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Pope Francis gives his full support for Dawit

VATICAN CITY. Pope Francis gives his full support to the international campaign for the release of Dawit Isaak, the Swedish-Eritrean journalist who is imprisoned without trial in Eritrea since 2001. ”I send my blessings and greetings

VATICAN CITY. Pope Francis gives his full support to the international campaign for the release of Dawit Isaak, the Swedish-Eritrean journalist who is imprisoned without trial in Eritrea since 2001.
”I send my blessings and greetings to him and his family,” the Pope said in an exclusive interview with Expressen.
Dawit Isaak is a Swedish-Eritrean journalist and writer held in Eritrean prison since 2001 without trial. The Eritrean regime calls him a traitor, while Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience and has called for his immediate and unconditional release.
Expressen and other leading Swedish media have repeatedly called upon the Eritrean authorities to free Dawit Isaak and devote considerable space to his case.
“I hope with all my heart that the Dawit case will get a solution. I send my blessings and greetings to him and his family,” Pope Francis told Expressen on Monday.

“I hope that all will be clarified”

The Pontiff is the most recent of numerous international statesmen and celebrities who have expressed their support for the imprisoned journalist.
“I hope that all will be clarified. This is a person who is suffering very much in this situation,” the Pope said.
Thomas Mattson, editor-in-chief of Expressen, expresses his appreciation of the Pope’s remarks in a column. He stresses the importance of the fact that Dawit Isaak’s plight now has got the attention of the Pope as well as of other senior figures on the world scene.
“Recently four Catholic bishops in Eritrea wrote an open letter criticizing conditions in the dictatorship. And now the Pope gives support to Dawit Isaak in an exclusive interview with Expressen. Maybe, maybe the military junta is somewhat easing its control over the long-suffering citizens of Eritrea?” Thomas Mattsson writes in a column.

Other celebrities supports the campaign

The Expressen editor-in-chief points out that Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and many other celebrities support Expressen’s campaign for the release of Dawit Isaak.
“The EU demands his release, the African Union has raised the issue … There are more of us than the Pope who pray for Dawit Isaak to be reunified with his wife Sofia, his three children and his relatives in Goteborg,” Thomas Mattsson writes.
Dawit Isaak came to Sweden in 1987 and became a Swedish citizen in 1992. When Eritrea gained independence he returned to his native country and started working for the country’s first independent newspaper.

Isaak arrested in 2001

On 23 September 2001 Isaak was arrested in his home in Asmara in Eritrea. Another 21 prominent journalists and politicians were arrested at the same time – for demanding democratic reforms in Eritrea.
There have been reports that Isaak was subject to torture. The Eritrean government has not allowed anyone to visit him.
Dawit Isaak has been awarded several international prizes, among them The Golden Pen of Freedom Award of the World Association of Newspapers in 2011.
Source: Expressen

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Review overview
56 COMMENTS
  • wediAre July 8, 2014

    I remembered Dawit Isaak by his campaign log nHakin Fthin Kserhe eye when he run for national assembly in Asmara.

  • Kidan, Sudan July 9, 2014

    Well done father Francis, this dictator will never listen, understand, but need force and face justice at icc.

  • Teclay July 9, 2014

    Do you still remember our wise mothers saying ” Ab,,mintimintay,,iyu,,izi kulu? ”

    First,i want to thank the pop ,if it is a norm to tank fathers too .But had he asked the Lord to give us his mercy it would have been much more better as all of us (the whole country ) is in mess and disarray. We have been punished and humiliated enough more than any other race in this planet.

    The question to the blind nationalists is why did you need all this mess? and as they say “insult to injury ” and still you do not regret accommodating the eritreansm virus.

    • Eritreawit July 9, 2014

      Teclay
      Please you come here and act like Eritrean and spread you hate and venom, the resone we are suffering is not because we are more nationalist than any other race, we are suffering because some criminal group hide themselves/disgude them selves as Eritreans and killing our people sinnce 1973, so stop you confussion. This will not help any one. You are giving the oppostion bad look, if you are Eritrean. stop, stop , stop.

