EPDP North America (NA) 4^th Congress

15-16 October 2016

On the Eritrean Common National Heritage

Understanding that the Eritrean Nation-State is a large-scale solidarity, constituted by the feeling of the sacrifices that the Eritrean people have made in the past and those that the Eritrean people are prepared to make in the future,

Recognizing the fact that Eritrea is a plural society characterized by diverse social cleavages that go along linguistic, religious, cultural and regional/geographic divisions,

Further recognizing the fact that during the long political evolution of Eritrea as a nation-state, the diverse Eritrean social groups coalesced into one entity in search of freedom, liberty and national sovereignty,

Mindful of the fact that the Eritrean Nation-State is the ultimate realization of the sacrifices of generation of Eritreans in search of nationhood and national identity,

Noting that 1991 is a watershed in the long history of the Eritrean struggle in search of nationhood and sovereignty that should have laid the ground work for the struggle for socioeconomic and political development to ensue,

Further noting that instead of reconciliation, the dictatorial regime has been promoting a process of political and economic exclusion and elimination and as a result chaos and degree of entropy has been increasing with lasting and drastic impacts on the inner-societal stability and the fabric of the Eritrean society,

Cognizant of the fact that there are some elements in the Eritrean Diaspora, who recently have been active in the cyber in the mischaracterization of and delegitimization of the Eritrean liberation struggle,

The North America (NA) EPDP 4^th Congress,

Declares that trying to delegitimize the history of the liberation struggle, which is equivalent to insulting and disrespecting Eritrean martyrs and war disabled Eritrean Tegadeliti, is a red line that must not be crossed;

Encourages EPDP to spearhead an intensive campaign to defend and safeguard the legitimacy and righteousness of the Eritrean quest for national identity in general and the liberation struggle in particular;

Urges the Eritrean people to reject the nihilistic and pessimistic attitudes towards the history of the Eritrean liberation era;

Calls upon all elements of the Eritrean society – all Eritrean civil societies, youth groups and political organization as well as prominent individuals, both academicians and religious personalities- to protect, maintain and promote the Eritrean Common National Heritage;

On the conditions of the Eritrean youth and Refugees

Realizing the fact that the youth is most vital and dynamic force of the Eritrean society,

Noting the critical roles that the young play in any socio-economic and political development of Eritrea,

Cognizant of the fact that the youth is the most betrayed and the one, which endures the brunt of the injustices of the dictatorship in post-independent Eritrea,

Further cognizant of the fact that forced labor and indefinite national service are imposed with detrimental effect to its future upon this group,

Recognizing the fact that fleeing the country in droves has become the last resort of the Eritrean youth and yet at the expense of risking its life and in the face of the “shoot-to-kill” policy of the regime;

Noting that the predatory regime in Eritrea is the root cause for the continued influx and displacement of our people, which is resulting in the loss of hundreds and thousands of Eritrean lives across the world,

Recalling that many Eritrean young perished while crossing borders, great deserts, and deep and wide seas and oceans and at the hands of human traffickers and organ harvesters;

Further recalling the fact that many Eritrean young are languishing in refugee camps of their host countries without access to education, training, adequate basic life necessities as well as physical and mental health services,

Appreciating EPDP’s efforts and commitments to the cause of Eritrean refugees,

Recognizing the efforts taken by a number of Eritrean organized groups and individuals to address the problem Eritrean refugees are facing, and mainly Eritrean refugees in the Horn of Africa, Middle East, and in the Mediterranean Sea rim countries who are becoming the victim of human traffickers,

The North America (NA) EPDP 4^th Congress,

Encourages EPDP to continue to support the Eritrean refugees and defend the Eritrean refuges’ rights in international forums, including assisting them to obtain political asylum in their host countries or to resettle to a third-party country;

Urges all Eritrean civil societies, youth groups and political organization as well as prominent individuals, both academicians and religious personalities in the Diaspora to understand the uniqueness of the “Eritrean Refugee” and to work to promote the welfare, the humanity and dignity of the Eritrean refugees in their host countries;

