The Award of Nobel Peace Prize to PM Abiy Ahmed and Eritrea
By Petros Tesfagiorgis On Friday 11 October 2019 Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed has been honoured with the award of the Nobel peace Prize for his efforts on the Ethiopian-Eritrean peace deal and international cooperation.
By Petros Tesfagiorgis
On Friday 11 October 2019 Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed has been honoured with the award of the Nobel peace Prize for his efforts on the Ethiopian-Eritrean peace deal and international cooperation. The award was announced by the Nobel committee Chair Berit Reiss-Anderson at the Norwegian Nobel Institute.
There were various comments on this issue: those who support the award and those who have reservations. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Norwegian Nobel prize committee agreed that Ahmed’s attempt for peace “deserve recognition and need encouragement”.
Some critics claim that this prize might be somewhat premature. Human Rights Watch (HRW) also notes that Ethiopia’s internal situation recently faced “increasing ethnic conflicts and an ongoing breakdown in law”. The award relates more to the peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and it is therefore more rational to discuss in that terms. The bold move of Dr Abiy to break the 18 years stalemate means a lot for the people of Eritrea. The life of Eritreans under the threat of Ethiopian invasion – was very stressful. It was used by Isaias as escape goat to control the people of Eritrea, maintain the indefinite national service that destroyed the future of the youth and justify the shoot to kill policy. The peace has made all these unnecessary. Eritrean life under siege by Isaias has created instability in the Eritrean mind-set and created divisions along lines of region, religion and ethnicity and political views. There are more than 15 political organisations in Diaspora.
The peace has given hope to the Eritrean people. The world has witnessed the happiness of both the Eritrea and Ethiopia/Tigreans peoples at the border in Zalambassa as they embraced, kissed and hugged each other, tears running down their cheeks. It was unforgettable time. Eritreans took advantage of the cheaper basic commodity goods, such as the stable food teff, as well as other necessities. But it was short lived as the Eritrean regime closed the border crossings making it difficult for people to freely meet let alone trade.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea stated that “the dividends of peace are not yet benefiting ordinary Eritreans, nor are there any signs to suggest they will.
Yes. Significantly, Isaias has done nothing to end the tyrannical practice in his own country. Since the agreement more Eritreans than ever have fled over the border, many to refugee camps in Ethiopia. Indefinite National Service is still imposed on young people, and dissidents, including journalists, are still incarcerated in secret prisons without trial. Very soon the border was closed by Isaias with no explanation. Isaias instead of reconciling with all people in Ethiopia, continued his hostility with TPLF/Tigray interfering in the internal affairs of Ethiopia.
After the signing of the peace with Ethiopia the youth saw no reason to serve the indefinite national service, and started campaigning (Zur Fenkil campaign) to end it. They were bold enough to distribute leaflets. It started in the Capita, Asmara, and many high schools in the country did the same.
Sadly, the Diaspora justice seekers did not campaign and demonstrate in solidarity with these committed young Eritreans, which was expected from them as justice seekers whose main slogan is “the voice of the voiceless”.
The closure of 22 medical centres run by the Catholic Church that served about 200,000 people a year, and the 7 High Schools run by religious establishments is deemed to be the height of the regime’s cruelty. To all these gross violations, not only the Ethiopian Government but also no other countries have condemned it or put pressure on the Eritrean government to reopen the clinics and the schools. Whether we like it or not, first and foremost, the responsibility to denounce the closures lies with the people of Eritrea, especially with the Diaspora justice seekers who have the luxury of opposing and condemning.
The recent defection of four young players from the Eritrean national under 20 football team during a tournament in Uganda is an indication of severe repression.
PALERMO, Italy (AP) reported: “Soccer gave Mewal Tesfai Yosief hope in an Orwellian nation, a job in a country of forced military conscription and, possibly, freedom at last.
Mewal defected with three teammates. But after applying for asylum they are in hiding in Uganda, fearful that authorities from home are looking for them.
The peace is being sabotaged by Isaias. Isaias is playing with fire by telling Abiy to represent him in any international agreements. Such moves undermine the sovereignty of Eritrea. One thing has become clear to the people of Eritrea, particularly to his supporters, that Isaias has no good intention for the people of Eritreans.
Because of all these Eritreans in Diaspora have risen up and started a powerful movement saying enough is enough (YEAKL), the regime has to go. It started in Washington DC and is spreading like a wild fire in all countries were Eritreans live.
