ready to fill the gap ! we ethiopian are not interested about
badema or zale anbesa ! land is we know that land is a country, we couldnt ignore our land but for ones and for all the times we will destroy the territories sprite from east africa (eritrea) , it is not bound by the UN or US america this the reality!we know realy US is mostly working with terrorists, we know the king of Eritrea is living in one arab country ! Eritrea or ISAyase is follow one arab country advise ! we know that the christan highland sprite is very angry about eritrea , by the way the border demarcation is not a matter of eritrean ppl , it is the arab politicians are playing with the ppl of eritrea , ethiopia is not harmful to the ppl of eritrea , we know each other very well !! eritrea is mostly follow the arab politica that is the reason to participate in somalia conflict ! it is crystal if ethiopia shows interest in somalia b/c of ethiopia and somalia are very friend and neighboure country !! i dont think if eritrean have interest in darful and moqadisho ! b/c eritrea is follow the arab counties interest that is the reason eritrea or esayase day and night working to weaken ethiopia ! it is not knowlege that give peace to the horn nation countries , it is the sprite are now working , it is difficult to controle the love b/n ethiopia and eritrea ppl !! it is difficult to separate the two horn nation , that is the problem is now coming in the two sides ! EEBC wouldnt solve the problem !!!
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Shidaeri
25 October 2007 at 14:48 Alemu ,,,you are psycopatic analyzer.
Do you understand the meaning of Final and Binding,,,,rule of law...Final means Final. eko we don't trust your government to dialouge with it..Because your rulers are expert in lying,,,,,History tell us that you guys have no respect for law..
Did you forget what you government said in2002>>>>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1929475.stm
"Ethiopia was jubilant on Saturday when the new 1,000km (620 mile) boundary was decided by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague."
1 ethiopia accepted the border ruling,,and stated that ethiopia won not only badime but also some eritrean territory.kkkkkkk
2. in sep 2003 Ethiopia stated that it will not accept the border ruling,,it will accept it only when it get what she want.
3.Ethiopia accept the border ruling in princple but have a give and talk idea kk
4 Ethiopia accept the border ruling but want to talk about somalia problem 2006.
How can you trust this kind of government....Readers of this website,,give me please your Judgment.....The truth is only in Eritrea's side...Truth and the rule of law is the only way for peace. so alemu until your brain is clear of propaganda come back to this website and preach peace and truth
Long Live Eritrea and peaace loving nations
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BIRHIN
25 October 2007 at 15:06 It is not "uti possidetis" but 'uti possidetis juris'. The former is has a totally different meaning and implication the correct latter.
Berhane M Tekeste
bmtekeste At Yahoo Dot Com
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BIRHIN
25 October 2007 at 15:09 It is not "uti possidetis" but 'uti possidetis juris'. The distintion is very important because the former has a totally different meaning and implication than the correct latter. What Africa has adopted is uti possidetis juris, not uti possidetis. Thanks
Berhane M Tekeste
bmtekeste At Yahoo Dot Com
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Moses
25 October 2007 at 15:42 The Eritrean government is obviously severely weakened by its own political and economic mismanagement borne out of abject incompetence. The danger of war starting between these two nations and, as seems likely, were Ethiopia to invade with tacit US approval, well, God help the Horn of Africa. The Ethiopian leadership should seriously think about the devastating effect invasion will have in the whole region for decades to come. I am sure Ethiopia can manage to destabilise Eritrea through such invasion given the sad state of affairs in Eritrea, but it will be the beginning of the end not only to Eritrea but also to Ethiopia as we know it. The US and Ethiopia should give Eritrea the time and space it needs so that such a sad government will bury itself in due course.
Moses
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Shidaeri
25 October 2007 at 16:01 Moses do you believe your are saying..
I hope you understand ethiopia very good...I am born in addis abeba,(Ethiopia). I happen to know the mentality of Ethiopians...The weyane government supported only by 5% of ethiopians from the state of tigray and some coruppted people from other region..The rest of ethiopian people would like to destroy your government...if you had no support from america and europa,,,the ethinically minority government of ethiopia..will only stay for one day....but soon this will change, every where in ethiopia people are struggling for their right.... weyane is a dying regime,,that is the reality,,,,so don't lose your self in a dream Moses...Reality please..........we are waiting for final time Game over
Death to weyane ethinical minority government,,,peace to eritrean and ethiopian people.
P.S BIRHIN,,is that the only thing you can say about the article....pls defend your motherland with truth
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BIRHIN
25 October 2007 at 16:38 Shidaeri,
If you knew the significance, meaning and implications of the distinctions I made, then that is a major contribution in defense of my mother land, Eritrea.
It is a distinction between "Might is right' and 'Rule of law' and that the crux of the matter vis a vis Badme.
Academic mercinaries like Prof. Clapham and another Dutch Anthropologist whose name I don't remember now have based their argument on 'uti possedetis' in their futile attempt to trash the decision of the Boundary Commission regarding Badme.
The distinction that I made is not the only thing but the main thing.
Making the distinction is the truth and main truth in defense of my country. Truth also means to be truthful with your self and accepting that the Algiers Agreement have been violated by both parties. Peace between the two nations necessitates the restoration of the integrity of the Algiers Agreement and demarcating the border as decided in April 2002. That is the most truthfull way of defending my mother land- accepting that my motherland is no inocent either.
