Jihad Islammiya, which has changed its to the "Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement" (EIJM) is an armed opposed group largely based in Sudan (The Political Handbook of the World 1999, 314; Amnesty International 1999; News Asmario, 15 Mar. 2000; Nida'ul Islam Magazine, Mar. 1998). Although based in Sudan, it denies that it is sponsored by Sudan (The Political Handbook of the World 1999, 314; World Vision U.S. 1996).

World Vision U.S. states that

the Eritrean government also charges that paid mercenaries including Afghans, Moroccans, Algerians, Eritreans, and Sudanese have been responsible for terrorist activities such as planting of land mines in Eritrean territory, especially in farming and pastoral areas; attacks on civilian buses and killing of innocent passengers; arson against farms and destruction of water pumps (ibid.).

According to a member of the EIJM, the movement "sprung up in the context of Eritrean politics. It was a manifestation of the grievances against the politics of the EPLF that were pent-up and finally burst in some Moslem communities" (News Asmario, 15 Mar. 2000).

In an interview with Nida'ul Islam Magazine, the deputy Amir of the EIJM said that "the EIJM seeks to change and reform in accordance with the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (s.a.w), this can be summarised into basic aspects, Da'wa and Jihad" (Mar. 1998). The deputy Emir explained that the EIJM represents "the only military option" against the "Christian regime" which it accuses of "pointing its guns to the hearts of the unarmed Muslim citizens in order to forcibly conscript Eritreans into the army" (ibid.). The deputy Emir also said that "the regime regards every Muslim who practises his religion and adheres to its obligations and cares for his honour as a danger, so they filled their prisons with the pious Muslims, teachers, students, politicians, leaders and common people, in order to arrest their fear" (ibid.).

The EIJM was born out of a merger of two political Islamic groups: the National Islamic Front for the Liberation of Eritrea (Jabha Atahrir Al-Eritrea Al-Wataniya Al-Islamiya) and the Islamic Vanguard (AL-Ruward Al-Muslmin), which were formed in July 1982 (News Asmario, 15 Mar. 2000).

The political Islamic groups were reportedly insensed by the Eritrean People's Liberation Front's (EPLF) recruitment of Muslim men and also women in violation of Muslim principles. Appeals were made to the EPLF to not draft women but, "the EPLF authorities refused to heed the appeals and proceeded to take the women as well. The People in the concerned communities rose to resist the draft and in many places fought using whatever means they had. The EPLF teams opened fire and people were killed" (ibid.).

Consequently,

they propagated that the EPLF was violating (indeed) the Islamic tradition by recruiting women into the army; that it was killing Moslems who were only defending their way of life; that it was demonstrating condescension towards Islam and preparing to do away with it in Eritrea. As a result of this campaign an organisation by the name of "the Popular Islamic Committee for the Defense of Oppressed Eritreans" (Al-lijna Al-Islamiya A-Shaibiya Leldifai An Al-Mustadafin) was formed in Septemper 1988. In November 1988 an organisation called "Committee of Islamic Harmony" (Lijna Al-Wfak Al-Islamiya) was set up in the community of Eritrean refugees in the Sudan.

Finally, a movement arose to unify the old and the new Islamist organisations. Hence, between the 23rd and the 30th of November 1988 the two organisations formed in 1982 and those set up in 1988 held a unity congress. The outcome of this congress was the organisation now known as the Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJM), hereafter referred to as the Islamic Jihad (ibid.).

According to The Political Handbook of the World,

in August 1993 the military wing of the EIJM announced from Saudia Arabia that it had dismissed its Political Bureau, headed by Sheikh Mohammed Arafa, for having established contact with the Eritrean government. For his part, Arafa continued to claim leadership of the group. The factions each operated under the EIJM label until 1998 when it was reported that the military wing had restyled itself the Eritrean People's Congress (EPC), while Arafa's followers had reorganized under the banner of the EISM. Despite their differences, both groups agreed to join the AENF (Alliance of Eritrean National Forces (AENF) (ibid.).

Amnesty International states that in 1999, the ruling People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDS) faced "armed opposition" from the EIJM, which has been renamed the Islamic Salvation Movement, and the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) both based in Sudan (ibid.). This situation continued to prevail in the year 2000 (ibid., 2000). Amnesty states that "some civilians were allegedly killed unlawfully by both government and members of the EIJM (ibid., 1999) but "allegations of arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial executions of suspected rebel supporters in the conflict areas bordering on Sudan were impossible to verify" in 2000 (ibid., 2000).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Amnesty International. Amnesty International Report 2000. "Eritrea." http://www.web.amnesty.org/web/ar2...3587b802568f200552920?OpenDocument [Accessed: 15 Mar. 2000]

_____. Amnesty International Report 1999. "Eritrea." http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/aireport/ar99/afr64.htm [Accessed: 15 Mar. 2001]

The Political Handbook of the World 1999. 2000. Edited by Arthur Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.

News Asmario, n.d. "The Eritrean Islamic Jihad: Genesis and Developments." http://news.asmarion.com/twgah'mo/Comments/Chapter6/33.asp [Accessed: 15 Mar. 2001]

Nida'ul Islam Magazine. February-March 1998. "The Governing Regime is a Terrorist Regime Which Acts With Enmity Against the Eritrean People." http://www.islam.org.au/articles/22/eritrea.htm [Accessed: 15 Mar. 2001]

World Vision U.S. 1996. "Sudan: Regional Tensions: Eritrea" http://worldvision..org/worldvi...c481b8825658a006d9dd6!Open Document [Accessed: 15 Mar. 2001]