The cultural imbalance cannot be simply attributed to the PFDJ regime, but to a deeply rooted cultural legacy. The PFDJ and the man at the helm of power are the products of a culture- an agrarian, hierarchical and sedentary culture that equates power with control. The PFDJ is an Eritrean reality and we have to ask ourselves some hard questions of how it came into being and what cultural and social factors are keeping it going. We have to get out of our comfort zone and look deep into ourselves to find out what we are truly made off.

I don’t know much about Awate, and I’m ashamed to say so, but I know he died for me, and for that I respect, love and adore him, and above all proudly call him, the Father and hero of our revolution. I only wish he had lived long enough to guide the Eritrean revolution, an all inclusive national movement, and to solidify its unity. He might have been able to spare us the difficulties we had to endure. If he had the wisdom and foresight to start an all-inclusive, national organization, I’ve reason to believe that he would have exerted maximum effort to keep it that way and unity would not have eluded us.

There is plenty of opportunity for responsible people to play a positive role in this endeavor. We’ve a strategic choice to make: to be part of the solution or part of the problem. We can start finishing the unfinished business by refusing to be part of anything that does not mirror Eritrea’s diversity. We need to categorically reject any organization that does not look like Eritrea.