EDA OPPOSITION WHERE IS THE BEEF?

    BY EAIM

          Today Eritreans have the task of liberation which voluntarily and enthusiastically has chosen to undertake. Eritrean revolutionaries have the obligation to erect stable Eritrea by putting an end to the grip of the dictatorial regime. The eventual goal is to turn to political, social and economic reconstruction to make it the pre occupation of all Eritreans, where we can create growth and development, so that injustice vanish and just distribution of resources and power prevail and people will employ in fruitful production

                          In Eritrea today we have short- term and long- term political objectives. The short- term objective is to get rid of dictatorship and the long term is peace, stability and prosperity. The alliances and unity for the short term should be based on minimum national charter which already exists known as the EDA charter. This charter could be strengthened and broadened with new ideas, but should not be abandoned. Eritrean opposition organizations which have similar political programs may discuss and stride towards forming political parties which is one of the long term Eritrean National Program which is healthy and acceptable unity.

      EDA MAY 5, 2008 CONFERENCE- the EDA conference that was held in Addis Ababa last May in EAIM’s opinion ended with one step forward and two steps back. Our reason to evaluate it that way is as follows:

·        Before this conference EDA was split in to two “EDA one” and “EAD two”. This conference regained unity of EDA rather than disintegration and that is why we say one step forward. Many Eritreans were euphoric rather than being guarded.

·        The ENA charter and the EDA charter pre-the May conference used to include armed resistance while the present day charter has no mention of armed resistance and the nationality rights is amended to vague statement. That is why we call it two steps backward.

ARMED RESISTANCE IS THE BEEF FOR THE SHORT TERM

     To think that dictatorship will evaporate from its grip in Eritrea with out armed resistance is an illusion in our opinion. There is no history that dictatorship was subdued with out armed resistance unless you want to sight Soviet era satellite countries in which a different story that is because of the COLD WAR of ideologies’. The Eritrean opposition Alliance in its ten years existence could not go back and analyze the armed struggle merits and demerits. Eritreans should see a place where they can go and contribute, be fruitful and protected.

    During the armed struggle the commandos and the police force did not join us until they saw the strength of the armed struggle.

     Eritreans start to flow to the field when they saw the momentum of the fronts gaining strength and felt that there is space for their contribution.

    Many countries and political organizations started to take us seriously and threw their support both political and material wise when we started to annihilate enemy positions. 

  OBJECTIVES OF NATIONAL ARMY

    The prime objective of a national army is national security. National army manifests commitment to safe guard sovereignty, territorial integrity and ideological mooning for smooth sailing of a system of governance. Translating these targets into reality is possible only when a nation has strength and power at its command to meet any challenge arising from within or without.

SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF NATIONAL ARMY    

n      The foundation stone of our national army policy should be to defend our faith and the country.

n       A national army should be non-political unless internal political crisis lead to affect the very existence of the country. In other words to safe guard the constitution.

n      A national army should have its own budget for its expenses and development.

n      A national army should be productive. Participation of national army in the economy of the country towards self-sufficiency is a reliable defense.

n       A national army must be conscious of the religious, social and cultural norms of the country.

DOES ERITREA HAVE NATIONAL ARMY?  

       Eritreans where ever they reside may be categorized into three according the way they might answer the above question. The true believers of the dictatorial regime without putting any thought to the question might say definitely yes. The second group might to say yes or no for reasons of not having clear understanding, indifference or opportunism. The third category is the people who would like to see democratic Eritrea at work would say no. The Eritrean Alliance Involvement Movement (EAIM) agrees with the third category of the people and here is why:

• In 1991 when EPLF fighters drove out the Ethiopian colonizer army through violence the majority of the fighters assumed the national defense force. These were front fighters and up to know did not get the required training logistics and set of national army principles to adhere to. There is no constitution in the country, so they are serving front principles that are of the EPDJ. The transition is yet to come.

• Eritrean youth are herded to military camp in the name of “National Service” without pay and who knows how long they stay there. They are serving the whim of the dictatorial regime, but not the need of the country.

• The hierarchy of the army is designated by the whims and wishes of the dictatorial EPDJ regime, but not by set of military system of requirements and rules. One day someone is a general the next day he is a prisoner of his subordinates.

• The army does not have a budget and lives under the handouts of the dictatorial regime if the humanitarian organizations are generous enough.

• About 80% of the EPDJ army is Tigrignia speaking highland Eritrea youth that give it the ethnic face.

THE ROLE OF A FRONT IN THE TRANSITION TO NATIONAL ARMY

   The Eritrean revolution has passed through disastrous civil war, but thanks to the heroic fighters freedom is achieved. Since 1991 the Eritrean people have been approaching the EPDJ dictatorial regime for national democratic dialogue and the formation of transitional government, but they did not get responsive ears. Liberation political movements and organizations emerged to propagate democratic ideal to prevail in Eritrea and when the dictatorial regime start to hunt its members inside the country and abroad nearly all of them organized military wing of their movement. The essence of their military wing is: 

• The main objective of the military wing of the political organizations is to push for political recognition in order transition to democratic Eritrea materialized.

• To safe guard their members and have safe access to the people so as to communicate their political views.

• To extinguish fire with fire. We don’t mean that “political power comes out of the barrel of a gun”, but we don’t see other alternatives to bring dictators to their senses/ knees. We would like to inform the Eritrean public that “the pen is mightier then the sword” in a reasonable political situation. We are not giving lip service to the above noble statement, but we honestly believe in it.

• To demonstrate that we mean what we say and we are ready to sacrifice ourselves for our vision.

THE ROLE OF THE ERITREAN DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE ARMY

           A new political culture has emerged in Eritrea today after a long period of bitter civil war, organizational bickering and black painting each other. The era of compromise, give and take in political views, dialogue and unity in diversity is taking shape with the formation of the ENA and formulation of the ENA charter. The ENA having understood the nature and behavior of the EPDJ dictatorial regime has adopted the need of consolidated army in its charter. The formation of the ENA army is crucial for transition to democracy and establishment of national army, but set back happened with transition to EDA from ENA and this set back should be rectified immediately. Here are the EAIM views on this point:

·        Unity is strength. The resources, manpower and other logistical supplies might not play a decisive role unless they are consolidated.

·        The EDA army will speak common military language and would b only one step away from being recognized as a national army. (They will have common military training and good grasp of Eritrean contemporary political crisis).

·        The ethnic face of the organizations military wing will be greatly reduced if not eliminated.

·        It gives confidence of purpose to all Eritreans and our supporters.

·        The energy and resources will enable the army to participate in research and plan of action for transition.

·        The mentality of being a national army will evolve.

·        The EDA army will realize that organizational or party political programs will live or die by the will of the people, but not through their military wings.

             EDA should not expect the Eritrean youth who are living the country to join the opposition unless they see tangible progress on the part of armed resistance and the same is true with the Eritreans who are carrying the EPDJ guns and are willing to use it for erecting democratic Eritrea when they see good opportunity to switch to.  

         We say hooray! To the Eritrean democratic alliance army and that will be the day the Eritrean heroic fighters reject the EPDJ dictatorial regime and work hand in hand to establish the Eritrean national army.

    Glory to our martyrs       Comments> ama766@comcast.net or >akilus10@live.com

     We struggle we succeed.