Eritreans in the Bay Area to Protest for Change at Home!

Contact: Isayas Sium
Cell  408-464-1876
Solomon Assefaw
Cell  510-395-2043

Eritreans in the Bay Area to Protest for Change at Home!
Eritrean Youth for Change (EYC) will March in San Francisco starting 10:00 AM on
May 27, demanding democratic change in Eritrea !
 
San Francisco, CA, May 18, 2011 – May 2011 is the 20th anniversary of Eritrea.  Starting at 10:00 AM from 7th and Market heading to City Hall on May 27th, Eritrean Diasporas in the Bay Area are sending a message of protest to their government’s lack of freedom, democracy and human rights.  Supporters will join them to demand regime change, to free all political prisons and end to military rule.

Department of State Bureau for African Affairs commented on April 5, 2011:  “Increasing political repression and economic stagnation in Eritrea has put that country on par with North Korea.” President Afeworki, similar to Kim Jong-il rules with total authority in a closed highly militarized state.  EYC and their allies, encouraged by the democratic uprisings sweeping across Africa and the Middle East, are calling for change in Eritrea.    They do so in the name of Eritreans who are unable to protest openly within their own country.

The protest also makes a public demand to free all political prisoners and an end to the military rule which forces conscription of young people as a form of control.  The rouge administration is a destabilizing force in the region and the U.S. has called on Eritrean government to “stop providing support and weapons to al-Shabaab” in Somalia.

The endless mandatory military service has led to thousands of youth being forced to flee to neighboring countries with thousands currently seeking refuge in Ethiopia, Sudan and Kenya.  Recent news on the deaths of African migrants off the Mediterranean Sea includes many Eritreans who are desperately trapped in the political and military crisis in North Africa.

The United States government tends to take note of a crisis in Africa after the fact; as is the case of the genocide in Rwanda.  The silent cries of the Eritrean people who are oppressed, in jail, forced conscription and living under military rule needs to be heard.  We believe an elected democratic Eritrean government under the rule of law will provide Eritrea the best chance for peace, and major advancement towards human rights and freedom.  
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