Unfiltered Notes: Comments on “The Eritrean Covenant”

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I finally got a chance to read The Eritrean Covenant (http://eritreancovenant.com/blog/the-eritrean-covenant) and in spite of some misgivings, which I will get into later, I found it to be a well intentioned document worthy of everyone’s support. Its clarion call for “radically different and transformative approaches” is a timely one. If heeded, it will go a long way in refocusing the disparate activities of many people and organizations who have so far failed to cooperate effectively to bring about positive change. The document invites everyone to imagine a better tomorrow and its emphasis on “emancipation of women” through education is particularly refreshing. After all, it is impossible for any nation to grow to its full potential when half of its saner population is intentionally diminished.

The document’s first words are “reviving the Eritrean Covenant”, indicating there is an original the authors were striving to bring to life. Could this be a reference to the two underappreciated giants of Eritrean history, Ibrahim Sultan and Woldeab Woldemariam – who, along with their followers, swore to fight for a common cause on the Quran and the Bible some seven decades ago? If so, even better. (Incidentally, Ibrahim Sultan has at least one high school in Asmara named after him. I can’t name anything named after Ato Woldeab, which is a real shame).

The authors identify the real culprits marginalizing Eritrea today by saying “the privileged clique is a small minority that is mostly made up of Tigrinya-speaking men, Christian Highlanders who now are in their 60’s and whose number is estimated to be a maximum of several hundreds (emphasis added)” -- which is a good thing. But a few hundred misguided individuals out of 4 million people is hardly representative of “Tigrigna speaking, highland Christians”. That being the case, why focus on this wording -- especially since these words often stir negative emotions among some? And even after such decent attempt to identify the real enemy of the people, the authors -- by implication or by assertion -- repeatedly chose to credit this “clique” with attributes it doesn’t possess.

For example, the authors falsely portray the regime as an entity that is advancing “.. the position of their particular ethnic group(s) to the detriment of others” to which one can only say “ezgiher wanaKum!”. One hopes the authors will realize, at least in hindsight, how deeply hurtful it is (some might even say insensitive or outright insulting) to tell the victim of abuse that the abuser is actually a caring protector. Doesn’t this contradict the call for “radically different and transformative approach”, that is so critical to building much needed bridges and alliances?

Some of the things missed or misrepresented may not seem important when taken individually but juxtaposed against “apartheid like ... ethnocratic patronage system...” that advances “… the position of their particular ethnic group(s) to the detriment of others”, it make the good intentioned document lose some of its edge.

The authors seem to forget since this regime came to power, every segment of Eritrea’s population has been impoverished, villages have been drained out of their resources and youthful energy, the family unit has been gutted out to provide the raw material for the regime’s failed social experiments, people have become virtual slaves and the list goes on. Can one really name any ethnic or religious group for whom the quality of education has actually improved (remembering the regime closed the only university the country had)? Or where freedom of religion and expression has flourished? Any place where people are free from harassment, imprisonment or disappearances? Any doubt the only thing this regime is good at is distribution of misery?

It is not hard to appreciate and sympathize with the grievances of Muslim Eritreans. Some, like Muslim sites not being included in the Cultural Heritage restoration program, are uniquely Muslim and, of course, shameful. But when the authors list “religious discrimination, marginalization, torture, murder by death squads, abduction, .. harassment; persecution of religious leaders and scholars; imposition of government appointed religious leaders; …” as “grievances of Eritrean Muslims”, it leaves the rest of their compatriots wondering why they don’t seem to recognize these are also crimes being committed against ALL Eritreans.

The regime has devised and implemented many ways to divide Eritrean society. And with easily manipulated population, whatever they tried have worked very well for them. The gebar vs tegadalay dichotomy was a clever ploy that worked very nicely for them right out of the bat. The authors add one of the many divisive practices of the regime by saying “whenever there is a roundup of draft dodgers, some residents of the Eritrean Highlands misdirect their resentments towards those who conduct them, who often are disproportionately Muslims from the Lowlands”. That said, why isn’t it clear to the authors that they themselves are misdirecting resentments when they say there is an “ethnocratic” regime that is protecting highlanders/Christians to the detriment of others – thus punishing their compatriots for uncommitted crimes? There could, of course, be differences of degree. But that is perfectly in line with the clique’s objectives – to give the impression that it cares about this group or that, when it actually doesn’t.

