Aba Melekesedek, Arch Bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and secretary General of the Ethiopian Orthodox Synod, in exile.

Sir Elihu Lauterpact

Ethiopian-Eritrean Boundary Commission

Perrmanent Court of Arbitration

Peace Palace

Caregieplein 2

2517 KJ- The Hague

The Netherlands

Dear Sir, 

I am writing this letter as an Ethiopian individual and as a religious person, who knows the history, and culture of Ethiopia. I am also writing this in solidarity with tens of thousands of Ethiopians, who filled petition forms about the demarcation issue. I have put my name in one of the petition forms that are on the way to you and the secretary general of the United Nations, Mr. Koffi Annan.

To introduce myself:

I am Aba Melekesedek, Arch Bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and secretary General of the Ethiopian Orthodox Synod, in exile.
 

Before, the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie, I was his religious advisor, chief administrator of the Trinity Church, and Dean of The Theology Institute of Addis Ababa, formerly, Haile Selassie University. I have been also a member of the World Council of Churches, in Geneva, Switzerland. In these capacities, I have attended a lot of international conferences representing Ethiopia. I am an author, who wrote 18 books.
 

After, the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie, in 1974, the communist government of Colonel Mengestu Haile Mariam, imprisoned me for 9 years.
 

I am now, living in the United States, as a political and religious refugee, in opposition to the illegal government that rules Ethiopia, and the illegal Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church that was appointed by the government. 
 

I left Ethiopia, when the present regime, under the present Prime Minister, and his appointed Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, started dividing Ethiopia by Ethnics, religions, languages, and regions, in order to put into practice the divide and rule philosophy of dictators. 
 

The illegal Patriarch, who was put on the chair of the ancient Ethiopian Orthodox Church, was one of my students. He was put on the chair of the Patriarchy, not for other reasons, than being from the same district of the present ruler, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. 
 

Emulating, the politics of the Prime Minister, Patriarch Paulos, has divided one of the ancient churches in the world, by ethnics, languages and regions.
 

There are now two patriarch and two Synods. The legal Patriarch, and Synod, who were overthrown by the present prime minister, is now living as refugees in North America, and Europe. The illegal patriarchs, and Synod, who are installed by the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, are in office, in Addis Ababa.
 

As far as Ethiopians are concerned, both, the present prime Minister, and his Patriarch, Aba Paulos, are not elected democratically, to be the leaders of both the state and the Church. The election that they claimed is a disgrace, both, for the state and the church. The only way to be genuinely elected representatives, of the Ethiopian people, would be, when both, are elected, in a fair and open democratic way. Both, the prime minister and his appointed patriarch, of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, are the most hated leaders, in the history of Ethiopia.
 

Because, the existence of one depends on the other, both, the prime minister and the patriarch, are working hand and glove, in order to stay in power. They are working hard through the police, and security apparatus, so that they stay in power, and accumulate money. If a democratic and fair election comes in the state, and the church, there is no doubt in my mind that they will be swept away from power, by the ballot box.
 

The recent visit of Patriarch Paulos, to Asmara, Eritrea, as an advance man of the prime minister, and the return visit of the head of theEritrean Orthodox Church, to Addis Ababa, are not religious but political. It is to smooth the way for the boundary demarcation politics, that is strongly opposed by the people of Ethiopia.
 

We condemn such politically stimulated visit of Aba Paulos, to Eritrea, in a very strong term. But, since the Ethiopian people’s, contempt fort the Patriarch, is so big, his trip to Asmara, Eritrea, does not have any influence on the Ethiopians, one way or the other.
 

I would also like to remind you, that there has never been an Eritrean Orthodoxs Church, since the coming of Christianity, in that part of the world. There is only one ancient church that is the Ethiopian church.
 

Sir,

I mentioned the politics of the church, which seems to be out of topic, because, the unlawful Patriarch, that is leading the Ethiopian Church, is involved in the boundary politics that is strongly opposed by the Ethiopian people.

Sir,
 

On behalf of the legal Synod in exile, who’s Secretary General I am, I want to provide my observations, to you, about the present boundary demarcation, which is presented, to you, by both, the Ethiopian, and Eritrean authorities. 
 

First, and for most, both governments, are not the duly elected representatives, of the Ethiopian, and Eritrean peoples.They are not elected in a fair democratic process. 
 

As most prominent Ethiopians, pointed out to you, the technical arrangements, reached at Algiers, have not taken the immediate and long-term interest, of the Ethiopian, but the interest of Eritrea. If the commission under your leadership, passes its ruling in favor of Eritrea, based on the Algeris Technical Arrangements, I am afraid, that will not be, the source of peace, development, and well being of the region, but, source of conflict, war and poverty.
 

The Ethiopian people will never accept a verdict based on Italian treaties of 1900, 1902, and 1908, that are violated by the Italians, in 1936. It is a historical fact, that, after, Italy, conquered Ethiopia King Victor Emmanuel, the III, became, Emperor of Ethiopia with again, reunited Eritrea to the mother country. Even, during the Italian colonial rule, the territories on northern Ethiopia (Tigrai) front have never been under Italian rule. As members of Arbitration Commission know, when, Eritrea invaded the northern territories, in 1998, Ethiopia fought, and sacrificed, tens of thousands young men and women, and won the war, regaining its sovereignty over these districts. 
 

