A Chronology of the Crisis Between Eritrea and Ethiopia
From Haile YehdegoApril 20-21, 1997
A meeting to discuss border issues that had surfaced in the course of the previous year was held in Shire, Tigray, Ethiopia between the vice president of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia, and the deputy administrator of the Gash-Barka Region of Eritrea.
June 22-27, 1997
A sub-committee, designated in accordance with the Shire decisions, met to make a tour of the "demarcations," a length it determined at about 40 kms. It was established then that, not just one, but a set of at least three demarcations, each creeping deeper into Eritrea had been laid on the ground. This was, naturally, highly objectionable to the Eritrean representatives.
June 1997
Tigrean authorities ordered that no Eritrean farmer was to plough fields or build houses or sheds beyond the "unilaterally demarcated" line and that the inhabitants of Eritrean villages were to be evacuated.
July 18-19, 1997
"Three truckloads of Ethiopian troops entered the Badme area and planted radio communications equipment. Eritrean territory inside the "unilaterally demarcated" area was, thus, put under patrol. Subsequently to these massive expulsion of Eritreans begun." On the same day, a potentially more dangerous situation developed at Adi Murug (Badda), at the northern tip of the former Denkalia, but now within the North Red Sea Region of Eritrea. Historically, Adi Murug has figured as the fourth village of the Badda district - Boleli, Li'en and Irimali are the three remaining and there was an Eritrean administrative unit at Adi Murug. On
July 19, two battalions of the Ethiopian army came to Adi Murug and its commander met with representatives of the Eritrean army in the area. The Ethiopians explained that they were there to chase armed Ethiopian opposition elements that they believed to be in the Badda area, and requested entry. The battalions were let in on this understanding.
July 24, 1997
Ethiopian administrators instructed the Eritrean administrators to disband -- they were taking over. They declared Adi Murug Ethiopian territory and appointed their own administrative committee.
August 8, 1997
Two Eritrean officials traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to discuss the matter with their counterparts in Ethiopia. They tried to register their protest on what was happening at Adi Murug and in Badme and that it was inconsistent with the friendly relationship between the two sides. They argued that using force to create facts on the ground was not acceptable. They also asked that the Ethiopian government reverse the steps it had taken. Any outstanding matters, they maintained, could be handled in a spirit of understanding and taking the welfare of the border population into consideration.
August 16, 1997
. Less than a month after the Adi Murug and Badme incidents of
July 19, President Isaias Afeworki wrote a letter to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia formally protesting Ethiopia's actions and calling the Prime Minister to take all necessary measures to put a stop to Ethiopia's border incursions.
August 25, 1997
President Isaias Afeworki wrote another letter to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. This time suggesting that a joint border commission be set up -- the Eritrean side to be led by General Sebhat Efrem, Minister of Defense. The first meeting for this commission was scheduled for
November 1997
.
October 17, 1997
Weyin, the official organ of the TPLF, printed a new map of Tigray Region, which for the first time, in almost a hundred years, altered Eritrea's colonial border with Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Mapping Authority also officially printed this "illegal" map of the Tigray Region. Here, the straight line linking the Setit (Tekezze) river to the Mereb river at its confluence with the Mai Anbessa had disappeared and was replaced by an oblique line entering deep into Eritrean territory. Not only the "demarcated" area that was causing concern, but large chunks of other Eritrean land had also been included. Besides this, Eritrean territories around Irob, Badda and Tserona were also illegally delimited as Ethiopian domain.
November 1997
The Joint High Commission met in Asmara, Eritrea and agreed to meet again within three months. There was no discussion on substantive matters. In the meantime, in
January 1998, Ethiopian troops were deployed to the border on the Assab line to demand that the Eritrean border post situated on the Assab-Addis Ababa road move several kilometers towards Assab, as the area was being claimed by Ethiopia. A patient handling and quiet diplomacy on the part of Eritrea averted what could have been a dangerous confrontation.
January 1998:
Ethiopia tried by military means to occupay sovereign Eritrean territory on the Burie area (Assab-Dessie road ). Unfortunately, Eritrean efforts to solve the problem amicably and bilaterally failed as the Government of Ethiopia continued to bring under its occupation the Eritrean territories that it had incorporated into its map.
May 6, 1998 Ethiopian troops, unprovoked, fired at an Eritrean patrol unit on routine duty along the border around Badme. Several of its members were killed. This triggered off a chain reaction on both sides.
May 13, 1998 The Ethiopian Parliament declared war on Eritrea. The next day,
May 14, 1998, The Eritrean Government called for peace and invited neutral parties to examine the circumstances leading to the incident of
May 6.
