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Eritrea's Borders
Unlike the three regimes that preceded it during the
last hundred years, the current Ethiopian government is attempting
to revise its boundary with Eritrea in violation of international
law. The government of Ethiopia has published new maps to justify
its annexation of land from inside Eritrea's territory. The new
map of Ethiopia, including the territories annexed from Eritrea,
are prominently displayed in the new bank notes the National Bank
of Ethiopia issued in November of 1997.
Despite the fact that colonial boundaries are the basis of international
borders amongst African States as agreed by all OAU (Organization
of African Unity) members, the Ethiopian authorities, in flagrant
violation of both OAU and UN charters, are leading the region
and Eritrea into a violent confrontation. If the Ethiopian authorities
have confidence in a rightful claim to Eritrean land, they should
be prepared to accept a peaceful path to solving their grievances
in the presence of international mediators.
It should be remembered that Eritrea had fought for 30 long years
to gain its independence after it was illegally annexed by Ethiopia
in 1962. Ethiopians should understand that Eritrea is now a nation
that would like to live in peace. Unfortunately, in a shameless,
deceitful evil act, the current Ethiopian authorities have even
allied with the very Ethiopian elements who never recognized Eritrean
independence. The current border crisis between Eritrea and Ethiopia
has to be seen from this context. To anyone who has been following
Ethiopian trends, this current border clash is only a cover up
for Ethiopia's ambition to re-occupy Eritrea.
So far the new illegal map of Ethiopia has been sneaked in two
places: in the new Ethiopian birr released in November 1997, and
in the map for Tigray National Regional Administration. The latter
was issued by the Mapping authority of Ethiopia and was financially
sponsored by GTZ, a German NGO.
The 1997 Tirgay map is shown with Eritrean international borders
marked in black. Ethiopia's claim is shaded inside Eritrea's borders.
The shaded regions left to right are: the Badme plain, area around Tserona,
and area around Altiena, respectively.
Clik here to see the Map of Tigray
Maps and Treaties
Treaties that Delimited the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border
Maps and comments
The Ethio-Eritrean Border and the Treaties
that Delimited it
"It is not clear whether the Ethiopian map [that incorporates
parts of Eritrea] was the work of the local administration in
Tigray or whether it was approved by the government in Addis Ababa,
but for the Eritreans it may well have been the last straw, and
hostilities commenced....
"The Ethiopian President Meles Zenawi appeared distinctly defensive
when asked about this during an interview on Channel 4 news by
Lindsay Hilsum on 8th June 1998."
The World Today, July 1998 -- Vol. 54, No. 7; by
Martin Plaut of the BBC World Service and an Associate Fellow
of Chatham House (The World Today is published monthly, with a
combined August-September issue, by the Royal Institute of International
Affairs. The Institute is precluded by its Royal Charter from
expressing an opinion of its own on any aspect of international
affairs. Any views expressed in this publication are, therefore,
those of the contributors.)
Boundary Commission Maps
Maps of Claim Lines by Sector : Western
- Central - Eastern
Maps of Final Dicision by Sector : Western
- Central - Eastern