What remains is for the YEAKL movement to strategize its action plan and proceed fast to its implementation. I am afraid the movement have lost a lot of time in organising itself and might have missed many opportune momentums. The closure of the health centres has been raised by Eritreans in Italy and Germany. Pope Francis has addressed the Eritrean vigil in Vatican and said “I pray for your people”.
Focussing on a disgraceful incidents such as the closure of many health centres and schools cannot be ignored by the UN, the International community and foreign governments, but we have to knock their doors. Staging demonstration can be done parallel with lobbying governments – and making representations to WHO (World Health Organisation) and UNESCO and other interested parties.
We are now reaching a crucial moment; the “Yeakel movement” are well organised to be able to work on advocacy campaign more effectively. As I write this article I heard that TEMESGHEN Net WORK revealed that Yeakle USA is organising a demonstration. I suggest that they raise the issue of closures of clinics and schools. It is a going issue that needs follow up and investigating the impact of the closures on the beneficiary villagers who are the poorest among the poor. The study can be done by professionals, journalists and others. It is a move that can connect Yeakle movement with the people. Putting the pains and suffering of the people at the centre of the campaign is the best strategy.
The end:
Woldegabriel October 21, 2019
Dear Petros Tesfagiorgis,
I hope you make notes to my following comments.
1. First and foremost, there are no Eritreans, save the imposter, his cabals and few sellouts, that support PM Abiy’s Nobel Prize award. He has clearly time and again denigrated Eritrea’s sovereignty and is working (dreaming), in tandem with isayas, to nullify its sovereignty. I was very much shocked when you gave so much coverage(with his picture) about the Nobel Prize while discussing Eritrean issues.
2. The YEAKEL movement a popular revolution owned by the people and for the people. It is not a surrogate whose agenda, pace, priorities and strategies can be manipulated or dictated by other forces. Pushing too much to divert the YEAKEL movement into a lobbying fixture could be construed as misunderstanding the real objectives and goals if the movement.
3. The closure of the Catholic Church’s health facilities and schools was a heinous crime. At the time, we should have done much better to expose the real nature of the regime. But, currently there are infinite numbers of crimes committed by this illegitimate regime. Why on earth do you urge the YEAKEL movement to singularly concentrate on this issue.
Petros Tesfagiorgis October 24, 2019
Dear Woldegabriel
My concerned is about the failure of us “Justice Seekers” to seize the momentum to condemn the repressive regime in Eritrea when they denied access to health care to thousands of people by closing 22 health centres. This action represents a challenge to the justice seekers. It is an issue that shows to the international community that Isaias does not care about the health of the people of Eritrea.
Open Mestiyat Betna report on ERI-SAT. Zacharias Kibreab and Aba Mussie Zerai have attended a meeting about Eritrea. It was called by German Parliamentarians and there were also about 4 NGO s– (non-Governmental organisations) present. Aba Mussie explained the illegal closure of 22 health centres and 7 schools. The MP were very saddened and promised to take it seriously and debate it in Parliament. The NGOs promised to contribute. This is what is called a successful “Advocacy Campaign.
Besides, the closure of the health centres and school are powerful weapon- handed over by PFDJ to justice seekers to justify their call that the regime has to go. Enough is enough. (YEAKL). It is a strategy that the international community could buy particularly those with high human rights values and moral integrity. .
I quote “Pushing too much to divert the YEAKEL movement into a lobbying fixture could be construed as misunderstanding the real objectives and goals if the movement.”
With due respect dear Woldegabriel you are wrong. Can you tell the reader the real objective and goals of the Yeakel movement from your perspective?
Asmara Eritrea October 27, 2019
Abiy’s Noble Peace Price is not the piece of paper it is written on.
It is a joke to award NPP to someone who cannot bring peace to his own people let alone deal with a lunatic dictator in Asmara. The so called peace accord between Abiy and Isaias is a load of shit that should be flushed down the toilet. The Norwegian’s must have a $1,000,000 to throw away. I suggest you give it to the Eritrean people so they can spend it on removing the evil cancer from their midst.
Eritrea forever, death to dictatorship.
