EPDP EC Statement on the Situation in Tigray
In an extraordinary meeting held on 3 July 2021, the Executive Committee of the Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) seriously evaluated the outcomes of the eight-month long intensive war in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray, and at the outset, the meeting wished to express its good wishes to the fraternal Tigray people and their defense forces for the remarkable achievements through steadfastness and exceptional valor.
The meeting found it noting the November 21 2020 statement of the EPDP Central Council, based on relevant resolutions of the last Party congress and related policy guidelines, that strongly condemned the blatant interference of the Eritrean dictatorship in the internal affairs of a neighboring country with the sinister aim of fueling hostile conflicts. The earlier CC statement also referred to the call upon the Eritrean people to watchfully defend their hard-won sovereignty which was under threat of those secret pacts ostensibly reached under the cover of darkness with the Ethiopian Prime Minister, forgetful of the past bitter experiences of the Eritrean people.
At its 3rd of July evaluation, the EC once more saw the Party’s concerns repeating themselves in the war in Tigray that, in spite of the military gains, have caused untold suffering to innocent civilians. And still, the suffering is not ending. The EPDP leadership thus reiterated its deep concerns about the regional ramifications of the conflict whose imminent dangers cannot spare Eritrea. Most importantly, it is timely to recall the following conclusions and concerns of the CC November statement:
Thus, continuing the discussion on an urgent theme of “what can be done to avert a looming additional havoc?” the 3 July meeting of the EPDP Executive Committee reached the following conclusions:
Finally, it is time to revisit continuous crimes Isaias and his clique have been committing in Eritrea and now extended the same criminal acts to the people of Tigray with the aim of instilling mutual hatred and enmity between the fraternal peoples of Eritrea and Tigray. However, the PFDJ regime does not represent the Eritrean people and our people have no involvement in the crimes this repressive regime perpetrated against our neighbors. Therefore, it is now the most opportune moment for the two fraternal people not to have grudges against each other but unify their ranks in cooperating against their common enemy in Eritrea.
Most importantly, the EPDP believes it is time for the Eritrean change and justice seekers to take a new path and launch a new phase of struggle to save their own people and sovereign state. Similarly, friends of Eritrea are urged to put more pressure on the repressive regime in Eritrea and extend the necessary support to the Eritrean pro-democracy actors to realize their long deferred dream for a democratic state in post-dictatorship Eritrea.
We struggle for Democratic Governance and Progress!
The EPDP Executive Committee
3 July, 2021