It’s now Eritrea’s turn to designate RASDO and the rest of the Ethiopia based armed groups as ‘Terrorists’
September 9, 2013 (GTD) – The Global Terrorism Database (GTD) has successfully listed the two notorious armed opposition groups that are created, financed and harbored by the Ethiopian government against Eritrea as Terrorist organizations.
The Eritrean Salvation Front (ESF) and Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RASDO) are now, according to GTD, terrorist organizations.
Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC) also listed RASDO as a terrorist organization for its years of terrorist acts against civilian targets inside Eritrea.
According to Sudan Tribune, the semi-official news and propaganda site for all Ethiopia based Eritrea terrorist groups, RSADO and the Saho People’s Democratic Movement (SPDM) have agreed, last week in Ethiopia capital, to join forces to carry out military attacks against the Eritrean government.
Emboldened by the adoption of UN Security Council Sanction on the Eritrean government, the Ethiopian government began its destabilization agenda almost immediately by creating the various terrorist and armed opposition groups.
GTD, for instance, has recorded the following terrorist acts committed by RSADO and Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunamas (DMLEK), another groups that Ethiopia organize, finance, harbor for its destabilization agenda:
- 02/15/2010: On Monday, in Asmara, Maekel, Eritrea, rebels of the Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) attacked the 28th Sub-division military camp. It was unknown if the attack caused any damage. Seventeen intelligence agents were killed and 20 others were injured in the attack. The 28th sub-division military camp in Asmara, Eritrea was targeted in this attack.
- 6/01/2008: On Sunday, a military vehicle ferrying food rations was blown up after Red Sea Afars Democratic Organization members attacked soldiers in Morad, Eritrea. No casualties were reported. A military truck carrying food rations was targeted.
- 06/01/2008: On Sunday, four Eritrean soldiers, including a senior commander, were killed and more than 10 others wounded when Red Sea Afars Democratic Organization members attacked them in Morad, Eritrea. Eritrean soldiers were targeted.
- 11/05/2007: The Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunamas (DMLEK) destroyed the office of the Shembeko town administration with an RPG in Western Eritrea. No casualties were reported.
- 11/05/2007: Militants using firearms from the Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunamas (DMLEK) attacked government soldiers, killing or wounding fifteen of them in Mlzay, Eritrea.
- 02/25/2009: On Wednesday, in Haykota, Gash-Barka, Eritrea, a bomb killed two civilians and injured eight others at a restaurant in the semi-urban centre. The restaurant was damaged in the attack. No group claimed responsibility. A restaurant was targeted in Haykota, Gash-Barka, Eritrea.
- In 2003, British geologist Timothy Nutt was slain as he worked in Eritrea, by the Eritrean Islamic Jihad, one of the groups financed, harbored and supported by the regime in Ethiopia.
- Groups financed, harbored and supported by Ethiopia detonated a bomb in Barentu, Eritrea during the 2004 Independence Day celebrations killing 5 people and wounding 88.
A 30 July 2009 Press Release entitled “Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) and RSF (Eritrean Salvation Front) have joined forces to strike at the Eritrean Regime in Asmara” said the following:
“…In the past six months the afar rebel group have carried out more than five attacks, causing significant blow to Afwerki’s regime, last November it has destroyed a military radar system and attacked military camp killing 285 soldiers in a place called Sanafi at the heart of Akale Guzay, with co-ordinated and simultaneous commando type operation which killed 13 Eritrean soldiers. They have also collected 9 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 1 RPG weapon, 1 Heavy Machine Gun and 3 mobile phones. The combined forces have also captured five elite soldiers and brought them back in to Ethiopia…”
The armed group RASDO was created in 2009 by Ethiopia with the grand intention of secession from Eritrea so that Ethiopia will get its own Sea outlet.
In a press release issued on October 2010, the foolhardy RSADO said that it would ‘not compromise on its principles for self determination in Eritrea with anyone whether those opposed to regime in Asmara or Eritrean Regime itself.’
‘There will not be a unified Eritrea, unless the right for self-rule is constitutionally guaranteed for Red Sea Afar and rest of nationalities in Eritrea. The Red Sea Afar will reserve the rights for Self determination including secession’ said the press release.
Based on the boastful statements and news releases that it released between 1999 and 2010 alone, the group prides itself for killing more than 448 innocent Eritreans and wounding more than 501 mainly by planting road side bombs and executing a hit and run attacks against civilian and military targets.
Exiled Eritrean rebel groups plan joint military attack against regime
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
September 7, 2013, ADDIS ABABA (Sudan Tribune) – Two Ethiopian-based Eritrean opposition groups have agreed to join forces to carry out military attacks against the dictatorial Asmara regime, an opposition official told Sudan Tribune on Saturday.
The agreement was reached after leaders of the Red Sea Afar Democratic Organisation (RSADO) and Saho Peoples Democratic Movement (SPDM) held a high-level meeting on Friday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
“The two opposition groups have agreed to jointly carry out military attacks to topple the oppressive regime and to eventually place a new democratic rule that respects the rights of the Eritrean people”, RSADO spokesperson Nesredin Ali told Sudan Tribune.
According to the signed agreement, the two groups will jointly continue their struggle, cooperating on areas of military, security, diplomacy and other aspects.
Leaders of the two parties pledged to implement the series of agreements signed between the groups.
A joint committee, tasked with following up the agreement’s implementation, was also established.
The opposition official said the two sides believe joining their forces will help bring an end to the long-standing political repression suffered by the minority Afar and Saho people and which Ali says has escalated to the level of ethnic cleansing.
He also called on other Eritrean opposition groups to join the armed struggle.
“Our doors are open for other opposition groups, concerned bodies and the Eritrean people and the army itself to join the struggle against president Isaias [Afewerki ]-led rule”, Ali said.
The reclusive Red Sea nation has been led by Afewerki since it gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 and has never had any legally recognised opposition parties.
The secretive regime has arrested thousands of dissidents, as well as ministers who spoke out in favour of political reform, with many languishing in Eritrean prison facilities.
Eritrea, which is also is referred as ‘Africa’s North Korea’, is ranked as one of the world’s most repressive nations by many international human rights groups.
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