ርእሰ-ዓንቀጽ ሰደህኤ

ናይ ሓባር ዕማምን ድሌትን እንዳሃለወካ በበይንኻ ምውፋር ክሳብ ክንደይ ከም ዝሃሲ ንርደኦ ኢና ዝብል እምነት ኣለና። ምኽንያቱ እዚ ኣካይዳ ዓቕምኻ ዘድክም፡ ናይ ምፍጻም ክእለትካ ዘጉድልን ተሰማዕነትካ ዘላሕትትን ስለ ዝኾነ። እንተዝጥርነፍ ከድምዕ ዝኽእል ንብረትካ ድማ ተበታቲኑ ብዘይ ፋይዳ ይተርፍ። ብኣንጻሩ ስለእትደላለን ናይ ሓባር ዕላማን ትጽቢትን ስለ ዘለካ ሓቢርካ ምውፋር ክሳብ ክንደይ ጠቓሚ ምዃኑ ዘይንኽሕዶ እዩ። ምኽንያቱ ከምቲ “ሓቢረን ዝሰሓባ ኣጻብዕቲ ኣርቃይ የጸንበዓ” ዝበሃል ምስላ፡ ክትሓብር እንከለኻ ኣድማዒ ዓቕሚ ስለ እትድልብ።

ካብ ምህናጽ ምፍራስ ከም ዝቐልል፡ ኣብ ክንዲ ብሓደ ምውፋር ተበታቲንካ ምውፋር ዝቐለለ ይመስል ይኸውን። እንተኾነ እዚ ቀሊል ዝበልናዮ ዘድምዕ ፍረ ከኣ የብሉን። ስለዚ ኣብ ክንዲ ቀሊል ግና እቶት ዘየብሉ ብርቱዕ፡ ግና ዓስብኻ እትሓፍሰሉ መስርሕ ዝያዳ ተመራጺ ክኸውን ናይ ግድን  እዩ። ምኽንያቱ ናይ ዝኾነ ጻዕሪ መእሰሪኡ ውጽኢት ምምዝጋብ ስለ ዝኾነ። እቲ ውጽኢት ዝሕፈሶ ብሓባር ንናይ ሓባር ረብሓ ዝግበር ወፍሪ ዘኽፍሎ ክቡር ዋጋ ከም ዘለዎ ፍሉጥ እዩ። እቲ ከቢድ ዝገብሮ ከኣ እቲ ዋግኡ እዩ። እንተኾነ ቅሩብነትን ድልውነትን እንተልዩ፡ እሞ ንጉዳያት ኣስፊሕካ ብሓላፍነት ናይ ምርኣይ ኣተሓሳስባ እንተ ተወሲኽዎ እቲ ዝኽፈል ዋጋ ዘይከኣል ኣይኮነን።

ነቲ ናይ ሓባር ዕማም ናይ ሓባርካ ምዃኑ ብልቢ ምእማን። ካብ ንእሽቶይ ጀሚርካ ክሳብ ኣብ ዓበይቲ ጉዳያት ብናይ ብሕትኻ ርኢቶ ኣብ ጸቢብ ናይ ፖለቲካዊ ሜዳ ክውድኡ ዘይምሕላን። ኣብ ሓደ ቦታ ጠጠው ኢልካ እቲ ምሳኻ ክወፍር ዝግበኦ ክመጸካን ናትካ ርኢቶ ክርዕምን ጥራይ ዘይምጽባይ። ኣብ ክንድኡ ብኹሉ መለክዒ ከምቲ ክቕርበካ ትደልዮ ንስኻውን ክትቀርቦ ድልዊ ምዃን። ንጉዳያት ከከም ክብደቶም መስርዕ ምትሓዝን ኣብቶም ቀንዲ ኣትኪልካ ወሳንነት ኣብ ዘየብሎም ጉዳያት ጉልበት፡ ግዜን ንብረትን ዘይምህላኽ። ኮታ ሓዳግ ምዃንን ንጉዳያት ብብዙሕ ኣቕጣጫ ምምዛኖምን ካብቶም ክኽፈሉ ዝግበኦም ዋጋታት እዮም። ናይ ብሓቂ ቅንዕናን ሓቀኛ ናይ ህዝቢ ሓልዮትን ንዘለዎ ኣካል እምበኣር እዚ ምኽፋሉ ዘጸግም ዋጋ ኣይኮነን። በዚ እዩ ድማ ብሓባር ከይትሰርሕ ጋሪዱካ ዝጸንሐ መንደቕ ዝፈርስ። ኣብ ክንዳኡ ከኣ ዘራኽብ ድንድል ክንሃንጽ ይግበኣና። ድንድል ብድንድሉ ድማ ሓንሳብ ምስ ኣሳገረ ደሓር ብቐሊል ውሕጅ ዝፈርስ ዘይኮነስ ብቐጻልነት ካብ ምብትታን ናብ ምቅርራብ ዘሰጋግር ጽኑዕ ድንድል።

