We, the undersigned, on behalf of local Eritrean groups and ENCDC supporters in North America, would like to voice our concerns regarding the dire condition that we find the ENCDC today. This condition is instigated by the destructive and divisive actions of some ENCDC leadership and their parties. The political recklessness and cowardly actions of these individuals and groups is undermining the Eritrean people’s hope for democratic change in Eritrea that is only possible today under the united front through ENCDC.  We call for all of the peace and justice loving Eritreans and friends of Eritrea to join hands and demand that all of these bad actors to restrain from their reckless actions and stay out of the way of the ENCDC Preparatory Committee’s efforts to convene the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress.

It should be remembered that ENCDC at its emergency meeting in December 2014, declared its sole mandate to convene the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress within a period not to exceed eight months.  At the emergency meeting, ENCDC also reconstituted the Executive Committee (EC) consisting of six members and the Legislative Leadership (LC) consisting of three members.  It also created a new body, Preparatory Committee (PC), consisting of six members.  Included in this mandate, is the responsibility of the PC to take all necessary actions, including establishment of support groups, and preparation of ENCDC governance documents, to make the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress a reality.  The mandate also gives the EC the oversight responsibility over PC.

 

Given the above background and the dire condition we find ENCDC today, we the Concerned Eritreans in North America make the following declarations:

 

• We agree that the language and spirit of the ENCDC Emergency Meeting’s mandate of December 19, 2014, is for the PC to do its work unencumbered by anyone, be ENCDC leadership or opposition political parties, to convene the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress.

 

• We condemn the undemocratic and illegal actions of the EC Chairman that has been undertaken, by his June 8, 2015 open letter and his statements in Smerrr 1 Paltak on July 25, 2015, to undermine the PC’s responsibilities and efforts in preparing for the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress.

 

• We condemn the divisive actions of the five political parties that, on August 8, 2015, published a document that its goal is to undermine the ENCDC Emergency Meeting mandate and distract the efforts of the PC to prepare for the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress.

 

• We voice our disappointment with the LC for abrogating its responsibility of been an arbiter between the EC and PC disputes and failing to provide the ENCDC leadership that is expected and required of it.

 

• We call for the PC to redouble its effort so that it can achieve its mandate of convening the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress without further delays, recognizing that the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress has been delayed already for over two years due to same the nonsensical squabbles and political recklessness of some ENCDC members.

 

• We call for the good people of Ethiopia and the Sen’a Form to continue their generosity and brotherly support to ENCDC and provide critically needed political, financial and logistics assistance so that the PC makes the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress a reality.

 

• We call to all of the peace and justice loving Eritreans and Eritrean opposition political parties to give their full support to the efforts of the PC and the fulfillment of the ENCDC Emergency Meeting mandate of convening the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress.

 

We believe that the single mission remaining for the current ENCDC is to convene the 2^nd Eritrean National Congress.  If any ENCDC leadership or opposition party feels otherwise, the best course of action for them is not try to distract the efforts of the PC, but to get out of the way of the PC so that PC could no its job.

 

We don’t have the luxury of time to stop for a moment in our struggle for democracy.  We need to march forward vigorously and no moment should be wasted on internal squabbles and self-serving political maneuvers. For far too long our people have suffered at the hands of the dictator Isias Afowerki and we should not have to wait unnecessarily for a single moment more.

 

Victory to Democratic Change in Eritrea!

 

Concerned Eritreans Group North America