On Sunday, February 6, officials of the PFDJ, the ruling party in Eritrea, held meetings for residents of the various neighborhoods of Asmara. The main agenda item was the Eritrean opposition meeting in Khartoum, which was held in late January.   In the meetings, the Khartoum agreement was described as seeking to disintegrate Eritrea along ethnic and sectarian lines. The public was reminded of the need to stay vigilant and duly report those who talk about or exaggerate the outcome of the Khartoum meeting

Similar meetings are scheduled for government employees starting Monday. The staff of all ministries and other public agencies has been ordered to attend these meetings scheduled to take place in their respective offices over the week.

Meanwhile, the government has begun clamping down on individuals for abusing fuel rations.  Last weekend, soldiers were stopping all private cars with Code One license plates and asking their drivers where they got the fuel they were using. Several have been arrested or their driving licenses seized. Since the government announced its fuel rationing policy - Code One is not eligible for any rations - the fuel black market has boomed. Corruption is in the rise instigated by relentless maneuvers to obtain fuel coupons. Several government offices are burdened with the additional work of compiling lists of coupon recipients, distributing coupons and regulating the process.

In other news, in yet another �restructuring,� Mr. Mustafa Nurhussein, the Governor of Gash-Barka and Mr. Kahsai Gebrehiwot, the Governor of �Debub� [South], are expected to swap posts. News coming from Barentu confirms that Mustafa has already said his farewell to the staff of Gash-Barka Administration.