Who are the G-15- The 15 members of this group are former fighters who were instrumental figures in the liberation of Eritrea. The group were all members of the Central Council of the Ruling Party, People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ); Three were former Cabinet Ministers; Eleven of the G-15 have been held incommunicado without charge for 13 years; Four escaped arrest; Their ‘Crime’: They were arrested in Sep 2001 after publishing an open letter to the government and Isaias Afewerki calling for democratic dialogue. Government’s Claim: the Eritrean government said the 15 individuals had committed crimes “against the security of the nation”. Whereabouts: In the thirteen years that they have been detained, the Eritrean authorities have refused to confirm their whereabouts or their health status to their families. Violations: The thirteen-year in communicado detention of these prominent individuals violates numerous rights protected under Eritrean and international law. The G-15’s Open Letter: The open letter to the president was the culmination of the repeated requests the signatories of the letter made to hold regular meeting of the Central Council and the National Council which were well overdue. They believed the best way to resolve the problem was through meetings and democratic dialogue. Accordingly, they requested that the president, as chairman of both the Central and the National Council, convene meetings. The president dismissed the requests of the group who were members of both Central and the National Council. He simply failed to respond positively to their requests. After a flurry of exchanges of letters they decided to write the open letter to all members of the government party (PFDJ). This letter was a call for correction, a call for peaceful and democratic dialogue, a call for strengthening and consolidation, a call for unity, a call for the rule of law and for justice, through peaceful and legal ways. Nonetheless, the president’s final reply to his top aides was negative. He wrote: ‘I choose to be forbearing and I will patiently avoid any invitation to arguments. But if you continue to provoke me and choose to escalate the problems by exaggerating non-existent issues, it is your choice.’ A party meeting was never convened and ultimately he took a draconian measure against his topmost comrades by locking them up unceremoniously. According to the government, the G-15’s open letter was part of a plot to establish political cells in and out of government throughout Eritrea and abroad, coordinating their activities with the help of regional countries to destabilise the government.
"I don't want to just survive" No sir I want to live, thrive, prosper, create, travel, read, write, express my opinion, compete & worship whom I chose. The criminal uneducated murderer ISIAS AFEWORKI & his mercenaries of PFDJ/YPFDJ tried for 26 agonizing years to silence me, tell me how to walk/ talk & praise, they suffocated me so I cannot breath, dictated what I can listen & watch, they dismantled & discarded families, home, community & sucked life from our country. Enough, Enough, Enough, Enough, Enough
Barya nay Eseyas mukan mechereshtu motin shigrin eyu emo nay Edika rekibika hiji do yihayish nizi kulu anxar Eseyas / wedi Medhin berad/ zigiber zinebere kalsie mis dictator weginka afshilikayo hiji gn dictator baelu atfika fushul General .Eid Shenahit Xenahit Zibhal Haki Eyu .mis wuxue Hzibika Tetew elika entetikewin hiji mehazenalika nerna Hiji do yihayish abaa dea niakas fushul