ጠመተና ነዚ ኣብ ላዕሊ ዝተገልጸ ሒዝካ ናብ ጉዳይና ጉዳይ ኤርትራውያን ተቓወምቲ ሓይልታት ምቁማት እዩ። ከምቲ ጭረሖታትና ዘመልክቶ ኣብ ቅድሜና ዘሎ ዕማም ኣዝዩ ዓብይ እዩ። ወጻዒ ስርዓት ኣወጊድካ ብህዝባዊ ስርዓት ምትካእ። ናብዚ ሸቶዚ ንምብጻሕ ክማልኡ ዝግበኦም ቅድመ ተደላይነታት ብዙሓት እዮም። እቲ ቀንዲ ከኣ ክሳብ ሕጂ ብሓባር ከይንስለፍ፡ ጋሪዱና ዘሎ መንደቕ ኣፍሪስካ ዘራኽበካ ድንድል ምህናጽ እዩ። እዚ ድንድል ብሓባር ንምስራሕ ወሳኒ እዩ። ብሓባር ምስራሕን ዘይምስራሕ ድማ ናይ ምዕዋትናን ዘይምዕዋትናን ጥራይ ዘይኮነስ ናይ ምህላውናን ዘይምህላውናን’ውን ወሳኒ ረቛሒ እዩ። ንሕና ነዚ ኣድላይ ቅድመ-ኩነታዊ ዕማም ኣብ ምትግባር፡ ኣብየናይ ደርጃ ከም ዘለና ንምሕባር ኣብ ዝርዝር ኣይንኣቱን ኢና። እንተኾነ ክሳብ ሕጂ ከም ዘይበቓዕናዮ ክንእመነሉ ዝግበኣና እዩ። እቲ ዘሰክፍ ድማ ኣብ ክንዲ ነቲ መንደቕ ዝነበረ ናብ ድንድል፡ ነቲ ድንድል ዝነበረ ናብ መንደቕ ንምቕያሩ ዝረአ ምድንዳን እዩ’ሞ፡ ናብ ልብና ንመለስ “ኣብ ክንዲ መንደቕ ድንድል ንህነጽ” ።

24 ለካቲት 2016

The Eritrean Justice Seekers of GTA is cordially inviting you to:

A. The Demonstration to support the CBC's investigative Report "THE FIFTH ESTATE" in Eritrea, Regarding Nevsun's treatment of the Eritrean workers, know as the in humane working condition of our people in collaboration with the brutal Regime.

  Date: March 6/2016 starting @12 Pm in front of the Metro Convention Centre. (Down Town)

Demo in Toronto

 

B. The celebration of International Women's Day and Remembrance of the historic event know as "Togoruba"

   Date: March 12/2016, @ 1573 Bloor street West, Time:Starting @ 7:00 PM

Togoruba in Toronto

C. A meeting to discuss about building an inclusive justice Seekers participation system.

        Date: March 20 / 2016, 847 Dover court rd @ 4 pm.

MeetingToronto

Details about each event is pleas refer to the attached flyers.

منذ استيلاء إدارة هقدف القمعية علي السلطة في ارتريا لم يذق الشعب الارتري للراحة طعماً، بل ذاق من الويلات ما هو أمرّ مما كان يلقاه علي أيدي القوى الاستعمارية في مختلف الحقب، ومن الطبيعي ألا يركع الشعب لمضطهديه، ومن الممكن جداً أن ينتفض عليهم، والشعب الارتري مثله مثل غيره من الشعوب لن يشذ عن هذه القاعدة. لكنه يحتاج الي المزيد من التوعية بضرورة الانتفاض علي جلاديه.

 

طغمة الهقدف استغلت تواضع الشعب الارتري ومارست عليه فنون العذاب، لكن مقاومة الشعب لتلك المعاناة لم تتجاوز المقاومة السلبية بترك البلاد للنظام يعيث فيها فساداً وقمعاً. إن هذه المقاومة السلبية بإفراغ البلاد من قواها المنتجة أمر مقلق لأي نظام وطني يهمه أمر البلاد وشعبها. أما النظام فلا اهتمام لديه بهذه الظاهرة لأنه لا يهتم إلا ببقاء نظامه.

 

في الآونة الأخيرة جفف النظام البلاد من العملة مستبدلاً العملة القديمة بأخرى جديدة، وهناك إجراءات جديدة للتعامل مع هذه العملة الجديدة، وبمجرد إخلاء السوق من العملة القديمة باستخدام هذه الإجراءات، وقع المواطنون الارتريون في ورطة وحرموا من التصرف في أموالهم وصاروا متسولين يتكففون السلطات أن تتصدق عليهم من حر مالهم. وفي وقتٍ يتجه فيه العالم الي سيادة نظام اقتصادي حر ومتحرر من قبضة الدولة يصرف المواطنون أموالهم المرتهنة لدي السلطات بالكوتة والكبون. وفي اعتقادنا بالنسبة لمواطنينا وبلادنا ليس هناك أسوأ مما يعيشانه الآن. فإذا أراد المواطن إقامة مناسبة حتى ولو كان ذلك سرادق عزاء فعليه أن يحضر للبنك أولاً الشهود الذين يشهدون بأنه بالفعل لديه ما يدعيه، ثم منصرفاته المفصلة لكي ينال المبلغ المطلوب من البنك بعد مساومات ومزايدات ومناقصات.

 

وكما تذكر جهات اعلامية عديدة فإن القادمين من الخارج أيضاً عليهم تحويل ما لديهم من عملات أجنبية الي العملة الوطنية وإيداعها من ثم في حساباتٍ بالبنوك المحلية يتحتم عليهم افتتاحها هناك. ثم مثلهم ومواطنيهم بالداخل يدخلون في سلك السحب من أموالهم بالكوتة، ومن ثم أصبحت (النقفة) عملة نادرة غير سهل الحصول عليها لإنجاز أعمال تجارية ذات بال. هذه البيئة المفقرة صنعت أدبها واخترعت ألقابها لأشخاص الطغمة الحاكمة وإجراءاتها التعسفية، تلك الآداب المعبرة عن سخطها ونقمتها.

