THE HARD REALITY MR. YEMANE GEBREAB CANNOT COVERUP

THE HARD REALITY MR. YEMANE GEBREAB CANNOT COVERUP

By Seyoum Tesfaye

Atlanta- Georgia

As we “celebrate” the 22nd Independence Day of Eritrea we are obligated to face the truth that our national flag is not grounded on Constitution, Justice and Freedom.  The tremendous human and material sacrifice paid to raise the flag reminds us to not be satisfied with the ceremonial festivity and wage a determined struggle to fulfill our martyrs other goal: to establish an Eritrea governed by RULE OF LAW. No matter how the supporters of the Eritrean dictator try to package the image of the regime the fundamental truth is: IT IS A LAWLLESS ONE MAN DICTATROSHIP.

The call for the RULE OF LAW has now become the demand of most former members of EPLF and some members and sympathizers of the dysfunctional PFDJ. Reversing this growing and expanding trend is now the most important political agenda and the main mission of Mr. Yemane.

Mr. Yemane can recycle, million times, all the excuses we have heard in the last 12 years as to why Eritrea has no constitution, no rules of law, no free press, free economy etc. and try to convince the shrinking supporters of the dictator to stick with him for few more months. This is a losing war. The wind is not favoring Isaias and his trouble shooter.

In a strategic sense the dictator is fighting for its survival- for its power. The governing agenda is anchored in a trying to arrest the emerging demand for change.

The political base of the regime is shrinking fast. Its supporters are confused and wavering. The days of thousands extending uncritical support to the dictator are over. Questions, some in public and mostly behind closed door, are being raised frequently. Reversing this tendency is now the dictator’s agenda.

Visitors to Eritrea are coming back with face to face with the gripping massive crisis: endless national service, no work, no water no gas etc and a diminishing sense of hope in general and the overall desire to leave the country by any means in particular.  This reality cannot be covered up even by the best public relation director of the dictator.

So what is Mr. Yemane to do?

He can tell the diaspora the truth and not return back to Eritrea- a most unlikely scenario. Try to soft sell the dictator’s excuse and rationalization for why things are not working in Eritrea. Make a tactical shift and admit, in a mild way, that there are problems in Eritrea and blame external powers, some elements within Eritrean bureaucracy and Eritrean opposition for all that wrong within Eritrea. In the end appeal to Eritrean patriotic feeling to rally around the regime and make financial contribution (the days of direct contribution are passé- no one is going to donate to the “government” $10,000 when he or she is paying US-$35,000-Nakfa- 1,750,000- to free his or her sister and brother from Sinai) by purchasing stocks in government controlled companies.

In short the essence of Mr. Yemane’s mission (Public Seminar) in ordinary language is: do not abandon the dictator and keep supporting him with your dollar. The rest is smoke and mirror – gimmick – drama – fluff – propaganda intended to cover up the seriousness of the national crisis. This approach might have worked 20 years ago when EPLF leadership had total control of how and what news Eritreans can get about their homeland. Thanks to digital technology access to information has been democratized. The dictator’s monopoly on information has been shattered.

The truth is harsh: Eritrea has about 10,000 political prisoners. The dictator has built more jails than schools. 350,000 Eritrean youth are trapped in endless servitude called national service. 225,000 refugees (mostly the youth) left Eritrea in 2012 and asked for some form of asylum in all parts of the world. The Eritrean economy is on a free fall. Not a single factory was opened in Eritrea, since 2001, which can offer employment to 500 Eritreans. Black market and corruption is rampant. Inflation is out of control. Social dislocation – the destruction of Eritrean tradition and culture- is proceeding without any break. Eritrea’s credit rating is the worst in Africa. Eritrea is a failing State.

Eritrea is a vacation spot for those who have dollar and are looking for good time that dollar can buy. For those who live under the tyrant- 365 days- life is pure hell. Yemane cannot merchandise this failed regime as the best in Africa.  He will try because the talking point assigned to him demands he do so. This time the discontent is within the dictator’s camp. Blaming UN-US- Ethiopia- Eritrea opposition – the bogie man- will not solve his boss’ problem.

The forces of justice and democracy, at home and in the Diaspora, have to link up and take the struggle to the next logical stage. We should not give a breathing space to the forces of dictatorship and reaction. We have to pull and push together as a team with a national purpose and coalesce on the minimum agenda of removing the regime and ushering in the period of democratic transition by leaving the bigger decisions to the people of Eritrea. Our unity and commitment to bring a fundamental relief to our people should override minor and even major differences.   

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