Eritrea’s foreign festivals: clashes within the exile community

Abstract

The Eritrean government relies upon its substantial exile community around the world for political support and an estimated one-third of its finances. This is particularly important for President Isaias Afwerki’s government, since it is vilified by the West for its human rights abuses and subjected to a range of international sanctions. Eritrean festivals abroad, organised by Eritrea’s sole legal party since 1974, have played an important role in mobilising the diaspora. Previously these events were uncontested, helping to provide the resources that the government required to fight its numerous regional wars. However, since 2014 critics of the Eritrean government have attempted to halt the festivals, leading to increasingly ferocious clashes in Europe, North America and Israel. In the past year a new pro-government Eritrean organisation has been formed to provide security at the festivals, while two new opposition movements have been organised. Next summer’s confrontations could be even more serious.