In May 2000 a frustrated Ethiopia launched a full-scale invasion into western and central Eritrea, aiming at maximum economic destruction, destroying newly constructed plants, offices, hotels and residences. Having re-captured Badme and other disputed areas, and under considerable pressure from the international community, Ethiopia halted its advances and both sides signed a cease-fire on June 18th 2000. Six months later a final peace treaty was signed, with both countries agreeing to resolve the dispute through binding international arbitration.
The war with Ethiopia has destroyed the Eritrean economy. From the signing of the Algeri Treaty nothing has been like before and on top of this tightening of the belt for everyone remaining, President Afewerki has made any attempt to create political change or opposition impossible with every mean. Amnesty international has openly denounced the banning of all independent information activity in Eritrea since in 2002, 15 journalists and 18 political dissidents were imprisoned without trial and accusations. They have since not been released and no news of their health or whereabouts has been given by government sources.
To make the situation worse, since the beginning of 2006 all foreign NGOs have been banned from being present in the country and as an act of defiance to the UNMEE all American, European and Canadian UM workers have been denied work and living permits in the country, with the accusations of favouring Ethiopia’s expansion into Eritrean territory.
From a social point of view, the police and military control on the population, the repression of all political and religious dissent (since may 2002 all religious confessions different from orthodox, catholic Eritrean evangelical and Sunni Muslims have been banned), have posed a real threat to internal stability. The compulsory military service, which perpetuates itself for even 10 years for some and the continuous state of alert for war is slowly draining the population’s hard fought dream of independence and national unity which forged Eritrea in 1993.
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