Badme
Encyclopedia
Badme is a town in the Horn of Africa
and the focus of a territorial dispute
between Eritrea
and Ethiopia
. It is claimed by both Eritrea, which considers Badme to be a part of Gash-Barka
Zone, and Ethiopia, which considers Badme part of the Mirabawi Zone of the Tigray Region
. This dispute was the basis of the Eritrean-Ethiopian War
, which began in 1998. Currently the town is administered by Ethiopia.
(the predecessor of the EPRDF, Ethiopia's currently ruling party) to the EPLF
(the predecessor of the PFDJ
, Eritrea's ruling organization) in November 1977.
In 2000, Eritrea and Ethiopia signed the Algiers Agreement
which forwarded the border dispute to a Hague boundary commission. In the Agreement both parties agreed in advance to comply with the ruling of the Border Commission. In 2002, the commission ruled on where the boundary ran, placing Badme inside Eritrean territory despite the fact that most of the inhabitants of Badme consider themselves to be Ethiopian citizens.
The Sudan Tribune reported that during January 2005, Badme inhabitants were registering to vote in the Ethiopian elections
scheduled for May of that year. These reports are complicated by reports that Ethiopia relocated hundreds of citizens to Badme during the Hague hearings.
Despite initially agreeing to abide by the terms of the Algiers Agreement, Ethiopia refused to withdraw to the border established by the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission and rejected its ruling. As a result, thousands of internally displaced people have remained in refugee camps and the threat of renewed war continues.
Other disputed areas along the Eritrean-Ethiopian border include Tsorona-Zalambessa
and Bure
.
of Ethiopia in 2005 reported that this town has an estimated total population of 1,563 of whom 834 are men and 729 are women. The Ethiopian government considers Badme as one of four towns in Tahtay Adiyabo
woreda
.
According to the 1994 Ethiopian national census, its total population was 892 of whom 444 were males and 448 were females. Eritrean population figures have not yet been found.
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
and the focus of a territorial dispute
Territorial dispute
A territorial dispute is a disagreement over the possession/control of land between two or more states or over the possession or control of land by a new state and occupying power after it has conquered the land from a former state no longer currently recognized by the new state.-Context and...
between Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. It is claimed by both Eritrea, which considers Badme to be a part of Gash-Barka
Gash-Barka
Gash-Barka is one of the six regions of Eritrea. It is situated in the south-west of the country, bordering the Anseba region to the north, and the Central and Southern regions to the east; the county of Sudan lies to the west and Ethiopia to the south....
Zone, and Ethiopia, which considers Badme part of the Mirabawi Zone of the Tigray Region
Tigray Region
Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine ethnic regions of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1...
. This dispute was the basis of the Eritrean-Ethiopian War
Eritrean-Ethiopian War
The Eritrean–Ethiopian War took place from May 1998 to June 2000 between Ethiopia and Eritrea, forming one of the conflicts in the Horn of Africa...
, which began in 1998. Currently the town is administered by Ethiopia.
Disputed territory
The boundaries of Ethiopia and Eritrea follow a frontier defined by the Ethiopian-Italian Treaty of 1902, which ruled Eritrea as a colony at the time. However, the frontier near Badme was poorly defined in the treaty, and since Eritrea became a separate nation in 1993 each nation disputed where the boundary actually runs. The town of Badme was ceded by the TPLFTigrayan People's Liberation Front
The Tigrayan People's Liberation Front , known more commonly and sometimes pejoratively in Ethiopia as Woyane or Weyane is a political party in Ethiopia...
(the predecessor of the EPRDF, Ethiopia's currently ruling party) to the EPLF
Eritrean People's Liberation Front
The Eritrean People's Liberation Front was an armed organization that fought for the independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia. It emerged in 1970 as an intellectual left-wing group that split from the Eritrean Liberation Front .-Background:...
(the predecessor of the PFDJ
People's Front for Democracy and Justice
The People's Front for Democracy and Justice is the current ruling political movement in Eritrea. It is nominally and often considered African socialist and holds itself open to nationalists of any political affiliation. It is the successor to the Eritrean People's Liberation Front...
, Eritrea's ruling organization) in November 1977.
In 2000, Eritrea and Ethiopia signed the Algiers Agreement
Algiers Agreement (2000)
The Algiers Agreement was an agreement between the governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia signed on December 12, 2000, at Algiers, Algeria to end the Eritrean-Ethiopian War, a border war fought by the two countries from 1998 to 2000...
which forwarded the border dispute to a Hague boundary commission. In the Agreement both parties agreed in advance to comply with the ruling of the Border Commission. In 2002, the commission ruled on where the boundary ran, placing Badme inside Eritrean territory despite the fact that most of the inhabitants of Badme consider themselves to be Ethiopian citizens.
The Sudan Tribune reported that during January 2005, Badme inhabitants were registering to vote in the Ethiopian elections
Ethiopian general elections, 2005
Ethiopia held general elections on May 15, 2005, for seats in both its national and in four regional government councils. Under pressure from the international community, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi promised that this election would be proof that more democracy would come in this multi-ethnic...
scheduled for May of that year. These reports are complicated by reports that Ethiopia relocated hundreds of citizens to Badme during the Hague hearings.
Despite initially agreeing to abide by the terms of the Algiers Agreement, Ethiopia refused to withdraw to the border established by the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission and rejected its ruling. As a result, thousands of internally displaced people have remained in refugee camps and the threat of renewed war continues.
Other disputed areas along the Eritrean-Ethiopian border include Tsorona-Zalambessa
Tsorona-Zalambessa
Tsorona and Zalambessa are two small disputed areas on the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Tsorona is 23 km northwest of the larger Zalambessa village...
and Bure
Bure, Africa
Bure is a small disputed area on the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia, about 50 miles west of Asseb with a latitude and a longitude of . Eritrea considers Bure to be a part of its Southern Red Sea Zone, while Ethiopia considers Bure part of Administrative Zone 1 of its Afar Region...
.
Demographics
The Central Statistical AgencyCentral Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)
The Central Statistical Agency is an agency of the government of Ethiopia designated to provide all surveys and censuses for that country used to monitor economic and social growth, as well as to act as an official training center in that field. It is part of the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance and...
of Ethiopia in 2005 reported that this town has an estimated total population of 1,563 of whom 834 are men and 729 are women. The Ethiopian government considers Badme as one of four towns in Tahtay Adiyabo
Tahtay Adiyabo
Tahtay Adiyabo is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mi'irabawi Zone, Tahtay Adiyabo is bordered on the south by the Asigede Tsimbela, then by the Tekezé River which separates Tahtay Adiyabo from Wolqayt and Kafta Humera on the southwest, on the north by Eritrea,...
woreda
Woreda
Woreda is an administrative division of Ethiopia , equivalent to a district . Woredas are composed of a number of Kebele, or neighborhood associations, which are the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia...
.
According to the 1994 Ethiopian national census, its total population was 892 of whom 444 were males and 448 were females. Eritrean population figures have not yet been found.