In the moment
For the moment
By the moment

Perplexed in sadness
Hurt by violation, rape of innocence
Incensed by injustices
Violations of bliss,
Violations of hope, ambitions
Angered by brutes, the calloused
The soulless

Beset by history in history
By bigotry
Bigots, zealots and banditry
Surrounded by misery

Yet, seized in the moment by the moment
For the moment
For one,
For all
In unity
In strength
Confidently,
Proudly, with pride
With joy
With knowledge and trust
Trust in God/Allah
Trust on each other
In purpose one purpose
In honor and for honor…
Successfully,
In the island of peace
Molded in their honor
For their honor

Eritrea will prevail, always
Awet N-Hafash

Amanuel Biedemariam

Eritrea

Amanuel Biedemariam

The “Disinformation” campaign that the enemies waged against Eritrea would simply have given the world a wrong impression of what Eritrea is or is not. In September of 2011, the US led by Ambassador Susan Rice, Johnny Carson of The State Department and other US officials echoed lies that there is famine in Eritrea.

These falsities were-then propagated by the mouthpiece media outlets and distributed globally. The question is why Ambassador Rice would wage a disinformation campaign against Eritrea to the world while at the same time trying to sanction Eritrea’s mining and other sectors and deny the people the fruits of their labor.

The idea behind the disinformation campaign is to undermine any Eritrean achievement in order to hide their failures in countries like Ethiopia that have made famine a way of life, to protect the tyrants on their payroll from criticism for failing their people and to justify illegally conceived punitive measures against the people of Eritrea.

The reality remains however, regardless of their attempts Eritrea keeps shining. The negative campaigns are overwhelmed by Eritrean achievements in every field. Eritrea is progressing in agriculture, mining, education, medicine and in all areas faster than any other country in the region. In athletics, Eritrea resuscitated once killed sports programs to life and into world-class athletics that is turning heads around the globe.

In cycling, Eritrea’s achievements prompted Biciciclismo a cycling magazine to do a piece about Daniel Teklehaimanot, calling it, “The great Black Hope” after he won the 7th African Cycling championship in Eritrea. Eritrean cyclists on individual and team competitions dominated the African Cycling Tournament. The story takes the reader back to 1936 when Eritrean cycling started and how it died during the Ethiopian colonial period and concludes, “But Daniel Teklehaimanot is just the tip of the iceberg Eritrean cyclist behind him comes a generation of riders born in 1990 and 1991, led by the newly proclaimed ‘Champion Berhane Nantnael’, which aims to place the Eritrean in cycling map the coming years.” This did not happen by accident and raises an interesting question; how is it possible for a nation under so much duress to rise in a continent that fails in every category to be considered the “Great Black Hope”?

The answer is Eritrea is the outlier! Eritreans are dogged in all fields. Since independence in 1991, in the agricultural sector Eritreans in every corner of the country from the time they are old enough to do the national service onwards they work the land. They clear shrubs, level the lands, terrace mountainous areas, assist farmers etc… Hard work is a way of life in Eritrea. There is no place in Africa, other than Eritrea, where an entire nation is required, encouraged, motivated and incentivized to participate in all the nation building endeavors like in Eritrea. And it worked. As a result, dams are up with more on the way, people are producing agricultural products to put to shame those that lie and shamelessly state, “There is famine in Eritrean.” A wide variety of agricultural products exists everywhere in Eritrea to the point of export. Above all, there is a mentality in Eritrea that defies the norm; Eritreans know they do not have to beg for food, they know how to feed their kids and families!

In the field of medicine, Eritrea has developed ingenious ways to overcome brain drain and is developing capacities that ensure future generations capable to treat each other at the highest levels. This came to life by nurturing sustainable medical educational programs that is bearing fruit by graduating new batches of doctors capable to expand future programs. The government is doing its part by collaborating with friends and allies to infuse expertise in various areas of medicine. Eritreans in the Diaspora are doing their part to promote it. As a result, Eritreans are able to provide medical services throughout the country. These are templates for success to emulate. In fact, in the near future Eritrea will be a medical destination. Favorable climate, prevailing security and hospitable people make Eritrea an attractive destination.

This is true in every sector. Eritrea will hand the world many surprises for decades to come. Not many have inkling that shortly after independence Eritrea developed the capacity to manufacture high-grade boats of all sizes for export and local consumption. Coupled by expansive coastal area of the Red Sea, Marine Science and Technology College and strategic location will ensure a diverse array of industries including ecotourism.

To ensure mobility, quietly, Eritrea built impressive roads and feeders in one of the world’s most difficult terrains connecting Eritrea from coast to coast, east to west and south to north including roads that link Eritrea to Sudan to facilitate trade and tourism. This is accomplished with indigenous engineering and muscle. Eritrea at this stage is capable to build its own transportation infrastructures and if opportunity arises to export the expertise. After independence, when foreigners were asked to rebuild the rail system of Eritrea, they asked for astronomical sums of money forcing Eritrea to summon retired rail workers to revive the rail system. That is bearing major fruit now by playing a role in the revival of tourism. These monumental achievements are true in every sector of the country. Again, why did Eritrea succeed in many areas in such a short time relative to others?

In addition to the dogged nature, “Can do” attitude, determination to succeed, Eritrea is blessed with a cohesive government that works together with the people regardless of the ministry. This was demonstrated during the 7th African Cycling championship in Eritrea. The manager of Team South Africa Mr. Barry Austin was ecstatic when describing Eritrea. He said, “When we arrived in Asmara, Eritrea, we were pleasantly surprised by the hospitality and friendliness of the people.” And further expressed satisfaction, “Here in Eritrea the entire government was supporting the championship from the Ministry of Tourism to the police and the Defense Forces making sure that we were safeguarded and looked after every step of the way collectively. And you have people in the government at all levels working that way nothing can go wrong.” His love and adoration for Eritrea and his satisfaction with the experience was evident. Cyclist Cherise Taylor said coming to Eritrea, she was concerned about her safety because Eritrea is in an unstable violent region. And elaborated by saying, “Perfect Harmony …for National Dignity is definitely a motto the Eritreans live by.” The stories they heard about Asmara being the safest capital in Africa, and after what they witnessed, they believe it. Most of the cyclist attested about the safety of the country, the prevailing peace and public participation to be better that what they experienced around the world including Europe.

