It came like a bolt from the blue, but perhaps we should have been ready for it.
On Tuesday Ethiopia’s governing party – the EPRDF – accepted the peace deal that ended its border war with Eritrea.
Ethiopia will “fully accept and implement” the agreement with Eritrea that was signed in 2000, its ruling coalition announced.
The signs that this was coming had been there since Prime Minister
Prime Minister Abiy said: “With the government of Eritrea, we want from the bottom of our hearts that the disagreement that has reigned for years to comes to an end. We would also discharge our responsibility. While expressing our readiness resolve our differences through dialogue, I take this opportunity to call on the Eritrean government to take a similar stand not only for the sake of our common interest but also for the common blood relations between the peoples of the two countries.”
Then, in May, Prime Minister Abiy went to the northern region of Tigray, which has been most effected by the closure of the Ethiopia-Eritrean border. The Prime Minister had this to say to his audience.
“When asked about the Ethio-Eritrea issue, he said, he understands Tigrai is the most affected region and he will do everything in his power to bring peace to the region. He said while in Saudi Arabia he has asked the crown prince to help to bring peace between the two countries. PM Abiy told the participants, after he promised the crown prince that Ethiopia will abide by the Algiers Agreement if the regime in Asmara can sit down to talk on other issues, the crown prince tried to call Isaias Afeworki. The call was not returned but he is hopeful with Saudi and US help the issue will be resolved soon.”
Now the EPRDF has formally called on their Eritrean neighbours to respond to their peace offer.
“The Eritrean government should take the same stand without any prerequisite and accept our call to bring back the long-lost peace of the two brother nations as it was before,” the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) wrote on Facebook.
Eritreans glued to their televisions and radios
Ethiopia’s promise to accept in full the Algiers peace agreement and the Boundary Commission’s ruling on where the border should be has electrified Eritreans. “They are glued to their televisions and radios,” an Eritrean friend told me.
The underground resistance movement Abri Harnet (Freedom Friday) has welcomed the Ethiopian statement.
Speaking from Asmara a member of Team Arbi Harnet said “this gives us a golden opportunity to mark the forthcoming June 20-Martyr’s Day, in a meaningful way restoring the dignity of our people.
We call for an end to the indefinite national service and the release of all political prisoners, we call for a positive response from Eritrea and thank EPRDF and Dr. Abiy Ahmed for taking the lead in ending this dark history of our sisterly countries.”
Echoing the call from activists inside Eritrea, Team Arbi Harnet in the diaspora say they will be carrying out a series of initiatives calling for
“1. An end to the indefinite national service and
2. The release of all political prisoners by June 20, 2018, the day Eritreans across the world mark Martyr’s Day to pay tribute to the thousands of freedom fighters who gave up their lives to liberate Eritrea. We ask upon all Eritreans to pressure the regime with the above to calls.”
The Eritrean government’s response
So far the Eritrean government has offered no official response to the Ethiopian announcement.
There is no statement on the Eritrean Ministry of Information website.
The Minister of Information, Yemane Gebreab’s latest tweet is a book review.
This is hardly surprising. The Ethiopian government’s move is a major development: one that has been anticipated, and hoped for, for years.
In reality it is no more than was required by its signature of the Algiers Peace Agreement in 2000 that ended the border war.
Both governments then made this promise:
The parties agree that the delimitation and demarcation determinations of the Commission shall be final and binding. Each party shall respect the border so determined, as well as territorial integrity and sovereignty of the other party.
Recognizing that the results of the delimitation and demarcation process are not yet known, the parties request the United Nations to facilitate resolution of problems which may arise due to the transfer of territorial control, including the consequences for individuals residing in previously disputed territory.
You’re getting ahead of yourself by talking about “Eritrea/Isayas not doing anything” or “prevaricating”. It’s only now that the biased mainstream media and journalists are coming around to finally admit after all these years the sole party responsible for the standoff has been Ethiopia. But, once again your biases are coming to the fore. As you mentioned, the next steps should not be “what is or how will Eritrea respond?” but (a) Ethiopia vacating Eritrean occupied territories and (b) Ethiopia notifying the UN and Eritrea that is has done so and asks the UN/Eritrea to verify and take the next steps for official demarcation of the border. Short of that, this would simply be yet the latest equivocation attempt by Ethiopia. Until Ethiopia takes those next two important steps, I would not expect Eritrea to say or do anything.
Sir I am an Ethiopian and bought from Addis your book “Understanding Eritrea” and reading it. I got so many important points in the book. Thank you also for writing this article and for your recommendations to resolve this deadlock .
Mr Plaut,
You article is tilted: Ethiopia offers peace, how will Ertirea and the UN repose?
However you seem to pivoted into some underground ‘Arbi Harnet’ movement, which you give it more weight to the opinions and plans, I find it very misleading and out of topic. As a gournalist, I had expected you to stick to the facts; but you seem to give more biased opinion, specially at your conclusion.
I agree that the UN need to act; if indeed Ethiopian government has, not only declared, but also formally signed the acceptance of the agreement fully; which Eritrean government has already done years ago.
I do not think the Eritrean government is expected to do anything at this time. The Ethiopian government has yet to carry out the obligation of what they have accepted and put it into action, which include withdrawing from the occupied territories. The ball is still in Ethiopian government’s hand, they need to “walk the talk”. After 16 years, the guarantors of the peace agreement, which include the US, EU, AU, have also an obligation and seize this opportunity to make Ethiopia accountable to it.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha …
Really? do not worry Dan Tesfa, we, all together, would see who would be made accountable when action , itself speaks louder than your biassed tendencies
Given that:
a) it is a party not the government that has made the announcements
b) the local government in Tigrai has come up with a contradicting statement
c) Ethiopia is yet to inform the UN of its decision to accept the ruling unconditionally
d) Ethiopia has been dragging its feet and has a history of changing its position before the ink is dry
e) there is absolutely no trust between the parties and there is no line of communication
f) no one from the UN has approached Eritrea
What do you really want Eritrea to say and do?
I am lost!
Eritrea has made its principled position very clear and has repeated it one too many times like a broken record. Its diplomats has also reiterated that Eritrea accepts the rulings of the Boundary Commission unconditionally and is ready to implement it. Eritrea has said that it is willing to start negotiation on the same day that Ethiopia withdraw its force from the occupied territory.
What more does it need to say? Do you expect it to gloat and make the situation worse than it is?
Ok, it could come out and say it welcomes the announcement as a public relations gimmick, but it is neither here nor there, and will not serve much purpose.
If Ethiopia is serious, all it has to do is write a formal letter to the UN of its acceptance of the ruling and call the Boundary Commission and UN cartographers to resume their work from where they have left it. The UN will then contact Eritrea and inform it of Ethiopia’s acceptance and ask it to get the ball rolling in line with the tenets of the Algiers Agreement. To start the process, Ethiopia would have to withdraw its forces from Badme and other occupied territories. It is really that simple.
Abiy will need to walk the talk and control the extremists who are already making noises. He will need to seize this opportunity to bring about a lasting peace in the area. He has the support of the population and that is what matters.
Those guarantors who have been dossing for the last 16 years will need to wake up and shoulder their responsibility. They will need to assist with the process and ensure that that the agreement is implemented in full. They will also need to assist those who will be displaced during the demarcation process by providing the funds required to rebuild their lives again.
Martin – I hope you will set aside your activism for a moment and play a constructive role at this critical juncture for a change.