Ethiopia is convinced that the proposed sanctions in the Algiers agreement were not meant for Ethiopia.
By: Naizghi Zekarias
November 9, 2003

The Ethiopian regime is certain that it can get away with any offence it commits with impunity, be it violating the human rights of its neighbors or breaking international law. This is especially true when it comes to the Eritrean people. This regime is totally convinced that it is immune to the consequences of violating the peace process it signed as final and binding, meaning it should only apply to Eritrea. In fact, the runaway train regime in Ethiopia believes that the current silence at the UNSC and the guarantors of the agreement supports its lawless behavior. A silence of even a week is like a year to the Eritrean people because they are yearning for peace so that they can concentrate more on their development programs to improve their standard of living. For the TPLF this is just another game to extend its grip to power.!

It has to be clear to the international community the current Ethiopian regime is not really interested in peace. So far the regime has done nothing but prevent peace, by constantly and intentionally coming up with unacceptable demands and obstacles. In fact the current arrogant position of this regime is nothing but an obstacle, it hopes will keep the tension between the two nations going indefinitely. Given the EEBC decision, the international community does not have any ambiguity anymore about the fact that Badme is in Eritrea. Even the TPLF regime does not believe in its claim. It is only doing so to scuttle the peace agreement, to hold the Eritrean people hostage for its unrealistic demands and blackmails.

Where the peace process goes from here is not up to Ethiopia. It is a matter of when the guarantors will enforce the binding agreement. Eritrea has the right to live in peace as a sovereign state. Ethiopia has been testing the resolve of the guarantors and the UNSC when it caused the demarcation to be postponed repeatedly. The multiple postponements have emboldened it to reject the agreement believing that the international community will tolerate it. This is a direct challenge from Ethiopia to the world community. This is a direct threat to the stability of the region. This is not just Eritrea’s problem. It is a regional crisis that the Ethiopian regime is implying to unleash. It is time for the UNSC and the guarantors to tell this regime that its threats will not be tolerated and demarcation has to be completed.

Ethiopia is convinced that the proposed sanctions in the Algiers agreement were not meant for Ethiopia. It is time the world community broke the news to the TPLF regime that the consequences were meant to be applied to any law violator and that includes Ethiopia. It is time for the guarantors to tell Ethiopia in no uncertain terms that it has to comply. What we have is Ethiopian made stalemate but how long it continues is not up to Ethiopia, it is up to the guarantors. Ethiopia has made it clear that it is not going to play by the rules and in that case the ball is now in the guarantors hands.