UNMEE confirms establishment of new settlement by the Ethiopian regime in the Badme area
By: Shabait.com staff
October 28, 2004

UNMEE spokeswoman Gail Bindley confirmed that UNMEE is aware of the TPLF regime’s establishment of new settlements in the Badme area in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1466 of 14 March 2003 that demands an end to settlements along the Eritrean-Ethiopian border.

Ms. Gail Bindley made the statement at a press briefing on 21 October 2004. The spokeswoman pointed out that the Security Council discussed the illegal establishment of new settlements in the Badme area by the Ethiopian regime and forwarded a memorandum to the Ethiopian government on 14 March 2003 reminding Ethiopia, as required by the provisions of Article 4.16 of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, to refrain from unilateral troop movement or establishment of new settlements, in the border until demarcation and transfer of territorial jurisdiction is formally declared.

Nevertheless, the TPLF regime, in violation of the present and previous resolutions of the Security Council as well as the Boundary Commission’s resolution of July 16 asking the regime to vacate its illegal settlement activity in Dembe Mengul, it is treading the path of law of the jungle trespassing the rule of law, at the same time boasting that “there is no power that would oust us from Badme”. In doing so, the Ethiopian regime is obviously inviting another round of war.

Political analysts in our region noted that the Ethiopian regime is defying the Algiers Peace Agreement in general and the final and binding ruling of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission in particular, and beating the drums of war not because it has the resources and power to do so, but rather for the mere reason that the international community and the guarantors of the Algiers Peace Agreement failed to play their legitimate role and compel the TPLF regime to abide by the law. In addition, the regime is adopting this stand due to the international community’s cancellation of debt and budgetary support they are extending to it.

It is to be recalled that the Ethiopian regime unleashed its war of aggression against Eritrea in 1998 using Badme as a pretext. But the Boundary Commission that was established in line with the Algiers Agreement subsequently ruled that Badme is an integral part of sovereign Eritrean territory. In spite of this, however, the regime’s Prime Minister on many occasions not only stated that there is no power that would oust us out of Badme but is also continuing to establish new settlements in sovereign Eritrean territory, as well as inviting for renewed outbreak of destructive war.