Awate Fearless News, Opinion, Analysis On Eritrea And Beyond

In this article, I want to elaborate on the theme I started with in my previous article, “Recognizing The Games Dictators Play“. My objective in bringing the issue is not to stir up old controversies or to wallow in the past but because I truly believe the past is intruding on our thoughts in a…

Have you ever wondered why dictators loom so large in all our history books and why they are so often mythologized and eulogized despite the horrors they unleash? Fear of punishment may explain the submissiveness but what explains the fascination many people have or have had with dictators past and present? More close to home:…

I wrote my introductory remarks (Part 1 of this series) on this topic before reading Saleh Y’s latest piece. Saleh’s article was published on August 30th, mine on 9/3 but I actually sent it on 9/1. So I have not read his article when I wrote my introductory remarks. Curiously, I decided to write on…

The struggle for liberty and justice did not start on September 1, 1961. The date marks the beginning of the armed struggle for independence from Ethiopia. Nor did the struggle end on Independence Day (May 24, 1991). Nor will it end when the dictatorship falls. The search for liberty and justice is an ongoing process…

In times of great distress (social, economic, or political), nations sprout two types of people: the panicky and the resolute. The panicky as the name implies are those that lose hope, courage, or confidence when “the going gets tough” and whose hopelessness deepens as the struggle drags on. They lack vision, courage, and stick-to-itiveness. Every…

One of the most astonishing phenomena of recent history is the rapidity with which former communist countries forsook communism to flock to democracy.  If success can be measured by popularity, democracy has been the most successful. According to Freedom House, 118 out of 195 countries are electoral democracies–the highest percentage since 1989[i]. From Africa to…

May 24, 1991.  Independence Day!  The memory may have faded but few will forget the joy they felt when they first witnessed or heard about the triumphant march of battle-weary EPLF soldiers into the streets of Asmara.  Across the board, Eritreans were ecstatically happy and the dancing and celebration would continue for several days. Even…

 Yosief’s Circular Journey in search of Ethiopia: an identity Crisis or just plain mischief? When I suggested ignoring Yosief Ghebrehiwet in my last article[1], I had no idea that he had already netted quite a few disciples or that his views were spreading. Since then, I learned from many quarters including from comments on my…

If you return to awate after a few weeks or even a few days it is hard to catch up but skimming quickly through some of the discussions that passed, the most outlandish was that triggered by Yosief Ghebrehiwet who unabashedly declared that the struggle for independence had been useless! Yosief writes eloquently and cleverly…

Why? When that three-letter word is uttered (or rather blurted out) by my daughter, I sometimes wish the word never existed (J).  Tell her it is time to go to bed, she wants to know why.  Explain that she needs to sleep because she will wake up early to go to school the next day, she…