National Unity Is Our Central and Democratic Objective

The self-evident truth is that Eritrea is identified for its cultural, linguistic, religious and ethnic diversity. It is also evident that there are lingering differences in [relative] levels of development, services and mode of life between inhabitants of the lowlands and the highlands, and between the rural and urban centres in Eritrea caused by the policies of the chain of colonial rulers starting with Italy. The divide-and-rule policies of colonial rulers had sown seeds of differences and mistrust among social segments and religions in the country. During the protracted 30-year liberation war, our people had the opportunity of conducting the struggle jointly, and that common struggle helped in reducing the old feelings of mistrust. Unfortunately, the wrong policies and divide-and-rule tactics of dictator Isayas have in recent years caused the revival of divisions and distrust.

The ELF-RC is of the conviction that the source of all the ills in Eritrea today is the ruling dictatorial one-man regime. What we have in Eritrea is not a dictatorship of a certain ethnic group or of a mass party. Rather, it is a one-man tyranny with a handful of cronies that has reduced our entire nation to abject poverty, ill-health, ignorance, insecurity and death and mayhem in senseless wars. Members of the army and the so-called members of a “party” are not escaping the misery and agony caused by the one-man tyranny in the country. They are all facing the humiliation, absolute poverty, persecution and the hazards of exile. In actual fact, members of the armed forces have been reduced to slavery and it is only a handful officer core that is enjoying “life” in today’s Eritrea. The country is a virtual property of the dictator; the regime’s financial resources available inside and outside the country are under the firm control of the uncontrolled tyrant, Isayas. In short, it is very easy to see that the contradiction in Eritrea today is between the dictator’s regime on one hand and the entire Eritrean people on the other.

Therefore, the ELF-RC is of the conviction that the establishment of a democratic system of governance would put an end to all the ills in the society by giving full respect to human rights and promoting the equality of the diverse cultural, linguistic, religious and ethnic segments of our nation. Introducing a suitable decentralized administrative structure, that does not jeopardize the unity of the land and its people, would guarantee just distribution of national resources and address the existing imbalances of regional development.

As witnessed during the years of the armed struggle, the fronts that rallied the vast majority of our people in their ranks were the ones that called for common struggle, without distinction on ethnic, linguistic or religious grounds. The protracted liberation struggle was scoring achievements at different stages until liberation 30 years later because our people were organized under the ELF and the EPLF as members of political organizations [and not as such on ethno-religious or provincial bases]. Today, there is an opportunity for us to make our entire people rally behind the Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA) for success. But only time will tell whether we will make good use of this opportunity or not.

This is not to say that we stifle expression of different viewpoints for the sake of ‘unity’. We can argue over our differences with civility, tolerance and mutual respect, while jointly and closely working to promote short- and long-term objectives on which we have common understanding. Every individual or organization that claims to be democratic will have to accept the fact that today’s issues of disagreements can be easily resolved by the entire Eritrean people exercising their democratic right through a free vote.

In light of the prevailing sad situation in our country, therefore, every opposition organization or party, every civic society, every Eritrean media outlet/webwsite, every individual opposed to the one-man dictatorship is required to contribute in unifying the opposition camp while making equally big efforts towards weakening and removing the evil regime in Eritrea. The support to the efforts of the opposition camp can come in the form of financial contributions, research work, ideas, advice or voluntary services. A price has to be paid. And it is only when we make such sacrifices that we can remove the tyranny and open the way to democracy, peace and prosperity in our country. And we should never forget that unity is the sure path to change, security and prosperity. That is why the ELF-RC takes national unity to be the central and democratic objective of our people’s long-stretched struggle.

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