Statement Excerpt: The United States Government is greatly concerned about the growing impact on civilian populations of the continuing conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

The United States views with deep concern the detention and expulsion of ethnic Eritreans in and from Ethiopia.

Response: Before proceeding further, I would like to correct the misconception in the above sentence concerning "ethnic Eritreans." There is no ethnic group called "Eritrean." Eritrea is a diverse nation with 9 different ethnic groups many of which are also found in Ethiopia. More than half of all Eritreans share the same Tigrean ethnicity as the Ethiopians who inhabit Tigrai province. Other ethnicity's (such as the Afar) also straddle the border. As a simple example, the leaders of both Ethiopia and Eritrea belong to the same ethnic group.

Ethiopians have always welcomed their shared ethnic heritage with Eritreans. Many Ethiopians had hoped that our shared cultural and ethnic ties would lead to a peaceful and mutually beneficial existence. Unfortunately, the EPLF has always downplayed the shared ethnicity between Ethiopia and Eritrea; common ethnicity is seen as a threat to the continued development of a strong and separate Eritrean national identity.

The Eritrean government has never previously asserted the existence of "ethnic Eritreans." However, recently it suited their purpose to represent the deportations of Eritreans from Ethiopia as "ethnic cleansing." It is for this reason that they have fabricated the phrase "ethnic Eritreans." Unfortunately, it appears that the State Department was misled by the Eritrean government. I hope that future press releases from the State Department will not contain this same mistake.

Statement Excerpt: The Government of Ethiopia has a legitimate right to guarantee the safety and security of its people against potential threats.

Response: We are glad that the US recognizes the need for Ethiopia to ensure the security of its citizens. In this regard, I would like to point out the threats made by the president of Eritrea on June 12, where in an article entitled "Eritrea Threatens to Strike at the Heart of Ethiopia" he stated:

There are a number of ways. I can assure [you] this is the easiest thing to do. It is not difficult to create a sense of insecurity anywhere. (Times of London, June 12, 1998)

The Eritrean leader's threats should not be taken lightly. He has already ordered the deliberate bombing of civilian areas in Ethiopia (Mekele school and Adigrat storehouse and factory). Eritrea's unapologetic stance concerning the targeting of the Addis Pharmaceutical factory in Adigrat indicates the serious danger of economic sabotage within Ethiopia. Eritrea has an extensive clandestine operation in Ethiopia. It has had armed hit squads operating inside Ethiopia that kidnap or assassinate Eritrean dissidents, particularly those belonging to the opposition ELF (ELF newsletter, Issue No. 73).

"On the aftermath of Menghistu's departure, EPLF undercover agents are known to have infiltrated Ethiopia in numbers and appear to have since had free movement. The trails of numerous deaths and kidnappings they have left behind during the past 5 years are telling facts of how pervasively their presence is felt in that country." ( http://www.erols.com/meskerem/)

In summary, the threat to Ethiopia's security is real and Ethiopia has no choice but to take the necessary precautionary measures.

Statement Excerpt: However, there are fundamental humanitarian and human rights concerns raised by the forcible separation of families, the undue hardships of those detained or expelled to Eritrea, and the financial losses caused by sudden expulsions. We urge the Government of Ethiopia to respect international human rights norms and standards and follow appropriate due process in handling its security concerns. We further urge the Government of Ethiopia to allow all those who were wrongfully expelled to return and to establish a compensation commission to investigate and recommend compensation for the claims resulting from undue financial loss and hardship as a result of rapid, forced expulsions.

Response: The initial expulsions were hasty and took place in an atmosphere poisoned by the massacre of Ethiopian children at Mekelle. It is regrettable that there were Eritreans who suffered hardships. I would add my voice in urging the Ethiopian government to allow those who were wrongfully expelled to return. I would also encourage the Ethiopian government to release the detained Eritrean students.

