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Eritrea Festival

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

am 3. Dezember 2011 wird der – im Jahre – 2001 gegründete „Eritreische Verein für Körperbehinderte in Stuttgart e.V.“ ein Benefizfest zu Gunsten körperbehinderter Kriegsveteranen veranstalten und gleichzeitig das 10-jährige Jubiläum feiern.

Bei diesem jährlich organisierten Fest geht es primär darum, mit dem generierten Geld und durch verschiedene Projekte den bedürftigen Veteranen das Leben im Alltag zu erleichtern, aber auch den Gästen eine tolle, abwechslungsreiche und spannende Show zu bieten!

Aus gegebenem Anlass haben wir keine Mühen gescheut und dafür gesorgt, dass wir hochkarätige Gäste begrüßen dürfen werden.

(Meet you in paradise, Air,…) wird den Abend mit musikalischem Wohlklang gestalten, Tedros “Teddy” Teclebrhan (durch YouTube bekannt geworden, bekommt bald seine eigene Personality-Show auf ZDFneo) wird für einige Lacher sorgen und zusammen mit Hadnet (MTV, ProSieben,…) als Moderator fungieren und uns durch den Abend geleiten. Das sind selbstredend nicht alle vorgesehenen Acts und neben den eben genannten Personen wird es noch diverse Künstler wie VusCapee, IVERY, QLzIM, JR und andere Programmpunkte geben, die für eine kurzweilige Zeit sorgen werden!

Überdies wird es auch eine Tombola geben, für deren Gewinner wir ein paar tolle Preise vorgesehen haben.

Damit es den Gästen vor Ort an nichts mangelt, werden natürlich auch Getränke und verschiedene Speisen zu sehr fairen Preisen angeboten. Wir hoffen auf zahlreiches Erscheinen, da Wohl und Wehe einer solchen Veranstaltung natürlich zu einem großen Teil von der Anzahl der Gäste abhängen!

Das Benefiz Festival finded am Samstag, 3. Dezember um 16:00 – 4. Dezember um 00:00

Robert-Bosch-Schule

Hohensteinstr. 25, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany

Eritreischer Verein für Körperbehinderte Stuttgart e.V.

Benefiz Festival zu Gunsten des Eritreischen Verein für Körperbehinderte in Stuttgart e.V.

Samstag – 03.Dezember 2011

16Uhr – 00Uhr

Aftershowparty @ proTON ”Light it up”

23Uhr – 05Uhr

–

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

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5. Nevsun not fretting over Eritrea sanction threats

Reuters reported on Tuesday that the UN was considering a draft resolution that Gabon tabled seeking to ban mineral imports from the country and foreign investment in it. According to the report, Gabon was seeking tougher sanctions as retaliation for Eritrea’s alleged support of Islamist rebels in Somalia, which the country denies.

Gabon and Nigeria are sponsors of the draft resolution, and both countries, which met with US president Barrack Obama on Wednesday in Washington, are due to roll off their United Nations Security Council appointments at the end of 2011, Nevsun said.

The company owns 60% of the Bisha gold mine in north-western Eritrea, which produced over 278 000 oz so far this year, with the State-owned Enamco holding the rest.

“Nevsun believes that economic sanctions are unlikely to be adopted by the United Nations Security Council,” the TSX-listed miner said in a statement to Mining Weekly Online, adding it understood the draft proposal had not yet been debated at the UNSC level.

“Eritrea is one of the poorest countries in the world and economic sanctions will simply starve the people of Eritrea literally and economically.” The nation, bordered by Sudan, Ehtiopia and Djibouti, gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993.

According to the CIA World Factbook, Eritrea’s estimated $3.6-billion GDP in 2010 ranks it the 169th poorest country globally, with half its population living below the poverty line in 2004.

The day after reports of the UN draft surfaced, Nevsun’s share price plummeted by 17% to close the session at C$4.61 apiece.

