(II) Fear to Phobia in the ambiguity of Eritrean image!

Fear to Phobia in the ambiguity of Eritrean image!

In the first of three into this article, I stressed on a couple of examples from the pool of toxic impacts of the war of mismanagement in real life as part of my effort to bring into attention the urgency needed towards relationship mending process, because undeniably what was believed to have worked well for decades past is definitely not fitting expectations of the present. For that holy purpose it is reasonable to say that it has to be mended. As simple as common sense what should matter at the end is sustainable existence and opportunity to the people. Accordingly keeping this direction in mind my suggestion to those interested in resetting the flow of ideas, the first in the priority list should be:-

matching the equation to the right question to get a solution.

Henceforth looking for a reliable option towards resolving the Eritrean equation for making peace and promoting growth a crafty shift of ideas by the power of NOW is going to be my main point. Otherwise according to countless facts that have been unfolding in the Eritrean sphere hitherto:

neither the Question

nor the Equation

or the Solution

Seem to belong to the most frequently echoed notion of unseating or even slaying a clueless, professionally self-isolated and historically lionized dictator. Worse based on what is persistently being propagated by most privately owned opposition media outlets an assumption that anticipates a solution by eliminating the deeply implanted and historically lionized dictator/dictatorship has evolved into a pretentious core of the tone of the opposition mode. Not enough though parallel to it something has to be improved.

Unfortunately with no preliminary idea of what might follow, this non-benchmarked approach of promulgating ideas easier to blow is adding nothing but confusion to the historical ambiguity of the flow. For that reason this trend is consuming too much time and resources as well as diverting attention. And finally it is tending to be like a cliff that may turn a potential danger for the process of change, reconciliation or even revolution in the making of a dependable state around Africa’s Horn.

No wonder fact of the matter is even though the dictator deserves a huge shame and blame, it is the reigning secretive world view too absorbed in promoting ideas of independence and self-reliance (ፈኸራን ጥረራን እንዳ ዝናን ባህታን) that bears accountability for all the mess. Accordingly it is not another battle type of Badme or slaying a dictator but a sort of creative battle of ideas that can evolve and improve the way out of the secretive world view in order to envision a better way for the management of relationships.

With no exaggeration the shortcoming of the approach kind of faulting dictator/dictatorship when presenting or trying to suggest how to solve the systemic equation had already been demonstrated when delivered by analysts like Alena and T.Temnewo. What’s amazing me now is to see the same style being perpetuated under renewed brand names. Clearly such a persistent deliberation of moot ideas by the same minded people from the same old school of thought is exerting strong obstacle over new ideas not to be just them in line with global and regional norms.

So the point I am trying to stress here is it is time now to exit the out dated confinements of fear and phobia and walk beyond the scope of solely wasting time and resources on blaming a defeated dictator. And let actuality be acknowledged. Unquestionably it is well known that a crippling and out dated world view of independence and self-reliance (ፈኸራን ጥረራን እንዳ ዝናን ባህታን) has been thriving in the totality of Eritrean sphere camouflaged by a profusely politicized rigid border perception.

However regardless of the invaluable resources invested to justify that direction it is taking nowhere but hell. Worse by the end of its hay day the kind of world view we used to admire is being proven to be out dated and most probably strategically wrong based on its indescribably disastrous humanitarian, political and economic outcomes. So there is a need to assess our old slippery high-way while searching a new and safer run way.

Hence in order to facilitate the process, the start of crafting an alternative idea has to admit ownership of the historical image which includes age and size of an outdated world view that finally issued an appealing but heartless dictator/dictatorship augmented by cohesive elites.

Simply said dictatorship is a natural output of the secretive process Ghedli. And that is why I believe a renewed approach from out of the box of secrets of the dictator and his cronies can direct the flow of ideas to the historical focal point whose mismanagement has been incubating wars for ages in a row.

Otherwise I repeat neither the question nor the equation or the solution seem to belong to the notion of unseating or slaying a historically lionized dictator. That is why Eritrean’s of all ages and categories are paying not only money or time, but blood, organs and life in trying to secure a bare shelter anywhere under the sky. That is why even the bigger picture of the Eritrean national psyche is struggling to position itself as refugee in front of the rest of the globe at any spot that may provide a safe distance away from the uninhabitable and seemingly unfixable governing world view of independence and self-reliance.

Thinking in present tense.