      • Teclay July 9, 2014

        Eritreawit

        Sister you seem emotional ,even your name indicates you are an emotional one.Why do not you call your self Bahrenegasiawit which is our right name .
        Our sister said “Please you come here and act like Eritrean and spread you hate and venom, the resone we are suffering is not because we are more nationalist than any other race, we are suffering because some criminal group hide themselves/disgude them selves as Eritreans and killing our people sinnce 1973, so stop you confussion. This will not help any one. You are giving the oppostion bad look, if you are Eritrean. stop, stop , stop. ”

        Your none sense comment can be summarized ,,,because Isias is an Agame ,he has been killing us since 1973.

        I want to ignore your comment but since a lot of naive brothers think the same as you do,let me give you some points in the form of homework. It will take you about one year, by then you will have had enough knowledge about Eritrean idiotic and shameful politics:
        -Suria Addis were killed, after or before 1973?
        -The Poor Anseba(Hamasien)farmers were slaughtered, after or before 1973?
        – The killings and burnings of Kunama villages by out law shifta Awate , were after or before 1973?
        -The run away from Jehadists to save life to mother Ethiopia and rejoin AA university(Drue ,Musie etc ) was after or before 1973? The list is long

        Let us see international dictators:
        -Pol Pot the leader of Khmer Rouge,,,because of his dictatorial leadership, more than 25 percent i.e about 3 mil out of 8 mil population died.He was a Cambodian or not ?
        -Idi Amin: ‘Butcher of Uganda’ He killed about 500,000 Ugandans ,,there is a report,he was a cannibal. According to his former chef even he used to serve his guests a human meat as beef ? Was he Ugandan or not ,,here also the list is long
        So a dictator is a dictator,it doesn`t matter his origin.You Eritreawit and other blind nationalists stop excuse and deceiving your selves.Eritrean problem is not about personality but about the idea Ghedli by it self.

        • Eritreawit July 9, 2014

          Teclay,
          Bingo! now we know who you are? so what if i’m emmotional do you think these things going on to distroy our people and country is to be ignored? I don’t care who they are; Eritreans, Ethiopians origen they need to stop what they are doing to the county.

          • ahmed saleh July 9, 2014

            Eritrawit
            BINGO ! I GOT YOU .
            You got him .
            Melhasom mear libom lama

  • halal July 9, 2014

    There you go the truth came out. The four Catholic church’s priests hidden agenda now exposed. Thier master pop now revealed the truth. We should now know that these four traitors should go to wia now. Derhos anwihka teaserkayas zifenekaya yimesla…..hafhaf nayzen arbaete kab vatican zitedefafie haili mikuanu dea men tefiewo….. inehele dima ayfeltiwo aytiyikuwo pop hoye nezi kedae essak yishikitulu alewo …. emo dea eritrawi mikuanu do dea resiomo….

    • AyteAbrha July 9, 2014

      Ala halal,
      I am really surprised by the nonsense words and especially to insult POPES. This shows who you r!!

      I have a question for you, Is Wia a prison or a place of punishment? because you said must go to wia.

      • ahmed saleh July 9, 2014

        Halal
        Moslems have agenda
        Pentecostal have agenda
        Orthodox Patriarch have agenda
        Catholics have agenda .
        Since they represent Eritrean society the agenda represents
        the people virsus the oppressors .

        • ERITREAN UNCLE July 9, 2014

          Dear Ahmed Saleh ,

          A very deep & truthful comment.Hope the young ppl will organize thwemselves & replace the rotten system ,before ppl like Mesfin Hagos exploit it.

    • Eritreawit July 9, 2014

      halal
      IS that really hard to see Eritreans are suffering? people are jailed for 5, 10,20 for doing nothing. Don’t you see our contry is lead by lowless criminals.? OMG why are you supportes worship man but not GOD.?