Calls upon the host countries to provide the Eritrean refugees with the necessary physical and mental health services, psychological counseling, education and training services as well as legal and communities services;

Further Calls upon the international community, the United Nations refugee agencies, and the host countries to protect and assist Eritrean refugees according to the provisions established in the various refugee conventions and protocols;

Urges the Eritrean opposition forces and civil society organizations to work in unison to get rid of the root cause of the unspeakable plight of Eritrean refugees – removing the Eritrean dictatorial regime from political power;

On the Integrity of Eritrea as a Sovereignty Nation-State

Reaffirming the preservation and maintenance of Eritrea’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is fundamental for Eritrean people,

Recalling that Eritrean people paid heavy sacrifices against successive foreign occupiers for their self-determination, national identity, and national sovereignty that was achieved after a long armed struggle in 1991,

Opposing all threats or use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of Eritrea, or intervening in its domestic affairs,

Reaffirming the respect of the principles of international law regarding the conduct of relations carried out among states is crucial for the maintenance of peace and security of countries,

Opposing any foreign military or the conduct of foreign political coercion against Eritrea’s political independence and territorial integrity, or its political unity as a country,

The North America (NA) EPDP 4^th Congress,

Understands that the preservation of Eritrean sovereignty is a pre-condition to a democratic and prosperous Eritrea;

Declares that Eritrea’s territorial integrity and political independence is inviolable and that Eritrean people have the duty to protect it under any circumstances;

Further Declares that no part of Eritrea or its regions or its ports is to be split from the sovereign and territorial State of Eritrea;

Reiterates support of EPDP policy of decentralization system of government in Eritrea within the sovereign State of Eritrea. 

On Unity of the Eritrean Diaspora-based Opposition forces for change

Cognizant of the fact that many of the opposition groups which constitute the opposition camp have roots in the era of the liberation struggle with a legacy of constant splitting and internal feuds and consequently not only are they weak and divided but also they have divergent political and policy orientations,

Convinced that forging unity amongst all Eritrean opposition forces for change is an essential national foundation, which will enable us to remove the PFDJ regime in the immediate term and provides us an opportunity to create a ground conducive for establishing a united and democratic Eritrea in the long term,

Recognizing that unity amongst Eritrean opposition forces for change fosters and lays the foundation for peace and reconciliation among Eritrean people in post PFDJ Eritrea,

Noting that the primary responsibility of achieving unity rests with all Eritrean opposition forces for change and civil society organizations, including the Eritrean public at large,

Emphasizing the significance of taking action now to fulfill our obligation and responsibility on the question of unity is more urgent than ever before, given the deteriorating situation of our country,

Reaffirming once again the political determination and commitment of EPDP on national unity, and the efforts and contributions it has so far made to advance the cause of unity as a fundamental national project is recognizable and on a record,

Further reaffirming EPDP’s stand on unity is consistent with our national principles and values that promote peaceful coexistence amongst our diverse cultures, religions, and faiths, as well as a crucial position that ensures and safeguards our independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,

The North America (NA) EPDP 4^th Congress,

Calls upon EPDP to continue doubling its effort on achieving unity by establishing a framework that reflects the current state of affairs of the Eritrean opposition forces for change;

Encourages EPDP to continue maintaining mutual understanding and relationships, discussions, and confidence building between Eritrean opposition forces for change in an effort to alleviate the challenges and obstacles we face regarding unity;

Supports the stated principle of EPDP relating to unity: one that calls for the establishment of complete unity/merger between forces whose principles and political persuasions are similar, and the second that calls for the formation of coalition/umbrella within the framework of narrowing the differences through dialogue and confidence building measures down the road;

Calls upon Eritrean opposition members and civil society organizations to consider and address unity as a priority in our struggle and work transparently with a view to playing a positive role and strengthening the pillars of unity;

Urges Eritrean experts and scholars, especially those who have expertise in the field of conflict resolution and reconciliation, to play their professional roles - actively engaging and providing expertise advice through seminars and conferences to Eritreans.

