Annual Report

It was during 2004 that a massive exodus took place by young Eritreans fleeing from the oppressive dictatorship at home. Many of the youth died while trying to cross the Sahara Desert, the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

A tragic incident took place at Adi Abeito near Asmara on 4 November 2004 in which the dictatorial regime committed brutal killing of innocent youth and this action roused the anger of our people and their friends who expressed their condemnation of the grisly act through mammoth demonstrations world-wide and through other different means.

The 76 Eritreans who were subjected to forced repatriation from Libya to Eritrea in the summer of 2004 had to resort to self-defense and in turn force the plane to land in Khartoum, Sudan. This was a clear signal of the resurging resistance to injustice and the lawlessness prevailing in Eritrea under the PFDJ regime.

Major Regional Events During 2004:

The rapprochement for peaceful settlement of conflicts reached in Kenya and the Sudan are hopeful signals for resolution of problems locally among erstwhile adversaries willing to put the past behind them.

On the other hand, Ethiopia’s belated acceptance in principle of the final and binding ruling on the border conflict with Eritrea augurs well for peaceful future for the region. Similarly, the Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Salih’s initiative of dialogue for peace can be counted as a positive development for peace in the region although little trust can be laid on the adventurous and maverick regime in Eritrea.

Of the unwelcome developments that cropped up in our continent during 2004 can be mentioned the unfortunate resumption of hostilities between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo; and the on-and-off conflicts taking place in the Darfur region of the Sudan, in Ivory Coast and in Sierra Leone.

Report on Major ELF-RC Activities,

Other Eritrea-related Events During 2004

January 2004

03 January: Ibrahim Mohammed Ali, RC Speaker and chairman of its dialogue committee, drafted a proposal for a united front between ENA, DP and ELF-RC and distributed the document to the concerned parties.

05 January: The dialogue committees of ENA and ELF-RC met and issued a statement on the need for continued consultations. The agreement was opposed by Heruy Tedla Bairu and Ahmed Nasser.

10-11 January: ELF-RC branches in Europe held a Europe-wide seminar in Frankfurt in the presence of the ELF-RC chairman and a good number of leadership members.

10-12 January: A joint ENA and ELF-RC delegation made up of Freedom Fighters Mengiteab Asmerom, Hassan Ali Assad and Mohammed Tahir Shengeb attended a regional conference in Sanaa, Yemen, on democracy, human rights and the role of the international tribunal.

15 January: Nine members of the Eritrean army under the regime who escaped to the Sudan held a meeting in the ELF-RC office.

21 January: Deputy spokesperson of the State Department of the United States of America expressed deep concern about fears of resumption of armed conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea and called on both parties to strictly abide by and implement the final and binding decision of the Border Commission.

21 January: Saigon Nongo, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Eritrea announced that 1.9 million out of 3.5 million Eritreans were dependent on humanitarian welfare while two-thirds of Eritreans are subjected to life under the poverty line. One out of every 6 Eritreans is affected by malnutrition.

February 2004

06 February: Organizational and public seminars were conducted in Gedarif by ELF-RC leadership members consisting of Mengisteab Asmerom, head of the Information and Cultural Office, Mohammed Ali Ibrahim, head of the Military Office, and Mohammed Asselo, member of the RC and representative of the ELF-RC in Gedarif.

13 February: Organizational and public seminars were organized in Kassala by ELF-RC leadership members consisting of Mengiteab Asmerom, head of the Information and Cultural Office, Mohammed Ali Ibrahim, head of the Military Office, and Mohammed Adem Artaa, member of the RC in charge of the Kassala office.

21 February: Organizational and public seminars were organized in Port Sudan by ELF-RC leadership members consisting of Mengiteab Asmerom, head of the Information and Cultural Office, and Mohammed Adem Artaa, member of the RC in charge of the Kassala office.

February 2004: Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, the Foreign Minister of the Sudan, announced that the Eritrean regime was involved in the Darfur conflict which was due to be discussed at the 58^th session of the UN General Assembly.

February 2004: Responding to questions by journalists, the Eritrean president Isayas Afeworki said about Eritrean refugees: “only kitchen utensils and women are returning to Eritrea”.

28 February: An African forum met in Libya to discuss about agriculture, water resources and the formation of a peace force for Africa. The Libyan leader met Ethiopia’s Melles Zenawi and Eritrea’s Isayas in separate audiences.

28 February: The ELF-RC branch of Denmark held its congress in Copenhagen under the slogan “Let Democratic Culture Flourish in the ELF-RC”. Tekle Melekin, head of the Foreign Relations Office attended the congress.

