People who were willing to accept the most vague, the most far-fetched, the most unsubstantiated accusations of the Eritrean �assembly� are now asking for details, details, details, when it is becoming painfully clear that the government of Eritrea made up stories to accuse and unconsciously detain innocent Eritreans for over a year now.  Mind you, these suddenly-details-conscious-people are the same folks that attended Ambassador Girma Asmerom-organized �seminars� and endorsed his scripted resolutions accusing people of defeatism and treason BEFORE the rubber-stamp committee had even met in January 02 and, after hearing evidence in closed session (still secret) resolved (without hearing from the accused) and declared that �some� of the G-15 (no mention of how many or who are �some�) are guilty of transmitting messages to the (unspecified) facilitators during Ethiopia�s third offensive (May 2002) asking if they would halt their offensive if President Isaias Afwerki were to resign. 

Many facilitators flew in and out of Eritrea between 1998-2002 but during the period in question, the facilitators included Mr. Anthony Lake, Mr. Ouyahia and, on the eve of the war, Mr. Holbrooke.  In September of this year, exactly a year after their arrest, Amnesty International (AI), the most respected human right advocacy group to the entire world (except to tyrants and their supporters), issued a damning dossier on the Eritrean government (AI-Index: AFR 64/008/2002, 18/9/02).  Among many other findings, AI declares the G-15, the elders and the journalists as prisoners of conscience and quotes Professor Anthony Lake saying, �"At no point did any Eritrean official ask the American facilitators to become involved in domestic Eritrean affairs or to pass military intelligence to Ethiopia. If they had done so, we would have refused, but they absolutely did not do so."

Details, details, details.  Maybe AI misquoted the professor.  Maybe he answered questions he was not asked, hoped the deniers.  Well, no.  In an op-ed piece with the Boston Globe (10/26/02), the professor says, �This allegation is not only false. It is ludicrous.... I would have known, since I was centrally involved in the talks. No one asked us to pass such a message. Of course, if they had, we would have refused.� 

Pounding The Table To Argue A Case 

Lawyers say, �when you have the law on your side, try the law.  When you have the facts on your side, try the facts.  When you don�t have the law or the facts, pound the table.�  When it comes to governing, PFDJ employs guns as foreign policy and table-pounding as moral argument. When was the last time you heard them bring and discuss evidence? When was the last time you heard supporters of the government refer to the law?  Which law?  Which penal code?  Which article in the constitution? Instead of the law, what you have is a twisted sense of �morality� (don�t bother us with your bookish �law�; ask us about morality, said a man whose entire authority is based on books) and cheap politiciking of our �martyrs� and other emotional buttons.    In lieu of evidence and facts, all you have is my cousin-the-lieutenant told me or �I saw the lion of nackfa going west when the G-15 were driving east� and other embarrassing drivel.

With no facts on their side, no law on their side, how did the PFDJ and its apologists respond to criticism by the State Department and Anthony Lake? More table pounding.   The usual suspects had  one theme: how dare you! Once again, they typed a whole lot of exclamation points and then the usual ad hominem.   "Who are you? What are you?  By the way, have you stopped beating your wife?" The things that some allegedly well-educated people write are so embarassing--the complete absence of logic, the hysteria, the contempt for rational thinking-- that there should be a concerted effort to get the universities they attended recall the diplomas they bestowed on them.

Of course, it is very likely that Professor Anthony Lake would probably have never said a word about any of this had it not been for the Eritrean government shooting its mouth and accusing the CIA and the United States of conspiring against it.   The brains behind the PFDJ thought they were being real sophisticates: we are not blaming you, Mr. Bush, we are blaming your predecessor, Mr. Clinton and his administration.   The brains behind the PFDJ thought they knew the schism between the US State Department and the US Defense Department; the schism between Republicans and Democrats and they figured they could make all sorts of accusations and get away with it.   They didn�t bother to consider that the George Bush CIA Director (George Tenet) is the same as the Bill Clinton CIA Director (George Tenet.)  They overestimated themselves (as usual) and their role in the US war against terrorism, which was supposed to be their silver bullet to permanent friendship with the US.  They forgot that the United States has memories of their ill-advised trips to Tripoli when there was a US sanction against Libya.   They forgot that the United States, regardless of differences between departments and administrations, actually considers things like due process and justice as quintessentially American contribution to world civilization.

So now they are left to pound tables and watch helplessly as the United States unleashes its lethal triangulation via neighbors.

