When the erstwhile Eritrean Fathers of the forties struggled to own their destiny and secure their freedom, they were so sure about their choice. Later, forced into a situation, they trusted the UN to safeguard the federation to which they were subjected by force and deceit. When the first nationalist organization of the fifties, the Mahber Shewaate, launched its struggle, to rectify the mistake of trusting the un-trustworthy Emperor and his cronies, it was sure of its choice. The organization played an important role in reinforcing the Eritrean patriotism. When the first fighters joined Awate and decided to launch an armed struggle to rectify what the law, was not rectifying, they were not kidding. They were determined to bring about justice, freedom and peace. On May 24, the dream was realized; Eritrea was liberated. Yet, a decade of militarism, adventure, arrogance and disunity was launched. This needs to be rectified. The solution is soul searching and true democracy.

For the last ten years, Eritreans granted unlimited �benefit of the doubt� for those who deserve nothing but doubting anything they do. Justice became a joking matter and laughable exercise. People were thrown into jails without trials. Civilian Properties become open for the powerful rulers to plunder. National resources were irresponsibly squandered. Eritrea acquired more enemies than humanly conceivable. Citizens were disowned. Half the population became disenfranchised. Another half was marginalized. Few become the masters of the same people they set out to free. Public conscience was hurting. Tempers were boiling. Screams against injustice gained tempo. Now, the people are engaged in a serious operation. Mistakes should be rectified. This had to change and it will change. It is operation No-Kidding.

Adei Tekhaa Owes the World Bank $ 685 Dollars Without Interest!

For ten years, we have heard only denials and boasting about the debt-free self-reliant economy. The tone changed few months ago (Pencil). Now the government is admitting that we did borrow� just like the not-so-self-reliant countries. �The amount is meager�nothing to worry about�, we are told. Meager, maybe equivalent to only the price of a squadron of Migs? We do not know because there is neither a published financial statement nor a budget for the �very efficient government of Eritrea�. But is the debt meager? Let�s ask Adei Tekhaa.

The old Adei Tekhaa owes the World Bank $ 685. She has a dying blind husband and four grandsons that she takes care of. The son-in-law and his wife are nowhere to be seen and she doesn�t know where they are. As a head of the family (and responsible for the finances of the financeless household) she is responsible for paying back the World Bank�s debts. $400 million divided by 3.5 Million living Eritreans, all babies, children, adults and old included, is equal to $114 each. Equal to the national per capita income. Each walking Eritrean owes $114. Though they say that is the average, Adei Tekhaa would not make that kind of money even if she sold the only wealth of the family: a limping donkey. Now who is going to go and tell Adei Tekaa the money we owe is not much?

�THE� Brainwashing Manual

Some readers criticized us for giving the so-called PFDJ�s �Discussion Paper� a misleading title. We had called it �PFDJ�s Brainwashing Manual�. Were we unfair? Let�s see.

Malcolm X divided slaves into two categories: The field-slave and the house-slave. When a master gets sick, the field-slave, hoping for relief, would pray for his death while the house slave would be emotionally involved and begin to wail �we are sick�! His master�s illness makes him ill!

For those who haven�t read George Orwell�s Animal Farm, I suggest that you buy it right away. Until then, my comment on Dr. Taddesse�s poll regarding his conclusion about the Groupthink ailment:

I do not understand why the good Doctor had to go through all the polling and tabulations to reach to the natural conclusion; everyone knows that the PFDJ practices and promotes Groupthink! I agree with those who considered Dr. Taddese�s poll a no-pool. He wasted energy for nothing. If I were Dr. Taddese, I would include only two relevant sentences in the research: 1) Groupthink is bad for your stomach. 2) You don�t have to be sixty-five to retire�. And I will be energized to add a third point. 3) If you are a leader, you better be a good Pianist and listen to Mozart and Strauss in the background while you eat. But Dr. Taddese chose the long way; it is his choice. 

Now what has all this to do with the ill-fated threatening, terrorizing Manual? I really don�t know but just thought of some mental gymnastics before we delve (delve as in slightly touch it for fear of reprisal) into the contents the Manual.

What would you call someone gathering select invitees (all PFDJ senior cadres), and then reads to them a pre-prepared discussion paper which was carefully prepared by the propaganda arm of the powerful lot? In normal life, (shush, what is normal life?) meetings start with agendas that are discussed by those attending. After enough deliberations, the participants (sometimes the attendants) come out with decisions, recommendations, etc. But that is in normal life, a luxury Eritreans miss so much. Insisting on calling the Manual a �Discussion Paper� is as misleading as calling Adei Tekhaa's Gabi an army general�s outfit � something it is not.

Discuss what then when all that needs to be discussed is done with? Discuss what when the tone is an ugly threatening one? Nothing would have been discussed. Nothing was intended to be discussed. It was a manual that would tell the members what to say to what argument. It was a dull instruction; members were expected to listen, obey and execute the content.