Looking forward and if you bear with me for a moment another way of stating the intended point is a renewed Eritrean assertiveness that thinks in present tense about Ethiopia can gradually nullify the obnoxious trend and accentuate an option competitive and robust enough to maintain sustainable life not in Juba, Shimelba, Kasala or Lampedusa but in Asmara and across the Red Sea coasts of Assab to Massawa.

Beware of of the greater Satan Andnet!

That said it should be clear that I am not entertaining a speculation about reversing the course of history towards resumption of the most deliberately misinterpreted famous Eritrean pseudo-political term union/andnet. However what I am trying to state is aspiring to design a workable plan with Ethiopia by exiting the box of independence and self-reliance is timely and feasible. And this approach has nothing to do with dreaming about the greater Satan-Andnet to be a panacea to problems of the Eritrean nadir.

Looking forward if there is a will to walk the fine line, recovery of the present from history of power struggle is attainable without any compromise in geography or political periphery. Because the world we live in is interacting in a new way and is networking beyond the myopic view of colonial wars and border disputes. For the same reason it is up to Eritrea’s power of NOW to respond and comply with learned innovative skills on the way to figure out how the world works, to which viable options other than relationship mending are not that much. That is why I am trying to figure out constructive turning points if there can be any.

“ፖለቲካዊ ፍልልይ ፖለቲካዊ ጽዕንቶ እንተዝጠፍእ፡ ድልየት ፖለቲካዊ ስልጣን ሰባት እንተዝይህሉ፡ ዓመጽ እንተዝጠፍእ ምንቅስቓስ እቲ ህዝቢ ካብ ሞያሌ ክሳብ ራስ ካሳር፡ ካብ ታታ ዙርያ (ጋምበላ) ክሳብ ቀይሕ ባሕሪ ብሙሉእ ናጽነት እንተዝፈቀድ፡ ህዝቢ ኤርትራን ኢትዮጵያን ብሰላምን ፍቕርን ተሓቛቚፉ ምነበረ።” ሰቆቋ ዘሰምበል ብመምህር መኮንን ኣብርሃ

Just as a reminder one of the practical examples I included in the first part into this article was about how the secret of fear and phobia is muddling even with the most delicate aspects of life to the extent of exploiting the sick. And the second one was a reflection of misuse of tgrgna-literature by seasonal and emotional politics towards shaping relationships and the future for the service of power and special interests.

Thirdly I included an example of my experience to convey reality into the in message. And even now I will continue to include from the same experience looking for an added value to the intended purpose.

so is it really my image standing against me?

To begin with as far as what I know about myself I was raised as a second son to an Eritrean peasant parents. So born in Hdmo I had no toys to play with or access to vaccines to be immunized against preventable diseases. But many thanks to The Almighty life have treated me courteously even during the multiples of ups and downs that transpired consecutively.

All in all even though my life style has not been vigilant enough in the application of additive flavors from the natural therapy of fun and humor, a deficiency which I have not yet developed the flexibility to mend it, for sure I have been a hard working ambitious citizen with no record as trouble maker in school or to a neighbor.

Furthermore by working hard I earned a number of certificates decorated with more As few Bs and a couple of Cs in the learning process. Plus perhaps due to the early life of Hdmo where there was no light or mirror, on the one hand I hate poverty and its two darling fans war and killing. On the other hand I love peace and have enjoyed life, living conditions, business, education, religion, trust and friendship in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Italy and the United States of America.

Amazingly I don’t know why I had never been around the beaches of Gergsum while leaving in Asmara. Nor did I get the opportunity to shower in the naturally hot fountain springs of Sodere while working in Addis Ababa. Strangely enough I had never had it in the beaches of Mombasa or Safari parks while running a matatu business in Kenya. And even now I am not using my vacation time to go to places like Aruba known as heaven on Earth nor to the beaches of the Carolinas. Wow! This is incredible. Can I say I am crazy, too busy or may be something on my way is very fuzzy?