The Algiers agreement, contrary to the interest of the Ethiopian people, compels Ethiopia, to cede these districts, to Eritrea, in which, tens of thousands Ethiopians died for.
 

If, I am allowed, may I ask, the honorable members of the Arbitration Commission, “why, did Ethiopia went to war, and sacrificed, tens of thousands of its children, if the result will be to give away, the territories, that were the source for the terrible war, in the first place?” 
 

It should be remembered, that, the root cause of the split of the governing party, and its leadership of Tigrai Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), is the Technical Arrangements, reached at Algiers.

Sir,
 

The Afar coast regions, and the port of Assab, have been recognized as sea outlet, of Ethiopia, to the outside world, by the four powers peace conference in 1948, before the disposition of the Eritrean future.
 

Furthermore, the 1950 UN Resolution, confirmed, Ethiopia’s right to the Afar coast, with, Assab, as its permanent port to the sea. As the honorable members of the Arbitration Commission know, the Afar people, through its leaders have declared, that they wanted to be part of Ethiopia, but, not with Eritrea. For this they have been fighting against Eritrea since 1991, and, I am afraid they will intensify the war, if their democratic right is not met.

In addition to this, history has taught us, that landlocked Ethiopia, with out the gate way to the out side world; will be subjected to future arms embargo and blackmail by its traditional enemies. 
 

This has happened in the war with Benito Mussolini’s Italy, in 1935, and with Eritrea, in 1998. When, the Italian invaders came to Ethiopia, let alone through Assab and Massowa, which were under the colony of Italy, Ethiopia was forbidden to import arms that was bought and paid, through the port of Djibouti that was under the colony of France.
 

The “decision”, that is based on Algiers Technical Arrangements, as contemplated in the corridors of the United Nations, and in western countries, especially, in the United States, will overturn the historical record of the Peace Treaty, with Italy, of Feb. 1947, in which, Italy, renounced its right, to the Eritrean territory.
 

Furthermore, as the history of the United Nations informs us, Eritrea, became united with Ethiopia, in 1952, based on the Resolution of 1950, in which, the colonial boundaries between Ethiopia, and Italy, became worthless.
 

When the African Heads of States, passed a resolution, that confirmed, the colonial boundaries in Africa, at the 1964, Cairo Conference, Eritrea was already part of Ethiopia. 
 

Because, Ethiopia, is a poor country, with little or no leverages, either, in terms of having natural resources like petroleum, or far thinking patriotic leaders, who defend her, does not mean, we should be on the receiving line, of unjust” solution “.
 

As a religious, and knowledgeable man, who knows the history, and culture, of Ethiopia, I caution the international community, especially, the most Honorable Commission Members, not to repeat the shameful undertakings of the League of Nations, that gave Ethiopia on golden plate, to Benito Mussolini.
 

If the Arbitration Commission accepts, colonial treaties and false maps, and come to the conclusions, of imposing unfair solutions on Ethiopia, these will be translated as the source of conflict, and war, not only between Ethiopia and Eritrea, but also for the horn of Africa.As I see the future, the end result of these will be, of course, starvation, poverty and ignorance and the suffering of peoples, in that part of the world. 
 

I am sure, sir, that the coming generations of Ethiopia, will never recognize, the boundary demarcation, that took away, the territories that belonged to Ethiopia, since the record of history, and in which tens of thousand of Ethiopian, women, and men, fought and died for. 
 

In addition to this, Ethiopians will not sleep peacefully, if the port of Assab and the Afar country were denied to them. If, the port of Assab, and the Afar Land, belonged to Eritrea, the Eritreans, with the collaboration of some of the Arab Countries, will be able to open and close the Ethiopian throat any time they wanted. 
 

Blackmail, against Ethiopia, had happened in the past, and I am afraid; history will duplicate itself, again, if the hard work of the Arbitration Commission goes in the incorrect direction.

If, I may ask again,” why do the Eritreans, want the port of Assab, and the Afar coast, against the wishes of the Afar people, unless, it is to harm and blackmail Ethiopia?”
 

Eritrea has good and functioning port, Massowa, which is about 100 kilometers from its capitol city, Asmara. The port of Assab and the Afar coast have no economical value, for Eritreans unless Ethiopia uses them.
 

I, appeal to you, as a religious man that knows the Ethiopian psychology, and culture, to save the present, and the future generations, from unnecessary conflict, war, poverty, and ignorance, by your balanced judgment which all-Ethiopians wait with the greatest anxiety.

Let god, be with you, and guide you, towards the path of wisdom.

Your brother in God,

Aba Melkesedek

Arch Bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church &

Secretary General of the Synod in Exile

Cc: Mr. Koffi Anan, Secretary General of the United Nations

4 United Nations Plazas

Room S/3800

New York, N.Y. 10017