Eritrean News Agency (ERINA)

(Tel: ++291-1-117627, Fax: 127385)
ERINA Update

Monday, November 2, 1998

1. President Isaias Afwerki, in a nationally televised interview last night, said that unless the government of Ethiopia was "willing to accept demarcation as a final solution to the on-going dispute, the prospects of early peace seem very dim." President Isaias said that Ethiopia's refusal to accept the only logical solution to the dispute was hindering the work of the OAU and other would-be mediators. Isaias Afwerki reiterated that Eritrea was committed to a peaceful, legal and lasting solution. But, the president added, "the Eritrean people could not be expected to gamble with their sovereignty."

2. Seven hundred eighty one Eritreans, deported from Ethiopia, arrived yesterday at the Burie front lines after having been taken from their homes in Addis Ababa and detained for long periods. The deportees, consisting mainly of aged men, children and women, left Ethiopia without leaving behind anyone to look after their property. Deportees said that the Ethiopian government has appointed groups to track down Eritreans living in Ethiopia and place them under custody. The deportees also stated that the family members of those who were deported earlier from Ethiopia are facing harsh conditions in Ethiopia. The number of Eritreans deported from Ethiopia has exceeded 32,000.

3. Eritrea has officially handed over Hanish Kebir Island to Yemen following last month's decision by an international court of arbitration to divide the disputed islands between the two countries. In a meeting yesterday attended by Brig. Gen. Hadish Ephrem and Commander of Eritrean Naval Forces for Debubawi Keyih Bahri, Col. Ahmed Mohamed Ali, and Yemeni Minister of Defense, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Deifela, the two nations resolved to abide by the verdict set forth by the court of arbitration. Eritrea, for its part, has evacuated all of its troops from the island ahead of schedule. The Yemeni Minister of Defense said that the peaceful resolution of the dispute was exemplary and that the two nations should now concentrate on developing bilateral relations.

Veronica Rentmeesters, Information Officer
Embassy of Eritrea to the US
1708 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington DC 20009, USA
TEL: 202 588 7587 FAX: 202 319 1304
E-M: veronica@embassyeritrea.org

Eritrean Flag! Eritrea Online / Dehai Homepage