Selam Seb Dehai
Instead of me giving a perceived history of the civil war between ELF and
EPLF. I asked Omer Jabir to give his personal experience and eye witness
testimony on the civil war between our two libration fronts. Omer Jabir was
one of the senior ELF Cadres for about 20 years or even more. His eye
witness testimony starts with a background history of the civil war:
Although I was not a member of the ELF - leadership by that time (1971), yet
I was in a position that enable me to be close to the decision making body-
on one hand because I was one of the cadres of ELF whose daily duties made
them in a direct contact with the leadership, on the other because of my
personal relationship with members of the executive committee. It was one of
the "darkest" pages of recent Eritrean history (1971 - 1974) and the new
generation should know how and why things were going on. Although the other
faction of the revolution by that time (1971 - 1974) have their share of
responsibility in the civil war either because of their provocative actions
or sabotage against ELF, yet the ELF as the biggest and strongest
organisation by that time should be blamed for initiating that war and its
leadership committed a deadly mistake against its organisation (ELF) and the
revolution in general.
THE CIVIL WAR
The political conflict and even spontaneous military clashes started after
ADOBAHA- conference (1969). Still that have being considered as a internal
discipline-keeping measures against "rebels". By the end of 1970 the
opposition groups established their own organisation (ELF-PLF) under the
leadership of OSMAN SABE " the ex- H.C. member. They were all Moslems, but
of different tribal and regional inclination, mainly SEMHER and MARIA. The
other group (ISAYAS" group) remained aloof but with secret contacts with the
opposition.
Documentary wise, the civil war has being declared on 1971 in the first
national congress passed two resolutions:
1 To liquidate the (ELF-PLF) militarily, because the Eritrean revolution can
not stand the presence of more than one organisation.
2 As for the other group (ISAYAS'S group), since their case is related to
and connected with the issue of "national unity" therefore ELF will run a
democratic dialogue with them.
Those two resolutions were the true reflection of the political, military
and social composition of forces inside ELF. They also resembled an
indicator of balance of power among the different factions of the revolution
by that time. In the absence of democratic political life, the presence of
an arrogant, short-sighted and over confident elite of ELF, it was not
surprising to adopt such resolutions. The cultural background and prejudice
inspired unhealthy environment that made the civil war inevitable. The
question that should have being asked is : Why ELF spared the other group?
No reason, no explanation except that they were (ISAYA'S group) all
Christians and ELF by that time -1971 - was predominantly Moslems. The
small percentage of Christians to equalise the balance. The Moslems on their
turn were in need to change the image of the organisation that has being
accused of being an Islamic movement. Both were trying to tackle and solve
the question of national unity on tactical bases, a policy that latter on
made of solving that issue a preposterous task. As for the first group
(ELF-PLF)- being all Moslems- they were not needed because ELF reacted
indifferently, considering the matter an "internal Moslem affair"!
If religion is a factor that affects national unity (which is true ), how it
comes how it comes that tribal and regional diversities do not have the same
effect? The only explanation is that ELF program by that time failed to
analyse correctly the Eritrean society. The other possibility (which is
worst) is that ELF had being dominated by other rival tribal and regional
forces.
In fact both factors were influencing the enhancing the march to civil war.
>From 19971 - 1974, a wide scale military operations covered all country and
more than 79% of the revolution resources and potential has being dispersed
in that ugly, unnecessary exhausting tragedy. Even the so called democratic
dialogue with (ISAYAS'S group) failed because on one hand it was of tactical
nature, and on the other due to the fact that the concerned group joined the
SABE organisation.!
Hundreds of fighters, cadres and even leaders died in the civil war, and the
enemy (Ethiopia) found a golden chance to rest and reorganise its army. Not
only that, but the Ethiopian government exploited and escalated the internal
contradictions of the revolution. The ELF publicity used to call the
opposition group as " counter revolution", while the opposition was
repeating the allegations that they were "democratic" forces and ELF a
tribalist organisation. Each side was claiming that it was defending the
principles of the revolution and was representing the Eritrean people. In
reality, both sides were destroying the revolution, made it incapacitated in
confronting the enemy and reflected a contemptuous picture to the external
world. As for the Eritrean, they were reluctantly watching and following
that bloody show, praying not to see the end of their dream (the revolution).
The civil war costed the revolution human casualties, material and military
equipment, time and energy. More important were the psychological scars and
cultural barriers that have being deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of
all Eritreans. The sequences of events that followed were the result of the
civil war:
1 The internal conflict of ELF
2 External material and political support was reduced and restricted.
3 The well orchestrated plan that put ELF as target and "dangerous"
organisation.
The political wounds remained open, and what is going now in Eritrea could
only have being understood by revising the history of the civil war.
Inferiority complex, prejudice and retaliation spirit are still generating
factors. The ELF once denied the existence of others and their right to
have their own experience, or to take part in the leadership of ELF. History
is repeating itself, the PFDJ is trying to judge others and treat them as
"fifth column". This regurgitation of the past makes of the present an
ambiguity, and of the future an enigma.
Ber-han
** To (SUB/UNSUB)SCRIBE from dehai, send mail to: majordomo@primenet.com **
** with the following text in the body of your mail: **
** subscribe dehai your-email-address **
** unsubscribe dehai your-email-address **