Compiled in the downloadable book are papers presented in a conference and a symposium organized by Citizens for Democratic Rights in Eritrea (CDRiE) on January 11, 2009 and January 9, 2010 respectively. The paper appearing as the first chapter of this volume is a speech by the guest speaker of the conference. A long time lawyer, nationalist and political activist, Professor Bereket Habte Selassie presented “the reflections of a man who is transitioning to a less active and more reflective phase of his life and career.” As he traverses through his septuagenarian years, Professor Bereket is conscious of the rush of time, and of the fact that there remain some unfinished business that he devoutly wish should be finished, and would like to devote a significant part of his time to help accomplish. “One such unfinished business is the continuing division among Eritreans, and the inherent tension stemming from such division.” Confronted with a ruthless home-grown tyranny which Professor Kidane Mengisteab (chapter three) demonstrated as alien to notion of good governance, democracy and human rights, in the first decade of the new millennium Eritreans have been preoccupied with the options at their disposal. There is unanimity on the fact that the tyranny has to be challenged – either brought to sanity or else uprooted for good. The “how” has not been simple and there has been tension between the advocates of violent and peaceful means. Two of the papers, one by researcher A/Rahman Sayed (chapter two) and the other by Professor Kidane Mengisteab (chapter seven) deal with the issues and make a case for a peaceful means. The divide between the peaceful school and the violent school has, at times, been hot-tempered and considerable time and energy is spent both camps attacking each other. Related to this, the ethnic and regional orientation of the many opposition political forces/organizations has been a strong irritant to some Eritreans. From a legal perspective, Simon (chapter four and six) tries to arbitrate the matter. There is a right of rebellion which the rebellious are entitled, Simon asserts, but also cautions that the right is a last resort right which can be resorted to only after exhausting all the less taxing ways which Simon indicated as have not been exhausted. Similarly, Simon underscores that the right of self-determination can, in exceptional circumstances, authorize secession. Yet, given that all Eritreans are at the receiving end of repression, he feels that remedial secession is not warranted. On whether ethnic or region based political organizations should be intolerable, his answer which is derived from international human rights law is that “[w]hen legitimate interests go congruent with regional or social cleavages, parties with constituencies drawn exclusively from one of such cleavages should not be outlawed.” In an interesting paper making chapter five of this volume, Professor Gaim Kibreab laments the “Eritrean National Service” as a “missed opportunity”. Indeed, the open-ended “National Service” has done disservice to Eritrea and Professor Gaim provides the whys and hows. As much as on challenging the tyrannical regime, Eritreans also debate on what the future democratic Eritrea should look like. Even though this debate is dismissed by some as untimely, it has proved unavoidable. Issues of resources and accommodation of diversity constantly invade Eritrean cyber space. One of these relates to status of Arabic language in Eritrea and in chapter nine Professor Gaim strongly argues why Arabic deserves to be the second official language of Eritrea co-equaling Tigriyna and the status of Arabic needs to be enshrined in the constitution of the country. Equally important is the land issue in Eritrea which Dr. Yebio Woldemariam (chapter eight) advised us to handle scientifically based on empirical findings rather than on internet blogging
