[this was first published in May of 2015 in objection to an attempt by some hacks to revive old partisan rivalry, and their obsession with partisan politics. Yet, they are the ones who insist on national unity and on focusing to achieve change [justice] in Eritrea. The current debates in some circles …

This was first posted on Dehai twenty-years ago (Sun, 3 Aug 1997). I was going over some old files when I accidently stumbled upon it-–I don’t remember the occasion or the inspiration that made me write it, but with minor editing, I thought it serves as an  entertainment and easy …

Clarance Darrow, the famous civil libertarian wrote, “No other offense has ever been visited with such severe penalties as seeking to help the oppressed.” He also said, “True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.” Eritrean patriots would attest to that; they have been facing injustice …

Today’s edition is very personal. I am celebrating my 87th cigarette-free day. Three-months of detoxification and I am treating myself to a cup of tea, not in the usual open air, but inside the shop. Over the years I got used to sitting outside, come rain or shine, because I …

Mr. Johar! Mr. Johar! It was Big Bird calling my name; I could see the bright red mouth when it opened its yellow beak. There was clamor, unusual  commotion for the calm Sesame Street Show. The noise became tense, and louder. Big Bird continued calling my name: Mr. Johar. Mr. Johar! When …

This edition of Negrit comes in two sections. The first is about the journey that culminated in the convening of the Nairobi meeting; the second is a postscript. I believe many are expecting my personal reaction to the “Veto” exercised against my attendance by Andeberhan at the final session of the …

The history of Eritrea in the forties cannot be remembered without mentioning the Independence Block. And that cannot be mentioned without remembering Ras Tessema Asmerom. The independence block played an important role in the struggle against Eritrea’s unconditional unity with Ethiopia. Tessema Asmerom, a member of the Akele-Guzai nobility, was …

حضرت في التاسع والعشرين من شهر أغسطس الماضي إجتماعًا بدعوة من منظمي منتدى بولونيا في أوكلاند . وكنت قد أعددت خطابًا باللغة الإنجليزية ، ولكنني قررت أن ألقيه باللغة التغرينية ، بدون التمسك بالترجمة الحرفية لما في الخطاب . لذلك لست متأكدًا ما إذا كانت كلمتي مختصرة أو مسترسلة ، …

Sometime ago I discovered Banyan is a name of a tree, but I don’t know why the Indian community that lived in Eritrea was called Banyan. As a child, I was a client of a Banyan barber until he left town. Then I shifted to Aya Estifanos, who also moved …

It’s with great pleasure that I announce that the Tigrinya translation of my last book “Miriam Was Here” is now accomplished. The translation took almost a year and another several months in editing, checking, proofreading, cover design and registration. I am also glad to announce that I received the prestigious …

I envy people who grew up watching the Pink Panther cartoon show; there was no television where I grew up. But as an adult, I avenged myself; I watched all Pink Panther shows. If you find a strange word, run for the dictionary. If you want to check a location …

Some anecdotes are timeless, I will tell you an old one: Adey Tekh’a, was a very old senile woman. A combatant asked her how old she was. She tried to remember, “Since I was baptized as Tekh’a, since I shepherded the goats. What! I could be 400 or 500 hundred …

This edition of Negarit was about to be published when the tragic events in Libya, and then the Mediterranean Sea overwhelmed us. I delayed it for a few days to give people time to mourn. Here, I would like to commend the Ethiopian government for handling the Libya massacre case …

As we push towards reconciliation, we have to expose the wounds of the past that always pop-up to hinder the journey. Real reconciliation should not be considered for the sake of political expedience alone. The festering wounds need to be recognized and healed to reach a meaningful and lasting peace. …

This is a bribe, in a nice way, the legitimate kind of bribe. I thought of offering it in preparation for the next edition of Negarit which I suppose will make a few readers uneasy. Please accept this Arabic poem which I wrote over fifteen years ago while I lived …

In a statement issued today, March 13, 2015, of which Gedab News received a copy, the Eritrean National Salvation Front (ENSF) announced that its armed unit attacked a government garage in Qohawta neighborhood, southeast of the capital city Asmara. ENSF is an Eritrean opposition organization. According to the statement, the …

Considering all the demoralizing news coming out of Eritrea one would be hard pressed to rule out Eritreans as mainly refugees and under-achievers. A demoralized and damaged people. But time and again Eritreans proved to themselves and to the world that, given a natural chance, they can excel. And excelling …

Introducing Awate 2020 Project Project end date: June 10, 2015 Dear all, As you all know, awate.com is in its fifteenth year of uninterrupted service in the struggle for the betterment of Eritrea. Over the years, we have accumulated experience, goodwill, and morale equity. At this juncture of our history, …

This chart was first published on March 4, 2007: To place the current split-merger-split phenomenon in its historical context, we began researching the preparation of this chart in 2003.  It is an ongoing project which we hope someday will appear in a book format so that a narrative can explain each …

Consider today’s Negarit edition mainly a confession booth; I hope the so-called “silent majority” would join me. But first let’s remember the phrase “silent majority” was popularized by President Nixon, who robbed the anti-war constituency of the credit for the decision to pull out of Vietnam, and countersigned that credit …