Eritrea’s president says no fear of unrest after army mutiny
By Aaron Maasho (Reuters) - Eritrea's President Isaias Afewerki sought on Monday to calm fears of unrest, and in his first reaction to the storming of the information ministry ago by dissident troops three weeks,
By Aaron Maasho
(Reuters) – Eritrea’s President Isaias Afewerki sought on Monday to calm fears of unrest, and in his first reaction to the storming of the information ministry ago by dissident troops three weeks, blamed “bankrupt enemies” for being behind the attack.
Eritrean soldiers, backed by tanks, took over the ministry on January 21 and obliged the director general of state television to appeal for all political prisoners to be freed.
Calm soon returned in the capital, but Eritrean opposition activists in neighbouring Ethiopia say there is growing dissent within the army, Africa’s second biggest, over economic hardship.
The incident sparked protests by exiled Eritreans in Europe, who briefly occupied embassies in London, Rome and other cities last month to express support for the mutinous soldiers.
Isaias said his administration had chosen to remain silent to avoid “serving the ploys of bankrupt enemy quarters”.
“Entertain no worry at all, as there was, and does not exist, any reason for being apprehensive,” the information ministry website quoted him as saying on Monday.
Isaias did not disclose who was behind the plot, but said details would be provided “at an appropriate time”.
Eritrea has been led by Isaias, 66, for two decades. Although the renegade soldiers did not go as far as to demand his overthrow, the protest was a rare glimpse of public discontent in one of Africa’s most secretive states.
The fate of the dissident soldiers is not known and statements about the political situation inside Eritrea are hard to corroborate. But dissent inside the one-party state is typically dealt with harshly.
Between 5,000 and 10,000 political prisoners are held in the country of 6 million people, the United Nations human rights chief said last year, accusing Eritrea of torture and summary executions.
More than 1,000 Eritreans cross over to Ethiopia and a similar number go to Sudan each month to escape conscription and unlimited service in the army, according to figures from the U.N. refugee agency.
On a strategic strip of mountainous land along the Red Sea, Eritrea has more soldiers per person than any country except North Korea.
(Editing by James Macharia and Jon Hemming)
Tesfa February 11, 2013
I don’t understand why anybody
want respond to a “bankrupt enemy”??
Unless the situation withing the system
is really serious
Dawit Meconen February 12, 2013
During the heday of the Ethiopian junta, it was the Tegaru within, who, born and raised in Eritrea, served the colonial junta as eyes and ears against our population in general and our secret agents in particular. In fact, many of them was difficult to differentiate from among our genuine population because they were practically indisguishable in many ways, and specially so to our youngsters with whom they grew up and went to school.
When Eritrea was liberated in 1991, nealy one third of the population in Asmera were Tegaru, and nearly every business enterprise, including Hotels, Bars, Restaurants, retail shops etc. were owned by them. With the independence of Eritrea, Amharu, Oromo left but Tegaru stayed. In fact, they were given equal opportunity as defacto citizens by Isaias Government to undertake any business activity in Eritrea, including taking loans from the bank.
However, despite that friendly and limitless opportunity extended to them, rather than be grateful to the country,they opted to arm themselves with subvertive intent in coordination with woyane border instigation. Some of them left Eritrea and joined woyane soldiers training camp and became top military commanders, and availing themselves of their intimate knowledge our of country,they waged a suprise attack on our army from behind and led their army to ransack Tesesene, Barentu etc.
The war with woyane was over in 2000 but the plight of country has been deteriorating fast and the hope of our people, getting dimmer and dimmer, with no end in sight. To understand the magnitude of our problem,just visit the Sudan, Israel, Kenya etc. and notice the immense number of Eritrean population, who having escaped from the grip of Isaias Afewerqi, are living there in squalid life.
Conversely, watch EriTV, listen to Isaias Afewerqi interviews and speeches and that of his handpicked cadres, you will never be able to infer the harsh reality of Eritrean stuation. Every one of them paint rosy pictures of the Eritrean situation, and this is, they say, despite the alleged conspiracy of the United States, who, they claim to have never accepted Eritrean Independence. Naked lies.