 

 

في رأينا وإن لم نقل إن هذه نهاية المأساة وأن القادم ليس بأسوأ منها، إلا أن الأوضاع في ارتريا قد بلغت درجتها القصوى من السوء، بحيث لا يمكن السؤال عما يمكن أن يفعله النظام مستقبلاً، أي هل يتحسن، أم يزداد سوءاً؟؟؟ إنه بالطبع سيواصل سيره المألوف من سيئ الي أسوأ. لكن علينا أيضاً أن نسأل سؤالاً آخر، وما الذي سوف يفعله أو يمكن أن يفعله الشعب الارتري؟ قد تكون الإجابة: إن تزايد العنف والقبح يصنعان التمرد والانفجار.

بما أن الشعب الارتري يرى ويسمع ما يجري أمام سمعه وبصره مشاهدةً عيانية، فليس من شك أنه سوف ينفجر يوماً ما، وكغيره من الشعوب التي ضاقت بقهر الدكتاتوريين وعسفهم وانتفضت علي جلاديها عند نفاد صبرها، فلصبر شعبنا أيضاً حدود. وأمام شعبنا العديد من التجارب الناجحة والفاشلة. علينا أخذ الدروس والعبر من تجارب انتفاضات تونس وليبيا ومصر واليمن. والتعلم لا شك يأخذ الطيب وينبذ الخبيث من الدروس والتجارب. وعلي رأس ما يجب الانتباه اليه من الدروس أسبقية وأهمية إعداد البديل المنظم والمؤهل لاستلام التركة الثقيلة. إن المتبرمين من حكم الهقدف لا شك كثيرون، وأصحاب المصلحة في إسقاطه عديدون، لكن الشعب هو أول المعنـِـيـِّـــين بتلك العملية. وإذا جرى التغيير فإن الشعب يجب أن يكون صاحب السيادة والقرار لا الجالس علي مقاعد المتفرجين.  

 

كوارث نظام الطغمة كثيرة في كل مجال وميدان، سياسة .. اقتصاد .. دبلوماسية.. حقوق انسان.. ديمقراطية ....الخ. ولكن عسفهم وتسلطهم علي المواطن عسكرياً كان أو مدنياً من أسوأ طباعهم السيئة، لا حدود ولا أوصاف تسع ممارساتهم القمعية، لذلك لم يترك النظام خط عودة بينه وبين الشعب، لأنه لا قلب له يسع أنين الشعب ويستجيب لنحيبه، ولا ينتظر الشعب أن يناله خيرٌ علي أيدي النظام. لذلك يبدو أن الطغمة قد أحرقت مراكبها للعودة الي قلوب الشعب واستمرأت الإبحار في محيط رعونتها وفظاظتها تجاه الشعب والوطن.

 

 

هناك بالطبع قلة قليلة ما تزال تنظر وتسمع بعين وأذن الهقدف، لذلك فإذا رأت الهقدف يموت تدَّعي أنه سوف لن يلبث أن يبعث حياً. في الآونة الأخيرة متغاضياً عن كل كوارثه ومعضلاته القديمة والحديثة حاول النظام أن يقنعنا أنه بتجفيف السوق من العملة عبر استبدال العملة القديمة بأخرى جديدة سوف يحارب الفساد أو يجتثه بضربة لازب، ألا يدري أنه نشأ وترعرع علي الفساد منذ فجر التحرير والي يومنا هذا؟! من حين لآخر وبقصد إقناعنا بانبعاثه من جديد يبث علينا من إعلامه ذي البوق الأوحد أنباء يطمئن بها نفسه، كأن يخبرنا: أن وفداً من الدولة الفلانية زار البلاد وأن فلاناً كتب عنها رأياً إيجابياً، وأن الاتحاد الاوربي قد صدق لها بمنحة سخية....الخ. نعم، تلك علاقات النظام الخارجية تتحسن، فهل تشهد علاقاته الداخلية بالشعب تحسناً؟؟!!! بالطبع لا وألف لا!!!

 

إن كل إنجاز يتحقق في مجالٍ ما له مقياسه الذي يقاس به. فإذا تقدمت اقتصادياً، لن يحجب تقدمك الاقتصادي فشلك السياسي أو الاجتماعي. ونجاحك الدبلوماسي في علاقاتك بالخارج لن يعالج علاقتك الخربة بالشعب في الداخل، لكل نجاح أو فشل ثقله المعروف ومكانه المحدد. إن الفشل المتراكم كما هو الحال في تجربة الهقدف لن يقود أحداً الي النجاح. إن الأماني لن تصنع نجاحاً.

 

إن الهقدف لم ينجح في التصدي لأية قضية تهم الشعب أو تسعده، وها هو أخيراً لم يخجل من أن ينتزع من فقراء الشعب قوت يومهم بسحب ما لديهم من عملته التي يتلاعب بها كأوراق الكوتشينة، ليصيروا من ثم متسولين محرومين من حر وكريم أموالهم المرهونة. لكن من المؤسف أن يتبجح علينا عملاء الهقدف بالخارج ممن يعيشون في البلاد المتقدمة التي لا يوجد أي وجه شبه بينها وبين الوضع في ارتريا بأن لعبة إسياس هذه – أي انتزاع العملة من جيوب فقراء المواطنين – لعبة ذكية. إنها لمقولة غير ذكية، تلك التي ترى أن طغمة إسياس تصدر فيما تصدر عن ذكاء وحكمة.     

Britain is setting a “dangerous precedent” to the world by “undermining” human rights, Amnesty International has claimed. The organisation criticised plans to scrap the Human Rights Act, the UK’s absence from EU refugee resettlement schemes and proposed new spying laws. Its annual report on the state of the world’s human rights also referred to “continued opposition” to participating in EU efforts to “share responsibility for the increasing number of refugees arriving in Europe”. The Government last year opted out of plans to relocate 160,000 people from Italy, Hungary and Greece amid the international migration crisis.

