ሰልፊ ዲሞክራሲ ህዝቢ ኤርትራ                                                                                        حزب الشعب الديمقراطي الارتري      

ERITREAN PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY (EPDP)

New EPDP Profile

First Things First

The Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) has successfully convened its First Congress between 31 July and 4 August 2011 at simultaneously conducted sessions in two venues, Frankfurt/Germany, and Gondar/Ethiopia, with 156 voting delegates representing all EPDP members in the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, Australia, USA, Canada and 9 European countries.

This Congress, which consummated the historic unity of mainstream political trends in Eritrea, adopted Party Platform and Party Constitution as well as passing pertinent political resolutions that pledge to revamp and renew the hitherto blurred landscape of the Eritrean political opposition. (You will find salient points of the resolutions later in this Party Profile). The Congress also, Inter alia, elected a 31-member Central Council that will lead the Party for the next four years. In turn the Central Council elected a nine-person Executive Committee mandated to lead for the next 12 months. This is the list of the new Executive Committee:

1. Hamid Drar, Party Chairman
2. Woldeyesus Ammar, Foreign Relations
3. Tesfamichael Yohannes, Organizational Affairs
4. Menghisteab Asmerom, Information Office
5. Goitom Emam, Finance Office
6. Mesfin Hagos, Internal/Home Affairs
7. Ismail Nada, Social Affairs
8. Eritrea Alazar/Ms, Women’s Affairs
9. Amanuel Beraki, Youth Affairs

Other members of the newly elected EPDP Central Council, in alphabetical order, are: Abdulgader Habties; Aklilu Ghirmai/Dr; Ali Dinai; Alem Yohannes;Amanuel Habte; Amanuel Hagos; Babekir Mohammed Hamid; Berhane Tesfagaber; Gherghis Negash/Ms; Gime Ahmed; Haile Ghebru; Idris Ismail; Issa Mohammed; Kiros Beyene; Mahfuz Hussein; Mansour Omar; Mohammed Adem Artaa; Mohammed Ali Ibrahim; Mohammed Asselo; Rezene Tesfazion; Suleiman Sediq and Tesfai Woldemichael/Degiga. Four CC reserve members, also in alphabetical order, are:  Assefaw Berhe; Negusse Tsegai; Tekle Melekin and Tserha Solomon/Ms.

The Unity Process

The EPDP was formed on January 1, 2010 through the merger of mainstream Eritrean opposition organizations which originated from the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) formed in 1961 and the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) formed in the early 1970s, whose combined 30-year struggle immensely contributed to the building of a solid national Eritrean awareness and laid down the essentials that led to the liberation of the territory in 1991 and the subsequent declaration of an Independent State of Eritrea following a referendum in 1993.

Three of the four organizations that successfully carried on for 18 months from that merger to finally fuse into one solid party in the August 2011 Congress of the EPDP were the ex-Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP); the ex-Eritrean People’s Party (EPP, formerly ELF-RC) and the ex-Eritrean Democratic Resistance Movement– Gash Setit (EDRM-GS),  established in the 1980s.

The EPP and the EDRM-Gash Setit were progenies of the ELF. On the other hand, the EDP belonged to the EPLF which after 1991 became the ruling party (PFDJ). The EDP split from the ruling party in 2001 after the dictatorial regime’s crackdown on its own members who demanded for the implementation of a ratified constitution.

Therefore, it is easy understand that their merger, declared on 1 January 2010 following over five years of dialogue for unity, was seen as a major development in the Eritrean political landscape for the simple fact that it tore down the walls of division on two mainstream political blocs: the ELF/Jebha and EPLF/Shabia camps.

From January 2010 to the First Congress in August 2011, the outcome of the merger that gave birth to EPDP underwent trying challenges from many quarters. The regime in Eritrea saw a threat in EPDP which it believed was capable of winning the hearts and minds of many Eritreans within and outside Eritrea who are dissatisfied with the wrong policies of the dictatorial clique in Asmara. On the other hand, many of the fragmented organizations in diaspora and their supporters saw EPDP with jaundiced eyes for unjustifiable reasons.