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MitchMorrison
25 October 2007 at 16:48 Durring Haile selassie's administration, I was a young US soldier stationed in Asmara. While I was there for 5 years, I couldn't help but admire the Eritreans friendly hospitality and never ending determination, even though my adminstration in Washington was the one funding the bill for all their misery. Our American cold war policies was suffocating the Eritrean people, yet these kind people never once treated me with any hostility, they always kept their hopes up and put a smile on their faces. Now as I fast forward to the future, Eritreans are yet again being suffocated by the war on terrorism by this administration and their support of meles' illegal stand of not complying with final and binding.
Michela Wrong , you must get the attention of a major US or British news station and have your story aired on national or International TV, otherwise, the average American/European will only be informed of this story when it's too late, at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives coming to an end, and at the waste of Billions of dollars of US aid going to Ethiopia's war, all because the World ignores Eritrea's final and binding legality.
The Eritrean fighters always used to say to me, "the only friends we have are the mountains" --- 40 years latter, those words still remain true as ever.
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Ruba_Anseba
25 October 2007 at 17:04 As far as the role of the west in stimulating the minority regiem in Addis Ababa is concerned the, the understand of Mrs. Michele Wrong is right. Meles can not rule Ethiopia for a single day , let alone reject tje final and binding border ruling, without the blessing of the west especially the Bush adminstration, The chance for the resumption of full fledged conflict is real. The important question one needs to ask is, however, the objectives the meles regiem wants to materialize. Does meles really expect to change the Eritrean government by force ? Does Meles really expects any Eritrean to compromise on the teritorial integrity of the nation ? Does Meles really expects Eritreans to see him as a partner after what he did to their fellow countrymen ? Most important;y, can meles, supported by the US, really defeat Eritreans? The answer to all the posed questions is NO. Time will tell. Eritreans might have reservation towards their goverment. However, when it comes to Meles regiem, our position is clear viz. Eritrean full independece or Death.
Ruba_Anseba
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ikotubo
25 October 2007 at 17:45 What really does worry me is that whenever there is a war to be fought (and this particular one has been described as one of the most senseless in human history), our rulers are always able to find the resources to finance it. Indeed, as was the case in the Great Lakes region, the level of planning and coordination often puts even NATO commanders to shame. But mention the need for building a clinic or a school, and suddenly, the first port of call is some Western capital - for aid. Somehow (and I'm yet to find out why), the very worst amongst us always manage to find themselves in positions of power. And until we find a way of preventing this, our longsuffering people will never escape from economic misery.
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dankera
25 October 2007 at 18:36 Very interesting and insightful analysis by Michela Wrong.
The comments by Ethiopians on Michela’s article are very telling and indicative of the state of mind of the regime in Addis Ababa: a careless & lawless psychopath whose behavior glows with mental and moral bankruptcy & impunity. Michela aptly characterizes such behavior in her concluding paragraph saying: “….and that while minnows must obey international law, large countries with friends abroad can defy it with impunity. There could be few more dangerous signals to send a fragile continent….”
Eritrea will prevail for it has done so time and again AGANST ALL ODDS. Rule of Law will prevail.
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onemovement
25 October 2007 at 19:13 Michela Wrong has always been a spin doctor. Her book "I Didn't Do it For You" is a stretch from the truth. It's basically a subtly anti-EPLF/PFDJ version of Dan Connel's "Against All Odds."
In this article she clearly fails to explain the fact that Eritrean government has the support of its people and that the Eritrean government bluntly tells people that the Eritrean political process has been held hostage due to the war. The young nation is still in the process of implementing the constitution which most Eritrean are sure will be fully implemented once this war is over. The Eritrean government does not the want the nation politically divided. Just ask yourselves why there are no armed oppositions operating inside or outside of Eritrea. Just ask yourself why the president walks around the streets of Asmara without body guards. Just ask yourself why all ethnicities in Eritrea are equally represented and unified. Ask yourselves why Eritrea is helping to bring peace in Darfur and Somalia. Wrong simply claims Eritrea supports rebels--wow!!! That does Eritrea no justice. They have always offered support to rebels whom they thought were fighting for a just cause. Darfur and Somalia is nothing new.
The Ethiopian regime on the other hand is absolutely hated by the broad masses. Meles Zenawi can't walk outside his doorsteps without his militant Agazi forces to protect him from popular opposition. Ethiopia is ruled based on ethnic lines due to the backward policies of the Meles regime. Ethiopia lost Badme and the ruling is final binding. Yet they continue to defy international law.
Read history people, the EPLF/PFDJ has always been for its people and is helping to bring stability to region. Ethiopia is ruled by a TPLF regime that hastily set up EPRDF government that no one in Ethiopia apporves of. There is a fundamental difference between the two.
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Eway Eritrea
25 October 2007 at 20:15 Eritrea for life!! let Ethiopia come to Eritrea we will teach them the leason that they missed,,,Ethiopian are war addicts now after they finish with smalia they going to start it with eritrea and eritrea is ready to finsh them,
VIVA Eritrea!
Down with USA and meles!
