The recent military tensions over the Sudanese/Ethiopian borders are very unfortunate considering that Addis Ababa took up logic of force rather than force of logic in its dealing with the issue.
On the other hand the Sudanese government or say the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have no intention to drag its feet into war with Ethiopia and all its endeavors is to impose its control over the territories part of which are occupied by the Ethiopian militias.
Since the eruption of the clashes between the Ethiopian federal government and the TPLF last November, Khartoum used to monitor the situation very closely considering that any conflict in the bordering line with any neighbouring country will have negative impacts on the Sudanese territories.
It goes without saying that Sudan respects Ethiopia’s sovereignty over its territories and distances itself from interference in its internal affairs; but the recent clashes on the bordering line and the ambush of the Ethiopian militias which claimed the lives of dear Sudanese soldiers represented a gross violation to the international law considering that the incident took place inside the Sudanese territories at Great Al-Fashaga which was liberated from occupation of Amhara militias who were trying to control those fertile lands of the Sudanese farmers and inside the Sudanese territories since long time.
All the demarcation documents are but clear evidence that those areas are inside the Sudanese territories since 1902 agreement; but the ousted regime gave a blind eye to that reality within its endeavors to prolong its stay in governance.
Now, things changed after December glorious revolution and the transitional government is practicing its right over the sovereignty of Sudan without any fear; but it is apparent that the Ethiopian government did not realize this principle.
The clashes between the Ethiopian army and the TPLF resulted to the displacement of more than 50 thousand Ethiopians who fled from the fighting towards the Sudanese territories and they are now in Um Rakoba refugees camp where they are now provided by shelter, foodstuff, and medicine from the Sudanese government with the assistance of the UN concerned agencies in each of Kassala and Gedaref States.
The UNHCR hailed the hospitality and support of the Sudanese government in hosting that huge number of refugees despite the dire economic situation of Sudan in general.
Regrettably, the Ethiopian authorities did not consider all that, and instead is claiming that the Sudanese army is launching war against the Ethiopian army on the borders line, a matter that represents an obstacle to resume the talks over the borders demarcation.
Rationality requires from any government to resort to peaceful dialogue as the shortest path to strike a sustainable solution for any dispute.
It is high time for PM Abiy Ahmed as one of laureates of Noble Peace Prize to promote the peaceful mechanism to resolve any disputes considering that the African continent had bitter experiences in military conflicts and it is time to adapt its recent slogan of silencing the guns all over the continent.