On the Eritrean Diaspora Grass Roots Movement

Recognizing that grass roots movements at the local levels can promote effective leadership and can act as incubators of democracy,

Convinced that the Eritrean Diaspora grass roots movement that became more active during the last two-three years ago is a turning point in the democratic struggle Eritrean people are waging,

Noting that the mushrooming of world-wide grass roots movement is unequivocal demonstration and a strong rejection of the tyrannical system in Eritrea,

Stressing the importance of establishing and creating a world-wide leadership and organization of the grass roots movement,

Conscious that a world-wide leadership and coordination of grass roots movement would contribute positively to a common understanding, and coordinated mobilization and campaign against the predatory regime,

Keeping in mind that the measurable success so far registered by Eritrean grass root movements and the evidence of an increase in public support presents an imminent opportunity for boosting the democratic struggle,

The North America (NA) EPDP 4^th Congress,

Reaffirms that EPDP should continue strengthening, supporting and enhancing Eritrean Diaspora grass root movements, particularly in support of establishing local, regional, and international leadership and organization;

Calls upon Eritrean political groups, civil society organizations, experts, and others to give particular and timely attention to the development, cooperation, and guidance of the Eritrean Diaspora grass root movements;

Stresses the importance of mending the intergenerational gap (between the liberation era and the present generation) that exists among Eritreans by learning from each other and acknowledging the diversity of each other’s experience, perspective, and values, and embracing our common values, beliefs and expectations so as to create a culture of inclusion and understanding on how to work together against the tyrannical system of the predatory regime and how to ensure the continuity of our country through cultivating the current and future Eritrean generations;

Further stresses that each generation has a lot to offer to our country’s future, but this would only be productive if each generation engages in a positive discussion and debate aimed at solidifying the struggle against the PFDJ regime and securing the destiny of future generations.

Internal Resistance and Struggle for Democratic Change and Justice in Eritrea

Referring to EPDP’s strategy that the decisive force for change comes from inside Eritrea,

Noting the fact that the internal struggle suffered from an exceptionalism narrative, a political culture dominated by the reminiscences of the liberation era that dilutes the present reality inside Eritrea,

Deeply convinced that the internal struggle is established by sharing and focusing on the attributes of the values (such as national unity, the 1997 constitution, justice, territorial integrity, and relation with Ethiopia...etc) and political culture of the internal forces in relation to the type of change they desire,

Further deeply convinced that establishing an organized resistance and leadership inside Eritrea is crucial with a view to expediting the defeat of the predatory regime, as well as to adopting measures that would ensure unity and peaceful democratic transition in post PFDJ Eritrea,

Fully believing that the majority partners in the internal struggle are ex-EPLF freedom fighters, Eritrean Defense forces, and PFDJ members, including the general Eritrean populace, and emphasizing that the overall influence the internal forces have over the struggle for democracy is critical and decisive, 

Noting that the relation between Eritrean opposition and Ethiopia that operates under a structure of lack of transparency erodes the relationship between the internal resistance and the Diaspora opposition,

The North America (NA) EPDP 4^th Congress,

Encourages that EPDP adopts a policy statement on how to establish and connect the internal struggle to the outside opposition;

Endorses that the policy statement to identify partners of the internal opposition forces and empower them in a targeted and strategic manner against the repressive regime of PFDJ;

Further Endorses that the policy statement to promote the principle of peaceful and democratic resistance that EPDP advocates for as this guarantees a strong national unity and sustainable democratization process in Eritrea;

Decides that the Party to invest in communication, mobilization, and media that exposes and challenges all facets of tyranny, repression, injustice, and corruption of the predatory regime in collaboration with the internal opposition forces.