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Wankobo
25 October 2007 at 21:20 What does this woman wants? Does she want Badme? Does she want peace in the region? Does she want a husband? What is it in for her in the horn? Doesn't this girl have a job? Doesn't she need to wash, cook, and prepare her bed? Michela Wrong what do you want? Please tell us.
Wankobo
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ermias
25 October 2007 at 22:11 Michela Wrong; for some one who think to understand Eritrean struggle, who will right a history and struggle of Eritreans with European pair of lens, or eye is redundant of lies and bias stories about Africa and Africans.
Your article is huge budge of stories, facts, and naive opinions. I must say it is disappointing for you to write this water down piece, You could have hold those who took the responsibility like UN and those who are holding the peace as a ransom for different agenda and interest and in the name of terrorism or Democracy—etc. May be you are playing it blind and dumbing it down for you know who.
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Shidaeri
25 October 2007 at 22:15 BIRHIN thanks Brother
Final and Binding is Final and Binding,,Not give and take
Demarcation First..then normalization of relations ,,,everything step by step
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yohannes99
25 October 2007 at 22:34 Michela Wrong is principled. She is neither catering to the PFDJ, nor to the myopic members of the Eritrean opposition who are in bed with Mr. Zenawi. She desires peace based on respect for international law. She has been a consistent voice in defense of a principled stand: respect for the Hague verdict. Any Eritrean who has any self respect should admire and appreciate her.
There is precious little time left for preventing war. The George W Bush administration cares little about Africans or any people for that matter. Jendayi Frazer is literally mixing gasoline to the fire already in the making.
God Help Eritrea!
yohannes
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gerezigehare hagose agame
26 October 2007 at 12:22 Ethiopia breaking in to world flower market
Tuesday 16 October 2007 02:57.
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By Tesfa-alem Tekle
October 15, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian horticulture producers and exporters association (EHPEA) said Ethiopia’s tremendous efforts to boost the horticulture sector has created a break though in to the world flower market competition.
“The government’s attractive policy stretched to investors with the existing peace and stability across the nation together is making foreign investors on the sector flood in to the country” association chair man Tsegay Abebe told Sudan Tribune.
“5-year tax holiday, exemption on imported goods, grace period of tax payment ,swift response of gov’t to set backs on the sector with the continued assistance and incentives provided by the gov’t has enabled flower producers and exporters to be more competitive in the international market ” Tsegay added
According to the association the horn nation is expected to secure a total sum of 125 million US dollars form flower exports by the end of 2007.
The chair man says “90 US dollars is earned over the last 6 months from flower exports to different foreign countries across the world.”
“Over the coming 3 months an additional 35 Million dollars will be collected” he added.
The export income was collected form exports income was collected from exports to central Europe, Netherlands, Norway, England, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Russia.
The association has 80 group members, of which 69 are now engaged in an active flower export.
The few-year old investment sector further has created job opportunity to 75 thousand people of which two-third of them (50.000) are women. The association disclosed. A study is now under way to expand the investment in the north Tigray region and across the nation.
Ethiopia’s Horticultural Producers and Exporters Association believes that the country could become one of Africa’s leading flower exporters within the next five years.
The flower sector in Ethiopia is growing at almost 200 percent annually. New growers come into the business everyday, while existing farms are being expanded.
“In five years, we expect to be one of Africa’s leading flower growers with more than 3,000 hectares under production and generating over $600 million in foreign currency a year,” Tsegaye said.
Land and labor are also cheap and banks are ready to lend up to 70 percent of the initial investment without collateral.
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buzumen2
26 October 2007 at 13:20 Eritrean leaders are Military generals, who failed to administer a country and lead economic development except creating favourable situations for war with their neighbours. It is their nature of being. For 30 years of "independence struggle”, although they are not successful, they have only war experience. Look, what is happening now in Eritrea. Are the people of Eritrea liberated to date? Concerning the demarcation issue, how can one do demarcations virtually? Without doing any observation to solve the existing problems on the ground from both sides? This question is directed to Michela Wrong.
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gabgeb
26 October 2007 at 13:55 I am demured at Wrongs absolutely wrong assessment.She has just a superficial knowledge of Horn of African politcs.Let her study and major in history for another decade.So that she will srtop her pretentious positn of being more Cthoclic than the pope ! The people of Ethiopia and Eritrea have nothing to separet them! Each of us are more closer than the rest of the world.LOOK ! OBSERVE and JUDGE for yourself. When Eritreans are suffocated by the tyrant ISAYAS regim, wher are they flocking in thier hunderds? Is n't it a reality that they are treated and received as missed and lost brothers in Ethiopia? As President Nyrere has once said,Small states are like an indescently dressed women!They tempt every devil minded! That seems to be the case with WRONG*s obsession with wrong! Our wsetern experts, Please stop your crocodile tears,
The Horn of Afircan ws not created for you! We know how to live ; just leave us alone! We will be there together for good. But surely anti-peace and stability elements and politcal enterprenurs who rode on the hate-and war monger, like Isayas' sate sponsor ed terrorism will certainly burried for good. They will quickly slip into the annals of history! Nothing will save the Esayas regime as nothing saved the Islamic court! Period! The people of the Horn are weary of so-called western experts and journalists like fiction writer, callous politcal anlysist WRONG! Wrong will remain sick for ever.She can stop eating, but can never change the tide of peace hovering in the Horn!
