June 18, 1998:

• Ethiopian Embassy, Washington, DC: Ethiopians United in the Face of Aggression
  
  
• Militia Training Continues in North Tigrai ``We hope that international efforts can... bring about a peaceful settlement, but if there is a huge battle for our land, (it) may be that the rivers flow with blood. We will never give up our land,'' one militiaman told Reuters.
  
  
• "They have participated in the political process of Ethiopia for the last seven years..." (Issayas Afeworqi protesting the expulsion of EPLF operatives from Ethiopia [VOA].) Apparently he believes that Eritrean foreigners have a right to meddle in Ethiopian politics.
  
  
• War in the New Africa - Boston Globe Editorial "...the next move is up to Eritrea. It needs to withdraw from disputed territory, encourage an international tribunal to determine boundaries, and work on repairing economic relations with Ethiopia."
  
  
• OAU Peace Initiative - Last chance for peace but little hope of success... Continued Eritrean refusal to accept the US-Rwanda peace plan... Eritrean demands and attitudes appear to be hardening... Eritrea seems to realize it is in a weak legal position... it appears the Eritreans are insisting on further details to be specified (such as Ethiopian acceptance of their preferred Mussolini-era map) before considering any peace plan "...the gap is quite large and has been growing,'' said a senior African diplomat in the Eritrean capital."
  
  
• Economics and Politics Prompted the Fighting Report from Erde Mattios by Neely Tucker, Knight Ridder News Service... Burnt out tanks... evidence of failed Eritrean attack
  
  

June 17, 1998:

• PBS NewsHour Interviews Susan Rice Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; Conflict Mediator
  
  
• Ethiopia, Eritrea Hope for Peace (AP)
  
  
• Ethiopian Militia Help Fill the Gap: Scott Stearns (VOA) report from IndaSelassie
  
  
• Ethiopia says Eritrea conflict worsening
  
  
• Leaders Personify Conflict: Karl Vick (Washington Post) report from Eritrean side of Badime Front
  
  
  

June 16, 1998:

• Group of Eritreans being deported reach Gonder on their way to Humera
  
  
• Eritreans in Ethiopia Ordered to Surrender Arms (PANA)
  
  
• It's a Battle of Economics Ethiopians Say LA Times Report from Mekele
  
  
• Disabled Ethiopian Veterans Want to Re-enlist  Dianna Cahn VOA Report from Adigrat."
  
  
• Ethiopian Airlines to Restart Commercial Flights to the North - Report from Axum  Eritrea declares US-Rwanda peace plan "dead."
  
  
• Ethiopian Government Press Release  (On the cessation of airstrikes )
  
  

June 15, 1998:

• Ninety Eritrean POWs captured at Bure (Assab front) transferred to Assaita in Afar State (ENA) - Prisoners were captured during the Eritrean 525th division's bungled surprise attack on June 11.
  
  
• Amnesty International Statement: "Both sides must particularly abide by the principle of distinction between civilian and military targets and never target civilians."
  
  
• VOA Report from Erde Matewos by Scott Stearns Description of the battle of Erde Mattewos... Failed Eritrean attempt to capture Sheraro... Evidence of major Eritrean defeat... Eritrean POWs interviewed
  
  
• Chicago Tribune:Christopher Clapham, a Horn of Africa expert at the University of Lancaster in Britain, said Ethiopian President Meles Zenawi has been stoking anti-Eritrea emotions in his country. Yet Clapham said responsibility for the hostilities clearly rests with Eritrea, a highly militarized society with tense relations with all its neighbors and prone to use force. "They've been fighting for 30 years for independence and now they haven't really worked out what to do with it," Clapham said of the government of Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki.
  
