Voice of Assenna: Interview with Dr Bereket Habteselassie Former Chairman of the Eritrean Constitution Drafting Commission Re Isaias’ U Turn on the Constitution which has been held hostage by the dictator for more than 15 Years, Sunday, Jan 04, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISFOZ4OPKz0&feature=youtu.be
ghebre January 5, 2015
Thank you Amanuel Eyasu for addressing the good professor by “Atum”. It make a world of difference in the reception of the message that comes from the guest. The interview shows how plain talking an unpolitician the good doctor is. Thank you professor Bereket for your insight.
Khaleb January 5, 2015
Thank you both, Dr. Bereket, Amanuel and the Assenna Team.
You can understand why some people are hesitant to embrace the 1997 constitution. Why should they support the outcome of a process from which they were systematically excluded? Since constitution making is an inherently political process the inclusion of others would have made it more acceptable by the different parties.
However, to err is human and to forgive is divine but I tend to believe that genuine forgiveness is a two-way street. Reconciliation and reaching out to people that are not with you is always a good thing indeed.
In my view, accepting even an imperfect constitution (imperfect both in terms of the process of its making and its content) and using it as a unifying or rallying point would be a wiser way, leaving to another day the task of improving or substituting it by another constitution. I would also add that Dr. Bereket achieved moderate success in his interview.
Mike January 5, 2015
I guess I made some people flinch and jump and steam up. All I said was factual. I did hear Dr. Bereket or Ababa Bereket’s lengthy interview at awate a while back. Something just does not add up….It just does not. Not why it is not implemented but the activities around drafting it and selection process. That lengthy interview in awate had so much “mess than what I heard here”. But the same was true about the current leader in Eritrea – something did not add up in early independent days/years and the result is what we see now.
Dr. Bereket if you do get to read this or others – I have a full respect I assure you. Respect is key before anything and I just hope we all share that every place we go. But it is my God given right to question and dissect in all forms and shape I see it fit.
One wise man once said……”ask now or hold your peace forever”.
Okay holding off anymore comments regarding constitution.
Assenna – Well done! You consistently bring your “A” game and you are truly appreciated.
negash January 5, 2015
I don’t know why Dr. Bereket quoted Dafla and then he backed off. He is hesitated as usual. Isaias had strongly influenced the content of the kewam directly or indirectly. Dr. Bereket has admitted his shortfalls in his other book. The Eritrean people will draft their own constitution later but not like this constitution.
AHMED SALEH !!! January 5, 2015
It was wrong to expect known authoritarian person
allow any law which jeopardize his reign .
The first process before drafting constitution lies on forming democratic system which represent
the entire population . Don’t get surprised from
Issayas speech because his lifetime reputation of deceit lies and arrogance are hard to die .
merhawit January 6, 2015
It is an established fact that constitution or not, Isaias shall never abide by the rules of a fair game. The discussion in Eritrea is thus not over a constitution per se, but rather over creating a conducive atmosphere, a democratic framework, if you please, under which existence a constitution could be drafted and its letter and spirit implemented. Needless to say that Isaias is an exact incarnation of the Platonic unjust ruler, a tyrant, and no sober-minded person can expect of him justice, democracy and the rule of law. But can tyranny be eradicated only by words, however rational they might be? The answer is no. Regrettably, an end to the present tyranny in our country can be brought about only through “blood and iron”, be it through a palace coup, an army mutinee or a popular armed rebellion.
Oh Dr. Berekhet, art thee not our Cicero?!
Why don’t u solicit support from our brethren to the south of the Mereb and chase away the tyrant like the Cambodians did against Pol Pot with the help of the Vietnamese? Or go back to ur homeland, take refuge in ur native Karneshim and lead a peaceful struggle, even in the face of a certain death. Isn’t it better to die an honorable death, the death of a Cato than indulging oneself in endless words of bitternes and lamentations? How can one reasonably blame the helpless and downtrodden eritrean multitude fleeing the country in thousands when the advanced aged, the very architects and main stakeholders of the envisioned republic are leading their life in the save havens of foreign metropoles?
