We, the undersigned Eritrean citizens, express our grief over the Ethiopian civil war that started on Nov. 4th and condemn in the strongest possible terms the wanton killings, displacement, famine and distress that the Ethiopian Federal Government and its partners have since inflicted upon the civilian population of Tigray.
The Eritrean military is actively involved in the war on orders of President Isaias Afwerki and his close circle. We have a duty as citizens and as human beings to take a firm stand against the role of the Eritrean military in subjecting the people of Tigray and Eritrean refugees in Tigray to conditions that led to killings, pillaging, sexual violence, destruction of heritage sites and displacement. Because Eritreans inside the country are unable to openly voice their concerns, we, on our own behalf and on behalf of our people who are muffled and silenced:
• Strongly condemn President Isaias Afwerki and his close circle for coercing
young Eritreans into causing death and destruction for the sole purpose of exacting
personal vengeance.
• Note that President Isaias and his associates aim to sow generational feud and hatred between Eritreans and their Tigrayan neighbors. We can only overcome such seeds of hatred with love, compassion and remorse, and hence we express our respect for and solidarity with the people of Tigray.
• Unequivocally reject and condemn the inflammatory, malicious, and divisive rhetoric surrounding the atrocities that specific Eritrean groups are purportedly committing. Soldiers of the Eritrean Defense Forces (irrespective of their ethnic roots) who have been designated to waste in this debacle are themselves victims of the repressive regime, and their commanders and the regime in Asmara bear primary responsibility for the violations that they endure and that they inflict.
• Strongly condemn the hypocrisy of enforcing the strictest lockdown since April 2020 while sending citizens to battle. While most governments are working hard to combat the spread of COVID-19, President Isaias Afwerki has created a conducive environment for large-scale deaths by exposing Eritrean soldiers to mass-spread of the virus and battlefield deaths.
• Call for the immediate and unconditional withdrawals of the Eritrean military from Tigray and Ethiopian forces from Eritrean territories. We urge the world community and international and regional organizations to pressure the Ethiopian federal government and President Isaias and his associates to end the war.
• Call upon the international community to pressure the Ethiopian federal government to grant humanitarian access to Tigrayans and Eritrean refugees in the region, who are in dire need due to war-caused hunger and shortage of other basic necessities.
• Call upon the United Nations, U.N. Security Council, the African Union, the European Union, President Joe Biden’s administration and other partner countries to appoint an impartial body to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice. The atrocities that are being committed in Tigray amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity and violate many international treaties and conventions that Eritrea and Ethiopia have signed.
Signatories
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1. Jemal Ali Khelil, Canada
2. Jemila Seid Hamid, Canada
3. Kassahun Checole, USA
4. Kebreaab Teklegiorgis, USA
5. Kesete Haregot, USA
6. Khedijah Ali Mohammed-Nur, UK
7. Kheiria Sheriff Adem, Canada
8. Meron Estefanos, Sweden
9. Mesfin Ahferom, UK
10. Michael Teckle, Canada
11. Mohamed Kheir Omer, Norway
12. Mussie Tesfagiorgis, Canada
13. Nazareth Amlesom Kifle, Norway
14. Netsenat Berhane, USA
15. Omar Huruy, USA
16. Paulos Tefagiorgis, USA/Canada
17. Rahel Weldu, USA
18. Saba Tesfayohannes Kidane, USA
19. Sabine Mohamed, Germany
20. Saleh “Gadi” Johar, USA
21. Saleh Younis, USA
22. Sarah Ogbay, UK
23. Selam Kidane, UK
24. Simon Y Aman, USA
25. Teclesenbet Teclai, Germany
26. Tedros Amanuel, Sweden
27. Tekle Melekin, Sweden
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28. Tesfai “Degiga” Weldemichael, USA
29. Tewolde Mehari, Canada
30. Timnet Gedar, USA
31. Tomas Solomon, USA
32. Tsigabu Asmelash, USA
33. Tsigheyohannes Kidane, Netherlands
34. Uoldelul Chelati Dirar, Italy
35. Woldu T. Debessai, Canada
36. Yassin Abrahim, USA
37. Yohannes Haile, Canada
38. Yohannes Tseggay Berhe, UK
39. Yonatan T. Tewelde, USA
40. Yordanos Habtemariam, USA
41. Abdalla Adem Omer, UK
42. Abeba Baatai, USA
43. Abraham T. Zere, USA
44. Ahmed Saleh Al Qaisi, Yemen
45. Ahmed Youssouf Mohamed, Canada
46. Aklil Hailu, USA
47. Almaz Zerai, Switzerland/Germany
48. Amal Saleh, UK
49. Amanuel Mehreteab, USA
50. Araya Debessay, USA
51. Arhe Hamednaca, Sweden
52. Asghedet Mehreteab, USA
53. Ashebir Jacob, USA
54. Assefaw Tekeste, USA
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55. Awet T. Weldemichael, USA/Canada
56. Ayah Said, USA
57. Bereket Habte Selassie, USA
58. Berhan Ahmed, Australia
59. Binega Adhanom Markos, Canada
60. Chefena Hailemariam, UK
61. Daniel Mehari, UK
62. Dawit Gebremeskel, USA
63. Dawit Mogos, Canada
64. Efrem Yohannes, USA
65. Elias Habte-Selassie, Kenya
66. Elsa Tekle, USA
67. Eseyas S Tsehaye, USA
68.Feruz Kaissey, UK
69. Freweini Ghebresadick, Germany
70. Gebremedhin Yohannes, USA
71. Ghirmai Negash, USA
72. Habret Berhe, USA
73. Habteab B. Feseha, USA
74. Habteab Yemane, Switzerland
75. Habtom Habte, USA
76. Haddish Tesfayohannes Hagos, USA
77. Haikel Negash, USA
78. Haile Debas, USA
79. Hailemichael Yosief, USA
80. Hana Abdurahman, USA
81. Helen Kidan, UK
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28/01/2021