Author: Ismael Ibraheem Al-Mukhtar
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The “Darling of Asmara” Finally Rests in Peace!
On a summer day in Cairo, I went to the zoo in the Giza area with my older sister, Fatima, and her three children. While we were wandering in the zoo, we reached the horse-riding area. The norm for the visitors was to ride the horse with the assistance of a worker and to proceed
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A Return of Sorts to Religion
In a much-publicized recent religious event at the Anda Mariam Tewahdo church, many of the top Eritrean officials were seen at the forefront, solemnly bowing and kissing the cross. In principle, such an occurrence shouldn’t be unusual in a country with a mix of Christians and Muslims. Adherents to faith, regardless of their social status,
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The myth of the “pure Eritrean.”
Eritrea, given its strategic location on the Red Sea, has been a gate to Africa and a destination for various migrants and seekers of better opportunities. Eritrea’s association with migration goes deep in history and the Eritrean ethnic composition was formulated over centuries of migrations, intermarriages, and resettlements. Beginning with the indigenous communities who mingled
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Uthman Sabe, A Towering Intellectual and a Prolific Writer!
Uthman Sabe was a household name in Eritrea in the ‘70s and ‘80s and his legacy remains to be one of the most profound and enduring. Sabe has left indelible mark on the contemporary Eritrean history. No book on Eritrean struggle from the ‘60s onward can be complete without the mention of Sabe. To many
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Book Review: The History of Bilen (by Dr. Jamil Idris)
Book Title:The History of Bilen, past and present Pages. : 245 Publisher: Dar Alma’arif, Aljeria, 2018 Language : Arabic (تأريخ البلين ـ الماضي والحاضر ) Author. : Dr. Jamil Idris Reviewer : Ismael Ibrahim Al-Mukhtar Diversity is a social treasure with immense power to enrich, enlighten and broaden social perspectives. Reversely, it could be a social poison
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The Lost Words of Yohannes IV and Abiy Ahmed!
In December 1888, Yohannes IV, the emperor of Abyssinia wrote an unusual letter to his Mahdist rivals in Sudan. Along with the Italians, the Mahdist were his arch enemies and major challengers. In his lengthy letter, Yohannes IV, called on Abu-Anja, a Mahdist leader, to end their rivalry and establish peace between them. His letter
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On the 50th Anniversary of a Founding Father, Hajj Sulieman Ahmed Omar!
On a typical quiet day in Asmara, hours before the sunset, a group of men came to our home, located on Leonardo Da Vinci Street. None of the men were familiar to me, except for one. He was the tallest among them; he was wearing a colourful turban, a white Jalabia and a classic coat
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The Debate Over Arabic Language in Eritrea!
Orally told stories relate a conversation that took place in the first parliament in Eritrea in the 1950s. During a heated parliamentary debate on the official languages of Eritrea, a member of parliament from the Independence Block stood up to speak in favour of adopting Arabic as the second official language of Eritrea. As he
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The Asmara “Lockdown”!
The world today is in a lockdown and under quarantine. Millions across the world are confined to their homes, travel is restricted, streets are deserted, businesses are closed, schools are suspended, supplies are running short and morgues are full of dead bodies. Many have lost their livelihoods, their loved ones and their sense of security.
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25 Years of Disappearance, a Tragedy of a Man or a Nation?
May 1991 was an extraordinary year for all Eritreans. It was the year in which Asmara was liberated and Mengistu’s army was routed. Eritreans were ecstatic, they saw the fruition of their 30 years of struggle and the fulfillment of their dream. Discussions were abound among Eritreans in diaspora about going back home, rebuilding
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The Challenges of Fair Representation in Eritrean Politics
In early 2019, two Eritrean political events took place within a short period of time. The first was a London conference jointly organized by an NGO group, Eritrea Focus, and Institute of Commonwealth Studies. The second was the national congress of the Eritrean National Council for Democratic Change (ENCDC), held in Sweden. A common criticism
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A Letter from a Martyr!
I am an “Asmarino”, born and raised in Asmara. My father was a senior government bureaucrat. We lived in the affluent neighbourhood of “Tiravolo”. I was enrolled in a private Italian school, “Botego”. My father wanted me to be “ingegnere”. He promised me that as soon as I finish my high school, he would send
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Hate Speech Within Eritrean Communities
On March 15, 2019 New Zealand was rocked by a cowardly attack on two of its mosques, fifty innocent Muslim worshipers were gunned down and many others injured. The attack targeted Muslim worshipers as they were gathering for their weekly Friday (Jummaa’) prayers. This callous attack wasn’t the first of its kind on a place
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The Game Is Over!
The speech delivered by the president of Eritrea, Mr. Isaias Afwerki, on Martyrs’ day – June 20, 2018 – was a much anticipated speech. The speech came shortly after the peace overtures made by the new prime minister of Ethiopia, Dr. Abiy Ahmed. Expectation were abound that the speech of the president will include a
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A Celebration with a Different Flavour!
Congratulations to all! May the 24th is a day of celebration and great pride for all Eritreans all over the world. The celebration is well deserved and fittingly earned. It came after a lengthy, painful and costly sacrifice by every segment of the Eritrean society. No segment alone can take credit for the accomplishment of
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Book Review: Red Sea Citizens by Dr. Jonathan Miran
BooK: Red Sea Citizens Author: Jonathan Miran Pages: 401 Year: 2009 Publisher: Indiana University Press Dr. Johnathan Miran is Assistant Professor of Islamic Civilization in the
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Bridging the Intellectual Gap
In a book review article authored by Dr. Bereket Habteselasse and published in Awate.com on August 11, 2017, Dr. Bereket concludes his book review with the following appeal: “I also issue a personal appeal to Eritrean scholars, particularly Muslim Eritreans, to write biographies of Ibrahim Sultan Ali, Abdulkadir Kebire, Idris Awate and other great leaders
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Eritrea’s Democratic Credentials!
During the United Nations deliberations on the future of Eritrea in the 1950s, one particular claim was made consistently to justify the annexation of Eritrea to Ethiopia. This claim was economical in nature and it maintained that Eritrea was a poor country that can’t sustain itself as an independent nation. This claim was sarcastically refuted
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Eritrea’s 150th Anniversary!
My adopted nation, Canada, recently celebrated its 150th anniversary on July 01, 2017. The celebration was huge, passionate and colorful. Even though Canada wasn’t the place of my birth, I passionately celebrated this anniversary. Canada has offered me its citizenship, education, health care, opportunities and rights that were denied to me elsewhere. Most importantly, Canada,
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The Eritrea of “Adey Hana”!
I was born and raised in the city of Asmara. Asmara in those days was a bustling multicultural and multi-faith city. My friends, class mates, neighbors and soccer team players came from different backgrounds. Included among them were Yemenis (Hadarem), Italians, hybrid Italians (Hanfes), Amharas, Greeks, Indians (commonly known as Baynan) as well as Muslims,