To make it more ambiguous if I try to remember the level of changes I have seen since July 1998, which is a period in my life when my career building process was thwarted and the startling pension age started setting in. The Italians gave me new life and free education in one of Europe’s best universities. What a blessing! That really was a miraculous turning point in my life. And I cannot forget what I had felt at that time because the incident was not less than heaven sent grace to set me free from the seemingly incurable pains of the crumbling Eritrean world view of independence and self-reliance. (ፈኸራን ጥረራን እንዳ ዝናን ባህታን)

Moreover if I try to remember what the Americans gave me in my fifties, my English lacks words, my hand lacks arts, my book bag lacks colors to express it on papers. In short it is invaluable and priceless. To mention some it includes free education, the highest employment opportunity to my aspiration, and above all the most honorable citizenship on the planet with planned retirement and scheduled vacation plus an added value of no visa application almost towards all established borders across the globe. So I dare to say they have practically made me another person.

Surprisingly this being the real expression that I know about me, whether I hate or love it there is a unique reflection of the same image according to a special political mirror.

so I am confused!  is it really my image standing against me?

Yes, long time ago I lost my business and my Ethiopian citizenship not for my wrong doing but as part of the war of mismanagement that issued a hasty ruling over my image sentencing it to be “guilty till proven innocent”. However as if that was not enough to reprimand me, after all the ups and downs when I got the blessing to possess an extraordinarily renowned new image that enables me travel all over the globe with zero wait time and no visa or fine, my trip to Addis during my vacation time required me weeks of wait time, an interview and a yes or no decision to my entry-visa application.

Worse during my brief stay in Addis I learned that, due to the ghosts of the imaginary mirror image, I don’t have any right to claim the heritage historically used to be mine. And incredibly I have to pay hotel accommodation not far away from the comfort of my decades old house. What a destiny! Is it going to be a lifelong fight with no vacation in sight?

Once upon a time though there was Eritrea the future.

According to fables, tales and history almost up to half a century ago there was a place and time called Eritrea. In other words Eritrea was the future as well as a true land of opportunity for its citizens and their natural partners. Yes it was a site, clock and hope of dignity, freedom of speech, employment, education, getting married, raising children, taking care of the aged and the sick as well as vacationing, sporting, recreation, retirement, trade and commerce by land, air and the sea.

But after 30 years of struggle plus another 30 years into its tunnel of independence and self-reliance (ፈኸራን ጥረራን)  outcomes are vindicating that something has not been designed correct or has not been going on the right direction. Accordingly the image of the Eritrea of NOW reflects:-

a)       At home – having governance system that emerged from the caves of the mountains of Sahl & the plateau of Barka unable/not willing to learn from history or its mistakes. Thus practicing nothing but governance without law ensconced in a throne staffed with cohesive elites who act as if they do not know the extent of the harms going on.

b)      Abroad - owning more than 30 opposition parties composed of the same generation of politicians like the regime in power and likewise spend too much of scarce resources and time squabbling about history under the shadow of the past while the present slips out of hand. Clearly they lack, luck of cohesive focus about where Eritrea is heading on.

c)      In the air – bored and bothered by 30 or more opposition web sites voicing from remote mainly about failures or misdeeds of a clueless historical dictator and less about the historical process that made him look insincerely fascinating super hero charismatic leader. And with no exaggeration even now they show big variation in taste of ideas and information to broadcast. That is why as if debating about many kinds of Eritrea they share less and are too absorbed in promoting fuzzy mess of their choice. Worse they are heavily infested with comments of pen named experts. But more or less they show similarity in recycling parts of history of demonizing the clueless victim of history dictator and presenting Ethiopia as a permanent enemy that Eritreans have to scare and thus close their mental and physical borders.

d)      Wondering about why about 30 thousand self-disarmed x-freedom fighters have left home determined to tolerate (እዚ’ውን ይሓልፍ) well documented brutality of Bedewin on their way to the tomb of Holy Savior or his first tabot. (Medhanie-Alem).

e)      In the market - Confused by the confusion of its 30 thousand business community members and entrepreneurs floundering around the continent of Africa somewhere from Juba, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda up to Angola while their opportunity, their wealth and their futurity flows day and night lavishly to the vicinity of their newly born country Eritrea.

f)       Above all pondering about the inactivity of mind of thousands of its scholars studying and practicing in countries like America, Europe, Ethiopia, South Africa and a lot more regarding what is going on to its futurity or what got it into this kind of mess.

Accordingly given the above listed complex situation in the ambiguity of Eritrean image, the issue seems to be more of a systemic nervous-breakdown where scapegoating a historical lionized dictator may not suffice to serve as a parameter.