May 14, 1998 The Cabinet of Ministers of the Government of Eritrea proposed a five-points peace plan. 1. The Government of Eritrea condemns the logic of force as it firmly knows and upholds that border disputes of any kind can only be resolved through peaceful and legal means, and not through military means. 2. On the basis of this principle, each party shall publicly announce to the peoples of Eritrea, Ethiopia and the international community the territories that it claims--if any--and designate them on the political map with clear geographical coordinates. Each party shall also accept that the dispute cannot, and should not, be resolved by force, but through peaceful negotiations. 3. Both parties shall agree that all negotiations and understandings shall be carried out in the presence and through the mediation of a Third Party. The latter will act as a witness and guarantor. 4. Areas under "dispute" shall be demilitarized temporarily and be free from the presence of armies of both countries. The enforcement of this understanding shall be guaranteed by the Third Party. 5. If the above proposal for resolving the dispute through the involvement of a Third Party and without complications is not acceptable, the matter is to be referred to international adjudication.
May 15, 1998:
The Government of Eritrea expressed its readiness to accept an independent inspection by any third party to verify the facts of the matter on the ground.
June 4, 1998:
Prime Minister Melles of Ethiopia declared that Ethiopia accepts the US-Rwanda peace agreement but also states that he has given orders to the defence forces of Ethiopia to take action: "Ethiopians who heard [the speech in Amharic] thought that he has declared war."
June 5, 1998:
At 1400 and 1430 hours local time, Ethiopian Air Force fighter planes launched an air-strike on Asmara, hitting the Asmara International Airport, killing and wounding 30 people, and damaging a Zambian cargo plane. About an hour later, Eritrean Air force plane hit military targets in Mekelle, Ethiopia--destroying five Ethiopian war planes. Unfortunately, they also hit a school yard killing and wounding 47 people.
June 6, 1998:
At 09:40 hours local time, two Ethiopian Air Force fighter planes bombed the southern outskirts of Asmara; because of Ethiopia's imposition of indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets, most foreigners living in Asmara were evacuated. One of the Ethiopian fighter jets, a MiG 23, has been downed by Air Defense Units of the Eritrean Defense Forces. Its pilot,Colonel Bezabeh Petros, was captured. Colonel Bezabeh is a senior pilot in the Ethiopian Air Force. This is the second time that the Ethiopian pilot is being captured in Eritrea. Colonel Bezabeh was first captured fourteen years ago in
May 1984 during the war for independence when he was bombing the liberated areas around Nakfa, in northern Eritrea. He remained a prisoner of war (POW) until 1989. After his release, he chose to remain with the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) until the liberation of Eritrea in
May 1991; after which he was sent to Ethiopia. Eritrea captured about 120,000 Ethiopian POWs and treated them humanely and released them in 1991 to join their loved ones. Ethiopia further imposed an air blockade and maritime access blockade to Eritrean ports through the threat of incessant and indiscriminate air bombing.
June 10, 1998:
In violation of the agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia that citizens of each country do not need visas to visit the other country, Ethiopia has told all carriers not to board Eritreans who do not have a valid visa to Ethiopia.
June 11, 1998:
Eritrea has called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to take urgent measures to ensure the safety of international air and maritime navigation in the area. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian government is recruiting mercenary air force pilots from countries in Eastern Europe.
June 12, 1998:
Ethiopia announced that it was expelling unspecified number of civilian Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean heritage in the country under the sham of "security reasons".
June 12, 1998 Eritrean Air Force pilots bombed military targets in Adi Grat, a city that has been transformed into the main garrison for reinforcing the invading Ethiopian army and a center for army logistics.
June 13, 1998 The Government of Ethiopia ordered the deportation of thousands of Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean heritage from the country; it also fired thousands of others from their jobs.
June 14, 1998 The Governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia have accepted the proposal put forward by the United States Government on a total ban of air strikes by both sides. The agreement provides for Eritrea and Ethiopia to "halt immediately the further use of air strikes and the threat of air strikes in their present conflict."
June 17, 1998:
800 expelled Eritreans arrived at the Eritrean border town of Um Hajer in the southwestern tip of the country. They were sent through the most arduous and longest route to Eritrea.
June 20, 1998:
About a 100,000 residents of Asmara gave the first batch of Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin deported from Ethiopia "a thunderous and defiant welcome" as they arrived in Asmara.
June 25, 1998:
The Government of Ethiopia ordered the families of the deported to mortgage their businesses and property and leave the country within one month. By this time the number of deportees was about 1150, most of them were prominent businessmen and professionals.
