Although neither government have made any pronouncement on this so-called
“border agreement”, evidence indicate otherwise. Reports are reaching us that dozens of Ethiopian farmers have been evicted from their farms; attempts had been made to put border markers deep inside Ethiopian territories but was dismantled by local Ethiopians; at least one
serious fighting had taken place between the Sudanese army and local Ethiopians, after the Sudanese were found encamped inside the Ethiopian side of the border. The Sudanese have conducted Janjawid-style attacks to overrun Ethiopian settlements, with the “tacit support” of the Ethiopian government, burning Ethiopian villages, expropriating their properties and detaining them. The EPRDF army is said to have “threatened” local Ethiopians to keep away from the “new Sudanese border”, or it would attack them from the rear. These actions have resulted in many casualties to both sides. Many Ethiopians have been dislocated from their homes, farms and livelihoods.
Surprisingly, both governments have so far desisted from making any public
statement, even on the “agreement”.
It should be recalled that the Ethio-Sudanese border became contentious only after early 1960’s, after Sudanese farmers discovered the benefits of commercial farming and rushed to grab the fertile agricultural lands to their East. Local Ethiopians and Sudanese knew the exact traditional borders that existed during the British Colonial Administration in the Sudan. They knew the tax administration of places, and the natural border markers like rivers. Some Ethiopian tax administrators are still alive and can testify to these facts, if properly approached. Moreover, it is a known fact that, at least since the times of Emperor Menelik, successive Ethiopian governments had border Patrols (yet’eref – tebakiwoch) that guarded the ancestral lands, well known to both sides. The so called British officer map (Gwen Map) was not a map at all, in the proper sense of the word. It was a straight line he arbitrarily drew, after the delegation of Emperor Menelik failed to make it on time to jointly mark the common border. Sovereign Ethiopia was never a party to it. In fact, upon learning of the unilateral British action, Emperor Menelik had rejected it at the time. Again, if there is a willingness to learn, such documents can be made available by people in the know. During the times of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and General Jaffar Niemery of the Sudan both countries had a border commission that operated officially. During the reign of the Derg, a committee constituted of experts in geography and administration had extensively studied and published a document on the subject. The committee consulted local Ethiopians; Ethiopian documents; all known historical archives, including documents of the British colonial administration. According to survivors of this border committee, based on totality of evidences, the Ethiopian border was found even further to the west of the traditional border.
We are for border demarcation based on mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. We also believe that Ethiopians should be involved in such major decisions, and that international legal instruments should be applied in negotiated settlements as necessary.
It is difficult to imagine a political party in power that willingly negotiates away its own sovereign territory in order to ensure its political survival, economic well being or private security. Yet, this is precisely what the recent reckless history of the EPRDF has shown. As though its handling of the so called Ethio-Eritrea border issue was not enough, its management of the current crisis proclaims yet another blunder concerning Ethiopia’s national sovereignty.
Engaging in a unilateral and illegal act shows its total and continuing contempt as well as betrayal of the trust of Ethiopians. The Algiers Treaty in the recent past is one good example of a unilateral action that did not allow the participation of public discourse before enacting it. The EPRDF government is abrogating its responsibilities of safeguarding Ethiopia’s borders and ensuring the well being of its people. This latest disregard of its responsibilities has caused the dislocation of thousands of Ethiopians from their homes, farms, and livelihoods.
Working for mutual peace and good neighborliness should be extended to all
Ethiopia’s neighbors; but this should not be at the expense of Ethiopia’s
territorial integrity and the sovereignty of its people.
We extend overtures of peace and good neighborliness to all. Ethiopia’s
neighbors, however, should recognize that their gains should not be at the
expense of Ethiopia’s territorial integrity and the sovereignty of its people. We call upon Sudanese people in particular to protest against their government’s connivance in the conspiracy against Ethiopia. It should be understood by everyone involved that, these illegal acts will seriously and adversely affect future peaceful co-existence and relationships between the two sister countries.
We call upon the rest of the international community too to condemn this illegal act of the violation of the right of the Ethiopian people to have a say in matters of their own territories and well being. Ethiopians should be able to live peacefully in their ancestral lands.
If the reports are true, EPRDF’s dubbing of this illegal act as ‘treaty’ is
nothing but a camouflage to hide its continuing plan of dismembering our
country. This should be strongly opposed by all Ethiopians. We call upon all political parties, civic organizations and people from all walks of life in Ethiopia to put aside all their differences, pull all their resources and stand in unison to resist this ill conceived plan
We affirm our support to the people of Ethiopia the borderlands. We support
their struggle to resist the illegal act of conceding lands to other countries.
We believe that any border dispute between Sudan and Ethiopia can be resolved peacefully at a time when Ethiopia is represented by a government that will address the concerns of its people legitimately and with due regard to their sovereign rights.