On Synchronizing the Inside Eritrea and the Diaspora Struggle for Democratic Change and Justice

Reaffirming EPDP’s position on the establishment of a solid connection between the struggles of the inside and outside Eritrea as its fundamental strategy to effect democratic change in Eritrea,

Further reaffirming that employing different approaches and means of engagement on how to coalesce these two fronts into the same page should be one of the underpinning strategies of the opposition,

Believing that establishing an organized resistance and leadership inside Eritrea is crucial with a view to expediting the defeat of the predatory regime, as well as to adopting measures that would ensure unity and peaceful democratic transition in post PFDJ Eritrea,

Further believing that the key and critical force for democratic change in Eritrea is a home-based democratic forces that can partner with junior Diaspora-based democratic forces,

The North America (NA) EPDP 4^th Congress,

Calls upon Eritrean opposition forces for change to formulate and implement a comprehensive action plan, indentifying steps and measures to connect the homeland and Diaspora struggles;

Urges Eritrean opposition forces for change to design and establish comprehensive news and media regime that will enhance, broaden, and raise awareness of Eritrean people on democracy and constitutional governance;

Further urges Eritrean opposition forces for change to use news and media as an instrument for integrated information campaign to expose and undermine the gross and systematic practice of terrorism and intimidation, violence and brutality, and repression being perpetuated by the predatory regime on our people while safeguarding the unity, political independence, and territorial integrity of Eritrea;

Emphasizes once again that the defeat of PFDJ is dependent upon founding a strong resistance organization inside Eritrea, which should be tied and work hand in hand with the Diaspora opposition in order to defeat the PFDJ, in addition to laying ground for a smooth transition to democracy in post PFDJ Eritrea

On the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF)

Acknowledging that the only organized institution in Eritrea is the EDF,

Further acknowledging that the duty and defense of the country falls under the responsibility of the EDF,

Strongly Supporting the EDF for its continued service in defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Eritrea,

Acknowledging that the EDF bears the brunt of the PFDJ repression and injustice, and that it continues to be deprived of its fundamental political and civil rights like the rest of Eritrean people, and that it is among the most impoverished sector of Eritrean society,

Further reminding that the EDF is part of the oppressed Eritrean society under the PFDJ regime, and that it has a national obligation to play its decisive role in the struggle for democracy in Eritrea against the repressive regime of PFDJ,

The North America (NA) EPDP 4^th Congress,

Affirms its confidence on the EDF to continue defending the country’s territorial integrity and its political and national unity;

Declares its Solidarity with the EDF in the struggle against the predatory regime;

Calls once more upon the EDF to organize itself and engage in the struggle against the predatory regime.

On The Question of International Relations

Reiterating noninterventionist policy ensures sustainable peace and cooperation between Eritrea and its neighbors,

Affirming the importance of support and assistance of neighboring countries to the Eritrean opposition forces,

Observing the support structure of neighboring countries to the Eritrean opposition forces undermines the independence of Eritrean opposition forces,

Deeply concerned that the current neighboring Countries’ policies contribute to division and disunity among Eritrean opposition forces, damaging the long established harmony and coexistence among all sectors of Eritrean society,

Alarmed at the effects of neighboring Countries’ policies in the Eritrean refugee camps in the Horn of Africa that nurtures tribalism, sectarianism, and regionalism,

The North America (NA) EPDP 4^th Congress,

Notes that the interventionist policies of neighboring countries on the Eritrean opposition forces has not been effective, creating many unsustainable splinter political groups unable to accomplish a concrete step towards rallying the Eritrean people against the predatory regime over the last quarter of a century; 

Emphasizes the need for neighboring countries to refrain from intervening and managing the internal affairs of the Eritrean opposition forces as an important principle to achieving peace and sustainable relationship between Eritrea and it’s neighbors;

Calls upon the Eritrean opposition forces and civil society organizations to revisit their relationships with would be assisting countries critically in a manner that ensures their independence and ownership of the struggle against the predatory regime;

Supports all the support and assistance from would be assisting countries’ governments anchored on facilitating the democratic struggle of the Eritrean people and promoting unity among the Eritrean opposition forces. 

