Press Release: African Activists Sign Letter to Eritrean President
Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka joins over 100 African activists and academics from 52 of 54 African countries, including Ugandan musician and opposition MP Bobi Wine, award winning Kenyan anti-corruption activist John Githongo, Egyptian actor Amr Waked, award winning human rights lawyer Alice Nkom, novelist Alain Mabanckou, award winning investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in signing a letter to Eritrean head of state.
DEAR MR PRESIDENT,
PLEASE WELCOME US TO ERITREA
AFRICAN DEMOCRACY ADVOCATES, JOURNALISTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ASK TO VISIT THEIR INCARCERATED COLLEAGUES IN ERITREA.
One hundred (100) leading African journalists, democracy and human rights advocates took the opportunity on Africa Day – May 25th 2019 to write an open letter to Eritrea’s President Isaias Aferwerki. It is released today Monday 10th June 2019. They requested the head of state an opportunity to visit their colleagues incarcerated in Eritrea.
In a message of solidarity with all the people of Eritrea the group appreciated the recent progress made by Eritrea in normalizing relations with Ethiopia – two of the Horn Africa’s most vital countries. They hoped this represented the a new era of deepening stability and prosperity in the region They beseeched the President to maintain the momentum of opening up Eritrea after a period of isolation that was not only a loss to Eritrea but to all of Africa. They also observed that basic freedoms and true development go hand in hand.
Additionally they expressed concern for the hostile climate that has prevailed in Eritrea especially for journalists, oppositionists, human rights activists and the proponents of democracy. They observed that many Eritreans had been incarcerated for political reasons in part creating a climate of fear that has led to considerable migration out of the proud country. Representing a cross-section of similar journalists and activists from across the African continent, they formally requested to visit their incarcerated colleagues in Eritrea to express not only their solidarity with their Eritrean brothers and sisters but to remind them that Africa will never forget or abandon them.
#PanAfricanSolidarityEritrea
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For more information contact:
Rafael Marques de Morais +244 917 242 438 (WhatsApp), Portuguese and
English
John Githongo – +254 738 5626 620 (WhatsApp), English
Farida Nabourema – +1 240 550 0665 (WhatsApp), French and English
Mohamed Keita – +1 917 526 2237 (WhatsApp), French and English
E-mail: PanAfricanSolidarity@gmail.com
Twitter: @EritreaPan
*Updated 10 June 10.27 p.m.