Tes January 6, 2015
Merhawit,
Kibrti hafty I thank it is a bit unfair to ask an elderly person to ask him to go to fight or to solicit support. This gentle man gave his fair share of his life to liberate Eritrea when he was young and still engaging in his capacity without given up hope. The heavy lifting should be left to Me and you( assumed you are young ) rather than blaming the wrong person. It is a bit selfish to redirect physical action to other whereas excluding yourself. Don’t point your finger to others when your are not doing any thing to common good. To just saying it won’t happen only by talking but by going to fight in or near Eritrea doesn’t do us good but to do our bit first and leave others to engage in their own way.
merhawit January 6, 2015
Dear Tess,
I’m of the opinion that the otherwise disarrayed Opposition badly needs an integrative prominent figure like Dr. Berekhet who would lead it to come out of the rather dead alley it’s found at currently. It was by no means an offense against Dr. Berekhet.
Tes January 6, 2015
Kibrti Hafti Merhawit,
Sorry I misunderstood you if that is to do with the opposition than that is your opinion and I do respect it.
Ghebrehans T. January 6, 2015
Merhawit.
With all due respect to you my sister, in history or in life I would rather be remembered as someone who made the ultimate sacrifice rather than just sit and complain to my neighbors. That is as you put it asking for support from our brethren to the south of the Mereb and chase away the tyrant. If we are genuinely and passionately united we WILL chase away the tyrant DIA within hours not even days. We have done it before and we shall do it with our own EDF (Eritrean defense forces) in a very near future.
Tsion Biruk January 6, 2015
merhawit, I think it is illegal to advocate regime change in any country in the world including North Korea. Why should it be legal in Eritrea then? I mean you seem to give the green lights for the people of the south Mereb, that is the Ethiopians I presume! It is illegal because it is a Trojan horse, which can carry very bad things indeed my dear sister. We can’t be that desperate and weak to ask for outside help especially from our near neighbours. No thanks, we’ll manage it.
Dala Ksha January 8, 2015
Thanks Dr. Bereket you said it all a great idea cames from a great men when i hear your interview ,I said for myself ‘EZA HAGER EBA SEB ALEWA’ EVEN FOR THAT TYRANT KILLER YOU GIVE HIM RESPECT BY CALLING ATO THIS IS A GUY WHO IS TRYING TO KILL YOU BY JAILING UNDERGROUND IN ARAERO anyway Kubur kem nebsu yekbreka………Thanks again I pray for God to give you health and long life to see your people governed by democracy and constitution.
Semhar January 9, 2015
This is the time for all Eritreans unite and save our land and our people before it’s to late!
The referendum ID cards are historical. They cannot be renewed or changed.
They are the proof, evidence, and testimony of the people that voted on referendum. They are part of Eritrean history. The mad dog is trying to destroy the evidence. Those who vote they should never surrender their referendum ID.
The mad dog Isayas is in a process of destroying the historical ID and replacing it by his own fake ID card.
This is the time for all Eritreans unite and save our land and our people before it’s to late!
Diablos Isayas dissolved ELF , EPLF, our provinces, our flag, our religion, our culture, our freedom, justice, liberty and equality. He is in the process of dissolving the whole nation.
Remember, the well-known statement the mad dog Isayas’s wedi Medhin Berad said in one of our independence celebration in Asmara – ከም ዝቘሰልኩምን ከም ዝተበደልኩምን ንፈልጥ ኢና፡ ህጂ ግን ቃንዛኹም ያክል፡ ተወዲኡ’ዩ።ቁስልኩም ኣይትሕከኩ፡ ቁስልና ኣይንሓክኽን… Then he turned around and launched an unnecessary war to destroy our land and our people.
Now he is in the process of dissolving HIGDEF and replacing them with DEMHIT. TPDM, DEMHIT is the army of Tigray, Ethiopia.
This is the time for all Eritreans unite and save our land and our people before it’s to late!
