Who Believes the TPLF regime’s Bluffing?
By: Shabait Staff
May 6, 2004

There was a futile performance of mock victory by the Foreign Minister of the TPLF regime following the decision of the Eritrean-Ethiopian Claims Commission similar to the one staged at the time in the wake of the determination and announcement of the EBBC ruling. The only difference between the two mock performances is that the latest one was staged by a junior official, while the first was performed by the regime’s foreign minister himself.

From the very beginning, the TPLF regime’s false accusation of Eritrea alleging that it ‘started the conflict’ demonstrates the regime’s preference to take the course of deception and fraud. And there is no ending to its deception and falsification addiction. Subsequently, the TPLF regime called for celebration of so-called victory. Although its series of military offensives were foiled with high human losses that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of young Ethiopians. A similar ‘victory celebration’ took place following the EEBC ruling, although the TPLF regime was later to reject the Boundary Commission’s ruling. This sham ‘victory celebration’ is now shamelessly being repeated.

According to the recently announced decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Claims Commission concerning the destruction in the central front of the border area, the Ethiopian regime was held responsible for the deliberate destruction of the Eritrean towns of Tsorona, Senafe and Serha; for the looting of residences and businesses in these areas; and for the cases of rape cases by Ethiopian soldiers. The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, shamelessly claimed that the decision of the Claims Commission confirmed ‘no Ethiopian transgression of international humanitarian law’ and termed the decision ‘favorable to Ethiopia’.

The regime has also tried vainly to implicate Eritrea for bombing civilian areas. This, however, was equally rejected by the Claims Commission as being devoid of any evidence. In its futile bid to disrepute Eritrea as a ‘loser’ and cover up its loss of claims, the TPLF regime announced that Eritrea claims of destruction in five different areas were ‘rejected’ by the Commission. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Claims Commission will continue to uncover the crimes of the TPLF regime through its decisions concerning the other sectors of the border. At the same time, the Ethiopian regime will continue to celebrate each legal blow as a ‘victory’. Still, as there is no turning back from the course of deception and lie the TPLF regime has embarked upon, it will not abandon its habit of crude lying. However, the Ethiopian people are very well aware of the sham victory drama as to be easily deceived by the regime at all. The fact remains that the TPLF regime can but only deceive it self.