Meeting in Perth, W. Australia

The second public meeting addressed by the ELF-RC delegation currently touring in Australia was held in Perth Sunday, 5 June 2005 for a large public gathering of Eritreans, including young men and women. Even the PFDJ clique sent to the meeting a group that vainly attempted to disrupt the meeting; those instead returned home taking a good lesson on how decent human beings should behave and shown how other Eritreans are marching on the path to political tolerance and democratic behaviour.

The meeting in Perth was opened by a welcome address of ELF-RC branch chairman in Perth, Mr. Biniam Abraha, followed by introductory remarks of Mr. Haile Ghebru, ELF-RC representative in Australia. This was followed by the keynote address presented by

ELF-RC chairman, Mr. Seyoum Ogbamichael.

In addition to what he stated in the previous Melbourne meeting, the ELF-RC Chairman also dwelt in great length on the political, social, economic and human rights abuses of the one-man tyranny in Eritrea. He strongly charged the Eritrean regime of gross violations of rule of law and blatantly wrong policies on land, trade and commerce and of having fomented fear and hatred among the components of the Eritrean nation along religious, ethnic and cultural lines; he urged on all Eritrean forces to prevail over all perceived or real divisions.

Mr. Seyoum stated that strengthening every member organization of EDA will contribute in making the alliance a stronger and viable body in the struggle to dislodge PFDJ and replace it by an effective democratic system of governance. Thus, the ELF-RC will make all possible efforts to build itself into a strong organization that can promote the visions embodied in its political programme, spelling out in broad lines ELF-RC strategy of victory with the people at the centre stage of the democratic movement.

The ELF-RC Chairman outlined the charter of the EDA and presented an exhaustive explanation of the agreed formula for the transition period after the demise of the dictatorial regime in Eritrea. “The EDA has unanimously decided to remove the dictatorship, liberate the arena for all and set in motion a process of transition to democracy whereby the people would fully assume real political power. To guarantee this, the people should right away start taking up matters of destiny into their own hands through their participation in the political forces and working for the democratisation of their internal political and organisational life,” elaborated the Chairman.”

Mr. Woldeyesus Ammar, a member of ELF-RC legislative council and assistant for international relations of the organization noted that bad and unresolved relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia for the past six decades would have to be seriously tackled for a lasting solution based on international law and on formulas that can best serve the mutual interests of the two peoples.

Speaking about other Eritrean issues, he expressed fear that the situation in Eritrea could go out of hand unless the state of polarization that the regime created in the society is healed as a matter urgency by concerted efforts of democratic and nationalist forces and elements still existing in the Eritrean political spectrum. Mr. Woldeyesus observed that the creation of the EDA is a first step in that direction.

During the open discussion period of the meeting that lasted between 16 and 20:30 hours, participants expressed great satisfaction with the explanations and clarifications addressed by the ELF-RC delegation that took all the trouble of visiting the Eritrean communities in faraway Western Australia. A long list of questions was given full and admittedly satisfactory response by the three-man ELF-RC delegation visiting Perth. Three of the four PFDJ messengers who attended the meeting and claimed Eritrea is in safe hands and prospering, were also given adequate and concrete information as well as an excellent lesson on how to behave in a public meeting called by the Eritrean opposition struggling to establish a democratic and tolerant environment in post-PFDJ Eritrea.

Messrs Seyoum Ogbamichael, Woldeyesus Ammar and Haile Ghebru will be staying in Perth till 8 June continuing their ongoing meetings with veterans of the Eritrean liberation struggle, other important personalities as well as representatives of various political groups and local authorities.

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