June 26, 1998:
The 11th Session of the National Assembly of Eritrea issued a statement underlining: A. The root cause of the conflict was the violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as the naked aggression, perpetrated on Eritrea by the Ethiopian government". B. The Ethiopian government had issued an official map that incorporates large swathes of Eritrean territory". C. The Ethiopian government had been systematically employing its army to physically occupy the lands that it had incorporated on its map. It had thus put large areas under its control by destroying Eritrean homes and crops, dislodging the indigenous population and dismantling Eritrean administrations. It had even changed the names of Eritrean villages. The National Assembly also endorsed the Eritrean Government's peace proposal. It also had this to say about Ethiopian citizens in Eritrea:"the Eritrean government has not, and will not, take any hostile action against Ethiopians residing in the country. Their right to live and work in peace is guaranteed. If this right is infringed under any circumstances or by any institution, they have the full rights of redress. This policy that can see a horizon beyond the conflicts of today will not change even if the current crisis deteriorates to any degree."
June 26, 1998 The Security Council unanimously passed a resolution that condemned "the use of force" and demanded "both parties immediately cease hostilities and refrain from further use of force." Calling on Ethiopia and Eritrea to cooperate fully with the OAU and to avoid any steps that would aggravate the situation, it called on both countries to guarantee the rights and safety of each other's nationals. The resolution was submitted by the United States and co-sponsored by Britain, Costa Rica, Japan, Russia and Slovenia.
May 30-31, 1998-US-Rwanda Peace Plan presented to Eritrea and Ethiopia The Governments of the United States and Rwanda, in an attempt to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the border dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia, presented both parties a four-point peace plan.
June 1, 1998- While the US-Rwanda Peace Plan was still on the table, Ethiopia launched an attack on Eritrea Instead of pursuing peace, Ethiopia opened another battlefront and tried to advance into Eritrea's territory along the Ambesete-Gleba area.
June 3, 1998- The US officially unveiled the 4-point US-Rwanda Peace Plan The State Department issued the following statement: "the United States and Rwanda regret that these recommendations have not yet been accepted by both sides as the basis for a peaceful resolution of this dispute."
June 4-5, 1998- Ethiopia, while announcing acceptance of the US-Rwanda Peace Plan went ahead and bombed the Eritrean capital, Asmara. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, while announcing his government's "acceptance" of the US-Rwanda plan, ordered his troops to attack Eritrea. On the morning of
June 5, 1998, the Eritrean Government issued the following statement: "The four-point recommendations that have evolved in the facilitation process address the paramount issues that the Government of Eritrea has been raising and are, therefore, not controversial at all to the Government of Eritrea. At the same time, the Government of Eritrea believes that the facilitation process has not been consummated and that there are still serious issues of detail and implementation that need to be worked out in the period ahead." Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
June 5, 1998. On the same day,
June 5, 1998 at 14:00 and 14:30 hours, local time, Ethiopian fighter planes launched an air strike on Asmara. They hit the Asmara International Airport, killing and wounding 30 people, and damaging a Zambian cargo plane that was parked on the runway. About an hour later, an Eritrean plane retaliated by hitting military targets in Makelle, Ethiopia--destroying several Ethiopian fighter-planes. Inadvertently, it also hit an elementary school near the airport killing and wounding 47 people. The Eritrean government officially apologized for this unfortunate incident.
June 10, 1998- OAU calls for a peaceful resolution to the conflict: The Organization of African Unity (OAU), at its 34th Summit in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, called for a peaceful solution to the Eritrea-Ethiopia conflict.
June 14, 1998- In response to a US Brokered Air-Strike moratorium, Eritrea affirms its commitment to abide by it The Government of Eritrea accepted an air strike moratorium brokered by President Bill Clinton at which time Ethiopia also announced its commitment to the agreement only to break it on February 6, 1999.
July 1, 1998:
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Mrs Mary Robinson expressed her serious concern over Ethiopian expulsions of Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin from Ethiopia. The UN High Commissioner wrote " I am deeply concerned by the violation of human rights of Eritrean nationals being expelled from Ethiopia, and particularly by the fact that their passports are being stamped 'expelled, never to return.... These are serious violations of the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Ethiopia is party,"
July 1, 1998 Ambassadors from Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Rwanda and Zimbabwe held talks with Eritrean Officials as part of an initiative by the OAU, following the failed US-Rwanda Plan.
July 9, 1998:
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, in an interview with Ethiopian Television and in reaction to Mary Robinson's statement about Ethiopia's human rights violations, boasted that his government "has the unrestricted right to expel any foreigner from the country for any reason whatsoever... Any foreigner, whether Eritrean, Japanese, etc., lives in Ethiopia because of the goodwill of the Ethiopian government. If the Ethiopian government says 'Go, because we don't like the colour of your eyes,' they have to leave."
