The Eritrean opposition
political organizations members of the
Eritrean Democratic Alliance and
the civil society organizations have celebrated together the 47th
anniversry of the Eritrean armed struggle that was started in 1961
led by Martyr Idris Hamid Awate at Mountain Adal. The occasion was
celebrated colourfully and all the Eritrean diversity has
participated in commemoration of the historical day that led to the
Eritrean independence in 1991.
The Celebration started at the scheduled time at 18.00 local time,
people flocked at the hall under a waving flags of Eritrea and
Sweden under a theme, “ People First”.
A welcome opening speech was delivered by Fesseha Nair, member of
the Organizing Committee. When all participants have taken their
places, the programme of the celebration was read and people began
to follow it. The programme of the evening was ,
-
Panel Discussion
-
Joint speech from the organizers( EDA member organizations and civil
societies)
-
Cultural dance and music
-
Conclusion
Panel Discussion
The panel was on media organization and development in the
opposition camp. Invited panellists were from TV Adal, Salih Sabah,
from TV Zete, Solomon Gebray and Mehari Abraham and from Eritrean
Peoples Voice local Radio from Göteborg / Guthenborg City was Gezae
Kidane.
The panel was moderated by Fesseha Nair and Negash Osman.Fesshea
Nair introduced shortly the births of the two TVs in Stockholm and
the guests to the audience. Each panellist was given 15 minutes to
present his paper.
The first panellist was Salih Sabah TV Adals Chief Editor. In his
presentation, Salih has mentioned the historical mass media
development in Eritrea during the Italian colonialism and how it
developed in Eritrea later. He has briefed how TV Adal has started,
its performance in producing and disseminating news and information
about the Eritrean peoples situation at home. He stressed that there
is shortage of economic and human resources to run such community TV
and urged the participants that this TV Adal is for your service and
take the responsibility to continue broadcasting. He further told
the people that Tv Adal can also be seen in the Internet, therefore
has viewers from all over the world like for Example, Sudan,
Australia, USA and the Middle East.
The Second panellist was Gezae Kidane Chief Editor of the, Ertitrean
Peoples Voice, in Guthenborg, he presented his paper how he started
this radio in Guthenborg city. This Radio has been broadcasting all
over the World in cooperation with the BBC but because of financing
shortage ceased to continue but is still broadcasting locally. It is
a community Radio serving the Eritrean people with news and
information on the Eritrea peoples’ situation under the harsh
dictatorial regime, emphasized Gezae. He further analysed the
obstacles and opportunities facing the radio in the Guthenborg but
many listeners were hooked by this radio and has created a huge
audience in Sweden.
The Third panellists were from TV Zete, Mehari Abraham and Solomon
Gebray both chief editors of the news-and information programme of
TV Zete. The first speaker was Mr. Solomon, he presented his paper
how and when TV Zete has started and what were the circumstances of
the Eritrean opposition at that time. He mentioned that when Tv Zete
began there was only TV Adal as opposition community TV but TV Zete
has come in 2001. He analysed the causes and objectives of the TV
and programme and contents it broadcasts every week He further
pointed that TV Zete has influenced the Eritrean Society in diaspora
by raising their awareness and arousing their moral responsibility
to affect the situation at home. He also mentioned the shortages
they face while producing the programmes of the TV. He concluded his
argumentation by urging the people that a community media need the
support of the civil societies.
Mehari Abraham, journalist in
profession and chief editor of the TV Zete’s news and information
programme shortly analysed the statistical results of the TV Zete
since its start in 2001. He has illustrated hoe TV Zete today linked
with Internet and is seen all over the world, he said that TV Zete
in World Wide Webb is observed by 250000 Eritreaner. Mehari has
stressed the weakness of the opposition media in comparison with
that of the government that is still there is shortage of financing
and human resources to develop and sustain the TV to serve the
Eritrean people, he added.
When all panellists presented their papers, a public discussion has
started.
Discussions
The discussions focused on the harmonization and cooperation of the
opposition media in general and the two TVs in Stockholm, in
particular. Constructive proposals were presented by the audiences
on the harmonisation and cooperation of the media to face and foil
the Eritrean government’s media campaign. Having contacts and being
friends of the program producers of the media is not enough the
owners or publishers of the TV Adal and Zete must take steps and
take joint actions to resolve the problems facing the two channels.
Panellists answered the questions asked by the audiences. All the
participants and the panellists agree that the media is very
important to promote popular democracy and fight the dictator and a
media strategy and mechanisms must be created to achieve the goals
of our people at this time.
Joint Speech commemorating the 47th anniversary of the
armed struggle
The joint speech prepared by the organizing committee of the
anniversary was written in Arabic and Tigrinya. The Arabic version
was read by Negash Osman and the Tigrinya version was read by Alazar
Hagos. ( you can read the speech on the websites) After the joint
speech the audiences kept silent and stood to pay tribute to the
martyrs who sacrificed their lives to liberate Eritrea.
Cultural music and dance
Food and beverages were all the night, dancing floor was full of
dancers and Eritrean cultural music thundering the floor echoed the
voices of Bahti Meskerem by chanting,
We
can change!
Change we believe in!
reflecting exactly the 1961 in Mount Adal. In the spirit of unity
and to achieve the goals of our people we will continue our struggle
to re-liberate our people from the rule of the dictator.
