Argaw Ashine
29 February 2008
Addis Ababa — Eleven Eritrean opposition activists in exile have launched a television broadcast against Eritrea's President Isayas Afewerki.
The group's spokesman, Mr Mengisteab Asmerom, told the Nation in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, that the new programme, broadcast in Arabic and Tigrigna, is part of a wider struggle against the the Afewerki regime.
The programme is broadcast to Eritrea, East Africa and the Middle East.
"The aim of the programme is to expose the increasingly dictatorial Eritrean regime to Eritrean both at home and in exile," Mr Mengisteab said.
"We had no choice but to broadcast via satellite since we want to reach the greatest audience possible in the country through different technologies," he said. "We are broadcasting the programme from a neighbouring country I don't want to disclose which one," Mr Mengisteab said.
Mr Mengisteab said his group plans to hold an all inclusive conference in March to form an opposition government in exile and also intensify the fight against the Afewerki regime.
He refused to comment on Ethiopia's support for the Eritrean opposition, but acknowledged that his group and the Ethiopian government have "mutual interests".
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Are U partnering with Ethiopia against 'Esayas regime'? The EPLF looked like changed course and no Eritrean expected President Esayas would be 'dictator'. If the regime runs for office democratically, I will vote for EPLF and president Esayas, because these people are true Eritreans and sacrificed their education and life for the struggle. But the incidents that were happening for the last years since the war broke in Yemen, then with Meles, are not promising. I ame glad I didn't visit 'nakfa and sahl' during the struggle. I personally hate Mengistu, but I don't know if president Esayas is becoming one like that dictator. We will see. I also wish if he could releas those courageous people who fought for the liberation of Eritrea. I never hear from any Eritrean about the unfair imprisonment of these people. that is why I am happy today for not participating in the 30 year struggle ( may be I was a kid then, but if we have to do it again, many people will definitely shy away). It is time for the US/UN to remove the government in ERTREA and ETHIOPIA and replace them with democratically elected leaders. They have been in power for too long and only led to the misery of people.
the eritrean oppostion are going in the right direction. The eritrean people and the people of the horn of africa are sick and tired of isayas afewerki. As Eritrean , I really want to see change in Eritrea. But how? i can't trust Meles or the any other ethiopian leader. At least, we are not ready to see meles as " good" friend although we hate isayas.The eritrean opposition group should be very careful on this. The eritrean people wont approve help from weyanes to kick PIA's regime.
For Eritreans, the time they are in now is a good opportunity if they realy want peace and development. But don't boast as if you can get rid of Afeworki only by yourself. Afterall, who are you to hate woyane/Meles? Don't forget it is Meles/woyane, not the the Shabian fighters who broke away Eritrea from Ethiopia! If you think the other way, you are fooling yourself.
Therefore, the overthrow of Isayas would result in mutual benefit to both the tiny Eritrea and notorious Ethiopia.
Histroricaly, the ethiopias always wanted to occupy eritrea or to have access to the sea.We tougth meles will be different but he has same amition like any former ethio-leaders.Hey, it is meles who rob and deproted hundereds of eritreans 1997-98. Yes, we hate Isayas afewerki. But The eritrean problem should be left to the eritreans. We can handle it! you guys have your own problems, go and feed your hungry people or something
All oposion organisations or groups that are not alowed to work from within their country have no choice but to work from a neibouring country(ies. Why can't my felow country mates see that it is logic to cooperate with people /countries who are not in good terms with the regime(dictator)or can't even be near the subject nation to have any influence. My beloved Eritreans should stop repeating (echowing) what the regime preaches to extend its counted days to give up or at least change tactics that seems to be already exhausted. Any change should be by Eriteance for Eritreans but don't forget additional factors that are needed like the logistics or media-outlets can only be from countries like Ethiopia and/or the Sudan. The external factors are there to influence the internal ones. The change is eminent when both factors are complementing one another and that is what we are after. This is the right time for change and lets eliminate anything that destroys our trusting one another as Eritreans and try not to be Eritreans more than felow Eritreans. We can bring our house in order.
At a time big economic entities are the key to peoples' successes, why are Eritreans still trying to stick to an entity of 4 million people ? Don't they see that they are the same as their ethiopian brothers? What is the difference between a Tigray person, an Afar, an Oromo, an Amhara, a Somali, a Tigrigna speaking from Eritrea,...etc? The colonialists made a "nice belt" around Ethiopia to prevent Ethiopia, a big state, from being a source of resistance to colonialists then. Look, the belt is made of Eritrea(then in the hands of Italy), Djibouti(then in hands of France), Somaliland(then in the hands of Britain),Somalia (then in the hands of Italy). No free african country was to succeed and end up causing other Africans to rebel. Colonialism was supposed to be justified! Africans are now supposed to be free and to see clearly. Eritreans should think big, not like villagers who don't know how the world works. Of course Ethiopia and Eritrea have to strengthen democracy in their borders before they unit again.
I believe that the goverment of president issaias afwerki is a good one even though it is a limited democracy. Because of Afwerki, Eritrea is one of the safest country in the world. Eritrea only supplys arms to freedom fighter gropus, not terrorists, to restore order in their country such as in Somalia. I am a true ERITREAN!. Peace and good health to the Eritrean people. DEATH TO MELES ZENAWI AND HIS WOYANE GOVERMENT AND TO THE ANTI-ERITREANS. LONG LIVE EPLF AND THE SHABIAN FIGHTERS!
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Dear Sir,I would like to know the name of the satellite channel and the frequencies.