There’s no doubt that the downgrading of human rights by this government is a gift to dictators the world over and fatally undermines our ability to call on other countries to uphold rights and laws.

Amnesty International UK director Kate Allen

Referring to the plans, Justice Minister Dominic Raab said: “It is irresponsible for any campaign group to criticise our proposals before they’ve seen them." A Government spokeswoman said it is "absolutely committed” to “ promoting and protecting universal human rights”. She added: “The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s departmental report is clear that human rights, democratic values and strengthening the rules-based international system are vital and integral parts of the FCO’s work.”

Far from undermining human rights, the Investigatory Powers Bill will promote freedoms and rights by protecting both the privacy and security of the public while ensuring world-leading oversight and safeguards.

A Government spokeswoman

Source=http://yahoonewsdigest-gb.tumblr.com/post/139897533933/uk-setting-dangerous-precedent-on-human-rights

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The Eritrean government’s campaign to silence its international critics

Martin Plaut

A quiet, but well orchestrated, campaign is under way in the Netherlands. The Eritrean government is attempting to use the Dutch courts to silence its critics. No fewer than seven court cases have been opened against liberal newspapers, a radio station, a website, the Dutch government and one of the authors of this article – an academic.

Those involved are leaders of the youth wing of Eritrea’s ruling party – the Young People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (YPFDJ). But the campaigning is guided by senior government officials, including some close to President Isaias Afewerki.

The first to face the courts was Mirjam van Reisen, a Professor of International Relations at the University of Tilburg. An adviser to the European Union and the UN, Professor van Reisen is well-respected as an Eritrean expert.

In May 2015 a Dutch website, Oneworld.nl published an article alleging that some of the interpreters working for the Dutch immigration service were linked to the Eritrean regime.

They were hired to translate sensitive conversations between officials and refugees who were seeking asylum. Many of the refugees were fleeing Eritrean state repression and this was contrary to the regulations governing the immigration service. This stated that: ‘Neither you, nor your family in first or second degree are (or have been) involved with a regime with which foreigners claim to have experienced problems.’

Professor van Reisen was quoted as saying how worrying she found this. ‘Many Eritrean asylum seekers are immensely traumatised,’ she said. ‘When they discover that the interpreters are linked to the regime they fled from, this undermines their trust in protection by the Dutch authorities. In addition, it arouses fear. The interpreters get sensitive information about the asylum seekers through the interviews that they translate. With this information, they may threaten or extort these refugees. Relatives in Eritrea may also be threatened.’

The article identified the brother and sister of the president of the Youth wing of the ruling party as being among those employed as translators. ‘The interpretors are linked to the centre of the intelligence in the Netherlands and in Europe’, Professor van Reisen is quoted as saying.

On 23 May 2015 the president of the YPFDJ, Meseret Bahlbi, went to a police station and filed a charge of libel and slander. He asked for an apology, correction and a fine of a minimum of € 25.000.

The case came to court on 10 February and – to the immense relief of Professor van Reisen – the accusation was rejected. Her right, as an academic, to freedom of speech, was upheld.

The judge found that the YPFDJ receives indeed instructions from the ruling party, that it supports the Eritrean regime and that its goals, and that of its members, are to ‘act as informants for (the embassies of) the regime in Eritrea’. Perhaps at least as damaging for the Eritrean government was an admission by Meseret Bahlbi that the regime engages in torture.

Although this case has backfired, others are still being pursued. Bahlbi has an outstanding claim against the Dutch migration agency. There are two cases against the Volkskrant – the equivalent of the Guardian newspaper. And there are four other cases against media organisation, including Oneworld and Radio Argos.

This campaign has been accompanied by vociferous attacks on social media. Van Reisen has been physically threatened. And both she and I have been have been demonised, quite literally.

Two vampires tweet

At one level these attacks are faintly amusing. But they are officially orchestrated by the regime.

Last year Yemane Gebreab, President Isaias’s closest adviser, told 550 young Eritreans attending the party’s youth rally in Germany that fighting the country’s ‘enemies’ was their top priority.

‘We have to remember, always remember, that we have still enemies who plot on a daily basis,’ Yemane told the conference.

‘Enemies who don’t tire and don’t sleep, who try to bring our downfall….Therefore, our first objective – as YPFDJ and as Eritrean youth, and as community… the objective which still remains at the very top of the list, is to conclusively defeat this hostility hovering over of our nation. That remains the job.’

The United Nations has reported that the Eritrean government has an extensive network of agents that work for the regime worldwide. It has also imposed sanctions against the regime for sponsoring attacks on its opponents abroad.

In this context the Dutch campaign takes on a new, and more sinister, significance.

Source=https://martinplaut.wordpress.com/2016/02/21/the-eritrean-governments-campaign-to-silence-its-international-critics/

Main_stream_ray

John Ray Africa Correspondent

A large proportion of the migrants arriving in Europe from Africa have come from the small, secretive nation of Eritrea.

Thousands of Eritreans readily risk death trekking across the gruelling Sahara and take the desperate gamble of a sea crossing to flee one of the world’s harshest regimes.

A newly arrived child at a reception centre of Eritrean refugees in the north of Ethiopia

A newly arrived child at a reception centre of Eritrean refugees in the north of Ethiopia Credit: ITV News

 

In the sleepy streets of the border town not long after dawn it is a startling sight.

Hundreds upon hundreds of men and women marching in neat ranks towards us.