Obviously, there is a stark contradiction between the true situation of Eritrea and false picture Isaias and his crew are projecting. There is no question that Isaias Afewerqi is willfully lying to deceive his Eritrean Diaspora Cheguar Danga community with intent of using them as his diguise. The question is: Why?
Saddly, many Eritreans are not yet convinced of fact that Isaias Afewerqi and Woyane are two faces of the same coin, and that all that seemingly antagonism that transpired with the war and in the aftermath of war has been Theatrical Drama crafted and executed to systematically destroy Eritrean Nationalism in prolonged agony, in ashes of which, Abai Tigrai will flourish.
Ask yourself:1. Why did Isaias Afewerqi invaded Ethiopia in Breach of International Law?
2. Why did Isaias Afewerqi rashed to preempt the implementation of the Constitution despite of the fact that the war was over?
3. Why has Isaias Afewerqi been misrepresenting the harsh reality of Eritrean situation by painting rosy pictures?
4. Why has Isaias Afewerqi been going after the educated Eritreans for decades?
5. What did Isaias Afewerqi do to gain the trust of the Qiada Al Ama Leadership, who trusted him so much that they openned their doors to the leadership and then sent him for further training to Communist China?
6. Why did Isaias Afewerqi stabbed Qiada Al Ama in the back and shedded crocodile tears to the Christians soon after he returned from his training in Communst China?
7. Why has Isaias Afewerqi been surrounded himself with Tegaru, such as Kisha, Yemane monkey, Yemane Gebremesqel etc.?
There is one fact that no body should deny and that is that Isaias Afewwerqi was born and grew up in Tselot, Hamasien, as alien resident. His father came from Tembein as a child with his Father.
Another fact that no one should deny is that many Tegaru who had simillar background like Isaias Afewerqi stood up with woyane to nip Eritrean independence in the bud.
Since similar people act similary, and therefore, to think Isaias Afeweqi is totally different from his likes is oxymoron.
O simple minded Eritreans: You are in under the grip of Libi Tigrai Tui Twai. You just do not know it because they have hypnotized you with charming words that you want to listen, as they say, N’Hamashen B’Mahla, N’ Derho B’Meshela, meaning– It is in their nature to lie.
Haben February 12, 2013
Call Issayas whatever you want. The fact is the enemy of Eritrea at this time are Eritrean PFDJites led by Issayas Afwereke. Stop exporting Eritrean weaknesses, and stop undermining other races, groups, communities or family trees. It is Ethiopians who are receiving Eritreans with open arms, not Issayas. We Eritreans do not qualify to undermine anyone at this time. Clean your house first. Get rid of Issayas and his system and Eritreans will figure out to live among themselves and their neighbors in peace.
Dawit Meconen February 12, 2013
You and your like are part and parcel of the problem because you think the two faces of one coin not only as two separate entities but also as antagonistic. This is a tragedy!
But again you do not seem to remember, as we say, what kind of food you ate yesterday bcause it was only yesterday, figuratively speaking, that Tegaru, whom you are idolizing, deported Hundreds of Thousands of law abiding Eritreans from every corner of Ethiopia in a manner only beast can inflict on people; with their PassPorts Stamped in Red Ink, ” Never to Return”, separating mothers from her breast feeding infants; sick people without their medicine etc., and soon after they deported them, they confiscated their properies, bank accounts etc.
Your flip side are the Cheguar Danga Eritreans who, unable to see that Isaias and Woyane are the same, conviently working from opposite ends of their common project, praise the one and blame the other. This reminds of the sad song of Italian colonial era— Deqi Setimo E’Zom Qol-Au Ab Qalai Koy-Nom Y’Tsa-wu-au.
O Simple minded Eritreans: Wake up from your slumber, you are being dragged to oblivion by Libi Tigrai Twi Twai.
You are in denial but that is exactly what happens to an individual suddenyl swept off by raging river— he laughs as he is being taken to oblivion.