Here is a good example of where the authors play right into the devil’s hands. The document says “anecdotal evidence suggests that the majority of the youth fleeing conscription are Christian Tigrigna speakers from the Highlands. This evokes painful memories in our history when one segment of our society is perceived to be less committed to national causes”. The fact that Tigrigna speaking Christians are voting with their feet only proves the clique has never been there to promote their interests in spite of the authors’ assertion to the contrary. Yet, and I sincerely hope I have misunderstood this, the authors chose to give the plight of the fleeing youth an unpatriotic twist. Comparing this with “Eritrean Muslims have always been true to national unity” which lacks historical perspective (ELF) and the authors’ brave admission of “Muslim leaders played a destructive role in igniting the fratricidal battles that wasted the lives of many Eritrean combatants”, only compounds the confusion their readers are subjected to.

At times, it appears the authors could not agree among themselves and it seems statements were thrown in to appease opposing stakeholders who can’t reconcile their differences. An example of which is “the amelioration of Christian suffering was not Isaias’ concern..”. And then there is this: “The hopes of Eritrean Muslims were quickly dashed when the course of events conspired to bring about Isaias at the helm of power..” and “...his old hatred of Eritrean Muslims”.

No matter how one tries to spin things, there is no denying it that everyone’s hopes were dashed. In the eyes of this regime, there is no privileged group be it lowlander or highlander, Muslim or Christian. And this point is actually not lost to the authors because they acknowledge as much, at times by positive assertion and sometimes through negative logic – as when they suggest highlanders fleeing the wrath of the regime are unpatriotic --but nevertheless admitting, albeit involuntarily, that the regime is not in the business of protecting anyone. What does one expect from a clique whose leader says democracy will never see the light of day in Eritrea and that Eritrea is a place where “nobody promises anything to anybody”? And why is that alone, not sufficient to galvanize people together? It is not helpful to argue whether this tragic figure hates Muslims more than others -- he hates everybody.

The authors state they “... are encouraged to see the regime is being abandoned daily by its rank and files who are rejecting its divisive policies of pitting Eritreans against each other along regional, ethnic, and religious lines (emphasis added)”. Recognizing this fact alone should have been sufficient for the authors to pause and restate some of their dubious assertions. After saying this, it should not have been necessary to say “Eritrean Muslims are treated as second-class citizens by the ruling clique in their own country”. There is no doubt Muslims are treated as second class citizens. But then who isn’t? Compared to Abdella Jaber, Ali Abdu, Alamin and other Muslim members of the regime (and remembering the ruling clique numbers only a few hundred), any highlander/Christian is a second class citizen. Unfortunately, by focusing on Muslim victimhood and presenting it as if it is happening in isolation, the authors themselves, one could argue, may have inadvertently contributed to “pitting Eritreans against each other”.

While applauding the level headed Muslim and Christian writers who objectively share their thoughts with balanced perspective, it is hard to fathom the obsession of some who exaggerate regional, ethnic and religious differences -- playing right into the hands of the regime they proclaim to be fighting against. Why is it necessary to call victims being uprooted from their ancestral villages and forcibly being relocated “land grabbers”, for example? Doing so indicates the lack of understanding of Eritrean village life. Does anyone really believe highland villagers woke up one day and said “let’s go grab some land from the lowlands?” It will be wise to make a distinction between victim and victimizer.

