Fetsum: The opposition camp in examination II
Fetsum: The opposition camp in examination II In my last article I discussed how brittle the EDA has been in communicating with us the people it claims representing let alone with the international politicians living in
Fetsum: The opposition camp in examination II
In my last article I discussed how brittle the EDA has been in communicating with us the people it claims representing let alone with the international politicians living in the same City called Adiss Ababa. If you are one born and raised in the Diaspora, you suffer the consequence of your Eritreawinet with no idea about what the heck is going on. But what would an international politician eager to learn about the EDA in the face of the universal voice against the Afwerki regime confront in its Website that does business in Tigrigna and Arabic? I guess he buys an interpreter or learns one of the languages to do this until he wakes up finding time expiring the EDA from relevance because of over-napping.
You cannot get closer to international politicians concerning universalizing the Eritrean issue than chilling in Addis within a bike-riding distance from them. Most of the homework for the EDA to impact international politicians within immediate reach has been done by the regime itself and the rest by the Diaspora. Girma Asmerom is a decapacited mouth-peace of the unanimously rejected president specially by the IGAD and the African Union. I don’t even know how he is surviving the humiliation for this long? What a courage; but I don’t think any politician in that city would waste time with this loner gravitating on the Eritrean chair for nothing than the symbolism gesture achieved by the blood and sweat of our martyred family members. The African Union chair that this Ambassador is uselessly sitting on could have been equated to by EDA sitting on the opposite guest-chair watching that desperate dude in the eyes at AU meetings. EDA could further have a spot in the IGAD where Eritrea does not exist even for emblematic pretension.
This stationary or static representation has been going on ever since EDA’s inception with no sign of evolution despite the people’s persistent protest and willingness to assist; to the contemplation point of ignoring it all together in search of another remedy to the Eritrean socio-political disease. I am not sure what I am talking about but EDA must wake up immediately for its own survival. I tried to comment on its latest ህዝባዊ እኼባ ንመሰረታት ኤዲኪ ኣብ ኣዲስ ኣበባ ተኻይዱ at ASSENNA but could not understand it at all so I chose to shut up. EDA must do something impacting at this point in time or else get out of the way. We don’t have time to wait any longer and we will either make it together this year or break it good bye for good! That is all I can tell you. Find someone who can write English if you cannot do it yourself or find some people out there to impress with your Tigrigna and Arabic but we Eritreans who understand English better cannot understand you.
There are many things developing in favor of the resistance that I will update our people promptly and I know that the opposition camp will be directly responsible for not taking advantage of them. We will notify them ahead to do their role and they will be responsible for inaction. We will check and balance our struggle through courageous intervention from now on and teach our people who is who in this struggle for democracy. We have now the power as people to reject or accept individual parties based on their democratic essentialism.
I will try to continue discussing the elements within the EDA leaving the rest for the readers to participate.
“The Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA) is an Eritrean opposition umbrella composing of 13 political Organizations. It uses all the available means of struggle to topple the current Eritrean regime. The EDA Charte also states that the EDA respects the autonomy of the member organizations which occasionally results in dynamic tension among them.” Here are the member parties of EDA.
- Eritrean People’s Democratic Front-EPDF
- Eritrean National Salvation Front-ENSF
- Eritrean Peoples’ Party-EPP,
- Eritrean People’s Congress-EPC
- Eritrean Federal Democratic Party-EFDM
- Eritrean Peoples’ Movement-EPM
- Eritrean Democratic party-EDP
- Eritrean Liberation Front-ELF
- Democratic Movement For the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama-DMLEK
- Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization-RSADO,
- Eritrean Islamic Congress-EIC, and
- Eritrean Islamic Party for Justice and Development-EIPJD
- Eritrean Nahda Party-ENP
In discussing the EDA members individually, I will deal with the first seven democracy seeking groups this time and proceed forward depending on what comes in the way with all of you in the forum.