Shewit February 11, 2013
Fitsum,
We could have made (Should have made) Ethiopia to have no alternative to use our currently idle ports just by using our cultural, linguistic and religious affinity and commonality of our two peoples and by a by a bit standing down and willing to talk over the Bademe issue. We have missed so many of those opportunities, “thanks” or no thanks of PFDJ.
To be honest with you, I doubt we can attract Ethiopia, country with no port , but a ballooning economy and 90 million people. with these great asset of ours to trade with us anymore. Do you know what Ethiopians have just done only in recent months? They are building with their own money a port in Djibouti called “Tadjura”. The new Prime Minister went to Djibouti and laid the corner stone last month. They are constructing two railways one from Mekele through Afar Desert to this new port the other one From Addis to the current port Djibouti. They had China to build a new six lane highway to Djibouti, and these all are with their own money. Not to mention the LAPSSETT project. (Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Trade Transport) They are jointly building with Kenya and South Sudan. an you imagine, if we only sat and talked with them , all these projects would be only to Assab and Massawa? Can you imagine what the benefit and job creation it would be for both Eritrea? Please go youtube and listen what the new Somali President has said at his Q & A at CSIS in Washington DC. He said “..Ethiopia is a country with 90 million people. We are a country with a very long coastline. As soon as we get our security in order, as we started to do now, we offer them a port trade market. That will help us to build our economy..” Please listen to him and weep that we are not endowed with such a visionary leader. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTTVh6wtl2k (Listen starting from 50:07)
The empty minded Isayas zombies never realize that Ethiopians have moved on, and got over Eritrean ports. It’s everyone in the neighborhood clamoring to get Ethiopian’s business, which should have been ours by the virtue of the fact that we happen to have a close affinity to our southern neighbors than anyone of the neighbors. But Alas, we lost it, because of Isayas and his gangs’ stupidity and our people gullible mentality.
issayas is a V*A*M*P*I*R*E February 12, 2013
Dieses Gebilde was sich Eritrea nennt hatte nur ein Ziel nämlich Äthiopien zu erpressen und auf deren Kosten zu leben.
BAHRI, BAHRI…blah blah.
Dieses Gebilde ist anderes nicht überlebensfähig. Und jetzt ist man Schachmatt weil Athiopien sich anderwertig orientiert hat.
Und das ist gut so. Bald werden die Menschen merken wie Issayas und seine Bande das Volk belogen & betrogen hat.
Eritrea ist eine Erfindung der Italiener. Geschichtlich ein Schwachfung.
Haben February 12, 2013
Shewit
I support 100% of what you put there. You have a million times common sense than those vindictive, resentful and diplomatically and socially bankrupt PFDJ with its leader Issayas. Now that we know this every Eritrean should contribute to action, do something to push out this cruel, inhumane and illegal government. If they refuse to do what the people want voiced and ratified by the constitution of May, 1997, then PFDJ has no place in Eritrea and is an illegal government. Ruling by fear and intimidation does not equate to a legitimate government.
Zemen Beraki February 12, 2013
ኢሳያስ ሓደ ሓሳዊ፡ ካብ ህዝቡ ዝፈርሕ፡ ዘይተኣማመን ውልቀመላኺ ስለ ዝኾነ፡ ብዛዕባ ናይ ዕለት 21 ጥሪ ክዛረብ ክልተ ሰሙን ወሲዱሉ። ሓሞት የብሉን ምኽንያቱ ንህዝቢ ኤርትራ ከም ዘይውክል ይፈልጥ’ዩ። ካልእ ይትረፍ ነቶም ናተይ ዝብሎም ሽዑ ክሕብሮም ነይሩዎ። ኣብ ልዕሊኦም ንዕቀት ስለ ዘለዎ ግን ምሉእ ቅነ ትም ኢሉ ክሓስብ ድሕሪ ምቕናይ ተኻኢሉለይ ተባሂሉ ትም ምባል መሪጽናዶ፡ ዘሰክፍ የለንዶ ክብል ተሰሚዑ። ሓደ ለባም መራሒ ነቲ ብትኽክል ዘጋጠመ ውድዓዊ ኵነታት ከም ዝነበሮ ክግለጽ ይእዝዝ። ባዕሉ ምዝራብውን ኣየድልዮን’ዩ። እዚ ወዲኒ ግን ርእሰምትእምማን ስለ ዘይብሉ ባዕሉ ክዛረብ ኣለዎ። ጽባሕ ድማ ብዛዕባ ሓደ ኣመሓዳሪ ሓንቲ ቁሸት ክዛረቦ ዝግብኦ ነገር ኣልዒሉ፡ ዘሰክፍ የብሉን ክብሎምዩ። ፍሪጅ ደው እንተበለ ዘገድሰና ኣይኮነን ካብ ዝብል መራሒ እንታይ ክጽበዩ ይኽእሉ እቶም መሳኪን ኰራኩሩ!!!
