PFDJ Blunders and Accusations on UNMEE
EXODUS OF ERITREA’S YOUTH TO CONTINUE TILL ISAYAS’ EXIT
ELF-RC Looking Ahead, Never Back
Accountability and Rule of Law
December 1st, The Day Ona Villagers Perished and a Day of our Martyrs' Commemoration
EC designated a high level committee to coordinate with the broad opposition camp
ELF-RC and there fore Nharnet.com stand for unity and diversity:
Preaching and Practicing Democracy
Ibrahim Mohammed Ali, The RC Speaker, Speaks Out
ELF-RC Proposal for
Unity of the Eritrean Opposition
(The text below is the English version of the draft ELF-RC proposal for the formation of a united national front or a broad national coalition of the existing political organizations in Eritrea. The proposal was issued on 3 January 2004 and submitted for discussion and comments to the leaderships of the ENA and at that time the EPLF-DP which became EDP after its congress in April 2004. The document, which is still under discussion at dialogues between the concerned parties, aims to create a viable umbrella organization encompassing all forces inside and outside the existing alliance. The organizations that wish to form the proposed broader coalition will decide what other new organizations or movements would be accepted as members. The draft proposal is now being made public for open and wider discussions by our people.)
***
The Proposal
It is an open secret that fragmentation and extreme anxiety have become part of our people’s daily worries because of the all-round criminal acts and policies the dictatorial regime of Isayas Afeworki conducted ever since its seizure of political power in Eritrea.
The goal of the Eritrean opposition at this point in time must focus towards gearing national energies and capacities in confronting the challenges facing the nation which is at present dipped in hopelessness and unacceptable level of disunity that can endanger Eritrea’s very existence. It is for all Eritreans, inside and outside the homeland, to shoulder the responsibility of dislodging one-man dictatorship and at the same time prepare the groundwork for the required transition to peace, democracy and prosperity.
The ELF-RC is of the conviction that all the efforts being made to ensure unity of the Eritrean political opposition must be taken as everyone’s top priority tasks that have to be consummated now. The creation of a genuine and credible one opposition block is the pre-condition and doorway to the now affected national and for the much needed revitalization of our just struggle against the existing corrupt dictatorship.
In order to gain the trust and credibility of the people and to have the capacity to unify the nation under a national banner, the opposition organizations themselves must prevail over their differences and show that they are able to take effective action collectively. Otherwise, a divided opposition cannot deliver unity to the nation.
Therefore,
- Taking into consideration the above mentioned facts and the negative impact of the outcome of the 5th ENA meeting on Eritreans in general and members of the opposition forces in particular in the ability of the opposition forces in bringing about sustainable change;
- Being fully aware of the bewilderment that it can create among the people, and the golden opportunity such a fragmentation creates for the survival of the dictatorial regime;
- Further taking note of the delay to realize the long-held objective of removing the dictatorship and its replacement by a multiparty democratic system;
- We thus come to the conclusion that the opposition forces will not be able to address the existing problems and successfully work out a smooth transition to a democratic system without first tackling the issue of unity in the opposition camp.
Springing from this reality, we wish to express our deep conviction that this is the right time for all the Eritrean opposition forces to live up to the great expectations of our people for credible unity by putting aside their petty squabbles and differences for the sake of the much higher national objectives.
Having objectively evaluated the crippling crisis caused by the outcome of the 5th meeting of the ENA in Addis Ababa, we in the ELF-RC are hereby tabling a new proposal for the unity of the entire Eritrean opposition. The draft proposal enshrines principles and tasks for which our people have been waiting with great expectation and aspiration, and takes into account the national content of the various programmes of the opposition forces. In actual fact, this draft proposal is an upgraded national charter. The ELF-RC is prepared to enter into democratic dialogue with all concerned opposition organizations to discuss and finalize the proposal and put it into effect soon.
Considering the objective reality of the opposition camp and the experiences we passed through in recent years, we are convinced that a united front (i.e. a broad national coalition) is the most practical and suitable formula for the intended unity of the opposition at this moment in our struggle. This formula for unity, which is a minimum programme accommodating bilateral and collective accords, shall speed up the removal of the dictatorship in Eritrea and enable us to effectively face the challenges of the transition period.
Objectives and Principles of the United National Front:
1. Shall struggle against dictatorship and oppression, and against all inequalities and discriminations based on culture, religion, origin or gender.
2. Shall establish in Eritrea a constitutional multiparty democratic system that equally protects and promotes the rights and duties of all Eritreans. Rule of law shall reign in the State under the checks and balances of legislative, executive and judiciary branches, and there shall be guarantees for the peaceful and lawful transfer of power from one government to the next.
3. There shall be freedoms of faith and worship, freedom of thought and freedom to express ones opinion in a peaceful manner; the State shall protect human rights and promote justice, equality and dignity of all persons.
4. There shall be full respect the diversity in culture, religion and origin that prevails in Eritrea. There shall be mutual acceptance and respect, and continued struggle to promote interaction among the constituents parts of the Eritrean society.
5. Establishing a decentralized state structure while protecting the unity of the people and land.
6. Accepting Arabic and Tigrinia as the official languages of Eritrea in government functions as well as media of instruction and information.
7. Respecting international treaties and charters promoting human rights and world peace.
8. Relations of democratic Eritrea with its neighbours shall be based on the principles of good neighbournliness, mutual respect, promotion of common interests and on the full understanding that differences shall be resolved through peaceful dialogue and in a fraternal manner. The State of Eritrea shall actively participate with all neighbours in promoting regional prosperity and stability. Eritrea shall strive to preserve and to further deepen the cultural, historical and human relations we share with our neighbours.
9. Free government of Eritrea shall strive to promote relations with the Arab and African regions. To this end, the Eritrean State shall establish durable bilateral and collective links with the Arab League, the African Union and other regional organizations.
10. The broad coalition shall struggle to preserve in all aspects the strong unity of the people and their organizations until the removal of the one-man dictatorship. This shall be achieved by resolving through democratic dialogue all secondary contradictions and differences that can arise between opposition organizations. Our lofty objectives for peace, unity and democracy shall be attained through mutual respect and tolerance and firm adherence to the fundamentals of our national accord and shared common factors.
Formation of the United National Front:
Initially, the united national front (or the broad national coalition) can be formed by the following organizations:
1. ELF-RC
2. ENA
3. EPLF-DP
4. Other organizations accepted by the above-mentioned actors.
Structure and Organs of the United National Front:
The founding organizations shall form one central leadership representing all the constituents of the umbrella organization.
Tasks of the Central Leadership:
a) Draws policies and work programmes of the United National Front, and shoulders the responsibilities of its implementation and follow up.
b) Adopts by-laws that govern its own functions.
c) Establishes necessary organs and adopts their internal laws and guidelines.
d) Considers how a national conference can be organized, including the agenda of the conference and its participants. The leadership of the United National Front works to ensure the success of the proposed National Conference and makes administrative, technical and logistic preparations.
In conclusion, the ELF-RC welcomes the existence of bilateral relations for coordination and cooperation between members of the opposition before and after the formation of the proposed umbrella organization.
Ibrahim Mohammed Ali
Chairman of the Dialogue Committee of ELF-RC
3 January 2004
Contact Us at: webmaster@nharnet.com
BORDER RELATED