    • aradom July 9, 2014

      Halal temhar sile haki ezi wedi berad ziblo edme siltanu ni minwah eyu minalbat nay mennet himamm hhlweka zerebaka haki aytzarebu eyu

    • ERITRAWIT July 9, 2014

      halal anta Halay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Kisseri July 9, 2014

      Halal
      I feel sorry for you. u are Rude And Selfish Please go to school to study.Denkoro animal

  • Simerrr2012 July 9, 2014

    The solution is neither on the pope nor in the hand of anyone. The ball is on Sweden government. The Swedish government has to downgrade the embassy to simple consular office , limit the personal 1-3 , send all the money collectors and spies back to Eritrea, stop all kind of fund raising. Then the dictator act definitely…money is the big issue for the mafia government…send again the agents of PFDJ who claimed asylum to work under cover for the regime. The tax payers do not have to pay social welfare for those cockroaches. Again, I tell you do not talk cheap as Swedish act like British.

  • Tamrat Tamrat July 9, 2014

    When my little sister was 6 years old, suffered a two weeks long nightmere just to remove a milk tooth. We all tried to help her but she was too terrified the pain involved in pulling out her tooth. Even Our suggestion made her cry leave alone to pull out With out her permission. But the problem was the New tooth was pushing the old one out and it made it so difficult for her to chow her Food. We told her we all went through this,it is not that painful and even if it is it lasts only for few Seconds. But her perception of the paine distorted her decission. She in a way chose the endless pain and its consquence from not eating what she wants and the costant wailing of her tooth pain instead of confronting the imagined pain during the pull out.

    But one beautfull sunday morning the house maid was helping her undressing her sweater and my little sister screamed as if she was hit by a car and at the same time started giggling sheepishly as if she got permission weekend overnight in her aunty’s house holding her rotten tooth by her fingers towards us. That was her best wish.

    So my little sister and Eritrea have something in common. The old teath is on the way out while the New one pushing out due neccesity. If some body pull it out now, it would make no pain for Eritrea, at least not a pain as Eritrea percepted it. And when the rotten isayas and his phylosophy pulled out then Eritrea is going to gigle not only from doing what ever she wants but from the constant pain it holds for the last 23 years.

    • Dawit Meconen July 9, 2014

      Tamrat,

      This is what the ancient Greek Philosopher, Xenophanes (540-537) said in the context of God, “…. Ethiopians say that their Gods are snub-nosed and black, and Thracians, pale and red-haired………”

      Claiming to be an Ethiopian, you say that you are not black and snub-nosed but Jewish. Of course, I must I add that long before you put on the hat of the Jewish as your identity, you were also wearing that of the Arabs, calling yourself, Habesha.

      Now, My little woyane, which one of the two statements is the factual truth?

      However, to help you answer the question, let me supply you with the following valid information as a footnotes.

      1. The word “Ethiopia” is a Greek derivative, meaning “black. Therefore, you cannot in any way modify to suit your purpose.

      2. Your typical linguistic accent and arts of dance are completely unlike and unrelated to that of the Jewish people or of the Arabs.

      3. DNA tests invalidated the claim of so called Ethiopian Jewish who were taken to Israel

      5. You claim that your language is driven from Ge’ez and yet you cannot pronounce correctly all the Ge’ez alphabets.

      6. You claim of 3000 years of independence and yet you cannot provide a single archeological artifacts to support your claim.

      Conversely, before the advent of Italian Colonialism, Eritrea was named Mdre Bahri and her kings, Bahri Negestat, Rulers of the Sea.

      Our legal system based on justice

      Our people still speak Ge’ez

      We pronounce all the Ge’ez alphabets correctly

      We have the oldest Christian Monastery and Muslim Mosque in the Horn of Africa still standing.

      Our linguistic accents and arts of dance are very similar to the Arabs and Jewish population showing our ancient neighborliness

      Our land is full of archeological artifacts that demonstrate our glorious past.

      Little woyane,

      The aforementioned incontrovertible facts were the reason haile selase and mengistu hailemriam resorted to drawn our people to the Red Sea, in order to steal our historical legacy as a means of justifying their false claims, such as 3000 years of independence and the other fictions. Of course in vain.

