Free Aster Campaign 10,000 Robo Calls to Eritrea

Free Aster Campaign 10,000 Robo Calls to Eritrea

She fought for our freedom but lost her liberty!

(Asmara 11-12-12) In commemoration of the 9th anniversary since the disappearance of Mrs Aster Yohaness, A former freedom fighter with the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF); Eritrean youth organisations in conjunction with Friends of Aster Yohanness sent thousands of robocall messages urging the Eritrean public to seek justice for Aster, for her husband former Minister Petros Solomon and for all prisoners of conscience in Eritrea.

On the 11th of December 2003 Aster arrived back in Eritrea from Arizona in the US, where she had been studying. Her return to the country was complicated by the fact of her husband Petros Solomon and several of his reformist colleagues were arrested and subsequently disappeared, in Sept 2001. Aware of the potential fate of her husband and unable to bring her four young children to the US to join her, Aster was forced to risk her own liberty by returning to Eritrea. She disappeared from the airport upon arrival and never even got the opportunity to see her children. Nine years on her mother Mrs Mezgheb Mengistu sent an emotional message, via robo messaigng, to the Eritrean public urging them to seek justice for her daughter, her son in-law and all other prisoners of conscience. In her message Mrs Mezgheb addressed the concern for many children of former freedom fighters, who like her own grand children have become orphaned and reminded Eritreans of the sacrifice paid by their parents who now languish in jail.

The calls were organised and sponsored by Friends of Aster in the US and members and supporters of two diaspora based Eritrean youth initiatives: Eritrean Youth Solidarity for Change UK (EYSC UK) and the Freedom Friday initiative (Project ArbiHarnet) that has sent close to 65,000 similar calls since its inception last year.

Coordinators of the campaign indicated: ‘this is a call for a communal action from the Eritrean public, it is a call of solidarity; Everyone in Eritrea is saddened by the fate of the former freedom fighters who engineered Eritrea’s liberation but now find themselves, in jails without any due process, however this disappointment is a private grief that is leading to a sense of helplessness. Through these calls we are reminding the public that they are still capable of bringing forth the democracy and justice that Eritreans right across three generations fought for’.

Inspired by the Arab Spring revolutions, the diaspora based youth organisations claim to have penetrated through the government of Eritrea’s iron curtains and made vital contact with the public, who are growing accustomed to these calls and openly talk about them, generating a sense of energy in the towns and cities.

End

The message sent can be heard here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bsqyl-XRcIQ

You can contact Freedom Friday Initiative on:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

EYSC UK on: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


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