‘PIA and PFDJ are digging Eritrea into a deep hole.  We can allow them to turn that hole into Eritrea’s burial ground, or we can use the hole to build solid foundation [meseret] upon which to build the future Eritrea.  The choice is ours to make.’

 

PFDJ’s tired propaganda machine would like us to believe that it is the torch-bearer of its predecessor organization – EPLF.   It is amusing to hear PFDJ sympathizes who either naively or conveniently portray themselves as ‘hizbawi ghinbar’.  Nothing is further from the truth.

 

 

First let us start with the outward similarities between the two organizations.  Both organizations had/have rigid military or militaristic structures.  Beyond these outward similarities, these two organizations are diametrically opposed in every aspect.

 

EPLF’s liberation strategies were based on Mao’s ‘People’s War’, which had three essential components,

  1. Liberation struggle would be carried out from bases located in remote, rural areas;
  2. That the liberation movement would involve a central role for the liberation army, a role that would be more of a political than a military one;
  3. That the revolution would take the form of a protracted war - a war of long and undetermined length, but one which would proceed through orderly stages.

The core belief of ‘People’s War’ was that there was a broader set of resources available on which to build power--the most important of them being the morale and will power of man, continually reinforced by political mobilization. Mao put it this way:

Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive factor; it is people, not things, that are decisive. The contest of strength is not only a contest of military and economic power, but also a contest of human power and morale. Military and economic power is necessarily wielded by people.

Recognizing the [critical] necessity of people’s allegiance in realization of our liberation aspirations, EPLF largely treated the general population under its control with respect that the people deserved.  Even when EPLF engaged in conscriptions, conscripts were later converted into freedom fighters largely through persuasion than fear.  Otherwise, conscripts could  desert to the Ethiopian army or flee the country. 

 

Without the support of the general population, and the reciprocal well-treatment of the population by EPLF, our liberation struggle would have been stuck in ground zero or, worse, would have been annihilated.

 

In contrast, and this is understatement of the century, PFDJ is now engaged in an internal war against the people of Eritrea - to destroy families, family values, liberties, justice, rule-of-law, and everything needed to hold a nation together.  Strictly speaking, PFDJ is in much better position than EPLF to exercise prudence towards governing its subjects.  Instead, PFDJ has turned Eritrea into one huge prison – locking up its subjects without due process of law under the pretext of national security.   Had EPLF resorted to even a small fraction of PFDJ’s ruthless political game against its own subjects, the Dergue would have walked all the way to Nacfa. 

 

If national/internal security was the biggest concern, EPLF had significantly more concerns than PFDJ.   EPLF did not have the benefits of statehood.  EPLF had internal challenges.  EPLF overcame the challenges of direct and open financial and military support given to the Dergue regime by the Easter bloc countries.    Yet with all these challenges, EPLF worked hand-and-glove with the people in the liberated areas.

 

After Liberation

Unlike the open and subtle campaigns to demonize EPLF in wholesale, the rank-and-file liberation fighter laid down their lives for freedom, liberty, and justice.  The first group of victims to fall under wrath of PFDJ’s ruthless political game after independence were the War Disabled and rank-and-file protesters.  The events leading up to our official independence were the first signs of discontent from within EPLF. 

 

  

 

As witnessed during the events leading to our official independence, rank-and-file EPLF fighters espoused the same trust towards the organization as the general public did.  The vast majority of Eritrean population, along with the rank-and-file, thought that EPLF’s supposed successor PFDJ, and esp. PIA, would never resort to destroying a nation that it fought so hard for.  Those who are in shock of today’s Eritrea include the ones that trusted the EPLF leadership the most - rank-and-file PLF fighters.  Others live in denial, disillusioning themselves with slogan of ‘hizbawi ghinbar’. 

 

Today’s Challenges

 

During these tragic times, Eritreans should remain proud of what Idris Awate, Sheik Ibrahim, Aboy Woldeab, Sheik Abdelkadir, ELM, ELF, and EPLF have done for liberating Eritrea.

 

During these difficult times, we should continually remind ourselves that the overwhelming majority of the fighters within the liberation movements (ELM, ELF, EPLF) gave up their precious lives so that the rest of us can live with liberty and dignity.

 

During these trying times, we should instead remind ourselves that our heroes achieved their aims/objectives not because they talked about liberty, but because they acted.  The 65,000 fallen heroes of liberation, and our 19,000 precious fallen Warsai heroes would have stood up for their rights against the PFDJ regime if they were still alive today.

 

During these horrible times, we should ask ourselves, are we doing what our heroes would have liked us to do?  Did our heroes give any excuses to shy our away from their beliefs and ideals?  Shouldn’t we be following in their footsteps to achieve what they achieved – victory through convictions and self-sacrifice?

 

‘Ab Zemene Girmbit’,  Higdefawiyan are accusing especially [x-]EPLF members and supporters who espouse liberty, freedom and justice as ‘traitors’ and ‘woyanes’.  Those who joined and supported EPLF for Eritrean independence have nothing to be ashamed because of what higdefawiyan are committing in the name of ‘hizbawi ghinbar’.  Those genuine hizbawi ghinbars who remain committed to the ideals of our fallen heroes should hold their heads high up, and let the hidefawiyans bring their heads down because it is them [higdefawiyan] who have betrayed everything Eritrean, their fallen and imprisoned colleagues, and the general population.

 

On May 24th, 1991, EPLF delivered Eritrean independence which was sparked by the heroic acts of the first Eritrean political organizations, ELM, and then ELF. 

 

In the end, organizations are born, grow up, mature, and finally decline to oblivion [unlike ‘Institutions’ which have much longer life span].   For all intents and purposes, EPLF has been non-existent for a number of years.  We celebrate its [EPLF’s] life, but we don’t mourn its demise.  After all, today’s challenges and struggles can’t be fought with yesterday’s organizations.  What endures is not an organization, but the ideals of liberty, justice, peace, freedom, due process of law, rule-of-law, and democracy which will be taken up by new and evolving organizations.  To achieve today’s objectives, those who still espouse the same ideals, with emphasis on new generation, should create or join vibrant organizations committed to the same ideals.  Our ideals will not be eroded by those who harass us, threaten us, and intimidate us by calling us ‘woyane’, ‘threats to National Security’, and ‘traitors’.   History teaches us those who subvert our ideals are the ones threatening  the survival our nation, our principles, our values, and traditions.

 

Next:  Meseretawi Hitotat Part III: Reformers’ Dilemma

 

Berhan Hagos

August 10, 2005