The meetings took note of the fact that the aim of the TPLF regime’s war of aggression is to disintegrate and subjugate Eritrea and its people, and that as far as the TPLF is concerned, border demarcation means committing suicide. In this regard, the meeting outlined that the TPLF regime, with the encouragement and support of its collaborators, especially the US Administration, has been persistently rejecting border demarcation.

When The TPLF clique realized that its day dream of seeing “the Eritrean economy collapsing leading to political, economic and social turmoil” was nothing but a wild dream, and the ever aggravating internal crisis and popular opposition against the regime inside Ethiopia is gaining momentum, the regime is engaged in massive preparations to invade Eritrea, with the order and blessing of the US Administration.

In the meetings characterized with patriotic spirit, the participants lauded the impressive achievements Eritrea has registered in all domains amid continued external hostilities. They stressed the significance of the Eritrean people’s political resourcefulness to this end. The participants further underlined the need to keep intact and reinforce firm national unity, conviction, cherished values and principles. 

Additional Information:

By Staff
Nov 28, 2007, 13:16

Asmara, 29 November 2007 – Bereket Simon, Special Advisor of the TPLF regime’s Premier, said today that Ethiopia is not prepared to engage in any dialogue with Eritrea regarding border demarcation. He made the statement in an interview with the Nairobi-based ISN Security Watch media outlet.

Commenting on remarks Meles Zenawi made yesterday to the country’s parliament stating that “we will not launch war against Eritrea,” and “we are just saying let’s hold dialogue as regards border,” as compared to the conflicting statement cited above stating that “Ethiopia is not prepared to engage in any dialogue,” an Eritrean intellectual recalled the following utterances made by the TPLF authorities:

‘TPLF means the party that at one time boasted it had secured both claimed and unclaimed territories”, and later on stated that “the Boundary Commission’s ruling is illegal;” “the war we would now launch will have no end,” and subsequently claiming “we don’t intend to launch war;” “we would withdraw from Somalia within three days” and then stay for one solid year.’

The Eritrean intellectual went on to underline that in view of the TPLF regime’s resort to lies after lies, and contradictory statements which the clique unashamedly considers an asset, nobody should be surprised at all. 

TPLF regime preparing to launch another war against Eritrea, Say defected Ethiopian soldiers
By Staff
Nov 2, 2007, 13:45

Asmara, 2 November 2007 – Defecting Ethiopian soldiers who arrived in Eritrea recently disclosed that the regime is preparing to launch another war against Eritrea. They also pointed out that the regime is conducting secrete meetings for Tigrayan Army commanders on the preparations for the war.

The soldiers further indicated that the TPLF regime is forcing every Army member to buy clothes twice a year from the Adwa Textiles Factory, which is owned by the regime itself. Stating that a number of soldiers are abandoning the regime opposing its racist policy, they explained that defections are getting out of control at present. Hence, tight security is being enforced, they added.

The five soldiers who arrived in Eritrea are Tewfiq Mahdi Sani and Hussein Abdalla Barsiebo, both from the Gurage ethnic group, Galwak Bayek Jack from the Nuer ethnic group, Kefyalew Lolo Wedebie from the Oromo ethnic group, and Guish Mesele Gebreyesus, a Tigrayan. 

TPLF regime to launch invasion against Eritrea in the first week of November 2007 with the blessing of US Administration, Intelligence agencies and individuals say
By Staff
Oct 26, 2007, 13:37

Asmara, 26 October 2007 – Intelligence agencies and individuals with close connection with foreign affairs circles say that the TPLF regime is intending to launch an invasion against Eritrea in the first week of November 2007 with the blessing of the US Administration.

The sources, which indicated that the European Union does not support such an invasion, pointed out that strategies are in the process of being formulated on the part of the US Administration to replace the invading forces of the TPLF regime in Somalia with another African force so as to enable the regime to immediately withdraw its forces, and thereby avoid getting engaged along two fronts.

Meanwhile, political analysts that have been closely following up the Eritrea-Ethiopia issue and referring to statements by the TPLF regime in recent weeks, as regards border demarcation in which it kept on bragging, noted that the regime would resort to what it called “other legal options”. The political analysts further underlined that, on the one hand, time will tell as to what this “other legal option” means and the truth as well as the actuality of the so-called “intended” invasion, on the other. 

Rice to Tackle African Conflicts

Asmara, 2 October 2007 - The Eritrean Foreign Minister, Mr. Osman Saleh underlined that the threat to peace and security is again hovering over the Horn of Africa due to the failure of the UN Security Council to take punitive action against the TPLF regime, which is posing obstacles to the implementation of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission’s ruling.

