[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H10807-H10811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         URGING AN END OF THE WAR BETWEEN ERITREA AND ETHIOPIA

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 46) urging an end of the war 
between Eritrea and Ethiopia and calling on the United Nations Human 
Rights Commission and other human rights organizations to investigate 
human rights abuses in connection with the Eritrean and Ethiopian 
conflict.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 46

       Whereas peace and stability existed between Eritrea and 
     Ethiopia following the 1991 ouster of the Mengistu 
     dictatorship and the independence of Eritrea in 1993;
       Whereas on May 6, 1998, a military confrontation erupted 
     between Eritrea and Ethiopia, resulting in the deaths of 
     thousands of civilians and the reported forced detention or 
     deportation of over 60,000 people;
       Whereas hundreds of thousands of Eritreans and Ethiopians 
     have been displaced from their homes as a result of this 
     conflict;
       Whereas the governments of the United States and Rwanda, 
     the Organization of African Unity (OAU), as well as countries 
     in the region, immediately put forth proposals for resolving 
     the conflict;
       Whereas on September 9, 1998, Congress passed H. Con. Res. 
     292 commending efforts by the United States facilitation team 
     to resolve the crisis, including its success in brokering a 
     moratorium on air raids, and calling on Eritrea and Ethiopia 
     to end the conflict peacefully before it escalated into a 
     full-scale war;
       Whereas on December 17, 1998, the Central Organ Summit of 
     the OAU approved a Framework Agreement in furtherance of its 
     efforts to mediate the dispute between the 2 parties and 
     provide an avenue for peace;
       Whereas on January 29, 1999, the United Nations Security 
     Council adopted Resolution 1226 expressing its strong support 
     for the OAU Framework Agreement, and calling on both parties 
     to work for a reduction in tensions by adopting policies 
     leading to the restoration of confidence between the 
     governments and peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia, including 
     urgent measures to improve the humanitarian situation and 
     respect for human rights;
       Whereas the Government of the United States, the OAU, and 
     countries in the region have been engaged in an intensive 
     effort to identify a peaceful solution to the conflict;
       Whereas on February 6, 1999, while sustained diplomatic 
     efforts by the international community were ongoing, the 
     moratorium on air strikes was violated and war once again 
     erupted between Eritrea and Ethiopia;
       Whereas on February 10, 1999, the United Nations Security 
     Council passed Resolution 1227 condemning the use of force by 
     Eritrea and Ethiopia, stressing that the OAU Framework 
     Agreement remains a viable and sound basis for peaceful 
     resolution of the conflict, and calling once again on both 
     countries to ensure the safety of the civilian population and 
     respect for human rights and international humanitarian law;
       Whereas the governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia have 
     enjoyed warm relations with the United States and have stated 
     their commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict 
     based on the OAU Framework Agreement; and
       Whereas the peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia have suffered 
     for decades due to war and manmade famines and do not deserve 
     once again to suffer due to armed conflict, which could 
     destabilize the entire subregion of Africa: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) deplores the escalation of the conflict between Eritrea 
     and Ethiopia which has resulted in the massive and senseless 
     loss of life, as well as substantial economic hardship to the 
     peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia;
       (2) strongly urges both Eritrea and Ethiopia immediately to 
     bring an end to the violence between the 2 countries;
       (3) commends the efforts of the Organization of African 
     Unity (OAU) and former United States National Security 
     Adviser Anthony Lake to mediate peace between Eritrea and 
     Ethiopia;
       (4) strongly affirms United States support for the OAU 
     Framework Agreement; and
       (5) calls on the United Nations Human Rights Commission and 
     all human rights organizations to investigate human rights 
     abuses in connection with the forced detentions, 
     deportations, and displacements of populations caused by this 
     conflict.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. ROYCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, this resolution was authored by my colleague, 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell). It urges an end to the 
17-month-long war between Eritrea and Ethiopia. That war has resulted 
in the loss of more than 70,000 lives. This resolution calls for an 
investigation of human rights abuses in connection with that conflict.
  I want to share with the Members here today that both Ethiopia and 
Eritrea continue to obtain arms. They continue to train troops, they 
continue to mobilize, and they continue to engage in a furious 
propaganda war. Frankly, the conflict is spreading. It is spreading 
into Somalia. The international community, including those calling for 
debt relief, have to say at this point, enough. That is what the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell) attempts to do with this 
resolution.