The stock has since edged up to C$4.73, with analysts saying the selloff was overdone.

“We would be surprised to see the UN take formal actions (sanctions) that would impact the country’s fragile economy, which is just starting to show signs of positive change,” Haywood Securities analyst Stefan Ioannou wrote on Wednesday, adding that Nevsun’s share price decline offered buying opportunity.

He gave the stock an C$8.00 target price, the same as Canaccord analyst Rahul Paul, who said that, while risk remained, Nevsun had been oversold.

“We see low odds of current proposed UN sanctions being passed, since they would amount to shutting down the economy of one of the world’s poorest countries,” Paul noted.

TSX- and ASX-listed Chalice Gold, which owns the Koka project in Eritrea, did not respond to a request for comment from Mining Weekly Online. That company’s share price has lost around 8% on the Australian bourse this week. Nevsun has long touted the positive economic impacts Bisha has had for Eritrea.

“By collaborating with international companies, Eritrea is developing a mining industry that will bring direct and indirect benefits to the people of the country,” it said. “Through these cooperative efforts, sustainable development from the industry can positively impact the Eritrean economy for decades to come.”

In August, Nevsun announced it had reached an agreement with Eritrea that Enamco would pay $253-million for its 30% stake in Bisha, after it received a 10% free-carry interest. Chalice said in a September presentation that it aims to start production at Koka in 2013, averaging 104 000 oz/y over seven years.

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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)

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Source:Eastafro

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Eritreans

Amanuel Biedemariam

There are not enough words to describe what transpired on September 25, 2011 in New York City before, during and after the gathering with His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki.

The festive-charged environment was indescribable and the event was a smashing success. The collection of Eritreans gathered covered the gamete. They came in droves from Florida after driving eighteen hours. Minnesota drove over 21 hours. Chicago 14. Grand Rapids Michigan drove over ten hours. From Edmonton Canada people drove for two days and Toronto drove for over ten hours. People drove from everywhere. Those that flew in from the West Coast and Europe came to Washington DC and boarded onto buses to New York with those that gathered from everywhere.

It will be disingenuous to discount logistical problems people encountered on the way to New York but once they were loaded, and ready everyone was happy enjoying the ride with patriotic music playing, dancing and laughing. We started boarding about 3am and arrived in New York about 9 am, which is prompt for a trip from DC to New York. When we arrived, we were greeted by thick lines of crowd that covered blocks and blocks in a major city creating a traffic nightmare for the city. It was serene to be received by crowds of Eritreans adorned with colorful Eritrean flags and dressed in traditional outfits that beautified the glorious city of New York. They accorded New York grace and dignity unmatched by any. They were civil and smart about the meaning and magnitude of the event. The weather was calm and cloudy as we arrived.

We hurried to get out of the busses to join the crowd. The people I came with all joined the long lines and I found my station in the media section. From that point on, I was oblivious to what was taking place outside. Our cell phones and computers were-not allowed in for security reasons so we did not have a way to communicate with those that formed lines to get in. My focus was inside and the assigned job.

The event had so many moving parts that were readily visible. The stage was fitting and graceful. The stage setters did a good job setting a presidential setting worthy of the moment. The mood was festive. The security was tight making it difficult to move once you are inside because movements were restricted.

When the president arrived, the hall was raucous and after a brief exchange of greetings, the President along with his delegates got seated on the front raw with the audience as the stage leaders announced the details of the program. They started the program with a moment of silence to remember our Martyrs graced by a beautiful sax by Tesfamariam. Soon thereafter, the EriAm Sisters sung our national anthem adding a spice to a memorable event. After that, the president and the delegates were lead to the stage amidst cheers of welcome that emanated from deep feelings of happiness and expression of love of someone deeply missed and loved.

President Isaias’ presence was grand. He occupied the seat with such a grace and comfort. It was incredible moment for Eritreans to witness their beloved hero seated in front of them. The President was beaming with a glow of happiness that filled the hall. There are thousands of pictures that showed the grandiosity and beauty of the moment and the presence. However, there are no pictures that can describe the feelings and the happy expressions in the hall. I was seated close enough where I can see the action closer than many. However, the whole event appeared like a dream and passed way quicker especially relative to the time that passed to prepare and travel to the event.

This event was by far the most significant event Eritreans held even more than the February 22 demonstration of 2010 thus far. The messages Eritreans passed were- embedded on every step. The messages were all loud and clear for all to see and bare witness to. It was saying loudly that Eritrea is in the house in New York City hitting New York like a lightning strike. The event showed how patient and disciplined Eritreans are. It showed the resilience of Eritreans. It showed that Eritreans speak with one voice, the same tone everywhere, and all the time.

When I first approached the crowd; as I was greeting people and finding my way, I bumped into a Caucasian approximately six feet two in height. I said excuse me and I realized the man had communication equipments in his hand. Not sure what he was doing I asked him what his intentions were and he replied he is a reporter from Expressen. Expressen…? I asked. He said it is a Swedish Newspaper. I asked what he was doing and he replied I came to film this event. And I asked him what his impression was? He said, I am surprised…I thought I was going to see more on this side not the other. He was saying it in a surprised and, disappointed tone. Evidently, he came with a predetermined idea to film President Isaias embarrassed by thousands of his enemies. Instead, he learned the truth about Eritrea and learned first hand that Eritreans are one with the President.

That is one message that reverberated sending shockwaves everywhere our enemies are. That is the message Eritreans wanted to send loud and clear to the world, the State Department and, the stooge-agents of the criminal junta in Ethiopia that were parading as Eritreans. It is a message of solidarity. It is an answer to those who wanted to weaken Eritrea systematically by targeting specific strengths. They delivered the message in New York City where Ambassador Rice can see clearly that President Isaias Afwerki and Yemane Ghebreab are the people. There is no distinction and room to extricate any Eritrean from another for whatever reason. Eritreans are one with one-voice and, that is the message those who traveled millions of miles-collectively wanted to send and sent it loudly.

There was not a whole lot of new information that His Excellency divulged. One of the first things that he said was that; ten years may have elapsed since I last saw you but you were never far away from me. That is expression of affection. And the feeling was mutual. Because nearly every question that people asked was accompanied by expressions of support and praises for his bravery. However, there were a lot of memorable statements that he made.

He referred to those who went to Addis as nefseher meaning they are none but dead souls walking. He acknowledged that there is exploration for oil. He said that there is not much any one can do to us if we are united be it one or four powers. He said that all the lies the Weyane clique spewed over the years are exposed and that the moment is opportune for us to reengage at the UN. However, he said that the highlight of his trip was his meeting with his people.

The audience asked many penetrating questions and the answers were satisfying. One young woman said that all the pertinent issues in Eritrea are addressed adequately and asked if the President considered human rights. He answered by saying that he fought for human rights for over forty years. The primary focus in Eritrea is and remains to ensure that the basic needs of Eritreans are met. That is the number one focus. He emphasized that Eritrea does not tolerate human right abuse at the government level and we have mechanisms in place to prevent abuse by the private sector as well.

He also said that a great deal of effort is exerted and, steps are in place to get the Diaspora involved in development efforts of the nation. Eritrea is shifting into a new gear in regards to development effort and if we are going to succeed in achieving the outlined objectives for 2012-2013, we need to make sure the concerns of Diaspora Eritreans are addressed. Regarding the border issues, he said, it would be demarcated in due course. Moreover, he stressed that we need to focus on what we are doing.

It was incredible to witness the harmony, affection and support the public showed President Isaias. The people did not come there to find out any thing new. They did not travel to demand anything from the President. They just showed up to show support.

After the President left the Manhattan Center, I briefly spoke to Dr. Berhe Habtegiorgis and asked him what his observations revealed. His reply captured the moment precisely. I still remember his focus, enthusiasm and the exuberant tinkle in his eyes as he said, “The world can not understand or believe what just transpired because it is in complete contradiction to what is taking place all around the globe!”

I was dead tired barely able to open my eyes before the President arrived but as as soon as he arrived, I was wide-awake and able to communicate on Facebook the entire event. When I left the building, I was excited to reconnect with my wife and friends that traveled with me for the event and eager to talk about what transpired and to discuss issues. And as soon as I came out and asked, did you have fun…? I saw this dazed gaze of disappointment filled with teary-eyes and heard; we didn’t get in. I melted. “You didn’t see the President”; I shouted! “No. We did not see him. We didn’t even see him when he left because we were expecting him to come on that side and he came out on the back”. Very few people saw him. Who else did not get in? I found out nearly all the people that came with me did not get in along with over 2000 people. President Isaias expressed his disappointment by saying “I thought the City of New York was a big city.”

We were all tired beyond expression; hungry and sleepy but captured by the moment and surprised by the fact that thousands could not get in. We knew there were people that were not able to get in but we did not know the size. However, as I spoke with those that did not get in, my feelings started to change dramatically.

The sadness that I felt turned into pride. I begun to understand the resolve and satisfaction that these people felt. My friend Haile said, “Don’t get me wrong, I would have loved to have been inside and enjoy the moment, but the purpose of my journey was to give support to my President and show solidarity and I have accomplished that regardless where I was and, I am satisfied.” Every story that I heard was more uplifting than the other. A father with his four grown up kids came from California paying thousands and said that he was proud to have been there even if he was not able to get in. A group from Grand Rapids Michigan is very popular because they kept the mood very uplifted by singing and saying “Masse” a form of rap entertaining the crowd. A family that came from Edmonton Canada after driving two days, a family that drove from Florida and unable to get in expressed the same feeling of satisfaction. Those that did not get in were there without rest, food and water for over six hours. They stood faithfully with discipline wowing NYPD in fact comforting the police in some instances.

The organizers were faced with logistical nightmares considering the short notice, the security considerations, the uncertainties and the distance they had to deal with. One has to think of the list of chores and details that they needed to sift through. The coordinating efforts are nightmarish to think about. But it came through beautifully and there were many reasons why it was a success.

Firstly, it is because Eritreans are very organized. Eritreans can mobilize faster and in greater numbers for their nation any time and anywhere. That is due to years of experience and organizational structures that were formed during days of the struggle for liberation. In February of 2010 Eritreans successfully organized large demonstrations to oppose the illegal sanction levied by the US against Eritrea. And ironically that major event paved the way for this presidential gathering that brought people from everywhere.

Secondly, it is because Eritrea takes a center stage in the life of every Eritrean in ways I have never seen anywhere. In fact it is mind boggling considering the fact that Eritreans sing, dance, and laugh, cry, wed and talk Eritrea every single second. Eritreans think and talk Eritrea. Eritreans live for Eritrea. Eritreans are aware and educated about their country. They are cognizant of all the threats, the challenges and opportunities. And they know how to fight and make use of the opportunities presented to them. This is one occasion that Eritreans seized like there is no tomorrow.

Conclusion

There are moments that change lives and take place once in a while. This occasion was one of those moments. There were many heads of states that gathered in New York for the same UN conference President Isaias attended. And I am certain none were received with the passion and enthusiasm. No one was accorded the kind of welcome President Isaias received.

None of the people that came to see the President came to demand or complain; they came to support and show him solidarity. It has been a while now since there has been a concerted effort made to demonize President Isaias and give inaccurate picture of what Eritrea and Eritreans are. There have been many hysterical noises made by handful opportunists. It was exposed on Sunday 25 September that they truly are the walking dead (nefseher) as the President called them.

Eritreans came with a purpose united in a vision in a surreal environment making indescribable spiritual connection with each other and their president. He embraced the moment and gracefully delivered unscripted speech from the heart in a presidential setting confidently. The journey was tough and long but joyous and historic. The sacrifices made were all worth it because, in the process and in the moment, we affirmed to each other that we are all Eritreans in a mission to express that we are one “Eritrean in New York” in support of our nation and President!

Indeed “Hade hzbi, Hade libi”!

Awetnayu@hotmail.com

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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)

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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

Related posts:

1. President Isaias Participates In Chadian Independence Day Celebrations
2. President Isaias Returns Home From Libya
3. President Isaias hold talks with Heads of State of Guinea, Senegal and Foreign Minister of China
4. Saleh, Afwerki Review Second Arab-African Summit Agenda
5. President Isaias leaves for Equatorial Guinea

Shigei Gebremedhin

Shigei Gebremedhin is an American-born power woman of Eritrean descent attracted to adrenaline-pumping and physically challenging sports.

Whether it’s running the marathon, jumping out of an aircraft to skydive or bungee-jumping off high bridges and cruising down ski slopes, Shigei faces challenges head on.

If she is not out to get her adrenaline up, she works as a business consultant in New York and holds an MBA and BA from Michigan State University. She is a beautiful, intelligent and brave woman inspired by the drive to combine extreme sports with a good cause.

Her latest venture is to climb the Kilimanjaro to help raise funds for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), which is an international development organization that is committed to help the poorest regions of the world to address issues such as HIV, disability, poverty, education, health and well-being. She is in the final stages of her quest to reach the peak of the African mountain. Her journey will start on October 2nd and ends Ocotber 12th.

Mt. Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania, Africa. The mountain has three volcaninc cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira and is a dormant volcano. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the temperature at the peak is about -10 C.

”The first one is to remember to continue to do something that matters. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is a challenge that I am doing for charity. This fundraising experience will allow me to think of someone outside of myself and my needs,” she says.

Just recently she has started her own blog “Forward Motion” on her upcoming adventure, so we can follow her journey to conquer the 5895-metre-high mountain. Shigei believes that sharing her experience with us should remind us that we are all one and that we must help one another, and to continue strengthening our own spine.

If you want to support the good cause of Shigei Gebremedhin please visit her fundraising page “Shigei Gebremedhin“.

Go Eritrea

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2. Police Suspect Husband in Stabbing of J’lem Woman
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4. Nigerian Minister Welcomes Idea of Sports Patnership with Eritrea
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Tedros Teclebrhan

Eritrean Comedian Tedros Teclebrhan posted a video on youtube reaching to date over 9 Million hits. Meanwhile the media has caught up to his youtube success story. The German Spiegel has covered his story with a short video but the most revealing story about his popularity was written by Michael Dimitrov from cafebabel.com back in June.

“Street integration test: German Youtube hit Tedros Teclebrhan”

He hasn’t hit his wife for more than two months now, has never heard of the fall of a certain wall and thinks the chancellor before ‘Angelo Merte’ was Hitler… Within two weeks, the video of the man with the blond mustache became a German web hit. Over 5.5 million people have already clicked on it the promotional video, thinking the actor was a real migrant and thus not noticing the mirror being held up to German integration policy

28-year-old Tedros Teclebrhan came to Germany with his mother and two older brothers when he was just seven months old. The family fled from the civil war in the state of Eritrea, North Africa, to their new home in Baden-Wuerttemberg. All were given asylum and thus the chance to start a new life in Germany. ‘I love Germany; my family and friends are here. I have a German passport,’ says Tedros in perfect German in an interview with ihned.cz, the online edition of the Czech daily newspaper Hospodarske Noviny.

‘But I do not feel like a German citizen here because the first thing many people see is not a German man, but a suspicious man with dark skin.’ That is exactly what happened to Tedros in early May. He was seemingly stopped by a television crew on the street led by reporter Adrian Draschoff before willingly answering questions for a survey that was being asked of all new immigrants from non-EU countries, as well as foreign nationals who want to become naturalised. This so-called integration test can allegedly verify whether a person is integrated well enough

Citizenship? Then I won’t pass that test!

Immediately after the first question, it was obvious that the dark-skinned Tarzan, who was wearing a white vest and talking on his smart phone, did not have the faintest idea about the realities of his country. The survey for the integration test (‘Umfrage zum Integrationstest’) video, subtitled outtakes (‘was nicht gesendet wurde’), became an immediate hit on Youtube. After five days it had exceeded the one million mark; after two weeks, the number of viewers had risen to three and a half million.

For some, the survey is just another sad testament to the failed integration of immigrants in Germany. For others it is a satirical critique, holding a mirror to a xenophobic German society. Commentors have questioned if the video is actually authentic, or whether migrants to Germany really know so little about their new home. So what’s the truth?

You can also read ‘Citizenship exams: spotlight western Europe’ on cafebabel.com

Tedros Teclebrhan, now without his trademark blond mustache, smiles shyly. He had not expected his sketch to be such a great success. The young actor, who speaks fluent Swabian and ‘Turkish-German’, just wanted to have some fun with the video. ‘I was once in a similar situation myself,’ he adds. ‘I wanted to impress others but it went wrong. Straight after I thought it would have been better if I had stayed quiet. But in retrospect, we laugh about it. I come from a culture where you laugh a lot, it’s like therapy.’

Click here to view the embedded video.

Actor, not politican

Tedros can hardly believe the fact that many people have taken his video deadly seriously and discussed it so passionately. ‘I have quite deliberately demonstrated the absurdity of the answers to the questions. It is completely OTT. Everyone knows that Germany has a female chancellor. No-one would ever say that he beats his wife at home in public.’ Having said that, Teclebrhan does think there are many badly-educated people in Germany who have major problems with similar questions, including migrants as well as Germans, he points out.

Tedros himself was not that far from becoming the classic example of failed integration. ‘School was quite a turbulent time. I changed schools often. But eventually I came to, got my secondary school education and completed my training in Stuttgart.’ Tedros has already starred in several television films. His greatest achievements includes a starring role in the world-famous musical Hairspray between 2009 and 2010, which was adapted from Broadway and became a blockbuster in Cologne. So how would Tedros criticise the passionate debate among high-level politicians who argue about how many immigrants there are in Germany who ‘refuse to integrate’? Or whether multiculturalism has actually failed, as the chancellor herself stated in October 2010? Or whether or not islam is now part of Germany? ‘I’m an actor, not a politician,’ states Tedros. In any case, there is a message for everyone in his sketch. ‘I do think that a big problem in this society is the lack of tolerance — on both sides,’ he emphasises.

Source: cafebabel.com

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2. Eritrean “Naked Chef” wins London Apprenticeship Awards
3. The Spiegel Magazine: An Eritrean in Frankfurt
4. Seminar: The Specific Problems of Eritreans in Germany
5. Eritrea: Verein feiert Benefiz Festival

I am starting to wonder, why would a sole super power work so hard to hurt a young country that wants just to be left alone? Could the potentially huge natural gas and oil reserves in the red sea making the sole super power to work against us?

Through out history the US never cares about a country unless it has oil and natural gas (energy sources). And this could be  the reason why the sole super power is anti-Eritrea’s economic progress.

The special interest groups don’t want the Eritrean people to control or have a big share of the pie and that is what is going to happen if we start extracting the huge natural gas reserves in the red sea under the current nationalist government in Eritrea.So they are using agent meles to distract us from progressing by creating a border issue, somalia,djibouti, and God knows what they will bring next.

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4. Eritrean “Naked Chef” wins London Apprenticeship Awards
5. Two Companies Involved in Eritrea