July 11, 1998:
Following Meles' speech that Ethiopia can deport even for not liking someone's color of eyes, by Ethiopian admission, more than 2400 Eritreans were rounded up, 1000 in Addis Ababa alone. These were deported from Addis Ababa the next day.
July 15-17, 1998:
Eritrean deportees were dumped by the Ethiopian government at the no man's land separating the Eritrean and Ethiopian armies on the Burie Front. The majority of the deportees were women and children, and had to walk four kilometres in a temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit. One person, an elderly man who was forced to travel during the heat, died of heat exhaustion and was buried in Assab. By this time the number of deportees has topped the 11,000 mark.
July 22, 1998:
Martyn Ngwenya, the UN Designated Official and UN Resident Coordinator, Pamela Delargy, the UNFPA Representative, and other UN officials stationed in Eritrea submmitted a report to Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Under secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs in New York detailing "The deplorable and dehumanizing conditions" of the Eritreans who were deported from Ethiopia. Aug 1-2, 1998:
The Organisation of African Unity Ministerial Committee met for two days of talks in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Its main aim was to resolve the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
August 5, 1998:
Eritrea said it was satisfied with the result of Aug. 1-2 Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Ministerial Committee meeting that discussed its border conflict with Eritrea. A Foreign Ministry official told Reuters that ``The OAU have reflected all our concerns and objectives,... They have got very good information from embassies, the U.N. and outside missions.''
August 6, 1998:
The US Department of State issued a statement condemning the detention and expulsion of Eritreans from Ethiopia and calling on the Ethiopian government to respect international human rights norms and standards.
August 6-12, 1998:
About three thousand Eritreans expelled from Ethiopia arrived in Eritrea. Some of these came through the border town of Zalambessa. They were forced to walk about 15 km in the middle of the night along a road that was mined with explosives left and right. They arrived in Zalambessa at 3:00 a.m. The number of Eritrean deportees from Ethiopia has reached over 16,000.
August 13, 1998:
Ethiopia gave Eritreans working for international organizations in Addis Ababa one month to leave the country. The Ethiopian government also admitted that it had served notice to some 87 Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean working in embassies, international organizations and non-governmental organizations. It is to be noted that The Organization of African Unity and the UN Economic Commission for Africa are both based in Addis Ababa and scores of NGOs have offices in Addis Ababa.
August 24, 1998:
The Ethiopian government begun dumping Eritreans on the borderlands Ethiopia shares with Kenya and Djibouti. At that time the Ethiopian government dumped 88 Eritreans in an isolated area between the Ethiopian-Kenyan borders. The Ethiopian government also dropped another 32 Eritrean children and women in the hostile Djibouti-Ethiopian borders.
August 28, 1998:
As a measure of goodwill and showing its interest for peace the Government of Eritrea, unilaterally, released 71 Ethiopian soldiers captive in the border conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia. It was later reported one POW who was freed to go, declined the offer and instead chose to stay in Eritrea. September 8, 1998:
Ethiopian Rental Housing Department announced that houses belonging to deportees fell under the control of the Housing Department. With this announcement the Ethiopian government begun taking over houses occupied by the families of deportees. September 9, 1998:
An independent report by Natalie Klein: "MASS EXPULSION FROM ETHIOPIA Report on the Deportation of Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean Origin from Ethiopia,
June -
August 1998" was released. The report detailed the nature of the deportations calling them "a mass violation of human rights". September 9, 1998:
The Ethiopian government released thirty-one former high-ranking officers of the military regime of Colonel Mengistu. They were imprisoned for crimes they committed during the Communist regime. But news sources mentioned that the release was meant for the officers to help with the training of the armed forces. More than thirty other officers who were reported freed the previous week were already helping the regime in training its army. September 16, 1998:
The US Government communicated to Eritrea its desire to launch a new initiative. This new initiative was to be led by Mr. Anthony Lake, the former National Security Advisor.
October 6, 1998:
U.S. special envoy Anthony Lake arrived in Eritrea to make a second attempt at finding a peaceful solution to the five-month border conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia. The first attempt was the US-Rwanda plan drafted by Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Susan Rice. It failed
June 4, 1998.
October 9, 1998:
The arbitration tribunal set up to arbitrate the dispute between Eritrea and Yemen concerning islands in the Red Sea has announced its decision. The government of Eritrea, immediately announced that it will abide by the decision.
October 13, 1998:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Eritrea, in a statement, pointed out that Ethiopia in its deliberate attempt to confuse had begun circulating yet another map to the diplomatic community in Addis Abeba. This Map didn't match the Tigray Administrative Map that was issued in
October 1997
carving out, illegally, large chunks of Eritrean territory. The curious snag in the "latest" map was that Badma village is inexplicably displaced and "located" inside Ethiopia.
