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Fetsum: The Kebessian Byzantine Vs. DMLEK (Democratic Movement of the Eritrean Kunamas)

Fetsum: The Kebessian Byzantine Vs. DMLEK (Democratic Movement of the Eritrean Kunamas) As you know, I have been working on the opposition camp on and off and this is a continuation of that forum. The DMLEK

Fetsum: The Kebessian Byzantine Vs. DMLEK (Democratic Movement of the Eritrean Kunamas)
As you know, I have been working on the opposition camp on and off and this is a continuation of that forum. The DMLEK is my eleventh guest from the list of 13 EDA members although I am not sure if it still exists within EDA today after the alliance controversially suspended its membership. Please welcome the brothers and sisters in this political party!
Confession: We Eritreans obviously have had ethnic and religious based divisions like any other similar societies in the world. This problem has been one of the main obstacles that stood in the way of our unity. There is, for instance a justified reason for our Geberti people’s grievance within the Tigrigna ethnic group to agitate some of them into forming a different ethnic group distinct from its Tigrigna roots, although I don’t believe this is the solution to the problem as I expressed my opinion on in my past related articles. I have not doubt that they could have been dominated by the Christian Tigrigna speakers within the common ethnic group in issues that concern both communities equally: I did not research on this to say with authority but I have no problem entertaining the possibility that the Geberti community could have had problems with few Christians at least in isolated circumstances. To be honest with you, it does not matter whether the grievance is justified or not, I just accept it and walk forward closing the issue instead of trying to challenge my people from that community on the innocence of the Christians in this regard because of being born from a Christian family. Aren’t the Kebessa Tigrigna speakers and the Christians in particular complicating the Eritrean situation more than any other Eritrean ethnic group in the society?
In the flip of the coin, the spoilers of our equality and unity are few greedy individuals that do not represent their communities, thus the Eritrean masses are innocent of the crimes imposed on the society by these few dysfunctional elements. We Eritreans have no problem with each other at the mass level of our society, only between the elites from different ethnic backgrounds. Are not we all as a unit suffering under this self-destructive Kebessan dictatorship? Should not this reality vindicate the Eritrean masses from being responsible for the destructive consequences of the criminals and motivate them to unify their punch against their common enemy irrespective of religion and ethnicity?
We Eritreans cannot deny that we sometimes discriminate each other on the basis of religion and ethnicity since doing so would mean rejection of our humanness at large. Eritreans like any other society in similar situation (Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, the Arabs, etc) used to own slaves from the darker or authentic African looking communities within their societies. People in this category used to be called BARYAs in both Eritrea and Ethiopia while they called the Southern Sudanese FELATAs in Sudan. The expression ABED probably implies the same thing in Arabic; I don’t know what they called this in Somalia and elsewhere. We are not the only society that went through this inhuman and extremely degrading experience, the whole world did but we cannot deny our share of this experience pretending purity without the audacity to materially prove it otherwise.
As reality states, the biggest threat to the Eritrean peaceful nationhood had been the Tigrigna Speaking people or what I prefer to call the Kebessian Bizantine in this forum. They dominated politics for a long time and they have been the most divided as well. The Moslems in our society may have reasons to organize themselves in terms of ethnicity and religion for security but I cannot understand why the Kebessa Tigrigna speakers have so much a problem to unite. What makes one from Hamassien think in terms of his region discriminating other people from Akeleguzai and Seraye or the vise versa? What would cause the division between the Geberties and the Christians from the Tigrigna ethnic group? I sometimes think that they have been the main problem for Eritreans from the other ethnic groups to peacefully leave in the country. We are standing in the way of the peaceful coexistence of our family members from other ethnic groups in the process of denying ourselves peace and tranquility. We have a strong urge to lead without capacity, to dictate, isolate, envy or to stagnate, exaggerate, pretend; yet, divided as well.
Checking out the political groups and civic organizations in the resistance tells me that most of the division for power grab is accentuated from individuals within the Tigrigna Ethnic group, which has become cancerous to the unity of the Eritrean people; the rest is paying the price of this backward outlook of life. The Kebessans are stretching the country to its maximum elasticity from opposite ends: The regime from inside and the scattered around groups and individuals in the resistance from outside. The irony is that most of the kids on the run from the Kebessan dictatorship to only stand in the death row of the deserts, the seas and the trafficking criminals are Kebessans by ethnic orientation. Yet, the Diaspora resistance is severely damaged mostly by political leaders and community organizers from the Tigrigna speaking ethnic group, good for nothing so to say my dear people!
Now, can we deny the discrimination of our people from the KUNAMA ethnic group by our Christian and Moslem family members from other ethnic groups? Can a divided ethnic group within itself (Tigrigna) avoid discriminating others such as the KUNAMAs? Can an ethnic group in extinction with selfish and divided leaders watching from distance for the sake of power care about the survival of other ethnic groups? Can ethnic groups (Christians and Moslems) that have the history of exercising slavery on people of darker complexion avoid racially discriminating the Kunamas? I don’t think so. Although the time for directly discriminating a human being on the open is over in most countries of the world, complete mental freedom from this extraordinary spiritual decadence requires deep resentment on its historical actuality free of denial and genuine commitment to eradicate it once and for all through education and democracy which some of us, Eritreans are very much challenged on because of ignorance and ego. We have the tendency to defend our religions and ethnicities more than the truth itself or we sacrifice it by injecting religion and ethnicity into the motion of life like many backward societies in the world.