Remembering where I grew up in Eritrea, it does not resemble anywhere close to the hateful division our cyber warriors keep on perpetuating. What I remember is PEOPLE (Muslim and Christian) sharing peaceful village life, mutually respectful of each other, at times risking their lives to protect life time friends of the other faith, chatting away for what seemed to be eternity asking about each others’ families wellbeing, sharing moments of happiness at each others’ weddings, sharing moments of pain at each others’ funerals, mischievous Muslim and Christian youngsters conspiring to cheat fasting traditions to the angst of conservative parents and so on. I never witnessed or heard of violence or exchange of angry words based on religion. Where our cyber warriors hail from, I can’t say.

If it is prejudice and ignorance that irks them, it is part of the human DNA and there is really not much one can do about it other than to reach out to each other, and to educate one another. Prejudice, of course, should never be justified but it should not be given more weight than it deserves, especially when the one feeling the outrage at the moment is not free from it to begin with. One hears Muslim grievances that Eritrean highlanders/Christians have closer affinity with Ethiopia and are prejudiced against their Muslim compatriots. Similarly, one also hears grievances that Eritrean Muslims have closer affinity with Muslims from anywhere and are prejudiced against their Christian/highlander compatriots. In the minds of those who have made up their minds, all this is no doubt “true” – even when it is not.

That is why The Covenant is a good place to start for reaching out and for cross education. Although it falls short in some of its analysis and diagnosis, it should be supported for its intended spirit. It should be shared and discussed widely. Hopefully, the authors will one day come out to promote it openly and actively. That will be a great way to honour Ibrahim Sultan and Woldeab Woldermariam – by stopping the blame game and trying “radically different and transformative approaches” to bring about positive change for ALL.

Unfiltered Notes: Idi Amin Buffoonery Reincarnated in Eritrea

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The latest Al Jazeera interview with Mr. Isaias (http://asmarino.com/interviews/563-talk-to-al-jazeera-president-isaias-afwerki- ) was, for me, by far the most painful to watch. At one level, you feel sorry for him as he demolishes the dignity of his own person and that of the nation to shreds. Then you think of the hundreds of thousands of lives he has willfully destroyed and the initial feeling quickly fades into anger and disappointment. Every fact the journalist posed was rebuffed as a “pack of lies” not backed by “evidences”. Even responding to the question about the defection of Eritrea’s soccer team in Kenya and other athletes who defected in Scotland - which everyone knows to be true - is apparently, another “pack of lies”. He flatly said “this is news to me, I have never heard anything like that”. Whhhaaat!? So who is running the country if he is that clueless? Of course, he knows better and leaves little doubt as to who is the real source of the “pack of lies” - him.

There is nothing wrong with asking for evidence. In fact, it is a responsible thing to do. But if he is so fond of “evidences” all of a sudden, then we should also turn the tables and ask “evidences” from him. So, to start with, where are your “evidences”, Mr. Isaias, to back up your claims that your former colleagues and the journalists you have jailed for a decade are spies?

But let’s not fool ourselves. After all, this is a chap whose future is sadly behind him. There is really no point in trying to make sense of what he says anymore. Barring blind believers waiting for miracles of rapture, I have to believe there are decent folks who, for one reason or another, supported the regime in the past but keep finding themselves conflicted every time Isaias opens his mouth. Here are a few points to pause over and think about that even a five year old would have no trouble debunking. The quotes are his exact words from the interview.

“We never had any problems with Ethiopia”. Good. Then why did you sacrifice tens of thousands of our youth in a bloody war with people you don’t have any problems with? Aren’t you the one who started the war that consumed so many lives and property to supposedly avenge the killings of a handful of Eritreans whose names you have not shared with the public yet. Oh, by the way, where are the “evidences” for that?

“There has to be inclusive and comprehensive political process” for Somalia, Sudan etc, And not for Eritrea!? Does he even remember anymore that he is supposed to be Eritrea’s ‘leader’? As his supporters, doesn’t it make you angry that he actually knows what is good (like inclusivity) but never wishes those good things for his own people? In fact, not only does he not wish them for his people, he does everything he possibly can to make sure they don’t ever set foot in Eritrea’s soil.