October 29, 1998:
Ethiopia shelled southwestern Eritrea (Badma area). Several villages were destroyed, more than a hundred crop fields burned, and a farmer and a child instantly killed. On the same day in the Senafe area, barrages of Ethiopian shelling similarly destroyed villages, burned crop fields and killed three peasants.
Nov. 1, 1998:
Following
October nine's decision by an international court of arbitration to divide the disputed islands between Eritrea and Yemen, Eritrea officially handed over the Island of Hanish Kebir to Yemen.
Nov.2, 1998:
The United Nations "vigorously" protested Ethiopia's decision to expel some 30 U.N. staffers working for various U.N. agencies around Addis Ababa as "persona non grata".
Nov. 7-8, 1998:
The Ethiopia-Eritrea Peace Summit was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. At this time the OAU presented a Framework of Agreement that had 11-points. Ethiopia immediately indicated it is satisfied by it, Eritrea said it will study it and will need clarifications. The OAU gave Eritrea until the end of December to respond to its proposals. The OAU document was almost identical to the US-Rwanda plan. Except that the latter had four points instead of eleven.
Nov. 11, 1998 Ethiopia formally announced that it had "accepted" the Organization of African Unity (OAU) proposal.
Nov. 18, 1998:
Djibouti severed diplomatic ties with Eritrea. The charge was that Eritrea had asked the OAU to ask Djibouti to withdraw itself from the High Level Delegation that was seeking to mediate the Ethio-Eritrean war. Reason: Djibouti was openly helping Ethiopia in its war against Eritrea. An Eritrean official said "We have material evidence that Djibouti has turned into a conduit for war materials for Ethiopia."
Nov. 19, 1998:
The U.N. Security Council in unanimous resolution urged nations to restrict arms sales to African countries embroiled in conflict.
Nov. 26, 1998:
On orders from the President of the Republic of Djibouti, Dr. Tekeste Ghebray, Executive Secretary of IGAD, was refused entry into Djibouti. Dr. Tekeste is an Eritrean citizen and Djibouti is where IGAD headquarters is. A week earlier the Secretary had been denied entry into Ethiopia, an IGAD member nation, that was hosting an IGAD donors meeting. Djibouti, in particular, which hosts the head office for the regional organization, was duty bound to facilitate the work of IGAD. Dec 6, 1998:
U.S. envoy Anthony Lake arrived in Asmara -- his third visit to Eritrea.
Dec.6, 1998:
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Djiboutian President Hassan Gouled Aptidon signed a joint defense pact.
Dec. 12, 1998:
Eritrea submitted a list of questions on the OAU's Frame Work for Agreement seeking clarification.
Dec. 17, 1998:
Three people were killed and at least 24 wounded when Ethiopia shelled the Eritrean town of Tsorona.
Dec. 17, 1998:
The Organisation of African Unity (OAU)'s Central Organ for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution began its meeting in Ouagadougou. About 20 Heads of State and Government attended the meeting. The meeting endorsed the High Level Delegation's 11-point proposal for solving the Eritrea-Ethiopia conflict.
Dec. 18, 1998:
Ethiopia formally announced that it has accepted the Proposal for a Framework Agreement as endorsed by the Central Organ of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Ouagadougou.
Dec. 21, 1998:
Mr. Haile Woldensae, Minister of Foreign Affairs, addressed the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to Eritrea. In his speech he underlined that "Eritrea subscribes to the three cardinal principles, namely peaceful resolution of disputes, rejection of the use of force and respect for colonial borders." In regard to the last principle, however, he brought to the attention of the diplomats and the OAU High-Level Delegation that "Eritrea requests that this principle be formulated in precise, legal language that does not brook any ambiguity and does not lend itself to differing interpretations, thereby impeding the technical work of demarcation." The Foreign Minister also said that the Sudan and Djibouti were providing military or logistical aid to Ethiopia. Mr. Haile Weldensae told reporters Djibouti was collaborating militarily with Ethiopia and the Sudan was allowing Ethiopia to import arms through Port Sudan.
Jan. 03, 1999:
One thousand three hundred sixty seven (1367) Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin expelled from various places in Ethiopia arrived in Assab. The deportees included infants and very elderly Eritreans with health problems. By this date over 47,000 Eritreans had been deported from Ethiopia.
Jan. 05, 1999:
Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Seyoum Mesfin, told the Diplomatic Community in Ethiopia "Put economic pressure on Eritrea. They [Eritreans] might listen and they will listen if there are clear indications that... their pockets would be affected.... Otherwise, the peace effort can be considered as good as dead.."
Jan. 09, 1999:
One of the main banks in Ethiopia said it will be auctioning property, vehicles and factories belonging to two-hundred Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin who had been expelled from Ethiopia. The bank claimed they had used the property as collateral for loans.
