Ms. Sheila Jackson Lee
Congresswoman (D-Tx)
410 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

October 31, 1999

Dear Honorable Congresswoman Jackson Lee:

Thank you for your call and stand for peace in the current Ethio-Eritrean border crisis during the senate house resolution hearing. However, I am writing to point out that there were some very erronous historical facts in your statements. I believe such distorted and biased misinformation serves neither to bring peace nor to secure justice even for those whom you intend to advocate for.

In the face of recorded facts of Ethiopia's most aggressive and barbaric war policies towards Eritrea, you somehow managed to conclude that Eritrea is the aggressor. I believe that you will change your mind when you recall the following, but few, facts:

1. The Nazi Germany like, ethnic cleansing Ethiopian policy of Eritrean nationals and Ethiopian citizens of Eritrean origin of over 64,000 including women and children, confsicating their hard earned wealth that add up to millions. I am sure that through the shameful history of slavery of the African man in the Western world, you would understand the magnitude of such policy, specially of an African against another African as in the case of the Ethiopian policy towards Eritreans.

2. There are currently over 2000 young Eritreans in detention camps across Ethiopia for no reason other than their heritage. Eight of them are known to have died in the hands of the Ethiopian security. Noting these atrocities and many more that are not mentioned here, the UN Higher Commissioner for Refugees, Amnesty International, European Union, International Red Cross, and the United States among many other nations are on record as having condemned Ethiopia's (the very government you are advocating for) inhumane and barbaric abuse of human rights. Part of the resolution by Representative Tom Campbell does in fact call for an investigation to these abuses. A reflection of how much the world is horrified by Ethiopia's war policies. For the record, Eritrea, as have been wiwtnessed by the International Red Cross and Amnesty International, neither deported nor has a deportation policy against any national living within its sovereignity.

3. Ethiopia so far has launched two major offensives (Badme, February 1999 and Tsorona, June 1999) employing its young conscripts in human waves as cannon fodder that resulted in a dispicable human carnage that horrified international journalists and observers who visited the battlefields. Yet, Ethiopia, unassuming of the consequences, is spending its energy these days to display its will and bravado for yet another such war.

4. Ethiopia broke the US brokered air strike moratorium to bomb Massawa, Assab, Sawa, Adi quala, Adi Keyih, Shambuqo and Deda Lalai with casualities in the civilian population. Eritrea has no matching record of bombing Ethiopia, nor does it have a policy to do so.

5. Ethiopia commenced the first air strike on June 6, 1998 (as ascertained by international observers and journalists in the vicinity of Asmara at the time) to bomb Asmara, the capital city of Eritrea.

6. Ethiopia rendered the Eritrean Ambassador and permanent OAU representative persona non grata and, against international law, seized his residence, imprisoned his household staff members. Ethiopia enjoys a full embassy representation in Eritrea to this day.

7. Ethiopia, formally and officially through its Parliament, declared war upon Eritrea on May 13, 1998. Eritrea has neither declared nor launched a war against Ethiopia. Its position has been and still is that of a defensive one.

8. The most outstanding reality you seemed to have overlooked during your speech is that Eritrea from the beginning sought to resolve the crisis peacefully and legally. It recognizes the crisis as a border dispute and nothing more. Eritrea signed all the documents.

Honorable Congresswoman, with all due respect, how does a learned and experienced woman in the public service, such as yourself, stand in the house senate for something that is totally shameful, dispicable and ugly at the end of 20th century? Ethiopia's deeds during this crisis will be remembered in much the same way the world remembers Hitler's Germany. I believe that alliances come and go. But the true character, specially for those in the public service, history renders its judgement based on their committment to fainess, justice, and truth. I feel you have failed to stand up as a role model for those who aspire to serve the public, those who are helpless enough to seek your voice of advocacy, but most of all you failed yourself by lending your credibility to unworthy cause such as the Ethiopian recorded aggression against a young nation. Respectfully, Hidaat G. Ephrem Seattle, WA