Eritrea, the portrait of a failed state at odds with neighbours
Eritrean Ambassador to Kenya Beyene Russon and Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula at the minister’s office in Nairobi on Friday. Photo/BILLY MUTAI By MURITHI MUTIGA mmutiga@ke.nationmedia.com Ten days before Christmas in 2009, the Eritrean national team arrived
![](https://archive.assenna.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/russon.jpg)
Eritrean Ambassador to Kenya Beyene Russon and Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula at the minister’s office in Nairobi on Friday. Photo/BILLY MUTAI
By MURITHI MUTIGA mmutiga@ke.nationmedia.com
Ten days before Christmas in 2009, the Eritrean national team arrived in Nairobi to take part in a regional football tournament.
After losing 4-0 to Tanzania, officials noticed something was amiss 30 minutes after the match.
Twelve members of the team disappeared after the final whistle and told Kenyan officials that they had no intention of returning home. They were granted asylum.
The pattern repeated itself last month when the Eritrean club Red Sea went to Tanzania to take part in a regional club championship.
Thirteen players disappeared from the camp and asked to be granted refugee status.
This time, they were not so lucky because the Tanzanian officials rejected their bid to remain in the country.
Those two episodes sum up a sad fact about Eritrea — it is a land from which everybody is trying to run away.
A small nation on the Red Sea with a population of just 6 million, Eritrea has the unhappy distinction of being the world’s second-largest source of asylum seekers.
One-man band
The nation is essentially a failed state. It is governed by Isaias Afewerki, a man the US ambassador to Asmara described in a leaked cable as a “one-man band” and “unhinged dictator” who won the admiration of his people for leading their struggle for independence from Ethiopia before turning his nation into an absolute dictatorship.
The paranoid leadership style of Mr Afewerki has saddled his country with a collapsing economy and a hungry, restless population contributing to one of the world’s worst refugee crisis.
This is how one woman, Habtu Zere Maram, summed up her reasons for fleeing Eritrea in a BBC interview in a camp in eastern Sudan: “I realise there are political problems everywhere, but in Eritrea it is unique. It’s like the Middle Ages. Now we are in the 21st century; how can we live like this? You can’t speak, there is no freedom, you cannot say whatever you want to say. I dreamt of leaving, because I want to live free. Most of the Eritrean people think the same thing.”
It is understandable that many Kenyans knew little of Eritrea before reports surfaced last week that the country could be sending arms to Al-Shabaab militants in southern Somalia. (Read: Kenya warns Eritrea over Shabaab arms)
Little information filters out of the country which allows no foreign journalists in, and the state media is more closely controlled than even in Kim Jong Il’s North Korea.
According to the 2010 Press Freedom Index report by the media campaign group Reporters Without Borders, Eritrea ranks 175th out of 175 countries surveyed.
The tight control of the flow of information has helped mask the fact that Eritrea is one of the biggest sources of instability in the Horn of Africa — a failing state with a government that is happy to fund any fundamentalists that serve its ultimate purpose of weakening its historic rival Ethiopia.
The brutal 30-year conflict to secure independence from their Tigray cousins helps explain much about the current state of Eritrea.
It is a nation with a fiercely nationalistic population but which has arrived at a moment in history where thousands of its citizens have to make a choice between patriotism and starvation.
British author Michela Wrong in her history of Eritrea, I Didn’t Do It For You: How the World Betrayed a Small African Nation, chronicles how the colonial adventures of Europeans and the manoeuvring of Cold War powers helped set the stage for the troubles of modern-day Eritrea.
The British encouraged the Italians to colonise Eritrea to stop the expansion of the French empire in the Horn of Africa.
The Italians brought many modern amenities including wide paved roads and beautiful architecture, but they also introduced a terribly harsh form of apartheid.
Black men could not eat, drink or share the same facilities with the Italians whose attitude to the territory they had seized was summed up by the Italian writer Ferdinando Martini, who described colonial policy thus: “One race must replace the other; it’s that or nothing … whether we like it or not, we will have to hunt [the native] down and encourage him to disappear, just as had been done with the Redskins, using all the methods civilisation — which the native instinctively hates — can provide: gunfire and a daily dose of firewater.”
The nightmare of colonialism was followed by the long occupation by Ethiopia which was granted federative power over Eritrea by the United Nations following the defeat of Italy in the Second World War.
Emperor Haile Selassie’s troops, backed by the Americans who wanted to make sure the Ethiopians remained on their side during the Cold War, killed thousands of Eritreans during their struggle for independence.
The Eritreans finally drove out the Ethiopians in 1991 after a heroic war of liberation.
But the struggle was followed by Mr Afewerki’s repressive rule. Many of the leading commanders during the fight for independence were jailed by Afewerki in an attempt by the new president to consolidate his hold on power.
Relations with Ethiopia remained extremely hostile, and a full-scale war broke out in 1998 over the border town of Badme.
Frozen conflict
The end of that war yielded a frozen conflict in which Eritrea, which was with some justification bitter that the international community refused to force Ethiopia to abide by judicial decisions on border demarcation, tried to use all the means it could find to destabilise its rival.