Hence, regardless of the lies told about the nation, the people, the government or life in Eritrea the reality is Eritrea has a good grip into the foundation of life. And it is unshakable because at the core, the fabric of the foundation is the people. In his recent visit to New York City, His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki said, “When I was in China in military school I was taught three people to one. And I use to say why not one for three. I wonder alone sometimes and think about Eritreans and Eritrean population numbers provided by the UN and others and, wonder whatever number they give what number I can multiply it by considering the achievements of Eritreans. Three times…ten times… During our struggle for liberation, we were fighting one to ten. This is not exaggeration it is a historic fact. However, today, Eritreans have expanded the capacity and are making incredible achievements.”

This reality is governing Eritreans and nothing can change that,

Awetnayu@hotmail.com

Shigei

By Shigei Gebremedhin

“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” – Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr.

20 hours and 5 in-flight movies later, I finally arrived in Nairobi, Kenya.  I stood at the baggage claim, praying that my checked-in duffle bag would roll down the conveyor belt, as my experience has taught me that this is not a guarantee when it comes to international flights.

As I stood there, I saw a tall man donned with brand new hiking boots and an overstuffed backpack, and my intuition told me we were here for the same reason.

I turned around and asked if he had plans on climbing a mountain.  His eyes lit up and I immediately knew my intuition had served me well.  He too was a member of the 2011 Accenture-Voluntary Service Overseas Mount Kilimanjaro Corporate Challenge, and had been on my final connecting flight. As we sat in a cab from the airport to the hotel, I tried to balance my attention between my new friend and the view from the window.  It was almost as if I had an internal chant in my head…

We are in Nairobi, Kenya.  Nairobi…Kenya.  To climb Mount Kilimanjaro.  Mount…Kilimanjaro.  We are here.  I am here.  This is happening.

Day 1 primarily consisted of getting checked into the hotel and having dinner with the trek group.  As we got to know each other, it was clear that we were quite a diverse bunch, as we represented different cities from around the world, spoke different languages, fell in different age brackets, and held different positions within the firm.  Even with all these variances, I felt a sense of harmony around the table, of compassion, competitiveness, and excitement.

The morning of day 2, we regrouped and headed out to visit one of the projects, the Kenya Association of the Intellectually Handicapped (http://kaihid.org/) that benefited from the Mount Kilimanjaro Corporate Challenge trek.  We spent the day understanding the goals of the organization and had the opportunity to get to know some of the volunteers and beneficiaries.  The day reinforced the reasons why we were there and brought the real goal home.

Day 3, we crossed countries from Nairobi, Kenya to Marangu, Tanzania.  Between mini-naps, I noticed that the 10-hour drive exposed us to attractive forestry and plains.  We mentally prepared ourselves for the next morning where we planned to embark on our trek, beginning at the Rongai National Park gate.

Day 4 – 8, we saw both extremes of vegetation, from beautiful, lush rainforests to dry, barren desert land.  Days would begin with warm temperatures that required only t-shirts, shorts, and layers of sunscreen and would end with brutally cold nights that required at least 4 wool layers of clothes to survive in our frost coated tents.  We were left with only the most meager of resources, where the luxury of a warm shower was only a dream and nourishment was only enough to sustain us for our grueling journey.

Day 9 was the day that we would finally achieve our goal of reaching the Summit, which would have to be earned in one of the most exhausting physical and mental challenges that I have ever faced.  We left camp at 12-midnight to commence the trek up the steep scree slopes to Gillman’s Point, continuing around the rim, passed Stella Point and onto the highest point of Africa – Uhuru Point.  We experienced a snow-ice-rain storm that continued on for 36-hours.  We climbed for 8-hours in -10C degree weather and heavy snow, and quickly learned that the only way to get through it was to keep our heads down and let the light from our head torch guide the way.  Summit night included nausea, darkness, extreme cold, and a throbbing headache due to the altitude.  We focused on matching the stride of our leg to the swing of our arm with our walking pole.  All of us were pressed to our limits, and in spite of their valiant efforts, we succumbed to mountain sickness, exhaustion, and some of the many perils of our journey.  Nevertheless, the majority of us were able to reach the Summit of Kilimanjaro with the help of supportive guides and amazing porters, most of whom climbed the mountain at least 10 times.  Ridiculous.

There were 25 of us that were part of the Corporate Challenge, many of whom met their threshold on that mountain.  6 of the 25 capitulated before reaching Uhuru Point due to exhaustion or altitude sickness.  I never heard and saw so many people regurgitate.  Throughout our climb, we took 2-minute breaks to fuel our bodies with protein bars and water droplets from our frozen bottles.

As I reflect back on how I was able to reach the summit of 5,895m, I have come up with 4 reasons:

1. Charity:  I kept thinking of the volunteers and beneficiaries that we met our first full day in Nairobi

2. Friends/Family:  The generous fundraising supporters

3. Trek Group:  We looked out for each other on that mountain

4.  Personal drive:  There is no way I flew all this way, and for the last 5-consecutive days, slept on rocky slopes and stuffed myself with porridge and energy bars without reaching the top.

We spent only 15-minutes at Uhuru Peak.  We stood on the roof of Africa, and took pictures, tried to hug each other over down jackets, and just breathed – with the little oxygen that we could!  Although everyone’s hair and clothes were weighed down with ice, and our muscles screamed at us, we all felt so alive!  We were infected with excitement and a sense of achievement.  We made it.  Shortly after, we started our descent at record speed, where we were able to literally ski down the loose volcanic scree trail.  The day was a total of 11-hours of trekking.

Day 10, we set off early to trek to Marangu Gate.  It was a mixture of happiness and relief that got our exhausted bodies moving forward for our last walk.  After 5-hours of trekking, we reached the gates at Marangu, where our bus waited to take us to the hotel for a well-appreciated shower and celebratory dinner.

Day 11, we were on a bus for 10-hours, returning to Nairobi.  We spent the day recounting what we had seen and how we felt.  We looked at each other’s pictures and agreed that the entire trek was lined with panoramic views that we did our best to capture on memory cards.  As trying as the adventure was, we all felt a sense of connection to the mountain, to each other, and to the charity.  I remember the drive back being very peaceful.

It was a rewarding experience that will never be forgotten.  This epic journey reminded me that life is a marathon, not a sprint.  And, I could not have asked for a better group of people to share this journey with.  As a group, we raised almost $150K and still counting!  This certainly could not have been done without the thoughtfulness and generosity of so many friends and family members.

