The Eritrean Misery Cycle And The Way Out

Since 2018, when the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) regime removed its face mask and its leaders revealed their true intentions and hidden agenda to undermine Eritrean sovereignty. Eritreans have consistently pursued efforts to protect their national sovereignty and attempted to block the destructive project adopted by the PFDJ regime because the entire project has become clear to everyone; sceptics and regime supporters alike.

However, I firmly believe that the on the ground practices of the regime, since 1991, were self-revealing for any observer. Its efforts aiming to undermine the national sovereignty were running afoot and continued to eliminate the dream of Eritreans to establish a sovereign and developed country – a country in which every Eritrean could enjoy freedom and a decent life.

Although, the convoys of martyrs and prisoners did not stop over the three decades due to resolute struggle of the resistance forces, but the goal of change is not yet fulfilled. No doubt that the victory is overlooked from the perspective of regime’s erosion from inside and its shaking, which has exposed it to political resistance on the ground.

The people of Eritrea are closely following the recent and past developments, particularly the regime’s efforts to force indigenous citizens to leave the country. They are also pushing public opinion towards issues debated and closed in 1940s for being impossible to be achieved, through the Agazian and Neo-Andenet (union party with Ethiopia) to confuse Eritrean and to keep them going on in circles. At the same time, the regime is keeping Eritreans ignorant about the recent developments regarding relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia of which the people in the two countries only know the acrobatic actions of the two leaders.

The PFDJ regime primarily depends for its existence on the Eritrean-Tigrayan security gangs, top leaders of Eritrean defense forces, and the Diaspora alliance of Eritreans and Tigrayans in Europe, America, and Australia (vast majority of them obtained asylum claiming Eritrean citizenship and pay 2% tax for the regime).

Along this come the unforgettable diplomatic supports of some sectarian institutions that aimed to whitewash the regime and justify its aggressive practices in front of Western societies.

In light of the regime’s actions underway, aiming to contain the rights of the Eritreans to freedom and achieve real change, keeping them far from knowing what is going on, it would be useful for the public opinion to know the way out of this thirty-year old dilemma. Therefore, I would like to share the ideas below with everyone working for the salvation of the Eritrean people from the cycle of misery, and with all peace lovers.

1. There are persistent attempts by the various apparatuses of the regime to maintain the statuesque with patching and consensual processes within the same organizational, political, military, and security framework that created by Isaias.Accepting this would mean turning a blind eye on all crimes committed by the regime against the people of Eritrea, including forced displacement, demographic change, marginalization, repression, religious and political persecution, which all in all are destructive measures that must not be considered gains for any party. What is being prepared now is a non-national outlook based on the religious and nationalistic fanaticism witnessed over the last three decades, which at the end undermines Eritrean sovereignty.
2. To ensure a smooth transition, there is an urgent need for establishing a transitional national government that comprises of all components of the Eritrean people, regardless of political, religious, ethnic and regional affiliations. Any move other than this is considered a continuation of the PFDJ sectarian system and its racist and systematic exclusion practices.
3. Any change must commence with the release of all political prisoners and the taking of all necessary measures to reintegrate them socially and politically to play effective role in the intended political change, and achieve the goals they had sacrificed for.
4. An independent national reconciliation commission must be formed to work towards achieving a comprehensive national reconciliation and reparation for victims of the regime and secure a smooth and peaceful transition of power in Eritrea. This will foil the intention of all traitors and those seeking to undermine the Eritrean national sovereignty and destroy Eritrea.
5. There is a widespread belief among the Eritrean patriots that the PFDJ regime, since its first seed was planted in the Eritrean soil by Isaias Afwerki, has been working tirelessly to stir religious strife and conflicts between Christians and Muslims, and intra-faiths, adding to that the nationalities project (Beherat) which was adopted to break up the remaining bonds, social cohesion, and national unity of Eritreans. Therefore, there is an urgent need to stand united against the religious and national fanaticism, which has become a reality under the PFDJ regime, especially among the Eritrean youth, by foreigners who infiltrated among them in the diaspora.
6. It will be difficult for the Eritrean people to enjoy security and stability without dismantling  the PFDJ party, liquidating its financial and commercial apparatus, its security and organizational system, and returning the property seized by the party to a legitimate government, and bring those responsible for the theft and plunder of public wealth in the name of the PFDJ party, to justice.
7. Activating the constitution of 1997, with fundamental amendments, in line with the changes taking place, and in light of what has been done, and ongoing attempts to undermine Eritrean national sovereignty. The Eritrean constitution should be based on protecting national sovereignty, ensuring public freedoms, achieving justice for all, and legislation specific to all relations between the people of Eritrea.
8. The Eritrean people should totally reject protection of lawless gangs and criminals accused of murder over the past three decades in the pretext of National Security involving the government. Protecting scoundrels and degenerates brought by Isaias to repress and humiliate Eritreans. It’s a serious offense and crime. No doubt, the so-called “National Security Agency” and its operatives lack basic sense of patriotism. Since its inception is has been protecting the authority of a single person and Agazian project with the aim of exterminating Eritreans and displacing citizens from their land—the treacherous apparatus must be dissolved, and its elements brought to justice.
9. Returning Eritrean refugees from the camps in neighboring countries to settle wherever they want in their country and define the legal status and resolve the status of the remaining refugees
10. Establishing good-neighborly relations with neighboring and world countries based on mutual respect. Also, all the restrictions that were imposed by the regime for nearly three decades, limiting the free movement of the citizens inside and outside the country must be lifted, as freedom of movement is a human right guaranteed by universal law that must be respected.

On this occasion, I would like to remind the people of Eritrea in general, that the martyrs of the national resistance at home, in particular the Forto uprising, the movement of Freedom Now, the popular resistance in Eastern Eritrea, and all political prisoners opposed the repressive regime must be freed immediately. Eritreans must defend the dignity of their martyrs by rejecting the defamation of their images. The attempts by the Agazian and Neo-Andnet groupies who are trying to misrepresent them in front of the Eritrean public is an insult to our values and people for generations and must be confronted.

Eritreans must make sure Isaias does not see his dream come true by uniting their ranks on their own land and by practicing their national rights. His plans to destroy the or to deprive them of their right to live in peace, must be challenged.

Finally, I urge all Eritreans including the national forces to stand firmly united behind a single national project and pursue a united vision with a clear roadmap to get out of the dark tunnel in which we have been put by the false patriotism of the PFDJ leader and its affiliates. We have to struggle for “freedom now, not tomorrow.”

• eritrea
• Isaias Afwerki
• PFDJ