As for those Eritreans who had asked Professor Anthony Lake to not say anything for fear that, by doing so, he would be feeding the suspicion that he really is connected to the G-15, we wish you would try to stop playing the game by the rules of the PFDJ.   The PFDJ is beyond redemption: please don�t toy with people�s lives.   Can you imagine what the impact would have been if Mr. Anthony Lake had written what he just wrote immediately after the bogus �Eritrean Semblia� had rubber-stamped the Isaias Edict?  Tell Ms. Susan Rice, Tell Oyahia, Tell Bouteflika to tell what they know: we were not asked, nor did we transmit any messages to the Ethiopian Government.   They will still be dismissed as liars by the �Atssiq Nquts r�esi� gang: but let history record the endless lies of the Eritrean Government.

Lake On Solid Ground 

Mr. Lake was an exceptional facilitator and he holds the record for the most extensive shuttle diplomacy that he carried out as advisor to President Clinton. He made about a dozen trips to the region to mediate and help bring about the bloodletting to halt. This was when Western career diplomats gave up on the region. Arrogantly and mercilessly, they were saying, "let their noses bleed maybe then they will be able to listen". Mr. Lake refused to see bloody noses and went about his mission with an incredible stamina.

Mr. Lake's mission was obviously difficult when considering the fact that he was venturing into a territory where his colleague, the American diplomat Ms Susan Rice, was belittled by Isaias.  The leader of the goon squad said that she was an un-experienced kid who was not fit to mediate in a conflict involving the "mature and wise" leader-never mind her high educational background and experience in the State Department. She was young and a woman, reason enough to win the contempt of out "enlightened leader" who could not see "light at the end of the tunnel" then. That being not enough, our leader was challenging the USA and the UN by breaking the embargo on Libya, something apparently he was not forgiven for.

Foreign Presence, Foreign Interference 

Mr. Lake was a facilitator during the peace talks between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Mr. Cohen was a facilitator during the London Talks in the eve of the independence of Eritrea and the downfall of Ethiopia�s dictator, Mengistu Hailemariam. Before that, the Carter center was facilitating peace negotiations between the EPLF (now ruling as PFDJ) and Ethiopia�s EPRDF (now ruling). There are hardly any political negotiation or opposition talks where foreign elements are not involved. That is the nature of politics.

The recently concluded conference of the Alliance of Eritrean National Forces (AENF) which now has adapted a new name, Eritrean National Alliance (ENA) was an event that many citizens betted on. Still, the achievements are great recognizing the fact that it managed to build an international and regional interest around the ENA. The fact that the ENA resolved to end the multi-entity military reality is a commendable step in that it will control the risk of warlordism. The second major achievement was the fact that the ENA agreed to have a permanent leadership replacing the method of rotating leadership. However, nomination for electing the leadership caused displeasure with one of the members of the Alliance, the ELF-RC.

Alliance/ELF-RC Schism

The schism between the Alliance and the ELF-RC, the meeting in Addis Ababa, the elections, and what this all means in terms of speeding up the demise of the dreaded PFDJ would normally be a perfect subject for The Pencil.   We are torn between two of our core missions: (1) to provide as much information as possible to our readers to enable them to make informed decisions and (2) to play a role in national reconciliation, a cause we have championed since inception.  It is public record that we have offered to help in any way we can to iron out the differences between the ELF-RC (an organization with a proud history of nationalism) and the Alliance (a movement that has gone a long way towards the creation of a streamlined and effective opposition to the monstrosity of PFDJ.)  We ask our readers to forgive our uncharacteristic silence on this issue and we hope they understand that we are doing it because it will help our efforts in reconciliation.

What we can tell you is that Gedab News was able to report scoops on the developments in Addis Abeba in advance of conventional media the same way it gets all its reports: standard journalism which dictates that anywhere, any time, there is always someone who has a vested interest to tell the truth. Of course, to get this information, you must actually be interested in the truth, not inconvenienced by it.  A little homework for the Europe-based pro-government Eritrean Kiddie website, for example, is: instead of telling us that the Eritrean refugees in Malta are escaping for economic reasons or that they are victims of human smugglers, go to Malta and interview the detainees.  We bet you they won�t because it is easier to believe the Eritrean government�s propaganda.

People who believe that we got the information from the Ethiopian government or from the Alliance are victims of the doctrine that information can only come from �official sources.�  Just because they get their information from officialdom, they think that is the only source of The Truth.  Pity them.   These are the same people that think that �Dimtsi Hafash� or �Eri-TV� tell the truth and the whole truth.  There is absolutely no way to convince these people otherwise�even if they saw Isaias Afwerki on Al Jezeera as he was boarding a plane to flee Eritrea, they will be saying, �it is not on DimtSi Hafash, so it must not be true.�

Popular Sentiments

The Eritrean political arena is teeming with parties, organizations, civil societies and individuals competing to have their views adapted in the forthcoming system of change in Eritrea. The rift between the ELF-RC and ENA was a good reason for all interests to come out: 1) those who want a weak Alliance 2) Those who want to the ELF-RC to part with the ENA and 3) Those who want the ELF-RC to go back to the Alliance. Needless to say, the ELF-RC and the ENA are willing to solve their misunderstanding in a responsible manner.

