The riot in Järva is a consequence of the oppression that the regime in Eritrea has exerted on the Eritrean population for 30 years. Betlehem Isaak, daughter of journalist Dawit Isaak, who has been imprisoned in Eritrea since 2001, believes so.
The riot at Järvafältet in Stockholm took place on Thursday in connection with a festival in support of the regime in Eritrea.
A demonstration critical of the regime, consisting of several hundred people, was held in the vicinity of the festival area and it all ended with the area being stormed and a tumult ensued.
Betlehem Isaak did not participate in the demonstration herself, but she stands behind the organization that organized it. She is also the daughter of the Eritrean-Swedish journalist and writer Dawit Isaak, who has been imprisoned in Eritrea without trial since 2001.
He is the journalist in the world who has spent the longest time in prison.
“Must understand why”
Betlehem Isaak is careful to point out that she does not advocate the violence that occurred during the tumult.
– But we have to understand why it happened, she says.
– This violence arose because of a 30-year-long oppression at home in Eritrea where Eritreans are forced to flee to Sweden and other countries. These festivals are going on all over Europe and the Western governments just stand by and watch, even though we Eritreans have said that they are supporting our oppressors.
Many of those who participated in the demonstration are, according to Betlehem Isaak, relatively new arrivals in Sweden and have seen the regime’s oppression up close.
– Most of them came here because of the situation in Eritrea, people are tortured and imprisoned, there are no jobs and no food, there is no functioning healthcare or school system, she says.
Tried to stop the festival
The organization behind the demonstration has repeatedly called on Järva Folkets Park, which manages the Eggeby farm property where the festival took place, not to grant its land for the event, according to Betlehem Isaak.
– We have not received any response, but I hope they take their responsibility and explain to us Eritreans why they support fascists, she says.
New demonstrations against the festival were due to take place on Friday and Saturday, but the police have decided to withdraw the permit citing the risk of further public order problems.
However, the festival continues as planned until Sunday. Betlehem Isaak is critical of the decision.
– You have to cancel the festival, she says.
FACT Festival in Järvafältet
Festival Eritrea Scandinavia has been organized since the 1990s, according to Nyhetsbyrån Järva. The event has previously been criticized for attending to the business of the Eritrean regime. It has also been reported that the regime earns millions of kroner from the festival.
In the past, many have demonstrated against the festival under the slogan “Dawit Isaak Campaign” after the Eritrean-Swedish writer Dawit Isaak, who has been imprisoned in Eritrea without trial since 2001.
Eritrea freed itself from Ethiopia in 1993. Eritrea under the leadership of Isaias Afwerki is in practice a one-party state and one of the world’s harshest dictatorships.
Source: TT, National Encyclopedia
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