Alpha & Omega
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isayas
26 October 2007 at 13:56 Ehhmmm Zebel Yitahagom is what I have to say to Michela! Micheal ask you grand parents to translate it for you, they must have picked a word or two tigrigna when they invaded Ethiopia long time ago.The saying is a good title for your next installment on this topic.
Eritrea has one option and that is to sit down and discuss if it wants demarcation. Anything else is simply wasting time!
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gerezigehare hagose agame
26 October 2007 at 14:38 Ethiopia plans attaining 100 percent clean water service coverage by 2012
Thursday 27 September 2007 03:10.
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September 25, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water Resource said Tuesday it is implementing a plan to attain 100 percent clean water service coverage across the nation by the year 2012.
At a relevant workshop, Abebe Gutema, potable water and sanitation program coordinator with the ministry, said over 1.9 billion birr (210 million U.S. dollars) is needed to attain the goal.
According to the plan, 21,289 new clean water service facilities will be constructed in different parts of the nation in the coming years, he said.
The fund for the success of the plan is expected to be secured from foreign donors, the World Bank, the public and other sources, he said.
The clean water service coverage of the nation stands at 47.3 percent at present
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eritrean91
26 October 2007 at 16:38 aleum1, "ethiopia plans attaining 100% clean water by 2012", that must be a joke. ethiopia the only single country whom has never been the victim of colonization (except for the self imposed colonization by its brutal leaders). ethiopians like to claim they have been an independent nation since the start of time, but till today 50% of their 80 million population live on aid, 10 million live with the HIV virus and millions die of chlora, malaria, TB and many other infectious diseases each year.over 70% of ethiopia's rural areas have no schools, no clinics or electricity.so please take off your rosy glasses and look at the realities and facts rather than your delusional world.
as for micheal wrong (whatever the f*** her name is ), she has a personal agena when it comes to the horn of africa.her book "i didn't do it for you" , which was supposed to educate the WHITE WORLD about the consequences of their despicable crimes and inhuman actions toward the horn of africa in particular and africa in general, failed miserably. the book ended up showing another white woman trying to brainwash her fellow citizens regarding the eri-ethio crisis.now, once again her article shows her hate toward the eritrean gov't and people, her lack of understanding of the region and her stupidity.
what's the aganda behind mrs wrong book and article?? my guess is that she probably have invested some money in some of the mining companies which eritrean gov;t refused to give license. or there some other genda that time will reveal.
as for my ERITREAN people, lets think critically, we must not allow mrs wrong and the likes of her to tell us what to think.we must not forget that media outlets such as BBC and CNN, and reporters such as mrs wrong and others do have their own interest and aganda as well. they claim to be neutral, but their actions speak for themselves.
AWET N'HFASH
LONG LIVE ERITREA AND ERITREANS
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Wintana
26 October 2007 at 16:47 FAO: Ms Wrong
In response to your article in the New Statesman entitled “War brews on the new frontier” dated 25 October 2007 I would like to raise the following issues:
FYI :In December 2000 Ethiopia fully agreed to abide by the Hague-based Boundary Commission's demarcation of the border when they signed the Algiers peace agreement and has continued to do so, despite the fact that the Boundary Commission abandoned the crucial ground survey it promised and so are partly to blame for the impasse. Indeed it was the Boundary Commission who abandoned elements of the Algiers Agreement by not seeking to bring a peaceful solution through dialogue on the ground, a key part of the agreement. But no one blames the western "experts", instead it is the Africans who bear the blame yet again and are resigned to live with the shoddy work the former produce!
Eritrea invaded the temporary security zone and the Eritrean forces took over one of its checkpoints in the buffer zone. This was deemed “a major breach of the ceasefire” by the UN. Eritrea proceeded to then restrict the UN peace-keeper's movements since then. By so doing it is Eritrea which has clearly jeopardised the peace process.
Furthermore and as you rightfully said Eritrea is supporting the current terrorist groups against Ethiopia which makes it an accomplice to terrorism and a destabilising element to the region!
Look at what they do not what they say!
Ethiopia's elections were not "rigged" - they were declared free and fair by several international monitoring bodies and individual observers from the Western world. Over two thirds of Ethiopians voted for the government parties one of the highest turnouts for elections by any standard!
Please note that Opposition members were partly responsible for the post-election violence and were found guilty in a court of law but were later pardoned after having admitted to their wrongdoing and misconduct.
Please correct your false description of Ethiopia as only a Christian state. FYI according to recent statistics Ethiopia comprises of up to 58% Christian, over 37%, Muslims and 5% practitioners of traditional faiths, thereby rendering Ethiopia a multi-faith state.
As for your reference to “western donors giving £1.9 Billion to PM Meles Zenawi”
I urge you to correct this irresponsibly incorrect statement, as donors do not give money to a leader of any democratic nation. Any funding is transferred to the administration of a lawfully elected government, and actually in Ethiopia’s case donor money has not been given to the Government since 2005 and instead goes directly into the hands of the NGO’s. (which by the way Ms Wrong, if I may suggest, is a story worth covering, should you wish to bring a story of great importance to the attention of not only the British public but to the whole world! As it is one that requires full investigation with regards to where the billions of dollars given directly to NGO’s, without the requirement for transparent accountability, is actually going?)
