Ethiopia and Eritrea might have buried the hatchet to work towards a better future in all sense. But what is happening on the border may not cheer up residents and traders in the border areas. They are keen to know what is happening inside and whether the two governments are walking the talk.
The Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed was in Eritrea last week, presumably for talks relating to borders. But people are failing to understand what is holding up implementation of a peace deal brokered last year after long years of getting caught in a limbo. The Zalambessa border crossing closed at the end of last year without explanation. Leaders from both sides are tightlipped about the reasons for the closure of the border town. Zalambessa is a small area on the border between both countries claimed by the two countries that clashed especially on this issue in a war between 1998 and 2000 Other controversial areas along the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia are Bure and Badme are the other controversial border towns.
After the opening of the borders, everybody thought things would get sorted out on its own. They wanted to have trade, to have people to people contacts, more investments and dreamed that their deprived lives would move to a comfortable trajectory. But their hopes were dashed with the closure of the border towns. Businesses were back to naught. Lack of communications from both the governments, traders and people from both sides apprehend that the peace initiatives would take a back seat and skirmishes would erupt at any point of time.
Who is dragging the feet: Eritrea or Ethiopia? Many analysts and diplomats suspect Eritrea is guilty of foot-dragging. Opening up to Ethiopia would force Isaias, the strongman of the country, to give up a measure of control, having regard to the fact that he controlled the landlocked country with an iron fist. His critics say he is unlikely to do so. Isaias’ harsh policies like compulsory national service, which forces citizens into specific jobs at low pay and bans them from traveling abroad, may not go well when people are free to travel between the two countries. Hey will try to compare themselves with the immediate neighbors and the freedom that they enjoy.
Ethiopia’s prime minister Abiy’s ambitious reform agenda has run amuck in the recent days marked by the spate of the assassinations of five government and military officials. The tensions between Abiy and the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the party that dominates the northern Tigray region are mounting. The silver line is that the truce has some progress to showcase. Despite the closure of the Zalambessa crossing in December, soldiers on both sides have since loosened restrictions. Ethiopian traders say that on some days they cross into Eritrea unimpeded and vice versa. How long that will continue when the administrations are tight-lipped about the future.