Eritrean People’s Democratic Front
“Eritrean People’s Democratic Front (in Arabic: الجبهة الديموقراطية الشعبية الإرترية) is an Eritreanopposition group. EPDF was founded in 2004 by the People’s Democratic Front for the Liberation of Eritrea (SAGEM) and a group who left the ERDF. EPDF is led by Tewelde Ghebreselassie. “
You see “DEMOCRATIC FRONT for ERITREAN UNITY” in this party’s website and quite a few articles in different languages as well. When I pressed the “about us” button to learn more, I got the following.
ብዛዕባና About Us
Written by ኣመሓዳሪ ደሞክራሲያ ኦርግ Published: 02 December 2013 Last Updated: 03 December 2013
©N‹V]¥.‡X´ {oñ mk[}‰ï ªï‹prX¥gñ ]X–q B´©Ï B›mk| Kl†pgñ [mk…‘é} ©N‹V]¥‘é} K[Eoë o»ÏDïchë: VBg} [EM} ©N‹V]} HXkïqÈ: M†}oñ [mk…gñ ‹mkT} K}{oë} ‹mkF Šmk ‰êDê KF‹–q ¿f| HV }M‘éĆ …mk ›²mkY sD÷ o³©öD÷: …mk ÔDoñŠ‘é} sò|‘é} —¨ †®L ‰okX‹q ›oK]Soq ‘mk \§q †¥;
Comment: The whole content of the Website’s “about us” was in this format and I don’t know whether this is Japanese or Chinese. I don’t read and understand this language.
Eritrean National Salvation Front (ENSF)
“Ahmed Nasser – Chairman of Eritrean National Salvation Front
Ahmed Nasser is the chairman of the Eritrean National Salvation Front (ENSF) today and was the chairman of ELF from 1976 to 1981. Head of Eritrean Liberation Front-Revolutionary Council (ELF-RC) from 1982-2002. Ahmed Nasser is one of the most tested, secular and multi-lingual (Tigre, Saho, Tigrinya, Arabic, English and Amharic languages) Eritrean leaders. Of Saho ethnic background, Ahmed Nasser has devoted all his life to the struggle for liberty and democracy in Eritrea. Ahmed is now leader of the Eritrean National Salvation Front which is dedicated to the immediate dislodgment of what he calls Isaias’s shameless despotism. “
Comment: I could not find anything more significant than this about this party to discuss it further except learning that the brother was a distinguished figure during the struggle. He is a multi-lingual individual who spent his time for the Eritrean cause with a little hick-up in democratizing the country. What does the character aggrandizement do here when the question on the ground is democracy rather than biography?
Eritrean Democratic Party-EDP: “We feel that the paramount crisis confronting our country is the question of how to move away from the one party dictatorship to a constitutionally anchored multi-party democratic political system while still keeping our attention focused on maintaining and consolidating our national sovereignty. This is a formidable national task that needs and demands the input of every single individual Eritrean. Without the full and total commitment by all of us to find a peaceful, inclusive and creative way of managing our differences we will not be able to build the just and prosperous free nation for which our martyrs gave up their lives and which Eritrean Democratic Party are striving to build. Getting rid of the regime might be easy compared to establishing perpetual peace, stability and democracy. This can only be achieved when each and every Eritrean feels that they belong and is part of the action that determines her/his life.”
Comment: The phrasing tells that this group wants democracy in Eritrea and encourages every Eritrean to work for it. It may have proven its words in practice by joining the EPDP along other three groups to be discussed in relatively better detail in the go. But again it is confusing how it can be with EPDP and the EDA at the same time and I don’t know anything about what is going on at the moment. In any case, I believe this party is similar to the other democracy seeking parties in the category.
Eritrean People’s Congress-EPC and Eritrean Federal Democratic Party-EFDM
I am sorry but could not find anything about these parties goggling the net around. I don’t know another search engine that can help my situation better, so I gave up. Please teach us here if you know these parties!
Eritrean People’s Movement EPM
Comment: I received this message when I goggled for this party:
“Your search did not match any documents, or server error has occurred.
Suggestions:
- Make sure all the words are spelled correctly, try using auto complete
- Try more general searches.