On the Eritrean-Ethiopian Border Demarcation and the Algiers Peace Agreement

Recalling the Algiers peace agreement signed between Eritrea and Ethiopia in December 2000 that ended the border conflict between the two countries,

Further Recalling the establishment of The Hague based Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) to render a “final and binding” verdict on border conflict,

Reminding that the EU, AU, United Nations, and USA attended the signing of the Algiers peace agreement as guarantors of the agreement,  

Further reminding that the border has not been demarcated almost 15 years after the ruling was handed down due to the refusal of the Ethiopian government, and also stressing that the status quo is not sustainable between the two countries,

Realizing that demarcating the border between the two countries contributes to sustainable peace and stability both to the two countries and to the Greater Horn of Africa,

The North America (NA) EPDP 4^th Congress,

Calls upon Ethiopian government to honor the Algiers agreement it signed and allow physical demarcation of the border by accepting the “final and binding” clause of the agreement;

Further calls upon the guarantors of the peace treaty to honor their commitment and pressure the Ethiopian government to allow the physical demarcation of the border between the two countries,

Enrichment courses provided by the center to enhance skills. Eritrean W.C.

OCTOBER 15, 2016DONATION,ERITREA,ERITREAN WOMEN,HELEN KIDANE.,HELP,ISRAEL,PEOPLE,REFUGEES

Respect is honoring the worth, dignity and integrity in a person. If we have respect, nothing else matters in our life. Respect is merited particularly by those (our elders) who have gained many years of life experience and by those (our scholars) who are highly educated, because knowledge, insight and wisdom often are hard won through a lifetime of discipline and constant learning. Cultivating respect as a virtue does not necessarily mean insisting that all ideas, beliefs, or actions of people are respect-worthy. It does mean that we have to recognize and consider the basic human dignity of others, even when their ideas or values are different from our own. Respect in our own community or religious institution means not targeting fellow Eritreans and others for hatred or animosity and not for creating turmoil or violence in our society. A general attitude of respect ascertains peace and harmony among us. It also assumes that each person has something to offer or teach us, if we are willing to listen and learn with respect.

Home sweet home is the primary and best school where our character is molded and our perspectives is shaped by learning the fundamental moral principles and manners from our parents in a family setting. Respect is a faithful character attached to ethical values and norms that we develop at home. If we lose our wealth, which can be replaced any time, we lose nothing. However, if we lose our character, which is reflected by respect, we lose everything. We can only love and respect others when we love and respect ourselves. Respecting ourselves guides our moral, while respecting other people guides our manners. It is wise and noble to respect every person, if we want to have true friends. People who are disrespectful often have few friends and alliances and other people do not enjoy being near them. If we ever want to be respected in life, we have to respect other people without distinction to age, ethnicity, gender, or religion. Every person should be respected as a person irrespective of his or her economic status, religious belief, social affiliation, or political ideology. By respecting another person we respect ourselves. Self-respect leads to self-discipline and self-discipline leads to understanding the feelings of other people. We need to respect other people’s feelings even if it does not mean anything to us; it could mean everything to the other person. Obviously showing other people due respect is a critical part of maintaining decent personal relationships. The following interesting short story narrates the essence and value of respecting oneself and others.

Once upon a time, a frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the dining table, but the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess made by the old man. “We must do something about my father,” said the son. “I have had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.”  So the husband and wife set a small Table in the corner of the dining room. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner together at the family table. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.  When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometime he had tears in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork, or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with some wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?”  Just as sweetly as his father’s words, the boy responded, “Oh, I am just making a little bowl for you and Mama from which you will eat your food when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents hard so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the family Table. For the remainder of his lifetime Grandfather ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the Tablecloth spoiled. The moral lesson of the story above is that we reap what we sow. Regardless of our relationship with our parents, we miss them even when they are gone from our life. We always cherish their good deeds and wisdom and remember them with respect. If we always respect and care for our children now, they will respect and care for us when we become old and feeble like the old man in the story above. It is evident that if we acquire knowledge, it gives us the opportunity to secure professional power. Likewise, if we establish good character, it gives us the opportunity to develop respect. Our elders had good moral because they had good character. They had good character because they had wonderful wisdom.  However, our moral and ethical values gradually started to deteriorate in Eritrea when some individuals disrespected our elders by addressing them ‘ata sebay’ and ‘anti sebeyti’ instead of politely and respectfully addressing them ‘atum aboy’ and ‘aten adey’. Those of us in Diasporas somehow have helped to accelerate the erosion and downturn of the decent moral and ethical values of our elders when we came to live in foreign countries which have cultural practices and values different from ours. We have seriously failed in transferring all the proper moral values and appropriate character practices we have learned from our elders to our young generation. We have failed to understand that respect is a deep admiration for good deeds. We may not notice it keenly, but every evil deed we do to another person adversely affects us in retrospect. The evil deeds that we accumulate over time will haunt us later in life and will turn us to be the most disgusting creatures on earth.

