Genesis of the Border War

By Tekie Fessehazion
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998

To help us understand the genesis of the border war, I have compiled a chronological report of events and the steps that were
taken to solve the disputes. This report should be read as one person's reading of what took place. At a later day, I hope to
write a full interpretive account of why the border war occurred. For now, this bare outline should suffice.

What follows is a brief unofficial chronology of events leading to the eruption of hostilities between Eritrea and Ethiopia on May
6, 1998. The chronology will start with the earliest recorded border incident at Badme,Southwest Eritrea. The second part will
be on the other parts of the border. The final chronology report will cover the measures attempted to resolve the disputes.



Badme

1992

Fresh from extending Tigray's borders west to the Sudan border by taking land from Begemidir, and south by slicing off parts of
Wollo, the newly expanded Tigray looked north to Eritrea for more expansion.

Tigray Administrative Region officials unilaterally crossed into Eritrean territory at Badme. They put new border markers deep
into Eritrean territory. Tigrayan police charged 33 Eritrean farmers with trespassing and "illegally" cultivating the land the
Administrative Region recently declared as part of Tigray. The police confiscated the farmers' crops.



1993

Tigray Administrative Region launches a "Cleansing Project." Eritreans in the areas the Administrative region had claimed were
Tigray's, were expelled and those that stayed were continuously harassed. Tigrayan settlers moved in. Armed militias were set
up. New civilian administrative structures run by demobilized TPLF fighters were established. Camels, livestock and goats and
sheep that crossed the "new" border markers were confiscated.

Harassment of Eritreans remaining inside the new border, continued. Two groups of people were especially targeted. Eritrean
businessmen and well to do farmers. In addition to these two, Tigray police harassed other residents on two grounds: that they
supported the Eritrean Liberation Front, and that they were reported to have made derogatory remarks about Tigrayans and
generally "mistreated" Tigrayans when the area was under ELF, eleven years before. Eighty Eritreans were accused under these
charges. They were severely beaten and given jail time.

Three hundred and thirty two plots of farm lands belonging to Eritreans but inside the newly marked border were confiscated.
Each farmer was fined 1100 birr.



1995

A pastoralist/trader named Mohammed Salih from Adi Genad was charged with trespassing, along with his 16 camels, into the
area inside the new border markers. Mohammed Salih was fined 6760 birr. He paid. Subsequently he was informed he
trespassed again. This time the fine was 9000 birr which he said he didn't have the money to pay. He was beaten and served
time in jail.

Another pastoralist named Mohammed Salih Mohammed Mussa from Adi Genad was fined 3000 birr under similar charges.
After he paid the fine, he was arrested under suspicions that he crossed inside the new borders because he wanted to "steal"
camels.

Several incidents of incursions and harassment of Eritreans continued for the next three years.



Other Parts of the Border

Like the previous report, this one is also a brief recitation of the facts in chronological form. Obviously the facts are as seen and
recorded by the Eritrean side. The third and last report will be on the measures taken to resolve the dispute before it took a turn
for the worse on May 6, 1998.

Moving east from Badme, the next major areas of border dispute include the Snafe surroundings as well as three spots in the
Red Sea Region. Population movements and changes in administrative authorities have blurred the boundaries in the minds of
the residents although the boundaries are still contained in the official maps of the two countries. Some of the disputes go all the
way back to the Italian period. Others were sharpened during each of the successive regimes. The disputes escalated since
1991.

The disputes have flared sporadically among a cluster of villages that include, Shsht, Menekuseito, Aromo, all around Senafe,
and four others in Akran region. Three spots from the Red Sea Region - Upper Indali, and Adi Murugand will be included in
this report.


Shsht:

A small village in the Ambesetegelba area has been the scene of incessant conflict between residents of Ambesetegelba in
Eritrea and Awraja Agame in Tigray as far back as the Italian era. the first recorded mediation occurred when the then governor
of Akeleguzai Dersen and the administrator of Awraja Agame Dejazmach Gebreselassie decided to place Shsht in Eritrea under
the jurisdiction of Debre Libanos.

