The Eritrean ‘Fourth Front’:  Festivals as a tool to control the diaspora
29 Feb 2024

The Eritrean ‘Fourth Front’:  Festivals as a tool to control the diaspora

by | posted in: Asylum Seekers, EEPA news and activities, Eritrea, Festivals, Netherlands, Protest, The Hague, The Netherlands | 0

Riots broke out in The Hague on 17 February 2024. It is the latest in a string of clashes around the world involving pro-democracy and pro-government Eritreans. The latter group organises festivals, proclaimed to be cultural festivals, but which pro-democracy Eritreans state are in reality propaganda events; places were high-level Eritrean officials visit, where diaspora Eritreans go under pressure and threats, where military propaganda and hate speech are spread, and where Eritreans have to pay money to the Eritrean government. Now, a picture is emerging of a highly coordinated effort by the Eritrean government to control the diaspora, which it calls the ‘Fourth Front’, through militia-like structures, including Eri-Blood and Eri-Mekhete. 

Hate speech and threats at the core of Eritrean ‘festivals’ in Germany and Switzerland
1 Sep 2022

Hate speech and threats at the core of Eritrean ‘festivals’ in Germany and Switzerland

by | posted in: Eritrea, European Union, Protest, Refugees in the EU, Tigray | 0

Eritrean regime has organised a series of ‘festivals’ and ‘seminars’ promoted as cultural events. On the basis of previous events that have been organised many perceive that the events promote hate speech and incite violence. They have fuelled pushback in the form of protests, legal action and letters from Eritreans in the diaspora and allies opposing the violent message of the Eritrean regime. A new festival was organised in secrecy in Switzerland last weekend, 27 August 2022, and another event was announced in Germany on 3 September – of which the cancellation was announced yesterday, 31 August.