Violent riots South Tel Aviv: Supporters and opponents of the Eritrean regime
Dajan Mengsha, the Israel-based Eritrean asylum seekers' representative, describes the situation among the Eritrean community in Israel: "There is a tense silence. It's obvious to anyone that the regime supporters will try to take revenge. Just by taking a stroll in southern Tel Aviv, you can see that neither side of the conflict walks alone, only in groups. Even business owners are in danger because they are affiliated with either group and live in fear," he says.
Read more:
At least 135 Eritrean asylum-seekers were injured during violent clashes in Tel Aviv on Saturday night after Eritrean dissidents attempted to break up a pro-regime event at the Eritrean embassy.
3 View gallery
Police officers with weapons drawn at a protest by Eritrean asylum seekers
(Photo: AP / Ohad Zwigenberg)
Mengsha claims that the asylum seekers know the situation is artificially calm at the moment thanks to the presence of the police. He predicts that "there will be a period of quietness due to the presence of the police, but it is a matter of days until the violence returns."
He describes a somber reality for Eritrean asylum seekers in Israel. "I will not be surprised if another big clash erupts, for there is no peace between us. No brothers, no cousins, no country. Nothing connects us. This arrives at the doorstep of families as well. For example, I will not be attending my pro-regime cousin's wedding. The government of Israel has to understand who we are up against. We might not have their strength, but we have no intention of giving up - we will fight until we win," Mengsha says.
Eritreans make up the majority of the more than 30,000 African asylum-seekers in Israel. They say they fled danger and persecution from a country known as the "North Korea of Africa" with forced lifetime military conscription in slavery-like conditions.
Kibrom Twelda, who works in a human rights organization and a center for refugees and immigrants, is concerned that a riot like the one on Saturday in Tel Aviv could happen again.
"The feelings in the community are mainly uncertainty, lack of security and great sadness. Sadness for the escalation of violence in these protests. This does not represent our community and we are saddened that uninvolved Israeli citizens are paying the price, even businesses. Unfortunately, this can happen again," he says.
"The dictator's supporters will plan acts of revenge. They have the financial backing to not work for a few months and make the opposition's lives miserable," according to Twelda. "This happened before, people follow you home, extreme violence, incessant threats. There is great fear among the women and the elderly and those who can't defend themselves. We all hope we won't pay for this conflict with human life."
The fact that several people refused to identify themselves shows the extent of fear that controls the community. An Eritrean father of four recounted how regime supporters wait outside people's homes. "My family escaped to Haifa. I take a cab to work and back home so I don't get beaten up," he says.
"I hear that many people want to leave Tel Aviv despite the fact that our jobs and families are here," another asylum seeker adds. "Whoever says they're not scared is lying. I'm staying despite the fear. We will not give up."