Ms Wrong, in conclusion I urge you to refrain from posting biased articles which simply aid in inflaming sentiments at what is a delicate time for all. Unhelpful taking sides by you Ms Wrong and other journalists serves only to encourage aggression and goes against the code of conduct of your profession! May I suggest that you try to write factual articles which encourage dialogue and normalisation of relations which will benefit all in the long term.
Wintana Tsegai Demoz
London UK
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Shidaeri
26 October 2007 at 16:54 Alemu ,,,you are psycopatic analyzer.
Do you understand the meaning of Final and Binding,,,,rule of law...Final means Final. eko we don't trust your government to dialouge with it..Because your rulers are expert in lying,,,,,History tell us that you guys have no respect for law..
Did you forget what you government said in2002>>>>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1929475.stm
"Ethiopia was jubilant on Saturday when the new 1,000km (620 mile) boundary was decided by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague."
1 ethiopia accepted the border ruling,,and stated that ethiopia won not only badime but also some eritrean territory.kkkkkkk
2. in sep 2003 Ethiopia stated that it will not accept the border ruling,,it will accept it only when it get what she want.
3.Ethiopia accept the border ruling in princple but have a give and talk idea kk
4 Ethiopia accept the border ruling but want to talk about somalia problem 2006.
How can you trust this kind of government....Readers of this website,,give me please your Judgment.....The truth is only in Eritrea's side...Truth and the rule of law is the only way for peace. so alemu until your brain is clear of propaganda come back to this website and preach peace and truth
Long Live Eritrea and peaace loving nations
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eritrean91
26 October 2007 at 17:11 winta, for your information, the temporaly security zone (TSZ) is 25 km inside eritrean territories.so by any international , regional and national laws, a country is free to move its soldiers anywhere within its own territory.so if there are eritrean territories in the TSZ, be it. the EEBC is just goning to have to live with it. you can't restrict a countyry from moving its soldiers in side its territory.
and ethiopia isn't no way a christian country. in reality 60 % ethiopians are muslims. but they are oppressed by chrsitians leaders who have no mercy on their own citizens. everytime an ethiopian muslims speaks up they are either tortured, killed and their wives are raped. (this is exactly what the world is seeing in ormia and ogaden regions).
ethiopia has also refused to hand back badema ( the village which was awared by the EEBC decision to eritrea. ) ethiopia is also in possession of many other villages that belong to eritrea and is refusing to demarcate the border.
so it is very clear that ethiopia is the only country that don't want to bring peace and justice to the horn of africa region.
AWET N'HFASH
LONG LIVE ERITREA AND ERITREANS
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visitor
26 October 2007 at 17:41 Once again Michaela Wrong lives up to her name and gets it all wrong!! Where do yo get your facts from Ms. Wrong?
Ethiopia is not a Christian giant but rather a diverse country where about 51% of the population is Muslim. Clearly you do not have enought respect for our continent since you did not bother to research. How do you come off saying that "Africa is impractical and easily challenged?"
With respect to the 2005 Ethiopian elections that we never seem to hear the end of, the elections were fair and free. The CUD opposition did win majority of the seats from the Addis Ababa constituency but not from the rest of the country. You do not win an election just because you won in one big city. Ethiopia is 85% agricultural and CUD did not win the peasants votes.
Those 193 people who died in the streets of Addis Ababa were not peacfeul protestors. They killed police officers and took the streets with violence and jeopardized a lot of peoples' lives.
EPRDF may not be perfect but it is working very hard and we do not need Michaela Wrong or any other anti-Ethiopian forces defaming our nations and its people.
As for you Eritreans if you hate us so much why are you sneaking into our country by the thousands every day. Get out!! Why don't you get our of country, stop speaking our language (b/c Tigrinia comes from Ethiopia in case you forgot), stop wearing our clothes, eating our food and get our glorious country's name out of your mouth!!
God Bless Ethiopia.
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Peace lover
28 October 2007 at 05:06 The fact of the mater is that Eritrea has the worst record of human right in the world. The Eritrean Gov is the worst enemy of its people. But, when it comes to the boarder ruling, it was final and binding. Ethiopia should have respected the law " the law is not for breaking". Not only it sends a bad precedence, but also leads to a war with intent of genocide.
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ikotubo
28 October 2007 at 09:01 I have read with interest the numerous attempt to explain the tension between these two neighbours. I have even read the pathetic attempts at justifying the conduct of either ruler. Some of us have chosen to atteck Michaela Wrong having the "wrong" surname.
And these are all supposed to be amongst the best that mother Africa has produced. None of us, it seems, is able to engage with the very basic question: Why is it that when it comes to fighting or instigating wars, our rulers exhibit a level of competence unmatched in human history; yet, when it comes to building schools and clinics, they not only become astonishingly incompetent, but look for "solutions" abroad? Are we really this intellectually bankrupt?