What EPDP is

• This is an all-inclusive national democratic party that envisions to achieve the unfulfilled aspirations of the Eritrean people for peace, democracy, equality, and social justice under the rule of law.
• EPDP is a party consistently struggling to lay down a favourable ground for a lasting victory of the people, and preserve and promote their unity in diversity in a decentralized system of democratic governance.
• It is a party that believes in the winning strategy of People Power – the strategy of peaceful and democratic struggle in removing the present dictatorial regime in Eritrea, and replace it with a multi-party constitutional democratic government whose authority is drawn from the people.
• It is a party that envisions building a prosperous Eritrea that guarantees its sovereign existence, and fosters good governance that equitably distributes political power and national wealth to its citizens.
• It is a party determined to enhance the performance of the Eritrean opposition struggle by sending correct and clear messages to all Eritreans, and by audaciously addressing the current fragmentation of the Eritrean opposition on sub-national appeals
• EPDP believes in peaceful co-existence with its neighbors and with the rest of the world on the basis of promoting common interests and reciprocal respect.

The First EPDP Congress of August 2011 made clarion clear the vision for the future State of Eritrea and the winning strategy, the roadmap and policies of the Party in the struggle to remove the dictatorship and replace it by a democratic system of governance. Below are the political resolutions of the Congress. (Future updates of this Profile will include adequate summaries of the Political Program, Party Vision and Party Roadmap).

Political Resolutions Adopted

At the 1^st EPDP Congress

August 4, 2011

1. On Method of Struggle

• Having made a thorough evaluation of past Eritrean experiences and  taking note of the ongoing popular uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East;
• Fully convinced that a peaceful and democratic method of struggle is appropriate to the Eritrean situation and a sure path to the eventual establishment of peaceful, just, and democratic system of governance in our country:

The Congress resolves to uphold and pursue EPDP’s fundamental principle of peaceful and democratic resistance as the most viable and objective means of struggle to remove the PFDJ regime from power and establish sustainable constitutional governance in Eritrea; also, in order to rally the vast majority of the Eritrean people for success within the shortest time possible, the Congress declared to bring the struggle to the heart of the homeland and do what it takes to make the Eritrean Defence Forces an integral part of the popular mobilization and consolidate the peaceful and democratic struggle against the dictatorial regime.

2. On the Eritrean Opposition Forces 

• Believing in the necessity of providing leadership to the struggle for democratic change in Eritrea, and convinced that the creation of a robust alternative force that can take over from the dictatorial ruling party (People’s Front for Development and Justice/PFDJ) is an urgent common objective;
• Mindful of the lack of objective assessment and serious preparation for action as well as the absence of even handed representation and lack of mass participation in all the hitherto established alliances in the Eritrean opposition;
• Fully aware of the fact that Eritrean parties will find the favourable ground to compete in a peaceful and democratic manner and implement their respective  programs only after dislodging the dictatorial regime which is the priority task of them all at this time:

The Congress reaffirms that the Party shall continue exerting efforts towards the formation of a genuine national umbrella of the Eritrean opposition forces that can promote harmony amongst its member organizations, one that encourages and allows each member to effectively play its appropriate role without hindrance, and one that provides leadership to the struggle until the dictatorial system is removed.

3. On National Unity and Territorial Integrity of Eritrea 

• Appreciative of the fact that the current struggle is the continuation of the national  struggle for Eritrean national identity and sovereignty achieved after a long armed struggle in 1991;
• Embracing and accomplishing the will and wish of our gallant martyrs as EPDP’s paramount goals;
• Defending without compromise the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of the state of Eritrea and the unity of the people that was cemented through heavy sacrifices, and firmly believing that there is no alternative formula to the sovereign existence of Eritrea;
• Believing that all basic rights and equal opportunities to ethnic, religious, regional and other rights of Eritrean society can be achieved within a united and sovereign Eritrea:

The Congress reaffirms that our people’s rights and demands can be achieved and addressed only by a democratic and constitutional system of governance in Eritrea reached through a process of open and popular participation; and calls on the Eritrean opposition forces not to hide behind past grudges and prevailing weaknesses and, instead, accept this objective and work towards achieving it.