Let me go off a tangent for a bit here. I have heard arguments before that he does these things because he is truly not Eritrean. Don’t believe it. Isaias is Eritrean, it is just that he is an Eritrean brute, our brute. Framing one’s thoughts around what percentage of one’s blood is this or that, on top of being so archaic, is also absolutely wrong. Although Woldeab Woldemariam was not 100% Eritrean by birth, he was 100% Eritrean by all other measures. I can’t even imagine anyone daring to call himself/herself to be more Eritrean than him.

I was in Eritrea for the duration of the 1998 war, the one Isaias now claims “was instigated by the United States in the first place” -- which, by the way, is absolutely false. During one of the major breaches of Eritrea’s defenses, stories were rampantly going around town that this was the work of a “traitor”, supposedly a former Eritrean tegadalai of Tigrean origin. The story smelled fishy and I asked another tegadalai I knew if this was true. The name of the guy being blamed for the debacle escapes me now, but I learned that the poor fellow was very sick and hospitalized all along. Not only that, the tegadalai I asked said he knows the so-called “traitor” in person and swore that he is no traitor and that he would do no such thing.

I venture to guess some of the “Eritreans” who were spewing this venom would not measure up to match the level of integrity or patriotism of the so-called traitor. I mention this to highlight how irrelevant differences are often cooked up or exaggerated to create divisions where none existed or should exist. The constant demonization of this group or that in our websites falls into this category. Potential allies going at each other with such misdirected energy, as CDRiE was the recipient of recently, only extends the oppression that is suffocating all Eritreans.

"There is no commodity called democracy". This is a tired phrase of Mr. Isaias and can probably be brushed off as such. But doesn’t that make you wonder why the word "democracy" is so prominently included in PFDJ's alphabet soup? Selling a non-existent commodity and successfully getting premium currency for it through various embezzlement schemes for so long, is a sad testament to the willingness of some Eritreans, especially the highly educated ones who can’t stop singing his praises, to be screwed over and over again.

Still doubt democracy actually exists? Even with the benefit of hindsight of the damning interview, many Eritreans participated in demonstrations in support of the regime. Nothing wrong with that if it is done out of deep conviction. But deep conviction is hard to fathom given the context of things these days. Folks participated in the February 22nd demonstrations, probably hurled a few insults at the democratic countries that have generously given them safe haven, went home, slept soundly (I hope) and woke up next morning with no one knocking at their doors in the dead of night to haul them off to jail. Don’t you ever wonder why you can’t do what you did here in Eritrea? Doesn’t that bother you?

So, you see, democracy is still a precious commodity -- except in Eritrea, that is. It exists and you are a living proof that it does. The only difference is Isaias has made sure democracy is a dead commodity in Eritrea and that is why he can declare it so with certainty. And many don't see anything wrong with that, unfortunately.

Eritrea is a country where "Nobody promises anything to anybody". This would be absolutely tragic if it was true. But it isn’t. On the contrary, Isaias himself has been making countless promises all along. Didn’t he promise Eritrea will be another Singapore? Only problem is he doesn’t deliver on those promises; or he delivers the exact opposite of what was promised. "Democracy" and "Justice" were indeed promised, at least by implication, when he created PFDJ -- a misnomer of a beast at whose door steps justice and democracy die every day. The question is: if he makes no promises to the nation he is supposedly 'leading', what is then the point of his "presidency" or even his own personal existence? With no vision to promise and deliver on anything, no wonder things are falling apart.

"This is a mockery of justice". Out of all God's creatures, Mr. Isaias should be among the least qualified to utter these words. He has mocked justice in Eritrea like no other ruler before him. At a whim, he has made people disappear, to which I am sure, he would say “where are the evidences”. We know Astier Yohannes disappeared from the airport as her children were waiting outside for her. I know my friend, Taha Mohammed Nur, died in Isaias' jail. We know the journalists are jailed because Isaias said they were spies, without “evidences”, of course.

