Date=6/29/98
Type=Correspondent Report
Number=2-234715
Title=Ethiopia Recruits (l-only)
Byline=Scott Stearns
Dateline=Addis Ababa

Intro: Ethiopians are signing-up for the border war with Eritrea. As VOA's Scott Stearns reports, the government is recruiting students to support militiamen and soldiers at the front.

Text: Hundreds of Ethiopians line-up in the hot sun outside a local district hall to register for military training -- young men in fake leather jackets, mothers with curlers in their hair, young women covered in white cotton shawls called 'shama'.

They are joining an Ethiopian military campaign dug-in against Eritrean troops in disputed areas along the northern border.

Twenty-year-old Mustapha Mohamed says Ethiopia has been forced into war by Eritrean aggression.

Mr. Mustapha says Ethiopia had no problem with Eritreans when they declared their independence in 1993. But he says now that they are coming to bomb us and kill our brothers, Ethiopians must be ready to defend themselves and go to the front to stand behind the army.

Businessman Mulugeta Aragay is signing-up because he says Ethiopia's desire to solve the problem peacefully has only been met with more hostility from Eritrea.

Eritrea says it supports a UN resolution on the conflict but it has not yet withdrawn troops from disputed border areas. Since a ceasefire in the air war more than two weeks ago, fighting at the front has been limited to a few artillery barrages. Still, science student senet mulatu says Ethiopian youth must be ready to go if they are called-on to defend the country.

Ms. Senet says the Eritrean invasion is unacceptable. Ethiopians must be ready to volunteer to fight behind our soldiers, she says, because we can not keep letting them kill us.

Unlike more than 70-thousand Eritrean youths who have been through military training in the last seven years, most Ethiopian students have never picked-up a gun.

Theodros Getachew says he does not know what to expect from the training, but he is looking forward to it and says his family is very proud.

The Eritreans are occupying our territory, he says. Because it is for the sake of our land and our country, my family is supporting the fight against our enemies.

Ten thousand young people signed up in the capital. Half qualified for further medical check-ups before leaving for military training and the front by the end of the week. (signed)

NEB/SS/KL
29-Jun-98 7:33 AM EDT (1133 UTC)
Source: Voice of America