Widening disapproval for the leadership of Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization’s
(RSADO) Chairman
January 6th 2015,
Logiiya, Afar, Ethiopia:
Reliable sources from the region suggest widening disapproval for the leader of (RSADO) Red
Sea Afar Democratic Organization’s Mr. Ibrahim Harun. The Afar opposition leader and his
grassroots support from within the military leadership, Eritrean Afar refugee activists, Afar
traditional elders and other Afar opposition movements have been embroiled in a deep dispute
over his Ibrahim’s undemocratic leadership style.
The latest dispute comes at the time when RSADO chairman Mr. Ibrahim Harun gave a media
interview to Sudan Tribune in which he claimed to have carried out an attack that killed 7
Eritrean intelligence agents in the area called Adi-Kala (outside Afar region) Eritrea. See Sudan
Tribune link here http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article53429
Apparently, the rank and file in the military personnel was upset with the Chairman for not
advising them on the recent military operation. One source even suggested that Mr. Harun is
engaged in matters “alien to Afar self-determination and instead advancing the interest of NonAfars”, a clear rebuff referring to military attack that was carried-out outside Afar
homeland(Dankalia) in Eritrea. The Afar opposition group to Eritrean government has previously
declared to defend the lives and territory of the Red Sea Afar people who are under continuous
threat and repression inside Eritrea.
In late Oct, 2014, our organisation (Eritrean Afar State in Exile, EASE) has raised the concern
over Chairman’s (Ibrahim Ibrahim) undemocratic behaviors to Deputy Foreign Minister of
Ethiopia, Ambassador Berahane Gebre-Christos, as well as to the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
In a letter to UN, EASE accused RSADO of political interference and abuse related to Eritrean
refugees’ food rations and other forms of intimidation. http://www.erigazette.org/?p=8395
See the link below for a letter to Deputy Foreign Minister-Ethiopia, Berahne Gebre-Christos,
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eritrean-Afar-State-in-ExileEASE/396338647172315?sk=app_125741090808900
Also in Oct- 2014, our organization obtained a video recording of a meeting chaired and
organized by Ethiopia based group and its Harun and his deputy, where they call to assassinate
the leadership of other Afar opposition group (EASE), See the link to YouTube video
here: http://youtu.be/AqpBm9dd550
We will continue to inform the Eritrean Diaspora and the international community on latest
development on this developing situation.
The Eritrean Afar State in Exile (EASE)
Information division,