Tag: Isaias Afwerki
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Horn of Africa: Port-Politics Taken to New Levels
Yesterday, the Djiboutian President Ismael Guelleh concluded a two-day visit to Mogadishu where he met the Somali president Abdullahi Formaggio and gave a speech at the parliament. During his stay, Guelleh reopened the old Djiboutian embassy in Mogadishu and discussed several bilateral agreements with his counterpart. As Guelleh concluded his visit to Somalia, Osman Saleh,…
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A Book Review: The Hidden Party
Title: The Hidden Party: A Narration of a Personal Experience with the EPLF Author: Colonel Tsegu Fessahaie Bahta Price: $29.95 Pages: 250 Year: 2019 Publisher: RSP, The Red Sea Press “Eritrean revolution was a deep cliff with noble intentions.” Pg. 86 THE HIDDEN PARTY tells the story of Tsegu, his siblings, his generation, and…
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The Tears of Isaias the Sadist
Every year since 1991 Isaias Afwerki conducts diatribes and sheds false tears to commemorate our martyr’s day. And sadly enough, some websites advertise this fiasco. One real proof of respect for those who passed away is not what you say about them or their deeds but what you do with their will and to the…
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Calling Out PM Abiy’s Bluffs
Arguably, there are few people in the world who yearn for peace like Eritreans. However, peace has been always elusive. For centuries, the export of mayhem to the north, from parts of Ethiopia, had remained constant with adverse effects on Eritreans. Unfortunately, in that aspect, so far, Dr. Abiy hasn’t fared any better than his…
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Peering into the Cagey Politics of the Horn of Africa
The summit that leaders of Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia held in the Ethiopian cities of Gondar and Bahir Dar in early November is a landmark event in the evolving politics of Africa’s Horn Region. The event’s significance derives not so much from the meeting’s own merits as from the clues it provides on the political thinking…
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Diplomatic Frenzy in Absence of Stakeholders Participation
Since early 2018, the Horn of Africa region has been going through dramatic developments. The shaky security situation could get worse before it gets better if it does. In Ethiopia, though popular uprising has forced changes, there is fear that some of the mobs could be thinking of running the country forever by sidelining the federal…
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Eritreans Are Forced to Be Obsessed with Ethiopia
Your Excellency Prime minister Abiy Ahmed, Happy New Year to you, your family and the people of our region. Last April I was elated by your election to the position of Prime Minister, and for the first few days, I was very optimistic and very impressed with the way you handled the myriad of Ethiopian…
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Ethio-Eritrean Border: Haphazardly Opened Erratically Closed
A little over three months after it was haphazardly opened, the Ethiopian-Eritrean Border was closed from the Eritrean side which now requires Ethiopians to have entry permits. The decision to close the border was passed to the Eritrean border guards on Christmas Eve. The Eritrean side didn’t explain the change of policy and now requires…
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General Sebhat Efrem in Critical but Stable Condition
Last Wednesday before noon, General Sebhat Efrem survived an assassination attempt with serious wounds. The incident happened inside the general’s residence located across Garage Royal on Marsa Teklai Avenue in Asmara. The assailant was apprehended by soldiers standing guard outside the European Union offices located across the street from the general’s residence. Cries coming out…
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Isaias Travels Through Ethiopia To Mogadishu Via Nairobi
Gedab News received a leaked copy of a letter detailing Isaias Afwerki’s airplane flight schedule. The letter was sent by the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Kenyan Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure with a copy to the Eritrean Embassy and The Civil Aviation Authority at Jamo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. According to…
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Eritrea: Cries of a Nation on the Brink of Evanescence
The last six months have seen a flurry of diplomatic activities involving most of the Horn-of-Africa countries and some member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). These activities which have included a series of mediation efforts, state visits, summit meetings, and bilateral agreements seem to herald a new phase of regional geopolitics in which alliances…
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Hastily Prepared Tripartite Meeting Wrapped Up
Objections by EPRDF bigwigs has delayed the long-planned visit by Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea to the Amara region of Ethiopia, which was announced over a month ago. Isaias visit also triggered criticism by Mohammed Jawar, the director of Oromo Media Network and a popular mobilizer among the Ethiopian youth. On November 7, Jawar tweeted the…
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His Excellency Dr. Abiy Ahmed, PM of Ethiopia
His Excellency Dr. Abiy Ahmed The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Dear Dr. Abiy, Your Excellency, so far, you managed to give Ethiopia a powerful jolt of a positive energy while giving an energetic boost to the politics of the region. You admirably kept the momentum and direction of Ethiopian politics in pursuit of justice and…
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Saudi Dissident Journalist Allegedly Murdered in Turkey
On a March 29,2018 editorial we speculated that if the Saudi heir apparent Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS, so baptized by Thomas Friedman), succeeds in disbanding the religious police, curtailing the power of the religious authority, and allowing women to drive, it would be a welcome change. However, we expressed skepticism that “ the top to…
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Berhane Becomes the First Casualty of the Jeddah Agreement
This morning, former minister Berhane Abrehe, who authored two books and publicly challenged Isaias Afwerki, warning him to avoid signing any national agreements before consulting the Eritrean parliament, was arrested in Asmara. His wife has been in jail for almost a year. The arrest was expected since many observers thought it was imminent. His arrest…
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The Abiy Phenomenon
How volatile human affairs are! A couple of decades ago, who would have thought the wave of democratization that swept the globe after the collapse of the Soviet Union would suffer such a reversal in such a short time? The world had seemed to be moving inexorably towards freedom and democracy and many experts believed…
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Pm Abiy and the Rehabilitation of Dictators
Just as Eritreans were reeling from the bizarre remarks Isaias Afeworki made during his visit to Ethiopia on July 14, they were stunned by another man who claims to be a prophet, a healer, and an exorcist ranting about how the Gospel will be victorious, in front of the Asmara Palace Hotel, upon his arrival…
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Prime Minister Abiy’s Call Triggers Cautious Optimism
In our editorial published a month ago (1), we reiterated our long-standing position on the need for an end to the hostility between Eritrea and Ethiopia. We also hoped Isaias Afwerki would reconsider PM Abiy Ahmed’s proffer for peace rather than take a dismissive position as stated by his spokesperson tweeting the “ball is in your…
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Winds of Change… Are we ready?
“Unity of purpose brings purposeful citizens together and accords them leverage to effect meaningful change.” A new reality is unfolding! Are we ready? Winds of change are blowing… It appears the 20-year “no-war and no-peace” that defined the regime in Eritrea and its opposition is giving way for a new reality. The majority of our…
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Excerpts From Awate Discussion Forum
As editors, we frequently find comments that we believe could be brilliant articles if expanded. And we wonder: if the brilliant members of the Awate Discussion Forum could articulate their ideas in such a manner, as comments, what would they produce if they spent some time to present their ideas in an article format! Today…