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dannyagamme1
28 October 2007 at 12:59 first of all the agamme people and the governement are the enemy of ethiopian moslems and in general islam as religion through the history the evil king of the agamme yohannes commited genocide against ethiopian moslems women and children in the past history and coverted them by force to christianity ethiopians tryied to change the facts in ethiopia the majority ethiopians are moslems considered as outsiders or secound class people because they are moslems the other thing i wonder agammes and in general ethiopians narrow minded people because they mix arabs and islam for facts ethiopians hatered against arabs is unlimited why? i do"nt know and now the agamme are following the evil king foot step to eliminate moslems in east africa that the reason they invade somalia at least in eritrea there is justice and equality and respect harmoney among moslems and christians the ethiopian moslems are are opperssed people since existance they were considered not ethiopians still they are but not for a long time
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Eway Eritrea
28 October 2007 at 12:59 Ethiopia is a poor and terrorists country!
Ethiopia is the only country that don't want to bring
peace and justice to the horn of africa region.
This fis a act! go read the history of africa! It will tell you that ethiopia is the only terrorist country in africa.
so soon will destroy torrists....
Meles chinawi is not new to africa(Eritrea) We had like meles and wrong Mr wron long time ago for 100 years.
Oh mama africa when is going to come Mr right?
All is mrs wrong,,,fi wrong!
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dannyagamme1
28 October 2007 at 13:25 I hope every country in africa learn lesson from eritrea the leader of eritrea who speaks the truth to the world about the current situation in east africa do not forget you agamme you in power because of eritrea president during the derg regime you agamme the one killing people in asmara and the rest of eritrea but the people of eritrea forgave you for the crime you did now leave the eritrean people alone
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aberkya
28 October 2007 at 17:09 We know very well the evil and disgusting nature of Woyane .....sadly they live next to us and we can't avoid dealing with them. Unfortunately Eritrea is ruled by stubborn crooks who don't care about the people but their power. What's most disappointng is the wicked and filthy mindset of US freign policy corrupted selfishly by their unjust interest.
Helplessly, the people of Eritrea are the victims one again.
God save Eritrea!!!
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daddy
28 October 2007 at 17:22 For Wintana,
I love how you attempted to fool us into believing the last election in Ethiopia was not rigged.
Please go to www.youtube.com in order to listen to your Meles Zenewi as he attempted to respond to the BBC's questions on the election.
Go to you tube and type in:
Soundbite Central: Meles Zenawi on hardtalk
Wintana, you are clearly from Tigray but don't let your emotions get in the way.
Danny.
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Peace
28 October 2007 at 21:34 Excellent and very factual piece of article!
Yes Ethiopia receives almost two billion per year and is the Mecca of NGOs. If foreign aid is promoted as workable, one has to wonder why is still Ethiopia at the bottom of worlds poorest nations list after over 40 years of continuous and flawless foreign aid. Shame on the west and the dictatorial past and present leaders of Ethiopia for sucking and making Ethiopians so dependent of Foreign aid. For the sake of majority poor Ethiopians, the West for once has to pause and see their policies in perspective.
As most Africans, Ethiopians are also very hard working and able human beings with great intellect, and it’s about time the West let them be independent. Foreign aid is another form of slavery and
Colonization, period! Winta and other concerned Ethiopians should look in to these full circle of Ethiopian poverty and clean it up once and for all rather than wasting the time and energy in continous
war to their north and south borders.
As of the resumption of a War between these two brotherly people, personally, I don’t see it coming. Past wars has cost a tremendous human and economically destructions, and it’s my sincere believe that there is no appetite from both nations (particularly the people). A case in point: Check every Ethiopian and Eritrean web site discussions, be it Pro or opposition web sites. We are all tired of wars and its about time we stop war mongering and see how we can all live in harmony and peace for long time to come.
For those who seat and live in their comfort of West, who don’t care about their other brothers across from their clouded border, please pause and think if you were at that trench, where a brother of yours and mine
getting slaughtered for no apparent cause except for the most senseless war ever witnessed in our modern time.
Lastly, for those war monger Ethiopians and so called Western experts on the Horn of Africa who thinks the war with Eritrea will be an easy cake walk
similar to that of Somalia, DREAM ON!
First and foremost, it’s the most stupid and un-intellectual to draw a comparison of these two wars. With the current and past 16 years unfortunate vacuum ground situations in Somalia, an army of 10,000 (be it a warlord from Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Eritrea, Sudan or Ethiopia) can easily declare a war and be in Mogadishu in few days.Then entrenched there for indefinite time facing unprotected Somali
way of counter insurgency.
When Ethiopia marched to Somalia, Somalia has no Air Force, Naval, Infantry Army or any form of Defense mechanism. Somalia has no government and the place was (as it is now) under rule of a jungle with
War-lords dividing the state as they wish. With these and other lack of rule and order and favorable conditions, Ethiopia, a country with 80,000,000 population, over 200,000 army, an Air Force with the most sophisticated Mig planes (thanks to our tax monies), a subsidizes over $2,000,000,000 budget from the West and full intelligence and advice from the U.S (thanks to the war on terror) marched to Somalia knowing fully the out come. Literally, to make analogy, it was a fight between Elephant and a mouse. Thus one must be so STUPID or ARROGANT to call this invasion as if it was a war between two equally matched nations.
