Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASMARA916
2007-12-04 10:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:
NO GSE RESPONSE YET TO EEBC DECISION
how-toVZCZCXRO3068 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHAE #0916 3381018 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 041018Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9298 INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1531 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1709 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0670 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000916
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV KPKO ER
SUBJECT: NO GSE RESPONSE YET TO EEBC DECISION
Classified By: AMB Ron K. McMullen, for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000916
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV KPKO ER
SUBJECT: NO GSE RESPONSE YET TO EEBC DECISION
Classified By: AMB Ron K. McMullen, for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) The Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) has yet
to respond officially to the November 30th statement of the
Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC). Many Eritreans
anticipated the EEBC would provide much-awaited answers to
the ongoing uncertainty about the border and expected that
the GSE would have an official response. The GSE official
media outlets have run no editorials or articles on the EEBC
decision.
2. (C) In contrast to the GSE's silence, the country's sole
political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice
(PFDJ),has conducted meetings throughout the country
reiterating anti-American and anti-Ethiopian rhetoric. In
these community meetings, reported septel, PFDJ leaders Hagos
Ghebrehiwet, Head of Economic Affairs, and Yemane Ghebreab,
Head of Political Affairs, have repeatedly claimed that the
U.S. continues to be Eritrea's primary enemy and, despite the
arrival of a new U.S. Ambassador, Eritreans should not hope
that the bilateral relationship will improve. One attendee
told Poloff that Ghebrehiwet explained to the audience that
while the Ambassador may be new, he still represents the same
government and the same policies.
3. (C) Simultaneously, the GSE continues to arrest and detain
young people of national service age, predominantly men
between the ages of 18-40. RSO observed GSE officials,
mostly police, mid-Sunday morning manning checkpoints and
detaining individuals. At one checkpoint he counted nearly
30 young men being held.
4. (C) Comment: The PFDJ's latest public propaganda campaign
highlighting purported threats to Eritrea's national security
may be designed to maintain GSE control of the population
while lowering expectations of immediate improvements in the
political climate in the wake of the EEBC ruling.
Potentially, a less tense security situation could foment
instability because of heightened expectations of many
long-suffering Eritreans. End Comment.
MCMULLEN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV KPKO ER
SUBJECT: NO GSE RESPONSE YET TO EEBC DECISION
Classified By: AMB Ron K. McMullen, for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) The Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) has yet
to respond officially to the November 30th statement of the
Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC). Many Eritreans
anticipated the EEBC would provide much-awaited answers to
the ongoing uncertainty about the border and expected that
the GSE would have an official response. The GSE official
media outlets have run no editorials or articles on the EEBC
decision.
2. (C) In contrast to the GSE's silence, the country's sole
political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice
(PFDJ),has conducted meetings throughout the country
reiterating anti-American and anti-Ethiopian rhetoric. In
these community meetings, reported septel, PFDJ leaders Hagos
Ghebrehiwet, Head of Economic Affairs, and Yemane Ghebreab,
Head of Political Affairs, have repeatedly claimed that the
U.S. continues to be Eritrea's primary enemy and, despite the
arrival of a new U.S. Ambassador, Eritreans should not hope
that the bilateral relationship will improve. One attendee
told Poloff that Ghebrehiwet explained to the audience that
while the Ambassador may be new, he still represents the same
government and the same policies.
3. (C) Simultaneously, the GSE continues to arrest and detain
young people of national service age, predominantly men
between the ages of 18-40. RSO observed GSE officials,
mostly police, mid-Sunday morning manning checkpoints and
detaining individuals. At one checkpoint he counted nearly
30 young men being held.
4. (C) Comment: The PFDJ's latest public propaganda campaign
highlighting purported threats to Eritrea's national security
may be designed to maintain GSE control of the population
while lowering expectations of immediate improvements in the
political climate in the wake of the EEBC ruling.
Potentially, a less tense security situation could foment
instability because of heightened expectations of many
long-suffering Eritreans. End Comment.
MCMULLEN