ADDIS ABABA, June 12 (WIC) - The Eritrean Liberation Front Revolutionary Council (ELF-RC) has said that there is no way of achieving genuine peace in the Ethio-Eritrean conflict unless the
invading forces of Isayas Afeworki are completely withdrawn from all Ethiopian occupied territories. In a statement it issued after holding the 8th
regular session of its executive committee, ELF-RC said the intransigent clique at the helm of power in Eritrea had been greatly responsible for the renewed outbreak of fighting last February that led to the loss of tens of thousands of lives. The Revolutionary Council Statement warned that more suffering, bloodshed and destruction is yet to come unless the Eritrean ruling clique comes to its senses by accepting the OAU proposal and takes serious steps in the direction of peace.
Further elaborating on the destruction so far caused, the Statement said, "the war stirred up by the regime in Asmara has already caused considerable devastation to our people and country both in human and material
terms. Though the EPLF regime has been repeatedly claiming that the war has not in anyway affected the country's economy, both the realities on the ground and the extreme hardship our people are going through are more telling
than they would otherwise have us believe by their endless prevarication. At a time when the productive forces of the country are being increasingly forced to bear arms, and more than a million of dollars are being spent
daily for the war, one cannot expect any good out of it other than the deterioration of the country's economy and further worsening of the lives of the people."
The statement said that with the dictatorial regime of the EPLF
in power, Eritrea is currently going through the most extreme conditions hitherto unknown in its history. It said that the seriousness of the situation is enough to motivate all Eritreans to join in the struggle for the
downfall of the war-mongering clique and bring peace to the country.
The RC statement reminded the Eritrean Defense Forces that it is high time they recognized the difference between the objectives of defending one's own country
and people and serving the interests of the greedy and chauvinistic clique and its henchmen in power. The statement also called on them to shoulder the responsibility of truly defending their country and people by freeing
themselves from being instruments of the ruling clique and its disastrous polices.
The statement as well called on the Eritrean people at home and abroad to take part in the struggle for bringing the demise of the ruling clique,
and bring an end to their suffering once and for all, by supporting the Alliance of the Erirean National Forces.
The Statement equally called on friendly neighbouring countries to stand in solidarity with the struggle
being undertaken for the achievement of genuine peace and stability in the region. "The international community and humanitarian organizations are also requested to carry out their obligations to these people who have
been displaced, and others who have fled their respective countries, as a consequence of the war by providing emergency relief and protection, as well as finding ways and means of monitoring the rights of POWs of both sides,"
the statement said.
