A slogan borrowed from a different era will not gain us supporters
A slogan borrowed from a different era will not gain us supporters Do I Believe in “Eritrean Solutions for Eritrean Problems”? Yes, I do believe in "Eritrean Solutions for Eritrean Problems” and so does every
A slogan borrowed from a different era will not gain us supporters
Do I Believe in “Eritrean Solutions for Eritrean Problems”?
Yes, I do believe in “Eritrean Solutions for Eritrean Problems” and so does every Eritrean. As such, I was willing to represent EYSC in debating the same slogan with Yosief Ghebrehiwet during EYSC’s conference in DC in May 2012. The response from the audience at the debate is a testament to the enthusiasm with which the debate was received and had it not been for the constraint of time many participants would have loved the opportunity to engage with the debate and contribute to the discourse.
I am therefore rather perplexed that the issue is being debated as a fresh phenomena and a topic of hot debate on Facebook and Paltalk. I am particularly baffled by those who go as far as accusing those they don’t agree with as ‘pro Ethiopia’ a loaded term with strong historical connotation, and a derogatory one at that.
This has troubled me a lot As an Eritrean who is doing the little he can to change the course of history and as a result I decided to start my observation
Why do people see the slogan Eritrean Solution for Eritrean Problems negatively?
In my humble observation the following two reasons are the ones to blame for
The first point is the wrong historical correlation between this slogan and the one from the 1950’s. Some colleagues claim this slogan will be instrumental to engage the ‘silent majority’. The slogan is almost the same in meaning to the slogan of the 1950s “Eritrea n Eritrawian “ and that is the reason why some are saying why it is an issue if one said “Eritrea N Eritrawain “. However our grandfathers used the slogan as an antithesis to the effect of “Mhaber Andnet” not to awaken the silent Majority. Indeed it was an effective slogan for that time. However the current usage of the slogan will not have anywhere near that kind of impact an effectiveness as rather than uniting the people it is divisive and it is antagonizing a large number of diverse groups based outside the homeland, this very division is in fact what is actually keeping the ‘’the silent majority’’ silent! by exacerbating the division and mistrust between the different youth organizations.
The second point for why this slogan is becoming a point of division is because it was linked to the braking up of EYSC by the Global group. Soon after the division of EYSC in to two groups our brothers and sister at the G-group, were observed appearing to insinuate that the cause for division and particularly the reason behind the move to unseat the then Chairman of EYSC was a move in support of a merger with EYSNS firmly playing the Ethiopia card, this is very clear from the wording and presentation of EYSC G very first press statement.
Meskerem.net’s glorification of the slogan and its interpretation of it is a current example of how the slogan is misused to gain unfair advantage. And it has been an advantageous misuse of a slogan that was commonly held by all of EYSC, the above reason was even given as the reason for the rift within EYSC to the three elders who tried to mediate between the two groups.
Latterly (and rather belatedly) in his recent response to some of the negative campaigning against the BOLOGNA 2013 Summit, Solomon Asefaw has said that the cause of division for EYSC is not the Issue of “Eritrean Solution for Eritrean problems” or the desire of the other group to join EYSNS or use of Ethiopia as “ Mekalesi Bayta”. He clearly said the issue was a leadership (administration issue) “Merhinet ykeyrelna or Aykyern”.
This is all an indication of the reality that until EYSC G started using the slogan to attack others and make them appear less patriotic, no one had a difficulty with the slogan or it’s correct interpretation (this was fully evidenced by the overwhelming support to EYSC’s founding conference in 2012 convened under the same slogan)
During this phase of our struggle I have not seen any organization that Advocates for the union with Ethiopia as such it is extremely deceptive to relate this Eritrean solutions for Eritrean problems with the “ Eritra N Eritrawian” of the 1950’s . In its original sense (and I should know as I argued EYSC’s corner on the matter during our founding conference) the notion was very much a call for empowering the opposition to be active rather than passively wait for international and regional players to drive the struggle.
