Commentary:

The Aftermath of the Conflict

By Dr. Solomon Inquai, June 14, 2000

The Ethio-Eritrean crisis is coming to the end, now that the marauding Eritrean army has been cleared from every bit of Ethiopian soil. This in itself is good news. On the surface it seems that the over 350,000 people, who were displaced from towns, villages and hamlets, can return to their homes. But in actual fact the problem is not that simple. It is complex and full of problems and pit falls.

What happened in the course of the two years in the occupied areas? This is the most important question that we ought to answer if we are to get a clear picture of the reality. Reports of how the Eritrean soldiers behaved was coming in almost from day one of the occupation.

Their first act was to terrorize and brutalize people everywhere they went. People's reaction in the face of the brutal and barbaric manner of the Eritrean army was to flee their homes, living behind everything they owned. Many didn't have the chance to go home and organize things. As a result families were separated.

Young children that were herding livestock fled abandoning their animals. Children were thus separated from their parents. Some who were taken by surprise could not escape. Those people who remained behind were subjected to endless interrogation and torture. A number were summarily executed for allegedly being "supporters of the Woyane" ;others were taken away and have not been heard of since. Reports of those killed and those that were abducted and disappeared suggest 178 civilians killed some 641 disappeared in the early days of the conflict.

There was also a report that in the early days some 251 children died. That initial Eritrean swoop instantly disrupted life. People who left everything as they fled became dependent on hand-outs, and have been so for the last two years. People who were displaced were sheltered as guests of villagers, in make-shift camps and in caves. We still have children that we cannot trace the whereabouts of their parents.

In the two years the displaced have led a precarious life. The minimal food ration that was coming through the WFP was not always available. Thus, despite the provision of some health services, the situation was and is in a bad state and many children are malnourished. Since there was little work opportunity these people become paupers. The loss they sustained is staggering.

According to a study conducted about a year ago, after Badme was freed from occupation, it was learned from the displaced that people had lost 50,880 Quintals of grain, 4,627 Cattle, 15,081 small stock 2,427 donkeys and mules, 11,906 beehives, significant cash and gold, household goods, farm implements etc. At that stage the loss was estimated at 400 million Birr.

Then there was the destruction perpetrated against public and private property and investment, and religious establishments. The destruction the Eritrean army caused at times was senseless, vindictive and evil. When people asked why they were destroying schools or health establishments they would tell them that they would build better schools and health facilities. The people asking were of course Eritreans who lived in the area.

Destruction of Social Services

Schools, health delivery establishments peoples homes and water systems were deliberately targeted. As a result 34 schools were destroyed. The 18 schools were first looted of doors, windows, and all school furniture, before they were destroyed.

The 14 health establishments that were destroyed were also systematically looted of all valuable before they were destroyed. One of these was the brand new Health Center in Zalambessa, build at a cost of our three million Birr. It was destroyed with TNT or some powerful dynamite.

The provision of clean potable water in rural areas had been given priority. As a result a great deal had been done. The water facilities destroyed include 52 wells fitted with hand-pumps, 3 with motorized pumps and one generator operated and a 100 cubic meter water tank. They took the pumps and the generator and destroyed the wells rendering them unusable.

The Eritrean government in its bid to prove that there were no Ethiopians in the occupied area carried out systematic destruction of village houses some 8000 houses were not only destroyed but in many cases the area bulldozed so as to leave no sign of it being a building site. Since the last survey many more houses have been destroyed including the town of Zalambessa. The purpose was also to deny people the opportunity to return should the possibility arise. Eritrea in any case was promoting the idea of a buffer or no-man's zone between the two countries. Much of the occupied areas were originally inhabited by peasant farmers. But since the fall of the Derg things were changing. Small towns were emerging and private investment was making some start. In Zalambessa a local entrepreneur had invested some six million birr in a flourmill. Machinery was installed and the factory was about to go operational. The occupation army has since dismantled and taken away the machinery, and had the building demolished with TNT.

The marble quarry at Dichinamo was another on the invasion army's targets. They took the drilling equipment and generators. The estimated value is some 5.5 million Birr. They also have taken machinery belonging to the Ethiopian Road Authority (ERA). Then six village ginning mills and equipments of small workshops that were also taken away by the Eritreans.

Religious Establishments

According to the study conducted a year ago, 44 Ethiopians Orthodox churches, 7 catholic churches, and one Mosque have been looted and destroyed. Eleven churches were totally destroyed, the rest first systematically looted, and them destroyed. What is lost is ageless and irreplaceable treasure. The fresco and other paintings, some gong back to the sixteenth century will never be replaced. They were treasurers of humanity.

Environmental Degradation

Beside of the many polutants left everywhere, the Eritrean army has systematically cut many old trees. The pretext is to build their trenches and bunkers. Most of the trees are irreplaceable. The area that has lost its tree cover will now be open to erosion both from rain and wind. It is estimated that 200,000 hectares of land in the Adiabo area alone has been deforested by the Eritreans.

The above is based on a year old study. The situation at this point in time is far worse.

Landmines

Humanity is beginning to accept that the use of landmines ought to be abolished altogether. But the Eritreans have been using them indiscriminately. The area in front of their trenches and bunkers are heavily infested with five to seven rounds or rows of mines, both antipersonnel and anti-tank mines. They have also placed land-mines in and around villages they were occupying. There are literary millions of landmines carelessly placed throughout the border area. Already animals and people are getting killed and maimed by landmines.

The Big Question

The area is now free of the Eritrean army. People are eager to return to their homes and resume "normal" life. But under the circumstances, can people really return? The big question is, how long will it take before the area is made reasonably safe? How quickly can we answer the question of shelter, provision of potable water and the availability of health services?

For people to return, safety needs to be assured and some basic services must be made available. Then there is the loss the farmers and the small business persons have sustained. The farmer is going to need a replacement of his farm implements and drought animals, and the business person some seed money to restart.

The above is only a glimps at the problem created by the Eritrean invasion and its aftermath. In many ways it is daunting and difficult to solve. Aside from the material loss, there is the psychological problem created by the Eritrean invasion. There are people, young and old, that are traumatized and will need extended psychiatric help. Then there is the animosity and haterade that has been created as a result of Eritrean action and treatment of Ethiopians. These issues and other consequences of conflict will require a great deal of sustained effort to resolve.

Another problem for which no concrete data or information is yet available is the fate of Ethiopians in Eritrea, How many have been killed? How many are languishing in the secret prisons? What is the extent of loss of property of Ethiopians living in Eritrea? Eritrea has not been forthright about the plight of Ethiopians in Eritrea. The truth must come to the surface and the regime in Asmara must be made to account for the misdeeds meted out against Ethiopian citizens residing in Eritrea.

The demining of the entire area in the war zone will have to be given top priority. Farmers cannot plough their fields, nor can they field their animals, and they cannot go to the hillside to fetch fire wood. Yet, life is not possible without these activities.

Experience elsewhere tells us that mine clearing is a complex problem and is never 100% safe. Many countries are still experiencing the consequences of mining long after the major clearing work was undertaken. Can it be any different here? These and a host of other consequences of the Eritrea initiated conflict will continue to be daunting problems for a long time come in the peaceful task of putting the aftermath of the sad episode behind us.


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