      • Tamrat Tamrat July 9, 2014

        For some few minutes ago i was listning to Kiros Asfaha and the Music sounds like common ethiopian song than tigrinya (be it from North of mereb or South)and i was ammused by the resemblance. The only difference was the text. And Your blubering has one point that is Geez is the mother of both tigrinya and amharic. Litteraly all amharic and tigrinya Music can be used by interchanging the text (vocal). If you dont believe it listen to Selamawit Gebru’s Konjo Mewded and listen to all the lyrics of Tikabo and then Guess where he got the copy, listen to the 1960’s Merry Armde. And you cluless try the tigrinya lyrics With Bolonga italian dialect then you know what i’am saying.

        But any way i tried to figure out what the Bologna Araki did to Your already damaged brain and still i couldnt get what the hell you are trying to say. May be the Bolonga oppostion demonstraion terrorized you so horribly and you Wake up 1991.

        • Dawit Meconen July 9, 2014

          Tamrat,

          Answer the question, don’t beat around the bush. But again, by resorting to such trivialities, you are demonstrating the fact that a liar can get away with his/her fabrications but only for while because the Truth catches up with him/her sooner than he/she anticipated.

          • Tamrat Tamrat July 9, 2014

            The fact is i am not woyane! The fact is both you and me are abesha but we are too different in percepting reality. Your understanding of history is dependent on the party you follow but mine is permanent With time. One point you have to understand the Garbage you are saying is Clear only in Your mind, Ok.

  • Simerrr2012 July 9, 2014

    Halal,
    Niskan kimaka kitweldu Condom ab Eritrea zeyminbaru kindey godina. Kemaboka kaytigage bejaka Condom tetekem…kemaka bezhom. The best I advice I can give .

    • ERITRAWIT July 9, 2014

      Simerrr2012
      100% write kkkkkkk I hope he will use the strong one but then hgdefawyan they are very tight they don’t like spending money.

  • Medber July 9, 2014

    halal,
    bezyegdes zeble yeblo iti zegdis haki du ayakin eu? ember nai Eritrea gudai da alem bealmu endu zefaltom nezom shefatu.halal I think you have identity crisis or narrow minded or not normal , .Try to be rational if you are normal I am lucky you are not part of my family but I will pray for you and your family.

  • rezen July 9, 2014

    Subject: “ Pope Francis gives his full support for Dawit” Newsitem by assenna 8/7/2014
    Commentary, 9 July 2014

    Ahhh…. One wishes that the advisers to the good Pope were endowed with a wider scope of the world and righteousness to enable them to suggest that there are thousands of Dawits languishing in prisons under the cruellest dictatorial government in Eritrea. Understandably, the former colonial force has some sort of nostalgia for the good old Eritrea. And yet, Italy is short of helping Eritrea, in terms of fostering meaningful international action based, at least, on humanitarian ground. BUT THAT IS NOT A FAIR CRITICISM!

    Eritreans must, first and foremost, help themselves to solve their own problems, instead of being permanently dependant on former colonial masters for hand outs. Eritrea, a population of anywhere between three to five millions, has some three hundred [wild guess] highly educated scholars, product of ivy league Western universities around the Globe. They are comfortably ripping the benefit of that education. One would normally expect that such number of scholars would unite; roll their sleeves; and help the people of their country. Not in Eritrea! It is bizarre! They prefer to await in their comfortable, well secured, prosperous, adopted countries until the poor commoners did the job of ‘liberating’ the country, at which time they would be the first butch to take the first aeroplane to their “beloved” Eritrea — hungry for position, titles, and respect from the poor commoners!!! Indeed, it is bizarre. Here is how a renowned scholar lashed at his comrades for their cold-blood behaviour. It is the fifth time that I am quoting 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.”
    It is superfluous to add more.