Jan. 12, 1999:
The Eritrean government said it had received intelligence reports that Ethiopia was planning to launch fresh attacks between mid-
January and mid-February.
Jan. 18, 1999:
Anthony Lake, President Bill Clinton's former national security advisor, once again shuttled between Addis Ababa and Asmara and held a fourth round of talks with Eritrean officials. His first round was in
October 1998.
Jan. 20, 1999:
The US Department of State warned U.S. citizens against travel to Eritrea. It gave the excuse "given the continuing tensions, and [the fact that] there is the possibility of renewed hostilities",
Jan. 26, 1999:
The OAU gave a reply to the 29 questions Eritrea raised on the framework agreement on
Dec. 12, 1998. The OAU took forty five (45) days to reply. According to this clarification the questions "What is meant by Badme and environs? Which areas does it include?" were answered as "Environs refer to the area surrounding Badme Town".
Jan. 27, 1999:
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi called upon all member states of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to stand by the side of Ethiopia for the implementation of the OAU peace plan and to support him when his country attacks Eritrea. He made this plea in the speech he gave to the OAU diplomats in Addis.
Jan. 29, 1999:
The UN Security Council voted unanimously to support efforts made by the Organization of African Unity to end the border war between Eritrea and Ethiopia. The Security Council expressed "its strong support for the mediation efforts of the Organization of African Unity."
Jan. 29, 1999:
Amnesty International released an indicting document on Ethiopia's gross human rights violations of Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin. While exposing Ethiopia's violations this AI report exonerated Eritrea of virtually all the accusations that were coming from Ethiopia.
Feb. 02, 1999:
Mohammed Sahnoun, UN special envoy, arrived in Asmara for talks with President Isaias Afewerki.
Feb. 05, 1999:
The Ethiopian government alleged Eritrean fighter planes bombed the northern town of Adigrat. This was proved to be false by independent reporters, and foreign governments including recently by Susan Rice. In her
May 25, 1999 testimony to House Africa Subcommittee she said " These initial missions also resulted in agreement by the two parties to the air strike moratorium, which remained in effect until February 6, 1999." February 6, 1999:
Ethiopia breaks the US-brokered air moratorium and bombs Eritrean towns and villages. Under the pretext of a fictitious Eritrean air strike against Adi-Grat, Ethiopia launched a massive offensive on the Badme front on February 6, 1999 and February 8, 1999 on the Tserona front. AFP and Reuters confirmed the untruthfulness of Ethiopia's allegations as follows: "The alleged bombing by Eritrean war planes of Adigrat could not be independently confirmed. Several people staying in Adigrat, contacted by phone have said they were unaware of any raid." AFP, Feb 5, 1999 "A hotel guest in the town [Adi Grat] said he had not heard any sound of explosion. 'there is peace in Adigrat,' he said by telephone." Reuters February 5, 1999.
Feb. 06, 1999:
The Ethiopian government launched a large-scale attack against Eritrea on the Mereb-Setit front. By the end of the day two Ethiopian brigades were totally routed while another two brigades had suffered severe casualties. Over 100 soldiers were captured.
Feb. 07, 1999:
The Ethiopian government shelled the town of Adi Quala killing eight and wounding 23 civilians.
Feb. 08, 1999:
Blaise Compaore, president of Burkina Faso and OAU chairman for 1998-99, called on Eritrea and Ethiopia to put an end to their fighting, "immediately and without conditions". Salim Ahmed Salim, Secretary General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), urged "both Eritrea and Ethiopia to immediately put an end to the current fighting and recommit themselves to a peaceful solution to the dispute".
Feb. 08, 1999:
Ethiopia bombed the Eritrean town of Tsorena and the Eritrean Village of Lalai Dieda. Five civilians (two women, two men and an infant; all members of the same family) were killed.
Feb. 09, 1999:
President Clinton released a statement saying "I urge both parties to halt the fighting immediately... I am particularly alarmed by the recent use of air power, which escalates the conflict and violates the agreed air strike moratorium. I urge the Ethiopian government to refrain from further use of its aircraft as currently employed along the border, and I ask both sides to renew their commitment to the moratorium. For the sake of their people, the leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea must immediately halt the fighting and recommit themselves to diplomatic efforts to secure a peaceful settlement."
Feb. 09, 1999:
The Ethiopian government declared Eritrea's Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ghirma Asmerom, "persona non grata" and asked him to leave Ethiopia immediately.
Feb. 10, 1999:
The UN Security Council passed a US-drafted resolution that demanded an immediate halt to the fighting and strongly urged all states to end immediately all sales of arms and munitions to Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Feb. 11, 1999:
Ethiopia shelled Eritrean villages around Zalambessa killing 12 civilians and destroying 30 homes.
