Two Popular Eritrean Singers in London

Berhe (Wedi Jeddah) and Kahsay Berhe, the two popular Eritrean musicians who are living in London, United Kingdom as refugees from Isaias Afeworki’s Eritrea dictatorship, are to appear at an Independence Day Celebration called ‘20 Years of Pride’, on  21 May 2011, at TROXY, 490-Commercial Road, London, E1 0HX.

Is it not singularly inappropriate to celebrate by Dancing and Singing at a time when so many Eritreans are mourning the 400 or more who gave their lives in an attempt to escape from the tyranny of today’s Eritrea?

It seems to be a contradiction that two people who fled their country and are still living in exile should be part of an event at which money is raised to support the very system that made them seek Political Asylum in the first place. These two entertainers were luckiest than the 400 but they fled for exactly the same reasons.

There is no question that the situation in Eritrea has not improved; in fact, it is worse than ever. Both entertainers must be aware of this and they know what they are doing.

Kahsay Berhe even went to Geneva in February 2010, to oppose the UN Sanctions against Eritrea. How can somebody live in the UK with Political Refugee Status whilst simultaneously supporting the regime he escaped from?

Many Eritreans in diaspora are under pressure from Eritran embassy staff and PFDJ Cadres. However, this in no way justifies an event that will raise money to support terrorist acts by the Eritrean regime which in turn, support Al Shebab in Somalia.
 
Let Kahsay and Berhe be warned that the Home Office in UK will be informed and that this may lead to their eventual return to a country where there are hundreds of thousands of people starving, languishing in jails, tortured, and killed despite having committed no crime. This is the regime they are celebrating, and this is where they belong.

Concerned Eritreans