M.
Filli A.
Ever since the Wayane aggression, various and varying political
meteorites are hitting the GOE from left, center, and right. But it stood and is
standing still not because it is infallible or meteorite/missile-proof but because
it is shielded by the rocket/meteorite/missile-proof and unwavering interests
of the country and people of Eritrea: Peace, Order, and, yes, our national
sovereignty. This is
the mandate of the Eritrean People, which, despite the disagreeable modus
operandi, is being carried out by the GOE and not by the array of political
meteorites that are targeting it.
Having said that, it is perfectly in place to point out to the failings of the GOE, which are not rare commodities, and they also bear merits. That, however, is but subservient to the interests of people and country. All the remonstrations of the opponents of the GOE boil down to one and the same thing: Peaceful and democratic transition to a government based on our constitution, which has been written and ratified but has not been implemented yet.
The implementation of the constitution requires an elected legislative body that will legislate, ratify, and pass laws and rules necessary to put in place the social, political, and economic infrastructures that lead to a constitutional government as prescribed by the constitution. Hence, the need to elect/re-elect a legislative body for the constitution to be realized is real. The GOE has set a target date of December 2001 for legislative elections to take place and it makes sense to hold to it because it is a constitutional imperative. A target date is a date set for some thing to be finalized/realized based on projections and expectations. Thus one can meet, beat, or even not meet a target date.
Equally, the target date of February 2002 was set by UNMEE to complete the process of Demarcation and Delimitation of our sovereign borders. This can be met, beat, or not met as well but it makes sense to hold to it because it is the imperative of our sovereignty.
The target of the Woyane aggression is our sovereignty, the very
existence of our country as an independent nation, and not the constitution.
Ergo, it is our sovereignty, not the constitution, which is at stake right now. Otherwise, it would be reversed logic because one would first
write and ratify a constitution and then go around the world shopping for a
suitable country! Although the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities has been
signed, the state of war has not been lifted.
Having said that and considering the objective realities at home:
Our Sovereignty at stake, very large numbers of young Eritreans still deployed
along our western/southwestern borders to protect and defend our sovereignty,
and the indescribable sufferings of the IDP’s, does it make sense to insist
that the elections be held on the target date? No, but the election process:
Disclosure of the procedures and modalities of the election, public announcement
of the possible candidates, and the election campaign, must start now
because Election Day is just that , people go to polling stations and cast
their votes! It is not the day when the election process starts but the end of
it.
Just like the UNMEE, although the targeted date of completion of
their mission is February 2002, the process of Delimitation and Demarcation has
long been underway and on, before, or after the target day they will announce
their final judgment and not the beginning of their mission!
With that in mind, it is imperative that the election process kicks off immediately so that on or after Deember 2001 we will be ready to go to the polling stations and vote. Time is of essence.
People and Country First
Ezi wdhankum
Yemnay Awet’n Assaltohn ab wert’ig
serahatkum