They are the latest escapees from Eritrea; one of the world’s most forbidding regimes.

They’ve been picked up close to the border by Ethiopian patrols and brought to one of several reception centres.

This is the everyday routine, says a senior official from the United Nations.

refugee campA refugee camp in northern Ethiopia that's home to many thousands of Eritrean refugees. Some stay for years, but for many it's a stop off only on their journey to Europe. Credit: ITV News

 

By one UN estimate, 9% of Eritrea’s population of 4.5 million has fled the country.

One in fifty has sought a new home in Europe.

Eritrea is known as African’s North Korea. A small, secretive state that has lived under emergency rule for 18 years.

No elections, no opposition parties, no free media.

The UN has accused its leaders of crimes against humanity.

Accusations of mass surveillance, arbitrary detention and torture feature strongly in the reports of human rights organisations.

Almost every male refugee we spoke to at the Mai Ani camp tells the same story; how they wanted to avoid compulsory military service, a form of forced labour that can last indefinitely.

Robel Habtie is a slender, gentle young man. He told me how he and his friends slept for three nights in the mountains to avoid the call up.

Robel Habtie Robel Habtie has fled Eritrea, which has earned a reputation as Africa’s North Korea Credit: ITV News

 

In the end, he decided to run for the border.

"How can I live there?’" he asks. "There is no work, no money, no chance."

The journey to Europe, across the desert and the Mediterranean is notoriously dangerous.

But until 2014, most Eritreans could at least expect to be welcomed as genuine refugees.

But that’s changing; as the well of sympathy dries up in the face of the larger Syrian crisis.

According to Amnesty International, the refusal rate for Eritrean applicants for asylum has jumped from 14% to 66%.

But that doesn’t deter Robel, and many like him.

He has a just few dollars in his pocket, only the clothes he stands up in, but he has his heart set on Britain.

"If I have a chance to get to Europe, then I will try," he tells me.

"I can think of how my family live in Eritrea. I want better."

Last updated Tue 23 Feb 2016
 

At the plenary session of the 8th Geneva Summit for human rights and democracy held  Tuesday, 23 February, Eritrean regime was singled out for spotlighting as one of the worst abusers of human rights and democracy in the world. Dr. Daniel R. Mekonnen, a lawyer/human rights activist, was available to tell the sad Eritrea story to over 700 participants who came from different corners of the world to attend this annual event on "global fight to end impunity".

 

He said Eritrea was a country suffering "from some of the worst types of human rights violations in the world" and that the opportunity of telling its story at a global forum was one of the  " very rare instances in which the dire state of human rights in Eritrea can be brought to a broader spotlight with amplified attention".

 

 The Eritrean activist revealed that the dictatorial regime in Eritrea became "extremely repressive, justifying its brutal repression under the pretext of the so-called unresolved border conflict with Ethiopia".  He added, "everything said and done by the Eritrean government under the pretext of the so-called stalemate with Ethiopia is morally and legally reprehensible. The government in Eritrea has now become one of the most repressive regimes, with alarming levels of human rights violations comparable only with few instances throughout the world".

 

The event this year was organized by the UN Watch in cooperation with 25 leading world NGOs. Its main agenda was raising and reminding major world issues for deliberation at the 10th Human Rights Council which is due to open in Geneva this month.

 

Prominent former government officials and human rights activists from different countries were given opportunities to make remarks at  opening of every panel during the day.

 

Major themes discussed included the resurgence of authoritarianism in the world, methods of fighting oppression, defending human rights, and experiences of human rights activists from China, North Korea, Russia, Eritrea, Iraq, Turkey, Venezuela and many other Asian and South American countries.  2016 Summit Awards for courage and women's rights were also given to activists from Iraq, Germany, Venezuela. A recorded speech made at the Iraqi Parliament by Ms Vian Dakhil, a Yazidi member of the parliament, moved the 8th Geneva Summit. Ms Vian Dakhil made another moving speech in  Arabic at the Geneva Summit on the plight of Yazidi in the hands of the Islamists in the region.

GenevaMeetingforHR

Picture shows the Summit speakers and event organizers for this year.

 

Below is the full text of the speech by Dr. Daniel R. Mekonnen at the 8th Geneva Summit on Human Rights and Democracy, in which he briefly highlights  the situation in Eritrea and his role in the Eritrean justice seekers' movement, as requested by the event organizers.

 

Dear Colleagues, Distinguished Guests and Fellow Speakers,

I feel very honoured to have the opportunity of speaking in front of you today, in this very important global event, to which we all came from different corners of the world to discuss issues of paramount importance in the global fight to end impunity.

 

First and foremost, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the organizers of this event, and personally to Mr. Leon Saltiel, for inviting me to share my thoughts in this event.

 

By way of a brief introduction, let me say the following about myself. I originate from Eritrea, a country suffering from some of the worst types of human rights violations in the world. To us, in the Eritrean human rights cause, the opportunity of speaking in this global forum comes as one of very rare instances in which the dire state of human rights in Eritrea can be brought to a broader spotlight with amplified attention.

 

To those who do not know much about Eritrea, let me briefly provide you with a very short summary of the post-independence history of Eritrea. My country achieved its de facto independence in 1991 after winning a long and bitter war of liberation against neighbouring country, Ethiopia. It was officially recognised by the international community as an independent state in 1993. Up to 1997, Eritrea experienced a relatively peaceful transition towards a much-anticipated democratic system of governance. Things changed dramatically when the country became embroiled in a fresh border conflict, again, with its neighbouring country, Ethiopia. This so called “border conflict” was fought bitterly between May 1998 and May 2000. After that, the two countries signed a ceasefire and legally speaking the conflict was resolved by a number of follow-up binding agreements and arbitral awards that were signed and rendered in the following 2 years. However, a number of residual matters, related to the border conflict, remain unresolved due to the obstinacy of the governments in both countries, resulting in a “no war no peace” situation for the last fourteen years.

