A senior official of the Eritrean opposition, Mr. Mohamed Adem Artaa, has called on pro-democracy forces to take urgent measures to undercut the power base of the ruling oligarchy and isolate it from the Eritrean masses.

Mr. Artaa is Central Committee member of the Eritrean People’s Party (EPP). He was speaking in connection with the recent merger between his party and the Eritrean Democratic Resistance Movement of Gash Setit (EDRMGS).

In an interview with this reporter, Mr. Artaa said it was time to embark on a path leading to a swift, decisive change in Eritrea.

The promise of our martyrs and the dream of our people have been crushed by a small political group under the dictatorial Isayas rule, he said. Mr. Artaa pointed out that the people’s primary objective of building a free country and free citizenry has been prematurely curtailed.

It is the responsibility of all Eritrean opposition forces to step up their struggle to deal with the yet unanswered question of national democraticy, according to Mr. Artaa.

The repressive Isayas regime will surely be removed sooner or later, but it is feared that it will leave behind a big burden for the Eritrean people to bear, he stressed. “Thus, we have to strengthen our national unity, and consolidate our political, cultural and social structures”, he added.

Mr. Artaa led the EPP delegation to the unity talks with EDRMGS in Khartoum in May. He said his party was working for national unity and democratic change by merging fully with other parties and groups which shared similar outlook and plan of action as ours.

Mr. Artaa pointed out that the EPP-EDRMGS union was based on mutual understanding and shared political and philosophical values.