Unfiltered Notes: Saleh is way off base about EFND

We all have our good days and bad days. I can only hope Saleh Johar wrote this unhelpful article in awate.com on one of his bad days. Saleh’s broad brushes were too demeaning, short on facts and inconsistent with his admirable mission “to inform, inspire and embolden”.

I will be the first to admit EFND had its shortcomings but lack of effort to be inclusive is definitely NOT one it is guilty of. That much, I know. In fact, Dr. Aferworki, one of the main targets of Saleh’s article, was genuinely leading the reaching out effort for religious and gender inclusiveness. And initially the numbers did increase in encouraging ways - more so religiously vis-à-vis gender diversity. In spite of the initially promising trend, however, a diverse membership was not sustained over time. But due to lack of effort, it was not.

The meetings were through conference calls. Out of a regular group of 20 or so individuals, I only knew a couple of people personally and came to know the rest through their voices. I am glad I came to know them all, but it was amusing for me to discover that, somehow, I was part of a group of “relatives” or “village Uqqub club”. Is such mockery really necessary? I don’t know what drove Saleh to go as far as he did. But one thing is certain - there is nothing informative, inspiring or emboldening about such a contemptuous adventure. We are supposed to be members of this so-called justice seekers group. But as long as we continue to get the tone of our “disagreements” so recklessly wrong, PFDJ will continue to be the only beneficiary. With enemies like us, no wonder they are not in a hurry to make friends.

I have always disagreed with those who try to explain away Isaias’s crimes as willful acts against Eritrea and Eritreans because he is not Eritrean. The fact is, he has been nothing else but Eritrean. We just refuse to come to terms with the fact that some people are just evil. But that is no consolation either because the rest of us have so far proven ourselves to be incompetent beyond measure to stop that evil. And Saleh, in his article, has unintentionally perpetuated PFDJ’s exclusionary mindset - a mindset that paints those we don’t like or agree with, with hateful labels such as Islamist, Crusader, regionalist etc. I fail to see how Saleh’s liberally dismissive tone of decent people, who are trying to do the right thing the best way they know how, can help in advancing the cause of justice that we all proclaim to be fighting for.

But I suppose for those who are hell-bent to hold on to wrongly held beliefs, facts don’t matter. Similarly and unfortunately, Saleh’s broad brushes, denigrating EFND to the extent he did and stating it has done nothing to be inclusive is just plain wrong and way off base. 

To be clear, I am not saying EFND should not be criticized. Far from it.  But it is puzzling to see the boundless zeal we continue to bring to the table, mercilessly attacking each other along the way - often without merit or with heavily distorted facts. And I am not advocating we tolerate mediocrity when we see it either. We shouldn’t. But promoting falsehoods and stretching facts to go after each other with such venom is the furthest from the spirit of reconciliation we often claim to hold as a core value.

Now, I don’t know if Saleh had private discussions with certain individuals in EFND where bad words might have been exchanged. I am also aware some so-called Christians and Muslims do harbor hateful perspectives about each other, which Saleh so rightly objects to. However, I also know, in the many conference calls I attended, I never heard ““Crusaders” Branding Others, “Islamists””, as Saleh claims. So, why project the anger so broadly and so recklessly against people who have absolutely nothing to do with what got Saleh to react the way he did? Isn’t that a fishing expedition in search of non-existent enemies?

I believe Saleh when he says his life’s mission is “to inform, inspire and embolden”. But his article did not do justice to that lofty mission and it came across with absolutely the wrong tone and with the potential to alienate a whole lot of good people. As mentioned earlier, we all have bad days every now and then. One hopes the good days are more and, over time, the momentum of our struggle to be positive.

I also believe no matter how badly we behave sometimes, that moment can be turned into a good learning experience if we are so inclined. I hope we will collectively take this episode to be one of those moments. Hopefully, those wrongly accused will just ignore it and move on to pursue their worthy goals. And may God give those of us who still harbor the negative sentiments Saleh is rightly annoyed about, the wisdom to break out from that prison of hate.

And there was this bombshell from JH Ahmed in the comments section of Saleh’s article: “.. You have Mr. Tewolde Stephanos, an unapologetic bigot who along with Semere ? waged a barrage of anti-Muslims attacks when the Mejlis Ibrahim al-Mukhtar’s Covenant came out.”

