Armed conflict in the world today: a country by country review
Statement: The situation in Eritrea is an international armed conflict with Ethiopia. Background
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ERITREAStatement: The situation in Eritrea is an international armed conflict with Ethiopia. Background: Eritrea and Ethiopia were ruled by an Italian colonial government beginning in 1889, then by a British military administration from 1941 – 1952. They then formed a federation, but due to a gradual reduction in autonomy for Eritrea, war broke out in 1961. The conflict ended in 1991 with Eritrea’s independence. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Eritrean leader Isaias Afwerki, former friends in the struggle again Ethiopia’s former ruler Mengistu Haile Mariam began small skirmishes, the most pronounced when Eritrea introduced its own currency in 1997 over the objections of Ethiopia. Current Situation: On May 13, 1998 Eritrea and Ethiopia began fighting over disputed border regions. The Ethiopian government accused Eritrea of occupying areas in the northwest and Eritrea said it was reacting to border violations of Ethiopia on May 6, 1998. High intensity fighting ebbed in June 1998 after thousands were killed, but frequent shelling continued. Severe fighting began again on February 6, 1999, after seven months of international diplomacy, especially on the part of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), failed to resolve the conflict. Most observers blame Eritrea for rejecting the OAU plan, the only proposal on the table. Air strikes resumed in breach of a June 1998 moratorium. Fighting in February and March 1999 resulted in up to 60,000 killed. Fighting continued sporadically for the remainder of 1999, with Ethiopia regaining some territory. Then intense fighting broke out in April and May 2000, with Ethiopia making substantial military gains. Both sides apparently concur that this renewed fighting has cost tens of thousands of new military casualties. On June 9, 2000, Eritrea accepted a new OAU peace plan (although the plan is nearly identical to the earlier plan) worked out in Algiers, subsequently approved by Ethiopia. Under this plan, signed June 18, 2000 in Algiers, both sides would retreat to positions held on May 6, 1998, and UN forces would monitor a 15-mile-wide buffer zone on Eritrean border territory while UN mediators worked out a boundary (line of demarcation) between the two countries. Both sides accuse each other of forcibly deporting each other’s nationals. There are an estimated 600,000 refugees from the fighting, including 150,000 Eritreans living in temporary camps along the Ethiopian border with little shelter. Almost 70,000 Eritreans were illegally expelled by Ethiopia after their property was confiscated, including nationals who are of Eritrean origin. Several Somali factions have accused Eritrea and Ethiopia of arming them to fight against each other. Somali groups have also accused Eritrea of training Ethiopian rebel groups in southern Somalia. UN Action: SC Res 1298 (5/17/2000). SC Res 1297 (5/12/2000). SC Res 1227 (2/10/99). SC Res 1226 (1/29/99). SC Res 1177 (6/26/98). SC Res 1227.
Report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention: E/CN.4/1999/63 & Add.1.
E/CN.4/1999/62; E/CN.4/2000/64. Report of Special Rapporteur on the Elimination of Religious Intolerance: Abdelfattah Amor: E/CN.4/2000/65. Report of Special Rapporteur on Torture: Nigel Rodley: E/CN.4/2000/9. ETHIOPIAStatement: The situation in Ethiopia is an international armed conflict with Eritrea. Background: (Please see “Eritrea” for discussion of the conflict.) Current situation: (Please see “Eritrea” for current situation.) The situation in Ethiopia is compounded by serious allegations of violations of human rights. UN Action: SC Res 1227 (2/10/99). SC Res 1226 (1/29/99). SC Res 1177 (6/26/98). SC Res 1227. Rpt S-G (S/2000/530). Report of the Special Rapporteur on Torture: Nigel Rodley: E/CN/4/1998/38 & Add.1; E/CN.4/1999/61; E/CN.4/2000/9. Report of the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions: Asma Jahangir: E/CN.4/1999/39 & Add. 1. Report of Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances: E/CN.4/1999/62; E/CN.4/2000/64. Report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention: E/CN.4/1999/63 & Add.1; E/CN.4/2000/4 & Add.1. GEORGIAStatement: The situation in Georgia involves two civil wars. Background: In 1989 South Ossetians began fighting to reunite with the Russian region of North Ossetia from which they had been divided by Stalin. The conflict ebbed when a Russian peacekeeping force arrived in 1992. At least 2000 were killed in this conflict. Many ethnic Georgians who were expelled during the conflict have yet to return. Ethnic Ossetians who were subsequently expelled from Georgia proper remain in North Ossetia, where they helped expel ethnic Ingush and moved into their homes. Many of the Ingush in turn fled to Chechnya. An estimated 500,000 people remain displaced due to these events, including Russians expelled from Chechnya (see “Chechnya”). The Muslim Abkhazians have been fighting for their independence from Christian Georgia since 1989. In August 1992, the government sent troops to quell the separatists. In September 1993, with forces made up of a majority of mercenaries from the Russian Federation, Abkhazians captured the remainder of their region from the Georgian government troops. Despite a subsequent cease-fire, Georgian civilians in these areas were killed and tortured, and over 300,000 were forced to leave Abkhazia. The Abkhazian parliament adopted a “national” constitution in November 1994 and a president was inaugurated on December 6 of that year. Current Situation: In November 1996, Ludwig Chibirov was inaugurated the first president of the self-proclaimed republic of South Ossetia. Georgia does not recognize the election. Although some Ossetians are demanding unification with North Ossetia, in May 1998, North Ossetian President Alexander Dzasakhov rejected the possibility. The Georgian government has offered to give the South Ossetians significant autonomy in return for recognition of Georgian sovereignty over the region. The 1996 parliamentary elections in Abkhazia were denounced by Georgian President Eduard Sheverdnazi for their exclusion of Georgian refugees. Few Georgians remain in Abkhazia despite accounting for 50 percent of the population prior to the conflict. Currently, there are over 300,000 refugees from the region, mostly Georgian. Despite the destruction of over half the residences in the district of Ghali, some 30,000 people who had returned to their homes were forced to flee again after their villages were attacked in May 1998. Independent observers report that the CIS forces did nothing to prevent these attacks. After a new ceasefire, about 10,000 have returned again, but the presence of landmines makes the region hazardous. The Ghali district was nearly 100% ethnic Georgian before the war. There are frequent exchanges of gunfire across the ceasefire line. In February 1998, President Shevardnadze survived a second assassination attempt. There have been attacks on UNOMIG and CIS forces in Abkhazia, including the laying of landmines, grenades thrown into UNOMIG headquarters, car hijacking and the ambush of an UNOMIG bus. High level talks have taken place between the government and the Abkhazi separatists. The first meeting of the co-ordination commission, the permanent body of the Geneva Talks working towards an Abkhazi settlement, met in Sukhumi in December 1997. The United States, the European Union, and Russia promised to provide millions of dollars for economic development of the region after the return of Georgian refugees. Talks scheduled for November 1998 were cancelled due to continued disagreement over several key issues. In October 1999, Ardzinba won a second five-year term as “president” of Abkhazia, running unopposed. Also in October, a refendum confirmed popular support for independence. In December 1999, a UN proposal for redistributing Georgia’s constitutional powers was rejected by Ardzinba, who continues to seek recognition of Abkhazi’s status as an independent state. A prisoner exchange took place February 2000. UN Action: UNOMIG (8/93-present). SC Resw 1287 (1/31/2000). SC Res 1255 (7/30/99). SC Res 1225 (1/28/99). SC Res 1187 (7/30/98). SC Res 1150 (1/30/98). SC Res 1124 (7/31/97). SC Res 1096 (1/30/97). SC Res 1077 (10/22/96). SC Res 1065 (7/12/96). SC Res 1036 (1/12/96). SC Res 993 (5/12/95). SC Res 971 (1/12/95). SC Res 937 (7/21/94). SC Res 934 (6/30/94). SC Res 906 (3/28/94). SC Res 901 (3/4/94). SC Res 896 (1/31/94). SC Res 892 (11/22/94). SC Res 881 (11/4/93). SC Res 876 (10/19/93). SC Res 858 (8/24/93). SC Res 854 (8/6/93). SC Res 849 (7/9/93). GA Res 47/241 (7/31/92). Comm Res 1994/59. Comm Res 1993/85. Note of the Security Council President (S/25198). Rpt S-G (S/2000/39). Rpt S-G (S/2000/345). Rpt S-G (S/1999/805). Rpt S-G (S/1999/60). Rpt S-G (S/1998/1012). Rpt S-G (S/1998/647 & Add.1). Rpt S-G (S/1998/497). Rpt S-G (S/1998/375 & Add.1). Rpt S-G (S/1998/51). Rpt S-G (S/1997/827 & Add.1). Rpt S-G (S/1997/558 & Add.1). Rpt S-G (S/1997/340). Rpt S-G (S/1997/47). Rpt S-G (S/1995/937). Rpt S-G (S/1995/657). Rpt S-G (S/1995/342). Rpt S-G (S/1995/181). Rpt S-G (S/1995/10 & Add.1,2). Rpt S-G (S/1994/1160). Rpt S-G (S/1994/818 & Add.1). Rpt S-G (S/1994/725). Rpt S-G (S/1994/529 & Add.1). Rpt S-G (S/1994/312 & Add.1). Rpt S-G (S/1994/253). Rpt S-G (S/1994/80 & Add.1). Rpt S-G (S/26646 & Add.1). Rpt S-G (S/26551). Rpt S-G (S/26250 & Add.1). Rpt S-G (S/26023 & Add.1,2). Rpt S-G (S/25188). Report of the Special Rapporteur on Torture: Nigel S. Rodley: E/CN.4/1995/34; E/CN.4/1998/38 & Add.1; E/CN.4/1999/61; E/CN.4/2000/9. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Question of the Use of Mercenaries Enrique Bernales Ballesteros: E/CN.4/1994/23; E/CN.4/1997/24; E/CN.4/2000/14. Report of the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Execution: Bacre Waly N’diaye: E/CN.4/1996/4; E/CN.4/1998/68 & Add.1. Asma Jahangir: E/CN.4/1999/39 & Add. 1.
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