- In case of server error, try a few minutes and retry”
Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP)
“About EDP
Eritrean Democratic Party feel that the paramount crisis confronting our country is the question of how to move away from the one party dictatorship to a constitutionally anchored multi-party democratic political system while still keeping our attention focused on maintaining and consolidating our national sovereignty.
This is a formidable national task that needs and demands the input of every single individual Eritrean. Without the full and total commitment by all of us to find a peaceful, inclusive and creative way of managing our differences we will not be able to build the just and prosperous free nation for which our martyrs gave up their lives and which Eritrean Democratic Party are striving to build. Getting rid of the regime might be easy compared to establishing perpetual peace, stability and democracy. This can only be achieved when each and every Eritrean feels that they belong and is part of the action that determines her/his life.”
Comment: this party is clearly for democracy based on this description. It further asserts the notion through the following phrasing: “The regime in power is unconstitutional and has been struggling to prolong its grip on power at the expense of the Eritrean people. In today’s Eritrea , rule of law is absent and the regime is the law by itself; citizens have been denied their basic rights and been arbitrarily arrested and detained unabatedly in undisclosed locations. Citizens have been denied of their constitutional rights of free expression of their opinions.”
Discussion:
A source of information says: “Political parties: In every modern democracy the will of the people is represented by elected members of parliament. These representatives organize themselves in political parties. Parties do play a central role in the process of creating andnegotiating working solutions for public affairs. The political parties in Europe and North America are basically oriented according to ideological and social (class) criteria. Their platforms reflect different views on how society could work at its best and different interests (entrepreneurs, farmers, workers, …). As long as everybody – party leaders as well as the electorate – is aware of these basic facts and if the interests of parties and members of parliament are made transparent to the electorate in some detail, democracy will work fairly well. “
Comment: A political party must have a unique program that differentiates it from other political parties to justify its claim of representing the people more efficiently. It must have an ideology: unique economic vision, foreign policy, business, social welfare, gender issues, education, medical, housing and taxation, etc. and should be able to fully expose its program to the people in order to attract them for election.
The US democratic party differs from the Republican in social welfare issues (food-stamps,etc), gay/Lesbian issues, foreign policy, Medicare issues, education (student loans, financial aid), etc. to say the least. Political Party is a function of serious visionary socio-political issues and not a HOBBY! I did not see our parties’ political programs to learn their difference and for people to support them accordingly. The only thing I know so far is that all of them want democratic change in Eritrea and this alone cannot justify the independent existence of a political party because it cannot replace the program that defines its socio-political essence. Had that been the case the American society would not have needed the two most popular parties because they both support democracy.
Religious or Ethnic Parties:
“On the other hand there are many countries where the political parties deliminate with respect to ethnic or religious groups. There is no doubt that belonging to an ethnic or religious group is one of the strongest and most binding feelings human beings are capable of. Culture isimportant for orientation and it will always be based on some traditions. But history shows that these strong feelings of belonging have often been abused by individuals (leaders) to gain power and wealth on cost of the very people that trust them as ethnical or religious leaders. Many people will not ask themselves why they belong to an ethnic and/or religious group. As a consequence, it is almost inevitable that the interests of party leaders become quite hazy behind strong ethnic or religious party labels [] needless to say that this fact is a downright invitation for party leaders to abuse of power and corruption. Modern democracy is not compatible to any cultural tradition” nor is it religious or ethnic affiliated. An ideology based on these elements is not democratic and cannot be one under any circumstances.
Conclusion: I cannot see any fundamental difference between the seven political parties in discussion. I cannot see their programs to compare and contrast where they may differ from each other in political vision. Even if that was the case, there is no reason for them to stand alone within the EDA before bringing democracy in unison. Their difference can only materialize in democratic Eritrea upon proving a visionary value that theoretically differs from others. The Eritrean society as it stands today cannot accommodate their division with no concrete visionary variation needless to say that this is too premature for us to do in our current broken and damaged sociological fabric.
Name does not mean anything without justifying it through a unique political program. Apparently, the political parties did not clearly show their difference in managing the socio-political structure of our society beyond reasonable doubt.The conclusion here is that the seven Eritrean parties under this thought experimentation equally advocate democracy without any visible vision differential.
