selamat Million and dehai,
> The part of the news clip that I didn't understand is, what is the
>difference between the "399 representative who have no political party
>affiliation" and 75 "non members" of the party. I asked Senai if he could
>enlighten me on this but he responded that he is as confused as me. Can
>any one in dehai enlighten me on this matter. Thanks for your time.
>------------
>Million
To my understanding the 399 representatives are those recently elected to
the six regional baytos (assemblies). The 75 "non members" of the party are
the regional administrators, from which the National Assembly was party
formed. That is, the EPLF central committee plus the ministers plus those
appointed regional administrators formed the National Assembly or the
legislative body. To call these members "non members" of the party is
inaccurate. There may be some who aren't (although I doubt it) but most of
them are members of the ruling PFDJ (how could they not be?). The 399
representatives are elected by the people from all regions. Do they have no
party affiliations? Again I seriously doubt it. I think most of them (I
bet 95% or more) had been supporters of the EPLF or members of its "hzbwi
srEit" and its "wehayotat" during the struggle. But that would not matter
if these folks are elected (here again is that dreaded word) DEMOCRATICALLY
(even IF IT IS IN THE ERITREAN CONTEXT). So to say these folks "have no
party affiliation" is more than misleading.
I hope that helps.
Paulos.
P.S. For those lawful (law-abiding) folks, DID YOU KNOW THAT SOME LAWS ARE
MEANT TO BE BROKEN? LIKE THE DERGUE'S, FOR EXAMPLE. IMAGINE what would
have happened IF THE THOUSANDS OF ERITREANS WHO FOUGHT THE DERGUE WERE
AFRAIDS OF BREAKING THE LAW. IMAGINE if ISSAYAS AFEWORKI AND COMRADES WERE
AFRAID OF BREAKING ELF LAWS there would have been, God forbid, no EPLF!
IMAGINE IF MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS AFRAID TO BREAK OPPRESSIVE LAWS OF
SEGREGATION in the south. Should I continue? I think not, because any
sensible, open-minded person with common sense would understand that
sometimes laws must be broken to protest oppressive, in this case
restrictive, laws.
>
> > Local Government Minister Mahmoud Sherifo said the "non-members" would
> > include representatives of Eritreans living
>> > abroad, who will vote for them in the coming three months.
>> >
>> > The regional elections began on January 4 in some parts of the country
>> > and were completed in others by March 1, the minister
>> > said. The six regions are the South, Gash Barka, Anseba, Southern Red
>> > Sea, Northern Red Sea and the Centre (Asmara).
>> >
>> > The constituent assembly will exist for between a year and 18 months.
>> > Once the constitution has been adopted, it will be
>> > replaced by a national assembly to be elected for a five-year term.
>> >
>> > A constitutional commission, responsible for drafting the basic law, is
>> > due to complete its report during March.
>> >
>> > Eritrea seceded from Ethiopia after the toppling in May 1991 of Marxist
>> > military ruler Mengistu Haile Mariam and became
>> > independent in 1993.
>> >
>> >
>> >
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>>
>>
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