We seem to observe an outbreak of moral breakdown in our society in Diasporas. The walls of our cultural heritage and traditional practices are shattered by undesirable changes of our character. We have dismantled communities, divided religious institutions and broken homes. Our society is falling apart tragically claiming many divorces of families and separation of children from their parents. Some of our own children have gone off track to drop out of school and have even become drug dealers and members of street gangs in major cities. We have problems with our children because our communities and religious institutions are infested and infected by the opium of politics and as the result they are not able to bring us together and support one another. Politics in the true sense of the word, is decent and noble and it can be peaceful and progressive, if it is played safe and handled with good understanding. The problem in our situation is that we do not understood and practice politics legitimately with proper framework. Many evil deeds are undertaken in the name of politics. Consequently, politics have taken the center stage in many of our current issues within our Diaspora society because politics is misunderstood and misused, and in many instances it is twisted and abused. It has become the cancer of our society; at least cancer kills you only one time, but dirty politics kills you every day. We need to stop the bleeding of our society because the lingering effect of our politics in Diasporas has become a deadly practice at family and individual levels. The story narrated below can serve as an exhibit to our evil deeds in politics in our Diaspora society.

The story of Demas and Debas is a typical example to illustrate the impact of unhealthy politics in our Diaspora society. Demas and Debas were best friends for a long time. They went to the same high school in Eritrea and came to the United States as refugees at the same time. They both live in the same city with their big families.  Demas has a wife and six children while Debas has a wife and five children. Both Demas and Debas drive taxis and both their spouses work in the same Nursing Home. Their children grew up as best friends sharing and exchanging toys and video games, attending the same schools, participating in the same kinds of sports, and having the same common friends. The two families were just like one big family living in two separate households. They used to attend in all types of school activities and social events together as one family. They used to go for picnic at the nearby beach and visit Eritrea together. Every day Demas and Debas used to meet for a coffee break at Starbucks. They talked about their children, family, church, and especially politics. Every time they talked politics their heated argument created a hostile and unbearable situation between them. This unpleasant and annoying relationship gradually developed into hatred and animosity between the two sick headed parents. After a while, their regular meeting for a coffee break was discontinued due to their conflict in politics. Eventually, Demas declared to be a member of the so-called Pro-Government Group and Debas became a member of the so-called Opposition Group. It was unfortunate that their longtime friendship was compromised and they look at each other like enemies. It is a pity that they do not tolerate and respect each other. They do not volunteer to greet each other, even if they happen to meet in a household of a common friend. The two spouses and their children from both families are strictly prohibited by Demas and Debas not to associate, or make any kind of social contact with their former friends anywhere and at any time. It is really shameful to create such uncomfortable and unpleasant situation between the two innocent families.

In addition, the spillover effect of politics is commonly observed in the lives of our children. Dehab, the daughter of Demas and Dejen, the son pf Debas, were engaged when they were seniors in high school. The engagement was initially encouraged and supported by the two parents.  The political episode between Demas and Debas started when Dehab and Dejen were finishing college. The two pigheaded parents wanted to terminate the engagement of their children because of their own political difference. However, Dehab and Dejen got married without the consent of their parents in a court house of a certain town far away from home.  They said to their parents, “Your politics is your own business; our marriage is our own business. We love you and respect you as our parents, but we do not have respect for the way you handle your political differences and divide the two innocent families. One day, we hope that you will come back to you humane senses.” Dehab and Dejen now have two lovely children: Adam and Adiam. The couple live and work in a big city not far away from their respective families. At least the two grandmothers are able to come sometimes and visit with their grandchildren and spoil them with holiday presents and birthday gifts. Having learned about the horrible experience of their parents, Adam and Adiam would never be interested to listen or read the politics of any nation when they grew up. Fortunately, Dehab and Dejen were able to stand up firm and strong to reach their goals despite the crazy ideas of their parents. However, there are still many of our children who could not break down the walls of cruelty and ignorance of their parents. In fact, it is ridiculous to observe that some of our children are not allowed to get married to their fellow Eritreans, if their respective parents are not from the same region (awraja), or if the parents do not belong to the same political group.  In other words, it seems that we have actually declared to wage a civil war without guns between families and among individuals in our own society in Diaspora for the unreasonable excuse of conflicts and differences in politics.