In turn Ethiopia, which is governed by its own dictator, Meles Zenawi, has been accused of doing all it can to weaken Eritrea including accusations by the government in Asmara that it sponsored an assassination attempt against Mr Afewerki.
That’s where Al-Shabaab comes into the picture. Since the invasion of Somalia by Ethiopia in 2006, the Eritreans have been accused of sending weapons to the Al-Shabaab, seeing an ally in a group which is hostile to a common enemy.
The result has been to intensify the isolation of Eritrea, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton going public in 2009 with accusations that Eritrea was supplying arms to Al-Shabaab.
United Nations sanctions over those ties with Al-Shabaab have only served to worsen the economic situation in the country.
The bleak picture within Eritrea is summarised in a March 2009 cable by the American ambassador Ronald K. McMullen, which in the absence of any independent journalism from Eritrea, serves as one of the most vivid portraits of life in one of Africa’s new failed states:
“Young Eritreans are fleeing their country in droves, the economy appears to be in a death spiral, Eritrea’s prisons are overflowing, and the country’s unhinged dictator remains cruel and defiant. Is the country ‘on the brink of disaster’ as posited by (the Ethiopians)? Party leaders tell us their Leninist ‘war economy’ will be reversed, while Asmara is abuzz with reports of multiple cabinet-level changes. However, tinkering at the margins of governance will count for naught as long as the Isaias regime remains a one-man band. Gold mining will not provide the anticipated economic panacea.
“Although the regime is one bullet away from implosion, Eritrea’s resilience as a country is based on 1) a strong sense of nationalism forged over four decades of war, and 2) the capacity of most Eritreans to withstand suffering and deprivation with forbearance and toughness. Any sudden change in government is likely to be initiated from within the military.”
What will happen now that Kenya has joined the long list of countries that Eritrea has either gone to war with or threatened to fight, from Somalia to Yemen to Djibouti to Ethiopia?
That’s hard to tell. Certainly, the relations between the countries in the region will be sorely tested in case Al-Shabaab manages to launch a major attack within Kenya’s borders.
As Mr McMullen summed it up in a separate cable: “Based on recent history, how do you think we would react to a major Al-Shabaab terrorist attack against the United States?”
Kenyans will hope they do not have to confront that question.
Sunday Nation
Paradiso November 5, 2011
For those interested to learn about the Tigre culture, poetry and history, here is a good web site.
“Eritrean website featuring resources relevant to Tigre history and culture”
http://modaina.com/tigre/
http://www.modaina.com/index.html
turana November 6, 2011
Thank you Paradiso
Zekhtam Eritrawi November 5, 2011
Let me help out the PFDJ stooges as they are looking for words to disparage the article.
I. The author is a Weyane.
II. The author is married to a Tigrean woman.
III. The author is on a payroll to vilify and blackmail Eritrea.
IV. The author is not saying anything new where his report is taken from Wikileaks.
V. Kenya is jealous of Eritrea the fact that the latter is about to have an economic boom with a gold bonanza.
VI. This is part and parcel of the smear campaign that has been unleashed to weaken the Eritrean “b’ts’frna” motto.
VII. The Kenyan president resents the fact that his people don’t shower him with the “N’hna N’su, N’su N’hna” term of endearment.
VIII. Kenya is trying to divert its own political crisis at home by creating a hostile policy towards Eritrea so that Kenyans won’t take their grievances to the streets ala North African style.
IX. Kenya is jealous of Equatorial Guinea the fact that, Isaias payed a visit to the latter where Kenya felt jilted.
X. It is actually Amanuel Eyasu who authored the article masquerading as Murithi Mutiga.
Huluf November 6, 2011
Zekhtam Eritrawi
Allow me to indulge in your sattire.
XI. But the Ambassador is Higdefite.
This shamless stooge of the dictator enticed the jailing of his wife and mother of his children Veteran Senait(those of you now in betryal remember her from the cultural troop and she is in the skit “Atin Adey Atin Adey Teariqna ina …..” during the 1987 second congress in Sahel.
See how this coward looks so lost. Wodi Russom as he commonly known looks like a thief out of jail with a suit ready to go court with his lawyer(the kenyan minister)….Guilt is shown all over his face.
Zekhtam Eritrawi November 6, 2011
Huluf,
I absolutely agree. One could easily see that his face is ridden with angst and guilt. The days are not far where he will be facing the music as his children bring him to justice as he swap her for Isaias’ macabre whims. She is Ermias’ (Pappayo) sister. Right?
Huluf November 6, 2011
Zekhtam Eritrawi,
Yes she is Papayo’s sister. Worse is their eldest brother even older than Ermias when getting married Issyas was his best man…DIA is ruthless. There are not so many men in Eritrea who be cruel to a mother and one’s wife.
Kozami November 6, 2011
Well none of the above really!
According the 2011 FP failed states index out of 60 potential candidates:
#1 Somalia…#16 Kenya…#20 Ethiopia…#28 Eritrea…#60 Djibouti
It Seems the ranking has been reshuffled to suite the narrative!