 

In this context, the government in Eritrea became extremely repressive, justifying its brutal repression under the pretext of the so-called unresolved border conflict with Ethiopia. Nonetheless, everything said and done by the Eritrean government under the pretext of the so-called stalemate with Ethiopia is morally and legally reprehensible. The government in Eritrea has now become one of the most repressive regimes, with alarming levels of human rights violations comparable only with few instances throughout the world. It was in this context that I left Eritrea in the year 2001; and except for a brief return of three months in 2002-2003 I have remained in exile ever since.

 

Since the time I left Eritrea, I have worked continuously in defence of human rights in Eritrea and this includes my involvement in a number of initiatives, such as the formation and leadership of the Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (EMDHR), which was perhaps the most progressive youth movement of its time, including of the post-independence era (at least by accounts dating back to the time when EMDHR was established). As a founding member of the Eritrean Law Society (ELS), the only professional association of Eritrean lawyers, unfortunately working from exile, I have also played my part in exposing grave human rights violations committed by the Eritrean government through different measures, such as submission of alternative reports to different treaty monitoring bodies of the United Nations and the African Union.

 

I also mobilized Eritrean diaspora communities to stand up firmly against tyranny and condemn unequivocally gross human rights violations committed back in Eritrea. One of the most recent and most important examples in this regard is my involvement in the leadership and organization of a historic mass rally of pro-human rights Eritreans and their allies that took place on June 26, 2015 here in Geneva.

 

Organized under the banner of “End Impunity in Eritrea!” the Geneva Mass Rally attracted more than 5000 pro-human rights demonstrators who flocked to Geneva from Europe and all parts of the world. With a strong message of condemning grave human rights violations committed in Eritrea, the mass rally turned out to be the biggest such event to be organized in a third country (since the advent of the Eritrean government to power in 1991). Implemented without any financial or material support from any government or donor agency, the Geneva Mass Rally was a resounding success entirely planned and executed by diaspora-based Eritrean grassroots movements and activists; all of whom served on a non-remunerated voluntary capacity. Serving as the chairperson of the seven-member Coordinating Committee that organized the historic Geneva Mass Rally is one of the most gratifying achievements in my entire professional and activist life.

 

Staged in front of the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG), the mass rally of June 2015 was deliberately planned to coincide with the time when a United Nations mandated commission of inquiry on Eritrea was presenting a ground breaking report to the Human Rights Council in which the commission said horrendous violations (including a possible situation of crimes against humanity) are taking place in Eritrea.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I share my experience with you today without forgetting the many intimidations and serious death threats that I regularly receive from supporters of the Eritrean government in different mediums of communication. The most recent example is a very serious threat I received from government supporters in June 2015, which is currently under investigation by police department in Geneva. As gratifying as it is, my work on human rights (what I also call “cause lawyering”) is at times very challenging. But who in the world has ever got their rights for free? After all, rights are earned through a long and bitter struggle. That is why they are so precarious. So, whatever it takes, I will continue my fight for the establishment of an Eritrean political system based on the rule of law. I am sure, with the help of all peace loving people of the world,like you, this cause will ultimately prevail. I also very much hope that one day I will be able to recount this speechin the capital city of Eritrea, in Asmara, in the ashes of tyranny.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I was born and raised in Eritrea, but I have also studied, worked and lived in as many as nine different countries, which include: Ethiopia, South Africa, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland. In relation to my work on human rights, I have also travelled to many other places throughout the world with varying lengths of stay. I can therefore fairly consider myself a world citizen. By a world citizen, I mean “a peaceful and peacemaking individual, both in daily life and contacts with others, ”and whose inner urge or strong pulse is geared towards creating a fairer world in which every individual shall live a fair and dignified life.

 

So, true to my commitment to “world citizenship,” I try to relate everything I do to all fellow human beings regardless of their respective ethnic, religious, political or other backgrounds. Thus, my commitment to human rights emanates not only from the sad state of affairs in my home country but also from the values I mentioned above which are deeply entrenched in the person in me.

 

Colleagues and Fellow Speakers,

I am presenting this speech at a time when the world is becoming extremely dangerous to many vulnerable groups of people, such as refugees and asylum seekers. Speaking as someone who finds himself in an exile of more than thirteen years, and a person who has suffered a lot due to immigration-related injustice, the plight of refugees and asylum seekers is one of the most pressing issues, and one that comes closer to my heart. Therefore, I would be remiss if I conclude my speech without saying a few words about this peculiar global challenge.

By way of concluding, I would like highlight the urgent need to democratize some extremely suffocating aspects of European immigration rules. When we speak about repressive regimes that are committing gross human rights violations in geographic areas far from places such as this annual forum, it should be without forgetting other forms of injustice that are taking place before our eyes and in so close a distance. Only then will we be able to build a world free from all forms of prejudice and injustice. This world belongs to all of us equally and without any discrimination. When we say this, we shall say it with words and deeds!

 

Thank you for listening!

