EPDP: A Short Profile and Political Resolutions of the 4th Congress 2023

Wednesday, 23 August 2023 17:08 Written by 4 th EPDP Congress

Eritrea Liberty magazine Issue Nr.80

Saturday, 19 August 2023 00:00 Written by EPDP Foreing Relation Affairs

The Visionary Leadership of EPDP: A Path Towards Democracy in Eritrea

Friday, 04 August 2023 11:41 Written by Haile Tinsaew

Final Statement of the 4th EPDP Congress

Monday, 31 July 2023 22:41 Written by Eritrean People’s Democratic Party

The 4^th Congress of the Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) was successfully conducted in Wiesbaden, Germany, between 23 and 26 July, 2023 in Wiesbaden, Germany. Organized under the party slogan of “We Struggle for Constitutional Governance, Democracy and Progress”, the Congress was attended by EPDP delegates from many parts of the globe.

Taking place at a crucial time when the situation in Eritrea is worsening by the day under the dictatorial clique of PFDJ (the so-called People’s Front for “Democracy and Justice”);
While destructive wars are raging in our fraternal neighbors of the Sudan and Ethiopia; and
While global actors are attempting to reshape world order by alliances,

The 4th EPDP Congress, therefore, had to discuss these developments with all the serious attention they deserved.

During the opening ceremony, warm solidarity speeches were delivered by the newly elected Coordinator of the Eritrean Political Forces (EPF) who is also the Chair of the Eritrean National Council for Democratic Change (ENCDC) and a Representative of the Global Yiakil/Enough/Kifaya Movement. Other fraternal movements, associations and media outlets that could not be present at the venue in Germany sent their heartfelt wishes for the success of the Congress.

After lengthy deliberations over the party’s Political Program, Constitution and report of the EPDP General Auditor, the Congress adopted the drafts as legal party documents. Also scrutinized and finally adopted as party documents were the lengthy four-year reports of the Chairman, reports of the other eight departments of the Executive Committee and Political Resolutions of the Congress.

On the Current Situation of Eritrea:

The 4^th Congress expressed full conviction that the relation of the dictatorial regime and the Eritrean people is by now non-existent because of the total betrayal of that clique to the entire nation and to the very flimsy structures it started to establish. Therefore, the Eritrean people are urged to take matters into their own hands and reminded to rally behind this party that vows to continue being at the forefront of the struggle to remove the PFDJ and its system.

On Eritrean Sovereignty:

Encouraged by the treacherous language and policies of the tyranny in Asmara, Ethiopian quarters that never swallowed Eritrea’s attainment to statehood and those misinterpreting the right of access to the sea have lately been engaged in day-dreaming some measures that aim to affect the very unity of the Eritrean people and their sovereign state. The Congress therefore affirms that the territorial integrity of the land, sea and air, and the unity of its people are national issues that shall never be negotiated.

On Process for Joint Work at EPF and other Levels:

The 4^th EPDP Congress gave full mandate to the newly elected leadership to take all what is necessary to speed up the now promising stage to agree for joint work with fraternal Eritrean Political Forces (EPF) and also to seriously work on the ongoing dialogues with various other political formations, fronts and movements.

On Mass Uprisings:

In regard to waves of current and future mass uprisings, including the ongoing popular resistance being given the name “Brigade Nhamedu,’ the Congress expressed its full backing and necessary support to such rightful measures that must be conducted within legal frameworks and without earning the dislike of host countries and peoples.

On the Eritrean Defense Forces:

The Congress condemned the unwarranted involvement of the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF) in the recent Tigrai war although it was well known that the EDF members, themselves victims of the regime, had nothing to gain from such conflicts and invasions imposed on them and the Eritrean people. The EDF is now called upon to save itself and the people from the shackles of the regime and be on guard to resist and future involvement in wars which are likely be rekindled by the war-mongering regime.

On Eritrean Refugees:

The 4^th Congress took note of the regime’s misguided policies and failure to welcome back and resettle pre-independence refugees as well as the continued waves of Eritrean refugees, and reiterated its call upon the Eritrean people to coordinate its energies to get rid of this tyrannical regime of Isaias Afeworki. The Congress also paid tribute to all counties and people that have been extending helping hands to our needy refugees.

On Eritrean-Ethiopian Relations:

The Congress reaffirmed the EPDP’s position of continuing the relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia peoples based on policies of non-interference in the internal affairs of the other and the promotion of peace and mutual interests guaranteed by transparent accords and not by those based on the whims of individual leaders. While expressing deep concern about the probability of unnecessary armed conflict between the two because of the renewed chatter over the issues of border and ‘access to the sea’, the Congress condemned PFDJ’s continued meddling to disrupt relations of forces within Ethiopia. At the same time, the Congress called upon Ethiopia to see to it that all relations in regard to Eritrea must make be centered on the Eritrean people.