Unfortunately racism and other forms of discrimination will exist till the end of time; all society can do is guaranteeing equality through the law. Our Kunama family does not have to secede from its other family members because of few rotten individuals that spoil our love for one another as a result of their own insecurities. A person that discriminates others is certainly sick upstairs and suffers from deep inferiority complex in relation to the target of discrimination. You don’t discriminate if you are confident and secure about yourself. The motivation for discriminating people emanates from the tendency to prove one’s importance or betterment in the absence of essence; and this feeling cannot originate from confidence but from negative opinion about the self. Discrimination is a cover for internal inferno, or pretention for justifying a broken life style. It is indeed self-deception for survival when the mind confronts the person in this darkness on one’s terrible internal conflict about the self in view of the objective reality. We have people like this and they should not stop our Kunama brothers and sisters from enjoying the resources of their country at equal paradigm of the relationship. Democracy will control the spoilers by helping them suffer the consequence of their prejudice because we Eritreans have no time for this decadence. We will protect our Kunama family and recover their nationalistic confidence through democracy because when they suffer we all suffer. The spoilers hurt us equally and they are our common enemy that should be pacified through direct confrontation and democracy.
“DMLEK (the democratic movement of the Eritrean Kunamas), one of two organizations which believes in “self-determination up to secession,” was a member of the Eritrean umbrella group, the Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA), as well as the Eritrean National Council for Democratic Change (ENCDC.) The EDA is the largest bloc of the ENCDC.”
Comment: This organization joined the EDA believing in working with the other twelve Eritrean political parties to bring democracy in the country. Its vision includes self-determination up to secession from Eritrea should the society fail to guarantee equality based peaceful coexistence of all ethnic groups within. This conditional position is based on the experience of the Kunama people vis a vis the rest of the Eritrean society, thus correct in my opinion. The only way Eritreans can secure the Kunama people within the society is by installing democracy whereby every Eritrean is equally represented in the country’s political life. The only way the Kunamas can justify their demand should be after experiencing democracy in their country with their other Eritrean families minus this dictatorship. Otherwise, I found the Kunama’s vision of an alternate solution in case the problem persists as smart and strategically correct. They are saying that they will work in democratizing their country with the rest of the family expecting to live in it equally and freely but with the right to separate in the absence of reducing democratic values to practice that would negatively affect the life of their community.
I believe this is a fair deal that can only be spoiled by the majority of Eritreans. The rest of Eritreans specially the Kebessans are directly responsible for raising the comfort level and confidence of this portion of the family through practical spirituality. We need to practically attract our Kunama family through genuine love and compassion. We need to give in a lot in order to gain the trust of our Kunama people damaged by years of mismanagement, neglect and discrimination. Unfortunately the Kebessans have been the problem of our society for being divided for no reason other than ego and rigidity. If they have no internal peace how can they radiate piece in their environment? They couldn’t secure unity within themselves while the society is disintegrating a bunch at a time through the exodus crisis that is consuming our people in the deserts and seas everywhere.
“In September, when Qernelios [leader of the movement] refused to apologize for his inflammatory statements, the EDA responded by expelling DMLEK from the umbrella group. In its annual meeting in Addis Abeba, Eritrea’s National Council (aka Bayto or Mejlis) has suspended the membership of the Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama (DMLEK) and its chairman, Qernelios Esman. The decision to suspend the membership of DMLEK until the next congress was passed by majority vote. Of the 101 delegates attending, there were only 9 nays (including Qernelios and DMLEK members) and 6 abstentions. The majority of the delegation from North America either abstained or voted nay.”
Question: Why?
“The move comes three months after Qernelios Esman took to the Internet to denounce the leader of Eritrea’s revolution, Hamid Idris Awate, as a criminal. Qernelios issued the statement on September 1, a day that has been celebrated by Eritreans as the anniversary of the start of the armed struggle for 50 years and as an inspiration to continue resisting the rule of Isaias Afwerki for the last 20 years. In subsequent statements, he clarified that he was indeed speaking on behalf of his organization and rebuffed all calls for an apology from Eritrea’s outraged opposition organizations.”
Comment: To me Idris Awate was the father of the Eritrean struggle for Independence and I respect him as one of the most important figures of our collective socio-political experience. I believe Awate will remain respected by Eritreans of all generations forever like Thomas Jefferson will remain the founder father of American democracy although he was a slave owner
But does an Eritrean group or individual have the democratic right to think otherwise based on experience? Can a person express personal or group opinion on a distinguished figure in society based on one’s democratic right? Are blacks justified expressing their resentment on Jefferson’s slave ownership? Should whites defend Jefferson on his slave ownership reality through excuses because he was white? The situation boils down to all these speculations in my opinion.
If a distinguished individual in society does a community wrong, should a person defend the offender on the basis of common religion or ethnicity? No, this wrong! Justice is only served by spiritually integrated individuals that have the consciousness quality to analyze happenstances through detachment from their identities. One cannot serve justice from within the circle of family, ethnicity and religion; only from outside the periphery of the circle. Ras Tessema had to exit from attachment to his own family in giving the verdict of capital punishment by hanging against his own son for killing a person. Can we modify our integrities by picking about 10% of a lesson from this down to earth Eritrean?
I had to search for any available source of information that may help this situation for neutral judgment and here are few that I found.
Tekeste Negash in his book Eritrea and Ethiopia The Federal Experience briefly mentioned that there were three type of shifta “The most notorious among these shifta was Hamid Idris Awate of Beni Amer origin. Idris Awate began his career in early 1942 and by 1948 his army may have numbered about 50. His main activity was to raid the Kunama and Baria people. In the middle of 1950, he participated in the clan feud between the Beni Amer and the adjoining districts of Hamassien, namely Liben and Anseba. Idris Awate was one of the three shifta leaders about whom the British were most concerned. [Read more page 62]”