Tuesday, 23 February 2016 22:59

መጥፊኢኻ ይብርሃካ

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ዝኸበርክንን ዝኸበርኩምን ኤርትራውያን ሰላምታይ ይብጻሕኩም። ቀጺለ ገለ ኣብ ጉዕዞይ ዝትዓዘብኩዎም፡  ዘገረመንን ዘሕዘነንን ጉዳይ ጉዕዞ ሃገርና በዛ መሪጸያ ዘሎኹ ኣርእስቲ  ጌረ ክገልጾ ክፍትን ኢየ ።

መቸም  ኣብ ዝተኻየደ ቃልስና፥  ሜዳ ኤርትራ  ብዙሕ ጉድ ሓቢኣ ከምዝነበረትን ብንዓይ ጥራሕ በሃልትን  ሓለይቲ ህዝቢ ተመሲሎም ኣብ ዝለዓለ ጽፍሒ ምምራሕ ከም ዝነበሩ ሎሚ ይበርህ ኣሎ። ብኣይ ክጅምር ኣብ ተሓኤ በቲ ዝውቱር መጸዊዕኣ ጀብሃ ተሰሊፈ ይቃለስ ኣብዝነበርኩሉ እዋን ገለ ምሳይ ዝነበሩ ተጋደልቲ ንኣቶ ኢሰያስ ኣፈወርቂ በዚ ሕጂ ኣነ ፈሊጠዮ ዘልኹ ባህሪኡ ክገልጽዎ ከለው ኣይቅበሎምን ጥራይ ዘይኮነስ ይቃወሞምውን ኔረ;; ወረ ጉዳይኩም ዘይትገብሩ ንሱ በሊሕን መስተውዓልን እንተዘይከውንዶ ውድብ ይመርሕ ኣልዩ ብማለት ይምልሸሎም ኔረ፡ ክሳብ ግዜ ነጻነት ድማ በዛ እምነትዚኣ ቀጺለ፡፡

ሃገርና ኤርትራ  ናጻ ምስ ወጸት  ኩልና  ተሓጉሽና፥  ዓደይ ክኣቱ እናተሃንጠኹ ድማ ኣብ 20 ሰነ 1991 ምስ በኹሪ መዓልቲ ስውኣት ካብ ኣቶ ኢሰያስ ዘይተጸበኹዎ ሃንደበት ኣዋጅ ተኣወጀ፡ ከምዚ ድማ ይብል “ብቐዳምነት  ነቶም ኣብ ካልእ ውድባት ክቃለሱ ዝጸንሑ ተጋድልቲ ኣንቱም ብስም ውድባት ተታሊልኩም ዝጸናሕኩም ምሕረት ተጌርልኩም ኣሎ ዓድኹም ኣቲኹም ሃገርኩም ክትሃንጹ ብጀካ እቶም ብገበን ዝሕተቱ፤ ከምኡውን እቶም ምስ ጸላኢ ብረት ዓጢቕኩም ዝጸናሕኩም ምሕረት ተገይርልኩም ኣሎ ዓድኹም ኣቲኹም ሃገርኩም ክትሃንጹ ብጀካ እቶም ብገበን ዝሕተቱ።  ድሕሪ ሕጂ ናይ ውድባት ሓሸውየ የለን፥  ብወገን ብሃይማኖት ብኣውራጃ ኣምሲሉ ፖለቲካ ክገብር ዝተረኽበ ድማ ኢድ ህዝባዊ ግንባር ሓጺር ኣይኮነን” ክብል ፈኪሩ። ሽዑ መን ኢዩ መሓሪ መንከ ተመሓሪ ኢሉ ዝሓቶ እንተዝርከብስ እንታይኮን ምኾነ መልሱ?

ብዝኾነ ንዓይ ካብታ ግዜቲኣ ምልክነት ከም ዝተኣወጀ  ስለዝበርሃለይ ንስደት ኣምሪሐ፡ ኣብ ስደት ድማ እነብር ኣለኹ።  ኣብ ስደት ምስ መጻእኩ ድማ ኣቶ ኢሰያስ ቅድሚ ነጻነት ኣብ ኣሜሪካ ምስ ህዝቢ ኣብ ዝገበሮ ኣኼባ  ኣብ ቪድዮ ካሴት ከምዝተዓዘብኩዎ፤ ውዳሴ ኣብ ዝሰምዓሉ ገጹ ክበርህ ድሕሪ ምጽናሕ ፖለቲካዊ ሕቶ መጾ’ሞ ዓቕሉ ጸበቦ። እቲ ሕቶ ድማ ከምዚ ዝብል ነበረ፤ ”ህዝባዊ ግንባር ከም ሓያል ውድብ ነዘን ዘለዋ ውድባት ኣብ ምጥርናፍ እንታይ መደብ ኣለዎ በልዎ፤ ኣቶ ኢሰያስ ከኣ ብብድዐ ቅድም ውድብ ማለትኮ ዝሰርሕ ክኸውን ከሎ ኢዩ ብጀካ ህዝባዊ ግንባር ከኣ ዝሰርሕ ውድብ የለን።  እዞም ውድባት ትብልዎም ዘለኹም ከኣ ኣንታ ንዑስከ ዋላ ብድሕሪት ኮንኩም ማይ ኣቐብሉ እንተበልናዮም ኣብዮሙና ኢዮም  ክብል መልሲ ሃበ።   ካብ ሓተትቲ  ከኣ እዘን ውድባት እዚኣተን ዝውክልኦ ሕብረተሰብኣዊ ሸነኻት ኣለወን፡  ነዚአን ከይጠርነፍካ ትመጽእ ነጻነት ከኣ ነጻነት ኣይኮነትን ምስ በሉዎ ዓቕሉ ጸቢብዎ ንህዝብና ውድባት ኣለዋ የለዋን እንዳበልና ኣብ ድንግርግር ኣይነእትዎን ኢና ብጀካ ህዝባዊ ግንባር ድማ  ውድብ ዝበሃል የለን ብማለት ኣኼብኡ ደምዲሙ።

