Where Anger Ignites
In the diaspora, violent clashes between pro-government and opposition Eritreans are not uncommon. So-called independence festivals are meant to bring foreign exchange to the state – something that some compatriots aim to prevent.
Fierce disturbances, injured policemen, Eritreans confronting their fellow countrymen: Following recent outbreaks, the city of Stuttgart canceled a planned Eritrean festival. Similar incidents had previously occurred in Gießen and Stockholm. The uncompromising stance of Eritreans in exile toward each other is rooted in their irreconcilable positions regarding the government.
Three decades ago, the Horn of Africa nation fought a protracted war to gain independence from Ethiopia. Since then, President Isaias Afwerki, now 77, has ruled the country with an iron grip, leading a one-party dictatorship.
His supporters hail the former leader of the Eritrean Liberation Front as a freedom fighter. His critics accuse him of betraying the fighters for an independent Eritrea through his repressive policies.
Eritrea ranks among the world’s poorest countries, heavily reliant on agriculture. Besides its political situation, its nearly four million citizens also suffer from persistent drought. Many Eritreans depend on assistance from relatives living in the diaspora.
Festivals Generate Vital Foreign Exchange
The government also finances a significant portion of its operations through remittances from Eritreans abroad. This is done through the so-called diaspora tax, which amounts to two percent of income. Many pay it even if they oppose the government, out of fear that their relatives back home might suffer otherwise.
For the isolated nation, the donations collected at Eritrean festivals in Germany bring in crucial foreign exchange. The organizers are Eritreans who fled during the 1990s independence war. They align with the Eritrean government.
In contrast, the protesters fled from this very regime. Many of them still feel persecuted and monitored in Europe, or they fear for their relatives still in Eritrea. Therefore, they seek to prevent any form of support for this government.
Conscription and Forced Labor
Internationally, Eritrea remains largely isolated. It lacks a parliament, independent courts, or civil society organizations. The 2023 Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders ranks Eritrea at 174 out of 180 countries.
Those opposing the government and advocating for democracy often disappear for indefinite periods in secret prisons, without trial or charges. Prominent Swedish-Eritrean activist Vanessa Tsehaye, for example, reported to the UN Human Rights Council in March about the fate of her uncle Seyoum, who has been imprisoned for more than 20 years.
Furthermore, there is a strict conscription policy for men and women starting at the age of 18. This includes not only military service but also forced labor, such as in agriculture or road construction. The population is effectively under general mobilization for an indefinite period.
Refusal to comply exposes individuals and their families to reprisals, as reported by the UN Human Rights Council. The president justifies the high level of militarization by citing the supposed constant threat of war with Ethiopia. Many people flee abroad to avoid this compulsory service and recruitment for armed conflicts.
President Seeks Closer Ties with Russia and China
Eritrea is also involved in the conflict for control in the Ethiopian region of Tigray, in which estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands of people have died. Eritrea sent troops to support the Ethiopian central government in fighting the regional ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in the neighboring country.
Even after the peace agreement at the end of 2022, President Isaias Afwerki has refused to withdraw his troops, which have been held responsible for numerous human rights violations. For him, the TPLF, which was in power during Ethiopia’s struggle for independence, remains a bitter enemy that he accuses of being “Washington’s mercenaries” maintaining Western hegemony in the Horn of Africa.
During a rare international appearance at the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi a few weeks ago, Isaias Afwerki stated that he urged everyone not to be tempted by the billions of dollars promised by so-called benefactors and to break free from Western dependence. Instead, Eritrea is increasingly seeking closer relations with Russia and China, portraying the conflict in Tigray as a trench warfare against the West. The fact that the German-Eritrean Society shares the president’s views on this matter can be read on the Eritrean Ministry of Information’s website.
Activist Vanessa Tsehaye is only 27 years old but holds little hope for change. She wonders if she will ever witness a free Eritrea in her lifetime.