Reuters
08-JUL-98
By Alexander Last
MAICHA'HA, Ethiopia/Eritrea border, July 8 (Reuters) - Untouched by the fervent nationalism on both sides in Ethiopia and Eritrea's border conflict, the people of this border village have adopted a pragmatic attitude.
Most care more about the success of the next harvest than the final outcome of the two-month-old dispute.
``We are here on our land, if this place is taken by Eritrea, then we are in Eritrea, if this land is taken by Ethiopia we in are Ethiopia,'' reasoned one resident.
Until a few weeks ago MaiCha'ha, 15 km (9 miles) south of the Eritrean town of Senafe, was undoubtedly under Ethiopian administration. Senafe is close to the Eritrea-Ethiopia border.
The oldest villager, born in 1935, said that except for the Italians, he had known no other authority in the area. ``We do consider ourselves Ethiopian,'' he said. But when fighting erupted on this southern front in late May, Eritrean forces took control of the area.
``When the border is demarcated then we will say our position,'' said the village priest. ``We want peace, you want peace, we all want demarcation. This is just between the two governments.''
The men of the village furled their umbrellas and took shelter in a mud-walled church while the rain pelted off the iron roof. They were happy that the rains had come at last, and hoped their meagre crops of barley and maize would do well.
The village lies in a valley surrounded by rocky hills. Through the mist of the rain, everything had turned to lush green.
When Eritrean troops rolled into MaiCha'ha on the last day of May, the 400 villagers put up little defence. Three of the five militiamen gave up their guns to the invading forces, and the two others simply left the village, said the priest.
But the soldiers came up against stiffer opposition in the Ethiopian town of Alitena, three hours walk over a ridge, which was the scene of heavy fighting on May 31, a prelude to an even fiercer engagement at Zalambessa to the west on June 3.
The villagers said they were still on good terms with the Eritreans.
``We are like one,'' the priest explained, to nods of approval from the villagers. ``We never expected this (fighting), we are like brothers or cousins, we have a very good relationship -- weddings, funerals, everything.''
The village's trading relations with the Eritrean town of Senafe were strong. But when the conflict started, Ethiopia's regional Tigrayan government ordered the villagers not to go to Senafe -- the only tangible way they say they have been affected by the conflict.
``The Tigrayan government forbade us from going to Senafe to sell chickens and hens,'' a villager said. ``When the war is over we will continue to go to Senafe to trade.''
Trading in the border areas had become difficult in recent months with the introduction in November 1997 of the new Eritrean currency, the Nakfa.
The Ethiopian government refused to exchange the Nakfa for Ethiopian birr, and insisted that border trade worth over 2000 Nakfa ($680) be carried out in letters of credit in hard currency.
This rule the villagers ignored. ``We would trade with the Nakfa. We were not allowed by the Tigray government but we did it anyway,'' said one villager.
``We exchanged one birr for one Nakfa, we had an arrangement with the Eritreans, but we had to hide the Nakfa when we came home.''
MaiCha'ha had relied on missionaries for education and food aid. Since it came under Eritrean control, the local Eritrean administration at Senafe has taken over some of these responsibilities and has already distributed 50 kg (110 lb) of wheat per person.
This extra burden is already putting a strain on Senafe's resources. So far, 26,000 people in the region have received food aid and shelter. Despite a firm policy of self-reliance, the Eritrean government has sought assistance from the United Nations.
``The demand has been much bigger than our immediate resources can handle,'' said presidential adviser Yermane Gebreab. ``The only assistance we have received so far has been a cheque of $25,000 from the Americans.''
The threat of further fighting and further displacement remains, despite the unofficial ceasefire that holds at the moment.
There has been no major engagement since June 11. Sporadic shelling was reported on the Badme last Friday, a witness told Reuters, while the front at Zalambessa remains quiet.