To correct my previous comment, the judges in The Hague and other responsible parties did NOT practice due diligence in investigating the history of the area and the reality on the ground.

France 24 on irrob land issues
France 42, I am a native of irrob land. First of all, I would like to say Thank you for your justices and facts to bring on media about irrob land issues. The Irrob people, who had been victemized by boreder war between Ethiopia and Eretria (1998-2000), had never been part of Eretria. Whoever trying to separate our people and territory are commuting crime. France 24, you heard the truth from irrob people at the heart of irrob land. It is absolute truth. Irrob people never under Eretria’s administration even for a second as you heard from the irrobs themselves in the irrob land on november14, 2008 at Dowhan twon. We are going to fight for our rights. No one has a right to take and divide our land to reward invader. Irrob people believe on peace and unity. We don’t tolerate separation and division. We are going to live united as usual and remain being Ethiopians forever.
Tiger

I am an Irob and deeply grateful to the France 24 International News for the well-balanced news report published on the Internet on 14 November 2008 on the Irob people and their land. It was France 24 from any foreign reporters to be the first one to go to the heart of Irobland, Dawhan, and to publish a video report.

Irob people have always been a bridge between Ethiopia and Eritrea and never been an enemy of either side but rather a peace-loving people who lived peacefully for centuries in their land. Irobland never had been colonized by Italy or administered by British after Italy left its colony, Eritrea.

The baseless claim of nonexistent Muna River that was wrongly placed on some unofficial maps proposed by Italy and claimed by Eritrea as a colonial border is absolutely unacceptable to the Irob people who lived there for over 700 years way before the existence of the Italian Colony (Eritrea) of the late nineteenth century. For the Irob people, The Hague-based Ethiopia-Eritrea Border Commission's Decision and ruling is absolutely unacceptable since the Irob country never has been part of Eritrea or ruled by Italy at any point or time during the 60 years of colonization of Eritrea. The name "Eritrea" itself was given by Italy and was taken from the "Red Sea" probably from the descriptive Greek term "Erythros". The EEBC arrogantly failed to carefully study the history of the Irob people dwelling in their land way before the existence of Eritrea and wrongly decided to divide the Irobland in half exposing the people to a great danger of extinction through division and probably another destructive war or endless hostilities for generations to come

OAU's charter regarding the sanctity of colonial borders cannot apply to Ethiopia. The Ethiopia-Eritrea border was established between two unequal partners, Ethiopia and Italy and was not arbitrarily drawn-out by European colonizers. Whether we like it or not, the territory "Eritrea" was established on January 1, 1890 AFTER it was forcefully carved out of Ethiopia. An article in the Treaty of Addis Ababa, signed in October 1896, between Ethiopia and Italy the master of Eritrea clearly states that in the event that Italy were to vacate its newly acquired territory, the territory will be returned to its rightful owner, Ethiopia. This important treaty which is clear evidence that Italy recognizes Ethiopia as the rightful owner of its newly acquired colony, has been sidelined by the current political players. No such treaty or deal exists between any other African country and its former European owner. Although the Treat of Addis Ababa of 1896 was crystalized with a series of border treaties to establish the territorial limitations of Italy's new colony, that treaty and the demarcated borders were rendered null and void with Italy's invasion of Ethiopia proper in 1935. Furthermore, with the support of its people, the Eritrean government recognizes Ethiopia as the country's former and final colonizer. As such and in accordance with the sanctity of colonial borders, it is the borders that Ethiopia, the last colonial master of Eritrea has established that are valid and legal and not Italy's, which by the Treaty of Addis Ababa of 1896 were recognized as being temporary and were subsequently violated and rendered null and void by the invasion of Ethiopia in 1935. That said not only are the Irob lands, which consist of all territories south of the Mereb River Ethiopian but also the Saho and Afar lands that are currently under Eritrean occupation that must be returned to Ethiopia.