                              {time}  1415

  Hopefully, this resolution will help to bring home to both sides in 
that conflict that Congress has lost patience with Eritrea and Congress 
has lost patience with Ethiopia. We have lost patience with the 
intransigence that keeps a war going that neither side can afford.
  This resolution recognizes the OAU framework. It provides an 
equitable basis to end the devastating conflict.
  I would like to commend not only the author, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Campbell), but the other members of the Subcommittee on 
Africa as well that worked on this resolution, and specifically the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), the ranking member.

[[Page H10808]]

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 46 and 
would like to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the 
chairman of the committee, and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. 
Gejdenson), the ranking member on the Committee on International 
Relations, for bringing this resolution swiftly to the floor of the 
House.
  Let me also thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), chairman 
of the committee, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell), the 
prime sponsor of this resolution, for their tireless work on behalf of 
the continent of Africa.
  H. Con. Res. 46 says briefly that the Nations of Eritrea and Ethiopia 
should end their border war and that the United Nations Human Rights 
Commission and other human rights groups should investigate human 
rights abuses that have been perpetrated on the people of those two 
countries.
  It also deplores the escalation of conflict between Ethiopia and 
Eritrea, which has resulted in massive loss of lives and substantial 
economic hardship. The resolution urges both countries immediately to 
bring an end to violence.
  The resolution goes on to commend the Organization for African Unity 
and former U.S. National Security Advisor, Mr. Anthony Lake, and our 
Assistant Secretary for African affairs, Dr. Susan Rice, for their 
efforts to mediate this conflict along with the OAU and other world 
leaders.
  This resolution strongly affirms the United States support of the OAU 
framework for peace and calls upon the UN Human Rights Commission and 
all human rights organizations to investigate human rights abuses in 
connection with the tensions, deportations, and displacement of the 
population.
  This war has been going on for 1\1/2\ years and has gone on too long. 
I have known and do know both President Isaias of Eritrea and Prime 
Minister Meles of Ethiopia for some time. I have visited both of them 
in their countries on several occasions. They both are outstanding, 
bright leaders. So it makes no sense that two persons who have known 
each other, distantly related, can continue on with a war of this 
nature.
  I had the privilege first to visit Ethiopia back under the rule of 
the former emperor of Ethiopia, His Excellency, Mr. Haile Selassie. It 
was the people like the Mengistu who took Ethiopia down the wrong path, 
but people like Meles and Isaias fought against the brutal dictator and 
dispelled him from the country. After successfully ousting Mengistu, 
Ethiopia gave Eritrea an opportunity to vote for its independence in 
1993, following an internationally monitored referendum.