Speaking of equally matched, that where we’ve to zoom-in between Eritrea and Ethiopia,
and make an educated assumption of this assumed war resumption. As in any war, in war (especially as brotherly as Ethiopians and Eritreans) there in no winner. However, a war between two fully to teeth armed nations, as such Ethiopia and Eritrea, the out come will be much devastating with no end hindsight. A continuous war with both nations draining to the toilet their precious human and economical prospects. Eritrean has over 300,000 well disciplined and trained army (Naval, Air Force, Mechanized and Infantry) with a full support of 4,000,000 Eritreans in Eritrea and Diaspora as well. No single Eritrean will seat in idle, if the stakes are our own identity and survival of the nation. With all these determinations and the we can do it attitude of Eritreanism, the Defense mechanism is still intact since 2001, probably with more armament and equipment in recent years.
Therefore, if this war breaks out the results won’t be like that of Somalia invasion. This war will be the most devastating war between two brotherly nations fighting for a non-sense war with no winner-loser out come. WE ALL LOSE, PERIOD! And lets all oppose it and live in HARMONY AND PEACE!
Peace and harmony to Eritrea, Ethiopia, Horn of Africa and Africa in large.
Peace
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geza gereselase
29 October 2007 at 05:53 oky i read all things from my friends eritrea!! a land a population of 5 mil , the world cult club areas like sawa and wia , derg type religion , arab politica slavery !! war song day and night , insane ppl , ....
kikikik plz read this article
The national bank of Ethiopia today said Ethiopians living in different corners of the world have send home,632.6 million dollar to their families at home in the year of 2006.
The foreign currency, the Ethiopians in Diaspora send home accounts 4.4% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) of the nation.
According to the bank, the amount of money coming home from citizens abroad is increasing every year and the total foreign currency to arrive home in 2007 is expected to reach top in record.
The total amount mentioned is only the money which came through legal money transfer system of banks and it doesn’t include the money which is arriving home through other different ways, the bank added.
According to a UN annual report released this week; 30 million citizens of sub-Saharan countries live overseas and an average of 39 Billion dollars reach home each year from them.
In Africa- morocco, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia are the top five countries which collect a big amount of money from their citizens working abroad
In 2006, world wide, Citizens of nations working abroad have sent a total of 300 billion dollars to their families at home.
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Merretta-Sebene
29 October 2007 at 13:26 As an Eritrean i always belive that it is better for Meles if he accepts the ruling and demarcate the border. Because, one day the Amharas will control the goverment and the military and they will try to change ethiopia back to little Johnny days. we all know how the amharas hate other ethic groups in ethiopia specially the Tigrayeans..I still think there is a good chance to make peace between the eritrean people and tigrayeans. afterall, the Tigrayeans have a lot more in common with Eritreans than with ethiopia. Meles should let the Amharas have ethiopia and we will see what they will do with it. But, before he leaves office he should give Oromos their independence. Before all this though, we eritreans need to get rid of our lunatic president.
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freewill
29 October 2007 at 16:47 I find the analysis from Ms. wrong interesting and commed her for her efort to enlighten the international community about the dengers and facts of the conflict.
But the double standard that the US govnmt is following is leading to more problems in the area rather than helping the situation.
we all Ethiopians and Eritreans need to work twords peace full coexistance. goveroments come and go but the normal people are at the receiving end. peace for all
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fino_asmarino
29 October 2007 at 19:01 Michela Wrong a fiesty lady who is one of the few westerners who have stayed focused on the issues that matter. What ever you think of her, she cleary has principle and conviction on what she writes about. I disagree with her on certain aspects of her analysis, but as far as the border demarcation is concerned, she has been consistently flaggin the irresponsible and damn right racist stance the US and the British goverment have been adopting. I say racist, because they consider the lives of Africans as worthless and held hostage the lives of millions of Eritreans and Ethiopians only to appease the few minority current Ethiopian leaders. They are only interested in their stupid conceptions and ideas drawn in State departement, and the minority Ethiopian leaders are interested in prolonging their short life on top.
Well done Michela, you are not naive, you uunderstand more about the lives of the Horn of Africa people than your American friends in State department. Certainly better than the fool Jendai Fraser. She is acting like a lost bull in a spanish bullfighting ring charging at anyone who is telling her she is wrong.
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ikotubo
30 October 2007 at 09:39 I have been a regular contributor to debates on this site, and can truly say the quality of debate has never been as poor as this. Not only do we not seem able to come up with any coherent, rational views, but we also seem unable to proceed beyond swear words and personal abuse of the silly and gratuitous kind. Then again, it's probably no coincidence that we remain the most backward continent on the planet if so many of us don't even seem capable of engaging in any rational thought.
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tired
30 October 2007 at 12:13 A quick read of these comments reveals all that need be said about why these squabbling, infantile nations will never find their way to peace. Too much of the past, too little of the future, a single-minded dedication to being "right" no matter the human cost, no interest in compromise on either side. I'll leave you to it. Good luck.