ከምኡ እውን ኣብቲ ህዝብን ፕረሲደንትን ዝብል ርክባት ብጀካ ንሱ ዝብሎ እምበር ናይ ህዝቢ ርእይቶ ዘይቅበል ምኻኑ ይበርሃልካ፡፡ ንኣብነት ብ1994 ምስ ሱዳን ኣብ ግርጭት ኣብ ዝነበረሉ ምስ ተቓወምቲ ውድባት ሱዳን ኮይንና ኣብ ካርቱም ዲሞክራስያዊ ስርዓት ክንተክል ኢና ምስ በለ፤ ሓደ ዓቢ ኣቦ ብዕሊ ከምዚ ምባልሲ ብዓለም ኣየውቅሰናንዶ፡ ክንሕግዞም እንተኮይንናኸ ንምንታይ ብምስጢር ዘይንሕግዞም ምስበልዎ፡ ንሕና. ንእንገብሮ ተሓቢእና ኣይንገብሮን ኢና ክብል መለሰ።  ምስ ኢትዮጵያ ኣብ ግጭት ኣብ ዝኣተዉሉ ድማ ኣብ ናይ ጓሶት ደረጃ ወሪዱ ጃህራን ፈኸራን የስምዕ ምንባሩ ኩሉ ዝተዓዘቦ ኢዩ። ናይ ኣቶ ኢሰያስ ጃህራን ፈኸራን  ከኣ ኣብ ምንታይ ኣውዲቑና ከምዘሎ ዋላ ደገፍቱ ዝመስሉ’ውን ብልቦምሲ ዝሓምሉ ዘለዉ ኢዩ፡፡ እቲ ብቓሉ ዝበሎ  ጃህራን ፈኸራን ካብ በሃሊኡስ ደጋሚኡ ከይከውን ጓስየዮ ክሓልፍ መሪጸ ኣለኹ፡፡ 

ኣብ ታሕሳስ 1999 ኣብ ፍራንክፎርት ጀርመን ምስ ህዝቢ ዝገበሮ ኣኼባ ድማ ብዛዕባ ውድባት ምስ ተሓተተ ዓቕሉ ብምጽባብ እዚኣቶም ምስ ሱዳን ተባኢሶም ኢሎም ሸሓኒ ሱዳን ከልምጹ ናብ ሱዳን ጉያጉያ ምስ የመን ተባኢሶም ኢሎም ሸሓኒ ናይ የመን ከልምጹ ናብ የመን ጉያጉያ፤ ሕጂ ድማ ምስ ወያነ ተባኢሶም ኢሎም ወያነ ቀደም ልሒሶም ዝወድእዎ ሸሐኒ ከልምጹ ናብ ኢትዮጵያ ጉያጉያ፤ ኣነ ነዚኦም ናይ ግለት ግለት ናይ ሩኳን ሩኳን ኢየ ዝብሎም፡ ምስ በለ ምሉእ ኣኼበኛ ጠቓዒት ከንጐድጉዶ ከሎ ኣቶ ጴጥሮስ ጸጋይ ግን ፍሉይ ኔሩ።

ካብቲ ዘገርም ግን ምስ ኣቶ ኢሰያስ ኮፍ ኢሉ ዝነበረ ዶክቶር ተስፋይ ግርማጼን ዝተባህለ ብቓላት ኢሰያስ ሓፊሩ ኣእዳዉ ናብ ታሕቲ ብምውራድ ርእሱ ኣድነነ። ኣቶ ኢሰያስ ዒራ ዝሓቶ ዘየብሉ ኮይኑ እምበር እንታይ ኮይንና ምስ ሱዳን ምስ የመን ምስ ኢትዮጵያ ንበኣስ ኣሎና ዝብል ሓታቲ እንተዝርከብ ኔሩስ ከምዚ ኢሉ ምልኪ ኣይምሳዕረረን። ስለዚ ህዝብና እቲ ምኽንያት ደኣ ኣይተረደኣናን እምበር ኣቶ ኢሰያስ  ብባህሪ በጋሚንዶታት ይጎዓዝ ምጽንሑስ ይፈልጦ ጸኒሑ ኢዩ። በዚ ምኽንያት ከኣ ኢየ መጥፊኢኻ ይብርሃካ ዝብል ንኣርእስቲ ጽሑፈይ ዝሃብኩዎ።

 ስለዚ ብሓፈሻ ህዝቢ ኤርትራ ብፍላይ ከኣ ኣባላትን ደገፍትን ህግደፍ ዝጸንሑ፡ ንኣቶ ኢሰያስ ክሳብ ሕጂ ዝበደልካናን ዘታለልካናን ምስ ኣሕዋትናውን ዘጻላእካና ይኣኽለካ ስልጣን ናትና ናይ ህዝቢ ኢዩሞ ልቐቕ ክብሉዎ፤እቶም ንፍትሒ ክንቃለስ ዝጸናሕናን ዘለናን ክኣ ንሕናን እቶም ክሳብ ሕጂ ኣባላትን ደገፍትን ህግደፍ ኮይኖም ዝጸንሑ’ሞ፡ ይኣክል ምልኪ ዝበሉን ሓቢርና እምበር በበይንና ነምጽኦ ለውጢ ከምዘየለ ኣሚንና ሓቢርና ንቃለስ። ሽዑ ከኣ ኢዩ እቲ ክሳብ ሕጂ መጥፊኢኡ ተበሪህዎ ዝጸንሐ  ስርዓት ኢሰያስ ዝሰዓር።            

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 23 ለካቲት 2016