Dear Compatriots;
I am writing to wish you success in the Yiakel North America Regional Conference on 28th of September 2024 in Chicago. From its original position of inviting every political, and civic
organization to its own domain, actually twice, Yiakel l has objectively realized the assembling of eleven entities of political, civic, and other research and humanitarian institutions into one called the Eritrean Coalition for Democratic Change (ECDC). Afterall, Yiakel had demonstrated a sizeable capacity in fundraising with actual will to share funds with emerging fraternal organizations. Yiakel had also encouraged the development of ground connections aimed to reach out Eritrean fields and villages through its Global operational apparatus. Yes, personal ambitions, controversial unresolved issues of finances, and complex power arrangements had hampered its management sometimes to a halt. Though the demand for financial inquiries by its council members, and accountability issues within the organization is a mandated affair, questions raised beyond healthy investigative demands are also questionable. Yiakel is currently strained by intertwined internal structures that are impeding its progress towards its goal of establishing a National Political Platform like the goals entertained by the political organizations in the past 25 years.
When corporations’ financial and structural problems render the organization immobile, the management resorts to various solutions including restructuring, amalgamations with other
organizations, and downsizing including selling partial assets to disentangle itself from the hardship. Yiakel has now the opportunity to restructure itself without losing its achievement
of its hard-earned political aspirations and financial positions. Our people suffering from the internal and transnational repression by the brutal regime of Eritrea is now demanding
institutional coordination of all sectors of our struggle. All Media outlets, Political Organizations, Civic movements, and the emerging Brigade Nihamedu organization with goals of bringing democratic change in Eritrea should UNITE, Period! We now have an assembly of three fronts of struggle. 1. The Internal ground connections reaching out to the people at home, 2. The Broader umbrella of political forces, and 3. The Civic organizations non-registered entities or registered as non-profit organizations in their respective diaspora communities. Yiakel contributes to three fields of operations often encumbering itself with conflicting objectives, regional and global malalignments, and even interferences by personalities of various levels of ambitions. A peaceful and voluntary separation of the three sectors could save its name, stature, and achievements by: –
• Letting some organizations with declared political programs join the Eritrean Political Forces that recently conducted a National Conference in Wiesbaden Germany- Aug 5-9, 2024, soon to forge a broader Eritrean National Council.
• Transforming itself into an American, European, or other continent registered humanitarian organization with its successful vision and mission intact.
• Allowing its ground connections wing to join forces with the organizations in EPF, and the evolving Brigade Nihamedu operate independently with their members accountable to an agreed upon Charter of a broader National Political Platform.
The regional and national crisis in Eritrea, East Africa and the Middle East requires real owners and actors that are concerned with the enormous political oppression, economic depression, social alienation and environmental catastrophic now happening in the area. Our human, marine lives and water of the Red Sea are in danger due to the regional war mongering dictatorial regimes, Israeli Palestinian borne conflict, and Houthi Yemenis response to the devastating war of Gaza. The escalation of the war in Ethiopia, the Sudan, and Somalia and interventions by foreign Arab and European nations is concerning. Therefore, radical structural and functional change in the Eritrean opposition parties is mandatory, and necessary more than any other times. Zoom meetings, WhatsApp communications, and conferences must now show results effective enough to reach the ears and minds of our people to join our endeavors. Hence, I conclude my thoughts with best wishes to Yiakel North America Regional Conference, salute all members, speakers, panelists, and invited guests assembling for a timely and important session.