Zekhtam Eritrawi November 7, 2011
Kozami,
Why would Ethiopia or any other nation in the region be an issue when the talk of the town is about Eritrea? Is that something you pull off in a bid to find a comfort zone in the rather gloomy scenario? When is the convoluted reasoning going to end as you always try to bring Meles to the picture every time Isaias is on a hot seat? Why don’t you man up and face the macabre reality and tackle the clear and present danger head on? Eritrea is a failed state. That is the fact. Denying the existence of the pink Elephant in the living room doesn’t serve any purpose at all. It sure is a character and a courage to admit and recognize problems and tackle them head on. As they say, if a problem can not be solved or be managed, in principle it doesn’t exist. That is, there is nothing that can not be solved. It is a matter of willingness to acknowledge its existence and solve it with a resolve. And if a problem can not be solved, you can always contain it or manage it. Sure enough, Eritrea has problems but the people who are riding on her back opt to bury their heads in the sand instead of let her walk with her chins up amidst family of nations.
Baraee November 7, 2011
Kozami,
whether it is a narrative or not they are all banana republic….What is sad is our own , a betryal to the gallants of Sahel. ….they are busy with proxy wars to sustain their power period…..We need to grow up that is all it takes.
Amanuel ; Birmingham November 6, 2011
That is true Issais is an absoulte dictatorial regime, he is a pig that couldn’t think twice. He is leading the country like Gadaffie his right hand man. Without rule of law and instituations and no accountability…..one day there will be like libya unless we eritreans do our best to remove Issais soon rather than late and later regerate.
We need to remove him and replace by democratic government.
The problem is not only Issais but also the opposition by creating obstacles for the struggle to democrarcy. Opposition parties are also spliting the unity of the people for their own interest that should be dealt as well.
Solomon November 6, 2011
Thanks too much Amanuel: Excellent comment!!!!
Weldit November 6, 2011
In the picture, Ambassador Semere was talking on his cell to his boss, Osman Saleh and here is how it probably went:
Semere: hey Osman, what the hell is going? You guys don’t even tell me about any of this stuff and I am sick of it.
Osman: calm down, I myself don’t know anything about this shit, I just heard it on the news few minutes ago.
Semere: well, I am sitting with their foreign minister, he is very upset. What do I tell him?
Osman: I don’t know … let me call Isayas & find out. I will call you back in few minuts.
(while waiting for Osman’s call, Semere looks at Wetangula and says ‘I am tired of these idiots in Asmara’)
minuts later, Semere’s cell rings..
Semere: yes
Osman: listen, tell them we will be sending high level officials for discussion.
Semere: fine..when?
Osman: the begning of next week..you will be given directions shortly, in the mean time refrain from answering any question with officials or the media.
Semere: there will be press conference after my meeting with Wetangula ..
Osman: just do as I told you, you need to go back to your office immediately. You will be receiving instructions for official responses as well as to arrange the meeting for next week.
Semere: koyis beka.
Osman: I’ll talk to you soon.
Senait November 6, 2011
Weldit, I like your imagination of the conversation. Either you are creative or you have been there at some point in your past experience with the crime syndicate. Minute error though, the ambassador’s name is Beyene Russom not Semere Russom, another useless parrot of the monster.
Weldit November 7, 2011
Well thanks for the good words.
And no, I’ve never been associated with the regime, unless you view doing national service that way 🙂 🙂 🙂
Selam November 7, 2011
Very entertaining you forgot to mention the letter handed out to the Kenyan….
Abdi November 7, 2011
Im wondering those eritreans who acting stupidly here if they really mean what they are saying or they are just opposing for the sake of it?
Im not against opposing the gov’t but acting like an enemy to the whole nation makes me feel sick and makes you look like dirty Agames in my sight.have a point please and stop lies baseless posts.embua’E
Baraee November 7, 2011
Abdi,
You are too pretentious….and a little element of saddism in you….be careful you may end be a physcotic too.
It is very east to joke first then it becomes a habit. Always remember your humble begining, that way you will heal a bit.
Zekhtam Eritrawi November 7, 2011
A nation run by hooligans is bound to be a thorn in the flesh. Isaias sure knows that, nobody in the region likes him. He is despised by all the leaders. I remember a few years back when Isaias and Beshir were at loggerheads, the Sudanese Ambassador to the UN called him in an open forum a lunatic and a psychopath. People have suspected for a while that, Isaias could as well be mentally sick for he has a history of a cerebral malaria. But what seems to be rather befuddling is the allegiance of the sycophants to a mentally sick person where he plays with their feeble minds till he gets enough of them. What more can a lunatic and a psychopath ask when his subjects prostrate for him with a caption that reads: “N’su N’hna, N’hna N’su”.
saramichealhphp@yahoo.com February 22, 2012
Actually this is pure jealousy. Kenya accused Eritrea of terrorism, and later on it was found out by Wikileaks it was a lie. Is it because our country` s economy is growing, and Asmara has been elected as one of the safest cities in Eritrea? This is so pathetic, you have no proof that any of the things you said were real, unlike my statements that could easily found on the internet. Seriously, take of your countries instead of being jelaous. Hade lebbem, hade hizbi <3.