Over the weekend, more than twelve hundred Eritreans came together in northern England to discuss and plan a way to escape the grip that President Isaias has held on the country since its independence more than 30 years ago.
This was a conference organised by the Eritrean Bright Future and Brigade N’Hamedu, with other movements lending their support. It was a cheerful, engaged and lively event, which I was privileged to attend.
The conference brought together diverse participants, and featured seminars and Q&A sessions, among other activities. It proceeded without any incidents, underscoring the careful planning.
Afterwards I had an opportunity to sit down with Beyene Gerezhiher, who speaks for the Eritrean Bright Future movement. Over coffee he explained where the movement is going.
“We created Bright Future in June 2016 – to challenge the ideology of the regime. Our first aim was to mobilise the youth, by freeing them from the ideas they have been indoctrinated with,” he told me.
“First, it’s important to understand that there is no legal or legitimate government in Eritrea. This realization takes time to grasp. Beyene spends five to six days a week on social media, primarily reaching out to Eritrean young adults who often feel isolated and despairing. Engaging with them gives them a purpose to advocate for the people they left behind and helps alleviate the loneliness experienced in exile.”
“Now we have reached a critical mass,” he explains. “We have our slogans, our flag and our colours.”
The regime itself had forced the tactics of the movement, by turning festivals into para-military events, designed to extract funds and political support from the diaspora. “The festival in Stockholm which led to clashes wasn’t just a normal event,” says Beyene. It was followed by others in the Netherlands and Germany.
“Our young people endure intense oppression through Sawa military training, then confront the dangers of crossing the Sahara and navigating Libya and the Mediterranean. They are left angry, traumatized, and deeply frustrated.”
In the past few months Beyene has been on tours of Canada and the USA. In Canada, he spoke with Global Affairs Canada, and in Washington, he held a meeting with the State Department, explaining the situation in Eritrea and seeking international solidarity.
New tactics
“We face transnational repression,” Beyene says, “and we need to confront it. To this end we have adopted three tactics.”
“The first tactic is to utilize media platforms—Twitter, YouTube, email, newspapers, and other social media—to disseminate information to our supporters. We highlight the regime’s brutal treatment, such as the tragic murder of pro-democracy activists in Israel, to bring attention to our cause worldwide.”
Secondly, to empower local communities to tackle issues in their own areas. They can deal with the authorities and the police, so that these organisations understand the issues we confront and the hate speech and violence that we face.
Thirdly, reaching out to external supporters and advisers who can provide backing in the fight against repression. This involves diplomatic efforts to engage with friends of Eritrea, human rights institutions, and governments that support democracy.
“If we plan properly, we don’t need to mobilize thousands to confront regime supporters on the streets. We can outsmart them, as we did with this conference,” Beyene says with a confident smile, highlighting his diplomatic outreach.
Finally, there is the Eritrean community across Africa. Beyene supports the meetings held by the Brigade Nhamedu in Ethiopia, where thousands have joined the movement. “Others are scattered in Sudan and Uganda, all requiring consideration and assistance.”
In the end, there can be no resolution to the crisis in Eritrea without addressing it at home, on the ground. “We are actively working on this,” he says, without further elaboration.
Bright Future and Brigade N’Hamedu have made significant strides in a short time. “The steepest mountains still lie ahead, but we face them with optimism, knowing our people are finally ready for change.”
Martin Plaut 