Comment: I don’t know the Author, have not read the book and I did not even know it existed. I am not in a position to conclude anything based on this exposure but I cannot ignore the information for this would be contradictory to transparent communication. For whatever purpose it may serve, this information will live forever because books don’t die. Whether Idris Awate was a Shifta or not immaterial I believe this man initiated the armed struggle for Eritrean independence. But if what said Idris did to the Kunamas and Baryas was correct, these people have the right to express resentment on his personality. I don’t see any problem here as a person because their experience based grievance does not affect my attachment to the icon revolutionary in view of one from an unaffected ethic group by his activities during and before the struggle. Nor am I justified defending Awate in this case against the Kunamas in the presence of historical facts that manifest the opposite and in the absence of material evidence against their claim. I cannot judge against the collective grievant without researching the cause of its position but I feel the kunamas have the right to have a feeling on what he did to them given the allegation was correct like the black Americans have the right to denounce Jefferson for what he did to their community of his time.
Another source of information: “What does Mr. Saleh Gadi Johar, know, like or more than the Kunama people, about the background history of Hamid Idris Awate?” states the following:
This paper accuses an Eritrean elite stating that; “[] Mr. Saleh Gadi Johar, [] keeps writing, very prolific articles, on and about Hamid Idris Awate, often totally lacking of sensibility, about the Kunama people and the sufferings their ethnic-members had to endure, because of the “ethnic-cleansing” attempts, Hamid Idris Awate had made, but times and circumstances prevented him from achieving his aims.
This is history; a true history, which will remain as such for centuries.
To the Kunama people however, such very sad history, befallen their ethnic-members, due to Hamid Idris Awate’s murderous activities upon them, and right in the middle of their own native and ancestral land, is indelibly written in their minds, and therefore, it can never be eradicated from their memories, whenever the name of Hamid Idris Awate is mentioned and brought in connection with the Kunama people‘s past history, and this, for the simple reason that the lives of their own ethnic-members were and are far more precious than the start of the Eritrean revolution and of the Eritrean independence too, of which we are yet to see its worth.
For us Kunama people, Hamid Idris Awate’s preceding murderous activities upon our Kunama people cannot be compensated with his “launching of the Eritrean revolution.”
Comment: This is really sad and we can only learn from our mistakes and protect each other in Democratic Eritrea. We Eritreans from other ethnic groups have no right to get agitated against the grievance of the Kunamas because they know their experience better than all of us. Their grievance should not depreciate the value of the father of the Eritrean struggle for independence Awate but it is arrogant to argue that he was good to the Kunamas without scholastic evidence for no Eritrean should assume closer relationship with Awate because of religion or ethnicity. We gain a lot by listening to each other’s experience of pain and apologizing for our mistakes and I feel this allegation deeply in my bones as an Eritrean. Awate remains to be a hero to us Eritreans in relation to the Eritrean struggle for ever and his treatment of the Kunamas before the start of the armed struggle will as well remain in the minds of his victims forever. We should not have conflict of interest here if we listen to each other without prejudice. Therefore, I have no problem with Saleh Gadi’s positive opinion on Awate unless he tries to defend him on the accusation hitherto brought here by our Kunama family without tangible evidence. Likewise, I have no problem with the Kunamas’ negative opinion on this man’s relationship with their ethnic group and in fact want to learn more so that I can feel their pain and work harder to avoid the problem in the future.
“If people like Mr. Saleh Gadi Johar, his “awate.com”  and the leaders of many organizations, cannot understand and sympathize with the feelings of the Kunama people, they should at least refrain themselves from trying to provoke, forcing the Kunama into forgetting their slain ethnic-members and exalt Hamid Idris Awate’s “heroism,” for the only reason of the Eritrean revolution, he is retained to have started.”
Comment: It is not clear so far where Gadi went wrong concerning this issue. If the writer is accusing him for praising Awate as an individual, then I don’t see any problem with this. If he defended Awate on the Kunama question though, I would say grave error in part of Gadi because he has no right to contradict the Kunama story without evidence. I sympathize with the Kunamas in this scenario because I cannot prove Awate’s innocence on the allegation. But I also see the legacy of the icon of the struggle as everlasting in the Eritrean experience. I don’t think praising Awate as a problem here and our Kunama family should not be aggravated with the praise but they have full right to teach us what happened to them during his era and to denounce him if necessary like they did openly recently.
“Let Hamid Idris Awate be and remain a “national hero” for those who accept and believe in his “heroic first bullet-shooting”, but leave also the Kunama people, to dry their tears, over their killed people, and in their conviction, not to exchange their murderer for a hero.”
Comment: I feel comfortable with this expression and I agree given the grievance is genuine, and I tend to believe it because I don’t see any reason for the accusers to accuse Awate without substance. They are talking about their history and experience: therefore I have to listen to them without any resistance and in fact sympathize as well as a humanitarian activist fighting for freedom and justice in Eritrea.
“Mr. Saleh Gadi Johar, his “awate.com” and its runners and supporters, do please, refrain yourselves from beating again, on those scars of the Kunama people and cause new and profound wounds. Mr. Saleh Gadi Johar, in his article, titled,  “Qernelios : Arte Mailam’s Political Recklessness, S.g. Johar, Sept. 10, 2012”, recounts that, “ironically, on Sept. first of this year, the Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama chose to issue a provocative statement defaming Awate. “ To our view, Mr. S. G.Johar has totally gone out of his initial statement, thus jumping from “Qernelios Arte Mailam’s Political Recklessness” into accusing the “DMLEK”, the Kunama organization, of having “issued a provocative statement defaming Awate”.
Comment: I am sorry but nothing is provocative in a text or speech of an oppressed community openly criticizing his oppressor in this argument. I am sharing my neutral opinion not as an Eritrean but as a universal individual here without any knowledge whether the accusation was formally answered or ignored by the accused. What I mean is the accuser deserves the benefit of the doubt here in the absence of response from the accused. I believe Mr. Saleh Gadi crossed the line of fairness in this situation by labeling the DMLEK provocative for its leader’s subjective grievance on Awate’s misdeed to the Kunama people once upon an era in the Eritrean experience.