Consequently the way to go has a lot of incompatible ingredients to handle in a canister of Stalin type or compare to kind of Hitlerism per design. And looking forward contrary to the ardent silence of the majority what I am trying to say is the equation needs new ideas and young blood. That is some sort of bold and creative thinking has to be experimented to mend relationships and rejuvenate the present.

To boost the viability of my suggestion by example let me add the following reality breaking in daily news. While Egyptian and Ethiopian governments are continuously disputing regarding the utilization of waters and demarcation of politics of the river Nile, Egyptian business in terms of pharmaceutical supplies, advanced patient care (heart surgery, kidney dialysis) plus airline services and many other manufacturing industries is flourishing in Ethiopia.

Fore sure this is not an easy lesson about what people’s power can transform regardless of what politics of those in power with special interest opt to enforce. Accordingly the lesson from Egyptian smartness is, on the one hand as their Eritrean political ball runs out of air and their bullying threat to stop construction of Renaissance Dam lands in despair on the other hand their flexibility is superior.

Hence for those this assertion makes sense, it is fair to say the solution to the equation seems to be far beyond the coverage of bullets of a starred army General, navy Admiral or out of the equation of a historical ambitious scholar. But standing point is there is a miracle cure within the radius of common interests, shared culture and tradition.

The voyage in search of alternative ideas.

Amazingly we know that following results of the war of mismanagement a new trend exploded in search of alternative ideas. And it was characterized by a boom of opposition parties, multiplication of radio stations, newspapers and internet serving websites from abroad. But relative to their age and number what they have generated so far is not good enough to satisfy the demand for new ideas by the power of NOW.

As a matter of fact most of their asserted analytic approaches to the equation or its solution never lasted long because:

a)       They chose to focus on disgusting echo of events that used to be norms of history and the past but look like crimes to the present.

b)      Plus they opted to point all fingers to indicate deceitfulness or cruelty of a defeated dictator who run out of ideas as the main reason behind the ongoing humanitarian, economic and political national disaster.

Perhaps the last and relatively the best of them was an idea reflected by the name Srhit-Forto or the movement of Wedi-Ali who was said to have organized a team of about a hundred soldiers armed with no less than ten tanks and to have roamed the streets of Asmara. Finally despite all the information deliverance up to the point of controlling the TV-station, it was said to have concluded its mission by submitting a petition to the most hated historically lionized dictator.

So why is confusion of this scale?

No wonder no single theory can provide complete answer to the dilemma of this stature. However it is not legend but history to remember once upon a time this tiny land of the Horn of Africa before it adopted its European name Eritrea used to be a hot economic trading and political feuding spot between the regional powers of Abysinian and Arabian empires as well as European colonizers.

However NOW after more than a quarter of a century inside its independence and self-reliance tunnel, the symptoms of its self-inflicted political, humanitarian and economic degenerations are as clear as black and white. As a matter of fact Eritrea had almost disappeared from the competitive market and the bigger planet if the rules and forces of survival of the fittest have to vote and witness.

Any way back to my starting point, even though the examples I included into this article do not directly belong to the chaos in the box of border conflict or the clumsy tunnel of independence and self-reliance (ፈኸራን ጥረራን) they are humane values that could have facilitated reconciliatory approaches instead cunningly exploited to immaculate the box of leaders who have never slept to conspire the disengagement of complementary societies from their origin and common values.

So here I have a couple more related examples. And looking forward the intended purpose is to exemplify ideas of societal progress that need special attention in order to minimize incongruence of neighbors following destructive impacts of the war of mismanagement.

Needless to say that yesterday with its improbable nationalistic and patriotic war stories is gone, what is at hand is poverty, the present and two countries that need the majesty of the power of NOW to avert national disaster.

In other words as seen hitherto the devastating venture of the reigning out dated governance of independence and self-reliance (ፈኸራን ጥረራን) wouldn’t even spare the frailty of patient care or the beauty of love and laugh in literature when it sends its invisible hand to maneuver the flow of ideas into the future.

By no mistake it is clear the root cause of all the mess is culture-specific in the sense of leadership-style and the teachings of Gehdli-design. Otherwise it has nothing to do with geographical, biological or cultural incongruence of societies within the coverage areas of Eritrea and Ethiopia.

In case if there are some who claim the assertion of cultural difference across the Mereb River makes sense in gaging influence of performance, it will be more than required to mention geographical, biological and cultural background of Eritrea’s statehood idea-originators and implementers ato Woldeab Woldemariam and president Isayas Afeworki.