Nothing is visible about their policies to appreciate their diversity to convince us into justifying their autonomous relationship within the EDA. We did not see this to approve the independent existence of each of the seven parties in the EDA.
Two common elements are obvious though: they all claim to work for the disposal of the dictatorship and for a multi-party democratic system in Eritrea. This is easy to prove: they are all members of the EDA (Kidan) that believes in democratizing the country. We appreciate this very much and thank you. This, however, is not enough for a political party to swim alone in the EDA’s global political pool and in fact has nothing to do with the requirements by which political parties should be erected.
My neutral VERDICT therefore states the following:
None of the seven political parties under examination have a unique political program to justify its difference from the others. The parties could only have been organized in terms of familiarity/ethnic/religious affiliations in the absence of a unique program that globally serves the people. But we have seen the problem of this setup in many countries of the world (Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Egypt, etc.) and we should discourage any party that prioritizes one’s ethnicity/religion to other all inclusive national agendas. Human experience is to learn from not to duplicate or to camofludge a weakness behind, as Rezen put it in the last forum stating that “history is indeed only a lesson to humanity but definitely not a consolation. Societies, in their own atmosphere, should — first and foremost — be fully responsible for their action, without searching for crutches to lean upon. Without this deep awareness and acceptance of being fully responsible for one’s action, the struggle ahead is indeed simply a “circular journey””
We cannot continue marching through the common road to democracy like this and we have seen the problem of this choice and certainly do not want to repeat or recycle it in this walk. We need to learn from other societies rather than justifying failure based on their experiences, a very important point Rezen brought to the table.
We cannot say we are okay thinking we were not the only sufferers of misunderstanding the concept of democracy. Misery looks for company and we don’t want to be that miserable looking excuses for failure.
If we know other sufferers of this, then we should learn not to suffer the consequence of committing the same mistake. The best example of this crisis for us in my opinion is the Eritrean experience!
Now we saw the light that there is no substantial difference between the seven parties, one may argue that they may differ on the METHODE OF OVERTHROWING THE REGIME (peacefully, violently or both). Few may stick with the first and others with the second while a third group may advocate for a hybrid of both methods depending on the situation and other conditions. This, however, is opinion difference equivalent to two riders arguing which way to go to more efficiently reach a destination like from New York City to Atlanta Georgia out of the available Express-Ways. It is like two kids arguing whether a hamburger or hot dogs would be good for dinner, the end result been satisfaction. You cannot form political parties based on this!
This difference cannot justify the division hitherto presented by our brothers and sisters in question for a very direct reason: the issue is not vision or political program oriented to begin with. This is not an economic, medical, social welfare, foreign policy, philosophical ideological, educational, sexual or gender oriented approach to justify the division at forming a different political party level of the relationship.
With all respect and humility, the seven political parties in discussion can and should then merge into one Political Party based on their common ground (democracy in Eritrea) for they have not otherwise proven to be substantially different in vision from one another through material proof (political program) to justify their individual autonomous existence within the EDA. See you soon!
Semira March 4, 2014
Do your part…
Fetsum….you should be again the devil. .not pro devil…We do bread I say as bagabindo.
Semira March 4, 2014
Do your part…
Fetsum….you should be again the devil. .not pro devil…
Genet-orginal March 4, 2014
Thanks Fetsum for the info.
I always wonder why we have so many groups for the same goal? It seems that some of the groups are inactive. Most of them have overlapping philosophe to get rid of the dictator. As Fetsum said, then, why not merge in one and make their fight stronger? I could be wrong, but it is may be individual’s desire to be on the top of the ticket, we are having weak and fragmented groups all over the place.
Mr. Fetsum, I really appreciate your hard work for listing all the viable and not so viable groups. It is time for all Eritreans who want change and democracy in Eritrea, to challenge these fragmented groups to wake up and do the right thing. I think what we need is if they don’t call us, we have to call them. It is time for us to say, Knock, knock anybody home?
Thanks again!
