Do everything legally possible to break the suffocating finical-political and organizational control of EPLF/PFDJ over Eritreans … No battle is too small to be left unattended. We cannot defeat tyranny in one political battle. We have to take the Salami approach. Cut the task down to manageable pieces. Do everything with purpose and do it to the best of your ability. It is a shared responsibility and it is a shared task … cooperation in all aspects of the struggle. No victory is too small to be celebrated. Pass the glory to others and take the blame. Million needles will bleed a tyrant to death! You can handle a needle. I can handle a needle. Speak, write, agitate just do something. Let the tyrant know that you refuse to submit to his will. That itself is your first big victory. Defeat your fear and you have defeated tyranny … dare to speak up and own your own voice. Think big and be willing to make big mistake in the process of struggling for Justice and Human Rights for your people and for yourself. Defy the tyrant and his barking bullies. Timidity and self-imposed paralysis in the face of naked brutality against your own people is not a mark of great people. Stand up slowly but firmly and lend your clear voice, in your own way, to the cause of the people. Your role is critical and important. Try to be a solution-searching-concerned citizen. Do not underestimate your talent and your potential to contribute. Speak your own mind. Free mind is the best antidote for tyranny … (Seyoum Tesfaye, 29 May 2008)

Dear fellow citizens,

The initiators write this email to you, all Eritreans, disheartened by the recent interviews of the Eritrean President, President Isaias Afewerki (PIA), with Al Jazeera and Reuters. The initiators assume all of you, as active followers of the situation in our country, have followed the interviews. They are unfortunately very bad speeches – disgrace to Eritreans. Yet, it is so important that PIA expressed his true image for the world to see. It is particularly very important with regard to the letter the initiators are cordially asking you to sign.

Many of you have shown immense dedication at least in exposing the brutalities of PIA and his rule. Yet, our noises and cries have not crossed-over our few websites and we have not yet seriously reached influential quarters that can help us in alleviating the appalling crisis in Eritrea. If you have noted the main message of PIA’s interview, it is contempt to the capabilities of those who have been opposing his repression. It is also contempt to those who are ‘champions’ and ‘guardians’ of democracy. ‘There will not be rule of law and democracy in Eritrea, and I will see what you can do’ was PIA’s message. As we often do after the fact, PIA was offering us topics on which we could keep writing on our blogs. Writing is an important tool. Yet, we should not cry only on our websites but rather appeal to influential quarters and intensify the quest for democratic change in Eritrea using every means.

As you might know, the transitional Government of Eritrea’s refusal to end its transitional lifespan in utter defiance to its own promises, transitional laws and the Constitution of Eritrea (indeed, a constitution of its own making) fits into the definition of unconstitutional change of government proscribed by the African Union (AU). As provided in the many treaties mentioned in the letter below, now PIA’s government is clearly illegal. The initiators are asking you to invoke our Continent’s laws!

We realise the controversy the Eritrean Constitution raises within the opposition camp. Regardless of the hard-line arguments many of us have been propounding to validate or invalidate the Constitution, if we are truly committed to rescuing our people, we can handle this difference in civility by discussing it when we reach a stage we will be able to implement any constitution in Eritrea – a stage which, according to PIA’s recent interview, might not come as far as he and perhaps his son is in power. At the very least, we can only resolve the differences by resorting to internationally sanctioned dispute resolution mechanisms.

Nevertheless, for the purposes of the letter, the stashed Constitution has paramount importance. It is the GoE’s making which PIA cannot disclaim it as CIA’s document. It is a covenant to which PIA’s government is a party – an oath PIA sworn. Thousands of Eritreans have participated in its making. Although we might differ on whether or not the public participation has influenced the content of the Constitution, the extended participation and publicity itself has products. At least the public knows that there is a certain document which the GoE never wants it to be mentioned; and those who dared to pronounce it have ended in jails.

As said above, the GoE’s refusal to end its transitional lifespan in utter defiance to its own promises, transitional laws and the Constitution turns the GoE an outlawed government. This ‘coup over the rule of law’ has happened at a time the right to democratic governance is woven in the fabric of regional and international treaty law. The AU in particular has clearly specified the parameters of the right to democratic governance and has unequivocally proscribed unconstitutional grip or maintenance of power a violation of which entails sanctions that can extend to military intervention. PIA’s government has ratified these deals. Of course, PIA has always been telling us that he has a different definition of democracy with which he is very compliant and he will not bow to these treaties. He does not even know what ‘elections’ are! To him, treating Eritreans in the way he has done is nothing but magnanimous.

However, the above legal stipulations will be put into effect only if, in promoting democracy in Africa, in reality the AU is meaningfully different from its predecessor – the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The above legal stipulations will be put into effect only if those who claim to be champions and guardians of democracy play their roles in tune to their responsibilities and credentials. Many of us might tend to be pessimistic about the AU’s commitment to democracy. But, the AU is proving different than the OAU. Don’t you remember the stand the AU took on the 2005 attempted coup in Togo? In any case, the AU should be tested; and the situation in Eritrea offers a test case. Let us test the AU. As citizens, let us discharge some of our obligations. Let us pronounce, laud and clear, the call for help. The rule of law should always be invoked. That is how its supremacy is maintained. And there will be some positive effect.

In brief, the idea we want to share you is this. The letter below and a background paper developed by some Eritrean lawyers and others will be submitted to the AU’s Peace and Security Council. The background paper is a detailed version of the letter. The letter will bring to the attention of the AU that coup over the rule of law and other sacrosanct democratic principles have taken place in Eritrea. If you agree with it, the initiators are cordially asking you to sign it.  

This call is directed to all of us – from our Professors and Doctors to our open-air activists, to the noted Yerhwo Amlaks, to those who burn from inside but choose to remain in a world of silence … Our Professors and Doctors should be in the forefront because they not only understand the matter but also have more persuasive weight. We should call and persuade to sign everyone we are close to. In this regard, let us, all of us, sign the letter using our real names, addresses and titles. The era of pen names and hidden identities should end.     

Modalities: We are basically submitting a letter signed by many of us – not a big deal. For collection of signature in a more authentic manner, we cordially ask you to send as an email to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it . You only need to put your title, full name and physical address in the subject bar, separated by single space and comma as necessary. Example: Mr X Y Z, Sunnyside, Pretoria, South Africa. You are welcome to include a message of support inside the envelope. We will then simply print the list of received emails from the ‘inbox’ pages. You can start signing the letter starting from 1 June 2008. The letter together with the background paper and collected signatures will be submitted to the addressees on 10 June 2008. 

The letter is available here.    

Sincerely,

The initiators,