Ethiopia says Eritrea committing provocative acts along border
April 1, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — The chief administrator of the Tigray Regional State, in northern Ethiopia, bordering Eritrea, Tsegay Berhe, accused Eritrean government of committing repeated provocative acts along the border areas of the State.
Presenting a report at the opening of the fifth regular conference of the state council today, the chief administrator of Tigray Regional State, Tsegay Berhe, said Eritrean government is infiltrating its soldiers to bordering administrations under the guise of opposition organizations to disrupt peace and create chaos in the state.
He said consistent with its “anti-peace activities”, Eritrea has caused damage on life and property among civilians in Humera town by planting time bombs, the Ethiopian TV reported on Sunday.
Eritrea denied several times in the past Addis Ababa’s accusation of supporting the Ethiopian opposition forces, or the Somali Islamic courts.
Similarly, “its secret agents have damaged a school in Sheraro town of the Tahtai Adiabo woreda district by planting explosives,” he said, adding that it is also perpetrating a series of attacks on rural neighbourhoods along the border to disrupt development undertakings.
The governor threatened Eritrea saying The regime of President Isayas Afewerki should “restrain itself from pursuing the terror and destruction, the chief administrator said, adding that it would otherwise be the victim of its own deeds.”
Eritrean government “should not be allowed at any cost to lead the peoples of the two countries to indefinite state of enmity”, he said, further noting that the two peoples should work with a spirit of fraternity for mutual benefits.
Ethiopia and Eritrea fought each other from 1998-2000 over a border dispute and, despite a peace deal in 2000, have yet to define the status of their 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) frontier.
Accusations and counter-accusations have fuelled the looming threat of the resurgence of another dispute between the two countries.
(ST)