Conflict between Agame and Ambesetegelba flared again during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. Several temporary
solutions were attempted, but nothing worked. Then during the era of the Derg, in 1979, surveyors from Eritrea and Tigray
went to the area and determined that the disputed area should remain a no man's land. Farmers from Awraja Agame trespassed
and built eight homes in the no man's land. Ambasetegelba farmers retaliated by erecting buildings in the same area.

In 1990 a committee from the two jurisdictions met to resolve the ongoing conflict and decided that all the houses that
weeilleally built on the no man's land should be demolished. Furthermore they decreed that no trees should be planted in the
disputed area. Eritreans obeyed the decrees. The four houses that were illegally built were demolished. Tigrayans ignored the
decree. Not only did they refuse to demolish the eight houses, they built additional ones.

In mid 1997 the 1990 committee met again. And again it was decided to require the Tigrayans to live by the 1990 agreement.
The Tigray Administrative Zone officials promised that they would force them to comply. They never did. The Agame Awraja
farmers are still occupying land in Eritrea, land historically demarcated according to official maps and treaties Menelik and the
Italians had signed.



Menekuseito:

In late nineteen century all religions other than Tewhado were banned in Tigray. A handful of Tigrayans converted to
Catholicism. Subsequently they were persecuted. they could neither live nor make a living any where in Tigray. The Italian
government decided to give them refuge in Menkseito, Eritrea.

In 1944 Tigrayans from wereda Aiga crossed into Menekseito and started felling trees and grazing. The Eritreans took their
case to the British Administration. It's not known what the British did, but the issue simmered until 1953, the beginning of the
Federal period. A committee from the two communities was formed to discuss the issue. the committee decide to affirm the old
border, telling the Tigrayans not to encroach on Menekseito's village property.

In 1954 the people from wereda Aiga in Tigray violated the 1953 agreement. Menekseito took the offenders to court. They
were punished. Still the dispute persisted. In 1964 another meeting was called to settle the dispute. Eight police officers from
Awraja Agame and Akeleguzai met in Asmara and Mekele. They decided to affirm the 1953 decision.



Aromo:

An area of ongoing dispute. ELF and EPRP temporarily agreed on a river between the two communities as a boundary. Still the
dispute continued. In 1996 Irob of Tigray crossed into Aromo. They destroyed Eucalyptus and houses. Residents of Aromo
retaliated by levying taxes on merchandise Tigray's Irob carried while passing through Aromo to Tigray. A committee
representing the two communities was formed to resolve the dispute. The committee agreed to enjoin the Tigrayans no to
destroy any Eucalyptus. Eritreans were asked to return the tax collections to the people on whom the taxes were levied.
However the Tigray Administrative Region failed to enforce the term of the agreement. The Irob of Tigray continue to cross into
Aromo and make use of the land. The dispute continues to sharpen.



Akran sub region:

The dispute is on four villages : Seb'o, Una-Shehaq, Adkut, and Kolo-burdo. The four villages are located to the east of Belesa
river. Beginning from the Italian period to the British era, the river has been recognized as a boundary line. The 1907 and 1910
colonial maps show the four villages are inside Eritrea. Tigray Administrative Region has argued that the villages are part of
Tigray.

In 1993 the Tigray Administrative Region contested the right of the Eritrean government to continue to administer the areas as t
meeting in Adi Grat. At a meeting held on May 30, 1993 the two sides agreed to consult with the people of the four villages to
ascertain who administered them in the past.

At the appointed time the government of Eritrea brought in people from the four villages. Tigray Administrative Region brought
people brought people from across river Belesa, from Woreda Igela, Tigray. When asked why they brought people from Tigray
to answer questions about the administrative history of the four villages in question, the Tigrayans responded that people from
both side of the river were related to each other. They saw no reason why those from the Tigray side of the border should not
answer on behalf of those from the four villages. When their offer was turned down, they left. The question remained
unanswered.

Until the issue was finally resolved by the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea, the following temporary measures were agreed
to:

Eritreans should pay taxes to Eritrea; and Tigrayans, to Tigray;

No claim should be made on any part of the contested land until the two governments decide on the matter;

Tigrayan law breakers should be handed over to authorities in Tigray; and Eritreans, to Eritrea;

A coordinating committee of six members, from Eritrea and Tigray, would be established to implement the agreements.

