Brezidenti Isaias Named to Lead IGAD
Usually, there are a few people who get knee jerk reaction whenever Isaias is mentioned in a negative tone or criticized. Given the situation at home, I wish they get used to it. Isaias is not your pet, but a man who is ruthlessly ruling Eritreans unelected, for a too long. It’s better to swallow your pride, subdue your ego and come out of your illusion that Eritrea belongs to you alone.
It’s easy endlessly blame everyone but yourself. Blames do not have to be a display of your claimed fairness that pushes you to apportion it equally between the culprit and the victim. Learn to point your fingers at the proper culprit. Isaias is holding the nation by a sensitive part between the legs. He cannot be equally blamed by those who are feeling the pain of his grip.
Sorry, I picked him by one ear as the Eritrean saying goes; I forgot to name him appropriately; I meant to say “Kebur Brezidenti Isaias.” Ruling the small Eritrea suffocates him, he aspires to lord over a bigger region with a bigger job title.
Thinking of a promotion for him, I think the Secretary of IGAD would sooth his discomfort. That is why I am passing a motion: All who support the nomination of Isaias to move to IGAD, raise your hands.
One, two… too many hands to count. We have a consensus! IGAD’s new secretary is unanimously voted in.
IGAD hires secretaries base on height; don’t worry, Kebur Brezident is as tall as tall as Dr. Wokneh Gebeyehu, the outgoing secretary, maybe even taller.
Please inform Dr. Wokneh to make room for the new secretary. But before leaves, he must pass a law to satisfy the condition put by the incoming secretary: IGAD headquarters must be moved to Adi Halo in the outskirts of Asmara. Now I must whisper something to the ears of Kebur Brezident, sorry, I meant to say Kebur ex-Brezidenti, or Brezidenti-neber.
From now on, no one should criticize you for mingling in other countries’ affairs. It’s the domain you rule and must not be considered interference. Some of his close associates, or those who eavesdrop on his discussions confided on me that he is planning to rebaptize his new domain as Aqranat Eritrean, or Horns of Eritrea. He is also toying with the idea of imposing a 2%, meHweyi Gebri, salvation tax, on the income of the citizens of Aqranat Eritrea. He also plans an Isaias Marshal Plan to renew everything he and his colleagues needlessly destroyed in the whole region. Finally, they told me he will appoint a general command for the prison affairs—the way the prisons are scattered everywhere, and the ever-increasing criminal population, it’s so difficult to control.
Eritreans must celebrate though the new position is still too small for Kebur Brezidenti. That position might soothe his ego until we create a larger domain—maybe expand it to include the Eastern side of the Red Sea. But we must also feel proud we saved him the embarrassment of only ruling over Eritrea. Didn’t you observe how he cringes when talks about Eritrea? He goes through a lot of pain when mentioning its name “enda tetseyene.” That is why he always refers to it as far-far entity: eza Hager, neza Hager, abza hager! This country, for this country, in this country! See how painful it’s for him to mention Eritrea.
The pain must end. Therefore, I am kindly demanding from you, Kebur Brezidenti, to wash your hands off the small country and its ungrateful people. Thanks to the efforts by myself and my colleagues, you now have a bigger Aqranat Eritrea, which should fit you for a fer years until we secure a larger domain for your ego.
But the Arabs say, awelu sherT akheru nur—an agreement at the beginning makes what follows bright.
I also have one final request; it is not a demand. I am eager to get into his mind and see what goes on in there. But I want to see it as it was in 1991 to know how it has progressed! Going to the era before 1991, is boring and lethal. I do not need to revisit that. Note: please don’t eavesdrop, I will report to you everything after finding out what was going in there.
Kebur Brezidenti, I don’t think you remember when I attended two meeting with you in Bayan Palace in Kuwait. The PFDJ sheriffs there selected me and about 25 other people for “a privileged meeting with Kebur Brezidenti” as they put it. I asked you why you didn’t take even a small step to reconcile with the political forces. You were euphoric and thought all Eritrean were behind you on everything you did, right or wrong. Your thermometer only the temperature of your partisan loyalists; you believed that temperature was the reading of all Eritreans. Of course you remember, Ambassador Mohammed Omer Mahmoud who was visibly annoyed by my remark. He whispered something to your ears; I almost sure he tried to dissuade you from replying to my comment. I was glad you ignored him, and I thank you for that, belatedly.
However, your reply was unbecoming and raised a red flag in my mind. Your usual lengthy defensive explanation was more of a statement, and it stands out to this day. You said, we did everything for them, we sidelined our people and gave them, position, we ignored our own and appointed them to positions, etc. I still do not understand how some were “your own” and others were charity receivers, they got what they got because you are generous.
