Category: Articles
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Obscenities
I came across this story long time ago, when a knowledgeable man, an Eritrean, was using it as an allegory to a real life-situation he was delineating. In the context of his topic, the story seemed to lock to the situation firmly and portrayed its details in a true and revealing analogy. The story, though…
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Two Prominent Eritreans Die In Exile
The Eritrean opposition has suffered another loss today: Dr. Habte Tesfamariam, one of the most prominent leaders of the Eritrean opposition, has died in Frankfurt, Germany. Dr. Habte had traveled to Germany in March last year when he fell ill. During the last three-days, he had recuperated and was planning to return to his work…
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The Art of Dialogue in Tigrinya Language
For the benefit of those who may not know where Senafe is, here is an important synopsis relevant to this article. According to Wikipedia, Senafe is a “market town in southern Eritrea, on the edge of the Eritrean Highlands. The surrounding area is inhabited by the Saho people and the Tigrinya people”. In other words,…
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Mr. Sied Mohammed Ali Awarded the 2016 Hummed Neberai Scholarship
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, December 30, 2016 Contact: Norai M. Ibrahim, Spokesperson and PR Officer Neberai Foundation, Hummed Neberai Scholarships (HNS) norai@neberai.com Mr. Sied Mohammed Ali Awarded the 2016 Hummed Neberai Scholarship The Neberai Foundation, administrator of the Hummed Neberai Scholarships (HNS), is pleased to announce that Mr. Sied Mohammed Ali of Ala-Bolsoto, Eritrea has won…
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Christine Umutoni In Eritrea: Another Abuser of UNDP Mission
The global mission of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is poverty reduction, fighting HIV/AIDS, promoting democratic governance, energy and environment, and social development, crisis prevention and recovery, encouraging the protection of human rights, and the empowerment of women. Such noble mission is non-existent in Eritrea. Thanks to the resident UN Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP-Eritrea…
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Soulmates: Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Isaias of Eritrea
[Apologies: apparently the video that was linked to here seems to have been pirated. The full version is now not accessible. The clip above is the trailer of the documentary which is available on Netflix.] Many people like to compare countries, that is why you hear Eritrea is the North Korea of Africa. That comparison…
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Gejeret 1975: Life Under Mengistu’s Derg
If you are from Gejeret, then you might remember where the residents of that neighborhood in Asmara found refuge in 1975. I was one of those who took refuge at San Francesco or Collegio La Salle, which was administered by the Kerenite Fratelli, Fr. Michael, Fr. Kahsay, Fratello Beyene, and Fr. Demsas. Later, I heard…
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Recognizing Individuals: A Step Towards Transparency
Let’s pause and consider ourselves and identify “who is who” among those who are making history, by being in the foremost list of activist leaders, in the quest of justice for Eritrea. In today’s Eritrean political mindset, many may feel discomfort when individual dissidents are picked from the crowds of justice seekers pool. Though these…
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USE: The United States of Eritrea
Currently Eritrea is ruled by an undemocratic regime that, can’t be reformed, continues to violate basic human rights, and is unable to provide even bare necessities for most its citizens. And it has been condemned by human right organisations and the United Nations. Dwelling on that however, does not help. Instead, I would rather focus…
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Anatomy of a Proverb
I had a relative who won all her arguments, thanks to her toolbox full of proverbs and parables which she used naturally and effectively. I think now, in retrospect, that for her to have won all those arguments, she must have followed techniques whereby each argument is forced to turn itself to an angle which…
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Abyssinia-(Al Habasha) Origins and Language
*Introduction: Conducting a discourse on language in Eritrean context in dispassionate manner had proven next to impossible – if past experiences are any guide. But hope is not lost, as sheer coincidence would have it, recently, EMDHR sponsored seminar via PalTalk that took place earlier this month, and it was refreshing to hear Dr. Chefena’s approach on language…
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Eritreans Mobilized For Justice In New York
First I would like to thank the organizers of the New York demonstration for showing their respect for humanity and saying no to injustice in Eritrea. The focus of my message is why this demonstration was vital and why it concerns all Eritreans and why they came together to send a message of solidarity to…
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Eritrean Youth: The Lost Generation
Many of us living overseas have conducted ourselves in such a way that we remained true to our Eritrean heritage. We unswervingly rallied behind the preservation of the very spirit that sustained the independence struggle. We, overwhelmed by the spirit of the ‘gedli’ era, cherished liberty as a heritage of all Eritreans everywhere as we…
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Confessions of A Recovering Addict: It was All for the Chicks
I relished it and my friends provided it. Truth be told, I was addicted, but it was all for a good cause, it was to impress the girls. I was in love and addicted to two cousins, but they manifested through one person. It was in unlikely place that I first noticed Leila, she was…
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The Role of the Elite In Leading Their Communities
The following post appeared on September 1, 2016, on Ismael Gabayta’s facebook page. Awatestaff took the initiative and translated it into English for the benefit of its readers. The original Arabic content by Ismael was slightly altered to avoid Arabic verbosity and be better understood by the English reader. Omissions and translation errors, if any,…
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Book Review: Loubet AlMaghzal By Haji Jabir
Title of the book: “Lubetu Almghzal”( The game of the spinning wheel) Author: Haji Jaber Language: Arabic Number of pages: 208 Published July 27th 2015 by Arab Cultural Center, Beirut, Lebanon. I read Haji Jaber’s third novel “Loubet Almaghzal” in which he narrates deeply and brilliantly about some diaries lost; diaries that make the history and memory…
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A Very Untimely Article
The American 2016 Election: A white woman on the top, a white man at the bottom. Hilary Clinton is poised to become the first female president, but a white woman on the top with a white man at the bottom is not history making. It is not even history repeating itself much less making it.…
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Testimony of Khaled Beshir, Ph.D.
Testimony of Khaled Beshir, Ph.D. Board Member, Awate Foundation Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 2:00 PM Hearing before the House Committee on foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations “Eritrea: A Neglected Regional Threat” Thank you Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Bass, and Members of the Subcommittee for giving me…
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“Eritrea: A Neglected Regional Threat”
The US Congress’ Foreign Affairs Committee will have a hearing on Eritrea under the title, “Eritrea: A Neglected Regional Threat”. The sub-committee hearing will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 2 pm Eastern. We hope to be able to link the live stream of the hearing on Eritrea from the Foreign Affairs Committee website…
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Challenges of Justice & Democracy In Ethiopia
Voices of justice and democracy are challenging modern Ethiopia. The adoption of “democracy” in the system of governance is becoming highly volatile in today’s political life. Despite its theoretical connotation and rationale, its notion has been devalued as a simple commodity that wishy-washy politicians sell to ordinary citizens. Instead of a justifiable system of governance,…