Unquestionably both these renowned historical heroes have the biggest influence and the most dominant personal power in shaping the image of the Eritrea of NOW and the controversial culture of independence and self-reliance.

But it is not easy to imagine their role even though:

a)      these leaders of dominant personal power have strong natural ties to Ethiopia and more specifically to Tgray,

b)      and had spent time around the globe including the USA and Europe,

neither the heritage of Ethiopian background nor exposure to the developed world had persuaded them design a policy that promotes peaceful and sustainable cohabitation style between the country they synthesized and the one that gave them origin and pride.

The fact of the matter is even though they are made of the same staff of their Ethiopian ancestors, it is not clear why they opted to obscure it from the futurity of their children or grandchildren.

Otherwise both are the morning and evening stars of the said to be asmarino political culture and more specifically they are the ones who bear lion’s share (መን’ዩ ጎብለል ናይ’ዚ ዞባ ንምፍላይ ዝግበር ኲናት’ዩ ዝተባህለሉ ዕማም ዝናን ባህታን) and responsibility of Eritrea’s war enthusiastic image.

Accordingly dictatorship of ideas being a natural produce of a process (ዓውድኻ ከም ዘርእኻ) engineered by their sophisticated stature at the end of the day the assumed problems and solution-look-likes are rotating out of the phasing out organizational behavior but manifested by cruelty of a tall, handsome, power hungry and blood thirsty dictator. Unfortunately in reality neither question nor the equation or the solution is as straight as unseating a defeated dictator. In case if there can be questions like how, why or what else can it be? Here I have another example from an observer across the border.

4. Gonderi acumen enquiring Tgrigna’s political regimen!

During my recent visit to Addis, I met an old friend whose geographical origin is Gonder. But he had lived most of his productive age in Eritrea from Teseney to Asmara as a businessman. On his trip in life and living he married his asmarino sweetheart. God bless them they have lived for decades together caring a stable family with lovely children. Now measured by the standards of Addis they fit to a category of millionaires as an added value to the life full of love and laugh.

It happened anyway almost after 15 years I got an opportunity to join this blessed family for a dinner at their home. No question the food was delicious. Tre-sga! Ktfo, Tibsi, zgni, alcha fruits and salata including Shiro, all were ready in front of me. Plus even though I didn’t pay attention to its presence there was a big plate of lazagna by the corner of the table.

Frankly speaking I didn’t remember the warnings I learned in America, about the association of meat with ailments like cholesterol, stroke or heart attack. I was just chewing and enjoying all the food that was on the table including those soaked with spicy flavors Mit-Mita and Berbere! But I didn’t eat Tre-sga. As a matter of fact I had never been fun of it even during the old golden days of my age.

I guess after seeing the style of my appetite my friend pushed the dish of lasagna to my right hand side and tried to bring it to the focus of my attention. Then I appreciated his offer and told him that it was not my choice of the day. He laughed and jokingly added “I thought it may remind you lasagna of Caravel restaurant in Asmara or perhaps your new American dishes.”

Any way it was sweet but short evening. Soon after dinner while having fun and wine I started watching what was going on the TV screen. Surprisingly it was TV-Ere. Then out of curiosity I asked him if he likes Tv-Ere. It didn’t take him a second to answer my question. And his answer was instantly yes for two things. First Amhara doesn’t like Woyane. Second I enjoy seeing the streets of Asmara. I miss Asmara my dear he said. Then with a stern facial expression he tried to continue his speech. Then politicizing the topic he said I have a question for you. Why are these Tgrigna speakers on both sides of the Mereb River involved in such a devastating animosity?  Do you have any clue of what the origin of this mess could be? I really do not get it. He said. Me too my dear, I added. Luckily with no clear answer to the question our focus was not diverted from the pleasure of the evening.

Another day though he came to my hotel for an evening chat and coffee. And together we agreed to go out for a brief walk around the area. So starting from the hotel we passed through the national stadium up to Leghar along the pedestrian sites in front of the motionless building used to be Eritrean Embassy.

It is amazing unlike the absence of movement inside the building an incredibly huge rail way construction activity is going on around the area. For that reason it is noisy, dusty and crowded. In fact in some spots the sewerage system is seen out-flowing its pipe line.

