Instead of asking why Eritrea attacked Djoubuti, The most suitable question would have been, have a war or minor confrontation occured between Djooubuti and Eritrea. If you ask me, i don't think so. Then you might ask , why is then Djobuti claim of Eritrea's attack? Which is a legit question and which i am happyly to answer.
To have a bigger picture and better understanding, Lets review how the so called war atmosphere between those two countries emerged and i emphisize not in reality but in the western press.
Lets start with the new york times. Since a picture tell more than 1000 words lets start with the picture which was embeded with text
A Djiboutian soldier, left, and an Eritrean soldier at a wall denoting the battle line in the border dispute near the Red Sea. Opposing troops are within feet or inches of each other.
How credible is that a soldiers of two countries who are in "confronation or battle mood" to stand like this fashion with out been trigger happy.
Second.
Addis Ababa - Eritrean soldiers have crossed the border into Djibouti and begun building defences, Djiboutian officials said.
"Eritrean soldiers made an incursion into Djibouti territory two or three days ago in the Ras Doumeira area," an official who did not want to be identified said in a telephone interview.
"The situation is not clear," he said, adding, "Top level negotiations are under way to resolve the problem."
Another source said, "There are Eritreans in Doumeira and work is being done."
The source said trenches had been dug on both sides of the border, with the Eritreans infringing several hundred metres (yards) on to Djiboutian territory."
However the official said the Eritreans digging the trenches seemed to be civilian labourers and not troops.
"This region is very isolated and it was a week before Djibouti authorities realised what was going on." A military source said French forces based in Djibouti had carried out a reconnaissance Thursday at the government's request but had not been able to confirm an incursion."
Djibouti and Eritrea have clashed twice in the past over the border area situated at the southern end of Red Sea. In April 1996 they almost went to war after a Djibouti official accused Asmara of shelling the town of Ras Doumeira.
In 1999 Eritrea accused Djibouti of siding with Asmara's arch-foe Ethiopia while Djibouti alleged its neighbour was supporting Djiboutian rebels and had designs on the Ras Doumeira region, which
http://www.moneybiz.co.za/africa/africa ... 1891264ea8Who is telling the truth, The french who own djobuti and controlled the area by their own eyes or the Djobuti officials.
To be continued
