Khalifa: The EDA Condemns any Eritrean Intervention Into the Sudanese Internal Affairs.

* The Somali People are Friendly People and Stood with the Right of the Eritrean People since the Beginning of the Eritrean Revolution.

Gulf Information Center has conducted a cursory interview with Mr. Hussein Khalifa, the Chairman of the Executive Body of the Eritrean Democratic Alliance, about the last developments in the Eritrean-Sudanese relationship following the military events which the Eastern part of the Sudan had witnessed, the Sudanese complaint to the Security Council of the United Nations against Eritrea and the Eritrean regime’s intervention into the Somali affairs. Excerpts:

What is your opinion about the last events in Eastern Sudan and the interventions of the regime and the Sudanese complaint against it?

Concerning the complaint the Sudan has presented to the United Nations, I believe that it is the right of the Sudan to do so; especially it had exerted , for a long period of time, tremendous efforts in order to normalize the relationship with the Eritrean regime. Besides, many political powers of the region have mediated on top of which the surrounding countries of Eritrea as well as Arab countries to normalize the relationship of the Sudan with the ruling regime in Eritrea. However, what happened was that the current Eritrean regime has pushed the Sudan to file a complaint to the United Nations or to the bodies that could limit the acts of this regime. Regarding the escalations that took place in Eastern Sudan we, at the Eritrean Democratic Alliance, condemn any Eritrean military intervention into the Sudan and believe that the Sudanese people are capable of solving their problems by themselves. Therefore, we declare that our stance is with the choice of the Sudanese people and with peace and stability of the Sudan. And I believe that Isaias is not the man who would play a positive role in the events of the Eastern Sudan because, “Who has nothing can not give something, “. If Isaias were a man who believes in freedom of opinions; he would have solved his problems before solving the problems of the Sudan.

What is your opinion regarding the last statements of some Somali officials concerning the intervention of the Eritrean regime into the Somali affairs?

The Somali people are friendly people and stood with the right of the Eritrean people since 1966. They had provided, since the beginning of the Eritrean revolution, what they could provide: in the military area or in facilitating travel documents. All Eritrean leaders were holding Somali passports including Isaias himself. And we, as people, cheer all respect and consideration for the Somali people. And we don’t choose leaders for the people of the region. This is not our task but the task of the people of the region. And we don’t think that there is a justification for the Eritrean intervention into the affairs of Somali, whatsoever it was (is). And we do believe in the unity of the land and people of the Sudan as well as Somali. We heard that there are interventions into Somali affairs. However, we believe, regardless of the magnitude and truth of such interventions, that the Eritrean regime has accustomed to adopt any  pretext of conflict in the region; a matter which has made the Eritrean regime  a source of instability in the whole region by exporting wars and chaos into its neighbors by oppressing its people. As a result, the removal of this regime from power in Eritrea is not only a demand of the Eritrean people but a regional demand, as well.

What do you think about the future of the political situation in Eritrea in light of the local and regional changes which are surrounding the regime in Eritrea?

I think the supposed age of the regime is finished. It is an isolated regime from its people at the first place. Even those who constitute the apparatus of the Eritrean regime are looking out for chances to escape and the world is witnessing today that the regime does not have ambassadors except in one or two countries. All ambassadors and diplomatic corpse have run away. Fleeing to the Sudan, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Djibouti is continuous. All the countries which surround Eritrea are now receiving escapers: from the army or the civil service apparatus or others. And I believe that the international relations of the regime have become zero. Besides, the economic, the political and administrative situations within Eritrea have become zero, too. Therefore, all available evidences and facts on ground inside Eritrea do prove the collapse of this regime very soon, God willing.

What are the activities the alliance has, so far, carried out and what is its priority in this phase?

The age of the EDA is three months only. The focus of the alliance during this period was to establish branches on the political level in regions and areas where Eritreans live; starting from the Sudan, North America, Australia and Europe. And we have dispatched delegations for the purpose of basically accomplishing this objective. Moreover to explain the political charter, organizational structure for Eritreans and to establish committees of branches in big towns and in places where there are Eritreans in the Diaspora. The second achievement is declaration of the establishment of the alliance through the available media outlets. The alliance has, so far, established a media outlet in the Sudan and Ethiopia; in addition to the magazine of the alliance from which two editions have already been issued. The next phase will witness a movement of the members of the leadership to different parts of the world.

Your evaluation to the extent of the people’s acceptance for the Eritrean Democratic Alliance?

Concerning the acceptance of the people for the EDA, there are good will signs in the horizon of the Eritrean people particularly after the formation of the EDA. The Eritrean people have begun to feel that a first step to the road of victory has been taken: not only to remove the regime but even for the future of a democratic governance and peaceful rotation of power in future Eritrea.

What is your opinion about the organizational conglomerations in the Eritrean opposition camp?

We support and stand with any step that reduces the number of the opposition factions into one.

  A message you would like to convey via GIC?

I would like to remind the Eritrean media outlets like GIC and Adoulis and others that they should present a big message not less in importance than that of the political message which the alliance conveys to the Eritrean people. It is a message of enlightening the Eritrean people. We need the media outlets to fully accomplish this message of enlightening because the role which  these media outlets play will help greatly not only in resistance of the regime in Eritrea but also in the future of Eritrea’s governance.     

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Posted by farajat on Jul 6 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