ИСТИНА

The emergence of Eritrea as an independent state in 1993 attracted attention of both scholars and policymakers, as it presented a good real-time opportunity to monitor the initial formation of a State in the post-Yalta-Potsdam system era with “new legitimacy” in focus. It was especially vital to observe this case of creation and development of new state institutions in Eritrea with a view to the worldwide debate on inverted legitimacy, strengths and weaknesses of authoritarian rule in a post-Cold War world and its prospects. For many researchers, the issue of a political regime type in this newly formed state became a point of divergence. Within first decade after gaining independence, paradoxically, it became clear that Eritrea’s choice was for authoritarianism, and not any other regime type. 2001 has seen the largest national and international media shutdown campaign in Eritrea for the whole period of the country’ independence. Reporters Without Borders, Doctors Without Borders, the International Committee of the Red Cross and even the United Nations have all called upon the current President of Eritrea to stop this ongoing human rights massacre, which even continues beyond Eritrea’s borders in European and Asian Eritrean diasporas. No result has been seen so far. In 2017, after 24 years of reforms, constructing policymaking under international supervision and statebuilding, Eritrea remains stable and\yet authoritarian. Surprisingly, the world has turned a blind eye to this case. Ongoing huntdown on media, political and economic freedoms and severe violations of human rights in Eritrea rarely reach the global media and only randomly receive any international spotlight. The once-democratically elected and internationally monitored regime of Isaias Afeworki – the current President of Eritrea – remains diplomatically and broadly recognized as a legitimate one, however the grievances of its people. Even the great influx of Eritrean refugees to Europe and a catastrophy near Lampeduza island of Italy did not help to attract attention to the case of illegitimacy of the incumbent government of Eritrea and its regime overall. The question then rises – why and how did this case of “Illegitimate Legitimacy” of Eritrean regime come to fruition? What are the possible scenarios and instruments of averting the present situation? This paper overlooks the 24 years’ period of developments in both foreign and domestic policies in Eritrea with focus on media control and aims to give an overview of the main pillars, dynamics of consolidating illegitimate rule as well as discontents and perspectives, of upholding illegitimate authoritarian rule in this country, with a view to implications for international response to this worst case of illegitimate rule in present-day world.