What is decentralization and why decentralization in Eritrea? Part 2

Decentralization, ethnicity and religion have been the main issues in Eritrean opposition politics today. Eritreans have travelled a long road towards unity and democracy but yet not achieved. The liberation period has not played an important role in achieving democracy and unity among the various political organizations. When Eritrea gained its independence in 1993, a major part of the Eritrean population who fought for Eritrea’s independence was excluded and denied its rights.

The EPLF/PFDJ that has taken power condemned the other political organizations and pursued its destructive policy against the indigenous population. The excluded political organizations continued their struggle to change this negative development and strive for succeeding unity and democracy in Eritrea.

But, how to reach unity and democracy need honesty and genuine struggle, respecting the fundamental rights of all citizens without discrimination and segregation. Our experience in the 14 years, since independence bears witness to this fact.

In this part of this article, I will briefly deal on the rights of ethnicity and religion in a state based on the UN’s charter. Those who deny the prevalent civil conflicts in Eritrea are wrong. Today, there are armed and non-armed ethnic and religious organizations claiming their rights in Eritrea. Their claims are legitimate and right. A democracy that does not serve these claims is not a genuine democracy but a name without content.

The ENA’s( Eritrean National Alliance) and the EDA’s ( Eritrean Democratic Alliance) adoptation of , “ Decentarlization” as a policy to deal with such issues is positive. The ENA or the EDA can be useful frameworks that can provide an opportunity for negotiations and settlement of conflicts in their defined and substantial terms. Searching for legal and constitutional norms that define and protect rights of all ethnicities in Eritrea is important.

Why are some self-appointed Eritrean intellectuals feel headache when the issues of religion

and ethnicities are raised in Eritrea? Such intellectuals, isolated and obsessed by personality syndrome cannot change the Eritrean plurality in religion, culture, language and territory.

Today, there are instruments charted by the UN, dealing with religious and ethnic rights. Below I outline some instruments:

In those states in which ethnic, religious and linguistic minority exists, persons belonging to such minorities should not be denied the right , in community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion, or to use their own language. ( ICCPR, article 27, ICCPR= International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights )

States shall” protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural and religious identity of the people within their respective territories, and shall encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity( article1, Declaration on the Rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic societies adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1992)

Why are the so called Eritrean intellectuals residing in USA and Europe so much against the fundamental rights of the Eritrean people being violated by those in power today, and against those who claim their rights. You, like it or not there are more than 10 armed political organizations claiming their rights. Recent initiatives taken by ENA or EDA on these issues are legitimate and in agreement with the UN’s declaration adopted in 1992.

The Eritrean nation building after post dictatorial should not follow the same path of the EPLF/ PFDJ, if peace, people’s security and democracy is needed to succeed. Unity is not simply an empty thing without interests. Unity is the integration of interests. A unity that comes by making others victims is not unity but disintegration and separation.

The next Khartoum meeting that will be held on 23^rd February, 2005, should be able to provide the means to deal sensibly and fairly with current conflict issues. The EDA is a platform accommodating a diversity of cultures religion, language and groups , therefore it should provide a framework for addressing these conflicts openly without secrecy.

Continues………………………………………………..