March 2004

01 March: An explosion at the Shefarai hotel in Tessenei cliamed 3 lives and 33 were wounded.

March: Isayas Afeworki quipped: “Eritrea is not a cemetery to which [Eritrean abroad] return only in their last days before death”.

03 March: The ELF-RC and the Eritrean Federal Democratic Movement (EFDM) issued a joint statement on political positions.

04 March: A force extracted from Eritrean army divisions 21 and 31 wore civilian clothes and unloaded a ship coming from Europe with flour and variety of food items.

05 March: 13 escapees from the Eritrean army met with members of the ELF-RC office in the Sudan.

5-11 March: Idris Ismail, RC member and in charge of administration in the Military Office; Issa Mohammed, in charge of the military camp administration, conducted a political seminar for the ELF-RC mobile army units.

12 March: An American press advocacy body (CPJ) reported that in sub-Saharan Africa, Eritrea holds the record of keeping the largest number of journalists under dungeons.

13-15 March: The Executive Committee of the ELF-RC held its 3^rd regular session.

15 March: The German branch of the ELF-RC marked the anniversary of Togoruba and International Women’s Day in Frankfurt in the presence of the Chairman, Seyoum Ogbamichael, and other members of the leadership. Similarly, the two occasions were celebrated colourfully by units of the ELA. Message of the organization was presented by Issa Mohammed, head of the military camp administration.

15 March: The PFDJ regime forcefully recruited for its 18^th round of “national service” some 6,000 youth from Senhit, Semhar and Hamassien. This action was taken after the regime lost almost all of its forced recruits in rounds 16 and 17 who reportedly fled to the Sudan.

March 2004: A new body called the Eritrean Democratic Association (EDA) was formed in Germany and other European countries to function in coordination with ELF-RC branches. A similar association carrying that name also operates in the USA.

30 March: The Wadi Sherifei School for Eritrean refugees closed its scholastic year in a colourful ceremony attended by parents and officials of the Sudanese government.

April 2004

3 April: The Bay Area branch of the ELF-RC in USA colourfully marked the anniversary of Togoruba and Women’s Day at San Jose, California.

6 April: Hooligans representing the PFDJ party of Isayas Afeworki disrupted a meeting on press and journalists that was organized by Reporters Without Frontier at the SIDA hall in Stockholm. In the disruption, a famous Swedish journalist (Stanyinholm) received a cut on his head by flying chairs. Many other persons were boxed and hit by items thrown on them.

30 April: The Riyadh branch of ELF-RC held a seminar for its members.

May 2004

01 May: The Eritrean Opposition forces issued a statement regarding the Eritrean independence day for 2004.

01 May: The Eritrea Center in Frankfurt was inaugurated and Workers’ Day marked at the new center in presence of ELF-RC Chairman, Seyoum Ogbamichael; head of the ELF-RC Social Affairs Office, Gimie Ahmed; a member of the ENA leadership, members of civil societies and members of the EDA.

03 May: International Press Day was solemnly marked.

05 May: The UN Mission between Eritrea and Ethiopia (UNMEE) announced that 36 of its local employees were detained by the lawless regime in Eritrea.

07 May: The Asmara regime charged UNMEE of assisting the escape of an unnamed Eritrean across the border.

18 May: The ELF-RC Auditor General, Yemane Ghebresselassie, died due to an accident in Frankfurt.

22 May: The Sweden branch of the ELF-RC held its 14^th congress under the slogan of “Building a Strong Organization for Successful Democracy” in the presence of Tekle Melekin, head of the ELF-RC Foreign Relations Office. A message from Assefaw Berhe, head of the Organizational Office of the ELF-RC, was read at the congress.

24 May: An open public seminar of the opposition forces was conducted in Khartoum. Panelists were Seyoum Ogbamichael of ELF-RC, Mohammed Tahir Shengeb of the Eritrean Popular Congress, and Mohammed Nur Ahmed of the Eritrean Democratic Party.

May 2004: 7 members of the Eritrean army who escaped to the Sudan met ELF-RC representatives.

28 May: The 13^th anniversary of the Eritrean Independence Day was celebrated by the Eritrean Opposition at Families’ Club in Khartoum. Entertaining at the occasion were musical troupes of the ELF-RC and ENA.

29 May: Germany Zone members of the ELF-RC marked the Eritrean Independence Day in Tubingen led by Assefaw Berhe, head of the ELF-RC Organizational Affairs Office. Also speaking at the occasion were representatives of DP and Eritrean civic societies.

June 2004

3-6 June: Series of meetings for ELF-RC members and for the public were conducted in Umgurgur refugee camp by ELF-RC delegation consisting of Mohammed Adem Artaa, member of the RC in charge of the Kassala office, Mohammed Asselo, RC member and head of the Gedarif office, and political cadres Hamid Mohammed Saeed Remde and Saleh Taha.

