A note about RICE in Europe
Dr Berhane Woldemichael
12 August 2020

In an International Conference on Eritrean Studies held in Asmara in 2016, Mr Arefaine Berhe presented an overview of the Research and Information Centre on Eritrea (RICE) from 1979 to 1989.

RICE actually existed until liberation in 1991 and the hope was that it will continue to function with even greater vigour in post independent Eritrea. Unfortunately, RICE was unceremoniously disbanded and no explanation was given for that action.
During the liberation struggle, RICE had active embers with established Chapters in the United States and many European countries. I joined RICE UK in 1985 and when G, I became its de facto coordinator in Europe which was confirmed in 1988 when I was elected through a democratic process by members. During this period, the United States chapter was headed by Dr Araya Tseggai, who edited the popular quarterly Journal of Eritrean Studies.
After I attended the RICE conference held in the liberated area of Eritrea in 1988, which was not long after the famous defeat of the Ethiopian Nadew command and witnessed at first hand the dedication of the Eritrean fighters,  I had decided to serve the EPLF full time.

That had actually meant disbanding the PhD research that I was pursuing at the time.
During my time as the Coordinator of RICE in Europe, a quarterly RICE Bulletin and occasional research papers were being produced regularly. Most importantly too, RICE was mobilizing professional Eritreans and enabled them to directly participate with research and development work in the then liberated parts of Eritrea under the EPLF. 

Why was RICE, the great institution that had the potential to be of invaluable service to the country, disbanded after liberation? Perhaps nobody saw it then, but it was the beginning of the dictatorship that Eritrea had been so unfortunate to be ruled under ever since