08:26 a.m. Jul 01, 1998 Eastern
GENEVA, July 1 (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights commissioner urged Ethiopia on Wednesday to stop expelling Eritrean nationals as the border war between the Horn of Africa neighbours drags on.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson said Ethiopia was violating international rights to freedom of movement and non-discrimination.
``I am deeply concerned by the violation of human rights of Eritrean nationals being expelled from Ethiopia, and particularly by the fact that their passports are being stamped 'expelled, never to return','' Robinson said in a statement.
``Others, who had been trying to leave, have had their identity cards confiscated,'' she added, without giving details of specific cases.
The expulsions violated both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Ethiopia is party, Robinson said.
Hundreds have died in ground and air attacks since the border war began on May 6, but there have been no reports of significant fighting since June 11.
The U.N. Security Council issued a resolution last week calling for an end to the conflict.
Few believe the lull in fighting will last. Mediation has failed to resolve the underlying border issue and there are no new proposals to restart talks.
Diplomats say the two countries could draw on as many as 350,000 troops and militia to fight at short notice.
Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 in a referendum and became Africa's youngest state. Earlier, Eritrea had fought a 30-year guerrilla war, first against Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie and then against the Marxist regime which overthrew him in 1974.