Red Sea Region:



Upper Indali:

Located in the Irafaele sub region. The Hazos and Irobs of Eritrea, part of the same Saho linguistic group, live in the area. Both
communities lived peacefully for generations.

Agents of Tigray Administrative Region initiated a campaign to create a split between the Hazos and Irobs. The idea was to split
off Irob Eritrea and incorporate it into Tigray. The person behind the plan was Gebre Kahsay a one time Administrator of
Wereda Irob in Tigray.

On April 18, 1992 some elements of Irob Eritrea sent a note to their fellow Sahos, the Hazos, advising them to vacate their
land. The Hazos refused.

A month later 420 armed militias from Irob Tigray invaded the Hazo communities. They burned six homes and household
contents, including farming implements and furniture. The Hazos could not defend themselves because they had turned in their
arms to the government.

On August 10, 1992 representatives from Eritrea and Tigray held a meeting. The joint committee agreed on new homes to be
built for those who lost theirs in the raid. It also agreed to punish the raiders. 65,000 birr was assessed for the new homes.
Tigray Administrative Region agreed to collect money for constructing the new homes. However, it suggested that the new
homes be built outside the disputed area, well inside Eritrea. the Eritrean side insisted that the homes be built right where the old
ones were burned. Tigrayan officials agreed to go along.

In May 1994 the homes were built. But out of the 65,000 birr only 5,000 was paid. The two sides agreed that the balance
would be paid or before December 25, 1995. When the time came to pay up, officials of the Administrative region said people
didn't have the money. the balance was never paid.



Adi Murug :

On three occasions in 1991, 1994, and 1997 administrators from Wereda Dalul in Afar Region came to Adi Murug to explain
the Federal constitution to the residents. Each time, they were told Adi Murug was Eritrean territory.

On July 19, 1997, units of the armed forces of Ethiopia asked permission to enter Adi Murug. The reason they gave was that
elements of the Afar Opposition group were reported to have been cited in the area. they said they wanted to capture the Afar
opposition groups. The Eritrean government gave them permission to come to Adi Murug. They were told to return to their
bases inside Ethiopia as soon as they had completed their mission. They promised to do just that.

Three days later the same administrators who came from Dalul Woreda in three different occasions, returned to Adi Murug.
they called a meeting of the people of the village and told them that Adi Murug was Ethiopian territory, regardless what the
Italian colonial maps said. They also told them that three other villages, Weama, Asagali, and Indeli would soon come under
Ethiopian jurisdiction.

At the second meeting, the Ethiopians dismantled the administrative organs that were already in place and replaced them with
their own.



Measures Taken:

This section will attempt to answer two questions: what happened, and when. To the extent possible, it will follow a
chronological order.

Beginning from the earliest incursions by Tigrayan militia into the Badme area in 1992, the Eritrean government expressed its
concern to the Federal government of Ethiopia. The acceleration of the incursions since 1995 and the worsening of the border
disputes added urgency to the search for a solution. To this effect joint committees were created to review the matter with the
view of finding a permanent solution. The joint committees were formed from representatives from the affected communities,
representatives of PFDJ and TPLF, and at the end, officials of the two governments.

Joint PFDJ/TPLF committee meetings held to discuss boundary related issues:

November 10, 1993, Asmara
July 20-21, 1994, Addis Ababa
February 15-16,1995, Asmara
May 27,1995, Addis Ababa
November 14, 1995
March 9, 1996

At the PFDJ/TPLF meetings the principal point agreed upon was that before the dispute deteriorates to a point of no return,
both organizations should designate representatives to meet every six weeks in Asmara and Mekele to review developments.
Members of each organization would forward their reports to the higher echelons in each organization.

April 20-22, 1997: a meeting was held in Shire, Tigray , between representatives of Barka region and Western Tigray. The
purpose of the meeting was a response to complaint from Eritrea about the activities of Tigray militia in the border areas. The
militia have been harassing Eritrean farmers, expelling them from their homes and farms, and confiscating their livestock and
property. the following decisions were made at the meeting:

a.A joint committee would be formed to review complaints from each side.

b.Reviewing committees at the sub regional level (Eritrea) and woredas (Tigray) would be formed to review and examine
complaints.

c.On the basis of the Shire Agreement, a meeting was held at Shambuko, May 8-8,1997. A committee of 3 Tigrayans and
4 Eritreans was formed to study the disputed areas in Gash Barka region and Western Tigray.