On Eritrea-Sudan Relations:

Sincerely wishing the fraternal Sudanese people to succeed in their struggle to return to normalcy from the current sad situation, the 4the EPDP Congress strongly appealed on the warring military leaders to cease fighting and settle differences peacefully through dialogue. It also urged the world community to intervene in stopping this war which can severely affect the entire region.

On the Tigrai Region of Ethiopia

The people of Tigrai are not only neighbors but are a fraternal people with many shared traits with the Eritrean people. The 4^th Congress, therefore, affirmed EPDP’s resolve to help in healing the wounds afflicted by the war and rebuild normal relations based on cooperation and promotion of mutual interests by fighting and failing the harmful schemes of Eritrea’s belligerent dictator, Isaias Afeworki.

On Human Rights in Eritrea:

The Congress expressed its strong wish to see soon actions being taken by those concerned to bring to full accountability the Eritrean tyrant and his accomplices for the egregious crimes they have been committing against Eritrean religious leaders, journalists and political actors in complete violation of international calls and fundamental human rights rules and norms.

Concluding its deliberations, the 4^th EPDP Congress democratically elected 35 persons from among candidates submitted by the Nominating Committee to serve as Central Council members for the next four years. Other five reserve members were also elected.

The Congress also expressed deep gratitude to party members and sympathizers for their devotion and generosity in making the 4th EPDP Congress a resounding success.

Victory to the Just Struggle of the Eritrean People!!

Victory to Joint Work of Eritrean Political Formations and Movements!!

Down with the Tyrant PFDJ Regime in Eritrea!!

26 July, 2023, Wiesbaden, Germany

4th EPDP Congress: Young Eritreans Unite for a Democratic and Peaceful Eritrea

Tuesday, 25 July 2023 02:12 Written by Haile Tinsaew

UN experts urge Ethiopia to halt mass deportation of Eritreans

Wednesday, 19 July 2023 22:07 Written by Martin Plaut

Martin Plaut posted: " UN experts today* condemned Ethiopia's summary expulsion of hundreds of Eritreans at the end of June. They called on the authorities to immediately halt any further deportations and put an end to the continuing reports of arbitrary detention of Eritrean" Martin Plaut

Martin Plaut

Jul 13

UN experts today* condemned Ethiopia's summary expulsion of hundreds of Eritreans at the end of June. They called on the authorities to immediately halt any further deportations and put an end to the continuing reports of arbitrary detention of Eritrean refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants.

“Collective expulsions are prohibited under international law,” the experts said. “Deporting migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers without conducting an individual and objective risk assessment of their exposure to human rights violations, including torture and enforced disappearance, upon return is refoulement.”

Source: United Nations

13 July 2023

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GENEVA (13 July 2023) – UN experts today* condemned Ethiopia's summary expulsion of hundreds of Eritreans at the end of June. They called on the authorities to immediately halt any further deportations and put an end to the continuing reports of arbitrary detention of Eritrean refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants.

“Collective expulsions are prohibited under international law,” the experts said. “Deporting migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers without conducting an individual and objective risk assessment of their exposure to human rights violations, including torture and enforced disappearance, upon return is refoulement.”

The non-refoulement principle, enshrined in the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and other international human rights treaties and legal instruments, applies to all forms of expulsion, regardless of nationality or migration status, they said.

“Several cases of family separation have been reported following the mass deportations, with parents forced back to Eritrea and children left behind in Ethiopia,” the experts said.

Patterns of human rights violations against forcibly returned Eritreans, including torture, ill-treatment, enforced disappearance, trafficking and arbitrary detention, have been well documented in previous reports by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea. “There is no information on the fate or whereabouts of those deported since their return to Eritrea,” the experts said. “We urge the Eritrean authorities to provide information on their fate and whereabouts and to ensure that they can have access to their relatives, lawyers or anyone of their choice.”

The Ethiopian Refugee and Returnee Service (RSS) stated that those deported were not refugees or asylum seekers. However, according to several credible sources, the group included both registered and unregistered refugees and asylum-seekers. The RSS stopped registering newly arrived asylum-seekers in March 2020, preventing them from accessing the asylum process and from applying for protection under international human rights and refugee law.