It is said that Mr. Qernelios’ “was indeed speaking on behalf of his organization and rebuffed all calls for an apology from Eritrea’s outraged opposition organizations.” Gadi could have taken this as the voice of the party and I don’t blame him because I would have taken it too. To me, it is not about Qernelios or DMLEK at the fundamental level of the argument: it is about why Gadi personalized this to the extent of finding it a provocative danger to the Eritrean unity. What motivated this brother to go as far as adversely antagonizing with Qernelios or DMLEK for the sake of Awate?
It appears like Mr. Gadi personalized the issue without genuine provocation. This was none of his business in my opinion, with all respect to the brother, was thus biased. I have no justification to reject the grievance of our Geberty family on the Christians because I was born a Christian or the vise versa. I would do good service to the society respecting the Geberties and sympathizing with their grievances and in fact apologizing in the name of my community as well for the sake of love, brotherhood and harmony , whether I was mandated to do that or not, and irrespective of the validity of the allegation.
I can use my individual right to assume representing my community apologizing in public for something that is not perfectly personal, may be partially communal and even never been done. What does it hurt to do this? let me do it right now: I apologize for what happened to our Geberties by the Christian Tigrigna speakers. Don’t blame me for this and deal with your ego yourself because my mandate to represent the Christian Tigrigna speakers is an imaginary idea that does not concern you. It remains being my objective opinion irrespective of how I understand my imagination. This, however, brings peace and love into the society and it is spiritually gratifying as well.
“To our view, Mr. S. G.Johar has totally gone out of his initial statement, thus jumping from “Qernelios Arte Mailam’s Political Recklessness” into accusing the “DMLEK”, the Kunama organization, of having “issued a provocative statement defaming Awate”.”
“Has, Mr. S. G. Johar, found out whether, “Qernelios: Arte Mailam’s Political Recklessness”, was a “statement” made only and solely by “Qernelios himself or by the “DMLEK”, i.e, was it “a provocative statement” of the “DMLEK”, as such? Please, do not bring up the reason that “Qernelios”, being, “DMLEK’s” Chairman, he is also “DMLEK” itself.”
Comment: Why not? Gadi is clean here assuming that the Chairman of the party represents the party specially when saying he did in this scenario. What is he supposed to assume then? But I don’t see any political recklessness on the Chairman’s opinion because he has the right to express his opinion freely in view of democracy. He used his freedom of speech that the EDA in principle supports to say what he had to say about his community’s experience with Awate.
“To our judgment, Mr. S. G. Johar, has totally failed in his journalistic duty and launched the initial idea of “suspending” and even of “kicking-out” of the “DMLEK” from the EDA, which immediately followed. As we have been following, “Qernelios Arte Mailam’s Political Recklessness”, from the very beginning, S. G. Johar and his “awate.com” were the first ones and the most vociferous forces, who and which had mobilized and rallied the organs, such as…….. That Saleh Gadi Johar, and his awate.com, had mobilized and rallied”, the above mentioned news-outlets and organizations and exercised a very heavy “pressure upon EDA’s leadership and member-organizations” into taking that drastic and severe measure of expelling the DMLEK from it.”
Comment: Wow, to that extent? I wonder why the EDA took such an anti-democratic step against the party of our Kunama family to begin with and why Gadi suggested the suspense of the party from EDA in this scenario, if the allegation was correct. If this allegation is correct, Gadi should have been biased of something to personalize the issue to this extent. What was more terrible was that he politicized the issue beyond its significance as well. He didn’t have to take this issue this far because of probably running AWATE WEBSITE (I am not sure if he does) for there is no conflict of interest in the situation. The bias could not have been ethnical either (assuming brother Gadi was from the Geberti community) but may be religious in my frank opinion. By the same sensation, the EDA practically violated the right of the Chairman to express his grievance on Awate against the principle of “freedom of speech” and democratic values.
“The Kunama communities, around the world are being shocked by such decision of the EDA, which is yet to give, to the Kunama people, its official reason of its verdict.”
Comment: I am shocked as well as a neutral Eritrean who does not have the whole picture of what happened. I am really shocked and disappointed about what the EDA did to our Kunama family members and even more shocked about the unprovoked negative interference of brother Gadi in this situation. We need to be careful on how we treat each other and must be consistent on a concept to claim integrity. Gadi should have sympathized with the Kunamas instead of defending their abuser and cause the party’s suspension from EDA because I assume he came from a minority group (Geberti) within the Tigrigna speaking ethnic group that has few human rights issues with the Christians. Please don’t take this assumption out of proportion because I am talking a straight language that is easy to understand here. Criticizing or denouncing an iconic figure of society by any member of the society is not political recklessness at all and suspending an individual or group from a DEMOCRATIC umbrella on this excuse is anti-democratic and dictatorial as well. I would love to see the respond to this allegations from the accused in order to be balanced, needless to say ignoring the allegation is arrogance and uncivilized in my opinion. I feel sorry for wrong action the EDA took against our Kunama family in this situation.
In conclusion; we will fight for justice everywhere in Eritrea and so will we this time to defend the rights of our Kunama family to freely express its unique experience in the Eritrean diary. I sympathize with this family for the wrong deeds of our icon of struggle Idris Awate on; and criticize him for the mistakes he did in this regard without depreciating my respect of him. I also humbly remind our Kunama family not to exasperate this situation to the point of hurting our unity and the resistance over all. I want to remind this group of the family that we love you and we will fix any problem in your community together in this fight for freedom and democracy in our country. No one can trespass your right to equally enjoy your country from now on for no Eritrean deserves his/her right without defending the rights of all of us as unit. Defending the rights of our Kunama family is a prerequisite for securing my individual freedom in Eritrea. Therefore, I condemn EDA’s undemocratic violation in suspending DMLEK out of its umbrella.
Down with ethnic and religious chauvinism in our society: Long live our unity and the genuine struggle of the Kunama people for freedom & democracy in Eritrea!