  As my colleagues may know, the original vote was supposed to occur in 
1962, but was never called. But we give credit to Prime Minister Meles 
for allowing the vote to go forward, and Eritrea voted to separate 
itself.
  So I would just hope that this war would end. I would like to 
encourage the Algerian government to continue its efforts as a mediator 
in the conflict. The former Prime Minister of Algeria is convening a 
meeting this week to once again attempt to bring both sides together.
  Last week, I had an opportunity to speak with the Honorable Dawit 
Yohannes, Speaker of the House of the People's Republic of Ethiopia, 
and I encouraged his government to review again the OAU document, 
outlining a ceasefire and urged them to accept it.
  Both Ethiopia and Eritrea have undermined their respective economic 
development gains by engaging in a war that has cost both sides over 
$100 million, and some estimates claim that as many as 70,000 lives 
have been lost in this World War I type trench warfare. Civilian 
casualties are also very high, but the numbers are unknown.
  The Ethiopian and Eritrean conflict has hindered the United States' 
effort and curtailed our efforts to try to work against the Islamic 
fundamentalist government in Sudan that have been dealing with 
terrorists from Yemen and has been destabilizing northern Kenya.
  The IGAD peace process, chaired by Mr. Moi, has, as its members, both 
Ethiopia and Eritrea and Uganda, all embroiled in wars. So therefore 
peace cannot be negotiated in Sudan when these are conflicted 
themselves.
  So this war must end. It has put an end to our ACRI, the African 
Crisis Response Initiative, which was being trained in Ethiopia, which 
will once again set back peacekeeping on the continent.
  This war has taken a heavy toll on both sides of the conflict. It 
threatens to induce famine in Ethiopia and Eritrea and Sudan. Last 
year, the lack of adequate food put 2.6 million people in harm's way 
because of that.
  In conclusion, let me say that I am pleased by the swift, quick, and 
decisive action taken, once again, by Tony Lake and Dr. Rice, and I 
encourage them to continue to promote a political settlement.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell), who has invested so much 
personal time and energy in attempting to resolve this conflict.
  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Royce), chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, for yielding me this 
time and for his complimentary words.
  Mr. Speaker, I also recognize that, but for the subcommittee chair, 
we would not have this on the floor today. I once again recognize his 
depth of compassion and commitment to Africa as he has shown throughout 
this Congress.
  I also begin with my recognition of the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Payne) in all that he has done to educate me and our other 
colleagues in the Congress on this very important issue.
  Two years ago, my wife and I, with the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Payne) spent Thanksgiving in Asmara, Eritrea. We traveled to Keren, to 
Masawa. We traveled as widely as we could in Eritrea.
  We stayed, then, for an additional week in Ethiopia. We visited, of 
course, the capital of Addis Ababa, but also Lalibela, Axum, Mekele, 
and went to the banks of Lake Tana.
  We learned of a people that are remarkable, who have achieved so 
much, the people in Ethiopia who were never colonized, a people who 
were Christian from the time of the apostles, who have a patriarch, 
whose Orthodox Church is a powerful force within a country for 
compassion and respect for human rights.
  Yet, these two countries have chosen to go to war, to spend what 
precious little treasure and human resources they have to kill each 
other. That is what war is, and that is what they have chosen to do.
  I cannot fully express the sadness that comes to my heart and that of 
my wife as we reflect on the people that we met throughout Eritrea and 
Ethiopia. We were met at the remote airports by little children 
bringing flowers because a visit by a Member of the United States 
Congress is a rare occasion there. I wonder, were any of them killed? 
Did the bomb that fell on Mekele kill any of those little school 
children?
  Then I think of the people in Ethiopia of Eritrean extraction who 
were herded together and put forcibly on buses and transported up to 
the border with Eritrea, where they had no means to take care of 
themselves. I wonder about the human rights conditions of those 
forcibly deported.
  Then I hear of expressions on the radio that will sow the seeds of 
resentment for years to come, that will inflict wounds, that will 
prevent rapprochement following the end of this war.
  To my colleagues in Congress, I can only offer my own sadness, my own 
words of severe disappointment. The gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Payne) and I know how hard it is to draw the attention of our 
colleagues in Congress to the sufferings of the people in Africa.
  When something like this happens, it only plays into the hands of 
those who would look away, those who would say, well, that is just one 
African group going after another African group.
  Would we ever say that about Europe, by the way? Would we ever 
describe World War I or World War II as

[[Page H10809]]

 just one European tribe going after another European tribe? Of course 
we would not. Yet there are those who might say so about Africa and 
turn their back. We do not turn our back, the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Payne) and I and the other members of the Committee on 
International Relations who bring this to the floor. I know that our 
colleagues taking part in this debate do not turn their back.
  So that is the most important purpose of this resolution, to say that 
we do not turn our back. We are deeply troubled at the continuation of 
the war. We tell both countries, Mr. Speaker, that, as this war 
continues, the ability of those of goodwill who wish to see American 
help go to those most in need in Africa is compromised, is severely 
compromised by reason of this war.
  I warn those whose interests are with those two countries that we 
will not be successful in the near term in augmenting interest and 
assistance because of the recollection of the war.
  Second, this resolution calls for international human rights 
organizations to investigate the human rights abuses. By this, let me 
be specific. I was not heretofore, but today on the floor I wish to be 
specific. It is a human rights abuse for Ethiopia to round up Eritreans 
on the grossest use of stereotype that, because they are of Eritrean 
birth, they cannot be trusted, even though the two countries were one 
at the time of the birth of almost all of those individuals. These 
human rights abuses must be inspected.
  This resolution calls upon the United Nations Human Rights Commission 
and all human rights organizations to investigate these human rights 
abuses. That is what Ethiopia has to account for because they have 
continued this war. My condemnation for that is serious.
  I, of course, also mention Eritrea for having its role in the start 
of this war. I do not try to decide in these few moments who is most at 
fault. I simply observe with great sadness the difficulty that we have 
because of this war.
  I conclude, Mr. Speaker, with a word of thanks again to the gentleman 
from New York (Chairman Gilman), to the gentleman from California 
(Chairman Royce), to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), and to 
the administration.
  There have been occasions when I have had to express my opposition to 
the administration. This is not one. I have nothing but admiration for 
their work, particularly of Assistant Secretary of State Susan Rice.
  I urge an end to this war so that, when my wife and I return to 
Asmara and Addis Ababa, we might see those children grown up, knowing 
something other than war.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I will just take a minute of the body's time to express 
my strong support for the resolution as the Democratic cochair of the 
Congressional Human Rights Caucus. I want to associate myself with the 
remarks of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Campbell).
  I also want to take this occasion to pay tribute to both of these 
gentlemen for having devoted such an extraordinary portion of their 
personal and congressional time and energy to improving conditions in 
Africa. Both of them have been leaders in this field, and they deserve 
our highest commendation.
  I know that the gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell) and his wife 
have devoted untold numbers of days to dealing with problems of Africa, 
and they fully deserve our thanks and our commendation, as does the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an important resolution. My colleagues have 
spoken eloquently about this tragic conflict. I can ensure them that 
what the U.S. Congress says about this conflict matters.