Feb. 12, 1999:
Ethiopian authorities ordered troops who had surrounded the Eritrean ambassador's residence to break into the residence. These actions violated Article 22 of the Vienna Convention which guarantees the inviolability and immunity of premises and property of diplomats and diplomatic missions.
Feb. 14-15, 1999:
The Ethiopian regime started an offensive along the Burie front. The front is at about the 71 km mark on the road from Assab to Dessie. The attack was accompanied by air bombardment of the environs of the frontline by Antonov 130 planes. During this Ethiopian offensive Eritrean defense forces shot down one MI-24 helicopter gunship. Ethiopian bombers had also attempted to bomb a water reservoir near Assab but they missed their target.
Feb. 15, 1999:
Eritrea filed a claim against Ethiopia in the International Court of Justice (the World Court), accusing Ethiopian security forces of taking over the Eritrean embassy residence in Addis Ababa and detaining Eritrean embassy personnel. The case cited violations of well-established international legal rules protecting diplomatic premises and embassy personnel.
Feb. 16, 1999:
Three Ethiopian fighter-bombers for the second time attempted to attack a water reservoir 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Assab but the three Mig 23 jets missed their targets. It was at this time that Lieutenant-Colonel Alem Seged told Reuters "they could not kill anything...except
Maybe a wandering ostrich''.
Feb. 17, 1999:
Ethiopia attempted for the third time to attack water reservoir that it missed twice. This time its Antonov planes dropped six bombs in the area of the reservoir. According to reporters they missed wondering ostriches as well.
Feb. 17, 1999:
The Organization of African Unity (OAU) High-Level Delegation urged both Ethiopia and Eritrea to put an immediate end to the fighting and to re-commit themselves to a peaceful resolution of the dispute based on the OAU proposals for a framework agreement.
Feb. 21, 1999:
Ethiopia's antonov bombers targeted the airstrip in Asab dropping 12 bombs. All of the bombs missed their target. The nearest bomb however fell about 200 meters from the runway. On the same day Ethiopian antonovs bombed the village of Mai Aini near Tsorena. They destroyed homes and property in the village killing four (4) civilians and leaving several others wounded.
Feb. 22, 1999:
The U.S. Department of State released a statement saying: "The United States Government deeply regrets the use of air power by Ethiopia in the current conflict, in particular against economic targets and near civilian population centers. We urge the government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to resume the moratorium immediately. We also urge the Eritrean authorities to continue to uphold their commitment to the terms of the moratorium."
Feb. 23, 1999:
Ethiopia launched yet another offensive on the Mareb-Setit (Badme) front. On this day Eritrea reported that it destroyed nine tanks and captured two.
Feb. 23, 1999:
The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) had planed to send a high-powered delegation to Eritrea. This delegation was in place of the committee of ambassadors from Burkina Faso, Djibouti and Zimbabwe that was originally due in Asmara. Eritrean refused to allow the committee into Eritrea because of the presence of Dileita Mohamed Dileita, the Djiboutian ambassador. It is to be remembered that Djibouti had broken diplomatic ties with Eritrea in
November and had already signed a defense pact with Ethiopia.
Feb. 24, 1999:
Intense fighting continued on the Mereb-Setit front. Ethiopian forces backed by heavy artillery, mechanized units and aircraft attempted, for a second day, to dislodge Eritrean forces from their positions. By the end of the day an MI-24 helicopter Gunship was shot down, in addition 31 Ethiopian tanks were destroyed; and three others were captured.
Feb. 26, 1999:
Eritrea announced to the world that Ethiopia, through sheer weight of numbers and repetitive assaults of human waves, had broken through its defense lines at one point on the Badma front. Since this made Eritrea's fixed defense lines vulnerable Eritrean armed forces withdrew and re-established a new frontline. This time west of "Badme and its environs". This meant the thorny issue of the OAU proposal., that of withdrawing from "Badme and its environs" was accomplished. To gain Badme village, in three days, Ethiopia suffered 9,000 dead, 12,000 wounded and captured 170 soldiers. At the same time 41 Ethiopian tanks were destroyed, three captured, and an MI-24 helicopter gunship was shot down. In what one reporter wrote the Ethiopian gain in Badme was at a cost of over two people for every meter of distance. On the other hand Eritrean Defense Ministry announced that Eritrean human losses were "minimal" and had only left behind two tanks that were burned and two others which were broken down.
Feb. 27, 1999:
Eritrea informed the UN Security Council that it had accepted the OAU peace plan and was ready to implement it. The Plan was submitted
Nov. 8. The UN Security Council welcomed Eritrea's decision to accept the Organization of African Unity (OAU) peace plan previously agreed to by Ethiopia.