aseye.asena@gmail.com

Review overview
19 COMMENTS
  • Yohannes Zemichael May 18, 2014

    Hey Illuminati:
    You happen to be one of the duped intellectual prostitute. I hope you have the guts to wake up and have this strong delusion rooted out of your mind and sprit once and for all. The Kebessa people brought the independence. Kebessa is the soul, heart and strength of Eritrea. Don’t try to open the Pandora box and you need to zip your mouth.

  • Tes May 18, 2014

    Dear brother Fetsum,

    What a very courageous and wise man! My hat off brother. When I read you I feel courage and sense a brighter future albeit far away. It is not yet the spirit of our ancestors not decimated by HGDEf not to revive but shows your courage there are still out there true Eritreans who really care. What you are displaying here is our true culture behavior who were confident and free to express when they see injustice. Ageb, Ajgdin, Newry hidie bel were our far fathers word when they see unjust whoever was the victim. we inherited from our ancestors invaluable manners which lately shocked from its core by evil Isseyas stooges. You are not only bless with knowledge of our contemporary world but blessed with wisdom and sense of justice. I just one word please keep up fighting don’t be intimidated by supporters and opposition who lost their direction and confused.

    Kunama issue is national issue and fair request. It needs to be handled with great care. Otherwise it might out off control and they are really have a point to feel intimidate by the Christine majority. As christian highlander I don’t have any problem my government or the so called opposition to listen to graveness of the minority. Whether we like it or not they are equal stakeholders of the country and it is our obligation to make them feel they are included in all the affair of the country. I am completely in agreement with you brother with all specially if they have graveness with Idris awate well there is a say in Amharic Yemeta biresa Yetemeta Iyresam. If they feel not comfortable about Idris then so be it, it is definitely their right.

    As for Awate team I think they are unclear they allegiance whether narrowly to their religion and tribe or the entire country. They lost it long ago and their main contribution now days is full time an actors of spoilers. Picking small issue and exaggerate it by million times to make maximum damage to the opposition. The have perceived fear of Christians which is unfounded. It is better ignoring them. Their website is slightly going from heyday to its slow death. they are insignificant.

    I like very much those wise words of yours “A person that discriminates others is certainly sick upstairs and suffers from deep inferiority complex in relation to the target of discrimination. You don’t discriminate if you are confident and secure about yourself. The motivation for discriminating people emanates from the tendency to prove one’s importance or betterment in the absence of essence; and this feeling cannot originate from confidence but from negative opinion about the self. Discrimination is a cover for internal inferno, or pretention for justifying a broken life style. It is indeed self-deception for survival when the mind confronts the person in this darkness on one’s terrible internal conflict about the self in view of the objective reality.” it really hit home. This is exactly what is happening in Eritrea. Those in diaspora the most vocal and staunch supporters of the regime are the best example in hand. They fear if Isseyas left power then they will be regarded outsiders. The same is true those at the top of the governments. They are consumed by inferiority complex. Lack of confidence and being living in perceived fear. What if!

  • selamawit2 May 18, 2014

    Dear Fetsum,

    i just started reading you articel and i am very curious to read obout our kuname brothers and sisters as i don’t know by far enough about them.
    THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOD BLESS YOU FOR YOUR for your unresting dedication!!!!

