A National Tragedy: Another Wake Up Call

Eritrean Global Solidarity expresses its deepest sympathy and extends its sincerest condolence to the immediate families of the over 335 Eritrean that perished in the Mediterranean Sea. This is a dark day for all Eritreans. We all are under the shadow of this suffocating darkness.

This extraordinary tragedy demands that every citizen share, equally, the grief and suffering imposed by the disaster on the immediate families of the victims. We must all own this national tragedy. We must all feel the pain and shade tears.

In the absence of a responsible and sensitive government in Eritrea, the duty of asking the hard questions and drawing the necessary conclusions about this colossal tragedy falls on every Eritrean at home and abroad.

We must demand a thorough investigation by EU, UNHCR and AU as to the true cause of the tragedy. We must also aggressively peruse strategies that will convince EU to drastically adjust its refugee resettlement policy by opening its door for more Eritreans refuges and asylum seekers.

We also have the duty of exposing the root cause of the tragedy to the world: The one party dictatorial system in Eritrea is source of the crisis that is forcing thousands of youth to flee their country and end up in tragedies of this magnitude. Solving this problem cannot be seen in isolation from the struggle to establish a democratically elected accountable government in Eritrea.

The Eritrean Government, as the root cause of the refugee crisis, must shoulder the responsibility for this national calamity. Its behavior, as usual has been predictable. It has not officially acknowledged the tragedy leave alone extend condolences to the families of the victims.  In life as well as in death it has abandoned its citizens. It must be rebuked by all citizens for its inhuman and unpardonable behavior.

If we are to avoid more of this kinds of horrific tragedies we have the duty of coming together and solving the root cause of this and other tragedies:  bring  an end  to the modern slavery known as National Service and usher in the period of democratic governance in Eritrea.

Through all this we will keep each and every family that has lost their sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters in our prayers and daily thoughts.

May each and every one of them find the strength to continue and remember what was good and outstanding about their wonderful family members that have fallen victim to barbarity of a brutal tyrant, an indifferent international community and Eritreans who refuse to divorce themselves from the regime.

Eritrean Global Solidarity