“The lack of registration and accompanying documentation places refugees and asylum-seekers in a situation of heightened vulnerability and hinders their access to their human rights in Ethiopia,” the experts said. “We urge organisations with refugee protection mandates, including UNHCR, to mobilise and engage proactively with the Ethiopian authorities to address the lack of access to the asylum system and relevant documentation for asylum-seekers and refugees.”

The UN experts expressed grave concern about the ongoing situation of Eritreans in Ethiopia, noting the reports of continued arrests and prolonged arbitrary detention of Eritreans for alleged violations of immigration law, without charge, without access to a lawyer and without judicial process.

“Immigration detention should be an exceptional measure of last resort, used only for adults, for the shortest period of time and for a legitimate purpose,” the experts said. “It also appears that the authorities are specifically targeting Eritreans, a practice that constitutes discrimination.”

ENDS

*The experts: Mohamed Babiker, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea; Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; Felipe González Morales, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants; Aua Baldé (Chair-Rapporteur), Gabriella Citroni (Vice-Chair), Angkhana Neelapaijit, Grażyna Baranowska, Ana Lorena Delgadillo Perez, Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances; Ms. Priya Gopalan (Chair-Rapporteur), Mr. Matthew Gillett (Vice-Chair on Communications), Ms. Ganna Yudkivska (Vice-Chair on Follow-Up), Ms. Miriam Estrada-Castillo, and Mr. Mumba Malila, Working Group on arbitrary detention and Felipe González Morales Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.

Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organisation. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

President Isaias “Not interested in foreign bases” on Eritrean territory – Ambassador to Moscow Petros Tseggai

Wednesday, 19 July 2023 21:56 Written by Martin Plaut

Martin Plaut posted: " "According to the ambassador, Eritrea's position on the presence of foreign military bases on its territory remains unchanged after President Isaias Afwerki's visit to Moscow – the country is not interested in the deployment of such facilities." Eritr" Martin Plaut

Martin Plaut

Jul 18

"According to the ambassador, Eritrea's position on the presence of foreign military bases on its territory remains unchanged after President Isaias Afwerki's visit to Moscow – the country is not interested in the deployment of such facilities."

Eritrean President to Attend Russia–Africa Summit, Ambassador Says

The Second Summit Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum will take place in St. Petersburg from July 27-28.The First Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum was held in the Russian resort city of Sochi in October 2019.

In late May, during Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki's visit to Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended an invitation to his Eritrean counterpart to attend the second Russia–Africa Summit to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia, on July 27-28.

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki plans to attend the second Russia–Africa summit to be held in St. Petersburg on July 27-28, Asmara's Ambassador to Moscow Petros Tseggai Asghedom told Sputnik in an interview.

"Mr. Afwerki has accepted the invitation [of Russian President Vladimir Putin] and plans to come to the summit," Tseggai said.

He added that among the expected agenda items are international security issues and the problem of the arms race in outer space.

In early June, in an exclusive interview with Sputnik Africa, the Eritrean President said that the upcoming Second Russia–Africa Summit, which will be attended by all African leaders, might serve as a platform to discuss "how could governments and nations in Africa engage to promote this partnership that will change the quality of life and enable African peoples to enjoy the resources they have by designing and implementing programs for development."

At the meeting in May, Afwerki and Putin reached agreements on international security and military cooperation. The import of Russian grain to the country was probably also discussed, and the results of these agreements will be seen in the near future, the ambassador said.

Earlier, Putin said when meeting with the Eritrean leader that Moscow and Asmara intend to ink a number of intergovernmental agreements, and that the two countries have good prospects for cooperation in many areas.

During the meeting of the heads of state, certain agreements were reached in many areas. For example, in the sphere of culture, international security, military cooperation, and many others, Tsegay said, adding that it is too early to talk about concrete results, but "the results will be visible in the near future".

According to the diplomat, the two leaders had an extensive agenda during the gathering, that touched upon all major issues, including the issue of direct grain supplies. He stressed that the countries are at the beginning of an extensive "road of long, fruitful cooperation".

In particular, the ambassador said that Eritrea was currently interested in studying the issues of prioritizing products for delivery. He added that time will tell how the relations between the two countries will develop in this direction.

Western Pressure Over Ties With Russia

The United States is trying to vilify and demonize Eritrea and its leadership because of its support for Russia and for the African country's desire to go its own way, Washington supports organizations that oppose the interests of Asmara, according to the Eritrean envoy to Moscow.

He added that Eritrea has been under pressure for more than 80 years.

Earlier, Eritrea's foreign minister said after talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that Asmara is under constant pressure from Washington because of its support for Moscow's position, but the African nation won't succumb to it.