At the same time creating an instrumental linkage with the international community as critical not only in speeding up the downfall of DIA’s regime but in post DIA Eritrea as well. In their essay titled International linkage and democratization Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way, have stated that weak states with small, underdeveloped economies— including much of sub-Saharan Africa—are far more vulnerable to external pressure than those with substantial military or economic power, therefore, it is the responsibility of those of us who adopt this theme as our slogan to use it properly and explain ourselves in times of misunderstandings. Otherwise, losing those who are already awaken in order to a wake those in their “deep sleep” will have a significant negative effect in the materialization of the yet to start public uprising.
Last but not least, with all my reservations and the accusation made against me and the organization I belong to, I would like to wish the organizers of the BOLOGNA 2013 summit a fruit full gathering.
Ghezae Z Kidane
simerrr2012 August 29, 2013
Propaganda is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. If the means achieves the end then the means is good.” Goebbels head of propaganda Nazi Germany. Higdef have been using all kind of Hitler propaganda like One people ,One heart. The caption: “One People, One Reich(Empire) One Führer(leader).”Now we have another posters in social medias. Eritrean solutions for Eritrean problem ..I just thought for a moment and ask myself do we have to give much credit for the person who brought this slogan to the social media and award him Nobel Prize? Of course not it is just someone come and tell me ingera with dorho tsbhi should be eaten with fingers. And I would say oh..I have been doing these thing from my first day and the second question will be ..is there anyone who eat ingera with Knife and fork? Yes, only if you are someone from other country where food are eaten with knife and fork. Is there or was there any Eritrean whoever thought that our Eritrean problem should be solved by America, Ethiopia , Sudan, etc? Why is so sensitive now? Egyptian brought Hosni Mubarak down using face book and we can say Egyptian solution for Egyptian problem with the help of face book. Libyan dismantled the Libya dictator using arms but with the help of Nato Support. Now Syrians are paying high price for freedom and the dictator is killing his own people with chemical Weapon and Russians and China believe Syrian solution for Syrian problem and we just let them die . Let we come back to Eritrea where even asking normal question to the leader of the regime is crime, where talking on the phone about lack of water and electricity is a crime, where mothers have to be tortured for her children leaving the country illegal, where there is no a single media the people can inform what is going in the world. Let me agree for a second with you Eritrea solution for Eritrean problem…why on earth you go to demo in DC , Geneva, Berlin, London etc? Why do we ask to impose sanction s? Why we sign petitions? All these have nothing to do if we want Eritrean solution only in this global world. If you agree with me that this government will not be defeated by good slogans and wishes but with fire power like all dictators go.. where do you get the arms? The command center, training, food , medicine ? You need a country next to Eritrea…Sudan…Bashir hostage of Isayas, Djbouti? Not practical. Yemen? Not possible. So Ethiopia is the only country left, if Ethiopia provide all kind of assistance what we need ..would you say now Eritrean solution Eritrean problem? Do Ethiopia gives you all these for free? No, there is nothing in this world for free ,Ethiopia needs something from you and this something must not be things that put Eritrean interest and security in danger. You can deal anything under this. Ethiopia need security, peace along the border, use Eritrean ports the way other country pay and use ports all over the world and save time by not using the long way Djibouti, not spending million dollars in keeping troops along Eritrean border, use Eritrean air space for her civil aviation by shortening flight time and save Kerosene, 100, 000 Eritreans can use Eritrean Airlines to fly From and out of Eritrea, thousands will get job, billion of investments from Eritrean citizens inside Ethiopia ..the sky is the limit to say in one sentence.
simerrr2012 August 29, 2013
*100,000 can use Ethiopian Air Lines.Correction
Elsa August 29, 2013
I am convinced that the slogan “Eritrean Solutions for Eritrean Problems” is coined by some PFDJ supportrs as if there are Eritrean elements who seek other country to solve Eritrean problem. To my best understanding ALL opposition groups seek to solve Eritrean problem themselves. The opposition groups may get help from Ethiopia, Sudan , Uganda or other countries and this is perfectly OK.
EPLF secured our independence with the help of TPLF, Sudan and other friends and nobody said we can not accept the independence because we had some sort of support from other elements.
I a strong believer that “Eritrean Solutions for Eritrean Problems” but I will never refuse to get help be it from Ethiopia or other countries. I will use whatever is available to me to ger rid off the ruthless regime in Eritrea.
Death to PFDJ and victory to Eritrean people!