                              {time}  1430

  Eritrea and Ethiopia are listening to our expression of enough is 
enough. Compromise is needed. And as my colleague, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Campbell), stated this conflict severely undermines 
U.S. support for these countries. With that in mind, I urge support of 
the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Snyder).
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, it was my privilege back in July to visit 
Africa, to visit both Eritrea and Ethiopia. This is an interest of mine 
that began back in 1985 when I worked as a doctor in a refugee camp on 
the Ethiopian, Eritrean, Sudanese border during the great drought and 
war that was going on at that time.
  I am very much aware, Mr. Speaker, that there is nothing more 
dangerous than a Member of Congress who has read a book or made a trip; 
but if I might, let me make a few comments following that visit. First 
of all, this is a country of 65 million people. It is not a tiny 
nation. It is a very significant portion of the continent of Africa.
  These two nations are in one of the poorest areas of the world, in 
the Horn of Africa, but there has been remarkable efforts made since 
1991, the end of the civil war against the Marxist military 
dictatorship that ruled both Eritrea and Ethiopia, and I saw evidence 
of this development. New schools, new industry, new colleges, community 
organizations working very hard on both sides on what they know to be 
their number one enemy, which is poverty. This has continued through 
1993, and after 1993, when the peaceful separation of Eritrea from 
Ethiopia occurred and Eritrea achieved independence.
  But then May of 1998 came along, and we had this horrific war. And 
let me repeat it is a horrific war that involves over 65 million 
people. It is entrenched warfare that has involved infantry assaults 
against fixed positions at a level not seen on this Earth in decades. 
There has been very, very high death rates among the wounded and there 
has been a high rate of wounded.
  I visited the front one time, on one day for about an hour, on the 
Badime Plain. It was quiet then, as it has been now for several months. 
We could see remnants of burned-out tanks and were told that there were 
still corpses down below. But the problem will be what happens now that 
the rains are ending and the terrain is drying out. And that is the 
fear in those countries, but also the fear in Africa that this war will 
again renew itself.
  I have visited with both Prime Minister Meles of Ethiopia and 
President Isaias in Eritrea. Both are patriots who care deeply about 
their countries, but so far they have been unsuccessful in their 
abilities to end this war together.
  But it is interesting the amount of agreement on both sides. Both 
sides agree that this has been a horrific war with heavy losses on both 
sides. Both sides agree that this war has delayed development and 
delayed the fight against the ultimate enemy of the Horn of Africa, 
which is poverty. Both sides agree that eventually there will be an 
agreement, and both sides will work together once again on development 
together. Both sides agree that they want the world community to assist 
them in ending this war.
  Now, that seems to me to be a lot of agreement and a lot of fertile 
ground for ending a war. But, unfortunately, to this date, it has not 
occurred.
  This Congress does not have the specific answer on how to end this 
war. We are not diplomats. But this Congress and the American people do 
have great interest in seeing this terrible war end. I was optimistic 
at the end of July and August, and even into September, that progress 
was being made. Now I am not so optimistic, and I fear, as the rains 
have ended, that we may be seeing the signs of war renewing itself once 
again.
  I hope the peacemakers will keep making peace. I hope the war 
fighters will hold off, even as the terrain dries. I support this 
resolution. One part of it I do disagree with, and perhaps it is an 
editing error, the resolution refers to thousands of civilian deaths. 
Personally, myself, I did not see evidence of thousands of civilian 
deaths. I saw evidence of thousands of internally displaced persons. 
But perhaps the resolution meant to say the deaths of thousands of 
soldiers.

