How to observe a congress –purpose and impact?

By Fesseha Nair

The former Eritrean Democratic Alliance leaders agreed to convene   congress including two other political organizations thus Eritrean people’s movement led by Adhanom. G and Eritrean Islamic congress party led by Hassen Salman. (Abubera)

The leaders have resolved that the congress will be held on March 30, 2008. They have elected a secretariat made of three persons and a preparatory committee composed of 13 persons one from each organization. The preparatory committee was given directives from the secretariat to prepare all the agenda, invitation of observers and logistics of the congress. Recently we have heard through press release from the preparatory committee that the congress was postponed because of some remaining issues of the congress but later on 27^th March 2007 a press release was published on the Eritrean Websites declaring that the date was fixed on 5^th  May 2007. All members agreed that the number of observers will be 25 from civil society organizations from Europe, USA, Canada,  Australia, Sudan, Ethiopia and the Middle-East Eritrean Diaspora.

As already declared, the congress will be participated by three delegates from each political organization and observers from civil society organizations and free individuals.

Delegations have the right to participate in decision making and the right to be nominated and voted in the elections that will be performed in the congress. What is the purpose of observation of civil society in the coming congress of the opposition political organizations? Has it impact? What are the criteria to be an observer?

Here, I would like to propose some advisory suggestions to the preparatory committee of the congress.

Purpose and impact of observations

The Eritrean opposition forces as transforming themselves to democracy must practise the concept of observation that can provide them legitimacy for the process pursued is on the right way to democracy.

Observation has several goals including the following:

-         Provide legitimisation or delegitimisation  of a process ( congress) assessing the relative freedom and fairness of the process contributing confidence.

-         Enhance respect for political, civil and other fundamental rights, in case of the congress it enhances respect for the political organizations.

-         Enhance the meaningful nature of the congress, observers focus on the process and assess it.

-         Improves prospects for the long term of building democracy and increase the capacity of monitoring.

-         Contribute to the resolution of conflict- observation is a powerful tool for seeking or mediating specific issues of conflict that can delay or stalemate the process of the congress.

What are the criteria?

-         Impartiality- an impartial observation necessitates a direct relationship between the facts observed and the conclusions reached.

-         Transparency – evaluating the congress is essential, therefore, the preparatory committee should clearly state the underlying values and objectives of the observation.

-         Professionalism- Invited observers should have the capacity to distinguish between irregularities and manipulation, understand the context within which the events of the congress take place and provide an impartial evaluation based on the facts observed.

Conclusions and recommendations

The preparatory committee has agreed to invite 25 observers from the civil society organizations. It is very important that the committee have the knowledge about these plenty organizations in diaspora. Most of the civil society organizations established in the western countries are affiliated with the 13 political organizations by one or another means. Some of them are not in the struggle against the dictator in Eritrea. Some are supporters of the regime in Eritrea. I recommend that the preparatory committee should be careful in inviting observers of the mentioned 25 civil society organizations.

The observers of the congress may issue their own statements, conclusions, judgements, press reports on their own direction.

However, a joint  co-operative approach is necessary at this congress that can enhance the quality, accuracy and credibility of the congress.