What Do the Participated Delegations of the Eritrean Opposition Organizations, at the Last Inclusive Meeting of Khartoum, Say?

The team of the Gulf Information Center has had a cursory exploring interview with the members of the participated delegations at the last historical all-around meeting of the Eritrean Opposition Organizations which has produced the Eritrean Democratic Alliance. Reporters Abdul hafiz Yassin Mohammed, Mohamed Taha Twekel, Abdu Sulieman and Omr Lelish of the GIC have questioned the talked to Eritrean figures about the guarantee of continuation for the newly created inclusive body of the opposition powers, about the difference between the last meeting of the opposition, which has produced the EDA, and the previous meetings  among the opposition powers, about the reasons which have pressurized the opposition powers to forget their longstanding differences in a meeting that lasted  only for four days and about their impressions concerning the prevailed discussing spirits among the delegations of different political and ideological backgrounds.

Hussain Khaliefa- Vice-Chairman of the ELF and Head of the Meeting’s Sessions:

What has been achieved is a  big victory for the Eritrean opposition. We have agreed upon 90% of the joint work programme and the left out issues are only of technical relevance; the complementary meeting will begin in the upcoming month of Feb. The already finished meeting has discussed the projected agendas with responsible spirits and cared much to come out with a united umbrella  which is the Eritrean Democratic Alliance. We congratulate the Eritrean people about what has been made good in this meeting because the Eritrean political arena has entered a new phase at which the continumacy and prudence will be discomfited .As a result, there will definitely be more cohesion between the Eritrean people and the  opposition powers due to triumph and national unity.

I implore the Eritrean people to convolve around the new alliance to get rid of the repressive regime. The  members of the Sanna Axis for Cooperation have supported the Eritrean people and its political powers in the course of their legitimate struggle for democracy as had done during the liberation struggle. I hope that the new alliance will rebound the water into its right course and Eritrea will no more be a source of disability for its neighbors. The unity  which has been accomplished is a real unity  because when we discussed the work papers of the meeting, we took into consideration all the alliances which the opposition powers have passed through.

Ibrahim Mohammed Ali-The ELF-Revolutionary Council.

 This meeting was successful with all standards because it has realized its principal objective in  a complete way: the birth of a new alliance which includes all the Eritrean opposition powers with out exception. i.e. It has achieved what we have been aiming to; establishment of a united spacious creel for the opposition. The spirits which prevailed in the meeting were highly characterized with responsibility and acceptation of the other’s opinion and mutual quitclaims. Moreover, this meeting’s output is the beginning of  a new  long path for building of the Eritrean nation on the basis of understanding, appeasement and acceptance of the other’s opinion.

Twelde Gebreselasse- Head of Sagem and a Member of the Provisional Technical Secretariat of the New Alliance:

 We agree upon the minimum promgramme ,for the first time in the history of the Eritrean opposition, which is represented in the  charter. This is  a positive development which  enhances and promotes the course of national unity and formation of  an umbrella which includes all parties; it will also lift the endurance from the withers of the Eritrean people which has been imposed by the dictator regime. This agreement is  a big achievement at the time the changes of the regional and international political arena have become unpredictable, in addition of course, to the deteriorating situation in Eritrea. What are left out constitute only about 20% and are technical issues since the principal issues have already been sorted out in the meeting. The guarantee of this agreement is the implementation of the provisions of the concluded charter. My message to the heads of the political opposition powers is “We have to overcome the differences and agree on the minimum progamme.” Moreover, I direct my message to the mass media people in order to play  a crucial role in the crystallization process of the new umbrella.

Mohammed Taher Shengeb-Secretary General of the Eritrean Popular Congress.

 The opposition powers, which have participated in this meeting, have been characterized with responsibility and objectivity. My impression is that this meeting is considered the first outrigger and  since it was the desire of all; it has been achieved by a strong will. Thus, every part has agreed to execute what has been stated in the accredited charter. The  former alliance was so much avid to the combination of the other opposition factions which were outside the ENA. The meeting, in my opinion, has succeeded 100% and realized its purpose. The building of this huge edifice is not an easy process due to the presence of disparities in views, programmes and political orientations. The fundamental task, which is made up of two sections, has already been completed; and nothing is left out except the complementary technical issues which will subsequently be done.

Abdella Mohammud-Vice-Chairman of the Sedega organization:

The founding meeting of the Eritrean Democratic Alliance was successful because  the opposition has begun to give material form to the  accomplishment of the all-around agreement about the national principles despite the variances in views and performances.  The opposition, with this agreement, has  enhanced the piling of the national unity and what is left is the formation of the leadership in a stable way that contents  every one; which is continuation of the national principles and then  confrontation of the dictator regime in Eritrea.

Ahmed Nasser-ELF-National Congress’s external Relations’ Office.

 I would like to refer, at the beginning, that we as an opposition have been lacking a solidifying umbrella for all Eritrean political powers in one framework though there have been serious attempts since 1999 to institute a concourse  and then an alliance. However, we have been, through out this time, aiming to complete this goal step by step to  frame all the organizations, which were outside the alliance, within the ENA. This meeting has been characterized by the participation of all organizations with out exception in a rounded table. This step, in it self, is considered a positive development and strategic step within the casing process of the warring means.