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to climb the world’s largest free standing mountain with such amazing people in support of an incredible charity.  It still feels surreal.

Shigei Gebremedhin, 30 October 2011

Go Eritrea

By Tesfai Abraham (Asbu)

And here we go again…, Wedi Tikabo’s song came alive in New York during the Presidential gathering as it did in Asmara Stadium in May 24, 2011 independence day. The song Tsim-b-la-lie (Butterfly) by Yohannes Tikabo, due to its strong lyrical and musical appeal shined in Manhattan center New York City. Even though I was not personally there, the experience seemed fun, joyful, exciting and felt the love of my people in one place for one purpose.

As H.E. President Isaias Afwerki and delegates entered the Manhattan Center they were received with standing ovation and cheerful roar a show of pleasure and satisfaction. The President gathering must have been gratifying and satisfying for the leaders and participants as they cheered the moment-away accompanied by great songs that included Butterfly.

What is it that makes most his song unique?

I will start with some: — Catchy melody (hooks)

— Lyric with strong Eritrean appeal

— The character (of the song) has a strong desirable personality

— Strength (very clear and powerful message)

For me, a great song has to resonate in some way in my memory, either lyrically or musically, long after I’ve heard it. Great songs come back year after year and evoke old emotions anew and sometime find something new, or rediscover the original. It is the harmonic blending of the sound, the story and the rhythm that evoke emotions and arouse my imagination. Wedi Tikabo’s lyrics have a vivid metamorphosis and images that transcend time and place. Not only does it rhyme; it has a strong rhythmic feel to its verses.

It is eight minutes long, complex and pleasant. When I first heard it was after H.E. President Isaias Afewerki concluded his speech during the 20Th anniversary of Eritrean independence. It was a dramatic finish to a lively program that brought the audience to their feet. As he was performing, the lighting was adequate; the set design was simple but effective; and the pixilated life images used in place of back projector — great idea.

Ultimately, the music and lyric was accessible; oddly familiar yet refreshing; playful but serious; and appealing to Eritreans. And

despite the meaningful contradictions and complex mishmash of lyrical styles, he kept the crowd captivated by a sensation that they were witnessing something entirely new. The lighting was beautifully matching the sound, creating a sensory texture that jabbed straight in the spinal cord. Definitely, a warm rush of blood to the head, causing neck hair to stand up along the way…

It was a brilliant show on beautiful winter. Sometimes it is all timing-a song hits you at a time of change, attaches itself readily and becomes associated with that experience of changing time. Wedi Tekabo comes along and resuscitates us with a refreshingly positive, yet solid, dose of a new metamorphosis that define our strength and unity under one Allah(Mesgid) and God(Debre).

Butterfly: in short can be defined as Emerging. Even though I am not able to sort his lyrical message without knowing what was going on through his mind; allow me to express my personal assessment of his Lyrics.

Simply, Wadi Tekabo, as a singer, song writer and performer has managed to convey his message by symbolizing chronological transitions (metamorphosis) of a butterfly and, how it deals with its formation, growth and development phases. Those stages represent how Eritrea survived through challenging period and emerged a sovereign state because of the patience, integrity, responsibility, religious harmony, synchronization of national development and national Defense and sacrifices of Warsai and Yekealo. Wedi Tekabo managed to direct us to be vigilant and that our umbrella should be impenetrable from any kind of acidic rain, temporary flashing lightning, roaring thunder that simply fades-out even if Eritrea, the Butterfly, was encircled and entrapped by traitors from within and outside by evil thoughts and deeds.

Finally, what makes our Independence Day anniversaries, national holiday celebrations, organizing committee, like the Manhatan Center, Eid Al Fitir and Kudus Yohannes unique is a combination of many factors. It is not just the obvious ones such as a great dance, music, performance, attentive audience etc… But it is also an opportunity to highlight the importance of event organizers, music writers and lyricists, instrument players, dancers and security officers and the like that contribute mightily to the success of these events but go on unrecognized.

TV ERI, thank you and congratulation on the success for putting on an inspiring events, anniversaries and educational programs to our homes inside and outside the country. And also my thanks go to every singers and musicians who always contribute patriotic national songs and participated in various occasions from within and all the talented singers and musicians from abroad.

Long live Eritrea!

Tesfai Abraham (Asbu)

Hannah Pool

The writer Hannah Pool shares the story of her upbringing and life on CNN’s African Voices .

Born in Eritrea she is equally at home at the fashion shows of New York as she is in the remote African villages where her family still lives. Her far from conventional upbringing, which saw her living in numerous countries in Africa and Europe, became even more confusing when, at the age of 19, she discovered that her father, who she had always thought was dead, was alive and well and living in Eritrea. In this programme she tells Atika Shubert her remarkable story.

Hannah Pool was adopted from an orphanage in Eritrea and grew up in England, via Sudan and Norway, with her white adoptive father. Then a brother she never knew she had wrote to her from Eritrea, which led to a journey to trace her unknown family.

Showtimes:

•Saturdays: 09:30, 15:30
•Sundays: 09:00, 22:00
•Mondays: 10:30, 18:30
(all times GMT)

Amanuel Biedemariam

There is a Facebook group, which I belong to, called:” We Are All Isaias Afwerki”. From the start, there were discussions about why we are all Isaias Afwerki and the answers were all the same worded differently. We are because he is the embodiment of what Eritrea is all about. We are because he is and has been the face of Eritrea past, present and has set a precedent for the future. We are because he is what Eritrea is all about; grit, determination, perseverance, commitment and he is a finisher. We are because he is like every one of us; humble and determined to leave within his means while focusing on the future sacrificing a great deal. We are because of his commitment to honor the martyrs by building a nation worthy of their sacrifices and, the list could go on…

One of the most important foundations to life is thankfulness to God/Allah for the small blessing of the world. It is only then that the blessings multiply and multiply. To recognize those small blessings is a blessing in itself. In fact, relatively speaking, many of the disadvantages Eritrea was dealt-with turned out to be a blessing. The fact that Eritrea was denied independence when all African countries were handed their “freedom” turned out to be a major blessing. It gave Eritrea the time to see the entrapments laid out in plain day light to learn from. There is a saying in Tigrigniya that means “let Him give you example and not make you one.” Eritrea was lucky to have-had examples of how not to be. However, Eritrea needed direction of how-to-be and how to chart directions away from the failing of the others that regressed precipitously due to corruption with few on the top echelon sucking the foundations-away from the people to ruins everywhere in Africa without exception.