According to the ambassador, in light of recent events, such as the meeting between the leaders of Eritrea and Russia in May, there is a growing tendency to increase pressure on Eritrea by expanding sanctions and supporting organizations that oppose its interests.

According to the ambassador, Eritrea's position on the presence of foreign military bases on its territory remains unchanged after President Isaias Afwerki's visit to Moscow – the country is not interested in the deployment of such facilities.

Continuing to Engage with Moscow

Petros Tseggai also announced that Eritrea and Russia are planning to exchange delegations in the near future. During these meetings, the two sides will explore the potential for establishing business contacts.

The Eritrean ambassador admitted that the current level of business contacts between the two countries is low, but assured that efforts are being made to improve this situation.

"Once certain mechanisms of interstate cooperation are in place, we can expect an increase in business agenda activity," he said.

The ambassador hoped that Russian companies would participate in oil exploration in his country. He stressed that the current oil reserves in Eritrea have not been fully explored and called for further research and exploration.

The envoy highlighted the visits by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Asmara and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki to Moscow, and hoped that these visits would lead to the assistance of Russian companies in resolving this issue.

Although no substantive discussions have yet taken place, the ambassador expressed optimism that work in this area of bilateral relations would begin soon.

Having failed once…the Eritrean government tries again to hold a German festival

Tuesday, 18 July 2023 00:30 Written by Eritrea Hub

AUGUST 30, 2022 ERITREA HUB ETHIOPIA, NEWS

Klaus-Dieter Grothe, Green city councilor and regular participant in demonstrations against events organized by the regime, emphasizes: “It is a deliberate provocation by the Eritrean state.” He appeals to the authorities to cancel the event, as they did in Switzerland.

Source: Giessen Allgemeine

In the Hessenhallen in Gießen: Eritrea Festival planned again on Saturday

Created:08/30/2022, 06:35 am

By: Kays Al-Khanak

Whether there will be a counter-demonstration against the Eritrean consulate’s event in the Hessenhallen – like here on August 20 – is not yet certain. © Harald Friedrich

The event of the Eritrean consulate in the Hessenhallen, which was canceled due to violent clashes, is to take place again in Gießen. The city sees this very critically.

Gießen – Exactly two weeks after the violent clashes on the sidelines of an event organized by the Eritrean consulate in the Hessenhallen, this is to take place again in Gießen. As Mayor Alexander Wright tells this newspaper, a consulate event that has been declared a “catch-up date” is planned for Saturday, September 3. The fair informed the city about this. “We take a very critical view of that,” emphasizes Wright. Therefore, the requirements have been significantly increased.

On Saturday, August 20, the event in the Hessenhallen, which was declared a cultural festival, was canceled by the police for security reasons. Before that, around 100 people – presumably Eritreans in exile – had climbed over the fences and stormed the site . They had gathered on the Saturday of the city festival independently of an officially announced and peaceful counter-demonstration. The clashes, which police said used sticks, poles, stones and knives, injured 33 people, including seven police officers. The situation was only calmed down after the deployment of 300 officials from all over Hesse.

Controversial Eritrea Festival in Gießen: Several cancellations in neighboring countries

For critics, the events of the consulate are not harmless cultural festivals, but propaganda events and a good source of foreign exchange for a dictatorship. Eritrea is one of the most isolated and censored countries in the world; According to reports from human rights organizations, the population is oppressed and their freedoms restricted. When it comes to assessing the regime, there is a deep rift in the Eritrean diaspora: for some, Isaias Afewerki is a hero who led the state to independence in 1993 and has since served as president with his one-party government. The Eritreans who have fled since the 2000s see this differently. Especially with them it caused a lot of trouble that in a kind of European tour, which also went to Gießen on August 20th.

The poet is shown on posters in a military uniform and beret and is considered the regime’s “chief propagandist” who agitates against its opponents. Eritrea’s participation in the war in Tigray, Ethiopia, is also likely to have fueled the conflict between the two groups. The European tour of the Eritrean regime had recently been dampened. Appearances in Sweden, the Netherlands and most recently in Switzerland have been canceled by the authorities. According to information, the Eritrea Festival was supposed to be held in Oslo, Norway, on September 3rd.

Gießen: Personalized tickets for another Eritrea festival

As Mayor Wright, who is responsible for the Gießen regulatory office, says, the authority wants to oblige the organizer to name the correct time at which the festival should begin – this did not happen last time. In addition, the Eritrean consulate must issue the number of participants and personalized tickets to the visitors. The fences around the Hessenhallen must be provided with climbing protection and the entrances with turnstiles.