09 June: The United Nations reported that drought is forcing people to be dislocated from their villages of origin, especially in the Ansaba and Southern Red Sea regions of Eritrea.

26 June: The first Eritrea Festival organized by the Eritrean Democratic Association (EDA) was conducted in Seattle, Washington State. The Festival head key note addresses by Mengiteab Asmerom, head of the ELF-RC Information and Cultural Office, and Woldeyesus Ammar, member of the RC.

July 2004

02 July: Eritrean students and refugees residing in South Africa formed a body called Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights. The organ obtained recognition by the Government of South Africa.

July 2004: During the first week of July, 3 employees of the Eritrean airline requested asylum in Europe.

12 July: Deputy Director of the East Africa Desk of the US State Department, Mr. Philip Carpenter, and his assistant, Ms Reed Reupen, received in audience an ELF-RC delegation consisting of Mengisteab Asmerom, head of the Information and Cultural Office; Woldeyesus Ammar, RC member; Tesfai Woldemichael, RC member, and Alem Yohannes, administration member of the ELF-RC Easter Zone in the USA. The delegation also held an open public meeting in Washington.

17-19: The RC conducted its 4^th regular session (i.e. fourth session of the 5^th RC – meaning the RC elected at the 5^th Congress!) in Khartoum.

22-23 July: Members of RC held public meetings for large audiences in Khartoum, Kassala, Port Sudan, Gedarif and in the refugee camps.

July 2004: The 4^th regular session of the EC was held in Frankfurt.

28 July: Ibrahim Mohammed Ali, the ELF-RC Speaker and chairman of its dialogue committee, issued a statement reporting about the failure of the dialogue with ENA and the causes of the failure.

29 July – 01 August: The 19^th Eritrea Festival of the ELF-RC was held colourfully in Darmstadt near Frankfurt. Present at the well attended annual politico-cultural event were the ELF-RC chairman, a good number of leadership members, representatives of other political parties and organizations and civil societies.

31 August: The formation of 4+1 was announced in Kassel.

August 2004: The ELF-RC Chairman, Seyoum Ogbamichael, sent a message to the 41^st regular session of the African Union in which he exposed the abuses of human rights perpetrated by the dictatorial regime in Eritrea.

12 August: The ELF, DP and ELF-RC issued a statement of understanding.

17 August: 76 Eritrean asylum seekers who were being forcefully repatriated to Eritrea forced a Libyan plane and made it land in Khartoum. Ibrahim Mohammed Ali, the RC Speaker, called the action of the Eritrean youth an act in self-defense and appealed on the Sudanese authorities to treat the asylum seekers with the usual warm welcome they have been giving to Eritrean refugees. The ELF-RC Chairman, Seyoum Ogbamichael, on his part criticized the action of the Libyan authorities and requested that they stop this inhumane act of expulsion of asylum seekers. He also appealed on the Sudan to treat the Eritrean youth kindly and with understanding of the circumstances of the so-called “hijacking”.

21 August: Mengisteab Asmerom, head of the Information and Cultural Office, held a public meeting in Stockholm.

28 August: A zonal meeting for members was conducted in Frankfurt by the ELF-RC Chairman, Seyoum, and the head of the Organizational Office, Assefaw Berhe.

September 2004

01 September: Units of the ELA marked the 43^rd anniversary of the armed struggle in great colour in the field. The ELF-RC message was read at the ceremony by Idris Mender, member of the Office for Military Administration. Poetry was read by members of the mobile units within intervals of music and dancing.

03 September: In Khartoum the 43^rd anniversary of the ELA Day was addressed by Gimie Ahmed, head of the ELF-RC Office for Social Affairs. Large gathering of youth, including new arrivals from Eritrea, attending the ceremony at the Khartoum Youth Club of the ELF-RC. Also attending the occasion were Ibrahim Mohammed Ali, the RC Speaker, Berhane Kidane, RC member in charge of the Khartoum Office, and other senior cadres. The evening activities included late-night music and dancing accompanied by the musical troupe of the ELF-RC.

4 September: The ELF-RC Chairman, Seyoum Ogbamichael, attended and addressed the ELF Festival organized in London.

September 2004: ELF-RC members of the USA Easter Zone held an organizational seminar which was addressed by RC member Amanuel Habte (Mengistu) who spoke on the current situation of the organization and Eritrea in relation with its environs and the world at large.

September 2004: The BBC correspondent in Eritrea, Mr. Jonah Fisher, was expelled from Eritrea.

September 2004: Eritrea started distribution of fuel by rationing through coupons.

