THE EEBC DECISION TEN YEARS LATER AND ETHIOPIA'S ILLEGAL OCCUPATION:
10 YEARS OF OCCUPATION: WHAT DO THEY GAIN?
By Rahel Suim Keleta
It is now 10 years since the Boundary Commission passed its verdict.
Had the agreement been honoured the border would have been fully
demarcated by November 2003 leading to peace and stability in the
region. Unfortunately Ethiopia has refused to accept the decision of
the Boundary Commission. Ten years on, Ethiopia is still occupying
sovereign Eritrean territory.
The Algiers Agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia and the subsequent
EEBC decision was a welcome culmination of a war brought about by a
border conflict. The war fought between 1998 and 2000 has claimed the
lives of over tens of thousands of people and caused much material
destruction amounting to billions of pounds. The conflict has also
hindered much needed development projects in both Eritrea and
Ethiopia – two of the poorest countries in the world.
A complete and unconditional implementation of the Eritrean and
Ethiopian border decision would have dispersed the ever-present
clouds of war between the two countries. With this stand, Eritreans
around the world have been consistently calling on all guarantors of
the agreement to take firm steps to encourage Ethiopia to accept the
decision of the EEBC unconditionally. So far, their calls have fallen
on deaf ears. The two countries have lost great opportunities in
being example to the rest of Africa by working together and meeting
the aspirations of their people. Instead, the people of both
countries have suffered unnecessarily and still do for a simple
reason that one country holds peace hostage and the Security Council
is not doing its job.
What is so baffling is that the Security Council and the US have
decided to put fuel on the fire not only by refusing to shoulder
their responsibility, but by passing unfair and unjust sanctions
against Eritrea. It is difficult to comprehend what they gain by
prolonging and perpetuating the suffering of people. What is it that
they are trying to achieve by taking sides and encouraging lawlessness?
Submission to unfair treatment and injustice has never been an option
to any self-respecting people. Like our forefathers, we shall
continue to demand our rights to live in peace.
Rahel Suim Keleta
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Received on Fri Apr 13 2012 - 19:43:50 EDT