The struggle for the independence of Eritrea was a blessing in a sense because it became a struggle for freedom not only from the chains of colonialism but also from the mental slavery that the west placed upon Africans. It gave Eritrea a space to deal with the political upheavals that Eritrea faced during the first half of the struggle that could have undone the revolution. The ethnic, religious and regional divisions the Eritrean revolution inherited was paralyzing. All these divisions and differences led to a civil war that lasted for years frustrating many that just wanted to see Eritrea focus on the enemies. This also triggered massive exodus.

Eritrea also had nothing in terms of organizational structures, resources and support to start the revolution. There was no standing organized army. The tasks at hand seemed impossible or insurmountable, and the odds were stacked against Eritrea. The possibilities that Eritrea could eject Ethiopia, a country that was backed by US, Israel and the USSR was almost unthinkable to the world. Ethiopia received then as now military, political, financial, diplomatic, and all kinds of assistances while Eritrea had none.   

What Eritrea had were determined people that want independence, peace and life based on a higher standard. Eritrea had people willing to work hard, to sacrifice and pay all that they have in life that is necessary for freedom; people that are willing to endure the rigors, hardships and pain for victory. They wanted to chart their own course in uncharted territories. They carried a stick to fight tanks and, stones to fight war planes. Because that was all they had. They used their ingenuity and illusiveness to elude the enemy and fought with rifles against organized armies. In the process they learned to scavenge effectively. For the first time in the history of Africa, Eritreans fought a well trained and armed army with armaments they took away from Ethiopian soldiers they killed and captured in battle and used it to build a national army.

Eritreans fought Ethiopia and the superpowers with everything they had. They fought Ethiopian soldiers and intelligence from within Ethiopian-held cities and territories risking their lives. They fought the fight for freedom from every corner around the globe. They were resourceful, brilliant and dedicated. That again became another blessing that benefited independent Eritrea. It created a network of organized Eritreans in every corner of the world. The traditions and values that were established then are serving Eritrea in this challenging world in ways unseen anywhere. It is saving Eritrea from many threats that are threatening to wipe clean the blood of the martyrs and to undo the hard won independence.

Central in these struggles was a group of Eritrean women and men that are farsighted, brilliant, dedicated, imaginative and fearless. They were humble, down-to-earth and cognizant on the fact that Eritrea’s number one asset is her people. They lead the struggle with a realistic approach to life grounded around established ethical, religious and cultural values. They exploited those values and harnessed a work ethic that became a way of life in Eritrea. That work ethic was designed to empower the people by relying on freedom from handouts. They taught them that only collective effort can yield desired outcomes and supported that with a slogan, “Victory to the Masses” and trekked believing, “ Our struggle is long and VICTORY certain.” They trekked unfazed by distractions meant to derail the struggle. They ignored it then as now saying,” let the DOGS bark as the camel strides.” And they arrived. They arrived into a new nation victorious led by Bitsay, Tegadalay, His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki amongst other leaders.                     

As a new nation, Eritrea required her leaders to meet certain requirements. The leader needed to be strong, visionary, committed, selfless and experienced. It required a strong character with unshakeable faith on the people of Eritrea. It required incorruptible character that will not sell the people as they do all over Africa. It required someone with a military like discipline, with a work ethic, unfazed by the glitziest and glamour. It required someone that knows the people of Eritrea and to have a certain personal attachments, understanding, compassion and genuine affection. It required understanding of the anguishes, hardship and painful struggles they went through to get her. They needed someone who knows their homes and families; someone who is like them. Above all, they wanted someone that will honor their sons, daughters, mothers and fathers that perished. They needed someone that can carry the mantle in their honor everywhere.

Eritrea did not need a ruler. Eritrea needed someone that can be a captain of the Eritrean submarine in uncharted waters. Because every Eritrean is capable to play his or her part as they have for decades. Eritreans assumed roles to successes. Every Eritrean is a leader. That is what Eritrea requires from all her children without exception. The tasks at hand for all Eritreans are so varied and numerous it required Eritreans to roam free representing their nation in every aspect of life everywhere. It required filling all the gaps needed, however they can and as directed and they did a million times over. 

That makes for a great partnership between a country and leadership; all works in harmony as it is and has been with His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki. Eritrea is a blessed nation with a leader that the world has ever seen without exaggeration. President Isaias is one of the greatest of gifts Eritrea is blessed with. It is often not commonly practiced in Eritrea to praise a leader; some are culturally squeamish since all have contributed mightily for Eritrea in many ways. That is understandable because there are those that have given entire families, limbs and paid in many ways near and dear. However, this special occasion warrants the greatest of praises to one of Eritrea’s greatest heroes.

President Isaias met all the requirements that Eritrea required and more. He is the source of strength, unity, the voice, the parental figure, the brother and warrior in trenches. He is the guide that points Eritrea in the right direction. He led the mother in a distant field toward the water that can quench the thirst of child. He is a farmer; member of huge farmland called Eritrea; and he is roaming throughout the entire country greening the land wherever he goes. He is the teacher that believes all the kids must have the same opportunities to learn not to get out of poverty as the main objective but to thrive in life and in the process; lift the nation to the highest of standards. He is the friend of the doctor that saw a nation’s health as a national imperative and built medical facilities throughout Eritrea. He is a man that knows military strategy, intelligence, security and geopolitics. He is the man that co-founded one of the strongest armies in the world and created a national service program to ensure perpetuity.

To say what transpired in Eritrea over the last half century is a miracle is to truly undermine the brilliance of Eritrea’s leaders and a leader. When the history of the world looks back at this era and particularly relative to African nations, Eritrean leaders led by His Excellency President Isaias will be looked at as the greatest leaders of our time and models to be emulated simply because of their commitment to freedom and build a nation by relying on itself. What is even mind-boggling is the simplicity of the formulas they employed. It is a formula that just focused on the masses to be aware, organize and get armed for life.

