In the face of spiraling inflation and scarcity of goods, the government of Eritrea has intensified its campaign against Eritrea�s private sector. Observors say that the campaign against the businesspeople has all the hallmarks of other organized campaigns waged by the government against a targeted group, just weeks prior to a crackdown.

• In September 2004, Dr. Giorgis Teklemikael, the Minister of Trade and Industry, told the government press that Eritrea�s policy of promoting a private sector-led economy has failed and, as a consequence, the government was set to reconsider its policy.

• In September 2004, the government issued additional regulations forbidding many businesses from withdrawing cash from their "dollar accounts" in the Commercial Bank of Eritrea;

• Businesspeople have been asked to fill out new government forms requiring detailed information on all assets owned, whether they are business-related or private;

• Government ministries and departments have been instructed to compile dossiers on business enterprises in their respective sectors;

• "National Security" authorities have been instructed to prepare a list of "suspicious" businesspeople;

• PFDJ party activists are holding "consciousness raising" community meetings blaming the private sector in conspiring with the Ethiopian government to jeopardize the Eritrean economy;

An assessment of previous campaigns shows the following pattern: the government issues new directives, the government initiates a campaign of vilification, with the president�s office issuing unsigned talking points, which are then repeated by everyone from the party foot soldiers to the high ranking officials; then the government takes action and explains that it is merely executing the will of the people. The targeted group is made to disappear and never given an opportunity to defend itself.

The government�s campaign against the "Muslim fundamentalists", the "Jehovah�s Witnesses", the "G-15", the university students, the private press and, most recently, the "minority religions" has followed the same pattern.