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The Language of Authoritarians
As everyone knows, there are nine languages spoken in Eritrea. And, as everyone knows, the Government of Eritrea continues to preach and, in fact, enshrined in the retired-since-birth constitution, the clause that “all languages are equal.” And that, based on this principle, the government cannot possibly endorse any language as the official language. This article…
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The Chronology of The Reform Movement
(The following is a chronicle of the reform movement that emerged from within the PFDJ as well as academic and scholars sympathetic to the PFDJ. We think, in this day and age where facts and truth are in short supply, we owe it to our readers to give them a factual representations of the events that…
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ELF-RC: Poised for Another Round of Persecution?
By Menhot Woldemariam Nov 6, 2002, 11:27 PST During the past 20 years, the ELF-RC has been subjected to a number of persecutions in the hands of the Sudanese and Ethiopian authorities, always with the support of Eritrean political actors ganging up against that organization. Nowadays, the same ELF-RC appears to be on the brink…
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A Historical Peaceful Demonstration In San Francisco Ended With Success
A History was made in the City of San Francisco on Saturday June 1, 2002. The Alliance Forces, Eritrean People’s Liberation Front Democratic Party (EPLF-DP), Eritrean Independent Democratic Movement (EIDM), Eritrean Human Rights Advocate Group (EHRAG), and many concerned Eritreans flocked to the heart of the City to express their rights and voice against the one…
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A Tale of Two Eritreas
“But you just told me that they have been involved in illegal acts but you cannot tell me what the illegal acts are; I have asked you what these people are charged with, you can’t tell me what they are charged with. This is hardly a, you know, an open process.” – BBC Reporter, October…
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shaEbia ktHaqiq alewa (PFDJ Should Dissolve Itself)
Earlier this year, around Feburary 2001, the editors of Hwyet magazine, a quarterly Eritrean newspaper published by one of the para statal organizations, asked me and two other Eritreans, to write an article about the future of PFDJ. I did, as did the two other Eritreans. The editors decided against publishing the articles and, instead,…
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An Interview With Mr. Seyoum Ogbamichael
An Interview conducted with Seyoum O. Michael by Saleh Younis San Jose, California, June 21, 2001 [published June 29, 2001] Editor’s Note: His name is Seyoum O. Michael but everyone within ELF knew him as Seyoum Harestai (Seyoum the Farmer.) The “Harestai” monicker is due to the fact that he was the organizer of the…
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Government Of Eritrea About To Expel Two Americans
[Republished from the archives] For weeks, there have been rumors circulating that the Government of Eritrea was about to expel two Americans, including an employee of USAid, for fraternizing with the Reformers and linking with the increasingly-independent private press. The decision to expel them was reversed under heavy pressure by the American Embassy in Eritrea. Contacted…
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رداً على مغالطات الدكتور برخت هبتي سلاسي حول اللغة الرسمية في الدستور الإرتري
(1) يرد الدكتور برخت هبتي سلاسي ، في الجزء الثالث من المقابلة التي يجريها معه هذه الأيام الكاتب النشط الأخ صالح يونس، قائلاً وبكل صلف واستفزاز لمشاعر الشعب الإرتري عامة والمسلمين الإرتريين خاصة، بأن أغلبية الشعب الإرتري قد اقتنعت باستخدام كل جماعة عرقية أو اثنية للغاتها الخاصة في التعليم والمعاملات. والسؤال هنا يا دكتور: من…
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Introduction to the ‘HOPE’ Column: Semon & Adam
Awate.com proudly introduces Adam Jahar and Semon Gebreyesus to the family of columnists in the website. Through their new column, simply named Semon & Adam, they will regularly contribute views and opinions to our valued readers. These two fine young men are known in across the Eritrean electronic forums for their relentless efforts in initiating…
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LETTER TO PRESIDENT ISAIAS – “Berlin Manifesto”
LETTER TO PRESIDENT ISAIAS From Eritrean Professionals And Academics We, the undersigned, Eritrean academics and professionals, concerned with the predicament facing our country, have agreed to meet in order to make a sober appraisal of our country’s current problems and to suggest appropriate solutions. Fully cognizant of your role in leading our nation to independence…
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Halloween Scare: Eritrean Press Proclamation
Halloween Scare: Eritrean Press Proclamation Awate Research Unit, Oct. 16, 2000 This Halloween be scared with ‘The’ Document–The Eritrean Press Proclamation. If you are not scared by this document, you should see your doctor immediately. If you are already scared… and done with being scared, be scared anew; it is Halloween again. Proclamation No. 90/1996…
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Ali Said: Promotion or Lateral Transfer?
am reposting a translation of an interview with Ali Said, the incoming Foreign Minister of Eritrea, that was conducted by Hwyet magazine back in August 1996. (Hwyet issue # 8). I think this is timely because, once again, Eritrea has a new Foreign Minister without sufficient explanation. The issue of swapping of ministers or cabinet…
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Ali Said: Promotion or Lateral Transfer?
I am reposting a translation of an interview with Ali Said, the incoming Foreign Minister of Eritrea, that was conducted by Hwyet magazine back in August 1996. (Hwyet issue # 8). I think this is timely because, once again, Eritrea has a new Foreign Minister without sufficient explanation. The issue of swapping of ministers or…
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Photo Questioned: Is This Man Awate?
The only photograph of Awate was found in Agordat Police Station after the ELF liberated the Town in 1977. Awate’s photo, together with other “Wanted Outlaws”, retrieved from the Station in Agordat, was handed over to the then Chief of the ELF’s security apparatus, Melaake Tekle. Later, when Melaake was killed during Abdella Idris’ coup…
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Freedom of Expression
It is common knowledge that the source of expression is thinking, and therefore any musing on freedom of expression begins with freedom of thought. Bertrand Russell is often quoted for stating: “Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth – more than ruin and even than death… A thought is subversive and revolutionary,…
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If Hamid Idris Awate Were Alive!
In this cyber age where information is disseminated at a nneck-breakingspeed to a point – leaving one, sometimes, to feel – as if one’s brain cells were about to get hay wired from the information overload, yet comes another website impetuously galloping, literally and figuratively, (see this new website) in its high horse with a…
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Post-War Survival
This article was contributed on the launching day of awate.com by Beverly Frogge, a friend from the days of Dehai. Years ago, after the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, two cities became rubble, as were the lives of those that survived the initial blast that in minutes transformed the world forever. I have…
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Reconciliation and Unity: Vital Terms In Eritrean Politics
By Menhot Woldemariam (Woldeyesus Ammar) Reconciliation and unity are two live terms in the dictionary of Eritrean politics, past and present. In recent years, I came to associate the two with some people and their thinking who volunteered to share their viewpoints through the Internet websites. In the old days, however, and not without reason,…
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Benevolent Opposition!
The Lion that was is no more. The guardians that were are not anymore. The once untouchable EPLF is now prone to criticism not only from adversaries, dissenters, and opposition but also from the guardians of the EPLF school of thought itself. And then there is this serious misgiving: some EPLF veterans consider the PFDJ…