Genet-O
Kalighe March 4, 2014
“The parties could only have been organized in terms of familiarity/ethnic/religious affiliations in the absence of a unique program that globally serves the people. But we have seen the problem of this setup in many countries of the world (Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Egypt, etc.) and we should discourage any party that prioritizes one’s ethnicity/religion to other all inclusive national agendas.”
Fetsum
Can’t agree more. But the questions to ask should be: why do we have these type of organizations in the first place ?, who is to blame ?. Understanding to root causes of the problems that led to the advent of political groups that “prioritize one’s ethnicity/religion” in our political arena, before passing a judgment, should be the right approach.
– How many Afars/Kunama/Saho get government jobs and how many are there in it’s offices, even in their provinces ?
– How many Afars/Kunama/Saho went to Asmara University or were sent abroad for studies (South Africa) ?
– Did anybody voice concern when they were targeted by the government in early nineties ?
When a group feels neglected and oppressed obviously they will try to resist by organizing themselves in anyway they can.
The best solutions to these problems is putting in place a democratic system that accommodates the interests of all groups fairly.
MightyEmbasoyra March 5, 2014
Kalighe,
I hear you. You have valid points here. What is the root cause (beside isayas, of course)?
selamawit2 March 5, 2014
Dear Mighty,
i am interested to hear you answer to your question.
MightyEmbasoyra March 5, 2014
Sister Selamawit2,
I am not that blessed with intelligence as some of you but my small brain tells me the root causes for what we have this terrible problems are (this is assuming that we agree isayas is main problem):
1) We were so immature – we believe in bela-belew, rather than on the real data. If we had to listen to some of the Jebha guys or some other critiques, long time ago, they were telling us who the real isayas is. So, instead of seeking the reality- which was in front of our eyes, we believed in phantom.
2) Pure ignorance – this may be related to #1, but I see it differently. How does ignorance put us in to this mess, you may ask. Well, real educated person (this is relative by the way. You can educate yourself more than a person who went to college, if you are heavy reader) doesn’t really care which region you are, as long as you are Eritrean. This person can see the line between regions is meaningless. So, this creates Unity, which we are lacking it. I have some relatives that plainly support isayas because they think he is from hamasien. This is just an example but there are from every region who think the same by the way.
3) Tolerance (or should I say lack of tolerance). We are relatively less tolerant people, say compare to Sudanese. I have seen people, in where I currently live, can tolerate to someone’s idea, even if it is 180 degree shift of theirs. This will help you develop acquiring knowledge more than you think. Remember, that we can always learn something from another person, if we spend the time to listen.
4) Everyone thinks smarter than the other – this breeds arrogance and no respect to someone who knows, older than you, kids, etc
5) Selfishness – this leads to an attitude of “as long as I can vaca any summer I want in Eritrea, the population issue is nothing to do with me”.
6) We scare of change. We talk and talk about the same problem for many years, but for some reason we can’t convert it into accountable change.
There are few more, I don’t want to bore you down.
3)
selamawit2 March 6, 2014
Dear Mighty Hawey,
thank You- very accurate, am COMPLETELY with You!
By the way my interest for your answer was NOT meant ironically at all,
so the first part the first phrase was not necessary..:-)
rezen March 6, 2014
Dear MightyEmbasoyra,
Speaking for myself, you didn’t bore me at all. In fact, I love and share your “small brain” –as you call it. We cannot say the same thing for millions of people — and THAT includes Eritrea. You see, Mighty [indeed you are] I love a FREE person — a person who expresses what his/her “small brain” cooked, regardless of the taste of another person. Oh! I could go on ……..but you got what I am trying to say.
Take care of that wonderful “small brain” of yours.
Kalighe March 5, 2014
What is the root cause (beside isayas, of course)?
MightyEmbasoyra
They never got a fair share of the opportunities offered by the country even when it was under Ethiopian occupation.
Those who control or run the country from the center rarely show any concern for anybody’s interest other than theirs.
I am not blaming anybody but the system. People are good or bad depending on the system according to which everything is organized. It’s a typical African problem; if you live away from power centers you are marginalized.
Uneven development and the consequent conflict among privileged and disadvantaged is a made problem that can be avoided.