Right after the Shire Agreement, elements of the Tigray militia continued to harass Eritrean farmers.

May 30, 1997, a farmer named Afom Legese from Geza Sherif was placed in police custody. At the time of his arrest he was
plowing his field. He was released after he paid a fine of 1,200 Birr.

June 13, 1997, six farmers from Geza Sherif were taken into police custody. They, too, were plowing their fields when 5
Tigray came and arrested them. The six arrested were: Zenai Negasi, Werede Habte, Sereke Habte, Tesfamichael
Gebremariam, Kidane Girmay and Kibrom Tekie.

May 25, 1997, Tigray Police confisicated property from residents of Dembe Sheka Tsegai

June 9, 1997, Tigray Police arrested Mesfun Sheka from Adi Makel. He was working on his property at the time of his
arrest. He was fined 1,200 Bir and released.

June 23-27, 1997, the Shambuko committee surveyed the disputed area from Geza Sherif to Adi Teklai, a distance of
40km. The survey (study) included the following topics:

a.areas claimed by Tigray Administrative Region
b.areas claimed by Eritrea
c.territories which according to Eritrea, were systematically annexed by Tigray the previous six years

The following problems were encountered at the Shambuko meeting

a.the contention by Tigray that the purpose of the survey was to delineate and to affirm Tigrayan territories;

b.the Tigrayans informed their Eritrean counterparts that another purpose of the survey was for Eritrean committee
members to inform Eritrean farmers not to cross into Tigrayan territories, and to help those who are now in the
designated Tigrayan area to move;

c.the Tigrayans who participated in the survey were the same people who drew the new border lines into Eritrean territory

(a) and (b) violated the Shire Agreement.



After the completion of the survey each side presented its proposals:

Eritrean proposals:

a.the people of Geza Sherif, enda Chea and other villages in the disputed area should not be forced to move until the joint
higher committee makes a decision;

b.uniformed Eritreans had the right to patrol Eritrean areas, and no one should interfere with their lawful activities;

c.no Eritrean who has been reported as having trespassed into the Eritrean areas Tigrayan authorities have designated
theirs, should be detained or punished;

d.none of the independent members of the committee who gave their input should be punished;

e.a sub committee should be formed to review and resolve the problems encountered during the survey.

Tigray's Proposals:

a.no uniformed person (Eritrean) is allowed to enter the Eritrean areas Tigray was claiming to fall within its territory;

b.no Eritrean farmer was allowed to farm, build homes or raise live stock in the Eritrean areas Tigrayan authorities claimed
were part of Tigray.

June 22, 1997, the Survey committee was scheduled to report its findings at a meeting in Shire to a sub committee
representing the affected regions (Eritrea) and woredas (Tigray). The team from Tigray did not show up at the meeting. The
members were reported to have gone to Mekele for another meting. The Eritrean members of the survey team asked whether
the entire team could meet in Tekombia in five days. The Tigrayans response was we will let you know when we are ready. The
meeting was never called. The team never met.

July 2, 1997, Tigrayan police prevented Enda Chea farmers from farming. They told them they were not permitted to plant or
harvest their crops. The people of Enda Chea were moved to their new location from Wudbi. They have been ordered to move
twice.

July 15, 1997, Tigrayan police came to Enda Chea to apprehend two farmers. The public prevented them from taking the
two farmers. The same day Tigrayan police destroyed Woldemichael's home at Geza Sherif.

July 17, 1997, Tigrayan police ordered farmers from Enda Chea not to work on their land. They apprehended and beat up
two people at Gobo Baria.

July 19, 1997, Tigray police went at night to Geza sherif. They used sticks and stones to beat up five people. They took into
custody another four.

Eritreans in the annexed territories responded to the continuing harassment and humiliation by taking steps to protect
themselves. Tigrayan authorities called in Federal troops. the situation became extremely grave. Regional administration Gash
Barka sent a delegation of three to Mekele to meet with Haleka Tsegay, Vice-chair, Tigray Administrative Region; Kiros Bitew,
Chair Western Tigray; and, Beyene Mukuru, Assistant Chief for Propaganda, TPLF.