The paper was authored with the intention of making it available for members to use as guidelines in attacking and defaming the �opponents� - thus the Manual Christening. It was read in several meetings to members of the PFDJ in few occasions. It was not published for public consumption but unveiled only to the confidantes. A little over a month ago, it was read in Asmara to a huge gathering of PFDJ cadres who gave it a cold shrug and refused to cooperate in campaigning against the targeted groups and individuals who, this time, many of the attendants considered their mentors. It was also read to a smaller gathering in Berlin and the response was equally cold and not even luke-warm. The Manual was not presented for discussion because the conclusions were reached way before it was published�and you do not discuss an already passed resolution -- a resolution by the PFDJ leadership. Had it been a discussion paper, for example, it will read: why are we being criticized? Then, the discussants will reach on a conclusion. The paper, the manual rather, targets those who are criticizing the �heavenly PFDJ� and it expects the confidantes to listen to it, memorize it and consider it a guiding 1-2-3 manual. That makes it a Brainwashing manual and not an innocent discussion paper.

The content of the misleading paper is so ugly and very embarrassing. Still, the arrogant attitude comes very clear in its lines and paragraphs. All the points of defense laid by the PFDJ were poked by tens of writers, debaters and speakers for a long time. They are empty. Not surprisingly, the conclusion one gets after reading it is not surprising. The PFDJ claims that it is �Pure as a morning water� as the Tigrigna saying goes. How noble! The PFDJ is always right and the rest of the population (considered few that can be counted with few fingers according to the PFDJ) are wrong. No modesty. No honesty. And no integrity whatsoever. All this destruction, alienation and gambling with the resources and pride of Eritreans and they are pure. What a pity!

If the paper was the official stand of the government, then it should have been disseminated through the mass media for the people to debate about. Nothing like that happened. The paper has specific goal: it was prepared to be presented to select cadres who would then be included to the groupthink and in their turn, pass it to the unsuspecting �Hafash� who are expected to parrot it verbatim, in defending the PFDJ and in defaming and character assassination. This time, the target was so close to home: the out-of-favor government officials. Finally, the arrogant lot has identified  new villains for their up-coming show; it is a dull �coming-soon� for a duller movie. PFDJ has become like a hungry cat dying to eats its own kittens.

It is not surprising that anyone can testify: isn�t the content of the paper, word-for-word, similar to what the PFDJ supporters say in defending their organization? Who needs a poll to tell us that there is a serious groupthink enshrined in our culture�the culture that the PFDJ is inculcating (or has) in our political and social life? There is not even a single line where the arrogant lot apologizes for a mistake! Not a single line! They are always right and whoever confronts them with their mistakes has got to be a traitor or a Weyane stooge�. And when they are generous and kind enough, their opponents espouse sub-national sentiments! Isn�t the tribe they created, the PFDJ tribe, sub-national tribe? Ajeb kni. But never mind, though sometimes late, books do talk and when they talk in the near future, we will know who is who.

The paper was read and already distributed to select members of the PFDJ who have already started to parrot what came in it. It is time to remember and ask: Why is it that all pro-government people think identical to what came in the so-called �discussion paper�? What is to be discussed when the paper has already identified and insinuated who the targeted enemies are? The whole opposition groups, biljumla, have been written off as traitors. All independent elements who oppose the PFDJ were written off as Weyane since three years. Now the last targeted group are the �Front�s cadres� (�who are considerable in number by the way)! Who is left to wear the patriotic medals that the PFDJ Goldsmith crafted? Let�s tell them this: Adorn your own chests with your own medals and consider all Eritreans (minus you of course) traitors. Go on and pat yourself on the back�once for breakfast, another after lunch and one before dinner. It will make you feel better and cure you of your complexity. But the land will grow a tongue and speak-out. When it does, no translator is needed.

Zembil Komidere

In the days of Haile Sellasie�s parliament, campaign slogans varied. �Zembil Komidere, Zembil Komidere, Azmatch Wesiduwa, Azmach Baal Sre� was a famous campaign line from those days. Did Haile Sellasie ever admit his parliament and his election was a sham? You bet he never did. Do we want a Zoo election like that? You bet we don�t. But is the recent election law good? Any election law is good law. However, there are conditions that need to be met before any of that takes place. If the PFDJ needs to celebrate an election that will satisfy its ego, it can go ahead because at this moment, there is no one stopping it. With the distribution of the Manual, proof that the PFDJ is not ready for political business has become clearer. The people need signs of goodwill to trust anything the PFDJ does. So far, deceit and arrogance. Nothing else has come out.

Goodwill is important to build trust and bring different views closer to each other. The arrogance of the PFDJ has prevented it from making any compromise whatsoever, to show its good intention (if it ever had one). The lot who control power by the tail need to learn the art of co-existence for the sake of Eritrea. The way they are behaving, one is worried they might be the cause for a bad precedent in the political life of Eritrea. Eating your own kittens is no fun.

the awate team