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PFDJ arrests 45 hungry mothers

The Eritrean government has arrested 45 mothers in the Hazhaz District of Asmara for attempting to inform local authorities about the excruciating hunger they and their children are facing.
 
The arrests occurred on April 4, 2009 after the local Hazhaz administrator interrogated them for one hour. The administrator held that their appearance before him as a group amounted to a revolt.

Eritrean Naval Officers Defect to Yemen.

BREAKING NEWS

32 members of the Eritrean Navy escaped on speed boats from the Eritrean Port of Massawa arriving at Hudayda in Yemen at 19:00 hours, April 3, 2009.
 
The officers took their weapons and communication equipment with them.
 
This is about the 5th time that naval officers have fled the country in groups. This latest incident constitutes the highest number of officers defecting. 

Save the date, June 19

We encourage all political organizations which are not members of EDA to take this historic event as a genuine vehicle of opportunity to fully participate in the June 19, 2009 protest march and help send a clear message of hope to the people of Eritrea. Please save June 19, 2009 and pledge to be in DC.

EDA believes the damages being done by the Eritrean Regime on Eritrea and the Eritrean people are too vast and too humongous to be left for chance and miracle to solve. It needs the conscious proactive participation of all of us in North America. This historic demonstration has to be the direct concern of all of us. Everybody’s input is needed. All sectors of our community are encouraged to make a worthy effort to attend this event. Let us start organizing for the march!

Court threat to human rights activist

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Maria Daniela (Dania) Avallone is due in a Rome court on April 15 accused amongst other things, of referring to the Eritrean president as a dictator, continually 'disturbing’ Eritrean government sponsored events in Italy through protesting, and insulting the organisers in Italian and Tigrinya, an Eritrean language.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred last year on October 26, when around 50 Eritrean government supporters pelted human rights activists who were picketing an Eritrean festival that was opened and attended by the Eritrean Minister of Defence. During the assault Ms. Avallone lost consciousness after a stone struck her in the kidneys, and was kept in hospital overnight for observation.

Support and solidarity with the President of the Association for the Protection of Human Rights of

Human Rights Concern – Eritrea (HRCE) would like to express its support and solidarity with the  President of the Association for the Protection of Human Rights of the Eritrean People (ASPER), http://www.asper-eritrea.com), Dr. Dania Avallone, in her ongoing fight against the lies and attacks perpetrated by supporters of the Eritrean dictatorship against her in Italy.

EDP Central Council Meeting - April 7th to 8th, 2009

At EDP’s regular 4th Meeting of the Central Council, Mr. Mesfin Hagos, the Chairman of the Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP), submitted his resignation citing strong differences of opinion between himself and members of the Executive Committee which if he was to stay could have a negative impact on the Party’s work.  

Participants of the Meeting accepted Mr. Mesfin’s resignation with regret and wished him well.  They expressed hope that he will continue to contribute toward the ongoing struggle for justice and democracy in Eritrea in general, and fulfilling the Party’s mission in particular. 

Mesfin Hagos steps down as chair of EDP

  Mesfin Hagos has resigned his post as head of the Eritrean Democratic Party. An EDP announcement states that Mesfin Hagos has ‘submitted his resignation citing strong differences of opinion between himself and members of the Executive Committee which if he was to stay could have a negative impact on the Party’s work”.  He announced his decision to resign at DDP’s Central Council meeting today. According to EDP statement, the meeting expressed hope that Mesfin will continue to contribute to the fulfillment of the party’s mission.

The Council has elected Tesfamichael Yohannes as his replacement.

Eritrea ignored troop withdrawal demand-UN council

Claude Heller, Mexico's U.N. ambassador who holds the council's rotating presidency this month, said the council agreed unanimously that Eritrea had also failed to comply with another council demand that it begin talks with Djibouti aimed at peacefully resolving their border dispute.

"They have authorized me as the president of the council to meet the permanent representative for Eritrea in order to express the concerns ... of the Security Council," he said.