Hawileito February 12, 2013
PIA always used a vague word in case there is some happening. I understand he doesn’t know who are the enemy quarters yet. This is an indication of he is not fully in power. Next time we will know who are the heroes not the enemies. He the bulshit enemy of Eritrawyan will be gone forever.
belay nega February 12, 2013
WHICH HERO YOU TALKING ABOUT?
THE ONE AFTER A AWHILE WILL BE CALLED BANDITS?
weygud February 12, 2013
Facts will be disclosed “….at appropriate time.. is an old trick in a new guise. This phrase has been a mantra for over 21 years to cover up multitude crimes. Woe Eritrea!
jose February 12, 2013
Shewit welela, am ETHIOPIAN and I feel the same way. so, please let me use what u wrote
We could have made (Should have made) Ethiopia to have no alternative to use our currently idle ports just by using our cultural, linguistic and religious affinity and commonality of our two peoples and by a by a bit standing down and willing to talk over the Bademe issue. We have missed so many of those opportunities, “thanks” or no thanks of PFDJ.
To be honest with you, I doubt we can attract Ethiopia, country with no port , but a ballooning economy and 90 million people. with these great asset of ours to trade with us anymore. Do you know what Ethiopians have just done only in recent months? They are building with their own money a port in Djibouti called “Tadjura”. The new Prime Minister went to Djibouti and laid the corner stone last month. They are constructing two railways one from Mekele through Afar Desert to this new port the other one From Addis to the current port Djibouti. They had China to build a new six lane highway to Djibouti, and these all are with their own money. Not to mention the LAPSSETT project. (Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Trade Transport) They are jointly building with Kenya and South Sudan. an you imagine, if we only sat and talked with them , all these projects would be only to Assab and Massawa? Can you imagine what the benefit and job creation it would be for both Eritrea? Please go youtube and listen what the new Somali President has said at his Q & A at CSIS in Washington DC. He said “..Ethiopia is a country with 90 million people. We are a country with a very long coastline. As soon as we get our security in order, as we started to do now, we offer them a port trade market. That will help us to build our economy..” Please listen to him and weep that we are not endowed with such a visionary leader. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTTVh6wtl2k (Listen starting from 50:07)
The empty minded Isayas zombies never realize that Ethiopians have moved on, and got over Eritrean ports. It’s everyone in the neighborhood clamoring to get Ethiopian’s business, which should have been ours by the virtue of the fact that we happen to have a close affinity to our southern neighbors than anyone of the neighbors. But Alas, we lost it, because of Isayas and his gangs’ stupidity and our people gullible mentality.
belay nega February 14, 2013
JOSE
THERE IS A SAYING SAID BY A STRONG HYENA
“this donkey whether is dead or alive belongs to me”
Halafi Mengedi February 12, 2013
Issayas’ “numero Uno” enemy is not Ethiopia, nor is it CIA, it is the Eritrean people. Apparently, Issayas and his cohort of generals and ministers have developed distinguishing features of personal nature : the deep distrust of those Eritreans living inside and abroad.
