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28 impala Road, Johannesburg South Africa

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2018-11-08

THE AFRICAN ENVOY GROUP PETITIONS FOR THE RELEASE OF

ERITREA’S POLITICAL PRISONERS AMONG THEM ASTER
YOHANNES.

Foremost in the spirit of Pan Africanism and Afrocentrism we would like to

acknowledge that the State of Eritrea is one of the fastest developing countries in
East Africa and Africa.

Just recently Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrea’s President Isaias
Afewerki signed a declaration of peace in July that formally ended two decades of
hostility. Re opened borders between the two countries and reunited families that
had been separated for years.

The African Envoy Group lauds Ethiopia’s and Eritrea’s achievements in this peace
accord. We laud Eritrea’s progress in areas of maternal mortality by 75%; declined
HIV/AIDs prevalence by 49% to 0.8%; improved access to potable water to 85% and
has nearly doubled its adult literacy rates to 80%. And tremendous progress in the
agricultural sector following investment worth hundreds of millions on modernizing
the agricultural infrastructure and machinery.

H.E. PRESIDENT ISAIAH AFEWERKI’S LEADERSHIP

President Isaiah Afewerki is an extra ordinary African Leader who sacrificed a

quarter of his century as a struggle veteran and freedom fighter for the greater good
of his people and country and eventually led his people to victory.

Under the able Leadership of President Isaiah Afewerki Eritrea has seen tremendous
transformation in many different sectors.

ERITREA CONSTITUTION- Article 2- Supremacy of the Constitution

The Eritrean Constitution emphasizes its supremacy as the legal expression of the
sovereignty of the Eritrean people. The Constitution enunciates the principles on
which the State is based and by which it is guided. It is the source of government's
legitimacy and the basis for the protection of the rights, freedoms and dignity of
citizens and of just administration. Any act that violates the human rights of women
or limits or otherwise thwarts their role and participation is prohibited.

It is in this light of positive development and progress that we appeal to His

Excellency President Isaiah Afewerki concerning the plight of political prisoners and
prisoners of conscience held in detention, without trial and for very extended periods
of time. Among them Aster Yohannes.

The African Envoy Group calls on you, Mr President to exercise the powers and
duties bestowed on him as the Head of the State under Article 42 to grant pardon
and amnesty to all political prisoners, and prisoners of conscience. Just as your
fellow Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia did thus widening the
political space and bringing reconciliation and healing to families.

Mr President, we appeal to you in the name of the Late President Nelson Mandela
who envisioned an Africa that is at peace with itself and where its leaders unite to
solve our problems. Nelson Mandela who demonstrated tolerance, forgiveness
towards the very people that condemned him to prison for 27years; Nelson Mandela
taught us all, that only forgiveness leads to reconciliation. in this dispensation of Pan
Africanism and the African Renaissance the peaceful Africa we wish to build cannot
be achieved while some of our best resources, Women and Youth are languishing
behind prison walls.

We quote former President of South Africa His Excellency Thabo Mbeki speaking at
the Aljazeera Centre For Studies’ International Conference: under the theme “Africa -
dynamics of conflict, and promises of renaissance” that “Africa cannot have a just
and stable peace without the emancipation and empowerment of the women of
Africa, and their involvement as a vital and inalienable force in determining the future
of Africa, including with regard to the challenge of peace, security and stability”

Aster Yohannes and all other Women prisoners contribution to Eritrea’s growth a
country they all love can be instrumental.

Mr President please consider granting a pardon to Aster Yohannes and all other
political prisoners.

Your’s fellow African leader

President –African Envoy Group