Sharing power i.e. an equitable share in decision making process, and a fair share of resource and opportunities should be enough to solve most of the problems. Failing to do as early as possible in nation building will keep the gap growing.
And when the gap is big, all are at risk. So, let’s avoid problems that can lead to instability later as early as possible.
Genet-orginal March 5, 2014
Kalighe
So, what you are saying is If one is not on the table, he/she becomes the menu. Regarding the system issue, I don’t see it as problem with the system only. Any system is manufactured by people who have stake on issues.
If we are going to blame the “system”, without the many bad and good actors manipulating the system, we will never get a fair and balanced system that serves all of us. To get a fair and balacned system, everyon who has stake in the system has to be proactive. My thought.
Genet-O
Kalighe March 5, 2014
“If we are going to blame the “system”, without the many bad and good actors manipulating the system, we will never get a fair and balanced system that serves all of us.”
Genet-orginal
Obviously the human element is an important component of the system. Once a system is in place, it works even in the absence of it’s implementer. That is what most of us fear now, as some speak about reforming Higdef. The latter could continue to rule us in the absence of Iseyas, God forbid.
Zufana March 4, 2014
Mr Fetsum thank you for this valuable article. Those who hide their problems couldn’t find solutions.
So far the common factor all these so called ‘opposition’ have is hate against DIA. Apart from that let alone to plant constitution in the country they are severely failing to construct a unifying rules in their respective factions. These so called opposition don’t care about the nation. They plea international community to invade Eritrea and overthrow the regime.Eritrea for ever and death to the dictator. Peace be upon you brother.
Zufana March 4, 2014
Those who hide their problems couldn’t find solutions. In other words, “Habae Kusulu Habae Fewsu”.
wedimahta March 5, 2014
Much appriciated brother Futsum. This is a great timely wake up article. Can not wait for the next analysis, especially all these organizations with names like “youth” and “change”. keep up the good work.
Semira March 5, 2014
Fetsum….you should be against the devil wedi Medhin berad .
Wereket Taesa March 5, 2014
“EDA has been in communicating with us the people it claims representing”
Mr Futsum,
You are a skilled writer and I follow your writings..
I am afraid you were not correct in stating the above:
Can you Prove to the reader EDA claim they represent the people.
EDA represent their ideas like you and me. The only difference is they are organized. This means they represent themselves and their ideas.
Cheers..
fetsum abrahamt March 5, 2014
Hi Wereket’
Please read the whole thing to understand that I meant what you mean. Here is the complete phrasing “I discussed how brittle the EDA has been in communicating with us”. Now you can comment and I will answer if u ask. tnx
Meretse Asmelash March 5, 2014
Brother Fistum,
I can not imagine how much time you spent naming all these opposition organizations. For me they are: too many Fanas, Manas, Banas, Hanas ….., the name goes on and on; and for this reason I would not even dare to tell who is who? Because some of them are fraternal twins, triplets, quadruplets from the same family. When it comes to these so many organizations what puzzles the most is: do they even know each other? Some people strongly believe they are real and they are there. But there where? If these organizations are alive and residing somewhere then are they asking the public not to bother their SILENCE or what else? At this point I hate to say it but I believe it is not they who are wrong, but us. We have to stop keep knocking the door when we already know that no one is residing there. Their silence is speaking louder to us than their action. What they are telling us is: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS. I for one say so be it, and loudly Amen! Amen! Amen…for it.
MightyEmbasoyra March 5, 2014
Just to add a comment to Brother Meretse…
I would say do they know who they are? In my own way of thinking, my guess would be most of these people are either lazy to do the ordinary job like anyone else, selfish, mentally deficient, or plain cruel.
If they all blame isayas and his administration, they all have a common enemy and why aren’t they organized under one umbrella? When I say organized, I mean real organization with clear vision, to dismantle this evil individual and his top lieutenants. How many yrs are these group can talk about the same idiocratic ideologies WITHOUT any fruit? Show me the result would be a one question to ask them but we already know the answer.
My recommendation would be every opposition member should abandon them and side with Wedi Vaccaro – then they will bankrupt (if they already haven’t yet).