In life, the average person is limited to certain accomplishments mainly personal. What His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki has done with his life is admirable. Eritrea is blessed to have leaders that function at high levels. However, President Isaias epitomizes the best of them. He is selfless, focused, brilliant and a true Eritrean who made Eritrea, his life’s work. He lived Eritrea. Eritrea is his mission, his way of life and life. He gave his life for Eritrea. That commitment is the reason why he was able to oversee Eritrea transform through critical stages that propelled Eritrea into the world stage that we are witnessing today. He saw the beginning and lived the transformation. He experienced all the ups and downs of the Eritrean revolution from atop. He lived through the hardships to see the independence of Eritrea by defeating enemies. He oversaw the unthinkable; the yanking of the Derg regime; facilitated a regime change and produced the signature that engraved Eritrea as a member nation of the UN. He ushered Eritrea into a new Era of independence through the referendum.

Soon after independence, Eritrea was challenged as a nation militarily, politically, economically and in every conceivable way by enemies that wanted to reverse a hard won independence. His Excellency President Isaias again guided the nation with strength, and showed Eritrea the way-out into the new platform of freedom that is in the process of placing Eritrea in par with the rest the developed world in unprecedented speed shocking detractors and naysayers. The only way to describe it will be to liken it to a nuclear submarine navigating through the darkest and most hostile of deep waters under extreme pressures. The President has guided it through the deep waters into an oasis. To say we are living in the most hostile part of the world is understatement. All one has to do is think of Djibouti, Yemen, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia and think about the internal strife in these nations. Think about the geopolitical interests of the superpowers that want to destroy any semblance of nationalistic attitudes anywhere in the region. Think about the greedy that want to exploit our riches at the expense of the people. Yet, only Eritreans are truly enjoying their nation in its truest of forms communally in unison with President Isaias in observance. 

As Wedi Tkabo sings, “Eritrea’s umbrella is untouchable by the raging fire because you are our cover, Butterfly.” The raging fire and destitution plaguing the region is distant from Eritrea because of leaders that bought Eritrea time and anchored the people in united purposes. That is the hard truth that the enemies are finding hard to swallow.

I am and we are Isaias Afwerki because we all stand for one common purpose, Eritrea. In an effort to subjugate Eritrea and make the people of Eritrea kneel and bow; with the idea, if you cut the head the body will fall; the enemies of Eritrea waged major demonizing campaigns against His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki. They want to extricate the president from the people. In a sense they said the President Isaias is Eritrea. The reality however, where Eritrea is today is the cumulative result of the hard work of the people. If President Isaias is capable to achieve all these Eritrean successes individually; then he is GOD.

Hence, His Excellency President Isaias is not Eritrea but he is Eritrean representing Eritrea; his people. And the people are saying yes! Eritreans are flocking to New York from Europe, Canada, and West coast and all over US to show him support. They are flocking in busses, planes and cars spending thousands to say “We are All Isaias Afwerki. He is us, we are him and we are Eritrea and, nothing can change that”!

Eternal Glory to Our Martyrs

Awet N-Hafash

Awetnayu@hotmail.com

University of Roehampton

Eritrean cuisine is to be featured prominently in a study by doctoral researcher Holly Giesman from the Department of Media, Culture and Language at the University of Roehampton in London.

Her research—which is rooted in visual anthropology and cross-cultural documentary filmmaking—explores the presentation of foreign national cuisines in London restaurants and will result in a 90-minute documentary film on the subject.

The project utilizes the audiovisual to communicate the multi-sensory restaurant experience, as well as to examine what is involved in transporting a bit of foreign culinary tradition to a restaurant in London.

The project will focus particularly on the strategies and techniques used in presenting authentic Eritrean food in the restaurant setting to a multicultural London audience. Emphasis is placed on communicating the experiential and communal nature of Eritrean dining and the sharing of culture and national identity through food. The work will examine customer and staff experiences of eating and working in the restaurants, how ‘authentic’ is understood, and how space and interaction are arranged.

Ms. Giesman is seeking London-based volunteers from Eritrean backgrounds to participate in the project as cultural advisors and interpreters, providing further insight into Eritrean cuisine and culture.

Contact Ms. Giesman at the following email address for more details on the Eritrea project or to get involved (holly.giesman@roehampton.ac.uk).

Amanuel Biedemariam

If one is to ask, what do Eritrean martyrs believe are their biggest achievements and, what is the picture of future-Eritrea they like to see, what would it be? How is it best to honor their life and their legacy? Regardless of the answers, these are the kinds of questions that every Eritrean must ask every day, in their honor.

In a funeral service, a preacher once described the human life as; a bouquet of flowers. These flowers are cut from a plant for beautification, to express feelings in good and sad times, for smell and so on… We nurture them, we put them in vases with water, give them food and the right temperature just to keep them flowering as long as possible. However, the truth is that these flowers are dead the minute they were cut from the rooted plant. We are just buying long enough-time until they dry to ultimately decompose or dust-away…

He proceeded: the human life is the same. We are dead the minute we are born. The only thing eternal about us is our souls. We are flesh, bone and blood. After we die we will be buried to decompose just like the flower. We can become wealthy, own big-homes, cars, jewelry and a have a material rich lifestyle. We can be famous, popular and posses the wherewithal to get our-ways anytime anywhere. We can feel powerful because we are in a position of authority. But what we forget is that we are humans. We don’t know what could happen the next second let alone the next day. That is what we forget. We forget that we are in this world on borrowed time. We need to understand and believe that our eternal life is…Therefore, let us pray for the living and continued…

There is not-much to disagree about what the preacher said unless, one is-not a believer. The question is, can the above apply to Eritrean martyrs? The plain answer is no! I believe that our martyrs cannot be seen like the average human for many reasons. Firstly, the word “dead” does not apply to them because they are alive since their life has given life to millions. Secondly, it is because they seeded life of a nation based on their principles and values.

In Eritrea, a nation they freed from the barbaric rules of colonizers; one can walk, drive, ride or swim anywhere and certainly feel their breath. One can witness reminders of how they lived and passed. A drive from Asmara to Keren will reveal many reminders of their legacy. The city of Massawa is a living memorial, Fenkil. In short, Eritrea as a whole stands as a living memorial of these brave souls. Everywhere in Eritrea, there are reminders of the life they lived and their sacrifices.