    And there is one point in the articel i’d like to comment. You write:

    “Eritreans like any other society in similar situation (Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, the Arabs, etc) used to own slaves from the darker or authentic African looking communities within their societies.” This is right but not complete. Also other african societies with relatively “darker” skin had slaves.

    Furthemore in the other black-african countries there were “castes”/groups that were slaves and groups that were not – similar to the caste system in Asia. But it had nothing to do with the color of the skin.
    Here i strongly commend to read the books by Cheikh Anta Diop (a former african historian, anthropologist, physicist etc.)…They are very interesting and written from an absolutely african point of view.

  • GidstiEritrawit May 18, 2014

    Brother Fesume,

    You nailed it on the head. The majority of Kebessian people believed first in thier Adi, then Aweraja, followed by religion and at last Eritreanism. I remember when I was in Addis Ababa ababa University, a schoolmate from Asmara asked me where my Adi and Aweraja was and I told him I am Eritrean. But he insisted where my Adi was and I told him where my father came from but I didn’t know where my parent’s Aweraja was. The next day I verified my parent’s Aweraja and told my friend from the mainland. But he distanced himself right after he knew I wasn’t from his Aweraja. I do not blame him since his parent implanted the devil idea of Awerajawi in him.

    I am not trying to categorize all poeple from the mainland are reginionalist, but the
    whole independet struggle (EPLF) was shaped by rivalry among Hamassien, Akeleguzai and Seraye. Since most Seraye were member of ELF, they weren’t a threat to Hamassien and Akeleguzai. The Hamassien meticulously used the Seraye to squash the Akeleguzai and has become the absolute ruler of the failed state of Eritrea.

    I don’t know why we have been going round and round for more than half a century to address our fundamental weakness.

    I really appreciated your courage for publishing this article out for Eritrean to examine themself and come together to root out the criminal rulers of the current Eritrean.

  • haqiyesar May 18, 2014

    The title of the article is about Eritrean Kunama but rather when I read it, it is almost about Gadi’s article that was written 19 months ago. I don’t understand why the author had to revive an almost two years old article and go after Gadi from the starting till the end of his article, with the bold written for more attention. Those you have ability to write please be EDUCATORS.

    • Tes May 19, 2014

      Haqiyesar,

      Yes the article is about Kunama and Gadi was the most vocal defender of Idris at that time. I don’t see the author is after Gadi but it was amuse to see how aggressively attacked Kornelous for just expressing the organization right unless you are one of those who believe we are all suffered together under HGDEF.

      • haqiyesar May 19, 2014

        Tes,

        My understanding the leader of kunama stands against Jeberti and Qadi is from Jeberti, and may be Qadi among his strong believe on Hamid Awate got an appropriate time to hit and square the leader of Kunama aggressively, but then the leader of Kunama responded to Qadi the case has been closed, BUT why is the author revive the two year article and renew the friction, what is the motive?

        Due to the length of our struggle be it during revolution and post independence, the true color of Eritrean outlook came out to surface and most of it ugly. Unlike our ancestors, we don’t learn from each other, we don’t respect each other, we do not tolerate each other, we don’t accommodate each, we don’t reconcile to each other … we became certified to insult each other, to disrespect each other, to put down to each other, to disunite each other to label each other, to judge each other… And no wonder why we are failing to repair our damage, it is SAD!

        There is one thing we should understand Eritrea is for all Eritrean no group is above the other group, no group has the right above other group and the list goes on…, let us take the right paved avenue, let us learn from the past, and let us use the power of our present wisely, so that we may have a future Eritrea.

        • Tes May 19, 2014

          I accept your intention was positive move and impressed with your words. There is always misunderstanding I got it now. Ta!!!

        • rezen May 20, 2014

          “…the true color of Eritrean outlook came out to surface and most of it ugly. Unlike our ancestors, we don’t learn from each other, we don’t respect each other, we do not tolerate each other, we don’t accommodate each, we don’t reconcile to each other … we became certified to insult each other, to disrespect each other, to put down to each other, to disunite each other to label each other, to judge each other… And no wonder why we are failing to repair our damage, it is SAD! “

          To: haqiyesar
          The above gem of a quotation is from your commentary. I know how you feel. Let me also add. Since you adequately covered the disturbed inner-self of Eritrea, it stands to reason that Eritrea is also incapable of having sane relationship outside itself. And it was proved beyond a shadow of a doubt – hence Eritrea is stuck as a dysfunctional state of diverse societies, and heading to disintegration. I can visualize the rush to blame it squarely on one and only one person, single handed, against four million people, for the destructive characteristic of the ‘nation’— Issayas Afewerki Abraham!!! It is a classical case of deliberate blindness and shameful refusal to accept any responsibility on oneself. What happened to the idolization of ‘yesterday’ on a simple human being both by the general public but also shamefully by the intellectual elites who knew better, and who read volumes and volumes of human history, and received doctorate degrees thereupon? Weren’t they worshiping him ‘yesterday’ at his door steps, for little crumbs that they can find? Where did their analytical minds vanish? Or did they ever have one? Where are they now? A renowned scholar put it this way and I would defer to his wisdom [my third occasion to quote him]:
          “I believe the Eritrean people expect Eritrean scholars to objectively and critically assess the ills of the nation and offer bold and constructive suggestions for the good of their country and the Eritrean people. Eritrean scholars should assume this responsibility as their national duty and indeed as their obligation. I also believe Eritrean scholars should not give a deaf ear and a blind eye to the suffering of their people. They should have the moral courage and intellectual integrity to speak on behalf of the voiceless and the oppressed.”