Sam October 22, 2019
The title and body are different.Abey did everything but Esayase isn’t ready to cooperate so what you want to do.Always PM Abey played effort to make things better
Nega October 22, 2019
ክቡር ወልደገብርኤል ጸረ ገባቲን መላኺን ስርዓት ኢሳያስ ዘለካ መርገጽ የድንቐካ። ኢሳያስ ብቑል ፍጥር ክብል ዘርአዮ ኩሉ ተግባርን ባህርያትን ምስቲ ናይ ነጻነት ኤርትራ ዕላማን ሸቶን ፍጹም ዝጠዓዓምን ዝቃዶን አይነበረን አይኮነን’ውን። ብኹሉ ዓቕሙን አገባቡን ነቲ ሒዙዎ ዝወፈረ ስዉር ዓላማኡ ንምዕዋትን፣ ውልቃዊ ስሙን ዝናኡን አዕብዩ ንውድብ ህዝባዊ ግንባር አብ ትሕቲ ፍጹም ቁጽጽሩ ንምእታውን፣ ሐያልን ሰዓሪን ሐይሊ ሒዙ ንሱ አብ ዝመረጾ ፖለቲካዊ ውሳኔ መደምደምታ ንምብጻሕን ነበረ። ነቲ ግሩህን ምስ አመነ ከአ ሕቶ ምልክት ዘይገብር ልቢ ደቂ ኤርትራን፣ ብስንፍናን ድኽመትን ናይቶም ብቐረባ መሳርሕቱን መማኽርቱን ዝነበሩ ሃገራውያንን፣ ኩሉ ዝወጠኖን ዝዓለሞን ሰሊጡሉ። መቸም ከም አሕዋት ደቂ ሃገር መጠን አብ ሕድሕድና ርእይቶ ምልውዋጥ አገዳሲን ግቡእን ኢዩ። አብቲ ጰጥሮስ ተስፋገርግስ ዘቕረቦ ሐተታ ዝንቀፍ ርእይቶ ብወገነይ አይረአኹሉን። ምንቅስቓስ ይአክል ሰፊሕ ህዝባዊ ምንቅስቓስ ኮይኑ፣ አብ ፖለቲካዊ፣ ማሕበራዊ፣ ዲፕሎማስያዊ ከምኡውን ጸኒሑ ክዓብን ክሰፍሕን ዝኽእል ዕማማት ሒዙ ዝኸይድ ምዃኑ ንጹር ኢዩ። እዚ ካብ በልና እቲ ናይ ሎቢ ዕማማት (Lobbying Tasks) ከምዘጠቓልል ከአ ንጹር ኢዩ። እዚ ማለት ግን ይአክል አብ ሎቢ ምግባር ጥራሕ ይሕጸር አየስምዕን ኢዩ። ካልአይ አብቲ ብዛዕባ ክሊኒካትን አብያተ ትምህርቲ ምዕጻውን ምንቅስቓስ ይአክል አብ ዲፕሎማስያዊ ኮነ ብኻልእ መንገዲ እንተልዓሎ ጸገም ዘለዎ አይመስለኒን። እታ ንጰጥሮስ ተስፋገርግስ ስለምንታይ ኢኻ ነዚአ ብፍሉይ አቶኲርካላ እትብል ሕቶኻ ግን ክትርድአኒ አይኮነን። ከመይ እዘን ትካላት እዚአተን ዓሌት ሃይማኖት ቋንቋ ከይፈለያ ነቲ ከባቢኤን ዝርከብ ህዝቢ ዘገልግላ ዝነበራ ኢየን። ብምዕጻወ ግዳይን ተጎዳአይን ዝኸውን እቲ ህዝቢ ኢዩ። እሞ’ኸ ድአ ይአክል ድምጺ ህዝቢ’ዶ አይኮነን። አብ ኩሉ ኩርናዕ ኤርትራ ብዝግበር ኩሉ ዓይነት ግፍዕን ሰብአዊ ግህሰትን ከቃልሕ ዕማሙ’ዶ አይኮነን።
Tesh Belay October 23, 2019
Please change this word throwing game,and don’t try sacrfing innocents as always
This is you should do,always pray for peace that’s what we lost for a long time in that part of world and try hard to teach others to be tolerant and peaceful,, when we loses peace we loses every thing,
TERRY ADAM October 23, 2019
I’m just wondering that this PM is honoured the peace prize on 11 October2019 and just after 10 days on 22 October 2019 speaks about War with Egypt because of his Grid dam !!!
