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Fetsum: The opposition camp under examination IIIB

Fetsum: The opposition camp under examination IIIB Special guest: The ELF Party I discussed the ELF party in the last article and this is a continuation of that material and hopefully the last one as far as

Fetsum: The opposition camp under examination IIIB
Special guest: The ELF Party
I discussed the ELF party in the last article and this is a continuation of that material and hopefully the last one as far as this party is concerned.
Sarah: “We need to do more research into each one of these groups and see what they stand for. Strong and blind nationalism can breed fragmentation because we all need to do research [for] one [t]hat brings us together and see if we can compromise. It seems that one of the things the opposition has inherited from EPLF/PFDJ’s is ‘no compromising’ arrogant mind set. Just because we are fighting for justice, it does not mean that we have the right to decide for our people. We are not in any position to talk, decide or fight about now. All we need to do is free the people and give them/us a chance to talk and discuss and decide what our future should be. We should stop being control freaks? It is killing the opposition camp”
Zufana: “A resistance movement can’t achieve much without a high dose of confidence, enthusiasm, and belief in its ability to succeed. In the case of Eritrea, the opposition’s lack of confidence has its origins in hgdef’s vicious, cruel, and sustained propaganda against it which the latter unfortunately seems to have internalized over the years so much so that the regime need not do anything anymore because the opposition is doing a marvelous job all by itself.
Meretse Asmelash: “Sister Genet, Eritrea is a country which belongs to every one of us. I’m sorry to say that but I think all these old and new organizations are a done deal. Zero mission accomplishedIf they want to keep their names so be it but what they should realize is it is outdated.
Genet-orginal: “Dear Meretse Asmelash Thanks for the info. “Zero mission accomplished” Precisely! If they want to be known by name only, they will only diservice our people. Coming out as oppositions and going for more than 15 years, without any tangible outcomes is questionable. I feel everyone of us have responsibility to help sort out the mess. After all, it is everbody’s problems now. Answring the question of “WHO ARE THE OPPOSITIONS?” to me is the best way to start. Thanks”
Comment: Political parties periodically amend or modify their programs according to changes in society but our parties keep on changing names for whatever may be in their minds. You may select the sexiest name for your group but you cannot be a legitimate political party without substance. The last two Eritreans see Zorro mission accomplished by the imaginary elements within EDA but assuming 15 years since their static existence as political parties without any documentation mathematically translates into pulling the struggle back to (-15) years in psychological time. We should then maximize our collective effort to correct this problem and compensate the damage done all these years, so that we can start from ZERRO. I hope every element in the resistance understands this emergency situation into acting up in unison to either fix the EDA or trash it out of the way! EDA must react by openly admitting its problems to get another chance of survival. It has to prove from now on that it can represent the society through action and open communication and transparency. This, I think is also time sensitive for Eritreans!
As you know we have tried hard to respect the EDA in the past. We have openly defended it from many Eritreans that gave up hope from, expecting some change as a result. EDA has, however, refused to cooperate by ignoring our messages. I don’t think they read us; they seem addicted to isolation and fruitlessness. Their creativity appears to have dropped to the point of nothingness through years of mental stagnation: the mind has rusted as a result of inactivity that I sometimes imagine immobile and silent dolls around a table when I think of the EDA politicians. You sit down for ever without any productivity and yet you are not ashamed of yourself enough to get out of the way. I don’t understand how they confront the humiliation for uselessly sitting this long within a society that once highly respected Eritreans and in a country where massive Eritrean people and refuges insecurely reside. The EDA is identical to the Eritrean regime in that they both don’t believe in communicating with the people, no documentation to show and they park on the society without any tangible input. A brother puts it as ደምበ ተቓውሞ፡ ጉዕዞ መርከብ ብዘይ ኮምፓስ: get me out of that ship before I end up in Chechnya!
In my last article, I discussed the ELF Party within the EDA that was diagnosed to be as “healthy and sane” as the seven parties we discussed earlier. So far, all of them have few things in common: they are Eritreans for democracy theoretically and have no political/national program to show justifying their POLITICAL PARTY status. Going on with the ELF;
What does a decent society need to develop and live peacefully?
Decent society’s priority (DSP) =Independence + freedom;
You either have independence or not, this makes Independence a variable element (yes or no) in the equation
Likewise, you either have freedom or not, this makes Freedom a variable element (yes or no) in the equation as well
Freedom is, however, a function of independence and this relationship makes independence prerequisite for freedom. You can have independence without freedom but you cannot have freedom without independence (Eritreans are my case in point here)
Freedom should then be a derivative of or dependent on independence.
