DATE=6/12/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233818
TITLE=ETHIOPIA / ERITREA BOMBING (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=ZALLAMBASSA

INTRO: ETHIOPIAN TROOPS IN THE NORTH ARE ON ALERT FOLLOWING AN ERITRIAN BOMBING RAID THURSDAY. V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT SCOTT STEARNS IS AT THE FRONT, AND REPORTS MORE AND MORE CIVILIANS ARE LEAVING THE AREA.

TEXT: FROM A LOOKOUT HIGH IN THE ROCKY HILLS OF NORTHERN TIGRAY, ETHIOPIAN SOLDIERS WATCH THE BORDER TOWN OF ZALLAMBASSA. THE TOWN WAS CAPTURED BY ERITREAN TROOPS TWO WEEKS AGO. ETHIOPIA HAS BEEN REINFORCING POSITIONS ALONG THIS RIDGE EVER SINCE.

TANKS AND A BATTERY OF FIELD GUNS ANCHOR AN ETHIOPIAN LINE FEWER THAN FIVE KILOMETERS FROM ERITREAN TRENCHES.

TWO SOLDIERS CLEAN A KATUSHA MOBILE ROCKET LAUNCHER, AS A BOY PASSES BY, HERDING GOATS THROUGH THE DUST.

THE ERITREANS WON CONSIDERABLE GROUND WITH THE SURPRISE OF THEIR ATTACK IN ZALLAMBASSA AND ALL ACROSS NORTHERN ETHIOPIA. SINCE THEN, THEY HAVE MADE LESS PROGRESS FIGHTING ETHIOPIAN SOLDIERS INSTEAD OF BORDER POLICE.

COLONEL EPHRAM BANGEE SAYS THE ERITREANS HAVE TRIED TO COME UP THE HILL FROM ZALLAMBASSA FIVE TIMES IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. HE SAYS HIS MEN HAVE PUNISHED THEM HARDER EVERY TIME THEY HAVE TRIED.

BECAUSE ERITREA HAS OPENED A WAR OF AGGRESSION, COLONEL EPHRAM SAYS ETHIOPIANS MUST DEFEND THEIR SOVERIEGNTY. THAT IS THE ARMY'S ONLY AIM, HE SAYS. WE ARE PREPARED, WE ARE READY, AND WE ARE DOING IT.

COLONEL EPHRAM'S ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS WATCH FOR ERITREAN BOMBING RAIDS IN THE CLEAR BLUE NORTHERN SKY. THURSDAY, THE GUNS WERE NOT ENOUGH TO DEFEND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PEOPLE OF ADIGRAT, 35 KILOMETERS FARTHER SOUTH.

ERITREAN ATTACK HELICOPTERS AND JETS BOMBED ADIGRAT, NARROWLY MISSING A CHURCH AND A PHARMACEUTICAL FACTORY, DESTROYING A GRAIN WAREHOUSE.

WORKERS CLEAR TWISTED METAL ROOFING SHEETS FROM PILES OF SMOLDERING SORGHUM, BLASTED CANS OF COOKING OIL, AND TORN PLASTIC FOOD SACKS MELTED IN THE HEAT OF MORE THAN SEVEN HOURS OF FIRE.

THREE PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY CLUSTER BOMBS IN THE WAREHOUSE COURTYARD, A FOURTH IN SMALL STONE HOUSE JUST OVER THE WALL.

GENET TADESSE WAS HIT IN THE SIDE OF HER HEAD WITH SHRAPNEL.

MS. GENET SAYS SHE WAS TOO SHOCKED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, JUST SHOCKED. SHE SAYS SHE SAW HERSELF LYING ON THE GROUND AND PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE.

THE FOOD THERE WAS BEING USED TO HELP FEED MORE THAN 10-THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO FLED THE FIGHTING IN ZALLAMBASSA. NOW, MANY ARE MOVING FARTHER SOUTH, AWAY FROM THE FRONT, TOWARD THE CITY OF MEKELE, WHICH WAS BOMBED A WEEK AGO.

ACROSS ETHIOPIAN SOCIETY -- FROM BANK WORKERS TO FARMERS, EVEN POLITICAL OPPONENTS -- PEOPLE ARE RALLYING BEHIND THE GOVERNMENT'S RECENT HARD LINE AGAINST THE ERITREANS. PRIVATELY, THEY SAY ETHIOPIA'S ARMY SHOULD HAVE MOVED FASTER TO PUT DOWN THE THREAT.

COLONEL EPHRAM SAYS IT IS TACTICS AND EXPERIENCE THAT SHAPE THE MILITARY RESPONSE, NOT THE PASSION OF IMMEDIATE RETALIATION.

COLONEL EPHRAM SAYS ETHIOPIA WILL NOT FOLLOW WHAT HE CALLED THE BEACON OF THE ENEMY IN BEING DRAWN TO RETALIATE IMMEDIATELY. HE SAYS, "WE HAVE OUR OWN WAYS. WE PLAN OUR OWN WAY. AND WE DO IT WHEN WE ARE READY."

ETHIOPIAN PRIME MINISTER MELES ZENAWI SAYS HE HAS RUN OUT OF PATIENCE WITH ERITREA. HE SAYS HE STILL SUPPORTS A U-S / RWANDA PEACE PLAN, BUT HE SAYS WHERE ERITREA IS CONCERNED, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH." (SIGNED)

NEB/SKS/JWH/PT
12-Jun-98 2:59 PM EDT (1859 UTC)
Source: Voice of America