There is probably nothing one can say or do to dissuade JH Ahmed from making such libelous accusations. But for the benefit of independent and fair minded folks who want to judge for themselves, here is the link to what I wrote some four years ago that JH Ahmed found objectionable (http://unfilterednotes.blogspot.com/2010/07/unfiltered-notes-comments-on-eritrean.html). In a fair game of criticism, JH Ahmed should have provided the link to give readers the proper context to make up their minds. He didn’t. Additionally, I only wrote a single article about the subject - which can hardly be called a barrage unless one is prone to exaggerations.

Assuming JH Ahmed had misunderstood what I wrote, here is an easy step he can take to re-examine things. Read the article again and mention one example – just one – that is bigoted. And if there are more, by all means, bring it on. That way, when things are put in proper perspective, fair minded and independent folks can see for themselves who the real bigot is.

For those who don’t have time to read the article, here is a sample to give you a flavor. It starts with: “….I found it to be a well-intentioned document worthy of everyone’s support.”; “The document invites everyone to imagine a better tomorrow and its emphasis on “emancipation of women” through education is particularly refreshing.”

And finishes with: “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.”

I also had few misgivings, which I tried my best to voice respectfully and truthfully.

Here is a thought: Wouldn't it be wonderful if the authors of the covenant and EFND get together to jointly define the way forward?

On a lighter note: I can’t close this without commenting on what was said about Adi Teklezan. It is my home town and I would like to imagine it, not as the place where the highlands and lowlands separate as some seem to see it, but as the perfect place where the two start to beautifully melt into each other, manifesting their shared humanity. It is equidistant from Keren and Asmara and that makes it the perfect town (smile) where highlanders and lowlanders equally feel at home with no urge to use denigrating labels against each other. Amen to that.

Unfiltered Notes: Are we losing the deeper message of Eritrea’s courageous Catholic Bishops?

By Tewelde Stephanos, June 14, 2014                    Email: testifanos@gmail.com

Many have commented on the exemplary moral leadership of the four Catholic Bishops articulated in the now famous document titled “Where is Your Brother?” ^1,2.  Such courageous moral stand is truly uplifting anytime but especially so at this moment of Eritrea’s grim reality.

But I worry if we are losing the deeper lesson of the good Bishops already. Some of us are concluding as if the message only applies to the regime and its supporters. Yes, the lawless regime makes Italy’s apartheid era look good by comparison. The wanton plundering of Eritrea’s material and human resources and Isaias saying “no one gave me a contract” to create the oppressive and corrupt regime leaves no doubt he is the worst enemy the country has.

That is not the whole story, however. Could a one-man empire last this long if we had heeded the Bishops’ deeper lesson? Did we honestly stick with the spirit of their question - “where is my brother”? What was our response when the disabled veterans were mercilessly mowed down or when so many people were herded to prison, some never to be heard from again? Except for very few brave souls, like our Catholic Bishops, we have all failed to do the right thing and that is why the regime has thrived this long.

Let’s start with the most contentious. In 1991, Eritrea’s tegadelti were given boundless respect and admiration. Then tegadalai Bitwoded Abreha was jailed without due process of the law and the tegadelti did nothing to help his mother who, as the word of mouth reporting goes, was knocking on all doors to gain her son’s freedom. Because the tegadelti stopped asking “where is my brother” things only got worse from there. Then came the jailing of Muslim teachers in Keren, the massacre of the disabled veterans in Mai Habar; followed by one horrendous crime after another. And what did the tegadelti do? Nothing. Even the top leaders who ignored the pleas of Bitwoded’s mother have disappeared without a trace since. And because they did nothing, even tegadelti’s children are fleeing Eritrea confirming what they (the tegadelti) let happen has made Eritrea unfit for their own children. While all this mess is unfolding, Eritrean society wrongly took the back seat assuming the tegadelti are there to safeguard freedom only to find out freedom cannot survive unless it is guarded by all. As the tegadelti abandoned the spirit of freedom and justice they supposedly fought for, ordinary citizens (derisively referred to as gebar by tegadelti) also willingly accepted a second class citizenship role. And it all went downhill from there.

How about diaspora Eritreans and Eritrea’s so-called educated class who enjoy full personal freedoms provided by our host countries? Did we wish the same freedoms for our brothers and sisters inside Eritrea or try to speak truth to power? Not even close. The vast majority of us kept quiet (even as the regime closed the only University in the country), and the voices of few brave ones were continuously drowned out in favor of a corrupt regime that is still in power. The irony of ironies: we even mis-used the freedom of expression allowed in our host countries to demonstrate in favor of a regime that kills people demanding those very rights.