"Let the people talk". Kind of ironic coming from the very person doing everything imaginable to ensure people's mouths remain shut - except when it is necessary to grease his weak ego. In essence, making sure all avenues for expressing oneself are non-existent and, for the “show”, declare “let the people talk”. How can people “talk” when demonstrations are illegal inside Eritrea, when news and opinions are only available through propaganda-spewing regime-owned media outlets, when people are not allowed to form associations to solve their own community problems, when it is illegal to gather in groups of more than a handful, when religious leaders are appointed and fired by an atheist regime…?

"Did you enjoy the show?". This was a question posed to the journalist if she enjoyed the Fenkil Festivities in Massawa after she asked why his shoot-to-kill policy is necessary. Yes, orchestrated “shows” are our answer to everything. We have "shows" to show artificial happiness the same way PFDJ is a front (as in not the real thing) for justice and democracy.

When asked who do you consider to be your friends, Isaias said “the whole world outside liars… Everybody is asking why these lies, why these sanctions..”. How I wish he was right! Yes, we did start on the right footing in 1991 with incredible goodwill from the whole world. But squandered it all in no time to the point where “the whole world” -- our neighbors, the whole of Africa and the UN body - took a united stand against us now. In spite of its small population, Eritrea is now among the highest refugee generators in the world. But where would be the evidence for that?

And the conclusion, "We are number one in this continent". This is the type of Idi Amin buffoonery that continues to haunt Africa. Unelected and unaccountable “leaders” stripping the dignity of their people willy-nilly, delivering nothing but empty slogans. Like the tigrigna saying "kebtimo wesidomen, ente xerfi gn zgedfanlom yeblanan". Isaias boastfully claims there is no food shortage in Eritrea and we know better. Isn’t that the sort of callous denial -- the refusal to feel the pain of his people – that eventually brought Haile Selassie down?

Even the most rabid diaspora supporters of the regime are not fooled by this “number one” bull, however. They may wrap themselves in the flag for the "show", curse the very freedoms they enjoy daily, and ungratefully slap the generous hand that feeds them. But they are staying put in their safe havens. They are not moving. What, no one wants to live in the number one country in Africa? Obviously, something must be wrong with that picture.

Unfiltered Notes: MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”

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I try to read something by or about Martin Luther King (MLK) in January in celebration of his birthday. I do this primarily out of a sense of deep gratitude for the gift of freedom he gave us all. “BECAUSE HE WAS, WE CAN”. But also to get renewed inspiration from his vision, eloquence and his fearless determination to overcome daunting odds with such dignified composure. I re-read “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” again this year. It is an excellent read and you can see for yourself at (http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html).

As an added bonus this time, my wife and I were visiting relatives in Atlanta during the holidays. Of course, the MLK Center was on our MUST see list. I was a bit surprised by the feeling of wonder I sensed going through me just by physically being there. The eternal flame and the numerous marble etchings on the walk ways among them, “BECAUSE HE WAS… I CAN”, by Kindergartner (at least at the time of the etching), Junior Vasques. The absolutely stupid things men come up with to declare their worst prejudices as “laws”. The nice people (of all colors) who stood up and dismantled those silly “laws” so we, the beneficiaries of their struggles, can enjoy freedoms many of them never got to see. It was a wholesome experience for the body and soul.

As I took all these in, my daughter’s email signature line that says “a society grows great when old men plant trees under whose shade they know they will never sit” flashed through my mind. And they sure did. Where would we all be without the shades of freedom the trees they planted now provide?As one reads “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, it is hard to resist drawing parallels between the horrible conditions MLK fought against and the equally horrible conditions happening in today’s Eritrea. Take a look.

ON INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP IMMORALITIES

“Lamentably, it is an historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but, as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups tend to be more immoral than individuals.”

The desire to protect material possessions and the privilege of frequent vacations are often mentioned as the primary reasons diaspora Eritreans keep bowing to a lawless regime that has debased centuries-old societal values. Compared to years past, there now seems to be a glimmer of hope that individuals are taking positive, albeit unsteady, steps towards giving up this “unjust posture”. As I see it, voices that used to bark loudly at dissenting voices before, have either become less common or turned the volume down a bit. One wonders if the beast has eaten enough of its children already. A welcome and good sign for sure. But these positive steps need to steady up really fast before group immorality dominates yet again.