Future deportations should proceed in a more orderly manner in order to prevent incidents such as the tragic death of an Eritrean deportee from heat exhaustion at Assab. I am glad to hear that the ICRC has been given free rein in Ethiopia in order to monitor the status of Eritrean detainees.

At the same time, we should not lose sight of the fact that virtually all the deportees were members of the EPLF (the sole legal party in Eritrea). The EPLF takes pride in its record of organizing clandestine support from Ethiopia (espionage, fundraising) during the Mengistu era. For example, the governor of the Eritrean bank (Tekie Beyene) claims that he was clandestinely paying a monthly 15% tax to the EPLF while working for an Ethiopian bank (prior to 1991). Ethiopia cannot permit these activities to continue.

It is also very important to note that only a small fraction of the Eritreans living in Ethiopia have been deported. More than 95 percent of Eritreans living in Ethiopia continue to peacefully go about their lives. By contrast, in 1991, the overwhelming majority of Ethiopian civilians living in Eritrea were forcibly expelled with no protest from the US government.

The idea of a compensation commission is appropriate. However there is no possibility of a one-sided compensation commission that only addresses claims brought by Eritreans. Regardless of whether they are Eritrean or Ethiopian, whether they were deported in 1991 or 1998, they all deserve a fair hearing. It is extremely disappointing that the State Department has completely ignored the plight of Ethiopians deported from Eritrea ( VOA, June 27; Reuters, June 27).

Furthermore, the Ethiopians displaced by the Eritrean invasion (up to 300,000 people) will require complete and comprehensive restitution from the aggressor nation. The fact that they are mainly rural peasants should in no way prejudice our evaluation of their suffering. Finally, justice and compensation is required for the victims of Eritrea's intentional bombardment of civilian targets in Mekelle and Adigrat. I would hope that the State Department would amend its release to reflect these issues.

In addition, it is sad to note that the State Department has been quick to voice the concerns of Eritreans in Ethiopia, while it has yet to acknowledge or support the wider struggle for human rights in Ethiopia.

Statement Excerpt: We call on the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea to ensure full access to all detainees and POWs to exchange POWs to allow all students to repatriate, and to facilitate the return of nationals who wish to repatriate voluntarily. We welcome the decision by both governments to grant the ICRC access and urge full cooperation with the ICRC in accordance with its standard procedures.

Response: Why has the State Department made no reference to the recalcitrant behavior of the Eritrean government towards the ICRC? Ethiopia has already granted the ICRC full access to detainees and POWs - they are now registered with the ICRC. It is the Eritrean government which has dragged its feet and has still refused access to Ethiopians held by Eritrea.(ICRC, July 9, 1998)

Statement Excerpt: We call on both parties to receive missions from appropriate United Nations agencies. History has shown that deportations and detentions and the massive displacement of innocent civilians, wherever and whenever they occur, create hardships and bitterness fueling misunderstandings and lasting mistrust.

Response: I would like to remind the State Department that the term "massive" hardly applies to the deportation of 14,500 Eritreans, or less than 3 percent of the resident Eritrean population. Rather, it is the displacement of up to 300,000 Ethiopians by the invading Eritrean army which has caused the massive humanitarian crisis.(Reference: ICRC, UN evaluation teams) It should also be noted that there are far fewer Ethiopians living in Eritrea than vice versa.

Statement Excerpt: Ultimately, a durable peace is the best guarantee of the rights of each other's nationals in Eritrea and Ethiopia. The United States urges Ethiopia and Eritrea to redouble their efforts in seeking a peaceful resolution to the current border conflict, and we pledge our continued commitment to support such efforts.

Response: It is disappointing that the State Department has not taken this opportunity to again call on Eritrea to accept the OAU-backed US-Rwanda peace plan, which was put forth in large measure by State Department employees. Ethiopia has already accepted the peace plan. Continued calls to both sides to redouble their efforts for peace mask the underlying reality of Eritrean intransigence, and unwillingness to withdraw their troops. I would encourage the State Department to continue its work towards obtaining an Eritrean withdrawal from the areas it has invaded.