Hdriswuehalalmariet October 24, 2019
When would Petros Tesfagergis come out of his neutrality zone and declare all out war on the Kedae impostor isaias afewerk, who after fifty years of hiding behind a false pretense of Eritrean patriotism, openly confessed in 2018 not only to be Ethiopian but also to have been working to re-annex Eritrea to Ethiopia? .But again, when singled out Temesgen, who is of tigrai descent and supporter of the so called ” agazian group” , as his specimen of the Y’aKl, sheds light as to why he would not call isaias afewerk impostor and enemy of Eritrea and Eritreans. There is no doubt Petros Tesfagergis have had close ties with woyane for decades. Even the hundreds of thousands Eritrean deportations from Ethiopia and forceful eviction from Badme did not affect their warm relationship. It is still alive and well. And despite their theatrical verbal animosity, isaias afewerk and woyane are two faces of a coin,which is confirmed recently by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia when he said that whenever they meet isaias afewerk tells him of his dreams to walk on the streets of Mekele. My hope is J studio will one day put to rest my doubt on Petros Tesfagergis.
Petros Tesfagherghis October 26, 2019
Dear x
If you can’t acknowledge the work of activism demonstrated over a long period of time means there is an ulterior motive behind it or there is something wrong with you. I can only say GOD save your soul..
Petros Tesfagherghis November 1, 2019
Dear Hdriswuehalalmariet:; may be you came from Jupiter.
I am not neutral I spend all my active life in the struggle for independence for Eritrea. But I am fair. I don’t believe that peace with Ethiopia minus TPLF (Tigray)..is sustainable. Also first Isaias has to make peace with his own people first. End human human rights violation in Eritrea. . I say it is wrong that Isaias interferes in the internal affairs of Ethiopia. I wrote about all these things extensively. .
Since the outbreak of senseless war between Eritrea and Ethiopia, Eritreans living in Ethiopia are being deported to Eritrea at the rate of about 7000 people per month and reached more than 70,000. Me and other friends came together as a committee (called Citizens for Peace in Eritrea- CPE) for the purpose of studying the human rights violations by Ethiopian Government against the deportees
Our member Prof. Asmarom Legesse an anthropologist Ph.D Harvard conducted a scientific Survey of Eritreans deported conducted with regard to human rights violations. This is done in order to expose the Government of Ethiopia. Parallel with it our mission was to lobby for peace between the people of Eritrea and Ethiopia.
This is not neutrality. However when the Eritrean Government subjected the people of Eritrea to extreme repression I speak out. When the Asmara University students were rounded up and sent to WIA – with no preparation to stay in an area which has 45 cc – 2 student’s died of heat stroke.
I said to my colleagues, we condemned Ethiopia for human rights violations and we should do the same to PFDJ for putting the life of the Asmara University Students at risk.
We did condemned the government – for violating the human rights- in Tigrigna in the then newspaper Mekaleh. My friends were shocked. I was fortunate we did this before the G-15 were arrested, before Isaias consolidated his power. After the arrest I though the Government will start witch hunt – against those who disapprove the mismanagement of the people and the economy. I decided to leave the country. Soon enough an invitation to attend a conference in the Hague Holland was sent to CPE. The director of research should have been the one to go but I took advantage of being the chairman and told the committee this time I will go. But the motive is not to come back. The rest is history.
Woldegabriel October 25, 2019
Dear Petros Tesfagiorgis,
Before I address your question, it is vitally important to recapture the reality check- board with regard to “advocacy campaign” vis-à-vis the way forward.
Do you think the Western world was ignorant of the illegitimate regime’s human right abuses and crimes against humanity? Do you believe they were clueless on the adventurous war mongering, indefinite enslavement of the youth, the arbitrary imprisonment of Moslems, Jehovah witnesses, Pentecostals as well as religious leaders, political dissenters, traditional leaders, high government officials, journalists etc? Do you doubt they did not know the regime’s policies were intentionally designed to exacerbate poverty and force the people to kneel down to dictatorship? Is it new to them that there is no freedom of speech or association or movement and free press in Eritrea? Haven’t they experienced protracted infringement on their foreign missions and international organizations with the sole intentions of making the country a pariah state where he could act insolently? I can go on and on, but I couldn’t exhaust the list. So is there anything new to inform the international community that they don’t know? Nothing at all!! We should understand they cannot fight our fight. It is us who should fight for our rights and then we expect help. Even God helps those who could help themselves. That is all what YEAKEL is all about. (Pls note that the German Government has been very critical on the illegitimate regime. The current move of the government was triggered because of the diaspora’s meaningful actions.
