DATE=6/11/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233744
TITLE= ETHIOPIA BORDER (L)
BYLINE=CAROL PINEAU
DATELINE=ZALAMBESA

INTRO: BORDER SKIRMISHES CONTINUED THURSDAY BETWEEN ERITREA AND ETHIOPIA. CAROL PINEAU REPORTS FROM THE FRONT -- NEAR ZALLAMABASA.

TEXT: ZALLAMABASA WAS QUIET TODAY, AS BOTH SIDES DUG INTO THEIR TRENCHES TO WAIT OUT THE NEXT ROUND OF FIGHTING. FROM THE ERITREAN TRENCHES, ETHIOPIAN SOLDIERS COULD BE SEEN ACROSS THE LARGE GORGE THAT DIVIDES THE TWO SIDES.

ATTACKS AT ZALLAMABASA STARTED TUESDAY IN THE EARLY DAWN AND CONTINUED FOR TWO DAYS. ZALLAMABASA IS NOW FIRMLY IN ERITREAN CONTROL.

THE ERITREAN NEWS AGENCY ACCUSED ETHIOPIA OF WAGES A DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN. A COMMANDER AT THE FRONT SAID ETHIOPIA CLAIMED IT DESTROYED FIVE ERITREAN TANKS. THE COMMANDER SAID THIS WAS UNTRUE, AND THAT IF FIVE TANKS HAD BEEN DESTROYED -- THE ERITREANS NEVER COULD HAVE HELD ZALLAMABASA.

ALONG THE ROAD TO ZALLAMABASA, SEVERAL TRUCK-LOADS OF SOLDIERS WERE SEEN LEAVING THE AREA. COMMANDERS SAID THEY WERE MOVING TROOPS TO OTHER FRONTS ALONG THE BORDER.

IN THE TOWN THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE. A FEW HOUSES WERE DESTROYED. CASUALTIES ARE ESTIMATED TO BE LESS THAN 50. THE AREA COMMANDER SAID HE HAD NOT HEARD OF ANY CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.

ON THURSDAY MORNING, SOME PEOPLE HAD RETURNED TO THE TOWN, THOUGH MOSTLY ERITREANS. ERITREAN SOLDIERS SAY THEY WILL NOT ATTACK BUT IF ATTACKED THEY WILL DEFEND THEMSELVES.

THE AREA COMMANDER SAID HIS TROOPS WERE ON STANDBY, AS THE BALL IS IN ETHIOPIA'S COURT (THE NEXT MOVE IS ETHIOPIA'S). BOTH SIDES IN THE CONFLICT HAVE ACCUSED THE OTHER OF STARTING HOSTILITIES.

THE BORDER TOWN OF ZALLAMABASA ILLUSTRATES THE AMBIGUOUS DELINEATION OF THE BORDER. PRIOR TO ARRIVING IN ZALLAMABASA, ONE SEES A SIGN THAT READS, "YOU ARE LEAVING ERITREA", AND ANOTHER -- "WELCOME TO ETHIOPIA." IN THE TOWN OF ZALLAMABASA IS THE ETHIOPIAN CHARTER BANK. BUT THE ERITREANS ACCUSE ETHIOPIA OF PROGRESSIVE ENCROACHMENT. THEY SAY ZALLAMABASA AND EVEN THE LAND FURTHER SOUTH FROM THE BORDER-TOWN, ARE ALL PART OF ERITREA. THE ERITREANS IN TOWN SAY ETHIOPIA PLACED THE BORDER SIGNS THERE BY FORCE.

IT IS AN UNCLEAR BORDER DRAWN BETWEEN TWO FORMERLY CLOSE NEIGHBORS. AS THE LOCALS POINT OUT, PEOPLE HAVE FOR MANY YEARS GROWN CHICKENS ON ONE SIDE, SOLD EGGS ON THE OTHER. (SIGNED)

NEB/CP/TMD-T/MMK
11-Jun-98 2:57 PM EDT (1857 UTC)
Source: Voice of America