[[Page H10810]]

  But I support the underlying intent of this resolution, which is to 
encourage an end to this terrible war between Eritrea and Ethiopia and 
appreciate the interest of my colleagues in bringing the resolution 
here today.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Meeks), who has lent his voice in a very short and rapid 
time.
  And let me once again thank the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder) 
for the outstanding work he has done, being there on the line.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Campbell). In the short period of time that I have 
been privileged to be a Member of this House, I have seen his sincere 
commitment on the Committee on International Relations and particularly 
in reference to Africa. He has always been outspoken and always has had 
some concerns with reference to rectifying some of the human tragedies 
that have taken place, and I want to thank the gentleman for bringing 
this bill forward.
  Let me also thank the Chair of the Subcommittee on Africa, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), for his diligence in bringing 
forth these issues of concern to the African continent.
  And, finally, let me thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), 
who is one whom I admired long before I entered the halls of Congress. 
I admired him and his wisdom and his knowledge of not only Africa but 
the entire globe, but in particular Africa. He is one that I have 
learned to respect and hold on to the hem of his garments with 
reference to the knowledge that he has, and I value him as a Member and 
as a friend.
  Mr. Speaker, this war that is now raging on, I do not understand. For 
the life of me, I scratch my head perplexed. Generally, when there are 
sides that want to separate from each other or something of that 
nature, war takes place at that point. Here, we have two nations who 
separated peacefully, and yet once the separation took place, without 
any real articulated reasons, they are at war.
  I have had the opportunity to speak with both the ambassadors from 
Eritrea and Ethiopia and, as said by my colleague, the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Snyder) before, it seemed to me they both wanted the same 
thing, yet war and tragedy continues. I ask, why do brothers and 
sisters fight one another? And for the life of me, I do not know.
  But I say this, H. Con. Res. 46 gives us an opportunity to say to 
both nations, who want a decent relationship with this great Nation, 
that if they want to do so, we must have peace. And simply what it does 
is it reaffirms the OAU and the framework for peace which the OAU has 
set up. And it calls upon all of the human rights commissions and all 
human rights organizations to investigate human rights abuses in 
connection with the detentions, deportations, and displacements of 
their citizens.
  If we do not urge these countries to end this war, it will continue 
to set both back to 10, 15 years ago, and affect their financial 
standing within the international community. This resolution sends a 
strong message that they can work cooperatively with the United States 
of America if they talk peace, and I urge my Members to support the 
passing of H. Con. Resolution 46.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. Watt).
  Mr. WATT of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
New Jersey for yielding me this time.
  Like the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks), it is hard for me to 
understand why this war continues. I have both Ethiopian and Eritrean 
residents who live in my congressional district; and when I talk to 
them, it is uncle against uncle, brother against brother, sister 
against sister, and yet the fighting continues. And superficially it 
seems like just a family feud, but the devastation and the deaths and 
the tragedy goes on and on.
  So I want to rise in support of this resolution and applaud the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Campbell) for bringing the resolution to the floor in hopes that 
this could be some added incentive for these two nations to resolve 
their differences.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I urge support of H. Con. Res. 46.
  I would also like to say that this conflict is starting to be felt 
here even in our Nation's capital between Ethiopians and Eritreans. I 
ask the Ethiopians and Eritreans here in our country to urge their 
governments to put down the weapons of war.
  Ethiopia and Eritrea do not have the oil of Angola or Nigeria, nor 
the diamonds of the Congo or Sierra Leone, or the gold of South Africa 
or Botswana, and so the fight is really, unfortunately, a dispute that 
we believe can come to a solution.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. 
Res. 46, the resolution that urges Eritrea and Ethiopia to end the war 
between the both countries. H. Con. Res. 46 expresses the sense of 
Congress deploring the escalation of the conflict between Ethiopia and 
Eritrea which has resulted in the massive and senseless loss of life, 
as well as substantial economic hardship to the peoples of both 
nations. In addition, this resolution strongly urges both Eritrea and 
Ethiopia to immediately bring an end to the violence between the two 
