Eritrea: Marching toward Freedom

Photo: Beleaguered Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki

There is no better time than the present to end tyranny and misery in Eritrea. The Eritrean regime should be stopped from torturing, murdering and starving Eritreans. Nor should it be allowed to continue sending arms to Somalia which are reportedly killing innocent civilians and African Union Peace Keepers tasked to bring stability to that war-ravaged nation.

A civic opposition group, the Eritrean Global Solidarity (EGS) in collaboration with the political opposition under the Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA) has called for the mobilization of Diaspora Eritreans in a renewed effort to stamp out despotism from the face of Eritrea. In a grand event to coincide with Eritrea´s Martyr´s day on June 19, 2009, Diaspora Eritreans are coming together from all corners of North America and are converging in Wash D.C. to punctuate the urgent need for change.

Like the rest of the world, EGS and EDA are disgusted at the ugly dictatorship reigning in Eritrea. No wonder, the African Union and the UN are on the verge of taking stern measures against the Eritrean government short of military action. The Security Council is said to be considering imposing comprehensive sanctions including arms embargo and financial curbs coupled with travel restrictions on selected Eritrean government officials.

It is also thought that the UN action will be followed by prosecutions of some Eritrean officials at the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity in which acts of torture, murder and rape were committed or condoned. The atrocities carried out by the Asmara government are no less serious than what the indicted Charles Taylor´s government had committed in Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990´s.

UN and AU actions are bound to hasten the the ouster of the Eritrean dictatorship in a peaceful and orderly manner.

Evidently, no one is more eager and more prepared to send that brutal system to its graves than the long suffering Eritrean people themselves. The regime doesn´t want to know that the people want to get rid of tyranny. The very thought of this public attitude and desire terrorizes the leaders. While, thus, relentlessly playing the ostrich game, the regime has its guns pointed at the enslaved population 24/7.

Those in the Diaspora say enough is enough. They are more united, articulating and more fearless than ever before. In that spirit they have stepped up the campaign to restore peace, human dignity in Eritrea. Scholars, intellectuals, patriots, progressives, ordinary Eritreans and friends of Eritrea are gathering in the US capital in just under two weeks time to stage a historic march in solidarity with the oppressed Eritrean people.

Clearly, change will not happen on the cheap. Personal sacrifices are required with a total commitment to root out repression, corruption and greed wherever they may be. The dreams of Eritrea´s martyrs to build a free and jut society will not be attained with a lukewarm commitment. The country and its people are crying out for a selfless, courageous leadership with a clear vision and plan of action which all Eritreans, young and old, would want to join and sacrifice for.