Elsu
Zaul August 29, 2013
If other nations wants to support us financially and materially, they’re welcome, but we must be in charge of our own national agenda.
Elsa August 29, 2013
Any support be it financially and/or materially that comes from any source is welcome as long as it is used to destroy PFDJ an its archaic ideology.
Bologna 2013 main objective is how to get rid off the ruthless regime in Eritrea. I am sure the meeting will come out with victory.
Viva Bologna 2013 and Death to PFDJ.
Mot n’Higdefawyan, Awet n’semerawya!
Year 2013 is year of Smerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Elsu
Zaul August 29, 2013
smerrrrrrrrr??? :-D, that’s very Eritrean.
Yonas Tesefay August 29, 2013
I have no problem an opposition movement calling for gothering in Bologna. What really doesn’t make sense is polotics they are playing on Eritrean people. Their slogan is similar to PFDJ and are still in Ethiopia Eritrea war mentality. The war is over 22 yeras ago. We won the war. We lost the war in developing Eritrea and in Badme. Now a couple of smart ass want to do politics with substance. Ethiopian Never promised any help for Eritrea. Most Bologana gangs are in America entertaining with life situations.
Said August 29, 2013
Baby boy you sound like you don’t have no ball to face them. or you was up to something. I wonder what would be?
Said August 29, 2013
I heard you are in Milano Italy.
Zeray August 29, 2013
“Eritrean solutions for for Eritrean problems”, sounds great but a powerful phrase which will add many years to the brutality of Issayas Afwereke and his henchmen. If we do not get help from outsiders the question becomes who in our midst are capable of solving PFDJ’s oiled machine of spy-kingdom. When Eritrea gained its independence didn’t Issayas Afwerke cooperate with the Weyane’s to drive the ruthless government of Menghistu Haile Mariam? or are we forgetting?
Eritrea is a sovereign state and will remain sovereign, however just like many countries have created allies to defeat their enemies, the opposition should not be bashful to get help from governments that are willing to offer it.
I believe “Eritrean problems by Eritrean solutions” is put out there by PFDJ and they know it will work for them. They know how to estimate their enemies and they found a way out. Sad!
ተወልደመድኅን August 29, 2013
ከይንሰማማዕ ዚተሰማማዕና።ንብገስ’ሞ ናብ ዚነበርናዮ ንምለስ።
Who will be the most dangerous Eritrea August 29, 2013
I found this article fascinating and fitting as it describes our malaise. Enjoy Reading
‘The Most Dangerous Negro’
By CHARLES M. BLOW
Published: August 28, 2013 395 Comments
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” so disturbed the American power structure that the F.B.I. started spying on him in what The Washington Post called “one of its biggest surveillance operations in history.” The speech even moved the head of the agency’s domestic intelligence division to label King “the most dangerous Negro of the future in this nation from the standpoint of Communism, the Negro and national security.”
Of course, King wasn’t dangerous to the country but to the status quo. King demanded that America answer for her sins, that she be rustled from her waywardness, that she be true to herself and to the promise of her founding.
King was dangerous because he wouldn’t quietly accept — or allow a weary people to any longer quietly accept — what had been. He insisted that we all imagine — dream of — what could and must be.
That is not the mission of politicians. That is the mission of a movement’s Moses.
And those Moses figures are often born among the young who refuse to accept the conditions of their elders, who see injustice through innocent eyes.
King was just 34 years old in 1963.
As President Obama put it Wednesday:
“There’s a reason why so many who marched that day and in the days to come were young, for the young are unconstrained by habits of fear, unconstrained by the conventions of what is. They dared to dream different and to imagine something better. And I am convinced that same imagination, the same hunger of purpose serves in this generation.”
So now, America yearns for more of these young leaders, and in some ways it has found some, not just in the traditional civil rights struggle but also in the struggles to win L.G.B.T. rights and to maintain women’s reproductive rights.
Yet there remains a sort of cultural complacency in America. After young people took to the streets as part of the Arab Spring, many Americans, like myself, were left wondering what had become of American activism. When was the last time our young people felt so moved that they took to the streets to bring attention to an issue?
There were some glimmers of hope around Occupy Wall Street and the case of Trayvon Martin, but both movements have lost much of their steam, and neither produced a clear leader.
