It is wise to start by admitting that united front of the opposition groups as the right kind of vehicle for multi-party struggle. First and utmost it is good by itself to be united for the important national issues. Secondly, healthy and well developed political system can be evolved from multi-party participation of different views and ideas. Finally, it will be convenient for the existing government to handle with a united front of the opposition groups than fragmented different opposition groups. Especially it is important to have one united front of the opposition groups that takes accountability of its actions. For example, if the united front opts for non violence means of struggle for democratization, then an armed action by any opposition groups against the existing government has to be the sole responsibility of the united front. What does it mean responsibility of the united front for actions that has been taken by other armed opposition groups? Yes, it means that, as long as it is united front, all opposition groups have to be included in the united front. Any groups that acts outside the united front has to be considered as a criminal group and has to be condemned. Now the question is what are the possibilities and limitations for this united front? The analysis for the above question will be as follows.

Opposition groups in Eritrean politics are merely a gathering of opponents of the existing government mostly from the legacy of the conflict during the armed struggle. They hated EPLF (Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front) during the armed struggle. They are angered of EPLF of its actions in forming a government alone and they looked all the time for revenge to see the demise of EPLF. Time passed as EPLF wrote its history by golden ink and became history. Then came PFDJ (Peoples Front for Democracy and Justice) that replaced the responsibility of EPLF. We are going to look in detail about PFDJ in the next topic. For the opposition groups PFDJ is EPLF. The only difference for them is the exchange of the letters DJ instead of LF. Except the new opposition groups emerged like EPLF-DP (Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front Democratic Party lead by Mesfin Hagos) and MDC (Movement for Democratic Change lead by Semere Keste), the rest now gathered as AENF (Association of Eritrean National Forces lead by Abdela Idress) are well known and familiar for the Eritrean people. No body expects them they to come out with positive results. If the Eritrean government says there is going to be rain, they have to say, no there is not going to be rain. That is opposition for them. They don't look at issues with respect to national interest. Now the question is, if we have such type irrelevant opposition groups then what is the importance of talking at all about united front of opposition groups? We are going to look at it as follows.

We need an opposition groups as a must in Eritrean politics. The opposition group that we are looking for is a vibrant group that works in good faith with the existing government for balance and check in the governance of the country. An opposition groups that exposes mal functions of the administration, that watches vigilantly to corruption and safe guard the institutions of the people. An opposition group that respects the functions of the government. An opposition group that participates in the reconstruction of the country. An opposition group that respect the president of the country. An opposition group that takes in consideration the interest and the futurity of the elite's in the existing government. Generally speaking an opposition groups that works positively. An opposition group that believes in win-win principle. Said so, what do we expect the existing government to be in such positive atmosphere. My words to the existing government are simple. Learn from history. No government lives for ever. For the time being it would seem perfect and smooth, but as time goes on situations changes. This is the right time to construct a balanced political condition. The existence of the Eritrean government without an opposition groups, for sure will stay long. Even if there would be elimination of personality at a special circumstance that will not bring any change to the overall structure of the existing system. That is not my wish I never wish that to happen. As a political analyst I just put as a precaution. Next, we are going to look what are the possibilities and limitations for the United front as right vechile for multi-party struggle.

The possibility of the united front to be a right vechile for multi-party struggle are the following.

I would like to consider two aspects for the limitation for the united front. First accessibility and the second one is time.

what is the future of ruling party in the national politics? A spent force or a viable player?

Before answering the above question let us look briefly to the background of PFDJ. It was after the third concluding congress of EPLF, the organization PFDJ borne. PFDJ has vision. That vision is outlined and distributed as a document at a proper time. I personally do have it. PFDJ did a grave mistake, at its infant, when launching to recruit its members. It started selectively instead of doing it openly. It was after disappointing even to some hard core supporters of EPLF that it tried to make it open for all. It became too late to convince, to all, that it is an all embracing organization. The irony is, it didn't bothered too much of not engulfing all to be its members.

The difference between EPLF and PFDJ will be clear, if it only could be understood with their missions. The mission of EPLF was to remove the colonizing power in Eritrea. It had the mandate of the Eritrean people to struggle using arms to defeat the colonial power of Ethiopia. So, keep in mind the mission and the mandate it had from the Eritrean people for EPLF. On the other hand, PFDJ's mission is to bring justices and democracy to the Eritrean people. As for the mandate from the Eritrean people, no body can guarantee that it have full mandate. In fact, it doesn't care if at all needs a mandate from the Eritrean people. It is doing fine and why bother to know whether it needs a mandate from the Eritrean people. It is dedicated, hard working and loyal to serve the Eritrean people so why bother to know if it needs a mandate. In my opinion, I would say better for PFDJ to ask for a mandate from the Eritrean people. Why? The answer is just to prove that PFDJ is a humiliated organization in front of the Eritrean people. It is to express the respect it have for the Eritrean people. How can PFDJ asks for a mandate from the Eritrean people? The answer is simply by counting the ballots of the Eritrean people. I would be satisfied if I heard that 50.1% of the Eritrean population voted for PFDJ. But, here let me elaborate it differently, so that not to misunderstood PFDJ. I said so many times that I am not a member of PFDJ. One very important point to know about PFDJ is, it didn't proclaimed to this date that it is a political party. Therefore, there is possibility that different political parties to emerge from PFDJ. For the time being, PFDJ is concerned, according its vision, the unity and the transition period to make Eritrea a viable country. It promised to deliver democracy and justice to the Eritrean people. That is all we can say to this time. Now, let me come back to see what is the future of ruling party in the national politics? A spent force or a viable player? To answer the above question I am going to base my analysis based on the above said facts.

The futurity of the ruling party is, no doubt it is bright as a day light. It is working hard and that is not going to be for others to come from abroad and take it with a red carpet lied on the ground. PFDJ is not a spent force. It is working hard and enriching itself with valuable experiences. Yes, it is true that it is doing it the hard way. It is expending to much energy while it could have achieved it the easiest way. It took self reliant for granted and ignored the impact of globalization to a new country with limited resources like Eritrea. The wastage of the knowledge of the Eritreans abroad is enormous. I don't understand how Eritrea is affording to see so much knowledge in Diaspora just to dissipate without using it. Eritrea, when it has the right to collect 2% of income from Diaspora, it has equally the right to extract the knowledge of Eritreans in Diaspora. There has to be done something from this time. Eritrea can not tolerate any more to simply see the idleness of the knowledge in Diaspora. I am asking this because in the long term PFDJ may drain its energy and became a spent force. I see the viability of PFDJ in future Eritrea. To be continued.

Tesfamicael Yohannes

The following note is, from the book "ROGUE STATE", by William Blum.

quotation from "Perverting Elections".

"It shall be unlawful for a foreign national directly or through any other person to make any contribution of money or other thing of value, or to promise expressly or impliedly to make any such contribution, in connection with an election to any political office or in connection with any primary election.