    And so, with the above background I come full circle and reiterate that my harsh critique in the opening commentary on the Vatican’s gesture — even if it is for one Dawit — is not fair. Eritrea, one of the poorest countries identified in the UN documentation, has no enemy but itself. And it is incapable of helping itself. Instead, its diaspora citizens are busy fomenting divisions and animosity in the social fabric of Eritrea based on that debilitating cancerous disease called RELIGION – supposedly the spiritual belief of individuals. But imagine, a destitute country fighting whether or not a certain religion be the fundamental guiding institution for ALL, for the glory and richness in heaven. Or what foreign language they should use. Or what foreign identity they should emulate. Or how, as one popular blogger put it, to be “self-humiliating”! Yes, Eritrea needs psychological help, not unlike a mentally disturbed individual!
    THE END

    • selamawit2 July 9, 2014

      rezen, i can’t help asking you a question even, if i exprienced that you don’t answer (u don’t like my question?):
      you talk about “themselves”, “their” etc. when you speak about eritreans.
      Are you eritrean yourself? And if yes: Did you – as an Eritrean – find “psychological help” yet?
      If not: Where are you from?
      I think my question is legitimate, isn’t it? If somebody hands out advice like you do, he should at least introduce his self.

      thank for your answer (at least this time)

    • Teclay July 10, 2014

      Rezen

      Selam rezen ,,,,,Generally i agree with your comment ,nevertheless,i have different opinion on one or two points .
      – ” some three hundred [wild guess] highly educated scholars”,,,,Yes i believe also about the same number (200-300) who could have made a difference .
      -The opportunistic character of the those scholars,,,,you are right with out any doubt.
      Points i differ from you:
      -” Eritreans must, first and foremost, help themselves to solve their own problems”,,No way,,,Theoretically you are right ,it is the best option.But we do not have any resources available on the ground .Our fathers and and grandfathers who owned this resources passed away.The rest are the Ghedli generation (60-70 years old) and the opportunists scholars.
      – “they would be the first butch to take the first aeroplane to their “beloved” Eritrea — hungry for position, titles,”,,,,I do not think they are hungry to power now.First of all,their age, most of them must be above 70 now, and naturally there is a health issue.Secondly most importantly,all those academically world class scholars know clearly Eritrea is ungovernable country.I am sure deep inside,they know that Ghedli was wrong.However,they do not want to express this openly like Yosief G. has been doing .Why?
      – 1, While most of them were involved blindly starting back from their student age to Ghedli activities.So ,they do not want to be proved wrong(arrogance).
      – 2, The backlash of the mass,the SIWUATNA popup ,,Do not forget this pop up is a deadly weapon,it can shoot and kill world class professor easily . Eg ,the laughable interview of Dr.Bereket with Miniya Afoweki of VOA.

      But generally you are right,, i can not understand those professors.Firstly,how some one in his right mind support this empty Ghedli ,knowing fully more than any body the advantage of big country and big economy even if he wants to ignore for some reason the historical background.
      -Secondly,the most criminal action,,,the total life-long hibernation, even unusual to the polar animals,,living the poor mass behind to face his luck.

      • rezen July 12, 2014

        Hi Teclay,
        I am slow. I read your commentary. Do you know what? We don’t have disagreement!!! But if we do have disagreement [BELIEVE ME] I welcome it with delight and open heart. Why? If we all agree on everything and anything, then we will be going off the cliff one after the other like the legendary Lemmings. What should matter is the give and take; the democratic dialogue; and MOST OF ALL the CIVILIZED WAY of communication. Without this last item no amount of sophistication on the other modes will put Eritrea on the right track. Right now, the insults, the polemics, the rudeness,the search for personality instead for substance, etc seem to be the mode of communication. It is as if Eritrea has LOST ITS WAY — AND IN FACT IT HAS, in my view. Please read my commentary that I just posted under FETSUM’s Last FORUM.
        Thanks.

  • Berhe July 9, 2014

    I really fun of ur comments. Ahmed sales well done and you got the point…. You have to know…. No one will work will work for u guys…… Every one has his agenda ….look the exiled leaders Ali abdu…. And others…. They were pouring fuel the flam and once they are started to brith the hot air …. Run …. Run…. Run…. Every one has agenda…. Agenda for catholic agenda for others ….. And bake ur bread

    • ahmed saleh July 10, 2014

      Berhe
      I say power for people and you come with obsession of Ali Abdu , Issayas , Halima , Letekhidan and
      then I will say ; WHAT ? no answer – case closed .

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