This was displayed during the last Martyrs-Day commemoration in Nakfa in a glaring fashion. A moving musical drama was conducted live on the actual location that many fought and perished. These are tunnels and fortifications that saw the most defining war in the history of Eritrea-being used as a stage where the true life stories were told in a drama. The music, the drama that accompanied it, and the way the stories were told jerked the tears and emotions of all that witnessed the event. But more gripping was the stories of bravery and selflessness.

The drama was about one group of fighters that knew have no time to dig graves once the intense battles started so they dug graves ahead of the battles. But, as they dug the graves; it was amusing to see them fight and argue about how long, wide and deep they want their individual graves to be. There was one martyr that argued and fought to dig his grave in accordance with his specification saying that it was-not large enough, wide enough and deep enough for him. And ironically he ended up being buried in that very grave that he dug with his own hands. These are true stories. There is no place on earth where one can witness a live drama; where the honored are exhumed to be reburied with the honor they deserve while the whole country led by President Isaias Afewerki bared witness. Through the stories we were able to share their life for a moment. It was real. It was a reminder that Eritrea is a stage that could reveal many untold stories no matter where you go.

To face martyrdom, to sacrifice self in order to save others and, committing self before all was a hallmark of these brave men and women. They knew why they were giving life. They knew that their sacrifices would mean life to the nation they desperately want to see- free. In their wisdom, they also saw that giving life alone will not fulfill their dreams and aspirations. So they coupled it with a foundation; a principled approach to life and governance; justice, equal justice, social justice and a just approach to life. They saw life that is independent of fear. Life that is based on relying on self; life that inspired and aspired to do; life based on determination to finish everything they started; life that didn’t know the word quit; and ultimately life that knows nothing but victory. They lived for victory by and for the masses. They created traditions based on their values. They established a work-ethic that is second to none unseen anywhere in Africa ever. They did it in good spirit, with joy, laughter, music and dancing. They did it while embracing each other and their people. They did it in the spirit of service with strong belief in unity and with loyalty to the nation each other. They did it respecting religion, region, culture, and traditional ways of life and gender equality. And with utmost brilliance, smarts and vision.

In short, they left the perfect template for the future of Eritrea. They left plenty of examples for Eritreans to emulate and draw strength from. They left Eritrea with the greatest examples and meaning of courage, perseverance and selflessness. They are the true role models of every Eritrean. They were strong, stealthy and yet, walked-soft with a humble spirit and patience that appears to defy logic-at-times. They epitomized the optimal nature of human decency. And through it all never lost sight of what is important. They empowered the mass and gave those underserved and underprivileged a will and a way out. They always saw the future far-ahead and never wavered until they realized their objectives. They never sacrificed the future for immediate gratification or political expediency. They remained true to their core principles no matter what.

The question then becomes; were these angels a reflection of the people of Eritrea? Of course they are; they are part and parcel. Thence, is the current Eritrea a reflection of these brave souls? Is Eritrea living by the standards they established? Are we fighting and keeping the legacy as hard as we could and should? The answers require deep reflection. It begs for each and every one of us to search for the meaning and implications deep from within. It calls on all to aspire and strive for greater achievements in their honor.

These questions are important in light of the fact of Eritrea’s short history as a free nation has been full of intrigues, turns and twists. The challenges Eritrea keeps facing would have brought down any society or nation as it does in Africa everywhere. And what makes Eritrea’s perseverance endearing is the fact that those who want to bring Eritrea down, the mighty, have brought all their might and yet, the people of Eritrea stood firm as one and won all the challenges. However, that doesn’t mean that the enemies are going to stop or be deterred. They will continue because they have perceived that Eritrea’s fundamental approach to life to be a threat to their ways. Therefore Eritreans need to raise the level of their fight to a higher level.

The Enemies

Who are the enemies of Eritrea? Moving forward it is crucial to define the enemies. Even if we can safely say that Eritrea has no enemies with one exception; our independent approach to life has in effect created enemies. International powers that are used to pillage and plunder Africa’s wealth have perceived Eritrea as a threat. As the saying goes, there are no permanent friends or enemies; just permanent interests. These powers are after their geopolitical and economic interests. However, they are deadly and will use all the power at their disposal in pursuit of their interests. When it comes to Eritrea, they have brought all their tactics including their kitchen sink and failed. So they have resorted to using Africans as a strategy to pass punitive measures designed to decapitate Eritrea and suffocate it. The first sanction the US passed on Xmas Eve was called an “African initiative.” This round, they used their puppet regime in Addis to push yet another measure based on lies. This is the lowest this international body has stooped thus far. They used a genocidal tyrant that is in violation of international laws, a criminal that committed heinous crimes against humanity as a principal author of the language, tone, content and punitive action-plan against a nation that he is at war with, Eritrea.

The Somali Monitoring Group they tasked to pursue the punitive measure against Eritrea is not a legal body and it doesn’t have a legal process to stand. It is not a court of law where the plaintiff, the defendant and witnesses stand in front a of the judge to litigate; it is not an investigative body that has the ability to conduct its own investigation and present evidences; it is not an elected body beholden to any constituency; it is PR tool whose directives come from the State Department designed to legitimize illegal UN actions on nations that have no representation or voice. It is a dangerous international precedent concocted by the previous US administration. The question is why the UN/US allowed Ethiopia to author the allegations using a regional group with mechanisms that could infringe on American rights.

The simple answer is because they have become desperate in their inability to bring Eritrea down to the level of their alms recipient client states and, because they know that the principal enemy of the people of Eritrea is the Weyane clique. The minority clique is the number one enemy of the government and people of Eritrea. It is in a perpetual conflict-mode looking to destroy Eritrea and nullify the existence of Eritrea as a nation. It is an existential question. These are the dirtiest group people one can have as an enemy. They are vile, jealous and dangerous.

The people of Eritrea fought the traditional enemies of developing countries extremely hard and climbed the hill. And when they started to launch their life successfully; the clique is going berserk and targeted what they believe will propel Eritrea. They targeted individuals in the Diaspora that love their country; targeted resources they believed will be the future life-line of the people; targeted the new mining sector and remittances families receive from Eritreans in the Diaspora. However, the best example of how indecent, disloyal and vile the TPLF clique is when they targeted money’s Eritreans send to the families of fallen heroes. These are families of Eritreans that fought alongside the clique in good spirits and helped them to power. It is difficult to imagine that we actually saw these people as friends at one moment in our history. It is unsettling to know there are jealous humans scheming day and night to bring their neighbor down. After all the thousands of lives lost, after the thousands Eritreans they deported; these people are showing the world one more time that they will never be satisfied until the blood of every Eritrean runs dry.