Politics has also made its ruinous stride into the Eritrean Orthodox Christian church with the intention to regulate the church affairs and monitor the activities of its congregation. As we are well aware, the Eritrean Orthodox Christian church is divided into two separate dioceses in Diasporas: one group of churches support the government and the second group of churches oppose the government with regard to the decision made in Eritrea to remove Abune Antonios from his leadership position. The story of Wodaje and Woreja is a typical example to illustrate the impact of this division in the Eritrean families.  Wodaje and Woreja were married for over 40 years with five adult children and four grandchildren. They used to worship in the same Eritrean Orthodox church before it split into two separate churches. Wodaje and Woreja were highly respected and well-liked by friends and relatives until they were overtaken by the church politics. A few years ago, Wodaje decided to worship at the church opposing the government. While Woreja decided to worship at the church supporting the government. The separation of churches created irreconcilable difference and major disagreement between the two of them. Each heated argument led to a hostile situation which escalated the level of disagreement and the magnitude of animosity in their household. The reality is that both of them did not have respect for each other. Soon enough their marriage was in trouble. This couple was either confused or disillusioned to put their marriage in such great jeopardy.  Finally, they decided to end their union in marriage.  The elders and the priests in both churches did not make any effort to save the marriage and to create peace and harmony in their households. Their children have tried and done their best to bring their father and mother back together in peace and to have an everlasting union. However, the two parents were too stubborn to listen to their children. The essence and purpose of going to church was either ignored or forgotten. It meant nothing to these two hard-headed parents. In other words, politics overrides and overrules the teaching of the gospel. To their children’s indignation, Wodaje and Woreja remained separated into their old age. Thus, the story of Wodaje and Woreja and the story of Demas and Debas are not unique and different among Eritrean families in Diaspora. It is sad to observe that the same dreadful and disgusting situation is still harboring in many Eritrean households in Diasporas.      

Respect is important because it shows that one values another as an individual, and honors the personal rights and dignity of the person as a fellow human being.Respect usually goes a long way in developing a harmonious home and peaceful social environment. Communication has to be clear and appropriate among individuals who respect each other in order to keep the integrity and security of their mutual relationships. Respect is usually given for those who deserve it, but we need to show respect to people even to those who do not deserve it, not as a reflection of their character, but as a reflection of our own character. We came from a diverse nation made up of many different cultures, languages, ethnicity, and religious backgrounds. That kind of diversity can make all our lives interesting and challenging only if we treat each other with respect irrespective of our social and political differences. Social relationship like personal friendship and church affairs have nothing to do with politics at an individual level as it happened between Demas and Debas and between Wodaje and Woreja. If we respect one another and stick together as friends and relatives, we should be able to establish viable communities, vibrant religious institutions, and lively families. Of course, we need to remember that respect is the foundation of our common understanding and finding our common solutions for our common challenges. The basic lesson of our childhood years that we learned from our elders who have walked gracefully the path before us guided by their faith and fear of God, is to march together respecting the human dignity and integrity. Their wisdom reminds us that it is a blessing being a human being before being a person. So also, some day sooner than we could ever imagine we are going to be old too. Our children depend on us to teach them those moral principles and ethical values we acquired and learned from our elder. We are all different, but at the end of the day, we are all Eritrean brothers and sisters, who must treat each other with respect. If we do not respect each other, nobody else will respect us. Thus, if we give respect, we get respect. Subsequently, we receive the grace of our Almighty God for our humble deeds.

By Lucas Tomlinson