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Reportage on ELF-RC Leaders
Meeting the Public in Frankfurt
By Nharnet Team (June 27, 2005)
As part of the ongoing worldwide meetings and
seminars organized by branches of the ELF-RC, the Germany branches of
the organization arranged an open public meeting in Frankfurt on 18 June
2005. Taking part as panelists in the meeting were three members of the
Executive Committee: ELF-RC chairman, Seyoum Ogbamichael; head of
Organizational Affairs, Asefaw Berhe, and head of Economic Bureau,
Berhane Tesfagaber.
Following an opening note by Tsehaye Kubrom,
chairman of the Zonal Committee of ELF-RC branches in Germany, the
ELF-RC chairman was invited to the podium. Before dealing directly with
the agenda items of the meeting, he preferred first to highlight the
importance of the intensive public forums of the organization being
organized in different parts of the world with the aim of: a) listening
to the aspirations and demands of the Eritrean public, and b) presenting
to the public in clear terms the visions of the ELF-RC in establishing a
state of peace, social justice, unity and democracy in post-PFDJ
Eritrea. The ELF-RC Chairman then listed the agenda items of the day
which were:
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ELF-RC’s reading of the current Eritrean
situation.
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How ELF-RC designs the victory strategy.
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How it views the new alliance (EDA).
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What guarantees we can vision in building a
truly democratic state.
Mr. Seyoum Ogbamichael and his colleagues’
presentations and clarifications can be paraphrased in the short
paragraphs below.
1. Eritrea in the present:
All Eritreans agree that the political,
economic, social and cultural picture in Eritrea is dismal. However,
there may be differences on evaluating the real cause of the situation
and then the right prescriptions for a correct solution and way out from
this calamity.
Diversity characterizes Eritrea, and these
features of the society were exploited as divide and rule tactics by
colonial rulers. Once again, the dictatorial regime is engaged at using
our diversity for divide and rule.
First we need to accept that the regime is
oppressing the entire Eritrean nation. Citizens are being deprived of
their human rights without distinction. Yet, it is a one-man regime that
cannot be expected to give equal rights and justice to all. And
obviously, certain segments of our people are more adversely affected by
the abuses of the regime than others. This is done as part of the divide
and rule plan to extend its days in power.
The cause of the disastrous situation in today’s
Eritrea is the regime and the only way towards a solution is to remove
it and empower the people for self-rule in a democratic state. This can
be done through a struggle taking the form of national and democratic
character and national plan of action, and not on the basis of
organizing ourselves at sub-national levels which are part of the
divisive plans of the regime itself. We must not emulate the regime and
its divide and rule designs. We should not fall to its trap.
2. Victory Strategy as the ELF-RC
sees it
Everyone must start with oneself. We in the
ELF-RC are convinced that our organization embodies and reflects the
aspirations of the vast majority of our people wishing to live in a
state of peace, equality, law and justice, democracy and prosperity.
That is why we struggle with unrelenting steadfastness. ELF-RC works to
make more and more of our people to join or rejoin its ranks or be
influenced by its correct programme and democratic practice. Our people
need to be presented with the best choice possible to build a peaceful
and prosperous future.
Then there is the need of effectively
coordinating action with our people inside the homeland and those in
Diaspora.
Close relation and sincerely cooperation among
the opposition forces is another factor for our success. Efforts for
merger of organizations with similar programmes is encouraged while
others with differing views can coordinate work on the basis of mutual
respect and tolerance.
Regional and international support to the
Eritrean opposition based on mutual respect and interests need to be
worked out and promoted with vigour.
3. How the ELF-RC views the new
Alliance (EDA)
The establishment of the EDA is a step in the
right direction. But EDA is not an end by itself. We have to build upon
it. It is an umbrella organization understood to have a minimum
programme. It does not replace the expected activities and mobilization
efforts of the member organization: the stronger the member
organizations, the stronger and more effective the EDA.
The EDA member organizations need to promote
tolerance and mutual respect for effective cooperation. Otherwise, EDA
can face problems created by its own member organizations, and that is
not what the public is demanding for. Unity for harmonious action and
mutual respect and tolerance can lead to success of the lofty aims of
our people and the pledges by EDA and its individual member
organizations.
4. Guarantees for democratic state
in the future
Every organization in the opposition camp need
to have democratic programme, build democratic institutions and practice
them. Free expression of ideas must flourish. The image of a future
democratic Eritrea would have to be reflected in the present-day
opposition organizations.
Creating effective, accountable and democratic
organizations/parties requires the participation of the people in
building those organizations/parties as of now. Professional bodies and
mass organizations need to be established and strengthened as bulwarks
to guarantee the creation and sustenance of a just, democratic and
stable state in the post-Isayas Eritrea.
The official presentation by the organizational
chairman was followed by open discussion with the audience that
represented the entire political spectrum of the opposition. The three
panelists alternately responded to questions posed by meeting
participants. Answers to some important questions can be summarized as
follows:
Question: How can people trust
that those organizations claiming to be democratic today will be so in
reality in a new Eritrea? What is the guarantee?
Answer: It is not the
organizations but the people, through their massive participation
and follow-up that should work out guarantees for their future well
being under a truly democratic state. We said our people must strengthen
democratic parties/organizations as of now and make them accountable
through daily participation. The EDA and its member organizations will
thrive to create a democratic Eritrea. However, the people taking active
part in the national and democratic organizations must work out the
guarantees.
Question: What we have in Eritrea
today is domination by one ethnic group. Isn’t it then the right of the
other ethnic groups to organize on ethnic basis, for example, and
struggle against the prevailing ethnic domination in Eritrea?
Answer: All we know is that
Eritrea is under an unjust regime, and unjust regime cannot serve
justice to anyone. It is a one-man tyranny. It is not an elected and
legitimate representative of any segment of our people, highlanders or
lowlanders. Its educational and other social policies are wrong and
unjust. This regime cannot distribute educational and health services as
well as national resources in a just and equitable manner. Simply and by
its nature it cannot do that. Political power in Eritrea is not shared
with the people at all, let alone for us to speak about justice in how
power is shared. To stay in power, the regime uses all divide and rule
tactics, including the exclusion of some segments of our people from
equal access to resources, services and state power. We all recognize
that by its evil design, of the regime is using some people with selfish
and short-term interests for its own end. But this is not a strategic
position and long-term interest of choice to any segment of our people.
We in the ELF-RC understand the prevailing
perceptions and tolerate the presence of organizations based on ethnic
platforms. But this will not mean that we share those views as solution
to the problems in our country. We tolerate other views but still
reserve the right to express our reservations and worries on those
matters to our people. We do not see that organizing Eritreans at
sub-national or regional levels can lead our people to victory against
the criminal regime and then allow us build a stable and democratic
Eritrea. In short, PFDJ is an illegitimate clique of isolated
individuals that should not claim and should not be referred to be
representing the Tigrinia speakers (or Kebessan Christians). Even if
most or all of those in PFDJ power structure speak Tigrinia, for sure
they are not mandated by that segment of our people. Therefore, taking
the PFDJ as a regime of the Tigrinia speakers or Christians is like
willingly falling to the trap prepared by the one-man regime.
The sure remedy is to remove the regime and wipe
out all its evil legacies. The basic solution and correct path is for us
to accept our unity in diversity and establish a just and effective
administrative system of governance that suits our situation.
Also to be noted in passing is the fact that the
question nationalities may not eventually remain limited to our
territorial boundaries. It can have regional ramifications that can pose
challenges to the political map in the region and lead to consequential
conflicts that need to be taken into serious consideration as of now.
Question: Why is the ELF-RC
holding its 20th Festival in Frankfurt while the organizrs in
Kassel (former ELF-RC base) is to be turned over as the 1st
festival of EDA?
Answer: Festivals are forums that
organizations can utilize as tools of communication with the general
public. Festivals can be organized by individual organizations and
alliances like our EDA. There is no contradiction in terms. The
continuation or discontinuation of ELF-RC’s annual Festivals in Germany
or anywhere in the world is an internal ELF-RC affair. The decision to
this end is not dependent on whether the alliance will hold a festival
or not. Both are welcome; the ELF-RC will continue to show readiness to
take part in EDA organized events while also pursuing its ongoing public
events like the annual Eritrea Festival in Germany.
The June 18 public meeting in Frankfurt also
received recommendations from participants. These included the
following:
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Relations created between opposition
organizations must not take their members by surprise. The EDA was
established on the basis of understanding reached among leaders of
organizations. In spite of this, members of different organizations
are still living with old grudges and unhealthy contests.
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The EDA member organizations need to
reinitiate bilateral dialogues among themselves with the aim of
smoothening out relations and leaving behind them old feelings of
resentment.
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EDA member organizations need to stop petty
rivalries and jealousies and instead coordinate and support the
promotion of activities of each and every EDA member organization.
At the end of the public meeting, participants
headed to the Eritrea Center in the heart of Frankfurt for dinner and an
extended event of overnight folklore and dances. |