The West/US knows this and, they also know their errand boys in Addis are the best agents that they could use to bring Eritrea to the level of the clique. They know and understand the clique suffers from deep inferiority-complex when it comes to Eritreans. They know that the TPLF want to see Eritreans beg like them. Hence, they are using Weyane as stick against Eritrea.

The TPLF clan have-been at this for a long time albeit unsuccessfully. They understand the mentality and ingenuity of the Eritrean people. They know they cannot stop Eritrea so they are having nightmares in every turn. And it is showing. Every day they wake up they are witnessing Eritrea transforming. The glitter of gold is clouding their brains; the thought of potash is making them crazy; the airlines and the united joy of Eritreans are just killing them alive. They just simply do not know what to do with the daily joyful transformation of Eritrea while they are free falling into the dark holes of hell.

As the saying goes, misery loves company. Hence, the TPLF has hired agents that call themselves Eritreans to help it. And collectively, their dances have become more pronounced than ever. These people are as bad as or worse than Weyane clique. They are hypocrites that claim to fight injustice while true injustices are perpetrated against the people of Eritrea. They claim to be for religious tolerance while inciting hate and instability in churches in the Diaspora. They are lying in the name of God to elders, using fear tactics to garner support and terrorizing those who just arrived with their livelihood. Their crimes are too long to detail.

The average Eritrean understands this well and have been fighting the scourge for a long time. However, as the recent scramble to strangulate Eritrea using sanctions showed; Eritrea’s struggles to control her future and destiny is being put to the test. After decades of hard work, after the thousands of lives that we paid; after all the limbs; after all the destruction of property; after Eritrea reached a turning point and started to unearth her riches, we are being told you do not have the right to exist. Just because the people of Eritrea chose patience and the prevalence of the rule of law; the rights of Eritreans are being trampled. They are undermining the rights of Eritreans while supporting a rogue regime occupying sovereign Eritrean territories in violation of international laws.

Conclusion

This is truly a transitional moment in the history of Eritrea. We are at a turning point and they are doing all they can to thwart it. The people and leaders have done their level best to cleanse the dirt and start anew based on the foundations the martyrs established. The result could be summed by the 20th independence celebrations and festival that highlighted the united joy of Eritrea.

This begs the question, are we the dead flowers just blossoming for show, beauty and smell? Or are we the plant that was seeded by our martyrs to flourish for generations? What the enemies are trying to do is clear and they will not stop. They will continue to play their dirty games. Are we helpless? Do we have what it takes to stand and uphold the legacies of our martyrs? Do we have a fight in every of us?

Eritrea is standing and flourishing today for one reason; united approach to life. We need to use all our resources, know how, efforts, education, hard work and everything else we can to transition Eritrea into the country the martyrs envisioned. We have come a long way to be stopped by anyone. This is a crucial test and it will take a great deal to muzzle the dogs of injustices. So let’s make sure they rut in the dustbin of history. Now is not the time to let our guards down or be complacent.

Wetru Awet N-Hafash

Zelealemawi Zikrin kibrin N Semat-tat-na

Awetnayu@hotmail.com

By: Berhane Woldu

This was my first time being part of the procession for the candlelight vigil for Martyr’s day in Asmara Eritrea. At around 6:00 P.M people started flocking from all corner of Asmara to the center of Liberty Avenue. Everyone seemed sad, tense and focused.

Children as young as six years old were carrying their lighted candle and one can look at their face and see the seriousness and the reflection of sadness in their face. To me their seriousness’ signified as how much hurt, respect and love there is to wards the Martyred. The old, young, middle aged, men and women all were grieving; the manner was cold, silent and deep in thought. As the procession passed through the city you could see people lined up on the right and left waiting to join the march to wards “Bahti Meskerem Square”. As we reached, the official observance place people took their respective place and the formal procedure began. We all stood, bowed our head as the saxophone started to blow the official Martyr’s day song.

I looked to my right and saw this tall slender woman in her forty, holding her candle cold as ice standing like a statue with no movement gazing at her candle tears flowing off her face like a stream. The message through her felling was that reflective admiration and gratefulness for her loved Martyred; to the world the empathy, solidarity and selflessness that is entrenched in her consciousness.

Why a nation and its innocent people suffer for so long.

Many historians have written about Eritrea and the years of 1946 when Italy renounced its right and title of Eritrea. United State, Soviet Union, France and Britain become the administrators and deciders of the future of Eritrea. The Soviet Union had stated that Eritrea be administered under trusteeship for 10 years and be an independent state there after. Britain, France and the USA all had their own initiative based on their National Interests.

The USA was the major power of the time and having a military base as from 1941, wanted to continue occupying the base. The base would enable US to monitor the USSR and to gain access that is more direct to the US troops in Korea. USA through John Spencer opened discussions with Ethiopian and affirmed that Eritrea was to be given to Ethiopia then the USA will continue occupying the Eritrean Islands and retain its military base. Getting what it wanted the USA mobilized its resources to influence all its allies to cooperate with it in giving their vote in support of its Eritrean annexation plan to its ally, Ethiopia. John Foster Dulles in 1950 and The US undersecretary to Africa Herman Cohen in 1991 confirmed the unfairness of the western decision on Eritrea by saying that the US “strategic interest” had priority over the interests of the Eritrean people.

On 12-2-1950, the late Ibrahim Sultan an Eritrean representative said to the UN that the UN would be held responsible for the war that will rage in Eritrea- Ethiopia, to the death and suffering of the people. In 1961 The Eritrean people started to fight for their right full right to stand as a free nation equal to all the nation of the world.

The USA supported Ethiopia economically and militarily until 1974 when the Marxist government and its new ally the Soviet Union deposed King Haile Selassie.

