During the PFDJ’s 20 years in power, thousands of innocent and helpless sons and daughters of the Red Sea Afar have been subjected to heinous atrocities of ethnic cleansing through indiscriminate killings, everlasting disappearances, unwarranted detentions and mass expulsion into refugee camps in neighboring countries. The Red Sea Afar have patiently waited for a change of heart in Eritrea’s ruling elite, while witnessing their livelihoods and ways of life being deliberately re-engineered by the PFDJ to fit the regime’s narrow ethno-centric agenda
July 30th , 2009 - Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) and RSF (Eritrean Salvation Front) have joined forces to strike At the Eritrean Regime in Asmara.
The afar rebels along with RSF counterparts who jointly fighting against the most repressive regime in the horn of Africa (Eritrea), A tiny country which was born some 18 years ago, a country that would have thought to be a beacon of hope, stability and development for entire region has instead became the worst violator of human right after 30 long years of struggle for its independence. Recently Both African Union (AU) and IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) have called on UN Security Council to enlist Eritrea ,as state sponsoring terrorism for it’s involvement in Somalia and Condemned it for it’s aggression against a tiny neighbour Djibouti, a criticism echoed by The US government. Human rights groups like Amnesty Int’l and HRW has called continuously for respect of human rights and Rule of Law. HRW in its last report called Eritrea “a giant prison”.
The afar population of four hundred thousand in coastal red sea region of Dankaliya (as it was know to colonial Italy) are one of history’s most ancient indigenous groups in Africa, who are known for their bravery, ferocious fighting and defenders of their sovereignty have yet again become victims of another aggressions by Africa’s newest nation, they have defended their land and property against powerful Ottoman Empire, Mussolini and others.
RSADO who is one of thirteen opposition groups (EDA) to Asmara regime is leading the military campaign for its afar citizens self determination. In the past six months the afar rebel group have carried out more than five attacks, causing significant blow to Afwerki’s regime, last November it has destroyed a military radar system and attacked military camp killing 285 soldiers deep inside Eritrea’s territories.
This latest attack happened in the heart of regimes hard core supporters led by Mg, General Flipos , In a place called Sanafi at the heart of Akale Guzay, with co-ordinated and simultaneous commando type operation which killed 13 Eritrean soldiers who have thought to be responsible for killing and capturing helpless refugee escapees from that brutal system . They have also collected 9 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 1 RPG weapon, 1 Heavy Machine Gun and 3 mobile phones. The combined forces have also captured five elite soldiers and brought them back in to Ethiopia, The POW’s will be treated fairly according to Geneva convention, could be transferred to UN authorities through Ethiopian Government ,Said Mr. Ibrahim Harun the leader of the afar movement .
He also acknowledged ethnic groups like Afar and Kunama minorities who have been getting the brunt of this aggression by Eritrean regime, have now combined their military operation to confront the abuses in Eritrea as well. Mr. Abdallah Omar who was one the commando leaders said “we have now built our confidence and expertise to strike this regime any where ,any time in side his back yard, we will not stop until the human rights of minorities like afar, kunama’s and other oppressed groups are respected in this country”
This regime has now produced the worst refugee crisis only next to Somalia in just a few years. Afar with 90% illiteracy rate, worst infant mortality and life expectancy in the country, They have now produced most refugees to come out of Eritrea, with hundred thousand fleeing death, malnutrition and kidnapping .40,000 thousand alone is believed to be in Ethiopia, others in neighbouring countries like Djibouti, Yemen, Sudan and Saudi Arabia. This is historic first to once proud and free spirited nomadic population.
We believe this situation concerning Eritrea’s violation human right could escalate in to a civil war with out the intervention of international communities, furthermore dragging already volatile region of the Horn in to chaos.
For More Detailed Information
Mr. Ahmed Mohamed (from Afar Group) can be reached @
