A "Split From RC": ELF-RC's German Office Revolts
By Stringers 8 and 14 - Jun 16, 2003
On 11 June, the last day of the 10-day meeting convened by ELF-RC for its third session at the Addis Plaza Hotel in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, the chair of the party's organizational affairs, Dr. Sahle, was not there. He had walked out in protest and flew back to Germany, where he resides, and the ELF-RC named Dr. Beyene, its information officer, to the post.
A three member committee composed of Mr. Gerezghier Tewelde, Mr. Khalifa Osman and Mr. Amanuel Mengistu, which was dispatched to Germany to explain the resolutions of the ELF-RC, was refused entry to the meeting of the ELF-RC members in Germany on Friday, 13 June. The agenda of the meeting already in progress was the ELF-RC's walkout from the ENA in October 2002 and ELF-RC just-concluded meeting in Addis Abeba. Attendants described their meeting as a "split from RC."
The attendants voted on the expulsion of some members and resolved to "freeze its membership with the ELF-RC until an organizational congress is convened.� An attendant informed our source that the ELF-RC membership of the Germany Zone �has for all intents and purposes become a civil society operating under German laws�. He added, �the meeting has literally condemned all the members of the RC for making the meeting a compromise of power instead of attending to principal and strategic issues concerning Eritrea.�
The German meeting further resolved that it will put all its efforts in the preparation for the Kassel Festival, an annual event organized by individuals and organizations opposed to the government in Eritrea and attended by thousands of Eritreans in exile who view it as a pilgrimmage.
The RC was able to attend a meeting with the membership of its organization in Sweden. The preliminary reports indicate that the rank and file holds similar views to those expressed by the German office of the ELF-RC.
The ELF-RC leadership had emerged from its meeting in what was apparently a "solid agreement" but the rank and file seem to be �disgusted by the incompetence and inconsideration of the leadership,� as a member commented. http://www.awate.com/portal/content/view/1431/3/