How about religious leadership? Except for the consistent and united moral leadership of the Catholic Bishops - both now and in 2001, there is not much to speak of here either. The Protestant Church has been extremely quiet; and one dares say complacent The Orthodox Church is severely divided and cleverly manipulated by the atheist regime. It can’t even rally in a united way to free the ailing Patriarch who was demoted by the regime and replaced by immoral “leaders” who continue to turn a blind eye as the regime brutalizes their brothers. The role of the Mosque is not that better. Forgetting they are our brothers and sisters, we have been dormant or complacent as the regime viciously attacked members of the smaller faith groups.

Predictably, the regime and its supporters have started playing the same old song that the Catholic Bishops were funded by Eritrea’s enemies. Of course it is a bankrupt argument because Eritrea’s enemies did not massacre the disabled veterans, closed the only University, nor convert Eritrea into a despotic state. We did. But let’s assume for a moment that an enemy did fund the Bishops to write the deep, thoughtful and caring document. A document that is full of practical advice on how to solve our problems, a document that awakens the soul to do the right thing, a document that arouses sympathy for a mistreated brother or sister. A document that appeals to our sensibilities to never do what we did to Bitwoded’s mother ever again. If there are enemies like that who help you accomplish such noble causes, I, for one, want as many of those enemies as I can find. I am sure many also feel the same way.

But let’s go back to the bigger picture. Segment it anyway we want – by gender, by age group, by religion etc., our collective behavior has not been that good. After all, the hated regime is still there doing what it does best – promoting backwardness, poverty, ignorance and destruction.

Collectively, we are all equally bad for letting things get this ugly. No group can claim virtue over any other. But now is our opportunity to right this wrong, to rise from the ashes, to heed the Catholic Bishops’ message to never stop asking “where is my brother?” again. Because as the saying goes, if I don’t stand up when they take away my brother, there won’t be anyone left when they come for me. This regime will surely go.  And good riddance! what a moment that will be. What we will allow to replace it, is the real test awaiting us. Are we now getting the deeper lesson outlined by the good Bishops? Are we going to allow another mother’s heart to be broken like what let happen to Bitwoded’s mother and the countless mothers like her?

I feel nothing but gratitude for the stand the Catholic Bishops took. And for that, I say, I am a Catholic today.

1 http://assenna.com,  June 6, 2014

2 http://asmarino.com/alewuna/2093-the-most-daring-message-to-come-out-of-eritrea-

Unfiltered Notes: Justice Seeker’s Pledge – ‘be nice to other justice seekers’

By Tewelde Stephanos      Date: April 19, 2014       Email: testifanos@gmail.com

You probably heard the story of the two shoe salesmen returning from a barefoot nation. One reported there are no opportunities there because people don’t wear shoes. The other saw great opportunities for exactly the same reason - because people don’t wear shoes yet.  

Such opposite views are prevalent in today’s Eritrea. For those focusing on negatives (camp A), partial truths are exaggerated to conclude Eritrea’s independence was a mistake. For camp A Eritrea was dead on arrival. It is a helpless (I can’t do anything) and hopeless (it can’t be done) mindset that simply stands by waiting for an “I told you so” moment.

The things camp A lists to reach its pessimistic conclusions may well be true. But it is definitely not the whole truth because Eritrea is more than its highland component. Ignoring Eritrea is more than its Muslim component, there is also camp A’s other half that wants to Arabize Eritrea. Fortunately, these two faces of camp A, although very vocal, are not representative of their respective communities. And that is why I still believe there is hope for Eritrea.

I love Ethiopia and look forward to the day relationships between the two countries are back to normal. But the entire Eritrea is the reality that needs to be addressed. That is why the position held by half of camp A that is eager to go back to Ethiopia is a non-starter. They don’t even belong to the part of Eritrea the old Ethiopia really wanted. So, in reality, they have nothing to offer. Besides, Ethiopia has moved on in rather impressive ways (at least in comparison to Eritrea). So, it is doubtful today’s Ethiopians are as obsessed with the same nostalgia Eritrea’s camp A seems to be burdened with.

