EDITORIAL

A BOLD STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Since Eritrea's independence in 1991, the struggle of the Eritrean people for democracy has been a continuous process for over a decade now. During all those years, the Eritrean people and the opposition forces have gained ample experience in the direct confrontation with the PFDJ dictatorship.
Lack of unity of the opposition has been a bottleneck for the on-going struggle to make real progress. The Eritrean people have always underscored the need for an urgent unity believing that it is an essential factor for victory over the regime in power. To that effect, all patriotic Eritreans in side the county and in the Diaspora have been struggling for a meaningful unity of the opposition.
However, the PFDJ diehards and their handful cohorts in the Diaspora have been exploiting the temporary weakness of the opposition forces in an effort to cripple and if possible to abort the just struggle of the Eritrean people for sustainable peace, democracy and social progress. Considering the Eritrean political arena, as it is today, the mushrooming of different opposition organizations and civic societies has become a great concern to the Eritrean people and their friends who eagerly expect unity of the opposition.
A series of discussions and bilateral talks between the Eritrean Revolutionary Democratic Front (ERDF) and some political organizations have been on progress for some time now. As a result, a fresh political development has started to unfold during the 19th Kassel Festival in August 2004.
The concerted effort for a real unity of the opposition to the highest level has taken a turning point with the signing of a comprehensive agreement among 5 sister organizations in Kassel, Germany. The organizations have already released a joint communiqué on 31 August 2004. According to the released communiqué, the 5 organizations, which signed the agreement, were:
? The Eritrean Liberation Front- National Council (ELF-NC)
? The Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama (DMLEK)
? The Eritrean People's Movement (EPM)
? The Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RADO)
? The Eritrean Revolutionary Democratic Front (ERDF)
Media reports have indicated that the participants of the kassel Festival had expressed deep joy and hope over the historic agreement of the 5 organizations. Many participants said in Tigrigna, " Asey-Za- Hassab-Libey-Semiratley." God bless! people have started to see light at the end of the tunnel.
However, to the dismay of the Eritrean people, the noble and bold step for unity was given a distorted interpretation by some individuals.
We are of the opinion that the real objective and intention of the new agreement signed by the 5 organizations will be tested by concrete action in the years ahead. It would be too early to say more now. Only tangible results would prove the sincerity of the agreement. So, let us wait and see. We believe that those who see the agreement with skepticism would express their full support if they could see concrete actions in the future.
The new ERDF proposal, which was released in December 2002, has earned much support and is being regarded as an alternative framework aimed at saving Eritrea and its people from disaster. To be more precise, the new proposal responds to the ever-growing challenges on the ground in today's Eritrea. It is safe to say that the recent agreement signed by the 5 organizations was a direct outcome of the continuous struggle of the Eritrean people for peace and national unity.
It is our firm belief and hope that all organizations /parties/ with similar vision would join the newly formed coalition in a bid to speed up the removal of the PFDJ dictatorship. Experience has shown that isolated efforts of the opposition could not make a stride forward. It is high time that all efforts of the opposition be united and guided by a common plan of action for the common national goal.
We in the ERDF call upon all patriotic Eritreans inside and outside the country to rally behind the newly formed coalition in a bid to satisfy the long-standing expectation of the Eritrean people. Disarray and squabbles among the opposition would only prolong the life span of dictatorship and the misery of the Eritrean people. Let us follow the bold step in the right direction that leads to national salvation.

ERDF-Office , who is solely responsible for the contents of this page, contributes the above commentary. For any comments and civilized exchange of ideas contact ERDF-Office