Therefore; Freedom = d(Independence)/dt. (Mathematically it is a derivative of the changes in the quality of Independence in relation to the society per time)
[by substitution];  DSP = Independence + d(Independence)/dt
Our question of freedom was premature before our independence. We really could not have rationally expected freedom from the armed struggle at priority level of the relationship because the immediate question was independence and its immediate consequence, dictatorship.
Once we achieved independence, however, the question of our freedom becomes our utmost priority. Independence should be YES then in the equation. Again by substitution we get;
DSP = Independence + d(Independence)/dt                                                                      
DSP = YES + d(YES)/dt
Independence disappears from the equation after its actuality in the Eritrean society and only its derivative remaining there ending up being a decent society’s priority.
Decent Society’s priority = Yes + d(Independence)/dt [by substitution] = Freedom
In conclusion, our priority is freedom not independence though our independence did not qualitatively improve the Eritrean life because it produced dictatorship. We don’t want a liberation front to liberate us from ourselves but the “liberators” have the right to liberate themselves from whatever.
I declare every Eritrean that supported the struggle at any stage of its survival was a direct or indirect member of the ELF; so were the supporters of EPLF including me because they were related as a mother and child with the same destination; the Eritrean Independence. I declare both fronts had no ambition to democratize the country after independence similar to all armed struggles for liberation in the third world. They had no democratic vision for independent Eritrea and this is easy to prove: they did not expose it to the people. Neither the regime nor yesterday’s or today’s ELF has had a visible political program to date to convince us otherwise, meaning that the objective of both fronts stopped at independence level of the socio political game. ELF was then likely bound to control the Eritrean political life after independence (had it brought it winning the war again the EPLF and the Ethiopians) probably with a better version of dictatorship than the absolute on the ground but certainly through dictatorship.
Based on this thought entertainment, both fronts were equally significant to the Eritrean people in as far as our question for independence was concerned and despite who actualized it; but equally useless or destructive in view of our quest for freedom and democracy.
In today’s ELF situation, a mother should be satisfied and let go grudges if her child accomplishes her mission at the end of the day. The mother should not insist to recycle or re-do what was already done by her child! ELF has accomplished its mission through her child and thus not qualified to stand as a political party with that name and without a program according to the books. Yet, there is another obstacle in the way of this party that severely challenges its democracy oriented contradiction.
Assuming there were about 100,000 Eritreans under the ELF’s entire experience between 1961 (its birth-year) and 1990 (Eritrean independence) and that, many of them have died and many others left it since independence, one wonders how many people may be within today’s ELF political party. As you know, approximation is a function of circumstantial observation and that is all we can do here in the absence of material on the subject matter.
Say that the ELF Party today has about 10,000 members or sympathizers, which is still a huge number compared to the 5 million Eritrean people. Now, this number accounts to 0.2% ((1/500) * 100) = 0.2)) of the Eritrean population. What seems to be going on is that this party which potentially represents the interest of about 0.2% of the population wants to lead Eritrea democratically; yet without a national program. I don’t think the gamble is worthwhile looking at the cost/benefit relationship of the matter because only a miracle can make one a winner in fair election against 99.8% percent of the odds (the percentage of people not represented by this party).
The verdict: With all respect to whoever may be affected by this conclusion, my verdict says that the ELF PARTY cannot be popular in today’s Eritrean reality representing only 0.2% of the population. This number cannot rationalize the party’s drive for political power in the country. Further, its liberation objective neither makes sense nor is it applicable in today’s sovereign Eritrea that was liberated many years ago. ELF with its current name is, therefore, 23 years behind the clock and cannot rationally aim at re-liberating Eritrea without creating a colonizer.Based on these important points and in the absence of the part’s defense on the open I believe that ELF PARTY should reorganize itself under ELF SOCIETY or something like that, sentimentally and permanently closing its dignified case with the people after effectuating the process of RECONCILIATION in post Afwerki Eritrea. Should it choose staying as a party, I suggest it should change its name removing the term “liberation” and join the other seven parties to collectively merge into a single party, still under a common political program but not without. Please stay tuned for my next guest (9th in the list) in this project, the Eritrean Nahda Party-ENP.
Note: I am alternating work between the two projects (this and EGS symposium) and I plan to complete them as soon as I can so that we can move on to the next agendas in line. There is something very important I want to disclose after we finish discussing the two projects and your continuous attachment to this forum is appreciated for better result. See you soon!

