THE POLITICAL PROGRAM OF ERITREAN AFAR NATIONAL CONGRESS (EANC)
A. Decentralized federal constitution shall govern Eritrea
- Our plan will eliminate the PFDJ’s excessively centralized unitary system once and for all.
- Our plan will establish a decentralized federal constitution for the future Eritrean government to preserve our national unity and democratic governance of Eritrea.
- The decentralized, power-sharing constitution shall devolve power between Eritrea’s federal government and its eight(8) provincial states(regions): Akale-Guzai, Barka, Dankalia, Hamasien, Sahel, Semhar, Serae, and Senhit.
B. Democracy and rule of law
- Democracy is our guiding principle for all our institutions and all our governance.
- The application of the rule of law to all equally.
- The rights of freedom of religion, conscience, political opinion, expression, assembly, association, mobility, liberty and equality, shall be guaranteed.
C. Sovereignty of Eritrea
- Eritrea is a sovereign state and a new member of the United Nations.
- The Afar people are dedicated to protecting Eritrea’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and traditional borders by any means necessary. However, it is crucial to emphasize that Eritrea’s sovereignty should not be used as a tool of oppression against the indigenous Afar nation.
D. Rights of Self-determination of Afar and Autonomy of Dankalia
- The Afar people and Dankalia, the traditional territory of the Afar nation, shall have an unquestionable and inalienable right to self-determination and autonomy within Eritrea.[1]
- Each of Eritrea’s provincial states, including Dankalia, shall be granted the right to self-government and political autonomy within their respective regions as part of the Eritrean Federation.
- Dankalia and each province (region state) of Eritrea shall, through the governments that they freely elect, have the right to own and control their lands and natural resources including surface rights and sub-surface resources and shall enjoy the profits therefrom under conditions established by law.
E. Indigenous people’s rights
- The rights of the indigenous Afar[i] nation and other minorities shall be guaranteed and protected in the constitution of Eritrea.
- Afar nation and other Indigenous peoples of Eritrea, in exercising their right to self-determination, have the right to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their internal and local affairs, as well as ways and means for financing their autonomous functions.[2]
- Our Indigenous policy aims to unlock the potential of Dankalia’s natural resources and its strategic coastal region for cross-border trade, benefiting border communities throughout the region. This initiative will improve access to Dankalia’s ports and islands for trade, business, and cultural exchanges, particularly with our immediate neighbours, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Our approach will ensure mutual benefits while avoiding conflicts related to sovereignty issues in the region.
F. Land and natural resources
- Our land policy will end the current government’s ownership of traditional lands and natural resources belonging to Indigenous peoples, cease any unlawful expropriations, and restore control of these lands and natural resources to the Indigenous population as guaranteed by the constitution of Eritrea.
- Our land and natural resources policy will seek to address the inequalities and marginalization experienced by disadvantaged groups and regions in Eritrea.
- We will prioritize the creation of jobs and socio-economic programs to alleviate the neglect and economic marginalization of local communities and regions, ensuring their needs are adequately addressed.
- Our land and natural resources policy will establish a national strategy for the equitable distribution of natural resources and revenue sharing among the Eritrean provinces and the federal state. This will help eliminate disparities between resource-rich and resource-poor regions in Eritrea, thereby preventing future conflicts over resources.
G. Economic Policy and Development
The current Eritrean regime is deliberately destroying the foundation of the traditional Afar economy, including coastal fishing, indigenous salt mining, animal husbandry, and pastoralism.
Furthermore, the government is confiscating Afar businesses and valuable natural resources, such as lucrative Potash mining. This has subjected the Afar people, who are the legitimate owners of these resources, to persistent poverty and the destruction of their livelihoods and economic prospects.
The current government of Eritrea has no business interfering in the traditional economic way of life and cultural practices of indigenous peoples.
- Our comprehensive economic development plan will seek to empower local communities and leverage their traditional knowledge and expertise, including in such traditional economies as fisheries, livestock, import/export, agro-pastoralism, salt mining, farming and cross-border trade. This aims to address the historic marginalization and poverty experienced by nations like the Afar people.
- Implement development initiatives that target the investment needs and capacity-building of local economies, and assist them with micro-financing and loan programs to support local small business ventures.
- Prioritize funding for vocational training and programs, educational initiatives, healthcare facilities, clean water infrastructure, and agricultural technologies to support and benefit local communities.
- Prioritize infrastructure investment in Dankalia, including enhancing ports, refineries, and roads that have deteriorated due to neglect and heavy military presence.
- Explore the historical sites of Dankalia for tourism, ocean and deep-sea exploration, and cultural offerings globally.
H. Equality of Nationalities
- Eritrea has at least nine (9) plus diverse cultures. The Eritrean government has no business introducing a single national culture for the state.
- New Eritrea shall recognize equality and uphold the cultural diversity of its various ethnic groups, demonstrating equal respect for their unique identities, religious beliefs, and regional affiliations.
- All languages of the people of Eritrea are equal. Each Eritrean province shall govern the official language policies within its borders and collaborate with the federal government to facilitate communication at the local and international levels.
I. Rights to return (Refugees and displaced people)
- All Eritrean refugees who have fled Eritrea shall have the right to return to their homes and properties in Eritrea.
- All Eritrean refugees shall be compensated for the persecution and for the other losses that they have suffered and to have and enjoy Eritrean citizenship.
- Develop policies to empower the right of return and facilitate the successful reintegration of displaced Eritrean refugees.
- Work collaboratively with the United Nations agencies, UNHCR, and other non-governmental organizations to provide assistance and skills-based training to support refugees during their transition phase.
J. Human rights and security
- The Eritrean people shall be secure as individuals and in their collective identities.
- All citizens of Eritrea shall be equal before the law, regardless of their race, ethnic origin, language, colour, gender, religion, disability, political belief, or opinion.
- All citizens shall be free from arbitrary search, seizure, arrest, detention and charge.
- No conviction shall occur except by due process of law before an independent and impartial tribunal.
- The judicial branch shall be independent and secure in its tenure.
K. External Policy of Dankalia
- Dankalia’s strategic location on the Red Sea and its geopolitical significance in the region will be leveraged to promote free trade, investment, economic growth and foreign assistance.
- Our policy will prioritize the interests of Dankalia by forming cooperative agreements with the federal government of Eritrea. We will focus on attracting international investment and development and renegotiating contracts with multinational resource extraction companies. We aim to hold these companies accountable for meeting their corporate and governmental responsibilities while adhering to ethical extraction practices.
- Our policy will end hostilities against our regional neighbours, promote regional peace and security, and an economic development agenda in our region and globally.
- Ethiopia, as an immediate and crucial regional partner, is the focus of our policy, which aims to enhance bilateral ties and address the increasing need to secure access to the Red Sea.
- The Dankalia region and the Afar nation on both sides of the border were particularly devastated by the Eritrea-Ethiopia war of 1998-2000 and they continue to suffer economically and culturally.
- The policy will cooperate closely with the Eritrean federal government to secure Ethiopia’s access to the Port of Assab and negotiate an economic program that guarantees mutual advantages for all parties while upholding Eritrea’s sovereignty.