“Two monks were on a pilgrimage. One day, they came to a deep river. At the edge of the river, a young woman sat weeping, because she was afraid to cross the river without help. She begged the two monks to help her. The younger monk turned his back. The … more
[awate.com notes: On August 17, the Winnipig Free Press reported on the efforts of Hidmona Eritrea-Canadians Human Rights Group of Manitoba to call on the Canadian government to comply with its own laws and not allow individuals like Zemehret Yohannes, who is in charge of Eritrean ruling party's "Research and … more
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible…” Mahtama Ghandi (1869-1948) The End of Zenga-Zenga Rule Easily, though respectfully to the other Arab Spring revolutions, Eritreans … more
Dear Eritrean Youth, I feel your pain; I feel your pain. Oh, Sunset’s Children! Remember the 80s, waiting for the ‘To’Qae’! Remember when we hoped for the coming of our older brothers and sisters. Remember when we prayed. We saw tomorrow. Remember when we fought our own little battles, in … more
Prelude: The Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak was forced to make “concessions” (please! I can’t overemphasize the importance of them quotation marks) to the historic protests currently unfolding in his country. After report of major announcement was coming up from the Egyptian leader, the protesters were eager to hear them. So … more
….Christmas has come a long way from its Pagan origins. Hmmm! May be not….. Ruhus beAl Lidet ! “…A child will be born to us, a son will be given to us.” Is. 9:6. I have always loved Christmas. That is not what I meant. I have always loved ‘Lidete- … more
1. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 2. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 3 .For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of … more
2009-2010 was a hectic year for Eritrean internet writers, users and abusers, even by Eritrean internet standards. With due regard to the seriousness of our discourse, I attempted to satirize, and caricaturize supposed dominant themes of our writers in an effort to lighten our mood and exact some … more
This installment is about two chickens and a latteria; about ‘they may have come through us but they are neither for us nor of us’; and most importantly why we the opposition need two eggs and why omelet is bad for your health, civic health that is. KY: The … more
“In ages to come, it is up to one lapsed young ‘Haleqa’, to take the melodic wealth of ‘Ge’ez’ from vicinities of monasteries to the streets of Babylon, the uncharted territory of the secular world, risking excommunication and cursing. No, no, that is more than Teddy Afro’s “Abugida”. When that … more
‘Curse god and die’ has evolved from an imprudent advice of an embittered wife of a patient patriarch to ascent to be the chief foreign policy of Eritrea vis-à-vis the temporal god, the United States of America. Curse this god and say it as loud as you can, ‘Tekormika mot, … more
Muslim-Christian, Kebesa-Metahit, as we know is the only single most important issue since Eritreans gathered to mark the destiny of the nation: since 1941 till Now. All other issues, even those considered important like the border issue, the language issue, are child’s play compared to the very foundational nature of Eritrea. … more
This short essay was written sometime in 2004. If what we knew were the only guideposts for reality, the innocent knowledge before knowing the ugly truths and other side of the coin would be it. That other side hosts the grotesque, the depressing, the confusing, the deleterious… … more
The decade 2000-2010 hosted milestone events in Eritrea’s recent past; yet mostly disappointing. Coming on the heels of the optimism, pride and peace of 1990s, the decade 2000s, without question, has been a turbulent time for Eritrea and Eritreans. It is more reminiscent of our bloody past than the neighbourly … more