I have seen those you didn’t consider your own living as strangers in Free Eritrea. Most of the few you tried to assimilate were thrown in jail and some have died. Still, others escaped out and are living all around the world. Even the few that were given better positions are now your enemies. But their situation is not the main issue, but the thinking you instilled among Eritrea. Today, your loyalists feel they own Eritrea while the others cannot distinguish between your governance and that of the occupier who were removed in 1991.
Your supporters have adopted you posture and the crooked thoughts you promoted. We and Them is prevalent in the Eritrean political landscape. You solidified the belief that those are your own have more rights than those are not. It’s such deep bias and the attitude that you, knowingly or unknowingly, promoted. It has become one the most lethal weapon in your arsenal; it has damaged the Eritrean social cohesion and is mainly used against those who are not “Your own.”
The second meeting was at the same Bayan Palace but in a different hall. There also I was one of a dozen or so who had the privilege to be invited to attend. You sat at a panel with a few of your ministers—there was Saleh Kekia who you made to disappear for over two decades and he is widely believed to have died in your custody. The others I don’t remember but I tend to think one was the late Berhane Abrehe. I noticed that they stared at us, but none said a word even when the issue concerned their ministries.
Again, asked you question which was almost similar as my question in the first meeting (my main issue was and is reconciliation as many know). Your long-winded and slippery comments had nothing significant that I could remember.
Once out of the meeting, Saleh Kekia sternly chastised me for saying what I said. I challenged him: why were you sitting there if none of you had to say something that concern your sphere of responsibility? You sit there like baboons and leave Isaias micromanages and responds on your behalf?
For those who don’t know, Saleh Kekia is like my older brother, a neighbor that I knew him since I was a child, and I considered him part of my bigger family. He also studied in Bahr Dar with my older brother. But that day, I think I was a little rude and hurt his feeling. I still regrate it.
Kebur Brezident, I can talk about my misgivings about you and your ruling party for days to no end. But talking, advising, appealing, and criticizing hasn’t yielded satisfactory results, and I don’t think it will. But I will still summarize them in three points hoping it will get through to you.
- PARANOIA: The PFDJ is known for its knee-jerk reactions and confrontational attitude towards the West. You exaggeratedly consider the UN a tool of the West, and that both are obsessed with weakening Eritrea! Yes, that is somewhat understandable. But it’s natural that the countries sustaining the UN to have more leverages. They even have Veto Power! You must come to terms with that and try to ameliorate its impact on Eritrea, diplomatically, with tact, in way that doesn’t multiply the number of countries that despise Eritrea or increase its enemies. So far, you have been planting suspicions and anxiety in the mind of many Eritreans who openly exhibit the PFDJ’s paranoia towards the UN agencies, the West, and other countries. The PFDJ’s tone (when mentioning the West and the UN agencies) is combative, dismissive, and worrying. And what does Eritrea get from that posture? More damages.
- RECONCILIATION: The rift among Eritreans that we see is inspired by you and your party’s culture. At least you are keeping it alive instead of trying to remedy it. When will you recognize that the root cause of Eritrea’s disarray is your unchecked power? The suffering of the citizens, the injustices being committed on Eritrean, the economic meltdown that never showed any sign of improving, the arrogance and bravado overwhelming out rhetorics, etc. is all a reflection of the PFDJ behavior and attitude. The mentality of the rank and file within your party is almost the manual of your governance. And that is the main Eritrean problem.
- TACTFUL DIPLOMACY: Good relations with countries and international entities like UN and its Agencies is vital for the development and stability of any nation. The impact of the major agencies is visible for all to see. Beneficiaries must be magnanimous and show gratefulness. You must support the entities’ activities as member state and beneficiary of the UN and others. But what’s your problem with the UN and the Western nations, particularly of the USA? Find that out, analyze it objectively with the interest of Eritrea at heart, and involve yourself to resolve it in whatever way you think is workable. But don’t make things worse.
Conclusion: Over the years I have observed scandals and mane more that makes me cringe. Your deputies are either too timid, cowardly, or too opportunistic to tell you what you need to hear on your face; it is oblivious they do not offer bold, proper, diplomatic, and ethical advice—certainly they are afraid not to face the fate of their colleagues who did so.
I have not seen the PFDJ being grateful for any foreign support but stealthily take the credit for everything they do. You don’t even mention the projects are funded by UN and Western countries let alone the vital support and aid by the likes of the Catholic church, Scandinavian, or other less visible charitable work. I believe that has been your main, consistent, shortcoming.
Mr. Brezidenti, sorry to break it to you for the umpteenth time, but that’s what you have been managing for too long. Your deputies and most loyalists know it, but they will never openly talk about it let alone tell you that. It’s time to clear the way for others and usher the country to Ber’el Amman, safe shores, your favorite phrase. Give Eritreans a chance to rediscover themselves without fear and oppression. Importantly, in case of any eventuality, you owe it to the patient citizens of Eritrea; leave the country in a safe and navigable road. Have mercy, do not leave it hanging over a cliff.
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