As to group immorality, need one say more than the trance-inducing slogans the regime so cleverly crafts to keep minds numbed and hearts hardened to stone? Blowing the whistle of “meKete” (defiance), the regime has repeatedly been able to move the focus away from its egregious crimes with ease. This self-hypnotizing word is one of the potent weapons used to scatter people’s attention in a futile search for phantom enemies. And with a blink of an eye, the destroyer becomes the protector. The irony is that diaspora groups who support the regime, hold demonstrations and other forms of free expression afforded to them by their adopted countries, with full knowledge that the freedoms they freely exercise outside are absolutely denied to their brothers and sisters inside Eritrea.

ON WHICH LAWS TO OBEY

“I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all."”

Shouldn’t we all then disobey the regime’s unjust laws, which are no laws at all? These “laws” include shoot-to-kill orders against those who dare to free themselves from slavery, innocent people wasting away in prisons all across the country, jailing elderly parents for ransom, the take-over of religious institutions so obedient “religious leaders” can be deposed and anointed at will; just to name a few. “A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law.” Only in Eritrea’s case, the unjust “laws” are concocted by a handful and imposed on the whole population. No questions asked.

ON DISTORTED LOGIC

“In your statement you assert that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence. But is this a logical assertion? Isn't this like condemning a robbed man because his possession of money precipitated the evil act of robbery?”

Or blaming survivors of shoot-to-kill policy for “deserting” a regime (falsely equated to the country) that has deprived them of life and where a future of servitude is the only guarantee. Or blaming the few brave souls who dared to speak up and disappeared for bringing it upon themselves, in essence, saying “don’t they realize how ruthless the regime is? They should have known better and kept their mouths shut”. If MLK had used that feeble logic to guide his actions, we wouldn’t be enjoying the freedoms that everyone takes fore-granted now. Good thing he didn’t.

THERMOSTAT OR A THERMOMETER?
“In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.”

How can Eritrean society be transformed if diapora Eritreans choose to curse the very freedoms they enjoy in the West by aligning themselves with a regime whose key trademarks are vicious cruelty against its own people and absolute denial of freedom to all? Repeating “meKete” like a zombie is being a mere thermometer, going with the flow, parroting things just to be part of the crowd. Where is the courage in that? The courage is in being the thermostat, and to stop blaming victims and glorifying criminals.

ARE OUR SOULS AT REST?

“… seventy two year old woman in Montgomery, Alabama, who rose up with a sense of dignity and with her people decided not to ride segregated buses, and who responded with ungrammatical profundity to one who inquired about her weariness: "My feets is tired, but my soul is at rest."

It was not too long ago that so-called “revolutionaries” used to blame our fore fathers for ‘selling’ Eritrea. Now that we have become our fathers, what will the next generation say about the abysmal role we are playing – selfishly enjoying freedom ourselves and yet so willing to deny it to others? Could it be that we don’t have souls to speak of anymore?

“… right defeated is stronger than evil triumphant”A

nd that is the consolation and reason for eternal hope and optimism. That in spite of the crashing frustration Eritrea’s people are subjected to and in spite of the overwhelming power the oppressors enjoys today, the “rascals will be thrown out” one day. Then what? Will we act like zombies again? Will natural allies miss yet another golden opportunity again, as appears to be the case nowadays, by wasting precious time bickering amongst each other only to allow another dictator “waiting in embryo” to take over? Let’s hope not.

I will close with this quote which, for me, shows the convergence of MLK’s humility, his humanity and clarity of his vision. Thank you Martin Luther King!! “Because you were, I can”.

“If I have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. If I have said anything that understates the truth and indicates my having a patience that allows me to settle for anything less than brotherhood, I beg God to forgive me”