Afar Indigenous Conference: Grievances in Eritrea

On Saturday 29 June 2024, I was invited to speak at a conference organized by members of the Afar People in exile from Eritrea. Eritrea has one of the worst human rights records in the world, and has had for decades. The Afar People are amongst the most persecuted there. They are a small unique indigenous group that are bonded by history, culture, language, religion, and their shared ancestry. Afar People gathered in Ottawa to discuss their grievances and review what we have done about these grievances during the last 15 years of which I have been the Founder and President of the Can-Go Afar Foundation, a Canadian charity that provides humanitarian assistance to the Afar People.

Every year at this time the Afar gather for a conference to exchange ideas. In previous years we have travelled to make presentations at this conference in Brussels (Belgium), in Upsala (Sweden) and in Pennsylvania (U.S.A.). I was honoured to have been asked to present again as a subject knowledge expert. My presentation is attached, as are three photographs. Despite being so harmed by Eritrea (particularly), the Afar have a wonderful spirit of sharing and celebration, which was evident in the splendid culture show, the banquet and the music/dancing which followed the conference.