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Moving Forward According to Plan, Says The Eritrean National Council

Michael Abraha While PFDJ’s officials and supporters continued their squabbles over whether or not their former colleague, the late Naizghi Kiflu, should be buried in his homeland, pro-democracy Eritreans were debating how to save the country

Michael Abraha

While PFDJ’s officials and supporters continued their squabbles over whether or not their former colleague, the late Naizghi Kiflu, should be buried in his homeland, pro-democracy Eritreans were debating how to save the country from insanity and misery at a gathering over the weekend in Addis Ababa. Opening the conference on March 10 in commemoration of the World Women’s Day, Yohannes Asmelash, Vice Chairman of the Eritrean National Council spoke of the grave dangers facing Eritrea and the need for urgent action, adding that his broad-based coalition was growing stronger and moving forward as planned.

Tigisti Berhane, Head of Women’s Affairs within the Council addressed the gathering attended by Eritrean activists, political leaders, students, professionals and refugees. Tigisti denounced “the exploitation and alienation of women under the backward PFDJ system.” She said Eritrean women would never be free unless fundamental human and democratic rights were first guaranteed for all Eritreans. Tigisti commended the minimization of political and ideological differences among compatriots and the gradual coming together of the various opposition forces to form the National Council for Democratic Change.

 

The regime’s crimes are too many, said Tigisti. “These include the destruction of our youth by initiating unjust wars, the shoot-to-kill policy against citizens trying to get out of the country and the raping of young women by officials.”

 

She said the National Council was however not a platform for grieving our hurts and losses but one that unites and emboldens us to carry out an effective campaign to transform Eritrea.

The Council’s Vice Chairman Yohannes Asmelash, on his part, discussed the objectives and goals of the Council for Democratic Change in the social, economic, political and diplomatic fields. He placed special emphasis on the role of the young generation in bringing about democratic change. Eritrea’s independence was realized because of immense sacrifices of our youth, said Yohannes; no democratic change is possible at the present time without their full participation. He deplored PFDJ’s agenda of depriving the young of political and democratic awareness by consigning their role to military service only to promote chauvinistic, narrow nationalism. It is time for the youth to stop criticizing the slow pace of the opposition camp and instead take full charge in enforcing human rights and democratic ideals in the country. Yohannes stressed that fleeing the country and becoming a refugee was not a solution to the tragedy faced by the youth; a solution will only come when the young are ready to remove the oppressive system and build their country’s future themselves and thereby become masters of their own destiny. The Eritrean youth have choices of what group they want to be part of in fighting Eritrean tyranny, underscored Yohannes, but he encouraged them to be involved as part of the Eritrean National Council which he said was all-encompassing.

Answering questions from the floor on why the Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA) has continued to exist, Council Vice Chairman Yohannes said “It was up to EDA to decide their own future. EDA’s existence has not interfered with the work of the Council. What is important for us at the moment is to continue expanding our programs in accordance with the principles and objectives stipulated in the Council’s Charter and Road Map. We are consolidating our political, organizational and public outreach tasks; we are building our media task force while also enhancing our diplomatic activities and engaging in many other areas of endeavor.”

On reports of some under-age pregnancies and other social issues in refugee camps, Tigisti Berhane indicated that a lot of work was yet to be accomplished on the part of the National Council and she hoped charitable organizations would be involved to deal with specific health and other related problems.

Asked why wealthy Eritreans residing in Ethiopia were not taking part in the process, Yohannes said this seemed to be caused by uncertainties about Eritrea’s political future; but he urged all citizens to take part in the fight for justice and freedom as a sure means to a stable future.

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7 COMMENTS
  • Beraki Tesfai March 14, 2012

    Good report, Mikael. The Addis Ababa event offers some answers to doubters and cynics who do not wish any democratic opposition efforts to succeed. The truth is there is no reason why the ENCDC should not lead the way to freedom if it can stick to the road map and the charter adopted by 600 Eritrean activists convening in Ethiopia in November. It will no doubt be a viable national force with hard-work, imagination, transparency and ability to put national interests above party or regional politics. Its immediate priority should be to launch a strong media offensive bringing together as many qualified journalists, writers and other experts who will be transmitting messages of change and hope via radio, TV and the Internet reaching millions inside and outside Eritrea. A lot of money will be needed for this. But it is much, much cheaper than buying any armaments. This media project can be funded by Eritreans and friends of Eritrea.

  • Kidane March 14, 2012

    what was that anyway?? Zambe in Addiss-abeba just business as usual wasting or having good time in the Bars of Aids=abeba another move from the weak opposition.

  • Temesghen Mehari March 14, 2012

    TSEBA SITE BERAKI TESFAI
    YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. VERY TRUE WHAT WE NEED IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID AND SPECIFICALLY:
    “Its immediate priority should be to launch a strong media offensive bringing together as many qualified journalists, writers and other experts who will be transmitting messages of change and hope via radio, TV and the Internet reaching millions inside and outside Eritrea. A lot of money will be needed for this. But it is much, much cheaper than buying any armaments. This media project can be funded by Eritreans and friends of Eritrea”
    EVERY WORD USED HERE IS RIGHT. WITH IMAGINATION WE CAN FUND ANY MEDIA PROJECT
    BLESS YOU MY BROTHER

  • ahmed saleh March 14, 2012

    The ENCDC has a difficult challenge ahead of them, they need a good stradegy to gain
    the heart and mind of it’s dissidents. Regarding our experience of the last 20 years, the
    majority political view of the country was traditional which is IA policies itself was accepted
    as society within society that employs politics as just one tool. We heard the slogans HADE
    LIBI, Nehana Nesu…….. and so on. They could educate our people for general awarness to
    the importance of pluralistic understanding of Eritrean politics.
    Sometimes you see some critics who go that far to underestimate the political organization.
    I guess the arguments suppose be laid out by experts drawing not only in politics but also in a
    deep knowledge of our history and culture. The internal battle for political reform is more harder and complicated than fighting your external common enemy. Since any civic or political
    party expresses it’s vision it is normal to support or ignore that vision, Rightists, leftists, centrist
    opportunists…….. so on, CALLED DIRTY GAME OF POLITICS.

    • haki ytakeb March 15, 2012

      ewe hijiwen hade libi hade hizbi eu etekone ata libi gin zehmimuwa wey kesaqywa zedeyu yelewn malet aykonen kebaal nisika AHMED SSALIHAY.nikolu himamat dima fewsi alewo.kitmrmer alka kidm kitfwes.ante ezi natkum himam gin himam saal may gerna ena nirioo.ab wishti stadiom shih gizie entkoleka abta astadiom wey meda eka zeleka.niwhatu gin shih km.ykown ue.silzi zelilom zelilom ab meriyet tebahilu tederifu eumo bizoh astewala mezinan antetezarebna yhaysh.ezi kulu tegeru zibahal zelo nihzbi nimlaal zetegebre nefhiber silezitegebre aykonen.nihashewye emo entay kinblo ena.maalta ziakele anchiwas keyda afincha dumu tineks kemzbahal eu gudu.

  • Agamino2001@yahoo.com March 14, 2012

    Bunch of selfish who want a short cut to be leader and officials. kkkkkk

  • Solomon March 22, 2012

    What is so called National Council is nothing but a monopoly of political organizations, specifically Eritrean National Salvation Front. There is nothing national in having a council that excluded civic societies and the public.

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