So as we rightfully commemorate the March on Washington and King’s speech, let us also pay particular attention to the content of that speech. King spoke of the “fierce urgency of now,” not the fierce urgency of nostalgia.
(I was struck by how old the speakers skewed this week during the commemorations.)
What is our fierce urgency? What is the present pressure? Who will be our King? What will be our cause?
There is a litany of issues that need our national attention and moral courage — mass incarceration, poverty, gun policy, voting rights, women’s access to health care, L.G.B.T. rights, educational equality, immigration reform.
And they’re all interrelated.
The same forces that fight to maintain or infringe on one area of equality generally have some kinship to the forces that fight another.
And yet, we speak in splinters. We don’t see the commonality of all these struggles and the common enemies to equality. And no leader has arisen to weave these threads together.
Martin Luther King was a preacher, not a politician. He applied pressure from outside the system, not from within it. And I’m convinced that both forms of pressure are necessary.
King’s staggering achievement is testament to what can be achieved by a man — or woman — possessed of clear conviction and rightly positioned on the side of justice and freedom. And it is a testament to the power of people united, physically gathering together so that they must be counted and considered, where they can no longer be ignored or written off.
There is a vacuum in the American body politic waiting to be filled by a young person of vision and courage, one not suckled to sleep by reality television and social media monotony.
The only question is who will that person be. Who will be this generation’s “most dangerous” American? The country is waiting.
Wereket TaEsa August 29, 2013
Hipocracy at its best. Hzbawi gimbar brought Tigryans to solve their problem with ELF. Bologna is a PFDJ agenda by PFDJ reps like “general” Tekeste. from the first day I knew this Tekeste was sent by Isaias to serve PFDJ under the cover of opposition.
Said August 29, 2013
Great article it made everyone come down, good job.united we defeat dictator.
Kabbire August 29, 2013
Were Groupo Bologna silent up to now about the crimes of Egypt and the Arab Bedouins on Eritreans and many Africans because they were waiting for “Eritrean solutions” ?
Harrowing stories
Captives were often left lying in the dirt for days or weeks, he said. The traffickers used stones, chains, or branches from a tree to beat victims on their legs, back and even his head, Mulugeta explained. The pain was excruciating, but after a while, he admitted, he didn’t even feel it, his body was numb and it all became a blur. He often went in and out of consciousness. Then I asked him, as tenderly as possible: “Were you ever raped?” Wuldu struggled translating the question. Mulugeta stared at the city lights for what seemed to be hours, though it was only a couple of minutes. Finally Wuldu turns to me exasperated. “How can he talk about these things? What can he say? His concern is not for him. He worries for his daughters.” Mulugeta pulls out a tissue and begins to dab his eyes.
His upper body bent over, he stumbles when he tries to speak. Wuldu continued waving his hands in the air. “What could he do? He doesn’t remember much about the beatings.” Mulugeta said if wanted to see his daughters, the traffickers would bring the girls to him and rape them in front of him. There was nothing he could do. They cried for him, but he was forced to watch as they screamed and were violated, stripped and beaten.
The traffickers demanded $30,000 for each of them. The translator explained that many people in Mulugeta’s community in Eritrea raised the funds and gave them to his wife. When she sent money, the traffickers told him: “If we let one of the girls go, we don’t know if she will make it out, she might get taken by someone else, so you go – and send us the money. Your daughters will be safe here.”
Mulugeta arrived in Tel Aviv in November last year – forced to abandon his daughters. He was released after three months along with four others and brought to Israel where they were left out on the street. He says he is comfortable at the shelter. There are many men there who have gone through similar experiences. Wuldu expresses his admiration for Mulugeta. He often seeks his advice, his comfort and they pray. Mulugeta is grateful to the Israelis for giving him somewhere to say. “I want to give thanks,” he said.
http://www.dw.de/anguish-for-eritrean-refugee-over-daughters-sinai-fate/a-16870454
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ERITRAWIT August 29, 2013
yes Kabbire our brother and sister pain is to deep for us like Mulugeta i can imagine his pain anger sinai is hell the big sinai is eritrea at this time esaias must go. when is our pain will stop?