Zufana March 5, 2014
Kubur Haw Ato Meretse Asmelash,
Very well said brother. “At this point I hate to say it but I believe it is not they who are wrong, but us”. Very true indeed.
Meretse Asmelash March 5, 2014
Thank you Zfana as well as Mighty, Genet and the rest of you for your encouraging words.
Secondly, I would like to “Welcome Aboard” brother Redie kifle.
Dear Redie, please don’t take personal , but it is true for a very long period of time you had been a principal source of art yourself. There is a great deal we can learn from you as well as from each other.
Genet-orginal March 5, 2014
Dear Meretse Asmelash
“we have to stop keep knocking the door when we already know that no one is residing there” But What most of us have known is that there are oppositions groups. I don’t think most of us know how many and how strong or weak each of them are. I think We should not just knock the door for someone to open it, but knock the door down so we can discredit them and eliminate them from the long list. The brilliant and hard working Fetsum is right on target. The next task should be the youth group that also not shy from multiplying and coughing up splinters every month.
Meretse Asmelash March 6, 2014
Dear sister Genet,
I couldn’t agree more, except if we go there to check one more time or twice we might not find a big sign that reads: THE OPPOSITION PARTIES DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANY MORE.
I hope I’m wrong, I guess this time instead of seeking to maintain the statuesque, we better let the opposition have their way and us try another means. Anyway, one way or the other we’re on the same page, and let’s keep enhancing each other
rezen March 5, 2014
“At this point I hate to say it but I believe it is not they who are wrong, but us.”
Dear Meretse Asmelash,
If you get tired hearing me in complete agreement with you on so many things. I understand. And this time is not an exception. The above quotation is yours and it is a gem. Knowing oneself and admitting it is a prerequisite to SANITY. Any society which refuses to identify and accept its malaise — its reality — is doomed to a perpetual motion of disfunctionality.Period! Nothing could be moved without that ONE ESSENTIAL STEP. I am hoping to comment on Fetsum’s article. I am debating how to approach it.
Ok, Thanks, Meretse (By the way, you have a meaningful name >>> It is all one’s choice in Life! Isn’t it?)
Meretse Asmelash March 6, 2014
Dear Rezen
The only way I can accept your brotherly compliment is when I only can share it with you, the other brothers and sisters around.
And special thanks about >>> It is all one’s choice in Life! Isn’t it?) Indeed it is.
Tes March 5, 2014
Dear Fetsum,
thank you for shading light in to the mysterious opposition organizations. I was always wondered how could be so many organizations for this tiny land. Thanks to you we knew now that most of them are dormant. To me they are simply there holding fancy names whereas in reality they may be a single family members,busy doing their daily business nothing to do with straggle. It is a way of living for them. Once a year attending general meeting, god knows who finance the meeting but for them it is a sort of holiday. The suffering of Eritrea and Eritreans doesn’t cross their mind.
The very few of them who are credible opposition have no difference as you rightly put it in your article. So why they could not work together and be more effective is every ones question. This could be lack of quality and lack of political skills. First they are incapable of passing roles and responsibility in to the second generation. For those old leader, it is high time to go into retirement and pass the torch in to the hand of young dynamic leaders. They have not or able to devise a way of succession which has been their main weakness. And other most worrying is that their crave to hang on power and not to want to leave the role us the main actors. They forgot they are in 21st century and admit their weakness.
They only way out triumphant for EDA is that to shake off the deadwood and unit on common goal which is democracy and leave the top sit to younger generation. The current leadership is out dated and the only role is to be advisory. Otherwise they won’t see the fruit of their long struggle.
Genet-orginal March 5, 2014
Tes
Well said.
“their crave to hang on power and not to want to leave..” I think, the burning desire to be in power is the most likely reason, for the mutation of weak groups all over the place. The sad part, what ever they have been doing is not working for them or for Eritrean people. Then, why not stop doing the same thing that proven to be a man made disaster. What Fetsum is doing is an excellent way of keeping groups accuntable. Telling them to step up or step down and get lost.