-
We Knew it Was Wrong…
We knew it was wrong…we just didn‘t know its name was slavery… “Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.” Abraham Lincoln, speech, Mar. 17, 1865 I‘ve been tamed to accept servitude and captivity systematically for quite a long time and I am sure…
-
Awate 7.0 – Preliminary Report
So we were 10 days behind schedule, but awate 7.0 is here. As we said earlier, the changes are going to come in phases; what we have now is the one dealing with the fundamental changes–more on the way. The changes which are already in effect: 1. We are using Disqus as our discussion forum. …
-
Contours of change And Equilibrium of its Parts (P-V)
Hard Talk: The contours of change And the Equilibrium of its Parts (Part-V) [This writer warns not to push the envelope of mistrust to the extent of enmity that will hurt the coexistence of our social groups] Prelude In the words of Vladimir Dmitrievich Nabokov, “anything outstanding and original in the way of creative thought…
-
Winter Blues And Another Year In Transition
A Prologue to Winter Blues And Another Year In Transition A friend called me up seeking for help looking for a bit of information But despite the focusing and the serious concentration Nowadays, however, without concealment or beautification My memory, ailing as it is was not helpful and flashing in recollection So as a booster…
-
Pondering Democracy
One of the most astonishing phenomena of recent history is the rapidity with which former communist countries forsook communism to flock to democracy. If success can be measured by popularity, democracy has been the most successful. According to Freedom House, 118 out of 195 countries are electoral democracies–the highest percentage since 1989[i]. From Africa to…
-
Eritrea 2013: A Retrospective
In the Eritrean Calendar, 2013 was Two Major Events bookended by dozens of mostly horrible events. The two major events were the Mutiny of January 2013 (“Forto”, January 21) and the Drowning of 366 Eritreans (“Lampedusa”, October 5.) The Isaias regime in Asmara described the former, “Forto”, as if it was a sting operation it…
-
اطفؤا قناديل الرعب
حين أمطرت السماء خيراتها، رائحة البارود من حولنا قابله وابل من دوى القنابل، والرعد ومع البرق ، صورة وأنعكاس ، فنظرات إلى الجنوب وتوهج ألا فق بنار الغدر، والتهبت قناديل الرعب في الباطن ترى، هل هذه أحلام ألامس تطاردنا ، آم حلم اليوم؟ هل فعلوها من جديد ؟ رايته طفلا، ذلك الحقد التليد ذاقه آبى…
-
Links Page
Pro-Democracy Anti-Democracy Adoulis AlKhalas AllSaho al-massar Alnahda Arkokabay Asmarino Assenna Awna Debanma Dehnet Dekebat Democrasia EMHDR Erinahda Erit-Alliance Eritreanow Er4change Farajat Freeeritrea Gabeel Gereger Harnnet Hidri Islah Jeberti kunama-agara Maitemenay Modaina Mirad MekalehEritra Nselam Omaal Rahaib Sweetkeren Togoruba alenalki Dehai Shaebia Shabait Meskerem International Eritrea at google Eritrea at yahoo AFP Amnesty I. BBC HRW…
-
Detoxifying Our Politics
It’s almost 2014 and Isaias Afeworki is still there, reigning over and ruining Eritrea. Change will come sooner or later. Of course it will! Sooner, if the movement for democratic change manages to quickly create an atmosphere ripe enough for those who can act, take a decisive action; or later, when nature takes its due…
-
Looking Forward into the Future of Eritrea
For those of us who live in the U.S., this is the time of the year in which we see American families gather and enjoy their traditional holidays and generally are at their best as they become more charitable toward those who are less fortunate. Of course, for Eritreans such gatherings, invariably, gravitate toward conversations…
-
Eritrea’s Succession Plan
Eritrea’s Succession Plan: Mentoring Emerging Leadership to Build Civil Society I was writing this article when the Lampedusa tragedy unfolded and I had to divert my attention and venting my frustration in my earlier article. Such tragic turn of events should jolt us out of slumber and complacency as many several writers stated it. The…
-
Awate 7.0: Status Update
Dear Awatistas: First of all, Awatista is a knock-off of Sandanista. We are not lefties, but we are revolutionaries, thus the Awatista. If you consider yourself a revolutionary, someone who wants to change the world for the better, you may not agree with us on anything else, you are an awatista. Well, you must believe…
-
SBS Tigrinya Interview With Saleh “Gadi” Johar
An interview with Saleh “Gadi” Johar, right activist, one of the founders of Awate.com and Author of Miriam was here Saleh Johar discusses about: ·Awate.com, ·His recently published book Miriam was here ·Issue of human trafficking and organ harvesting Listen to Part 1, Part2, and Part3 Part 3 Part 2 Part 1
-
Politics of Cynicism or Politics of Hope?
“Do we participate in a Politics of Cynicism or do we participate in a Politics of Hope?” Finding the Trail towards Triumph for the Eritrean Opposition and People “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun,…
-
The Ordeal Of Human Trafficking and Organ Harvesting
(This is a speech I delivered on Wednesday, Dec 12, 2013 at the Hinckley Institute of Politics, University of Utah.) Thank you for coming. Thanks to Rebecca Heal who made this gathering possible and thanks to the Hinckley Institute of Politics, University of Utah, for giving me this opportunity. Many years ago I was in…
-
Eritrea: The Federal Arrangement Farce
Often, I am accused of factoring out Ethiopia’s violence in my account of how the Eritrean revolution (ghedli) came to be. There are three types of “violence” the accusers have in mind: a) that Haile Selassie unilaterally abrogated the federal arrangement, a systematic violence that targeted both the autonomy and democratic system of Eritrea entailed…
-
Saleh “Gadi” Johar at Hinckley Forum, Salt Lake City
-
The Departure of a Good Man: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
Nelson Mandela was a Good Man. He chose to be Good and stuck with it. He lived Good. He practiced Good. He acted Good. He spoke Good. He listened Good. He mentored Good. He taught Good. He walked Good and talked Good. He even danced Good! Mandela exemplified the presence of Good. He was a…
-
Bridging The Divide: Muslim and Christian Eritreans in Orange County
Introduction: The dominance of Tigrinya speaking Christians and their involvement in the various sectors of community-based, organizational activities representing Eritreans in Los Angeles, if not throughout the United States, make it appear as though Eritrea is a homogenous country composed predominantly of Tigrinya-speaking Christians (Woldemikael 1996; Hepner 2003). There are, however, minorities of Eritreans in…
-
Afwerki and Al-Bashir: Unholy Matrimony
Port Sudan: 27 November 2013 In a ceremony dubbed as one of the most romantic weddings of the year, Eritrea’s Afewerki and Sudan’s Al-Bashir at last exchanged wedding vows in an outdoor ceremony at the gardens of Port Sudan trade center. The wedding was officiated by the highest spiritual guides in both countries, the couple…