4. On PFDJ and its Policies/Projects 

• Affirming the correctness of EPDP positions taken in confronting the all-round wrong policies pursued by the PFDJ regime;
• Knowing well that the dictatorial regime has made no positive contribution to the wellbeing of the people other than making them sacrificial lambs for the sake of prolonging itself in power;
• Attentive to the anti-democracy and anti-peace policies of PFDJ, which  undermine  peace, stability, and development:

The Congress discussed in detail the nature of the regime’s so-called infrastructural development projects and ‘national defence’ schemes and passed timely and relevant resolutions as stated below:

4.1. PFDJ both as Party and as Government

• Possessing unflinching belief in the inalienable right and the capacity of the Eritrean people to identify and form the right political system fit to their situation:
• Springing from the understanding that a system of governance that champions political pluralism as a foundation for a free and democratic competition is a guarantee for the formation of a government that respects transparency and accountability;
• Underpinning the truism that an accountable and transparent government derives from popular participation and accepts the people as the sovereign and supreme power in the state;
• Aware of the fact that Eritrean people without distinction of ethnicity, religion or  political views have been and continue to be victims of the PFDJ’s policies and its state institutions;
• Convinced that the fundamental rights of Eritrean people cannot be realized under the dictatorial regime of PFDJ:

The Congress:

• Underscores that the PFDJ regime, which  uses  the policy of divide and rule to prolong its political power, favours no section and represents no particular segment of the people in Eritrea;
• Confirms that the removal of the dictatorial regime from power through the participation of the entire people and their political organizations is the immediate and topmost priority task and objective of EPDP;
• Firmly believes in the establishment of constitutional democratic governance in Eritrea that helps build a multiparty system, that ensures free popular participation, and that allows the election of a national government through fair and free competitive elections led by an independent electoral commission.

4.2. Regarding Administrative Divisions in Eritrea

• Believing that a system of administrative divisions is designed,  with a view to achieving effective and equitable regional economic development and participatory governance;
• Understanding that the structure of administrative divisions should be  put into final form after consultation with the people and taking into consideration their  historical, cultural and psychological sentiments and backgrounds;
• Knowing well that the current administrative (regional) divisions in Eritrea were arbitrarily imposed on the people without any popular participation and without any insight or positive input as a tool for effective and equitable economic development;
• Having noted that contrary to the aspirations of local communities, the current system of administrative divisions has damaged the centuries’ old connectedness of the people to their localities; became  a source of tensions, in particular in relation to land usage and land ownership, including squandering of the people’s valuable time and resources;

The Congress resolves in support of the establishment of new administrative divisions in post PFDJ Eritrea if the pre-1995 system of administrative divisions (provinces) are not viable alternatives; affirms that consultation with the people and thorough studies on the effectiveness and economic feasibility on creating future administrative divisions should be conducted and that the new structure should be enacted into law by a duly elected national parliament or other constitutional mechanisms before implementation.

4.3. Regarding Prisoners

• Recognizing that Eritrean political prisoners and prisoners of consciences held in unknown prisons under deplorable conditions are the pioneers of our ongoing struggle for democracy, economic and social justice, and fundamental human rights;
• Aware that the PFDJ regime has employed all kinds of false claims to misinform the public about their real cause that alleges a threat to the national unity and security, collaboration with terrorists or foreign powers to justify and cover up its widespread brutality, gross human rights violations, and harassment;
• Gravely concerned over the regime’s continued violations of the fundamental rights of Eritrean prisoners to know their charges and appear at court of law; denial of access to their basic right of visitation by family members and human rights bodies, and the continued deprivation of basic medical care:

The Congress expresses high admiration and respect to the Eritrean political prisoners and the cause for which they have put their lives on line; reaffirms EPDP commitment to pursue the struggle with all capacities and resources at its disposal;

Urges the international community, and in particular, the human rights advocacies, to exert the maximum pressure possible on the Eritrean regime to restore the denied basic rights to Eritreans prisoners.

4.4. PFDJ’s Resettlement Program

• Believing that the PFDJ’s resettlement program is being implemented at the cost of one community over the other;
• Recognizing that the resettlement program is a project imposed on  communities and carried out at the whim of the PFDJ regime;
• Aware that any resettlement program is interconnected with the right of  land ownership and the right of land usage;
• Noting well that the PFDJ’s ‘resettlement program’ is aimed at fuelling conflict between communities, and thus divert the people from their basic demands for good governance and democracy:

The Congress strongly condemns the ‘resettlement program’ and all the measures taken by the PFDJ regime for its implementation,  an illegal program based on seizing  land from its original owners and given to others who are forcibly displaced from their ancestral land,  and in doing so disrupting peace and harmony among our people;

Reaffirms that EPDP shall strive to restore all illegally seized land to its rightful owners in a legal manner after the removal of the dictatorial regime.