At the opposite pole (camp B), we have the regime and its cult followers manufacturing their own ‘facts’. Here Eritrea is falsely projected as the model of Democracy and Justice - upheld by the corrupt PFDJ no less. In the land of infinite ironies, a killer is idolized as his victim’s guardian. For camp B, Eritrea is nothing more than the tyrant himself. Given the outrageous things Isaias says and his willingness to go so far to look so bad, no one makes Camp A’s point better than camp B.

Evaluating Isaias’ last “interview” (kolel, is more like it), Kubrom Dafla¹ calls him Ewala (or is it a mental health issue?). For Isaias, the 360 Eritreans who perished in Lampadusa are “illegal African immigrants”. The masses of refugees he is the root cause of, are “thieves” he is glad to see “Eritrea be without”. No wonder camp A declares Eritrea’s independence a mistake.

In a way, camps A and B are aligned on the same end result. One says Eritrea should not have existed. The other spares no effort to ensure Eritrea becomes a failed state. What is the difference?

What is missing is camp C, a sane and honest middle that recognizes Eritrea for what it is in the here and now – a country in serious state of decay that needs to be normalized urgently. Not an easy task for sure. But if Rwanda and Ethiopia can do it, why not Eritrea? Given their difficult past (especially Rwanda’s), and seeing them doing well by comparison now, should be a source of inspiration. In the spirit of the second shoe salesman, since Eritrea is not completely dead yet, there is a chance to transform it into a place where its citizens feel safe and secure, free to pursue their dreams – all of their dreams.

Are we close?

The short and honest answer is no. However, there is progress. It is good to see Dr. Tewelde (wedi vacaro) doing an excellent job of refocusing people’s attention to the “urgency of now”. And it is time to go beyond producing “press releases”, as the tireless Selam Kidane² aptly puts it.

But old habits that dwell on differences without substance continue to get in the way. Even with the benefit of decades-long hindsight, one of the latest entrants to the opposition camp, Forum for National Dialog (FND) – aka Medrek, is generating more anxiety than hope.

Listening to parties Medrek has dealt with - assena.com and Dr. Tewelde among them - it appears Medrek has burned some valuable bridges already. That can’t be good. That said, however, rejecting Medrek outright is a huge mistake. Sure, Medrek should be asked the tough questions in a way that challenges its members to be open and to do more; because they can do more. The capabilities they can bring to the table are obvious. The priority should, therefore, be to find ways how those capabilities can be brought to the forefront for the benefit of all. To be clear, I am not defending Medrek’s behavior. My concern is the dismissive tone and general intolerance we seem to exhibit so readily.

Let’s take an unlikely scenario to drive the point home. Say Ali Abdu openly declares that he is ready to put his energy and knowledge to dismantle the criminal regime he so shamelessly served. It would be foolish to dismiss him outright, as it has been our tendency to do. This does not mean, however, he will not have to account for his past - which is a legal matter beyond the scope of crowd justice. If justice is what we say we seek though, why deny anyone the opportunity to contribute towards the goal we all claim to be after? Watch him closely so he is not violating the rules of engagement by resorting to old habits – yes. But deny him the opportunity to help end PFDJ rule – no. We need to stop obsessing about intentions (hard to determine) and start using tangible actions as primary measuring sticks.

Another thing that needs serious re-consideration is how long one has been part of the “opposition” is not necessarily a merit. If there are no tangible accomplishments that can be attributed to that longevity, it actually becomes a liability. That is why “abey nerom” (where have they been) should not be part of a justice seeker’s vocabulary. Unfortunately, “abey nerom” are the first words so-called veterans and passive observers utter when a new comer enters the scene. We need to show some humility and honestly answer “entay afriye” (what have I accomplished) before asking “abey nerom” of others.

If that sense of humility is deeply rooted, a true justice seeker should have no problem pledging to never speak ill of anyone striving to end PFDJ rule. While challenging them to do more and to back words with deeds, of course.

References

1 http://assenna.com/voice-of-assennamr-kubrom-dafla-responds-to-dictator-isaias-afewerkis-recent-interview-thursday-13-march-2014/
2  http://asmarino.com/articles/2045-r-is-for-reform-and-r-is-for-reality-too

Unfiltered Notes: The Day After

By Tewelde Stephanos (testifanos@gmail.com)   Date: January 24, 2014

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” -- MLK

I remember the face of one compassionate Italian mayor - full of sadness for people she didn’t know - clearly showing her deeper humanity. This was last October when the world mourned the Lampadusa tragedy where over 360 Eritreans perished in the Mediterranean Sea. Predictably, Eritrea’s regime known for gross inhumanity against its own citizens, showed no such compassion. Knowing full well these were people who fled its forced labor programs, the regime first tried to disown them as “illegal African immigrants”. It later attempted to shift the blame to imaginary enemies and finally refused to allow burials to take place in Eritrea denying much needed closure to grieving families. 

