https://www.facebook.com/100002586172624/posts/4895665217196302/

I just watched a press conference by a newly-formed Eritrean opposition group. According to its leaders, the organization is a kind of an umbrella, where any Eritrean who believes in three of the following can join: (1) The current government in Eritrea must go by any means, including the use of force; (2) The sovereignty of Eritrea must be respected; and (3) It is time to work with the people of Tigray to achieve those aims.

The press conference was followed by questions and comments from different opposition groups who appeared to be on board with the objectives of the new group. With that, I’d like to make a few remarks about the group and, as you can guess, my perspective or views will admittedly be from one who comes from Tigray.

Many people have been wondering why it is that Eritreans who oppose Issayas have not been able to mount a successful fight against the Issayas regime. Many attempts have been made in the course of the last thirty years to get around a unified front, but all in vain. Among the reasons are divisions along regional and religious lines, infiltration by Issayas’ spies, and lack of agreement on the type of struggle and whether it is feasible to use Tigray as a staging ground for the fight. So, the new group should be commended for taking the initiative to form a coalition of all forces opposed to Issayas’ well-known brutal dictatorship. And I truly wish them good luck.

Furthermore, it is gratifying to see Eritreans acknowledging openly that the people of Tigray have been wronged by the rogue regime in Eritrea, and are willing to work with the people of Tigray. This is huge and will hopefully heal the gaping wound that Issayas’ conscript army has inflicted in the psyche of the people of Tigray.

Again, I wish the new organization success, and hope to see a democratic country, Eritrea, interacting with Tigray (Ethiopia?) in a civilized manner.