ECADF: Open Letter to Mr. Umar Hassen Ahmad al-Bashir

February 8, 2014

Mr. Umar Hassen Ahmad al-Bashir, President
The Republic of the Sudan
Khartoum, Sudan

Dear: Mr. al-Bashir

The Ethiopian Current Affairs Discussion Forum (ECADF) is a non-for–profit organization where concerned Ethiopians from all over the world discuss matters that affect Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

It is a recorded history that Ethiopia is the only country in African that has never been colonized and pioneered an anti-colonization movement. On March 1, 1896 the war that was fought between the then Kingdom of Italy and Ethiopia in Adwa to occupy Ethiopian sovereignty was dealt appropriately by our forefathers. Once again, in 1936 Italy tried the same but defeated after 5 years occupation.

Ethiopia was one of the very first African countries that fought at the United Nations for the freedom of those colonized sisterly African countries as it was the only member of African continent, and pioneered an anti-colonial movement late 1950’s and in 1960’s. Ethiopia is the founding member for the Organization of African Unity, which is known today African Union its head office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Never in the history, Ethiopia, declared a territory that does not belong to her, and never surrendered her own territory to any country. However, it is extremely puzzling to learn that a discussion at the back door is taking place between the despotic Ethiopian regime and the Sudanese government to hand over on a silver plate the territory of Ethiopia which is 1,600 kilometers long with a width of 45 to 60 kilometers.

The Anglo-Ethiopia Treaty of 1902 that was supposed to delimit the boundaries between Ethiopia and Great Britain, the then colonial administrator of the Sudan, never been materialized. However, later on without any consultation with The Ethiopian government’s boundary commission, Great Britain appointed its army office called Major Charles Gwynn to arbitrarily demarcate the boundary. The unilateral and arbitrary demarcation of the boundary by Great Britain was not acknowledged or signed by the then or successive Ethiopian governments.

There is no other short cut or back door discussion can be legitimate. As such, a demarcation of a boundary to be valid, the concerning countries must agree in order to be acceptable legally and binding.

One thing should be clear, that the dictatorial regime in Ethiopia has no mandate be it to discuss or have the authority to cede an Ethiopian territory to any country.

We are therefore, would like the government of the Sudan know that:

1. The Ethiopian and the Sudanese people lived in harmony for millennia in harmony, peace and good relationship irrespective of regime changes in both countries.

2. We confirm that whatever promises, accords or agreements committed by the current Ethiopian regime without the consent of the Ethiopian people will not be respected.

3. The dictatorial regime in Ethiopia has no mandate or authority to negotiate on behalf of Ethiopians.

4. We are strongly and firmly asserting that under no circumstance the territorial sovereignty is negotiable through the back door at the expense of the people of Ethiopia.

5. In extreme terms any territorial negotiation between the dictatorial regime of Ethiopia and that of the Sudan is null and void.

6. We assert, such a deal could lead to a lasting dispute between our two sisterly countries; we do not want to see that to happen..

7. Finally, we can assure you that the people of Ethiopia will not give away the territorial sovereignty they inherited from the forefathers. They will die for it to the last drop of their blood.

Let peace, harmony and understanding prevail between Ethiopia and the Sudan.

Ethiopian Current Affairs Discussion Forum