So having seen the great construction activity of a modern rail way bridge that extends above the ground for miles, I asked my friend if it makes sense for me to volunteer for a day or two in the activity.

He laughed, and said I appreciate your appreciation. But you may not be considered trustworthy for the job, my dear! Because based on Eritrea’s version of history blowing bridges was considered type of heroic performances in the book of 30 years struggle for independence and self-reliance. And now the way I see modern history the struggle is not over yet. The hate and fight is still going along both sides of the Mereb River. As a result your volunteer application might be questioned or even rejected. Guess what he said jokingly, who knows you may repeat the heroic activity of blowing bridges!

5. ሰቆቋ ዘሰምበል (The agony of Sembel) - ሓቀኛ ታሪኽ ብመምህር መኮንን ኣብርሃ

It was late in the morning somewhat around 10 a.m. I took a taxi from the main street in front of my hotel uphill the Churchill road just to have a look on how Piazza has been doing during my absence. Because if the memories of my young age at the University of Addis Ababa recall it right it used to be a well-known place full of vibrant small shops. So full of memories, expectations and emotional debt I started from the top end of the slope counting my steps towards Arat Kilo, as if returning home after spending long time abroad.

Surprisingly it was short and a quite lonely trip. Regardless I enjoyed it very much. But relative to what is going on in most other parts of Addis not that much comparable is happening around Piazza. It is more or less in the same mode as it used to be a couple decades ago, except for the emergence of some high rise buildings here and there like the ones around Brhanna Selam printing press.

Any way by the time I reached the round about in front of the building of Ministry of Education, I checked my time and it was almost noon. I guess that was why the area was crowded noisy and with the weather getting warmer a hot wind was blowing sending up dry leaves and sandy particles. Then I changed my direction towards Piazza. So in order to adjust my way I crossed above the main road using a narrow pedestrian bridge that extends from the building of the ministry of education to the other side of the road.

In few minutes when I reached around the center of Piazza, I found a small book store full of many interesting books in Tigrigna, Amharic and English. Then choosing and sorting one by one I counted and accumulated more than ten to buy.

Surprisingly when I picked a book by the title “ሰቆቃ ዘሰምበል” (The agony of Sembel) a gentleman looks like in his 70ies approached me and said that is my book, it is nice and you will like it. He added I just wrote what I know. Then I looked straight at his face and really! I said. Greeted him warmly and asked him if he can spare few minutes to have a cup of coffee with me.

He was kind and cooperative. As a matter of fact he said ok let’s go but the coffee will be on me because you are my guest. Accordingly we sat and chat in a nearby coffee house for about half an hour. It was short but very resourceful encounter. I learned a lot from his open hearted and open minded view of reality as well as his expertise in history.

He is a scholar with work experience that extends from Keren, Asmara to Addis Ababa. Plus his wife is from Eritrea. So he is a living treasure of experience and intelligence that can easily cross physical borders and political barriers. And the book is one of his excellent presents to society and history. Three others being in Amharic, this is his first and most probably the last in Tgrigna.

By the last minutes of our discussion I saw him bagging about 30 copies of his most recent book “የጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር ኣክሊሉ ሃብተወልድ ዜና መዋዕል 01/2005 E.C. to deliver an order from Addis Ababa University.

At last but not least he said even though he printed only about a thousand copies of his Tgrigna book (ሰቆቃ ዘሰምበል) the sale is too poor. Trying to answer his own question why the market didn’t absorb a mere thousand copies of his historical book, he seems to have sensed three different categories about the taste of the book’s message among Tgrigna readers. That is measured by performance in the sales of the book he said areas of Adigrat, the capital Mekele and the surroundings of Shire showed difference in response. As an account for that difference he shares his impression of what the reasoning could be. Fair enough he said sales in the Shire area were relatively better!

5. Deportation, Refugee and Rehabilitation!

The number of deported Eritreans returning back to Ethiopia is incredibly high. However the preparedness to accommodate the flow is incomparably low. So far paper works like issues of work permit or permit to stay are relatively easy to process.

But even though Ethiopian government deserves appreciation and admiration on this aspect the fact that most of the returnees are impoverished, aged and stressed complicates the process. Definitely for most it is becoming too late to rehabilitate merely on work permit by the time money, energy and sense of security had gone forever.

