The Forgotten Prisoners: Eritrea

We can imagine how  terrible it is when one is put in custody even for one day. The Eritrean prisoners have been behind prison bars for  quite a long time. Some of them have been in prison since the Eritrean struggle for independence. The well known and prominent figures  were jailed in September 2001. These prisoners are suffering under a harsh prison conditions. The places they are kept in are very hot. They do not get proper medical treatment. They are not allowed to be visited by family members nor do they receive food from outside. As a result, some of them for example General Oqbe Abraha, Mahmud Sherifo, Joshua etc have been reported dead in  prison.

We, Eritreans  whether we are from the opposition or the regime camp know this situation very well. Yet we have not done our obligation, as citizens and even from a humanitarian point of view, to free these prisoners. The Eritrean issue has transformed from a political to a moral issue. What is happening today in Eritrea is beyond a political issue. It is  a public disaster. This atrocity is hidden to the ordinary people of the world. There is no freedom of press and no journalists are allowed to the country who can tell the world community how the Eritrean people are living under such incomparable despotic regime.

Dear reader,

The motive which inspired to me write this short article is the new development in Ethiopia. The release of the CUD leaders from prison is an encouraging development for the politically unstable Horn of Africa in particular and the whole world in general. I really would like to congratulate the released prisoners and their families in particular and the Ethiopian government and Ethiopian people in general. First, I praise the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of choosing a reconcilable course instead of the legal procedure in resolving the internal conflict. Secondly, my praise to the CUD leaders for their choice of a flexible solution for the interest of the country. At last and not least, a credit should be given to the Ethiopian opposition (inside and outside) and the world community for their efforts in the campaign to release the prisoners. I think these groups  played big roles in bringing such encouraging developments.

As I mentioned above the world community has also contributed to this achievement. My question is : Why not do the same in the Eritrean case? I rarely hear foreign diplomats mentioning the Eritrean prisoners. Is that because, Eritrea is a small country and has little resources?  If this is the case, where is then the human rights advocacy of the West?  Eritrea is one of the top in the  list of human rights violating countries in the world. There is no legal process and no justice in the country. Year in and year out thousands of people are suffering in prison camps through out the country. I believe at least the world community should deprive  the Eritrean authorities from travelling outside Eritrea until the regime frees the prisoners.

What can we learn from the encouraging development of Ethiopia today? My intention is not to compare the situation of Ethiopia with Eritrea. The PFDJ regime is incomparable with anyone. It is one of the worst dictatorial regimes in the world. The terms reconciliation and dialogue do not exist in the mind of Mr. Issayas. We don’t expect  President Isayas to give pardon to our prisoners. This is a dead dream. He is not that kind of person. What inspired me to write this is: What impact can the positive development in Ethiopia bring to the Eritrean prisoners? What is the least can we do as people to free our suffering prisoners?  What I have learned from our Ethiopian neighbours is that all of them, even the supporters of the government, unlike ours, had the desire of getting the prisoners released. In contrast, the supporters of the PFDJ regime seem to be happy with the suffering of the Eritrean prisoners. They even openly say: ‘tsebuk geberom’, which translates to: he has done good to them and they deserve it.

The challenge now is how can we convince these people that even from the point view of humanity these prisoners must be released and that it is not in the interest of the country to have prison camps everywhere. How can we explain to them that the country is following a dangerous path? How can we convince them that for the country to exist as a state we need a change?

 The bottom line is that Eritrea has a very weak political organizations and parties. These leaders have totally forgotten to take the best efforts to get these prisoners released and help the country get out of this mess. The best thing we have learned from the west in our exile is that if a leader fails to lead a party (organization) or a country properly, he/she steps down from the leadership. In contrast, our leaders have been in power for a very long time,  some  for more than 30 years.

Finally, democracy grows in an environment of tolerance, reconciliation and dialogue. Violence and counter violence always result in confusion and disorder. I hope that all of us have learned from the past and most importantly this reconciliation is taking place on the eve of Ethiopian Millennium. By the way this Millennium does not only apply to Ethiopia. It applies to Eritrea too, particularly the Christians who have been using this calendar for centuries.

 I wish a better perspective and prosperous Millennium for the peoples of the region.

Adhanom Fitiwi (from Holland)

21-07-2007

Comments: fitiwi@planet.nl