Eritreans in the Netherlands hope for conviction of 'rebel leader' John Black: 'We live in fear'

Today, 07:30•

THE HAGUE - 'We live in fear here. This is a democracy, but we don't feel safe.' 30-year-old Helen is a second-generation Eritrean in the Netherlands. Her fear has nothing to do with the dictatorial regime in Eritrea, but with the so-called Brigade Nhamedu. One of the alleged leaders of that movement will hear this Monday whether he will have to go to jail for the riots of 17 February.

During the riots , outside the Opera hall in The Hague, dozens of police officers were injured. The hundreds of rioters fought with the police for more than three hours. They threw stones, beat with clubs and set fire to cars and a coach. They also tried to set fire to the Opera.

The rioters are members of the Brigade Nhamedu (BN). The alleged military leader of the BN is Yohannes A. , alias John Black . He called for the riots in a video. 'The Brigade Nhamedu is a violent movement ', he said in the video. A. will hear later today what punishment he will receive for this.

The violence was directed against the police and the visitors of an Eritrean cultural festival in the Opera. Those visitors were being chased by members of the BN on their way to The Hague. Helen* was also on her way to the festival, but when she arrived she could no longer get in.

'I saw those people on February 17 and they were ready to fight. I thought: what kind of drugs have they used? I have never been so scared in the Netherlands as I was then. It was terrifying. As if we were in a war zone.'

Not for or against

What bothers Helen is the recurring story of the BN that the cultural festivals are visited by supporters of the Eritrean dictator Afewerki, who allegedly support and finance his regime. She says about this: 'I am not that concerned with politics in Eritrea.'

'I want to celebrate my Eritreanness here in freedom, in addition to celebrating my Dutchness. It is precisely that identity that is being attacked with great violence. Flags are being openly burned and replaced with flags of Tigray and the Eritrean blue federation flag.'

Double hit

'The Brigade does not recognize our commemoration of the dead and liberation day. Even the leaders of BN say that a referendum should be held again. Destroying the Eritrean identity is ultimately their goal.'

'It hits us twice. I am Dutch and a member of the Eritrean community. I have always been taught that the Netherlands is a tolerant country and that there is no place for intimidation and violence. To now be framed here years later as a supporter of the dictator and thereby justify the violence? I have family members who were physically attacked by the BN, and now we have to justify ourselves?'

Solve here

According to Helen, much more has happened in recent years than the riots in The Hague. 'People no longer wear flags on their clothes because they are afraid of being attacked. The story is always: things are happening there, in Eritrea, but things are happening here and they have to be solved here.'

'People have been attacked on the street, end up in hospital, can no longer work, but the discussion is always about the two percent diaspora tax that we are forced to pay to the regime. With this, the media has no eye for the victims, but shows sympathy for the perpetrators. That is ridiculous. Investigate the violence! The BN is seriously underestimated.'

But Eritreans almost never report crimes because they don't know how, she says. Since the violence in 2022, dozens of reports have been filed by Eritrean-Dutch victims in Giessen, Stockholm, Rijswijk and Leeuwarden. 'There are certainly more than thirty reports to the police, but nothing was done until the police themselves were attacked in The Hague. We have been begging for justice for years.'

What bothers her is that all Eritreans in the Netherlands are now considered violent. 'We can no longer rent a hall or bus.' She also criticizes the role of some mayors.

Mayors

'In Leeuwarden the Eritrean church is being threatened, the mayor there wants to talk to the people now, but the mayor of Rijswijk did not want to talk about the Eritrean independence meeting in Event Plaza this year. Then you reward the BN and they see that violence pays. But mayors and venue owners are also being intimidated.'

'Behind the scenes, the brigade has now become so professional that they are also well represented regionally. When will the government intervene?', Helen wonders.

Attack on church

Mayor Van Zanen did a good job, according to Helen. 'At least he didn't let himself be intimidated when the Brigade asked for a ban on the party. But then he was accused of all sorts of things in the city council, so he'll think three times about it next time.'

Meanwhile, she fears for her safety and that of all Eritreans. On TikTok, calls are circulating to attack Eritrean churches. Since that actually happened in Israel a few weeks ago , resulting in two deaths and eight injuries , many people are very scared.

'That people are standing before the judge is a first step. But we should not think that this is it. They are everywhere. I really do not underestimate them anymore, but the government does not realize enough how dangerous they are. That there has to be police in Leeuwarden at a church service, which also has to be held in secret, is really unprecedented. At the same time, the Brigade organizes parties and conferences where hatred is preached and the next attempts at violence are planned.'

Helen hopes that her message will reach Dutch policymakers and the Public Prosecution Service. 'We do not want to change the opinion about Eritrea and the government. We want to live here in the Netherlands in peace and security. That is what we have been promised and taught. We behave accordingly, so government: protect us!'

* Helen's name has been changed for her safety. Her identity is known to the editors.

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