Typically the worst situation of the mentally and physically exhausted returnee/refugee arises when the process goes down to the question of regaining properties like houses, business or even money in the banks. It really is very messy and involves an over dose of Badme politics.

I am not discounting those who have the flexibility and ability to respond to the changes in the situation because there are many who tolerated and faced different aspects of the process and had restarted normal life and promising business.

For example I met two men in their 70ies who used to be successful entrepreneurs in Ethiopia up to the eruption of the war of mismanagement. And even now regardless of their age they are tenaciously hard working senior citizens. As a matter of fact after being deported to Eritrea both tried to establish kind of business that they already know from Addis. Unfortunately as there is no business friendly environment in the Asmara’s world view of independence and self-reliance it didn’t work. Then both moved from Asmara to Nairobi. Worse Nairobi was not as expected. Culture, competition, financial requirements, living expenses and work permit procedures were not easy for both.

Accordingly after some time in Nairobi one of them slicked his way via Moyale to Ethiopia. But the second one opted to exhaust other options before heading back to Ethiopia. So he tried Kigali (Rwanda) and then Kampala (Uganda). Finally he returned to Ethiopia via Bole and has successfully restarted his regular life and business.

I had the opportunity to speak with him twice. With all the challenging impacts of aging and stressful life I saw him to be hopeful and energetic in planning and executing his business affairs. To my observation I found him to be very thankful to God with readiness to appreciate constructive changes in his life. Above all he prefers to focus on what is feasible within opportunities given. No illusion or day dreams about recovering what was lost. But he is positioned in life and business that counts in millions of birr!

The second gentleman has passed through incredible challenges. To begin with he started the process after registering in one of the refugee camps of Eritreans in Tgray. Then by going back to Addis he started to process about any available options on how to regain his property. Even though he has successfully restarted his normal business and life his way was incredibly complicated. With no exaggeration given the opportunity details of his experience could be a historical book or film.

Frankly speaking it was not easy for me to sit and follow him while telling his life story. Especially the part that says despite the impacts of poverty, aging and ailing when he insisted to work on the recovery of his property, he was picked up from the streets of Addis multiple of times by Police and sent back to the refugee camp where he had registered his legal presence in Ethiopia.

As a curios follower of his story I asked him what the process of the trip from Addis to the camp looks like. He said once you got picked up from the street you will stay in a police station for days or even a couple of weeks. Then accompanied by armed soldier you will ride a bus and return to the camp. Any way finally he had regained his property and is too busy in his regular business and counting birr in millions!

Conclusion.

Based on facts prevailing on the ground there seems to be no responsible governance or an organized opposition force in the Eritrea of NOW. And this situation is leading nowhere but to a process of population extinction. That is why I am trying to talk about a different kind of intervention if there can be one.

Simply said what I am looking for is to cultivate kind of relationship at least as real as the style flourishing in real time between Ethiopia and the neighbors Djibouti, Kenya, Sudan, Somalia or even Egypt. Having said that I am not disregarding what governments are not willing to do. My viewpoint is a search to figure out an approach to relationship management as simple as what the power of people can do.

No wonder the fact that people of all ages are leaving Eritrea legally and illegally and arriving almost all over the world plus information circulating freely and conveniently as easy as on a cell phone, it should be feasible to expect change of taste that demands bigger and better than the ignorant world view of independence and self-reliance would like to enforce. I believe whenever and wherever this trend formulates capacity to organize it can gradually unplug the wires of fear and phobia and reconnect practicable life lines of Eritrea.

Surprisingly the way information or the flow of ideas is being manipulated in the Eritrea of NOW lacks confidence to narrow nothing more specific than follow sort of messy Ghedli tradition (እንዳ ጴጥሮስ! እንዳ ወድ-ዓሊ … ) to the extent that looks like tribal categorization based on taste of preferred ideas to their circulatory system. In other words it will not be an exaggeration to name them like - እንዳ ኣሰና  እንዳ ዓዋተ እንዳ ኣስማሪኖ etc. As a matter of fact as if they own demarcated borders of ideas for writers or readers it is not rare to read comments at any one of them telling other commentators to leave the spot and post their saying at related web site እንዳ እገለ to the kind of idea reflected.

References:

1.          ሰቆቋ ዘሰምበል - መምህር መኮንን ኣብርሃ:  ለካቲት 2001

2.         Little Failure – Gary Shteyngart 2014

1.          War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning – Chris Hedges 2002