          Back to you, haqiyesar: Thank you for your honesty and daring to say what you feel in the face of strange state where freedom of expression is taboo both by tyrannical government and by hypnotized individuals!!! You know very well, of course, that you will automatically be stripped of your Eritrean-ness in the Internet and branded as numero uno enemy of Eritrea. Eritrea must never be criticized; Eritrea is a jewel of perfection; Eritrea is superior than its neighbours and far beyond; Eritrea is ‘untouchable’ until death. Now, we even have a revision of Eritrean history which goes back to the 15th Century of Eritrean glorious empire! Eritreans renowned archeologists are still digging to provide their heathen doubters with further proof of the greatness of Eritrea!!! May the Lord have mercy upon us all?

          Another well known professor of high academic stature was making a remark to a small gathering of colleagues about the absurdity of a great nation having been under uncivilized country like Ethiopia. An irritated American Sociologist asked the Professor a simple question: “what do you call screw driver in your language?” The Professor didn’t hesitate: “cacciavite”, of course! “But”, said the American with glee,” that is Italian word”!!! The Professor came down to earth and realized that the Ethiopians >>> ‘the savages, the uncivilized, the uncultured, the d…..s‘<<< have indeed indigenous word for it!

          O’ Eritrea! Why? Why? Why? ‘I CAN’T HELP IT’: laments Eritrea, on its way to its grave [1]! Indeed it is SAD!
          ——————
          [1]. I am NOT a literary person – never had poetry in school — but I love to quote the admirable Gabriel Guangul from his poem of last year (08 May 2013; “Eritrea Unplugged: From Dumera to Ras Ksar”. Here are the last two stanza:

          “Uncultivated; detached and rootless A mushroom in the clouds Almost immune to gravity; out of sight Left to speculate in the dark; restless

          The blind believer; picks up a string Like that silent note to a ring Composed of lines on canvass; without a drop of paint on screen Pulls a fabric of many colours; yet unseen”

          Ahhh……. Thanks a million, Gabriel. I feel like I know you for an eternity!

          • rezen May 20, 2014

            Please read the poem in the following form
            “Uncultivated; detached and rootless A mushroom in the clouds Almost immune to gravity; out of sight Left to speculate in the dark; restless
            The blind believer; picks up a string Like that silent note to a ring Composed of lines on canvass; without a drop of paint on screen Pulls a fabric of many colours; yet unseen”

          • rezen May 20, 2014

            “Uncultivated; detached and rootless A mushroom in the clouds Almost immune to gravity; out of sight Left to speculate in the dark; restless

            The blind believer; picks up a string Like that silent note to a ring Composed of lines on canvass; without a drop of paint on screen
            Pulls a fabric of many colours; yet unseen”

          • haqiyesar May 21, 2014

            Rezen,

            It is a great piece that focuses us to ask deep questions to self. Fortunately, we have many diversified scholars in many fields where we may not have even short of any area that Eritrea might need, but sadly, I hardly count on them, because without any doubt most of them they have contributed to the situation where we are in. From day one their call to the struggle was based on religion and region related agenda. This conditioning become their internal programming and eventually let them to egocentricity which perpetuates the belief that one’s survival must be assured, and their long investment must yield profitable dividend for themselves, no matter what the cost to others…

            However, if their struggle was initiated with really patriotism without attachment, or if they have corrected their path along the way, our current situation would have been other wise. As far as individual, our main problem we follow semi-blindly to others, we don’t ponder individually to ask core questions without resistance and decide for ourselves, and also we lack to learn our own history deeply, we also lack to learn from our surrounding especially those who are in the west. Ignorantly, we entertain egocentricity often modifying our conditioning which eventually caught in the illusory world of separateness.

            Our time in this life is ticking, if we come to the present moment, there will be a sense of ease, completeness, understanding, respect, belonging, forgiveness, well being, and a larger perspective in which illusion of separateness is DISPELLED!!!! Otherwise our future will be remote and crumbled.

            And thank you much for sharing the beautiful poem.

  • GidistiEritrawit May 19, 2014

    Brother Fesume,
    You nailed it on the head. The majority of Kebessa people hail first from their Adi, then Aweraja, followed by religion and the their last identity is Eritrean.

    I am not trying to categorize all people from Kebessa as regionalist, but the whole independent struggle (EPLF) was shaped by rivalry among Hamassien, Akeleguzai and Seraye. Since most Seraye were member of ELF, they were not a threat to Hamassien and Akeleguzai. The Hamassien meticulously exploited the Seraye to squash the Akeleguzai and has become the absolute ruler of the failed state of Eritrea.

    I don’t understand why we have been circling rounds for almost half a century to address our fundamental weakness. We should be able to call a spade is a spade.
    I really appreciated Fesume your courage for publishing this article out for Eritrean to examine ourselves and help come together to root out the current Eritrean regime.