aseye.asena@gmail.com

Review overview
24 COMMENTS
  • rezen March 19, 2014

    Subject: The opposition camp under examination IIIB, 17 march 2014

    Commentary, 19 March 2014

    Dear Fetsum,
    I have a few observations for your consideration in your undertakings[1]

    1. Mathematical approach
    I beg you to stay away from mathematical formulation or analysis in the field of socio-political matters. In wouldn’t want you to wind-up in the Sahara Desert, all by yourself. Smile!

    2. Focus on Goals
    Remember you started out to analyze the Eritrean opposition parties or groups, who are mushrooming in the safety of foreign countries, safely out of Eritrea. Your aim was to understand their nature; their effectiveness; their composition; their true agenda; their qualification etc. With such research, your aim was for the publication of a reliable reference document – at least for your own satisfaction. It is a tough undertaking but admirable. So, I suggest, that you save your energy and concentrate on your mission.

    3. Liberation movements versus Democracy.
    Liberation movements, with their subsequent off-spring opposition groups, are simply antagonistic to democratic system. In short, there is no such a thing as liberation movement turning into democratic institution, once they hold power. The proliferation of oppositions groups [off-springs of the liberation movement] is a natural consequence of struggling for power – definitely, not for the benefit of the hapless societies.

    4. Intellectuals as guidance of societies
    Here too Eritrea is not fortunate. As I pointed out in another commentary there are about three hundred [liberal estimate] educated Eritreans of the highest caliber engaged in various professions throughout the Western world – safe and sound. Sadly, at a critical moment, when the people of Eritrea needed them most their voices and attentions were completely silent. On the contrary, it was witnessed, these highly educated segment of the society who have gone through the alpha-omega of human history were simply blinded (or deliberately?) by the euphoria of the arrival of a charming dictator — for their own benefit. They were never critical to what they saw and heard, though they were capable and had the instrument to do so. Or were they really capable? To fathom the implication of this question is frightening! Either way, they failed their people – and still continue to give blind eye and deaf ear to their down-trodden compatriots. Only their conscious would be their judge – apart from history.
    Here is what a renowned Eritrean Professor wrote in his article:
    “I believe the Eritrean people expect Eritrean scholars to objectively and critically assess the ills of the nation and offer bold and constructive suggestions for the good of their country and the Eritrean people. Eritrean scholars should assume this responsibility as their national duty and indeed as their obligation.
    I also believe Eritrean scholars should not give a deaf ear and a blind eye to the suffering of their people. They should have the moral courage and intellectual integrity to speak on behalf of the voiceless and the oppressed.” [2] Thank you, Sir.

    A single additional word to the above quote would be superfluous. Period! But I can’t resist adding a saying that I heard somewhere, which goes something like this >>>” here is a vast field; and here is a horse” – the Rider was challenged.

    5. Sociological parochial diseases
    In the absence of guidance from the educated sector, the “Eritrean” society [inside the country and abroad!!!] would still cling to the old parochial guidance for their survival: Religion, Provincialism, Racism. These are debilitating cancerous diseases. Denial to such a verdict is of course rampant. Eritreans do not wish to admit and face their problems. And, needless to add, the intellectual elites wouldn’t step on the plate to educate, to guide, to advice the population. A perfect sign of disfunctionality of a society.
    And so, the roulette goes on, and on, and on rotating until an external mechanism interrupts the circular motion. Alas! as always, that is when Eritrea comes at peace with itself, leaving the intricacy of the mechanism to others. What a TRAGEDY!
    The End

    Footnote
    [1] Fetsum! Give us a break before your next article!!!
    [2] The Role of Eritrean Scholars: the Duty to be Unbiased” by Araya Debessay, 12 March 2014 ref: demo.archive.assenna.com and asmarino.com

  • fetsum abrahamt March 19, 2014

    Rezen;
    I will give u a break but I have a surprise for u in the near future. I will slowdown to give the forum a chance understanding u and challenging u as a result. I will need time to learn from you and understand ur mind as well and I cannot do it without taking it easy, which i will.I feel like I am challenged working on another project because of u and u know I will not miss that opportunity but I must tell u that I will revenge for making me work harder and watch out!! smile.

  • Dawit Meconen March 20, 2014

    Fetsum,

    You have been overtly posing yourself as an Eritrean sympathizer with an eye towards deceiving the distressed Eritrean youth but covertly digging their grave as an agent of woyane.

    As I had stated many times before, I very quickly sensed your queer character by observing your identical position with the villain woyane vis-à-vis the impostor Isaias Afewerqi. To verify my intuition, I criticized you for failing to air your view on the villain woyane with respect to Eritrea and Eritreans but to no avail. You kept your silence.

    However, when Dr. Tewelde Tesfamariam appeared on the scene calling for the Unity of Eritreans, like a beast, you jumped to his jugulars, exposing your true woyane identity.

    With equal vehemence, Dr Tewelde Tesfamariam was attacked by the impostor’s agents, Yesief Haile Gebremdhin( Ayni Eunqi), Dr. Tsega Ze-ab,and , Lemlem. Please, read and watch the radio interview at Meskerem.com.

    All these attacks of Dr. Tewelde Tesfamariam are not coming from the agents of the impostor and villain woyane haphazardly but in a coordinated fashion from both camps to nip in the bud the movement by genuine Eritreans.

    Genuine Eritreans,

    Rise up against these eternal enemies. Remember, nothing good has ever come to us from these people to the South of our border except murder, theft etc.

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