countries and strongly affirms U.S. support for the Organization of 
African Unity (OAU) Framework Agreement. The resolution also calls on 
the UN Human Rights Commission and all human rights organizations to 
investigate human rights abuses in connection with the forced 
detentions, deportations, and displacements of populations caused by 
this conflict.
  In 1952, former Italian colony Eritrea federated into Ethiopia and 
became one of its provinces. Forty years later, in 1993, Eritrea gained 
independence from Ethiopia peacefully, but no borders were clearly 
defined. Relations between the two countries remained peaceful and 
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Eritrean President Isaias 
Afwerki were deemed leaders who would help bring an African 
renaissance. However, the introduction of a new currency in Eritrea in 
1997 spurred tension between the two nations as Eritrea started to 
distance itself from Ethiopia.
  In May 1998 an area known as the Badme Triangle, administered by 
Ethiopia, became the first region to break out in fighting when 
Eritrean troops invaded the area, claiming it as their own. Fighting 
continued in the area, with both sides participating in bombings and 
forced detention of prisoners. The provocative act of aggression by 
Eritrea has attracted wide public attention since the Council of 
Ministers of the FDRE issued a statement on May 13 urging the Eritrean 
government to pull out its invading forces from the occupied 
territories of Ethiopia. It thus, seems, pertinent to give an overall 
view of the crises. The areas that have been occupied by the invading 
Eritrean force are the whole of Badme Woreda and part of Shiraro Woreda 
which are both located in Tigrai State. These areas have never been 
part of Eritrea when Eritrea was under the occupation of Italian 
colonialists, the British protectorate and later under the Haile-
Sellassie imperial administration. During the Derg regime, the 
residents of the two Woredas fought the military junta gallantly under 
the vanguard of the Tigrai People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
  Despite the indisputable historical records on the disputed areas, 
the Eritrean government has for long raised territorial claims. It 
should also be clear that the Ethiopian government has territorial 
claims on some areas which have been unfairly incorporated into today's 
Eritrea. As a matter of fact, there may be nothing wrong in raising 
territorial claims. Taking that fact into account, the two countries 
had established a joint committee to resolve territorial disputes 
peacefully. Both governments had reached a common understanding:
  (1) to resolve territorial claims through peaceful negotiations; and
  (2) to respect their respective boundaries which both occupied at the 
time of the fall of the Derg. It was on this bases that the joint 
committee was active until recently.
  While this was the case, however, an unexpected thing took place. The 
issue was that while the joint committee set up by the two governments 
had been working to peacefully settle the dispute based on the 
aforementioned understanding and while they had agreed to hold a 
meeting on Friday, 8, May 1998, the Eritrean forces touched off a clash 
in the north-western part of Ethiopia on Wednesday, 6 May 1998. In this 
regard, it seems that action was initially taken by the Ethiopian side; 
but this claim would not be sustainable for the simple fact that the 
locality where the clash broke out belonged to Ethiopia.
  In November 1998, the OAU Central Organ for Conflict Resolution 
presented a peace proposal to the countries and although both countries 
verbally accepted the proposal, fighting continued throughout the Horn 
of Africa.
  Mr. Speaker, we must speak out against this war and the human rights 
abuses associated with it. This is a war that has taken the

[[Page H10811]]

lives of thousands of civilians and destroyed the economy of two 
growing countries. On Monday, October 11, of this year Eritrea accused 
Ethiopia of destroying six Eritrean villages in a border area which 
Ethiopia occupied during fighting between the two countries in 
February.
  Administrators in the zone now report that forces from both countries 
have destroyed houses and villages and, in some cases, burned entire 
villages to the ground. Tens of thousands of soldiers have died during 
a vicious border war between the two Horn of Africa states in the last 
17 months, and efforts by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to 
resolve the dispute have so far failed.
  In February the Ethiopian army forced Eritrea out of the disputed 
Badme area along the western end of their border after heavy fighting, 
and pushed into land which Eritrea says is unquestionably part of its 
country. Eritrea says around 4,000 Eritrean residents of the Gash Barka 
zone have since fled to displacement camps in the area.
  Mr. Speaker, dear colleagues, I offer my full support for this 
resolution and urge that Eritria and Ethiopia end the war between them.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gillmor). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
46.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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