According to the city, an official cancellation of the event is not possible because there are narrow limits for such a step. However, even before the event on August 20, Wright had given the fair more options to prevent the event. However, the GmbH, which acts as a private landlord, points out that it is obliged to make rooms available “non-discriminatory” because refusals for religious and political reasons are quickly overturned by the courts. The city sees this differently, since the Eritrean consulate’s event is not a party conference.

Giessen: Messe has a “contractual obligation that we are meeting with this appointment”

At the request of this newspaper, the trade fair announced: “We still have a contractual obligation, which we are fulfilling with this date.” The regulatory authorities have become active; the trade fair is also in contact with the authorities and organizers to ensure safety. It is not yet clear to what extent the Eritrean opposition will call for a counter-demonstration. Klaus-Dieter Grothe, Green city councilor and regular participant in demonstrations against events organized by the regime, emphasizes: “It is a deliberate provocation by the Eritrean state.” He appeals to the authorities to cancel the event, as in Switzerland.

Handling of the Giessen protests: Mayor demands a review

Tuesday, 11 July 2023 22:22 Written by Martin Plaut

Martin Plaut posted: " Mayor Frank-Tilo Becher (SPD), who had previously tried in vain to ban the festival, is calling for a reappraisal of the decision to allow the "festival" that must go beyond his city. Source: taz [Note: computer translation from German] After " Martin Plaut

Martin Plaut

Jul 10

Mayor Frank-Tilo Becher (SPD), who had previously tried in vain to ban the festival, is calling for a reappraisal of the decision to allow the "festival" that must go beyond his city.

Source: taz

[Note: computer translation from German]

After the riots at the Eritrea Festival in Giessen, city politicians are demanding consequences. 26 police officers were injured in the riots.

Giessen on July 8th, 2003, counter-demonstrators in front of the Eritrea Festival are being guarded by the policePhoto: Helmut Fricke/dpa

BERLIN taz | After the riots in Giessen at the weekend, state and local politicians called for consequences. Around 1,700 Eritreans from half of Europe had come together there, like almost every year since 2011, to celebrate the Eritrean dictatorship. About 150 Eritrean counter-demonstrators tried violently to prevent the festival by throwing stones and bottles . 26 police officers were injured, some seriously. It is not known whether there were also injured Eritreans. 131 people were temporarily taken into custody. You are free again.

At the political level, the events triggered a heated debate. The Hessian Interior Minister Peter Beuth (CDU) called on the federal government to summon the Eritrean ambassador. "Our police officers are not the buffer stop for conflicts in third countries," he said.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said on Monday at the government press conference that there had been talks with the chargé d'affaires of the Eritrean embassy in advance. It had been made clear to him that inter-Eitrean conflicts should not be fought on German soil. There hasn't been an Eritrean ambassador in Germany for nine years, nor have there been fully-fledged diplomatic relations.

The organizer of the festival is the Central Council of Eritreans in Germany. He is controversial for his proximity to the one-party dictatorship in the small Horn of Africa country, dubbed the "North Korea of Africa." Spokespersons for the association had rejected the accusation that the event was used to promote the regime in Eritrea. Rather, it would have been a cultural and family festival.

Minister of Propaganda praises the festival

However, the statement is contradicted by the fact that the governors of all six provinces in Eritrea were flown in to the “culture and family festival”, performed and celebrated. Even Eritrea's information minister - the term "propaganda minister" would be more appropriate - had tweeted about the festival from the capital Asmara and spoke of a "lively event" that was enriched by the presence of "the governors of all six provinces of the home country". He did not mention riots.

A participant reports to the taz that flags from Eritrea and the sole governing party PFDJ were shown and sold. According to an observer, a song was also sung calling for the murder of residents in the neighboring Ethiopian province of Tigray. This cannot be verified independently. Representatives of the organizer could not be reached on Monday.

The relationship between the Central Council of Eritreans in Germany and the PFDJ itself is also difficult. According to the register of associations at the responsible district court in Wiesbaden, the association, which was registered in 2018, consists of four pillars. One of them is the Eritrean governing party PFDJ itself, the other three are organizations from Eritrea and Germany. According to indirect information from the register of associations, the association is said to be non-profit, but the taz does not have a certificate from the tax office. The picture reports that a German branch of the PFDJ was founded in Frankfurt/Main in February. The taz has minutes of a meeting of the PFDJ youth organization in Germany in May.

Gießen Mayor Frank-Tilo Becher (SPD), who had previously tried in vain to ban the festival , is calling for a reappraisal that must go beyond his city. In addition to the incidents surrounding the festival, there was openly racist hate speech on social media that mocked the rule of law, said Becher. For him, the question is whether such a festival should be allowed to take place again in the next few years.