Eritrea’s Unstable Politics

It is logic, any reasonable nation can change its political course under a reasonable circumstance. But a nation which changes its policy from time to time to cover its weakness is a hazardous political gambling.

So far, many essays and articles have been written about the state of Eritrea. Eritrea is not only one of the few countries  which has one dictatorial party system, but it has also been suffered by  a one man rule  (autocratic) system. If the mind of this man is sick, then the whole nation is at risk. Mr. Issayas is ruling the country without any rule of law. No constitution and no parliamentary system. There is no freedom of speech, press, assembly and belief. Mass arrest,  because of their political meaning and belief is common in the country. Eritrean youngsters who get the chance to escape from this iron rule, are leaving their country in mass. The thirty years war waged perspective Eritrea has become desperate.

Let’s go back to the political development of the EPLF/PFDJ. The EPLF began its career as a socialist guerrilla warfare in the mountains of Sahil. Theoretically, as a socialist national army struggle, it was anti-imperialism and anti- capitalism. But in reality, the EPLF leadership had a double stand position. In front of the west, it was capitalist and in front of the east it was socialist. I remember, when a Saudi general visited the base at Beliqat, we were order to collect the China’s food items and other materials to hide them not to be seen. Our Moslem comrades were told to pray with the group which they had never done it before.

When the Socialist Soviet Union was collapsed, Mr. Issayas began to say “We can’t be more catholic than the Pope” meaning he was not a socialist (communist) any more. Finally after the independence, the EPLF declared clearly to have a free market economy in theory. In reality the PFDJ economic system is undefined. It is neither a capitalist nor a socialist one. All the economic institutions of the country are monopolized by the party and yet unlike the socialist economy living standard is so high. The Eritrean people are suffering from poverty worse than the time of the ‘DERG’ (Mengstu Haile Mariam). Politically Mr. Issayas tried to be friend of the USA. Even he was selected as one of the best fighters of the Islamic Fundamentalism against the Sudan.

At the end of the meaningless war between Eritrea and Ethiopia, again Mr. Issayas tried his best to win the American friendship on his side. He voluntarily (unasked) offered the USA administration a military base to be used against the invasion of Iraq. He carried an expensive lobby to get the support of the American Congress. All this was in vain.

However, doing all this, Mr. Issayas was not intelligent enough to know that time was running against him because of his position on human rights issues. He became one of the top human rights abusers in the world and whatever he did,  the west stood against him.

Now, how bad,  how sad, back to square one, Mr. Issayas has become anti-Americanism, anti-imperialism and anti-capitalism. Shame enough, as if he was not one of the “Coalition of the willing” in supporting the USA administration during the invasion of Iraq, as if  he did not offer a military base for the mission, now when he missed his interest, turning his face, he is condemning the US policy in Iraq. This is Issayas, a leader of a state. The entire political scenario has ended in  comedy. How naïve! How shame!

The other face of Mr. Issayas is his politics of conflict. In my last Tigrigna article, I tried to access how  Mr. Issayas lives by creating conflicts. Conflicts between two nations, groups or individuals. He knows very well how to manipulate conflicts. It is amazing! If we take the case of Sudan, one can not dare to say that the Sudanese authorities are running their internal political affairs. Mr. Issayas is the creator of a conflict and at the same time the negotiator. He is a war and peace maker. What kind of political prostitution is this?

Why is Mr. Issayas making a “peace deal” with Sudan?

Mr. Issayas’s peace making in one place is a strategic conspiracy somewhere else. His peace deal with Sudan has four reasons for him:

a)      in order to create a passage for his  in Eritrea trained anti-Ethiopian government fronts to Western Ethiopia with the aim of toppling the EPRDF government

b)      to break (disrupt) the good relationship between Ethiopia and Sudan so that to isolate Ethiopia, same as he is doing with Yemen and Djibouti

c)      to restrict and weaken the Eritrean opposition movement in Sudan

d)      to get some economic help, especially fuel to heal his ruined economy

Mr. Issayas is meddling in the internal affairs of Somalia, not to promote peace and stability, but to wage a proxy war against Ethiopia using the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). He is doing everything possible to topple the EPRDF government by any means. He is not acting as state leader but as a revolutionary vanguard in the region. It seems that he is dedicated to “liberate Ethiopia” and may be beyond that.

The question is: Do the Ethiopian opposition groups and individuals really believe that the PFDJ regime under the leadership of Mr. Issayas can help them build democracy in Ethiopia?

Mr. Issayas who came to power all the way by killing innocent Eritreans who oppose him, can no and will not help promote democracy in any society. Mr. Issayas who has ruled Eritrea without any constitution and opposition for 15 years, can not and will not help the Ethiopian people in any aspect. Mr. Issayas who has changed his country into a prison camp, can not and will not be a democrat. Mr. Issayas the most known brutal dictator in the region, can not and will not bring any peace and stability in the region.

Since last week,  we have seen so many celebrations from Asmara to both Kinijit and Higdef (PFDJ) supporter in Diaspora due to the desertion of an Ethiopian general to the PFDJ regime. Well, if this is considered as victory, what can we say about the tens of thousands ex-soldiers of the PFDJ regime found in various camps in Northern Ethiopia?  However, leaving the controversial politics manipulated by Mr. Issayas in the region to history, we would like to invite the deserted Ethiopian general and other officers to visit their respected counter part high rank Eritrean officers who have been suffered behind prison bars for 5 years at Eira Eiro, not far from Asmara. Then you can judge that this is the man whom you are expecting to help you build democracy in your country.

Peace and democracy will prevail in the region.

Adhanom Fitiwi (from Holland)

25-08-2006

Comments: Fitiwi@planet.nl