Category: Articles
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Gap in CDRiE Conference News Report
A conference organized by Citizens for Democratic Rights in Eritrea (CDRiE) was held on Jan 9, 2010. As usual participants came very late and the conference was opened about half an hour later than scheduled. Though this is typical of any Eritrean gatherings I had high expectation given its high publicity and the academic nature…
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Curse god and Die
‘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, AsfiHka mot! hade iyu Hilfetu!’ Because…
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The Politics Of Disenchantment: Seeking An Alternative
Well, 2009 has come to a close and what a year it has been! I am a regular of many Eritrean websites, particularly Awate.com, Assenna.com and to some extent Asmarino.com although mostly as an observer and occasionally as a sleepy participant. And starting last month, I have been visiting some of the paltalk homes (again…
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Roles Reversed: Now PFDJ Needs Coupons To Travel
When Shaebia came to power in 1991, we welcomed them clapping our innocent hands in delight considering that freedom belongs to the entire Eritrean people and not only to the Tegadelti. However, our optimistic expectation proved to be disappointing. They punished the Eritrean people in a series of episodes. The targets of the first blow were…
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Isaias: It Is Time to Leave
My son was surprised by the conduct of his computer rival in a chess game and he asked me: Why does my contender in the game withdraw and acknowledge defeat before the end of the play which I am about to win? I replied these are khawajat (the civilized people); they don’t scratch it to…
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In The Foxhole Where He Belongs
After the humiliating defeat of the Axis powers in the Second World War, Mussolini, Italy’s prime minister and the leader of Fascism, was captured attempting a flee to Switzerland. Of course, he was later summarily executed and his dead body brought to Milan. As the Mussolini’s corpse was displayed in public, an old woman emerged…
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The spirit of Adei Semainesh (Part II): Timely Issues
In the first Part of this series, I paid a tribute to Adei Semainesh and hoped that her spirit would guide us to understand and cherish each other across ethnic, cultural and religious divide. I commented on Ali Salem’s tone and suggested the need for a code of conduct in the Eritrean cyber space.…
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“I Thought We Were Friends…” : A Lesson From History
The rioters were small in number when this entire melee begun, around midday in the city of Urmqui, Xingjian Autonomous republic, China. But their number and their fury started to swell by the day and things become more dangerous and out of hand In that otherwise peaceful dull city of some two million. Lee Dao…
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Cabbages and Kings and Why the Sea is Boiling Hot – X
The Leadership Handicap Syndrome November 2009 has marked itself as one of those peaks when the independent Eritrean websites and talk rooms were once again boiling hot. Apparently emotions have now calmed down, a couple of admonitions have been retracted from the websites, and the dust is settling. The wish that the whole episode…
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Freedom of Expression In Eritrea’s Media: A Journalist’s Perspective
Dear Awate.com Editor and staff Greetings to you. The purpose of this writing is not to comment or write an article regarding the ever-deteriorating situation of our Eritrea, the countless undemocratic actions of the Asmara regime or other related stuff. It is also not intended to comment about the famous or infamous writer…
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The London Conference
It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it. –Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) According to an announcement on asmarino.com, a peace conference has been organised by an ad-hoc group based in London and the group is led by Paulos Tesfagiorgis,…
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In The Sprit Of Adei Semainesh (Part I)
This article is a tribute to Adei Semainesh Woldu, who also happens to be the mother of the martyr Weldedawit Temesgen, with whom my family and myself have a close relationship that stretches as far as I can remember. It is a relationship that endured the thin and the thick, the good and the difficult…
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An Altered “Interview”
Editor’s note: Over a week ago, Michael Abraha, Mike Woldu, Mike Ab and Michael Woldu (all one person) sent e-mail questions to Habtom Yohannes who replied to the written questions. Habtom read the “interview” at asmarino.com and contacted awate.com to publish the unaltered version. Here is Habtom’s explanation: “Indeed this interview needs some introduction. Some…
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The Pseudo PFDJ Cartel
I do advice you not to waste your time reading the Eritrea AlHaditha garbage of December 1st 2009, just gaze at the dim face of the bloody dictator, indicators counting down to last day, scroll down and look at the picture of a new found celebrity, a Muslim student wearing Khimar, headscarf, apparently the only…
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Human Rights in Eritrea – Facts And Fiction
There are contradictions in the ground: PFDJ horrors Versus Claims Of Human Rights Respect Propaganda all-around. Honestly, I am not a fan of the Regime and do not entertain wasting my time reading or watching its propaganda outlets but it just happened as I was surfing the web I have been lured by Awate’s…
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The Fire Next Time
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. There is no Eritrea without…
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Brussels: Excuses worse than the Sin
Competent politicians advocate for diversity and are always among the diverse constituents of their people to win their hearts and minds; they abhor disguise, the attitude of failed politicians. Many articles have been written in the past weeks that hurled stones in all directions and justified the secrecy that led to the Brussels conference. Most…
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Eritrean Democratic Struggle: The Missing Gaps
In my previous article I attempted to identify the missing gaps in our democratic struggle. From Brussels Conference (BC) we have learnt that the democratic struggle has been hampered not only by missing gaps in our knowledge of democratic struggle but also by not filling them properly. Others may reach to a different conclusion. In…
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Engaging The Brussels Belle
Of course, it is not a journey for requesting the hand of a blue-eyed blonde Brussels belle or visiting Belgians infatuated by convening conferences. I wish our brother Habtom Yohannes has left us with the information furnished by Gedab News. His “clarification” displayed his attempt to cover the gravity of the mistake they have done…
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Cabbages and Kings and Why the Sea is Boiling Hot – IX
“The time has come,” the Walrus said – “To talk of many things: Of shoes and ships and sealing wax – Of cabbages and kings And why the sea is boiling hot – And whether pigs have wings” Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll In the last two issues of this series it was…