It is high time that the international community in general and the UN in particular stood for justice - for the sake of the peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia. It will not serve any purpose to show remorse and apologize after thousands of young lives perish in what has been described all along as a "senseless war." All those who have the power to stop the war should do so now. As we all know it took over a million lives in Rwanda before the world woke up to the tragedy. A few years later, President Clinton officially apologized for his government's inaction. Mr. Clinton also promised that such a thing will never happen again under his watch. Mr. Clinton, the time to act for the lives that are about to perish in the Horn of Africa is NOW!

How about the UN Security Council?

Yes, indeed we are grateful for the efforts of the UN Security Council for trying to bring the two parties closer in their negotiations. But, we all know that it takes two to tango.   For anybody who followed the peace process (if it can be called that) closely, it is clear it has been a disaster: an endless game of Eritrea conceding time and again for the sake of peace while Ethiopia (and the facilitators) continued to move the goal post.  Why?  Because for Ethiopia the mission has always been to "break Eritrea's backbone," and the facilitators, blinded by the long-standing romance with "bigger" and more familiar Ethiopia showed themselves incapable of being objective.

This week, while going through the charade of holding peace talks with the UNSC delegation, Prime Minister Melles Zenawi unashamedly said that he wants to "end this war quickly", not by signing peace, but by destroying Eritrea. In his usual theatrical performance, he made sure that the audience, primarily the diplomatic corps in Addis Abeba, was convinced of Ethiopia's right to go to a costly and devastating war while the world runs around trying to feed Ethiopians who may die from starvation. Did the diplomats believe him? I hope not. Some actually were dumb-founded with his approach to go war as a quick return on invested military hardware.  But, if past experience is an indication, he and his government may get away with it, again.

So far, in the name of neutrality and objectivity, those who could have stopped the war by using their carrots and sticks effectively have refrained from doing so. In the two years since the conflict started Ethiopia has committed numerous international law and human rights violations. When over 70,000 Ethiopians of Eritrean origin were expelled from their homes in the most dehumanizing and painful way, the world took no action except for a few statements affirming that what Ethiopia is doing is indeed 'wrong.'  When Ethiopia violated the air-raid moratorium brokered by none other than the President of the lone super-power, Mr. Clinton, the US Government undermined
its authority by taking no firm action.

If we fast forward and look at this week's frustrations of the UNSC delegation, you will find that there is a strict warning by Ambassador Holbrooke against any party that re-starts the war. Reuters' Kieran Murray (12 May, 2000), stated "the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who was part of the peace team, had warned both sides that the UN Security Council would meet to consider imposing sanctions if either side started fighting again."

On May 12, 2000, Ethiopia started the war, again. Well - guess what, Ethiopia in what seems to be a direct response to and contempt of the OAU, the US and the UN Security Council has proudly launched a massive offensive on three fronts of the border only hours after the UN delegation left the Horn of Africa. It actually appears that Ethiopia started the war soon after Holbrooke's plane took off.

So the question now is, will Ambassador Holbrooke stand by his own words?

Will the UN impose sanctions against Ethiopia for starting the war? Will the UN, the US, EU and others, as a matter of justice, take punitive measures against Ethiopia as the party that launched the biggest war in the world today? Or, will they let the war escalate to a point of no return?

Why is it that no one seems to tell Ethiopia, that it shouldn't expect the world to carry the burden of saving its own people while it pays for and plays with its war machinery and weapons of destruction? Isn't it time to unequivocally tell Ethiopia that the international community cannot be expected to feed Ethiopia's famine victims, unless it demonstrates some commitment to peace ? How long is the world going to go on treating Ethiopia as the spoiled child who never gets disciplined?

The true irony is that the conflict is not short of mediators and partners in peace. In fact, it has received a considerable amount of attention from the highest offices, including that of the UN Secretary General. Today, as Ethiopia launched an attack on Eritrea, Mr. Kofi Annan stated that he deeply deplored the resumption of large-scale fighting between Eritrea and Ethiopia and appealed for an immediate cease-fire. He was quoted as saying, "that the differences between the two countries cannot justify in any way the great
loss in human lives they already have suffered and stand to suffer further."

These are all honorable statements from honorable people bestowed with the highest authority. However, what is missing is action that would discipline the spoiled kid in the Horn of Africa - the UN needs to take action in order to save lives. Talk is cheap.  Matching words with deeds is what proves sincerity and true commitment to peace and justice.

So, I ask again: Is this not the time when the UN should impose sanctions against Ethiopia for starting the war?

Mehret Ghebreyesus