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abebe
30 October 2007 at 23:57 I read Michaela Wrong's excellent book titled '"I didn't do it for you" previously and had really enjoyed her perspective on ERITREA's reality and also AFRICA's reality. The greater problem is paradoxical. Africans had been constanty raped and pilaged by the Satanic forces that are have now generally known by the term the "WEST" for generations and it will continue as long as these forces are undermined in their countries by GOD fearing ppl amongst them who would want jutice to prevail especially for the long suffring ppl of Africa. AID is a drug and certainly not an answer. If it was Africa would have been better off by now. As it stands we have not woken up yet. As long as their is greed in mankind their always ppl out there that are ready to exploit the this greed in us for our "perceived" ends. Going back to Eritrea-Ethiopia situation someone had previously described the situation as "Two bold men fighting over a comb". It is a shameful part of our long history. The paradoxical debate within Africa finds its flash point between this two countries but literally same people ethnically. The line is drawn between the "OLD AFRICA" i.e. the path chosen by Ethiopia where subserviance to its "WESTERN"masters is rewarded by favours and "AID" meeting the short-term needs of Ethiopians VERSES a " NEW AFRICA" version chosen by the leaders of Eritrea 'ARGUABLY' for the Long-term benefits of Eritreans through self-reliance but at great cost to Eritreans ppl of their short term needs and existance. The grand question (especially one every educated African should ask ) is which method is better?? I think they are both flawed and very outdated. The vast middle world is moving away from polorised; dogmatic ideologies and moving towards pragmatism partly due to dynamic changes in technological advances requiring ever changing methodologies and schools of taught to manage this changes. ERITREAN AND ETHIOPIANS due to their nature and history are natural allys to the people of BRITAIN AND AMERICA. While i think British Politicians are devious to knowingly ignore this unfolding trajedy - the American politicians are vastly misinformed and the few who care to know mostly do so because they feel they have vested interest in seeing instability in the world. For them WAR=VAST PROFIT through arms sales, mineral exploitation, brain drain, etc.....it's almost sickning to know their are people out their who delight in misery and it even harder to belive some of this ppl hold high offices in America and the UK. But one thing is for sure the price of darkness hates the light - these ppl could only do what they do because we remain in the dark. MICHAEL this is were independent journalist/proffessionals like you could make a small but important impact by highlighting this issues to your readers and good people in your governments who could ask these demons some tough questions. That is the only way to fight demons head on with the truth
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rastaman
31 October 2007 at 03:59 Dear Ms. Wrong,
Thanks for your interest in the region and hope your article will reverse the war cloud that is hovering around.
Power to the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea, (ONE PEOPLE, TWO NATIONS) but death to their leaders!!
Rastaman
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yonahail
01 November 2007 at 13:27 The people of Eritrea and Ethiopia are tired of war and war-mongers. They want peace which comes by following legal conclusions.
'Final and binding' benefits the people more than the leaders. That is the reason why Zenawi has cold feet. For he is anti-Ethiopia, anti-Eritrea, ant-Somalia and against the rest of people of the Horn of Africa.
Let's pray another war is prevented.
Yonathan H.
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yosief
01 November 2007 at 15:15 I Really Appreciate people like Michella Wrong and her Likes who really have the clear understanding of the core point.
I strongly suggest people like Gebrezgabher agame, not to appear in the web with their disgusting stinky words, it is good to learn a language before you spread it out. "Poor agame" go to school first. this is a sensitive issue which we all have to consider and think of the tragic consequence. America has never considered the welbeing of Ethiopians or Eritreans, it merely interested on strategic interest in the region and can only proof it through its igocentric Ethiopian puppets. As John Foster Dulles, the Secretary of state said during the abolition of Federation, "though the wishes of the eritreans should be taken into account, it is good the we give Eritrea to our ally ethiopia for our strategic interest in the region" Mr. Agame, the above interest is what caused the thirty years bloody war and the longest war in African history to shamefully your country loose it.
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realty
04 November 2007 at 22:29 The key of this matter is on the hand of Ethiopia if ethiopia willing to make peace in horn of africa its up to them... the matter is matter of realty. the realy is to accept legality... Eritrea as small and yang nation it seems do not play a roll in the horn of Africa but Vetnam is a good exsample in the 60th. and the situation in midle east is a good exsmple now. so ethiopia please chang your mind. fight for poverty firtst then terrorst. Mrs Worng your report is fact but do you think president BUSH have time to understand sauch realty if so world could be safe.
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Right
09 November 2007 at 12:47 There is no winner or loser in the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia! I would love if every one can read some thing about the formation of Eorupean union. one of its reasonsof fundations was to stop wars between Euorpean contries, example france and germany! As this problem is result of colonization, It is difficult the west will solve the problem, and people like wrong are complicating the conflict! The problem will be solved only and only by the people of the two contries., not by the leaders of the two contries! you ask how! Wrong will make some analysis and tell us, of course not wrong analysis!
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armannajmi
10 November 2007 at 16:32 dear sir, it is a pity ethiopia is wasting its time, money and enegy in not being fair enough to accept the existence of eriterea.this is the crux of the problem.it has gained new importance now as a regional power invading somalia with the blessings of the yankees.not long ago they were dead agaibnst the recent bed fellas.this is the reality of politics.now america has got a new broker playing its power game.it does not want to get involved directly,having once smitten its nose in somalia.so it is now using the new stooge.god save the horn of africa.instead of improving the standards of livinf of their citizens these countries are allowing themselves to be used and abused by the imperialst power bent upon to bring the 3rd world countries on its knees. arman najmi india
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