Tag: Human Rights
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Trust Over Terror: Unity Built on a Minimum Agenda
Accra, Ghana. The very air here reminds me of what could have been for Eritrea. In the early 1990s, two nations stood at a crossroads. Ghana chose democracy, and today it stands as West Africa’s most stable and consolidated democracy. Eritrea, tragically, chose tyranny and has become a cautionary tale of what is broken in
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Why the PFDJ Is Afraid of Us: The Strategic Threat of Nationalist Unity
The ruling People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) has not endured through popular consent. It has survived through an engineered system of fear, fragmentation, and narrative domination. Its silence toward nationalist movements is not indifference—it is apprehension. Unified, principled nationalists threaten the regime on every front: politically, strategically, philosophically, and historically. Unity as Memory—and
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Zemihret Yohannes: A Revolutionary Legacy in Eclipse
“Once reckless in the face of danger, Zemihret became a docile servant of power—how a roaring lion, at last, learns to purr.”
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Eritrea at Year’s End: Between Endurance and Exhaustion
As another year closes—the thirty‑fourth since independence—Eritrea stands as a nation defined by contradiction. It is a country that endured colonial rule, international machinations, a short‑lived annexation disguised as a “UN‑supervised federation,” Cold War rivalries, a brutal thirty‑year liberation struggle, a devastating border war, and repeated regional upheavals, yet still struggles to define peace on
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When Liberation Becomes a Cage: Eritrea’s Unlearned Lessons
Eritrea’s tragic trajectory—after one of the most heroic and costly struggles for independence in modern African history—remains one of the continent’s most heartbreaking stories. By 1991, when Eritrea finally achieved freedom, the lessons of post‑colonial governance were no longer abstract. They had unfolded across Africa and the Global South in full view. Yet, despite these
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Ageb and Eb, are these words alive in our languages!
I have talked and written hundreds of essays about reconciliation; the website I founded carried the slogan of reconciliation as a guiding principle. That’s because I believe it’s a vital precondition for a peaceful coexistence, unity, and stability. And citizens must be aware of the different social components—their culture, values, and grievances. Reconciliation requires awareness,
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More Reflections on Alemseged Tesfai’s Epilogue
This is not a proper article but rather a collection of thoughts … I started off well, but I was too weak to continue. I was very surprised when I watched a video of a group of PFDJ supporters—the Eritrean regime’s party members—welcoming Alemseged in the embassy hall in London, clapping rhythmically in a rising
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The Eritrean Regime and Its Neighbors
On May 24, 1991, Eritreans achieved their long-sought independence, formally recognized on May 24, 1993. Yet, true freedom remained elusive. The organization that became the ruling government legally solidified its hold—not through popular consent, but through brute force, injustice, and external alliances and considerations. Those early days were euphoric; few foresaw the wars and displacements
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Horn of Africa’s Never-Ending Tragedy
On March 2, 2023, Gedab News reported that four people lost their lives when Ethiopia celebrated the 127th 1896 anniversary of the victory of Adwa, a battle fought against the Italian colonial army. However, like many atrocities before the death of four people, including a student and as teacher were killed, no one was held
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Sudan: Detention of Fifth-Generation Eritrean Refugees
Until the 19th century, the Horn of Africa was one vast region where communities knew their farming, grazing, and dwelling lands. But towards the end of the century nation states with boundaries appeared. Before that, Kings, warlords, and colonizers knew where to collect taxes from, but the people cared less on who the lord was,
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Drones Created Out of Dirty Residues
In the last episode of Negarit (#181), I asked my audience ‘what do they miss the most in Eritrea?’ I was not surprised by their answers because I can identify with most of them. But regardless, they were heart-wrenching. Let me begin with a memorable story about a strong, assertive, no-nonsense woman I knew as
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Jawar, Flipos, Isaias, Our Sources
Jawar Mohammed :I have a friend whose views about Jawar so many times I concluded he lacks clarity– I ruled him out as a reference on Jawar, the activist turned a political leader. First, his adversaries branded him a terrorist, but after he returned from exile to Ethiopia, he became a wise politician. But shortly
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Hajji Ibrahim Younis Dies in Prison in Eritrea
Yesterday, Hajji Ibrahim Younis, who was arrested last October died in a prison in Eritrea. Hajji Ibrahim was arrested with dozens of others in the aftermath of the Al-Diaa School protests. The deceased was a member of the executive committee of Al-Diaa private school. In November 2018, the late Hajji Ibrahim was arrested with hundreds
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Eritrea: Ruling Party and Children’s Rights
In a news it released on its website, the Eritrean ruling party (PFDJ) said it concluded a seminar where the topic was children’s rights. The news indicated the two-day seminar was held between 12-13 April 2018 and claimed, “encouraging results have been registered in the country in implementation of Children’s right.” The PFDJ also claimed,
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Nevsun Loses Appeal to Dismiss Slave Labor Case
A British Columbia court dismissed Nevsun’s appeal to have the case filed against it to be rejected. Three Eritrean refugees who worked in Nevsun’s mine in Bisha, Eritrea, had filed the case in November 2014. Nevsun had argued over jurisdiction and appealed to have the human rights-related case be moved to Eritrean courts claiming that the
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The Genesis Of Eritrea’s Slavery Project
This an article from the archives. It was first published by the Awate Team on October 23, 2007. Many developments took place in the last decade since the article appeared, but the deteriorating situation was clearly evident since then. On this occasion we would like to acknowledge Ambassador Adhanom Gebremariam the first person to write extensively
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Eritrean Officials Accused of Crime Against Humanity
In a press conference it held today in Geneva, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea (COI) presented its report accusing the Eritrean government and ruling party officials of committing crimes against humanity. The presentation was made by Mike Smith, the chairman of the commission; the two other members of the commission, Sheila Keetharuth and Victor
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Win, Lose Or Draw? ICG Always Says “Draw”
Consequently, the ICG reports were always famous for their string of non sequiturs. Their conclusions could never be supported by the premise. And the latest one, with or without Andeberhan, is no exception. So, whereas the government supporters are questioning the premise (without going to the details or bothering to present counter arguments), the real…