Reference: EMDHR/Public/81/06
28 September 2006

ATTENTION TO:

His Excellency
Ambassador Tesfamichael Gerahtu
Embassy of Eritrea
Pretoria, RSA

Delivered by hand 

Your Excellency

Please kindly accept our warm greetings.

We, the undersigned Eritrean nationals living in the Republic of South Africa, humbly draw your attention to the appalling social, economic, and political crisis in our home country. We do so with great respect and recognizing that this month, September, is among the most important moments in the history of our country.

Eritrea’s armed struggle for freedom and the dignity of the human person as well as for self-determination was launched by our fathers and forefathers 45 years ago on the 1st of SEPTEMBER 1961. After nearly 30 years of bitter fighting, we affirmed our right to national sovereignty. Accordingly, in a UN monitored referendum held in the year 1993, we overwhelmingly voted for independence from Ethiopia. We did so, not for the mere fact of becoming an independent nation-state, but also, and most importantly, to ensure that each and every citizen’s basic rights, freedom and dignity were to be safeguarded. In the years that followed, we were optimistic that we would be able to gradually build a state founded on constitutional supremacy, democracy and the rule of law, which would guarantee every individual’s liberty and dignity. Throughout this period, we steadfastly positioned ourselves in the face of all our perceived national challenges hoping that one day we would breathe the air of peace, liberty, dignity and prosperity.

Your Excellency

The three-year border war with Ethiopia had itself raised a heated but vital political debate among the Peoples’ Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) cadres. The fifteen members of the parliament- known as the “reformers” consisting of ministers and top government officials openly called for “increased democratization and transparency” in our country. They did so in their historic letter addressed to all PFDJ members, paving the way for a groundbreaking political debate. At that time, many citizens were openly discussing the future of our country in public forums, in our independent newspapers and over the Internet. Sadly, such promising developments did not last long, as the government resorted to violence and arbitrarily arrested the eleven members of parliament, as well as business people, elders, journalists, religious leaders, and many others who allegedly supported the dissidents’ cause. They were arrested beginning in SEPTEMBER 2001 and many of them remain jailed in our country today. These events and what followed has tarnished the image of our country and subverted the liberty and the very dignity of all Eritrean citizens, for which we bitterly struggled for decades and voted during the 1993 referendum. This is manifested in Eritrea by:

• The continuing restriction of fundamental human freedoms including freedom of expression, religious practice and public association, and the quick and systematic silencing of those who opt to exercise these God-given freedoms;
• The increased militarization of the nation, i.e., the continuing replacement of the civil administration, including education, by the military;
• Continued governance by coercion rather than governance on the basis of the consent of the citizenry;
• The growing perception of the citizenry, especially the youth, that their best future is to be only found in exile;
• The conviction among most Eritreans that under these circumstances, social, cultural, economic and political developments have become unthinkable;

Your Excellency

On the occasion of this historic month, we would particularly like to emphasis to the unfortunate realities the detainees are experiencing. None of those detained has been taken to court or charged with any offence. They have been denied all access to the outside, including their families. There are serious concerns for their health. Yet, the Government of Eritrea has not provided the detainees’ families with formal notification of the detention or the detainees’ whereabouts. This is in total violation of their liberty and recourse to fair trial. In light this, we are demonstrating this day, the 28th of September 2006, in front of your good office to urge the Government of Eritrea to:

• end all sorts of violence, which include arbitrary arrest, disappearance and the like;
• release all prisoners of conscience without any pre-condition and compensate for the suffering they have experienced; and
• set in motion without any precondition building a nation founded on constitutional supremacy and rule of law where civil liberties are fully guaranteed;

We thank Your Excellency for your time and consideration and we remain looking forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,

Organized by the EMDHR

Petitioners:

• Daniel Mengs
• Aklilu Wrku
• Abraham Rezene
• Yemane Fisseha
• Bereket Seltene
• Tesfalem Tekleab
• Minassie Teklay
• Abdelwasie Mehammedhadish
• Wegahta Maekel
• Azazi Debesai
• Teweldeberhan Akbamichael
• Mehari Habtemichael
• Awelkier Hasebu
• Efrem Tesfamichael
• Tesfalem Gile
• Abraha Fisehaye
• Haileab Kidane
• Luul Negash
• Michael Andai
• Kuluberhan Abraham
• Estifanos Teklu
• Teklu Solomon
• Henok Weldemichael
• Dawit Maekel
• Alem Werede
• Fanuel Mesfin
• Yoel Alem
• Samuel Bizen
• Berhane Mengesha
• Alem Hailu
• Asmerom Fisehatsion
• Teklezgi Araya
• Teklab Abraham
• Samson Yemane
• Simon Tekeste
• Mewael Tewelde
• Habtzgi Mehari
• Fitsum Michael
• Yemane Mesfin
• Estifanos Kidane
• Habtom Gebremeskel
• Kfleyesus Gile
• Mussie Berhe
• Tesfamichael Tesfaldet
• Kidane Andu
• Yodit Michael
• Yordanos Teweldeberhan
• Teklit Awgeza
• Bokru Andu
• Mussie Asfaha
• Sbhatu Haile
• Solomon Tekia
• Medhanie Amenai
• Daniel Araya
• Awet Matewos
• Yosief Gerezgiher
• Okbai Berhe
• Mehari Semere
• Paulos Hagos
• Fitsum Tesfaselasie
• Efrem Teweldeberhan
• Biniam Ghebreab
• Tesfu Misgina
• Teweldedawit Gebrai
• Yonas Hailemariam
• Haileselassie Goitom
• Ibrahim Ahmed
• Alemseged Tewelde
• Ahferom Okbamichael
• Megos Araya
• Solomon Teklu
• Daniel Solomon
• Eyasu Andemariam
• Gebreab Zeweldai
• Daniel Teklemichael
• Yohannes Hagos
• Michael Hagos
• Hayelom Gebremichael
• Mesfin Yohannes
• Kidus Gebremariam
• Yonas Kahsay
• Simon Gulbet
• Ermias Michael