As the word YEAKEL clearly signifies, the objective is to uproot the imposter and his system by all means possible and establish a popular Democratic government that ensures social, economic and political justice to all people of Eritrea. As an evolving movement, it recognizes the need for emboldening and galvanizing popular revolt within Eritrea. But the time-long division among the various political parties, which has been exacerbated by the illegitimate regime, was a major stumbling block for the unity of Eritreans in the diaspora. Thanks to YEAKEL, such divisions are waning down and the missing link has been properly seized. This unity in the diaspora population is clearly providing the effective impetus for the final solution inside Eritrea. However, the realization of YEAKEL’s goals require a multidimensional approach of organization, planning and effective and concerted actions within the diaspora population to induce change/action in Eritrea. I believe that is what is being undertaken.
Petros Tesfagherghis October 27, 2019
Dear Woldegabriel:
No foreign countries are not ignorant of the gross human rights violations in Eritrea, that is why we must have a strong “advocacy campaigning”. In the West campaign works and I can give some examples in relation to Eritrea. But it must be in the form of an article. I will do it eventually.
Yes the Democratic Western Countries see their interest first and you are absolutely right they know the gross human rights violations in Eritrea. However, it is not their interest to accept refugees – they would like to see change in Eritrea that brings to an end the repression that ends the flow of refugees to Europe. In the past the British Government sent ministers to persuade PFDJ to limit the indefinite national service to 18 months. Yemane Gebreab assured them to limit it. It didn’t happen. Because of the flow of refugees – right wing parties are on the rise in Europe. Europeans are becoming against refugees unable to solve it they take it as “Europe’s refugee crises”. Therefore “Advocacy campaign if it is packaged very well they can use it as a tool to confront the PFDJ”.
As you said “ the word YEAKEL clearly signifies, the objective is to uproot the imposter and his system by all means possible and establish a popular Democratic government that ensures social, economic and political justice to all people of Eritrea”. You are absolutely right but there are forces to win over – and it cannot be done without understanding the depth of the political economic and social changes reshaping our region and the need to engage with them. Look what is happening in the Red Sea – it has becoming militarized – how do we deal with it matters in the struggle to end repression in Eritrea and install democratic government at peace with itself and with all its neighbours.
In conclusion I said advocacy campaign can strength the hand of Yeakle movement and not vice versa.
Haben October 26, 2019
It is a shame that some so-called intellectuals have no definite stand during this crucial time. They still try to justify Abiy’s Award or blame the justice seekers for not working hard.
The other thing which surprised me was when Petros Tesfsghergis addresses, Hdriswuehalalmariet ”Dear x”
That is unacceptable at all.
Petros Tesfagherghis October 27, 2019
Dear Haben
Can you honestly tell me “Hdriswuehalalmariet” is a name.
k.tewolde October 28, 2019
It is so sad what we have become as people,the once who did this to us are eating our lunch while we keep nibbling at each other with no end in sight, in the meantime the character in adi halo yawns and summons his butler for another shot,and in the distance the lifetime conscripts file up into their dugouts like their mentors did some decades ago hoping someday relief is going to come from outside or an all out prison break……how did we end up here? a thorough close inspection of ourselves in the mirror can render valuable answers to our ailment.
Woldegabriel October 28, 2019
Dear K. Tewelde,
Welcome back brother. I was a bit worried when you almost disappeared from this forum. I presumed, Rezen has reached you from the back door like he did with Meretse, who very wisely responded to him on this forum. Brother K. Tewelde, pls don’t be disenchanted with the current aggressive propaganda. Millions of dollars has been allocated by the novice PM of Ethiopia and his sponsors. But it is all blank shots intended to undermine our resolve and unity, to no avail. Eritrea shall be in the hands of its real owners. (I recommend you watch Bashay’s current video clip).
k.tewolde October 28, 2019
Thanks to the unrelenting brothers and sisters like you,yes indeed,the dirty money is at work,you can see it in the social media blitz,these lies and deception is all too familiar,only this time it is readily cyber available in our desk top and mobile devices and yes like you said,they are shooting blanks,the truth will prevail and our homeland will belong to its righteous owners,the downtrodden Eritrean people.