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EMDHR Chairperson attends SADC-CNGO Workshop in Botswana

The Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (EMDHR) participated in a training workshop on conflict management, mediation, and capacity building organized by the Southern Africa Development Community Council of Non Governmental Organizations (SADC-CNGO) from 12-14 November 2013. The training was conducted in Gaborone, Batswana where the SADC–CNGO is based.


The chairperson of the EMDHR, Mr. Kulubrehan Abraham attended the three-day intensive workshop on behalf of the Movement. During the workshop Mr. Kulubrehan briefed the participants about the existing Eritrean political and humanitarian crises, and the role of the EMDHR and other Eritrean civic and opposition political parties in trying to address these challenges and bring a democratic change for the Eritrean people. Participants expressed their shock at the grim and gross human rights violations and the destruction of a nation by the one-man Eritrean “government”. They extended their solidarity and readiness in supporting the process of finding a lasting solution for the Eritrean crisis. The EMDHR chairperson also discussed the existence of division and conflict within the agents of change in Eritrea and ways to resolve differences peacefully for better democratic outcome.


The training was facilitated by experienced conflict management expert and scholar South African Dr. Gavin Bradshaw. He told the workshop that conflicts often manifest at family, organizations (civic and political), and state levels. Dr. Bradshaw further pointed out that most social conflicts are values, interests, needs, data, structural and relationships based and said that these conflicts often manifest in the form of negative attitudes, negative behaviours or contradictions. Dr. Bradshaw also gave detailed presentation about conflict management techniques (negotiation and mediation) based on practical examples from Africa and the world. The workshop highlighted the joint civic societies and churches effort in the process of democratizing Lesotho and having peaceful election in 2012 as good example. Former Ambassador of Botswana in the African Union also gave a detail presentation about the conflict in Africa and the challenges of the AU in addressing conflicts in the continent.


Mr. Kulubrehan also met the executive director of SADC-CNGOs and discussed, in great detail, the agony of the Eritrean people and the potential dangerous scenarios of Eritrea becoming another failed state unless the African Union and member states don’t take a strong stand against the one– man dictatorial rule in Eritrea. The chairperson emphasized that a democratic and stable Eritrean is not only in the interest of the Eritrean people but also of the horn of Africa region, African continent, and the world.


The workshop was attended by more than 36 representatives from governments, NGOs and churches members from South Africa,Tanzania, DRC, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Lesotho, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mozambique , Eritrea , Zambia , Namibia, Kenya, Swaziland, Gambia, Angola, and Uganda.

Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (EMDHR)

17 November 2013

South Africa

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