African boundary politics: a case of Ethiopian-Eritrean boundary discord

Abstract

This paper examined the boundary discord between Ethiopia and Eritrea over the region around Badme which started as a result of artificial boundaries created by the Italian imperialists. The study depicts the evolution of Italian colonialism in Ethiopia between 1936 and 1941. It exposes the differentials existing between the Muslim lowlanders and Christian highlanders. This paper further showcased the activities of armed resistance movements that emerged such as Eritrean Liberation Front (EFL) and Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The paper discussed the root causes of the war, unlawful expulsion and destruction of houses of Eritreans. The paper concluded with the quest for peace to bring an end to the border discord between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Keywords: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Border Politics, Colonialism, Conflict Resolution