Government criticises exiles who attack overseas festivals as ‘asylum scum’

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP):

Flaming cars, violent clashes, dozens of people detained. As the country marks 30 years of independence, festivals held by Eritrea’s diaspora in Europe and North America have been attacked by exiles, whom the regime dismisses as “asylum scum”.

People who fled the Horn of Africa nation say the violence against festivals in Germany, Sweden and Canada are protests against a repressive government that’s been described as the ‘North Korea of Africa’. Some allege that proceeds from festivals might support the government.

Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Eritrea over the years, many setting off into the deserts of Sudan, and then North Africa, in attempts to reach Europe.

President Isaias Afwerki, 77, has led Eritrea since it won independence from Ethiopia in a long guerilla war. There have been no elections. There’s no free press. Exit visas are required. Many young people are forced into military service with no end date, human-rights groups and United Nations experts say.

The violence at some Eritrean festivals shows the bitter split in the diaspora between supporters of the government and their children — often protected by foreign passports — and exiles who fear for their loved ones back home.

SPEAKS HARSHLY

Eritrea’s government speaks harshly about those who flee and accuses the West of trying to weaken the country by depopulating it. Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel asserted that the attacks on the festivals were part of that strategy.

“Complicity in attempts to disrupt decades-old Eritrean festivals using foreign thugs reflects abject failure of asylum scum,” he said in a message posted on social media. He later criticised the “distorted portrayal” of the community’s “joyous events”.

Beyene Gerezgiher, a member of the Eritrean community in Europe who leads an organisation that seeks regime change in Eritrea, told AP that a separate group called the Brigade Nhamedu was set up last year to counter what it calls the government’s hate speech and war propaganda. The word ‘Nhamedu’ means “being ready to fight and sacrifice”.

“Our movement helped and participated in recent rallies against the so-called Eritrean festival,” he wrote in an email. In pursuit of regime change, the new group plans to act via “lawful democracy”, sharing information with the international community and “disturbing the situation”, he said.

He called the Eritrean information minister’s comments “usual and laughable”.

BLAMED

Some Eritreans and state-backed media have blamed attacks in Stockholm, Toronto and the German town of Giessen, in part, on ethnic Tigrayans from northern Ethiopia. That’s where Eritrean forces joined Ethiopia’s military in fighting a two-year war against Tigray forces until a peace deal was made in November. Eritrean forces were accused of some of the worst atrocities, including gang rapes.

Kassa Hailemariam, a US-based advocate for many Tigrayans, told the AP “it is ridiculous to blame Tigrayans for the global Eritrean movement against the age-long dictator in Asmara”, Eritrea’s capital. “We are not part of this movement!”

In Giessen last month, German police said at least 22 officers were injured as people throwing smoke bombs and bottles tried to force their way into a festival. Dozens of people were detained.

In Stockholm this month, Swedish media reported that about 1,000 protesters stormed a festival, setting booths and cars on fire and using rocks and sticks as weapons, leaving at least 52 people injured. Police said more than 100 people were detained.

“This is not a festival. They are teaching their children hate speech,” one protester, Michael Kobrab, told Swedish broadcaster TV4.

And last weekend, the authorities in Toronto cancelled an Eritrean festival after clashes sent several people to the hospital.