Feb. 28, 1999:
Ethiopia launched a fresh offensive in the Badme region. This was on the same day Ethiopia declared "total victory" and 24 hours after Eritrea accepted the peace plan drawn up by the Organization of African Unity. In fact Ethiopia declared that "the chances of an immediate cease-fire in the border war between Ethiopia and Eritrea were minimal".
July 14, 1999:
Eritrea accepted, on the spot, the Modalities for the Implementation of the OAU Framework Agreement that was endorsed and tabled by the 35th Regular Session of the OAU Heads of States and Governments African leaders meeting in Algiers, Algeria for the 35th OAU Summit unanimously adopted the seven-point Modalities for the Implementation of the OAU Framework Agreement. Eritrea announced there and then that it had accepted the plan. Algeria's President Abdulaziz Bouteflika assumed the OAU chairmanship and appointed former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahiya as OAU's special envoy to handle the OAU mediation efforts. Ethiopia on the other hand prevaricated. On
July 21, 1999 Ethiopia said it has accepted the OAU Modalities after a week of prevarication and denying that Eritrea had accepted the OAU Modalities, Ethiopia announced its acceptance of the OAU's Modalities for the implementation of the peace plan.
August 5-6, 1999
The OAU presented the Technical Arrangements for the Implementation of the peace plan to Eritrea and Ethiopia on
August 5 and
August 6 respectively. The document sets out the detailed procedures and time-line for the implementation of the OAU Framework Agreement. Experts from the OAU, the UN, the US and Algeria drew up the Technical Arrangements in consultation with both Ethiopia and Eritrea. At that time, Ethiopia requested that the Technical Arrangements be non-amendable and was written accordingly. Both countries were expected to send formal replies to President Abdulaziz Bouteflika, the OAU Chairman.
August 7, 1999
Eritrea officially accepted the Technical Arrangements in its entirety, and commits to its full implementation. Eritrea officially accepted the detailed proposals (Technical Arrangements) drawn up by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to end the war with Ethiopia. Eritrea also pledged its full co-operation with the OAU and the United Nations in implementing the three agreements
the framework agreement, the modalities, and the technical arrangements
as the sole basis for resolving the dispute.
August 11, 1999
Ethiopia seeks clarification on the OAU's "unamendable" Technical Arrangements Ethiopia said it had requested clarification from the Organization of African Unity on the Technical Arrangements. Eritrea had accepted the OAU's detailed peace plan on
August 7. The document calls for a cease-fire, a withdrawal of troops to positions held prior to
May 6, 1998, and then demarcation of the border.
August 23, 1999
OAU gives clarifications to Ethiopia Ahmed Ouyahiya OAU's special envoy delivered the OAU's clarification on the Technical Arrangements to Ethiopia. The OAU gave a 13-page clarification to Ethiopia's more than 40 questions. The OAU clarification, stressing an earlier understanding between the OAU special envoy and both Ethiopia and Eritrea, affirmed that "the document containing the Technical Arrangements is not open to amendment." December 6, 1999
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi officially rejected the Technical Arrangements stating, on national TV, "Ethiopia will not kneel down to any pressure imposed on the country to accept the technical arrangements, unless the document is prepared to guarantee its sovereignty" over the entire disputed territories, prior to demarcation. February 22-March 8, 2000
United States special envoy, Anthony Lake, and Personal Representative of the OAU Chairman, Ahmed Ouayahia, shuttled between Asmara and Addis Ababa to get an agreement on a new document referred to as the "non-paper". Ethiopia's rejection of the Technical Arrangements had jeopardized the OAU peace plan. It was a document written by the United States and was basically based on Ethiopia's 14-page memorandum of
November 1999.
April 1, 2000
Ethiopia rejected Eritrea's offer to let the port of Assab be used for food aid to avert the famine that was threatening million's of Ethiopians. aid shipment.
April 29-
May 3, 2000
Eritrea and Ethiopia held proximity talks in Algiers but talks failed because Ethiopia refused to sign the two substantive documents of the OAU peace plan: the Framework Agreement and the Modalities of Implementation. Ethiopia also rejected a cease-fire agreement, which was the first and key provision of the OAU peace plan.
May 8-9, 2000
The United Nations Security Council sent seven of its ambassadors to Ethiopia and Eritrea as a "last-ditch attempt" to avert war. But the delegation's effort bear no fruit because Ethiopia told the delegation that it had invested heavily on the war and wanted a quick return on it.
May 12, 2000
Ethiopia launched yet another offensive one Eritrea. By this act Ethiopia, as it threatened for months, chose the path of war.
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