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Mr. Menghesteab Asmerom, Chairman of the Eritrean People's Democratic Party (EPDP), found it appropriate to inform the public about a misleading post in Meskerem.net on 12 January 2018 under the title of "EPDP statement", presented  in a manner that left the general reader further confused about who-is-who in the Eritrean opposition camp.

EPDP Chairman's statement, dated 15 January 2018, therefore, wished the general public to be informed of a few simple facts about the Meskerem.net posting and its owners who possessed "no grain of legitimacy to act and speak in the name of EPDP".

Mr. Menghesteab Asmerom also called upon Eritrean compatriots "to stand in defense of democratic processes and decisions and at all times condemn this kind of behavior that  breaches known moral and legal standards."

Printed below is the full text of the EPDP Chairman's clarification statement.

                                                                                                ***********

On 12 January 2018, we read in Meskerem.net a writing headed "a statement by the Eritrean People's Democratic Party (EPDP)".

EPDP [as everybody knows] is the one political organization that adopts its visions, objectives, programmes and constitutions and elects and removes its leaderships at  its regular congresses. At its second congress of July 2015, the EPDP has adopted its current political and organizational programmes and democratically elected 33  Central Council  members and four reserve members. However, out of these elected 37 leadership members, only 5 (five) persons have left the EPDP by resigning from their elected posts and some by joining the splinter group that has issued the so-called "statement" of 12 January.

Therefore, EPDP is intact and in good shape with its full leadership (well over two-thirds), and all its institutions functioning normally: its treasury's departments under control; information institutions including its website, regional radio stations and publications thriving as ever before; organizational office with its zonal and branch formations carrying out duties well and its international/diplomatic relations people performing also normally.

The self-appointed elements who issued the said statement possess no grain of legitimacy to act and speak in the name of the EPDP, but, unfortunately, their futile action can only leave our diaspora people further confused. Needless to say, the EPDP has nothing to do with the theatrics of this group and shall not be responsible for its acts. 

The EPDP also wishes to make known to the public that the listed names [of 7] in Meskerem.net, in concert with a tiny group of supporters mainly from the North America zone, have repeatedly attempted in the past to create distraction in the party but failed. The final resolve of this people [7], most of whom were not even elected in the last party congress, is to split from the party. At this moment, nothing can be said about their so-called  "21 central council members" because nothing has been disclosed about them.

[It is obvious that] the EPDP cannot deny to any individual or a groupie to leave the party of its own volition and form its own party with its own name. However, the EPDP strongly opposes any illegitimate group to use and act in its name.

It is also appropriate to call upon our compatriots to stand in defense of democratic processes and decisions and at all times condemn this kind of behavior that  breaches known moral and legal standards.

Fragmentation is not the path to success!!

Menghesteab Asmerom, Chairman, EPDP

15 January, 2018