  • oromay May 19, 2014

    My group, my books,theory, philosophy,agenda,vision,formula, strategy,scenario, consensus, mission statement, road map,forum,guidelines,symposium,conference,workshop,meeting,conflict resolution,dialogue, assembly, civic society movement bottom up approach,caucuses,resistance group, vacaroian movement,focal point,Accra Peace Accord, low land league,kabessian Byzantine etc etc.Sometimes,the philosopher sounds frustrated with the general situation and grumbles about his personal affairs. Griped with fear and uncertainty,he seems to be a prophet of doom about what may happen in the future. He also sounds that he already finished cutting and pasting the Accra Peace Accord to apply to Eritrea regardless of the social fabric. Don’t you think such one man ideas tend to be delusions of grandeur?. Strange classification of change forces into Vacaroian movement, resistance group, parties doe snot make sense if someone is talking about unity.Another newly invented categorization is Kebessian/Christian Byzantine. As far as we know in history, there was no a such regime domination and power control over other by religion or topography but rather, there were external colonizers alternatively.
    Many customers may not enjoy reading valueless compiled comments unless it is for fun. Transitional formula–transitional (interim)government…democratic government…resembles simple mathematical formula that assumes everything is constant.Unfortunately, it doesn’t work in social dynamics.

    Last but not least, there is no avail to shade crocodile tears for DMLEK for things that happened far past.

    Tere is nothing to personalize the remark after all, it is a national issue and everybody is a stakeholder.

  • Kifle Nerayo May 19, 2014

    Mr. Fitsum: I thank you but not appreciate raising the case of our brothers, the Kunamas. This is a very sensitive issue. they have grievance against Awate, the hero of our struggle against colonialism. This is indeed a sensitive issue, which can hardly be solved with disunited people as we are now. In my opinion, such issue must be weighed with due balance, which is the united and liberated Eritrean People. It is an issue solvable fairly by the Eritrean government of the people in peace time. It is unfair for any other group to force the Kunama community to air their grievances at any occasion. However, The Kunama Community also must know the right time to get an amendment for their past suffering under the leadership of Awate. There is no one who can legally address this issue before the victory of the opposition over the present dictatorial government. I therefore beseech the opposition to focus in our urgent priorities, dislodging the dictator the earliest we can.

    KIfle Nerayo
    Emsil: kiflenerayio@gmail.com

    • fetsum abrahamt May 20, 2014

      Brother Kifle;
      There is no right or wrong timing for freedom of speech: u either give it or not. It is sensitive issue but then what? it is a matter of consistency my brother!

    • Asghedom Woldeghiorghis May 22, 2014

      Awate the eritrean hero, and italian blukubash. Those are the eritrean Heros, the kunama are more itelligente than the Kebesa, zingese nugusna.

  • FITHI May 19, 2014

    Undeveloped society exploited by politcal-mad-men who will lead them to be drown alive . A lesson
    we learned not to be taken lightly , we will be judged on our character and the impact we have on
    others .
    Beware from irresponsible obsession with politicians and individuals at this time because
    they are not representatives elected by people but doesn’t mean to discredit their presence .
    Issayas doesn’t represent nobody but only his ruling party , Qernelious and others also speak
    for their party advancement . People are suffering from unbalanced efforts of incapable
    power hungry politicians .

  • Marbati Amren May 22, 2014

    Dearest Fetsum

    First of all l would like to express my gratitude for your good gesture toward, genuine reconciliation aspiration that based on equality and liberty. Yes, from history we can learn so many things, either negative or positive. Like other communities in this world, we the Eritrean community also have our own constructive and gloomy memories. Admitting historical mistakes from the oppressor’s side, in return showing clemency from the oppressed are two inseparable pillars to resolve long-lasting dispute.

    Secondly, as a Kunama son, your article overwhelmingly touched my heart and l recalled all regrettable histories which l was learning from my grandparents. I did not disregard the magnitude of compassion and genuine leniency. In the meantime, l deeply convince that the broken heart can be healed with a sincerely apology and firm stand for rule of law only. To my little knowledge, expression of regret and forgiveness must start from our deep hearts. As that is only viable way, that we could ensure solidarity and peaceful co-existence of our Eritrean Nations and Nationalities.

    I always astonish by what we call them politicians and elites of our beloved country, Eritrea for their unfounded excuses in the cover of national interest. Despite to the fact that they are few in number, yet they have a significant role in keeping our Eritrean people in unnecessary hatred and meaningless abhorrence. So far l have never seen a single Eritrean politician or elite, who committed himself to be a good messenger of peace among Eritrean Nations and Nationalities. I am also deeply regretted not to find someone who have an inclusive political platform that can embrace all Eritrean people. My main concern here is, if our politicians and elites could not stand for such holy and compressive move, how can we achieve the justice and peace that we all meticulously looking for?

    Mr. Fetsum, I therefore boldly appreciated your good gesture to invite all Eritrean Nations and Nationalities into inclusive reconciliation, hoping other elites to follow your footsteps. You also need to be vigilant more than any time else because Bismarks of this era are reacting with their odd concept of ‘’ a friend of my enemy is my main enemy.’’

    Last but not least, using this convenient moment, l strongly remind to all Eritrean politicians that, ‘’ the imposed politics could not workout in the Eritrean Nations and Nationalities contemporary life. The only political program which can serve the Eritrean people is an inclusive political platform.’’

    I also would like to convoy my little recommendation to our elites,’’ please stop your long fabricated stories, which are causing unquenchable resentment and animosity among our peace lover Eritrean people. We are fed up of your ill mentality of belligerency, antagonism, segregation and well rooted meaningless concept of superiority and inferiority. What we need is justice, peace and equality.

    Marbati Amren

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