One thing is certain. The longer this regime stays in power, the more destruction and destitution Eritreans can expect. The question is: do we have what it takes to free ourselves from this burden, sooner than later, and to face the challenges of the-day-after before things go the way of South Sudan and Somalia?

Although the sense of urgency is not quite there yet, there is definitely room for optimism we can do this. The growing calls for justice and freedom around the world, Dr. Tewelde’s (wedi vacaro) refreshingly clear and direct campaigns, the growing support for wedi Ali’s family, the massive demonstrations in Israel (albeit for a different but related reason), and continued defections away from the regime are good indicators things have crossed the point of no return. Bravely taking responsibility for one’s actions and publicly apologizing for past mistakes, as Dr. Tewelde did is also admirable and will, hopefully, become a new trend for others to emulate. As more people take such honorable steps, maybe good societal values that were so mercilessly trashed by the regime for decades, can be restored as well.

To add to the optimism, credible rumors are floating about that Haile Menkorios maybe in the opposition camp. If true, this is indeed good news because he has great connections that can be put to good use. Hopefully, he and his group will also take advantage of hind sight to think differently this time and start building a broader coalition that appeals to greater number of Eritreans than before. Perhaps then, people like Mr. Herman Cohen can also free themselves from the bondage of only seeing the rotten regime as their only potential partner and stop giving it legitimacy it does not deserve. Wouldn’t it also be nice if Haile’s group took public and concrete steps to approach Dr. Tewelde and others to show Eritreans can really work together after all?

 I have nothing but respect for what Dr. Tewelde is doing. But since no one is perfect, those close to him should advise him not to alienate anyone. This is the time we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s life in the U.S. So, if we must judge, it should be based on nothing but “the content of their character”. We need to accept that everyone, deqi “ArbEa” or otherwise, are equally Eritrean. Period! The sooner we internalize this, the better chances Eritrea will have to heal its deep self-inflicted wounds.

Only through full and unreserved inclusiveness, will we be able to channel everyone’s skills and experience to take on the hard work ahead. Meles had a simple and beautiful vision to see the day when every Ethiopian has three meals a day. He identified poverty as public enemy number one and millions of Ethiopians are committed to that worthy goal now.

By contrast, Eritrea has no such vision, showing the poverty is really in our heads. In spite of 1000 Km of coastline, there is hardly any fish in town and malnutrition is widespread. With two deteriorating ports and unaccounted for gold revenues, Eritrea is poorer than ever before -- where life is sustained through remittances and people are unable to support themselves on honest local earnings. Eritrea could have been a middle income country by now if it were not managed so badly.

To reverse this, the younger generation from which future leaders will necessarily have to emerge, must shift the conversation away from the fruitless polemics of the past and re-focus it towards a more productive and hopeful future. As the saying goes, since the future cannot be predicted, you might as well invent it. So, if we can accept the simple fact that a working economy is a good pre-condition for a better future, then our conversation will have to change to what needs to be done now to get there. Much less weight should be given to ‘who did what to who during the ghedli years’ (less than 5% maybe), and much more to what environment we must create to attract the right technologies and people (local and global) to partner with to build a lasting economy.

Since productivity and efficiency are key drivers for a growing economy, we will then be forced to think about how we can keep our society healthy and come up with an equitable and efficient public health policy (sick or malnourished people can’t be fully productive even if the will is there). Education is another key contributor to economic health. And commitment to good education will, in turn, force us to shift our thinking to how we can free education from the grips of propaganda and re-focus its purpose to seek knowledge and truth -- as it is meant to be. The necessary planning for all these need to take place now before the-day-after arrives. Otherwise, simply waiting for the-day-after, as we seem to have done so far, will only increase the chances the vacuum it will surely bring along with it will be mismanaged too – leaving avoidable suffering for future generations.

If we manage to change the conversation with a strong bias towards the future, however, better choices will emerge -- brightening the future bit by bit. Some choices will be of the standard variety and some from way out in the fringes but no less exciting. Here is a good example from India (http://www.ted.com/talks/bunker_roy.html). Did you miss the part about starting democracy early and the 12 year old Prime Minister? Go back!