  
• Ethiopia demands Eritrean withdrawal before negotiations (AFP)... Italy increasingly involved (why is Ethiopia accepting the involvement of Italy? -it will naturally be biased towards its former colony Eritrea)
  
  
• Report from Erde Matewos- Badime Front (Reuters)
  
  
• The Quilt Report:- On The Cessation of Airstrikes
  
  

June 14, 1998:

• Ethiopia and Eritrea agree to halt airstrikes - Intervention by Pres. Clinton and Italy... This appears to be a major concession to Eritrea whose airforce was militarily insignificant
  
  
• Captured Eritrean Footballer Misses World Cup - Reuters Report from IndaSelassie
  
  
• Ethiopian Government Press Release Concerning the Eritrean AirStrikes on Civilians
  
  
• The Sunday Times Reporter in Zalambessa - Anatomy of a Biased and Misleading Correspondent Report
  
  

June 13, 1998:

• Reuters report from IndaSelassie: - Description of initial May 12 Eritrean invasion of Badime... 18,000 displaced civilians... Local officials state area has never been under Italian or Eritrean control
  
  
• Ethiopian Militia Help Out - AP Report from Adigrat
  
  
• VOA Report - Asmara Calm
  
  
• Comment on Eritrea's Borders
  
  
• Who has been doing the attacking? - Analysis
  
  
• No fighting in last two days... Ethiopia takes precautions against terrorist threats made by Eritrean President Issayas Afeworqi... Eritrea tries to get Egypt involved... Other mediation efforts continue but doomed to fail by Eritrean refusal to withdraw its forces and re-establish status quo as of May 6 - date of first incident (Reuters)
  
  
• Kunama Persecution: More excerpts from article by Oxford University scholar: "Idris Awate, the national hero worshipped annually in Eritrea as the man who defiantly opened hostilities against Ethiopia in 1961, is remembered by the Kunama as the mass murderer who was their main executioner in the period 1943-1949." Note: the Kunama inhabit one of the disputed border areas.
  
  

June 12, 1998:

• Report from a US Embassy meeting in Addis Abeba for US nationals
  
  
• VOA Report - No supply problem at Asmara yet... Ships still visiting Massawa (according to Eritrean official)
  
  
• Eritrea continues blaming United States: "European diplomatic sources told Reuters on Friday that Eritrea was no longer positive about the U.S. role and hoped to broaden the search for other mediators." (CNN)
  
  
• BBC Report from Adigrat about yesterday's Eritrean attack on civilians
  
  
• Indications of major Eritrean defeat at Burie (Assab Front):
  

  "Ethiopia claimed a major victory in the fighting on the southeastern border between the two countries, near the Red Sea, saying it killed, wounded or captured 2,000 soldiers after an Eritrean sneak attack went awry.

  Eritrea denied the claim, saying it had been attacked, but a diplomat here in the Ethiopian capital said: "This time the Eritreans may have really gotten mauled. The early indications are that they may have really stepped on their poncho this time." [Washington Post, June 12]

• VOA Report from Zalambessa Front Line
  
  
• Ethiopian Government Press Release - Precautionary Measures Regarding Eritreans Residing in Ethiopia EPLF political offices to close... Eritreans working in sensitive areas in Ethiopia (electricity, telecommunication) given 1-month enforced, paid leave... This follows Eritrean threats of sabotage and commando raids deep inside Ethiopia
  
  
• Eritrean air attack on Adigrat yesterday involved helicopters dropping bombs by parachute! (BBC, Reuters) (Shameful behavior of Eritrean pilots continues)
  
  
• Ethiopian government claims to have repulsed Eritrean attacks at Badime and Burie (Assab region)... local [Afar] communities participated alongside Ethiopian Defence Forces...
  
  
• Issayas Afeworqi mocks the capabilities of the Ethiopian army and makes many boastful statements to Sam Kiley (pro-EPLF) of the London Times including:
  - Eritrea could easily strike Addis Abeba
  - Assab will never be captured by Ethiopia
  - Ethiopia has only six operations pilots available and he has a list of their names
  Also read Sam Kiley's insulting description of the Afars, apparently provided to him by Eritreans...