Mr. Osman made the remarks in a speech he delivered at the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly on October 1. He pointed out that the TPLF regime is still occupying sovereign Eritrean territory in violation of international law, the UN Charter and the Algiers Peace Agreement. The Foreign Minister further indicated that the TPLF regime’s official rejection of the final and binding EEBC ruling has created a major impediment to peace and security in the region.

Noting that the TPLF regime has not been cooperating with the EEBC ever since they awarded Badme to Eritrea, the Minister gave a detailed explanation to the Assembly regarding the TPLF regime’s non-compliance with the rule of law right from the time the Boundary Commission issued its ruling up until now. He pointed out that although the Commission has presented no less than 24 reports to the Security Council over the past years, the Council has not yet taken any action on the basis of Article 14 of the Algiers Peace Agreement and Article 39 of the UN Charter, thus posing obstacles to the rule of law. Mr. Osman further underlined that the failure of the Security Council to live up to its obligations, as well as the support of the US Administration to its servant TPLF regime at the expense of international law and regional peace and security, has hindered the Eritrean-Ethiopian border demarcation process which was scheduled to be finalized in 2003. As a result, the region is again exposed to danger, he elaborated.

Indicating that Eritrea has fulfilled what is required of it, Mr. Osman explained that the TPLF regime’s rejection of the EEBC ruling did not take into consideration the suffering of the tens of thousands of war-displaced Eritrean nationals still living in makeshift camps.

Moreover, the Minister stressed the dangerous scenario of the open invasion of Somalia under the pretext of fighting terrorism, and that any action under the guise of ‘international terrorism’ is baseless. He further explained that as the Somali issue is the internal affair of the Somali people, external forces in Somalia should immediately vacate the country without any pre-condition.

As regards the Sudanese peace process, Mr. Osman noted that following a long journey to resolve its internal conflicts, the Sudan is now heading towards comprehensive peace. He also explained that Eritrea would cooperate with all parties and countries towards the realization of the goals set in regards to the Darfur peace process.

The Foreign Minster went on to stress the need for demarcation of the Eritrean-Ethiopian border in accordance with international law and the Boundary Commission’s final and binding ruling. He also underscored the need for the Security Council to live up to its obligations and the US to rectify its policy so that the people of the region could live in peace and security.

Eritrean invasion of Ethiopia "a suicide," says Meles

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia Nov 29 (Garowe Online)- As tensions escalate between the African nations of Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, reaffirmed that his country would not go to war with Eritrea unless the latter waged a full-scale attack against Ethiopia, which he said is the only condition that would force them to fight with Eritrea.
 
According to Meles, Eritrea's small provocations, possibly including its relentless efforts to destabilize its long time regional arch-foe by supporting Ethiopian rebels, will not force them to fight with Eritrea.
 
However, he underestimated the intention of Eritrea to wage full-scale war against Ethiopia, saying it will negatively impact them: "I don't expect the Eritrean side to carry out a full-scale invasion because I believe they know it is going to be suicide," Prime Minister Meles said at a briefing with international and local media held at his place this week.
 
Mr. Meles was asked a question about withdrawing Ethiopian troops from the disputed town of Badme. He failed to answer the question directly, instead stating: "There will be relocation of administrations and police."
 
Badme is a town etched between Ethiopia and Eritrea but claimed by both countries and was the basis of the Ethiopian-Eritrean war that erupted in 1998 and continued to 2000.
 
In 2000, both countries signed the Algiers Agreement, which forwarded their dispute to the  Boundary Commission in the International Tribunal Court of the Hague, and in 2002, the Commission ruled the town of Badme for Eritrea, despite complaints from inhabitants, many of whom consider themselves to be Ethiopian citizens.
 
Though the two countries accepted the findings of the Commission, the border was not officially demarcated and both countries kept troops lined along their common frontier.
 
"As far as the so-called virtual demarcation of the boundary is concerned, I have heard well-respected diplomats and lawyers describe this as legal nonsense. Until the boundary is demarcated on the ground it is not demarcated," Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles said at the press conference.

The Ethiopian leader dismissed media reports about widespread human rights violations in the country's eastern regions, namely Ogaden region inhabited by ethnic Somalis.

Locals have told endless horror stories involving human rights abused perpetrated by the Ethiopian army, including gang rapes, hangings and the burning down of entire villages.

A United Nations humanitarian team visited Ogaden region recently and concluded that the "humanitarian situation is deteriorating."

An Ethiopian army crackdown began in the Ogaden last April, following a bloody rebel attack on a Chinese-run oil facility that killed a total of 74 people.

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