July 23, 1997, a meeting was held in Mekele between the delegation from Gash Barka, and the three Tigrayan officials. The
Tigrayans complained that Eritreans were illegally working on land that belong Tigray and that Eritreans prevented uniformed
Tigrayan officers from discharging their duty of defending the public. The Eritrean delegation disputed the allegations. They
presented evidence of police brutality, of Tigrayan police harassing and generally mistreating law abiding Eritrean farmers
working on their own land, in their own country.

Agreements reached at the Mekele meeting of July 23, 1997.

1.Until the two governments complete demarcation of the boundary, the border should stay as per the 1987 agreement
between EPLF and TPLF.
2.According to (1) any land that's transferred from Tigray to Eritrea will not be available to the former farmers from Tigray.
The same restrictions apply to any land transferred from Eritrea to Tigray.
3.To expedite a solution to the problem a decision was made to create a committee of 8 from the two sides at the regional
level. The committee scheduled a meeting July 30, 1997 at Badme.

Before the Badme meeting, on 26 and 27 of May, three army trucks full of Federal troops rushed to the area. The troops
distributed arms to the Tigrayans in the area. They destroyed the homes, properties, crops, of 15 families in Geza Sherif and
another 30 in Enda Ceha. The families were forced to take refuge under trees.

Officials of Western Tigray called a public meeting, initiating a propaganda campaign against Eritrea and Eritreans. they formed
a committee with 14 members. The committee traveled in groups of 2 and 3 to the surrounding 6 Eritrean villages. They
threatened people of the villages either to leave the area or face death.

Members of Tigray's militia roughed up two women and took them to Tigray. they also arrested 18 people from Geza Sherif,
Ade Mharai, Enda Chea and Adi Makel. They fined them a total of 11,500 Bir.

The Badme meeting went as planned under very difficult circumstances.

During the two day meeting (July 30 and 31), representatives of Tigray came with a new proposal, a precondition for discussing
other issues. They demanded that the 1987 border agreement between EPLF and TPLF become the permanent demarcation of
the boundary of the two countries. Under their proposal Tigray would gain more people and more land, than would Eritrea.

Eritreans rejected the precondition, saying that it violated the Mekele agreement. If their demand won't be met, said the
Tigrayans, there would be nothing to talk about. The meeting ended without deciding on any of the issues that brought them to
the meeting in the first place.

The post Badme atmosphere became incendiary. Tigray militias, soldiers and police went on a destructive campaign of
intimidation of the residents of Geza Sherif and Hadish Adi. They destroyed homes and crops.

Because of the precondition of the 1987 borders the meetings between Gash Barka and Western Tigray were suspended. The
boundary markers were pushed more and more into Eritrean territory. Any Eritrean who lived inside the newly marked
boundary was subjected to inhuman treatment. In addition to these troubling developments, new signs appeared from the Red
Sea Region that a similar ploy was employed to push the boundary marker forward, to annex bits and pieces of Eritrea,
systematically and unobtrusively. In Bada, the Afar Administrators moved in and dismantled the Eritrean administrative organs.
At this time the Eritrean government said enough is enough and called for an urgent meeting with the Federal government. The
two governments created a higher commission on borders.

November 13, 1997. The higher commission on borders met in Asmara. The primary topic of the meeting was the deteriorating
border dispute. It was agreed that unless work on demarcating the borders was started as soon as possible, the consequences
would be catastrophic.

Although the urgency of marking the borders was clear, the Ethiopian side was not ready to meet as often as the Eritrean side
requested. In the mean time the situation in the borders was going from bad to worse.

May 5,1998. Tigrayan officials continued to push the boundary markers forward, deep into Eritrean territory. The harassment
of Eritreans in the newly annexed area continued. Finally a unit of Eritrean border patrol approached Tigrayan militias why they
were harassing Eritreans. the Tigrayans ordered the Eritreans to drop their arms since they were in Tigray's territory. The
Eritrean said, No they were on Eritrean soil and that they had no intention of dropping their arms. The Tigrayans fired, first
killing some of the Eritreans, and wounding others. Word spread to the other Eritrean units in the area. Retaliation followed.

The rest is history



Tekie