Considering the tough issues that were discussed in the conference and considering the diverse political views of the members of the alliance, it is understandable that emotions have run high and misunderstandings were ensued. Equally, the damage was recognized and extensive efforts are underway to reverse the damage. Furthermore, we believe this is an opportunity for Herui and the other members of the leadership to show their statesmanship and conflict resolution skills.

The Eritrean politics is in a turning point. The true basis for a diverse political reality can only be laid now. It is also an opportune time to prevent our body politic from the ugly monster of polarization. As for the ELF-RC, it was an organization that has been instrumental in the creation of the alliance. It has been part and parcel of the alliance and its split from the alliance would not be accepted by many Eritreans.

Partisan politics is what Eritrea is heading to and is what we want to establish in the future Eritrea. Of course, then, there will be competitions and frantic efforts to win people�s votes in a democratic environment. Responsible politics will deliver Eritrea from the bottleneck; breaking the coalition would not. Why would one present a gift in a silver platter to the PFDJ? Why would a ruthless regime be invited to feast on the differences of the Eritrean opposition be it the EPLF-DP, the ENA, civil societies or others? All of those have chosen to free their people from the deadly grip of the dictatorship; they must stand up to the challenge.

Opposition members have a knee jerk reaction to media criticisms. That is unbecoming of any force that claims to be struggling for freedom of expression, transparency, accountability and full-fledged democracy. We criticize the ruling party for the obvious misdeeds and injustice that it is causing.  It is criticized for its action. We criticize the opposition for different reasons, not because its actions are hurting Eritrea, but because its in-actions are. It is a responsibility that we all chose to shoulder. Opposition is a thankless task. Rewards are realized when the dream of having a stable, prosperous and democratic Eritrea that does not trample over the rights of its citizens and when the citizen is the supreme power. That is the reward for which so many chose to suffer and sacrifice. Criticism is healthy. It is a pillar upon which a true representative democracy is built. We should revere this pillar and not be scared from it.

The Other part of the opposition

Recently, Mesfin Hagos from the EPLF-DP and Semere Kesete from the EDC met and announced that their respective organizations� will to work together. Convergence seems what they are heading to. Mesfin Hagos and his organization are partly the inheritors of the EPLF; their opponent, the oppressor PFDJ, is an illegitimate faction that hoodwinked the Eritrean people and denied citizens the privilege of enjoying freedoms they earned. The EPLF, just like all other experiences and legacies, belongs to the people with all its positive and negative aspects. In Mesfin Hagos, the EPLF has its pioneer guards, in Semere and his colleagues, mostly university students and graduates who now reside in Ethiopia and others other parts of the world, represent the young blood. Combined forces of these two generations are well placed to claim their organization and together with other patriotic forces, to bring about an end to the Eritrean misery.

Equally, a new blood in the Eritrean opposition is in dire need. We urge Semere and Mesfin Hagos to get closer to the ENA and coordinate their efforts to bring about a swift end to the raging madness now wreaking havoc in Eritrea.

In this effort, we also plead to all leaders of the opposition to communicate extensively with Eritreans inside Eritrea. There are those thousands and thousands of veterans, ELF & EPLF, who spent their lives struggling for the liberation of Eritrea only to see their achievements undermined by a clique of intruders to the legacy of the Eritrean revolution. Like other segments of our society, they were betrayed by the system. Their dream for an inclusive democratic Eritrea has evaporated in front of their sight.  It is obvious that they are stakeholders in any change that appears inside Eritrea. They have to be considered and included in any future arrangements that are planned.

The EPLF-DP needs to stop harping on innuendoes of �mszom ab itiopia zelewu?� and be more pragmatic. Scores of other activists need to converge with others and stop the mushrooming of groups. Now is the time to converge because the Eritrean political atmosphere has all kinds of political tendencies; multiplying those can not be explained. Forming weak organizations (and splitting) instead of joining forces is counter-productive. �King-makes� should stop contemplating jumping over the organized political organizations since they, in spite of their shortcomings, own a moral authority.  False perception within the Diaspora in the west should be corrected. Eritreans inside Eritrea and Eritreans in the Sudan and Ethiopia outweigh the number of those who reside in the West and who for the most part have become citizens of other countries. Muscle flexing and intimidation by some interests claiming to represent the Eritrean Armed forces more than others is counter productive. Our nation is dire need of Salvation.