Dawit Meconen January 9, 2015
Genuine Eritreans,
The Eritrean constitution authored by the people of Eritrea is a Living Entity; it can at any time be amended to reflect the change of aspiration of the people and to suit the changes of times. The fake justification the con artist and impostor isaias afeweerqi blabbered to draft a new constitution, therefore, has nothing to do with restoring the democratic rights of our people, but, once again, to push his sugar-coated poison down our throats.
I am sure there are some extremely gullible people around who may entertain a vain wish-full thinking , that his resort to draft a new constitution is a sign of his defeat and that he is looking for a peaceful exit through trashing the ratified constitution, for the violation of which, he could face the death penalty.
Yes, the con artist may be at the end of the his rope with respect to the respect and trust the people of Eritrea had for him but we must never forget that throughout the fourteen years he has willfully placed the Eritrean State Apparatus under his grip, he has fully built his own mafia government solely composed of tegaru cabals; the Cabinet of Minsters he often exhibit on EriTv are bogus. The real ministers are: Kisha, the two Yemanes, Asmelash Abraha, Abraha Kasa and many junior functionaries, all tegaru. By the way,Demhit, who has practically dwarfed the EDFs, qualitatively and numerically, is exclusively comprised of tegaru; no other Ethiopian ethnic group is included.
Adding insult to the injury, the so called Eritrean opposition groups are under effective control of woyane, the other face of the con artist. They have no clue that, under the guise of theatrical enmity, the con artist and woyane are coordinating their activities not only at completely uprooting the Eritrean people but also, by driving wedges among the Eritrean ethnic and religious groups, they are making sure that Eritreans would never unite to pose any threat for them in the future.
The social media is not helping us either; underground tegaru agents, posing as Eritreans, are inflaming the difference not only among our ethnic and religious groups may have at present, or might have been in the past but also within same ethnic group, of which the childish controversy raging in the Tigrigna population is an example.
The cardinal cause for our current dilemma is our inability to define who exactly our enemy/enemies is/are. There is a potent medicine for our dilemma however. Once we pass this threshold, recognize that the con artist isaias afeweerqi and woyane are one, our twin enemies, unity and success will of necessity follow. For this, I give you my word!!!
Ghebrehans T. January 9, 2015
Dawit Meconen,
You really have to get off that high horse and stop trying to punch beyond your weight and knowledge. Time has proven that you and your likes are irrelevant and will always remain irrelevant. So in short Mr dawit, simply stop your pathetic ‘Hilmi derho’ fantasizes and get help/medication for your poor Weyane/Tegaru trauma. Indeed, “B’zeben Wube (in your case Weyane) zitsememes Wube/Weyane kibil yinebir”.
merhawit January 10, 2015
Dawit mekonen,
Still the same infantile terrible! By the time u first launched ur tegaru conspiracy phantasy, i thought u were just going nuts and making idle jokes. What a sick mind must one be in possession of to go deep into chromosomes in order to determine if one is “genuine” Eritrean or not. What do u want to say to the tens of thousands of genuine Eritreans, whose parents are wholy or partly of Tigray ancestry or of any other part of the world outside Eritrea? Sometimes u give the impression u’re a person with very limited IQ or an agent provocateur specially sent to disseminate suspicion and confusion among the Opposition multitudes.
Mightyembasoyra January 10, 2015
Dawit is one of those sophisticated HGDF agents. The rest is cover up. He purposely leave those idiot generals who are decimating the country from the criminals list. He is trying to send the message people like Sibhat Efrem, Filipos, manjus, Teclay H., etc are not responsible for the decimation of the country. Only two Yemanes, Kisha, etc are. We are not fools, anymore.
selamawit2 January 12, 2015
Dawit Meconen,
does the list of “enemies” after YOUR opinion end here or do you have more?
What is with “Sibhat Efrem, Filipos, manjus, Teclay H”, Sofia Tesfamariam and all the other brutal hands of the dictator in Eritrea and in diaspora????
Dala Ksha January 9, 2015
The Devil is in his final stage to reach his Goal.and believe me we can’t save it by running away and he knows that Eritreans diaspora can harm him