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The Eritrean Orthodox Church’s Statement (Translated into English by Semere T Habtemariam) In a statement issued on the occasion of Eritrea’s Martyrs’ Memorial Day, June 20th, the Arch Diocese of North America of the Eritrean Orthodox Church expressed its unequivocal support for the Year-of-Faith’s Pastoral Letter of the four bishops of the Eritrean Catholic Church.…

I was moved and inspired by the courage of the four Eritrean Catholic Bishops and felt obliged to do something, or at least, shout out the proverbial expression of solidarity, “I am an Eritrean Catholic too.” Compelled by an irresistible urge to help and promote their cause, which is Eritrea’s cause, I took it upon…

My late brother Dawit had asserted that his favorite singer, Bereket Menghisteab, is irreplaceable. Occasionally and upon the insistence of younger siblings who ganged-up on him, he had conceded grudgingly: if there is anyone who might have succeeded in attaining that same level of vocal talent and excellence, then it has to be Dawit Efem.…

My 13 year old nephew once told me that all democratically elected presidents should convene a plenary session to pass a resolution that will forbid all dictators from calling themselves presidents. Oftentimes, it takes a child to let us know that “the emperor” is naked. Perhaps it is this recognition that made the prophet Isaiah…

In a culture that is not strong on expressing gratitude the word “yeqenyeley” has evolved to mean, “Thank you,” but its initial use seems to be more selfish and self-serving. It is simply used to express a wish of re-using an item again and again. The more accurate, refined and noble word “temesgen” is used…

Tesfay W. Degiga’s Eulogy for Ahmed Nasser In Memorial Service held in Oakland, California, on April 6, 2014 (Translated from Tigrinya by Semere T Habtemariam) When the news of the martyrdom of Tegadalay Ahmed Nasser was heard, Eritreans, from all the corners of the world, have found the news utterly shocking; we all have been…

My mother was in her late teens when she came to our village as a young bride. She has an incredible memory and recalls events with great details. Over the years, that has given me the opportunity to develop intimate portraits of all the giants and dwarfs who made our village life truly idyllic—where small…

Isaias Afwerki’s twenty- two years of misrule reaffirms the old adage that revolutions, quite often, are not caused by vision-inspired or ideology-intoxicated revolutionaries but by the sheer stupidity and brutality of governments. Eritrea’s PFDJ has climbed the Everest of stupidity and brutality and won the envy of North Korea and those that have, likewise, gone…

Isaias Afwerki: the petty dictator of a once-promising small African country Eritrea. Neither his past eminence nor his present vulgar mediocrity can be denied. In fact if there is a totem that aptly describes the bald-faced gangly dictator, his rabble of gung-ho generals and his slavishly servile subordinates, it is foolishness. Whether his intellectual atrophy…

This is part three of the interview I’ve been conducting with Dr. Bereket Habteselassie. Here are the links to Part 1 and Part 2. For convenience and ease of reading, I’ve broken the final part of the interview into two parts. Here is the first installment. Semere: I know you had a really busy schedule…