The Independent Newspaper
News Desk
1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf,
London E14 5DL
July, 25, 1998
Dear Sir:
This letter is in response to your article on July 25, 1998 entitled: "Fears of new war in Horn of Africa," by Rupert Cornwell.
The article speculated on the origin and continuation of the conflict, stating:
"Land-locked Ethiopia's real strategic goal, however, may be to regain an outlet to the sea at Eritrea's second port of Aseb"
In regards to this issue, I would respectfully like to bring the following facts to the attention of your newspaper:
(1) Ethiopia has already accepted the US-Rwanda peace plan which was endorsed by the OAU. Eritrea has rejected the plan. The peace plan does not grant Ethiopia control over Aseb.
(2) Ethiopia sold its Navy (16 vessels) in late 1996 (Please see Attachment 1). The ships had been anchored in Djibouti since 1991. This is not the action of a nation looking to forcibly regain a seaport.
(3) The main Djibouti-Addis Abeba road joins the Addis Abeba-Aseb road approximately 100 kms (60 miles) west of the Eritrean border. This road is now Ethiopia's lifeline. Ethiopia has stationed troops here to protect the road. Eritrea attacked these troops on June 12, but according to the analysis of Western diplomats in Addis Abeba, the Eritreans were heavily defeated (Please see Attachment 2). That Ethiopia made no attempt to go on the offensive after the Eritrean defeat is another indication of Ethiopia's intentions in this war.
In view of these facts, the Ethiopian Media Research Center would greatly appreciate a more balanced reporting of the situation. If you desire further information, there is an informative website dedicated to covering this conflict at: http://www.oocities.org/~dagmawi/Eritrea-Ethiopia.html
Thank you for your service in covering this unfortunate war. We look forward to reading more in-depth reports from your paper.
Ethiopian Media Research Center
E:mail: dagmawi@oocities.com
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Attachment 1
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Associated Press Article
Ethiopia's Fleet Is For Sale
Tuesday, September 17, 1996
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) -- Ethiopia -- landlocked since Eritrea won independence -- put its navy up for auction Monday.
Most of the 16 naval vessels are anchored in the Horn of Africa port of Djibouti, a spokesman at Ethiopia's Defense Ministry said.
``The tender opened this afternoon. All governments or private individuals have submitted their bids,'' said Commodore Jininu Eshetu.
Eritrea, which gained the coastline along with its independence in 1993, likely to win the bid.
Djibouti -- a former French port-colony with no navy -- also submitted an offer.
Eshetu said 12 of the 16 vessels on sale were Swedish-made, including a 61-yard minesweeper and three missile launchers. The remainder are Russian-built. After Eritrean independence, most of the Ethiopian fleet fled to Yemen and later to Djibouti to avoid capture.
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Attachment 2
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(a) Reuters, July 19, 1998
QUOTE: "Western diplomats in the Ethiopian capital say Eritrea suffered a heavy defeat south of Assab in June."
(b) Washington Post, June 12, 1998
QUOTE: "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."
(c) Note - To be fair, the Sunday Times reporter (Marie Colvin) visited the Eritrean side of the front 12 days later and reported the Eritrean version of events, i.e. that the Eritreans had broken an Ethiopian attack. However, she did not report any evidence that supported the Eritrean claim.