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DATE=5/18/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ERITREA WAR (L-O)
NUMBER=2-262531
BYLINE=CAROL PINEAU
DATELINE=ASMARA
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  Ethiopia has made significant advances into 
Eritrean territory, taking the town of Barentu.  Carol 
Pineau met with top Eritrean officials and files this 
report from Asmara.
TEXT:  Eritreans are reeling from the shock of hearing 
their government announce late Wednesday that the army 
had evacuated from Barentu, a key town in southwestern 
Eritrea - 40-kilometers from the Ethiopian border.
By morning the Ethiopian army had taken positions in 
the town.
Officials in Asmara say the evacuation of civilians 
and military was orderly.  They say there were few 
casualties and the army left behind little military 
equipment.
More than five-thousand people took to the streets of 
Asmara to condemn the Ethiopian offensive.  They 
called for the international community to help stop 
the war.
While the fronts were reportedly quiet, presidential 
spokesperson Yemane Ghebremeskel predicts there will 
be no letup in fighting.
            /// YEMANE ACT ///
      Because Ethiopia is occupying our sovereign 
      territory, and because it has refused to heed to 
      the U-N Security Council resolution for a cease-
      fire, I think fighting is going to continue.
            /// END ACT ///
Eritrean relief officials announced the town of 
Akurdat - about 45-kilometers north of Barentu - has 
been evacuated of civilians, but the army has 
remained.  The presidential spokesperson says Eritrea 
is trying to assess the humanitarian situation.
            /// YEMANE ACT ///
      The human dimension is very serious, because we 
      have a big number of people, perhaps on the 
      level of 200-thousand, who have been displaced.  
      Some are being dislocated for a second time.  I 
      think that will have consequences for them and 
      of course for the entire nation.  The extended 
      family system, or the support system here is 
      very solid, but I think the coping mechanism for 
      the population is being overextended.  So these 
      people, although they will get the support of 
      their compatriots who are not threatened by 
      Ethiopian invasion, I think we still face a very 
      serious problem.
            /// END ACT ///
Political analysts say the latest developments have 
changed the scope of the conflict.  They explain it is 
no longer a border war with each side pushing against 
the other in order to gain advantage of disputed 
territory.  Ethiopia has now invaded deep inside 
uncontested Eritrean sovereign territory.
Eritrea has complained bitterly that the U-N Security 
Council resolution imposing an arms embargo on the two 
countries is grossly unfair.
Officials in Asmara say it is Ethiopia that has 
invaded Eritrean land, and the United Nations must 
differentiate between the two countries.  Asmara says 
the United Nations has an obligation to protect 
Eritrea's right of self-defense and to impose 
sanctions against Ethiopia as the aggressor party.   
(SIGNED)
NEB/CP/RAE 
18-May-2000 14:07 PM EDT (18-May-2000 1807 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.