Heruy Tedlla Biaru- Head of the Eritrean Cooperative Party

  An agreement on one charter for a joint work is, in it self, a unique, distinguished achievement in the history of the Eritrean opposition. The participators have discussed all the issues related to national principles and national unity with seriousness and with out sensitivity. It was really a successful beginning and the final meeting will be held after two weeks and the former alliance has conditioned itself as  an organization to enter into a new umbrella; which is  a positive development  as well as a signal of protection for the new umbrella. The heads of the opposition powers have to feel and fulfill  the demands of the Eritrean people to make true its objectives by removing the dictator regime from Eritrea.

Khaleel Amr-Secretary General of the Islamic Justice and Development Party:

This is intractable desire for us in the Islamic party for Justice and Development; and this historical inclusive meeting has produced positive resolutions of 80%. In my opinion, what are left out are issues of technical relevance because all the barbed, complicated points have been handled in this meeting;  and what has been realized in this meeting is  a positive step despite the limitation of time and the upcoming stage is full of stinginess to pluck out the fruits of the agreed up on charter in this meeting.

Mohammed Osman Abubker- Head of the Eritrean National Front:

This is a positive, historical step at which Eritreans have put  aside their differences to set up a united umbrella. It is really  a great  accomplishment which will speed up the pace of getting rid of the dictator regime. Thus, the second step is related to future plans for confronting the regime with all possible means-a united media and diplomatic means at the time the regime is living in an economic and diplomatic isolation. The subsequent step will concentrate on mechanisms of governance in Eritrea and the future perspective of ruling Eritrea through constitution, institutions and rule of law to add Eritrea to the democratic landscape of the Horn of  Africa.

Dr. Habte- Head of the National Council of the ELF-National Congress.

Our thinking, at the beginning, must be positive as long as our struggle is for the interest of the Eritrean people. I have , since the beginning of the armed struggle for liberation until this moment,  been optimist because there is a cause of people and the people’s uprising can never be hindered by any means. Now it  is time in Eritrea for the public uprising since the  resistance has been completed for that uprising. I see  the current unity with positivism because the organizations which were in the East and West have been combined and accredited one charter. I believe in the application of the theoretical part on the real ground and this is what the Eritrean people longs for to get rid of the one-man regime in Eritrea.

Ibrahim Harron-Chairman of the Democratic Movement for the Red Sea Afar:

 The leaders of the Eritrean opposition agree, for the first time, to work jointly under a united umbrella because there has been no such unity in the previous time. Rather there has always been differences about the issues of ethnic groups and religion  which got sorted out now at the minimum programme. Thus, each ethnic group takes its right within the framework of firm national principles.

Grenyos Osman-Head of the Kunama Movement:

The meeting was historical and was distinguished by  putting together significant experiences. All these issues were discussed in a comprehensive way and were sorted out. Moreover the issues of ethnic groups and religion have been sorted out, too. We have struggled for 30 years and are struggling now for the establishment of democracy. The experience of the leading group was harmonized with the experience of the youth and the latter have benefited from this because views were exchanged in a way full of respect and estimation.

Beshir Isac-Secretary General of the EFDM:

The unification of the Eritrean opposition factions is a  popular demand and the achievement, which was accomplished at this meeting, must continue and the Eritrean opposition has to transcend the stage of  splitting up to promote through unification, cooperation and  joint work to handle differences with democratic standards and they should the apply democracy firstly in their work and then reflect it to the others.

Adhanom-Head of the EPM:

The meeting atmosphere was really appreciative because the held serious discussions have led the Eritrean oppositions to agree upon the minimum programme and accredit a united charter for joint work; and we will work together for the establishment of democracy in  Eritrea.

Mohammed Nur-a Member of the Secretariat of the EDP:

 This agreement is not a product of an overnight rather of extensive dialogues which lasted for a year to assemble the Eritrean opposition powers which are framed inside and outside the alliance. These dialogues have removed many obstacles which have been impending striking an agreement. This was due to the people’s differences in their experiences in many of the conceptions which they have been entertaining to promote their struggle to overthrow the regime. All these conversations have produced a united view for the opposition, not about the nature of the regime because this is an agreed upon point, rather about the means of confronting the regime to cut on its overthrowing and to frame an all-around creel for the opposition powers. There has been social, religious powers and independent individuals who were within the conceit to be combined within this creel.

 We, in my estimation, neither have strong army which faces the regime militarily nor political powers which are framed within the homeland to overthrow the regime because the opposition’s nature doesn’t dilate for that. Thus, the only available means for the opposition is the media through which we have to mobilize the internal and external Eritrean street.

Ismail Nada-Of  the Gash Setit Organization

The results of the meeting are really very good because they constitute the first strategic step for an intensive joint work.

Abubkr Sulieman-United Organizations

We consider what has been achieved the best present of Eid for the Eritrean people. Really the stricken charter has founded the fundamental base for the upcoming joint work in order to speed up getting of the regime.

• A Note by the GIC’s Team:
• The team of the Gulf Information Center concludes from the above statements that all the Eritrean Opposition powers have unanimously greed upon putting aside the longstanding, marginal, insignificant differences and unite for the grand national goal. Thus, the team of the GIC appeals to all Eritreans particularly journalists, writers and opinion leading groups to  direct all their efforts for backing up the found strong will, determination and insistence to solidify the Eritrean attitudes through unifying our address. As a result,  the team implores to all Eritrean intellectuals to be up to the expectations of our poor people under the repressive regime of the one-man. Because the GIC believes strongly that the burden of the second step, following the reached strategic agreement by the political powers, lies hugely on the shoulders of the opinion leading intellectuals. The team supports the points which were highlighted by  Saleh AA Younis under the title, “ Demarcation of the Eritrean Politics.” At awate.com.

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Posted by farajat on Jan 25 2005 Filed under Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry