By Semir Adhanom

Eritrea is a country who is so feed up with all the mistreatment and crime that was committed by the Ethiopians and their sponsors that include most of the rich countries that if I try to mention them the list would be long. I always wonder why the international community sides with Ethiopia every time during the last 60 years. And the answer seems to be that Ethiopian leaders for the last 60 years where willing to sell their own country’s interests and were willing to act as a servant of the white man.

I have a great respect for Ethiopian history of bravery, independence, and civilization before 1800’s, but what happened to the present generation of Ethiopian elites who are willing to be servants of outside forces and commit crimes against their own people and neighbors. This has been so evident for the current regime in Addis Ababa, who was a tool for the US adventures in Somalia recently. I heard before somebody say “we can’t choose our neighbors but our destiny”. It is so true that this same people especially the elites of Ethiopia will be our neighbors for ever, but we know their true colors by now which the Eritrean people learned the hard way. It saddens me to see not only the current regime in Addis who is occupying sovereign Eritrean territory by force, but also the Ethiopian elites in the diasporas keep on beating the drum of war and destruction so often, that it makes me wonder, will we ever have peace with the Ethiopian elite groups. I know the general public in Ethiopia want peace instead of war, development instead of destruction just like all the peoples of the horn Africa, but they are not blessed with leaders who do what the people’s inspirations and dreams are. But that is another topic and I will let the Ethiopians figure it out for themselves and choose to be either a tool of foreign agents or develop their country by being in peace with themselves and their neighbors.

As for us Eritreans, it seems like we figured out how to defend the country at the same time work hard to achieve the Eritrean dream where so many heroes paid the ultimate price of life for, and that is “to build a prosperous and stable nation, where material and spiritual needs of its citizens could be fully satisfied through guaranteeing the highest level of economy, academy, vocational capacity, as well as the provision of social services” (Shabait.com Dec 17 editorial). What a noble cause to live for than spend your life to make a better place for the next generation, that is exactly what the Warsay-Yikealo’s doing this day in Eritrea.

The results of their hard work and sacrificies is bearing fruit and even the international mass media who is controlled by the powerful countries just started to admit to the progress that is taking place in Eritrea. I just read the article that predicts Eritrea to be the best performing economy in the world in 2011 (GDP +17%) and I was filled with joy and said “wow dreams come true for real” that is what every Eritrean believed in the potential of the people to change the country once and for all through hard work and sacrifices despite all the special interest groups obstructions and short sighted nay sayers who have been preaching the doomsday scenario. It will be so hard for the enemy to swallow this pill of truth and we should be vigilant not to underestimate them, because understandably this will be a taught year for them, but it will be a launching pad for the Eritrean people to reach to the place where we know and believe Eritrea belongs. The Eritrean cycling national team win of being African champions was not just a coincidence, but it is a sign of Eritrea’s potential and the place it belongs in every sector, be it in economy, sport, military, technology, education, healthcare , …etc. Besides, it is a sign of the Eritrean dream is near.

Semir (semirnna@yahoo.com)

Working in the Gulf

Qatar has launched a crack down campaign on labour rights abuse by employers across the country. The Ministry of Labour is going to check each month around 100 companies on violating employees’ rights.

For many years law of the business owner ruled over general legislation in respect to employee rights and freedom at work place.

Especially, in the Gulf States immigrant workers from Africa, India and South East Asia often used to have a “no rights” status while doing their job.

Many of the workers had been exposed to the good will of the employer regarding, payment, holidays, safety at the work place as well as hiring and firing.

Thousands of Eritreans work in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as house mates, construction workers, taxi drivers and factory workers. Most of the foreign workers went to these countries on the basis of the widespread perceptions in their home land of lucrative and exciting jobs abroad.

Unfortunately, finding a situation that meets minimum standards of decent work is often a matter of luck and not a guarantee. Those who are not so lucky may become trapped in highly exploitative situations with few exit options.

Many workers have to go through conditions, which remind on slavery and a second class society. Only until last month domestic workers were excluded from labor laws in Saudi Arabia, denying them rights such as a weekly day of rest, limits to hours of work and overtime pay.

However, the Gulf States have taken the right direction by introducing more and more labor protection laws into their legal system. This will help the government to stop the increasing number of staff turnover amongst qualified foreign workers.

Big and important companies in the region need to have a very active human resource department, because work conditions make people come and go in no time. Hence new labor legislation in the Gulf States might help to improve the situation by improving conditions for the employees.