The decision of analyst Dan Connell to go public with his rejection of heavy-handed repression in Eritrea is only the latest sign of the painful reevaluation being undertaken by that country's friends. The loyalty of the solidarity movement that backed the Eritrean 'revolution' under the leadership of Isaias Afwerki has been strained to breaking point in the past two years.

On September 18, 2001, eleven leaders of the ruling party were arrested after they sent a letter to President Afwerki calling for democratic reforms, including the implementation of the 1997 constitution. A clampdown on the press came next with the banning of independent publications and arrest of journalists. Students and others attempting to leave the country have been detained without charge, Jehovah's Witnesses and other religious groups are persecuted. In this one-party state, two rounds of elections have been cancelled partly due to the bitter war fought against Ethiopia in which many thousands died. The last vote occurred a decade ago.

Says Connell: "As unique as Eritrea's accomplishments are, the country's current trajectory follows a familiar path, one often termed the 'crisis of the postcolonial African state': the concentration of power within the executive branch of government, the marginalization of nominally independent parliaments and judiciaries, the imprisonment or exile of vocal critics, the sharp restriction of independent media and autonomous civil society institutions, the outlawing of rival political parties, and, through this, the consolidation of power under a single leader who justifies his extended stay in office by the fragility of the nation over which he presides."

Why has Isaias Afwerki taken this course? What happened to turn old friends into enemies and why did it necessitate such a crackdown? Does this government still have the trust of the mass of the people and if not, could that trust be regained? How should the international community and the diaspora respond? Join the debate.