The Soviet Union who was the main advocate for Eritrea’s independence at the United Nation in 1950, had a change of hearts in 1976, and was the biggest arm supplier to the Marxist Ethiopian government. In 1978, the Soviet Union delivered load of weapons to Ethiopia. Fifty large ships, airplane with big and small armaments, East Europeans, Cuban and Soviet army with high military experience and knowledge were brought to Ethiopia to assist the Ethiopian army. From 1978 to 1979 AN22 Russian airplanes did 225 sorties bringing in 600 tones of arms and 80 fighter jets at a cost of 2 billion dollars. This assistance was delivered to help the Ethiopian army defeat the Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front (EPLF). In the1980’s after five failed attacks on the EPLF, the Ethiopian army was preparing for the sixths offensive. The Russian sent 2,600 military advisors, four billion worth of armaments and 1,600 Ethiopian military officers were trained in Russia. The largest war after Second World War was waged and again it failed.

The USA and The Russian have both fought for their Geo-political strategy and self-interests. The Cuban Missile crisis, Vietnam, Russia’s involvement in Afghanistan and the Iraq war were wars of Geo-political interests. Vietnam and Iraq, Lyndon Johnson and George W Bush both went to war and thousand of young Americans were killed in wars waged for “Special interest” the very few billionaires that put pressure on the political system to have things turn out their way.

June 20th was chosen, as Martyrs Day as that was a day that a large number of EPLF fighters were martyred. Martyred day have special meaning for those of us who are living. The Eritrean people in conjunction with EPLF fought for 30 years to liberate the nation. They fought hard with an adversary that was 30 times the size of Eritrea. Ethiopia that was supported by the USA, Russia, Cuba and East Germany billions of dollars and thousand of Military experts were offered to help Ethiopia subdue the Eritrean people and defeat the EPLF. Unlike most colonized countries that were freed by their colonial master through political dialog and good wishes, Eritrea had to fight to liberate it self from the domination of the four superpowers (UN) and Ethiopia.

To gain its right full right to live as an independent country Eritrea had to sacrifices 65,000 of its young men and women. By bravery and sacrifices of these heroines and heroes, independence was achieved in 1991. In 1998, Ethiopia, once again with US help waged a war of aggression, Eritrea had to defend its hard won independence and 20,000 heroines and heroes were martyred. Wars that have been fought all over the world mostly affect the very poor or the marginalized people of the given nation. In Eritrea that is not the case, the number of martyred in Eritrea with a population of four million has affected every family. (My brother was martyred in Nakfa, my nice in Zalembasa, my nephew in Afabet).

The sacrifice is unsullied and deeply felt, the cause was to be free from domination, subjugation, slavery and abusive exploitation. To over come the adversaries, injustices, misguided policies of the so-called Western Democracies and the Russians the Eritrean people sacrificed 85,000 of their young. Forgiving but not forgetting the Eritrean people and government are willing, able and ready to work with all peace-loving nations for justice, mutual prosperity based on equality.

Among others, integration and migration have been and still are topics that Biniam Kiflai has stood up for since many years. The Eritrean is engaged in the migration committee and stands up for the interests of migrants in particular.

For him, it is important to emphasize empathy and mutual respect, which both are necessary for a successful integration.

The migration committee of the Hanover city council deals with all topics related to integration and immigration. The expert committee was founded by the council in 2002 and succeeded the former foreigner’s council. The committee consist of 11 regular council members, proportional to the current distribution of seats, and 11 consultants with migration backgrounds, who are named by the fractions in accordance with the distribution of seats as well. At the city hall, the representatives were welcomed at the SPD caucus on 29 March 2011 at 6 p.m. After the ceremony there was plenty of time to get to know each other and discuss.

More information

Biniam.1@hotmail.com

Yes, respite

A breeze

A moment to exhale…

To gather thoughts and feel

Feel the freedoms earned with dear blood…

Dear souls

Yes respite,

To feel the music

Traditional music… embracing traditions

With traditional…modern instruments,

Orchestra, with conductors…

In their honor

Yes, respite

To look around,

Gather trinkets, artifacts, historic arts

To take stock of history,

Ancient history, for knowledge, to account for…

To regain loses

To rebuild the destruction anew

Yes respite…

To breeze fresh air

Air of calmness,

Free from distress, imposed distress, undue distress…unwarranted stress,

Free from breeze of negativity,

From schemes and schemers

Free from claimants of all that is good for their evil deeds…

From the flailing weed that claim to belong

Yes, respite…

For the mother, grandma, and sister

To breeze a breath of calm

Respite from the restless, restless-souls… the soulless…

Respite from anticipation and worries

For once

Yes respite…

From greed, the greedy-despotic

From the evil powers…the barbaric

From the dogmas of liars that claim to be democratic

Yes respite…

For the young to learn,

To roam free, play, dance and hop

To aspire, reach for the sky

To embrace the world, fearlessly

To embrace the future that is now…unimpeded

With courage, confidently

Yes respite

To step, the steps of freedom…uncompromised

In a road that is paved with pure blood

Blood aplenty…

For freedom… your freedom

Freedom from fear

Freedom from shackles,

Freedom from dungeons and darkness

Yes respite…

To aspire

To reach for higher goals

Goals…beyond and above

Facing challenges and overcoming odds

Succeeding where all that tried have failed and are failing…

Yes respite…

To reach beyond what is expected…for the dark -race

To be…beyond what they expected us to be…

Above them

In unison

With love

Love of the other

Love of country, our country

Yes respite…

To live life

Life that is wholesome…holistic life beyond strife of needs

Life that is fulfilling without compromises

Life that is charted by and for us

Life that we chose not chosen by others…For others

Life worthy and satisfying…To those who perished so we can…

As we are

In their honor

In a youthful nation

On her twentieth birthday

Amanuel Biedemariam

USGS reports a magnitude 4.8 earthquake in Eritrea on 25 March 2011, 05:21:33 UTC.

Magnitude: 4.8

Date-Time: Friday, March 25, 2011 at 05:21:33 UTC. Friday, March 25, 2011 at 08:21:33 AM at epicenter. Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location: 15.224°N, 39.730°E

Depth: 10 km (6.2 miles)

Region: ERITREA

Distances from Earthquake Location:

86 km (53 miles) East of ASMARA, Eritrea, 192 km (119 miles) North of Mekele, Ethiopia, 208 km (129 miles) South East of Nak’fa, Eritrea, 349 km (216 miles) West of Al Hudaydah, Yemen

Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 19.5 km (12.1 miles); depth +/- 4.2 km (2.6 miles)

Parameters: NST= 59, Nph= 64, Dmin=506.5 km, Rmss=0.86 sec, Gp= 97°, M-type=body wave magnitude (Mb), Version=5

Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)

Event ID: usc0002b8j