18-19 September: A conference on Eritrea organized by Eritrean students in the University of Hamburg was held in Cologne. ELF-RC was represented by Woldeyesus Ammar, who presented a paper, alongside other German and Eritrean panelists on political developments in Eritrea and the human rights situation of Eritreans everywhere.

24 September: A demonstration was held in Stockholm coordinated by Eritrean asylum seekers, political organizations and civic societies.

October 2004

01 October: A seminar for members of the ELF-RC in Kharoum was conducted by head of the ELF-RC Information and Cultural Office.

3 October: ELF-RC branches in the region of San Diego, San Bernardino and Los Angels organized a seminar that was addressed by Tesfai Woldemicahel (Degiga), RC member and ELF-RC representative in USA, and Habtemariam Kifle, RC member.

4 October: The 1^st branch of the ELF-RC Germany Zone organized a public seminar in Stuttgart that was addressed by the ELF-RC Chairman, Seyoum Ogbamichael, who talked in length about the Eritrean situation and the status of the opposition camp.

12 October: Ato Andebrahan Estifanos, representative of the Asmara regime in refugee repatriation affairs, escaped to the Sudan and asked asylum.

20 October: The Asmara regime alleged to have uncovered a Sudanese network that intended to “assassinate” him.

October 2004: The international union of parliaments (IUP) represents 112 states by 450 delegates released a statement confirming its repeated condemnation in its April, July and October 2004 meetings of the illegal detention of the 11 Eritrean assembly members since 2001.

30 October: The ELF-RC branch held a seminar for its members in Rotherdam. Assefaw Berhe, head of the Organizational Office of the ELF-RC presented a lengthy clarification on the current situation of the organization as well as the situation in the Horn of Africa and the world in general in relation to Eritrea.

November 2004

04 November: The criminal regime committed a brutal massacre in Adi Abeito near Asmara.

12 November: A joint statement of world-wide branches of the ELF-RC condemned in the strongest words possible to grisly massacre perpetrated against innocent youth at Adi Abeito.

18 November: Eritrean opposition forces and civic societies in Sweden held a mammoth demonstration condemning the massacre of Adi Abeito by the criminal regime.

19 November: The regime in Asmara unlawfully detained three leaders and elite members of Eritrean Orthodox Church. They are Keshi Ghebremedhin Ghebreghergis, Keshi Dr. Fitsumberhan Ghebrenegus and Keshi Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab.

19 November: The European Parliament condemned the massacre at Adi Abeito and the continued unlawful detention of 11 Eritrean assembly members.

22 November: A massive demonstration of Eritreans in Washington condemned the Asmara regime for the massacre at Adi Abeito.

24 November: The Ethiopian Government issued a new 5-point peace initiative on the Eritrea-Ethiopia border issue.

26 November: The ELF-RC Chairman issued a statement welcoming Ethiopia’s acceptance in principle of the final and binding decision of the Arbitration Commission.

28-29 November: Six opposition organizations consisting of the ELF-RC, DP, ELF, the Eritrean Islamic Party for Development and Justice, Eritrean Federal Democratic Movement and the Eritrean Popular Congress met in Khartoum and agreed to pressurize for the formation of one umbrella for the Eritrean opposition.

December 2004

01 December: Many ELF-RC branches in the world marked the Eritrean Martyrs’ Day in Frankfurt.

2 December: In Milan, Italy, a support committee organized a highly successful symposium at Casa della Cultura under the title of “Eritrea – Betrayed Hopes and Blighted Promises” in which 200 Italians and Eritrea attended. Guest speakers were Woldeyesus Ammar, representing the ELF-RC, Mussie Ephrem, representing the DP, and Kidane Michael Hassama, representing the association of Eritrean expatriates in Italy.

3 December: Eritrean opposition force in Frankfurt staged a demonstration condemning the massacre at Adi Abeito.

December 2004: The Executive Committee of the ELF-RC held its 5^th regular session in Khartoum.

10 December: Massive demonstrations of Eritreans and their friends were held in London and Stockholm condemning the massacre at Adi Abeito near Asmara.

11-12 December: The ELF-RC branches in Germany marked Eritrean Martyrs’ Day in Frankfurt. The ceremony, held at the Eritrea Center, was addressed by Maasho Asrat.

27 December: Eritrean opposition forces attended meetings with leaders of the Sanna Forum for Cooperation.

28 December: The ELF-RC Chairman, Seyoum Ogbamichael and the head of the Information and Cultural, Mengisteab Asmerom, had an audience with the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Melles Zenawi, and discussed wide-ranging issues regarding present and future relations between the two peoples of Eritrea and Ethiopia.

28 December: Eritrean opposition leaders representing the ENA, the ELF-RC, the DP and the EPM agreed to work towards forming an umbrella organization and will resume talks on 12 January 2005 for that objective.

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