4.5. On National Constitution

• Fully convinced that there cannot be any disagreement over the need for a constitution drafted and ratified in a democratic process;
• Aware of the fact that the question of the 1997 constitution has been a source of heated discussion in the Eritrean opposition camp;
• Affirming that it will be only the people of Eritrea who will have a final say on a working constitution after the demise of the PFDJ regime;
• Believing that the issue of constitution need not be a bone of contention in the opposition camp:

The Congress resolves that the unimplemented 1997 constitution in Eritrea, which has been collecting dust for 14 years since its drafting and ratification, should only find suitable ground for contemplation after the fall of the PFDJ regime; confirms that the need for change or amendment of the 1997 constitution should be the mandate of a nationwide referendum or the responsibility of a democratically elected national parliament.

4.6. On National Service in Eritrea

• Knowing well that the current “national service” in Eritrea is solely geared to prolong the days of the regime in power without having concrete contribution to national wellbeing or national defence;
• Emanating from the understanding that this program, continued under the  excuse of warding off threats from neighbours or international conspiracy, has become the factor that caused  a permanent state of war in Eritrea;
• Aware that the so-called national service and national defence schemes have driven Eritrea to the brink of a dangerous abyss by letting the young generation rot in war trenches for over 17 years, thus weakening their resolve to serve the nation, causing their forced exodus and in this way depriving the country of its valuable human resource;
• Believing that a national service should in no way be one that isolates its youth from normal life and subject them to endless military conscription and forced labour, but  instead be one that respects the rights and duties of  citizens by letting them render national service without infringing upon their  political and civil rights:

The Congress resolves that EPDP shall strive to see to it that the future national service, whose multiple objectives include creating of a reserve force for national defence, will be one that helps citizens, in particular the youth, and one that recognizes and strengthens their patriotic duties; also resolves that the future objectives and implementation mechanisms of national service shall be clearly enshrined in the constitution and remain under the supervision of a duly elected national parliament.

5. On Youth and Intellectuals 

• Affirming that any talk about a bright future of Eritrea means the future of the young generation;
• Believing that effective participation of youth is the basis and the moving motor of our struggle and the guarantor of continuation and success of the country;
• Understanding that the Eritrean youth are the first victims of the no-war-no-peace situation  caused by  PFDJ;
• Convinced that the much expected role and effective participation of Eritrean youth in struggle has been blunted due to the wounds inflicted on them by the PFDJ regime, as well as the inability of the opposition camp to become an alternative force;
• Expecting that the Eritrean intelligentsia, apart from sending negative comments and criticism, will eventually come closer to the opposition organizations and take part in reforming and providing the required leadership to the struggle:

The Congress reaffirms EPDP’s firm policy in promoting effective participation of youth in the struggle and  quickening up  the transition of power from one generation to the next as its top priority, and expresses the Party’s readiness to realize it starting from now;

Reiterates the Party’s call on Eritrean youth to give a positive response to the expectation of the people through their effective participation;

Calls on members of the Eritrean intelligentsia to join EPDP or other existing parties of their choice or even form their own organization, and actively take part in the struggle for democratic change in our country.

6. On the Eritrean Diaspora 

• Bearing in mind the role and contribution of the Eritrean diaspora to their people’s cause since the years of our armed struggle both in beefing up Eritrean patriotism and in providing critical material contribution to political organizations;
• Taking into consideration the big sacrifices of the diaspora in supporting our people inside the homeland through remittances;
• Recalling the forced 2% tax imposed by the regime and other financial extortions upon the Diaspora;
• Understanding the role of the revenues coming from the Diaspora are lending prolonged life to the regime:

The Congress calls on the Eritrean Diaspora to refuse paying the 2% tax and other forced payments to the regime and help shorten the days of the dictatorial regime in power by taking part that is more active in their people’s struggle.

7. On Regional Situation 

• Aware of the mutual positive and negative influences of countries and peoples of one region;
• Taking into consideration that the Eritrean people are paying heavy price to the consequences of the continued border conflicts and to the subsequent diplomatic isolation and economic crisis in our nascent state;
• Knowing well the unbounded wish of the Eritrean people for regional  peace, good relations based on mutual respect and all-round cooperation with neighbourly countries in a way of healing the scars and the ordeal of the 30-year war; also knowing the negative relations with neighbours and the merciless rule of the autocratic regime of PFDJ since the birth of the new nation:

The Congress strongly condemns the belligerent regime’s continued conflicts with neighbouring states that were initiated to prolong its stay in power at the expense of the wellbeing of the Eritrean people.

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