The Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA) which is holding its congress in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia will amend its charter to purge two controversial articles dealing with religious and ethnic autonomy.

Based on their placement in the 2002 charter of the Alliance, (http://www.erit-alliance.com/Charter/index.asp#art1), the two articles are often referred to as "articles 3 and 4" and confer ethnic groups the right to self-determination and religious groups the right to govern themselves according to their religious teachings.

Many Eritreans argued vehemently that the "right to self-determination" is a first step on a slippery slope towards secession and that the explicit right of religious governance is a threat to secularism and Eritrean unity.

When the Eritrean National Alliance was re-organized as the Eritrean Democratic Alliance in 2004, it modified the charter (http://www.awate.com/portal/content/view/3831/11/ ) to water down these rights and make them less explicit. The reference to right to self-determination was removed and the religious rights were made subordinate to the supremacy of the constitution.

The new language is considered an evolutionary change and a reflection of the new alliance whose member organizations are of diverse political orientations. According to our sources, the deliberations have been mature and those who have been outvoted have agreed to abide by democratic principles while registering their reservation. 

A six-member secretariat chaired by Mr. Arhe Hamednaka from the Eritrean Federal Democratic Movement (EFDM) is managing the congress, which is expected to elect its new leadership by February 20 ^th, 2007

Background

The Eritrean opposition umbrella group was formed in March 1999 as the Alliance of Eritrean National Forces (AENF).  The group had 11 signatories.  The Alliance adopted a consensus-based organization with chairmanship rotating between the member organizations.  

The group was re-organized in 2002: it changed its name to the Eritrean National Alliance and added a few more organizations.

In March 2005, the alliance changed its name to the Eritrean Democratic Alliance: it re-issued a new charter; more strictly defined membership criteria, and admitted more groups to the alliance. The alliance has legislative and executive arms and has mandated committees to prepare a national conference.