Issayas and his , to borrow a certain writer’s word, Afeworkism is done. The big concern for us Eritreans of all sorts has to be this: who will be the next leader? The people or few individuals? Will we have another authoritarian leader in Eritrea?
If we are relying on the losers, and semi-literate generals, and cabinet ministers in Eritrea to topple the government, we are certainly doomed. What these losers have adopted in the past is a technique, or a system on how to rule a country with an iron fist. I am afraid that we will go back to zero if the generals, colonels or the cabinet minsters usurp power?
GULLIBLE PEOPLE February 12, 2013
Fellow Eritreans & friends of Eritrean peoples,
Due to condition that has to do with emotional health ,on the advice of care taker physician ,I will be retiring for a while from the commentators stage,However ,until I join you again (I do not know when,)I want to leave you with this, ” IF NOBODY HATES YOU ,IT MEANS YOU DO NOT STAND FOR ANYTHING.” REGIONALISTS ATTACKED ME in EDMONTON,ALWAYS ATTACK LIKE MONKEYS ,(THE WHOLE EXTENDED FAMILY )…,BECAUSE ,I EXPOSED THEIR SELF DEFEATING NARROW MINDEDness THAT CONTINUES TO PLAY A NEGATIVE ROLE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ASSASIN ISAIAS AFEWORKI & HIS REGIONALIST GENERALS !!! This other side of the regionalist´s game )Ahadu kagnew station/southern region wing)harrased me with their monkey like strategy. AT LAST THEY ENDED UP LOSING AS I DID NOT TAKE THE ISSUE NOT TO MY REGION ,BUT ,TO BILENS,AFARS,TIGRES & OTHER ERITREAN PEOPLLEs that could see it fairly.Believe in People.I am hated for people that came from the forest terrorizing our people ,bandits…because people want to mould them the way it is good for their emotional health ,…to gullibly believe that their forcibly conscripted relatives died for something worthy !!!at the expense of reality.
The rest I leave it for you.
LONG LIVE PROZAC.
GULLIBLE PEOPLE February 12, 2013
…Fellow Eritreans & friends of Eritrean peoples,
Due to condition that has to do with emotional health ,on the advice of care taker physician ,I will be retiring for a while from the commentators stage,However ,until I join you again (I do not know when,)I want to leave you with this, ” IF NOBODY HATES YOU ,IT MEANS YOU DO NOT STAND FOR ANYTHING.” REGIONALISTS ATTACKED ME in EDMONTON,ALWAYS ATTACK LIKE MONKEYS ,(THE WHOLE EXTENDED FAMILY )…,BECAUSE ,I EXPOSED THEIR SELF DEFEATING NARROW MINDEDness THAT CONTINUES TO PLAY A NEGATIVE ROLE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ASSASIN ISAIAS AFEWORKI & HIS REGIONALIST GENERALS !!! This other side of the regionalist´s game )Ahadu kagnew station/southern region wing)harrased me with their monkey like strategy. AT LAST THEY ENDED UP LOSING AS I DID NOT TAKE THE ISSUE NOT TO MY REGION ,BUT ,TO BILENS,AFARS,TIGRES & OTHER ERITREAN PEOPLLEs that could see it fairly.Believe in People.I am hated for people that came from the forest terrorizing our people ,bandits…because people want to mould them the way it is good for their emotional health ,…to gullibly believe that their forcibly conscripted relatives died for something worthy !!!at the expense of reality.
The rest I leave it for you.
LONG LIVE PROZAC.
Zecu February 12, 2013
In my opinion our enemy is neither CIA or Ethiopia. It is EPLF itself, we can live peacefuly with everybody if Isayas goes. Ethiopia and CIA are a fubricated enemy created by EPLF.It is not Ethiopia or CIA that opresses Eritrean, it is not these CIA or Ethiopia that torture and imprison innocent Eritreans and led to be refugees everywhere, it is Isayas and his followers who resulted us to be scattered everywhere. We miss and love our people and country.We feel sorry for all the family and for all eritreans who are victimized by the African Tyrant