Two years after, EEBC Decision still remains to be implemented
By: Shabait Staff
April 15, 2004

It is now exactly tow years since the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC), adopted its ruling on border delimitation. However, it is not yet implemented because of the TPLF regime’s failure to abide by that decision and because of the encouragement the regime received from some parties in the international arena and its failure to uphold the responsibility of working for the implementation of the final and binding decision. April 13, 2002, however, remains a very important date. During which the EBBC ruling was made public exposing the TPLF regime’s deception and manipulation of both the Ethiopian people and the international community through its diplomatic rants and media clamor. On this day, the haze of deception that shadowed truth for four years was finally cleared.

When the TPLF regime launched its war of aggression against Eritrea on the pretext of border conflict and the ‘military occupation of Badme’ by Eritrean forces, it knew very well that Badme is an integral part of Eritrean sovereignty. The TPLF regime had a miscalculation that arrogant power would subdue truth. So it contrived ‘a border conflict’ as a ploy to push forward its main agenda. And all subsequent developments, including the military offensives were meant to cover up the realities and hard facts that finally surfaced on the jurisdiction of EEBC on April 13, 2002.

Instead of searching for a civilized, legal and peaceful resolution to the border conflict, a devastating war and diplomatic complications resulted, simply because the TPLF regime had a hidden agenda under the veil of border conflict. Unfortunately, the international community instead of compelling the TPLF regime to solve the border dispute in a court of law was locked in a meaningless meandering in pursuit of appeasing the regime.

Had the border conflict been the result of a not clearly defined boundary or had it been due to the inadvertency of the TPLF, it would have been settled long ago on the basis of the proposal put forth by the Eritrean Government following the TPLF regime’s declaration of war. And the Algiers Peace Accord and the EBBC ruling would have preceded the catastrophy and devastation. Peace and development as well as good neighborliness between the two peoples wouldn’t have been disturbed.

The statement issued by the Eritrean Cabinet of Ministers in May 14 1998, called for a peaceful and legal resolution of the ’border dispute’. Throughout, the Eritrean Government repeatedly called that war never be a solution to the crisis and that its ultimate resolution could only be through legal means. However the TPLF regime, having deliberately started the war, chose not to consider such a sensible reasoning. Failure of the international community to act responsibly and in making serious efforts to avert the tragedy clearly leaves a negative mark in the pages of history. It failed to uphold the cause of justice and truth. Nonetheless, the TPLF regime rushed to declare war and launched a series of military offensive against Eritrea in pursuit of its expansionist designs. This became clear to the Ethiopian people and the international community. For four years the regime managed to deceive the Ethiopian people with its saber rattling and war propaganda and the international community through its diplomatic soliciting and pitiful cry for help. The unconstructive role of some of the facilitators of the peace process and undue patronage and protection to the TPLF regime were green lights to the regime. Surprisingly, still this patronage is continuing in spite of the TPLF regime’s rejection of the EEBC ruling and the regime’s unlawful acts.

Because of this negative role on the part of some parties in the international areas, the EEBC ruling has not yet been implemented. And there still exists tension. Tens of thousands of IDP, are living in makeshift refugee camps. These unstable conditions have an adverse impact on regional development and stability. Just as the military adventure of the TPLF regime and its obstruction of legal methods of setting the dispute were highlighted two years ago by the EEBC ruling, the Ethiopian regime’s rejection of the boundary commission’s ruling too will culminate in the implementation of the final and binding EEBC ruling.