III. Why this letter and at this time?
BECAUSE all legal means
to resolve this crisis in the legislative bodies have been blocked,
frustrated. The President has refused to convene meetings of the
legislative bodies, but continues to express his views and taking
illegal action. Front members have the legal right to know the current
situation and to state their views and criticisms.
As the
conduct of the PFDJ and the government deteriorated and became more
erratic, particularly concerning the Weyane war and its consequences, an
attempt to revive wider participation in decision-making, eliminate
existing weaknesses and reinforce our defense was made at the eighth
session of the Central Council (28-29 January 2000). At this meeting,
the president was asked why regular meetings of the legislative organs
were not held, and an impassioned demand was made to hold regular
meeting on time in the future. The president, however, not only tried to
present the unacceptable excuse that conditions were not conducive to
hold meetings, but arrogantly added that he was not going to call
meetings in the future either if he did not feel it was conducive to do
so.
Since the Woyane was getting ready for its offensive, the
issue was not raised at the twelfth session of the National Council to
avoid giving moral ammunition to the enemy. The president however
continued to take wrong, illegal and vengeful measures that could serve
the enemy’s purpose.
At the ninth meeting of the Central Council
which was convened from 31 August to 2 September 2000 (after the third
invasion), and to some extent at 13th session of the National Council,
which was held from 29 September to 2 October 2000, the following were
raised, among others. Genuine reviews to be conducted, to look forward
and establish deadlines for holding the front congress and national
elections, measures which are necessary preparation for such to be
taken, and important issues requiring preparatory study to be studied.
Since military and diplomatic efforts had to be strengthened, the
Council also decided to form a military committee to do an appraisal of
our record in these areas and to advise the president in the future.
However, obstacles are being placed to block the implementation of any
of these decisions.
In January 2001, the president, by way of
the Central Office of the PFDJ, conducted a disturbing open smear
campaign accusing high officials of regionalism and treason. Seminars
were conducted that suggested there was a fifth column inside the
country, that equated honest criticism with aiding the Woyane’s agenda,
and that threatened action would be taken against the targeted high
officials. This was done to silence free expression and muzzle
criticism, and to avoid proper evaluation. This disturbed and created
serious concern among the people and members of the
front.
Although the illegal and negative handling of the issue by
the President and the Central Office of the PFDJ was provocative, we
decided to avoid confrontation as there was as yet no guarantee for a
peaceful end to the war with Ethiopia, and took the initiative to
resolve the problem through legal means and dialogue. We started to
consult with other members of the Central Council to ask for meetings of
the Central and National Councils whose regular time was past due.
Upon hearing of our initiative, the central office of the PFDJ
had circulated a letter (Annex
1), on August 7th 2001, threatening members of the National Council
not to sign on a petition calling for a meeting of the National Council.
We thought this action improper and were forced to counter with our own
letter to all members of the National Council the following day
explaining the situation (Annex
2). On 12-03-2001, the President rejected our request (Annex
3).
Copies of our letter of 20 February 2001, asking the
President to convene meetings of the Central Council of the PFDJ and the
National Council, which reached him on 13 March 2001 (Annex
4), his negative reply (Annex
5), our second letter again asking for meetings explaining the
reasons for our call (Annexes 6
A & B), and the President’s second negative response (Annex 7)
are all enclosed with this letter. Legal requests received illegal
responses, and our attempts to resolve problems through meetings and
democratic dialogue, not only fell on deaf ears, but attempts were also
made to mis-present it in an illegal and undemocratic way.
Thus,
our efforts to amend and correct the mistaken path of the PFDJ and the
government, our attempt to ensure a democratic transition to a
constitutional order, our resolve to obtain these results through
democratic and legal means at the leadership level has failed to bear
fruit. Having no other means at our disposal, and rejecting resort to
illegal means, we bring this open letter to you. We believe every member
has the right to know about the crisis and our views on how to solve it.
We believe every member has the right and the duty to know about the
democratic solutions available, and we perform our duty in bringing this
crisis to your attention in this open letter.
Just as we bear
ultimate collective responsibility for our performance as leaders, we
are obliged to bear equal responsibility for correcting our failures.
Since our failure to lead properly has injured the people, we are
prepared and determined to make amends and compensate our people by
working tirelessly to build, in concert with other PFDJ members and the
general Eritrean public, an accountable and responsible government in
Eritrea.
If there is any accusation against any member of the
Central and National Councils, from the President on down, then we
support and believe, that instead of blackmailing, the accusation should
be openly leveled at the subject member during a meeting of the
appropriate Council, and if it merits legal action, for the appropriate
court to handle it through due process of law. Every member of the
Central Council of the PFDJ and the National Council must be accountable
in the performance of his duties or his handling of financial records,
and, as a public official, in his morality. We call for the creation of
an independent body that includes members of the general public, to
investigate every member.
If we do not take corrective action
immediately but instead continue as we have been, then it is not hard to
imagine from the experiences of the past ten years the devastating
consequences that await us. We need act in concert to resolve our
differences, to avoid our security being compromised and our internal
unity is weakened, thereby exposing us to becoming victims of external
forces. This is a serious national affair. Determined, courageous,
capable and nationalist Eritreans must play their role. Let them utilize
their capacity to contribute their share to their country. Let us take
practical lessons from the Woyane invasion. We should never risk
compromising our hard won independence and making our fertile land
barren. Time is passing, and our external enemies have not folded their
hands waiting for us.
We shall continue our struggle to
establish the rule of law. We shall continue to struggle to implement
the sacred ideals and principles of the front and our national
constitution. We shall continue to struggle using every legal and
democratic means available. We have no ambition other than making these
sacred ideals a reality. We take this opportunity to call on all PFDJ
members and the Eritrean people in general to express their opinion
through legal and democratic means and to give their support to the
goals and principles they consider just.
Signatories:
1. Mahmud Ahmed Sheriffo
- Member of the Central
Council of PFDJ
- Member of the National Council
2. Haile
Woldensae
- Member of the Central Council of PFDJ
- Member
of the National Council
- Ministerial cabinet member
3.
Mesfin Hagos
- Member of the Central Council and the Executive
Committee of PFDJ
- Member of the National Council
4. Ogbe
Abrha (General)
- Member of the Central Council of PFDJ
-
Member of the National Council
5. Hamid Hmd
- Member
of the Central Council of PFDJ
- Member of the National
Council
6. Saleh Kekya
- Member of the Central Council
of PFDJ
- Member of the National Council
7. Estifanos
Seyoum (B. General)
- Member of the Central Council of PFDJ
-
Member of the National Council
8. Berhane
GhebreEghzabiher
- Member of the Central Council of PFDJ
-
Member of the National Council
9. Astier Feshatsion
-
Member of the Central Council of PFDJ
- Member of the National
Council
10. Mohammed Berhan Blata
- Member of the
Central Council of PFDJ
- Member of the National Council
11. Petros Solomon
- Member of the Central Council of
PFDJ
- Member of the National Council - Ministerial cabinet member
12. Germano Nati
- Member of the Central Council of
PFDJ
- Member of the National Council
13. Beraki
Ghebreslassie
- Member of the Central Council of PFDJ
-
Member of the National Council
14. Adhanom Ghebremariam
- Member of the Central Council of PFDJ
- Member of the National
Council
15. Haile Menkerios
- Member of the Central
Council of PFDJ
- Member of the National Council
