A Patriot in a Nation of Nationalists: The Legacy of Teklenkiel Gebru
A historical and cultural analysis of Asmera’s colonial hierarchy, exploring how Teklenkiel Gebru’s early music captured Eritrean marginalization…
Semere T Habtemariam12 min read
Perspective
Nothing here yet.
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The Measure of a Nation: Wedi Gebru and the Price of Patriotism
A deep, reflective conclusion to the Wedi Gebru trilogy, exploring his post‑independence art, his principled patriotism, and his fearless critique of inequality, corruption, and national stagnation in Eritrea.
Semere T Habtemariam17 min read
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When Legacy and Camaraderie Collide: Reflections from the 11th ELF Veterans Reunion
A reflective, report‑style column on the 11th Annual ELF Veterans Reunion in Dallas, capturing the voices of veterans, historical insights, personal testimonies, and the enduring spirit of Eritrea’s diverse liberation legacy.
Saleh "Gadi" Johar17 min read
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Teklenkiel Gebru: The Patriot Eritrea Needed — and Still Needs
A compelling profile of Teklenkiel Gebru (Wedi Gebru), the principled Eritrean patriot whose integrity, courage, and unwavering commitment to national ideals set him apart from ideological partisanship. This column examines his character,…
Semere T Habtemariam15 min read
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Washington’s Eritrea Reset: Why Expired Sanctions Are Not a Victory
A comprehensive analysis of why the expiration of U.S. sanctions on Eritrean entities is not a political victory for the Eritrean regime, how the sanctions were tied to regional crises in Tigray…
Saleh "Gadi" Johar11 min read
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The G‑15: Silver Jubilee of Courage
Semere T Habtemariam11 min read
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The Eritrean Opposition: Thirty Years of Potential and Paralysis
A thematic analysis of the Eritrean opposition’s structural weaknesses, historical patterns, and political challenges after three and half…
Semere T Habtemariam11 min read
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Situational Analysis of the Eritrean Opposition
A rigorous situational analysis of the Eritrean opposition, examining its strengths, limitations, and the true meaning of “success”…
Semere T Habtemariam8 min read
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PART II — The Moment the Ghedli Lost Its Soul
An incisive examination of the rise of the hybrid fighter, the organizational logic that replaced moral agency with…
Semere T Habtemariam7 min read
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The Moment the Ghedli Lost Its Soul
A rigorous historical and philosophical exploration of Eritrea’s liberation struggle, tracing the rise of the tegadalai as a…
Semere T Habtemariam7 min read
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One Year Later: Why This Column Exists—And Why It Must Continue
On July 25, 2025, after a long hiatus, I published my first column at Awate.com under the simple…
Semere T Habtemariam30 min read
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A Church Facing an Emptying Pew—Toward a Tewahdo Liberation Theology (Part 2)
An examination of Eritrea’s ecclesiastical crisis, the emptying of the Tewahdo Church, generational drift in the diaspora, and…
Semere T Habtemariam9 min read
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Eritrea’s Vanishing Youth: A Demographic Crisis and a Nation on the Brink (Part 1)
A comprehensive analysis of Eritrea’s demographic collapse, mass youth migration, shifting religious demographics, Muslim‑led civic resistance, and the…
Semere T Habtemariam12 min read
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How Eritrea Became a One‑Party State: An Autopsy
Eritrea politics, Eritrean authoritarianism, PFDJ, Isaias Afwerki, EPLF legacy, one-party state, African politics, liberation movements, conflict economies, human…
Semere T Habtemariam8 min read
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The World Cup That Forced a Conversation About Belonging
World Cup, migration, nationalism, identity, belonging, Moroccan Dutch, Eritrean American, dual loyalty, multiculturalism, diaspora, Europe, Netherlands, Morocco, football…
Semere T Habtemariam12 min read
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From Geneva to the Present: The Long Arc of International Scrutiny on Eritrea
When Eritrea appeared before the United Nations Human Rights Council for its first Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in…
Semere T Habtemariam11 min read
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A New Political Imagination for Eritrea
A compelling call for a new political imagination in Eritrea, outlining how the opposition can overcome fragmentation through…
Semere T Habtemariam8 min read
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Eritrea at 35: A Regime Out of Words, Out of Time
A sharp, uncompromising critique of Eritrea’s 35th anniversary narrative, exposing the regime’s empty propaganda, extractive elite, and decades…
Semere T Habtemariam8 min read
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A Regime We Hate, an Opposition We Despise: Why Eritrea Needs a New Political Imagination
Eritrea, Eritrean politics, regime and opposition, political imagination, national service reform, indefinite national service, Eritrean youth, civic renewal,…
Semere T Habtemariam10 min read
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Eritrea Celebrates — but Its President Is Somewhere Else
I. A Preface of Reluctance and Recognition For more than two decades, I avoided President Isaias Afwerki’s speeches.…
Semere T Habtemariam11 min read
