Ten years ago on this historic day, the Government of Eritrea issued a release in response to the TPLF regime’s abrupt declaration of war, thus demonstrating the wisdom and patience of the people and Government of Eritrea.
As has been proven in the past ten years, the TPLF’s declaration of war on May 13, 1998 had been a very tragic and historical disaster for both peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia who had only briefly began to experience good neighborly relations based on mutual cooperation following 30 years of war. Hence, not wanting to jeopardize the budding and optimistic friendship between both peoples, the Government of Eritrea chose not to respond in kind to the TPLF’s declaration of war. Instead, taking a patient and peaceful route, the government put forth the following proposals on May 14, 1998:
- Since the border dispute can only be resolved through legal and peaceful means and not through power philosophy, the Eritrean government called for the mediation of a third party.
- To avoid unnecessary conflict, troops of both sides to withdraw from the border area and make way for observation by a neutral body.
- For the UN Cartography to delimitate the border according to colonial boundary treaties.
Had this clear, legal, peaceful and trouble-free proposal been accepted and given due consideration, both the Eritrean and Ethiopian people would have today been in a better situation. However, as the experience of the past 10 years has demonstrated, if a vengeful regime inflicted with low self-esteem comes to power, the consequence will be destructive indeed. Hence it is the expectation and hope of all who wish for peace and progress that the past ten years have been an instructive experience for generations to come.
