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No one in this world, so far as I know--and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me--has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. - H.L Mencken
So wrote America premiere critic, H.L Mencken, almost 75 years ago. In a Third World update to this insight, the PFDJ goons have adopted their own cynical view of the masses: Not only will you not lose money by insulting and lying to them; but you will actually make money. But dont forget to make sure you have a weak and gutless intelligentsia that can be easily threatened, bribed or mollified. As for the great masses of the plain people, the Hafash, just keep making empty promises and telling bigger lies each and every time. Yes, we heard/read the interview of Isaias Afwerki, Head of PFDJs Gambino Family, with Radio France Internationale. Where does one begin? It is a little sad that he and the administration he represents have to go back to 1993 to celebrate an achievement: Eritreas referendum. It is 2003, they have been in power, uncontested and with most of the people rooting for their success since 1991. But they have no achievements to celebrate. Celebrate what? Death? Carnage? Destruction? Exile? Unspeakable poverty? A land without laws? So they go back to the way they managed the referendum. Organizations that celebrate 10-year-old victories are as pathetic as individuals who do so. In any interview Isaias gives, you can count on at least one big, fat lie. This one was no exception. This is what he said regarding the arrested journalists: But in the middle of the war we had to check, we had to say enough is enough. External powers come and bribe journalists and in the middle of the war - that kind of intervention is not acceptable. These are not even journalists. You cannot say a spy is a journalist. Yes, Mr. President, you cannot say a spy is a journalist; but you cannot say a journalist is a spy, either. Heres why Isaias allegation is, prima fascia, wrong. The war that he is talking about (the war with Ethiopia) started in May 1998 and ended in June 2000, with the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities agreement. The journalists he is calling spies were arrested in September 2001. So, when he talks about the middle of the war, which imaginary war is he talking about? He cannot be talking about war with Ethiopia because by then the guns were silent after Ethiopia occupied every single hamlet, every single village, every valley, every gorge of the disputed territory and then went on to occupy vast undisputed territories. What war was he in the middle of in 2001? He can only be talking about the war between the PFDJ reformers (the G-15) and the PFDJ hardliners (the G-1, which includes him) and how the journalists actually refused to be bought off by the hardliners promises of money and access in exchange for boycotting and defaming the reformers. In other words, the journalists crime is for refusing to be the spies of the G-1, Isaias clique. To add insult to injury, they actually collectively wrote a letter protesting the arrest-without-charges of the G-15. So, he arrested them. Why? Thats what bullies do: when they get spanked by a bigger bully, they take their anger out on defenseless, unarmed citizens. The PFDJ avenged its anger by harassing and arresting unarmed, defenseless youth and elderly who had the temerity to act as citizens. And now, to cover up its brutality to the great masses of the plain people, is accusing the arrested of treason using a chronology that makes no sense to anyone who can count over ten. In September 2001, when the journalists were arrested and their paper was shut down, the PFDJ Mafiosi had said the reason was because the papers had violated the Press Laws. There was no mention of spying then. In January-February 2002, the Eritrean National Assembly condemned the arrested journalists of inciting division, etc but nowhere did it mention spying. It gave yet another empty promise: that it would investigate the matter and disclose the evidence to the people. That was a year and two months ago. No evidence, no hearing, but plenty of lawlessness. So now, 18 months after their arrest, the PFDJ Godfather throws another charge: they are spies. They cant defend themselves and there is no one to defend them so he might as well accuse them of any crime. The one question that the PFDJ apologists never answer is this: IF THE ACCUSED ARE GUILTY, WHY DONT YOU BRING THEM TO AN INDEPENDENT COURT OF LAW AND MAKE YOUR CASE? An Imaginary War The reason given by the PFDJ for their rank failure in the administration of Eritrea is that they have been in a state of war. Against Sudan, Against Ethiopia, Against the CIA, against the Axis of Belligerence. It is a handy excuse, as far as excuses go. But seen from an excuse-making standpoint, the problem with wars is that they have casualties, they have witnesses, they are not liked and, most importantly, they have a beginning and an end. So you cant get away with it indefinitely. But what if you could design a war, an imaginary war, where only you get to define victory and defeat, its beginning and end and a war where only you can tell lies about the casualties? The PFDJ has invented such a war; it is called psychological warfare. It can be used for any purpose. It can be used to explain postponing of the implementation of the constitution; single-handedly amending it; arresting people without charges indefinitely; refusing to demobilize the youth; refusing to have an independent press; failing at protecting and providing basic necessities for your citizens and to dismiss criticism. To work, it needs a sufficiently frightened population who is fed horror stories about what could happen to Eritrea without the mythical PFDJ. If you tell the ugly truth about the PFDJ, you are engaged in psychological warfare. In the PFDJ parlance, telling the truth is called engaging in psychological warfare. ***image1:left***The first week of April, the PFDJ gangsters were out and about crying about the imaginary psychological warfare. Almain Mohammed Said, Hagos Kisha, Yemane Gebreab were trotting the globe telling the great masses of the plain people that they shouldnt believe a word Awate.com says because they are nothing but liars; that the woyane and other un-named external enemies are out to get us. Just send us money. Now. But it was a bad week for them. First came a report from the US Department of State on March 31st. In its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2002, Colin Powell waged psychological warfare (told the ugly truth) about PFDJ: Arbitrary arrests and detentions continued to be problems; an unknown number of persons were detained without charge, some incommunicado, because of political opinion, suspected association with the Ethiopian Mengistu regime, radical Islamic elements, or terrorist organizations. The judiciary was weak and subject to executive influence and lacked the resources to provide speedy trials. The use of a special court system limited due process. The Government infringed on the right to privacy. The Government severely restricted freedom of speech and press, including the rights of the religious media. There were limits on freedom of assembly. The Government restricted the freedom of religion. The Government restricted freedom of movement. Violence and societal discrimination against women continued to be problems, and female genital mutilation (FGM) remained widespread despite government efforts to discourage the practice. Jehovah's Witnesses and members of the Kunama ethnic group also faced some government and societal discrimination. The Government restricted workers' rights. There were unconfirmed reports of forced labor. Child labor occurred. The PFDJs decision to join the Coalition of the Willing was supposed to exempt them from public exposure to their sinsbut it didnt. Then, on April 9, 2003, the Nashville, TN based Baptist Press ran an article entitled Eritrea jails 170 Protestants; another 74 continue in prison. To the PFDJ, this is just another external psychological warfare but read a sample and judge for yourself: A total of 170 Protestant Christians have been jailed, beaten and threatened with death by Eritrean security forces in a harsh crackdown during February and March, Compass Direct news service reported April 9.. In five separate incidents in four cities over the past two months, Eritrean security police barged into worship services and even a wedding ceremony to jail men, women and children for practicing what government officials called "a new religion." The same day, on April 9, the New York based Freedom House listed the Eritrean government as one of The Worlds Most Repressive Regimes. The entire report of their psychological warfare is available at page 27 of the acrobat report . The list of luminaries that Eritrea keeps company with includes Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and China. Somalia and Sudan are the type of states that PFDJs one party state is supposedly guarding us from. With respect to political rights and civil liberties, there is no difference between Somalia and Eritrea. Libyas Gaddaffi is Isaias best friend (Isaias has even began to adopt his oversized sunglasses.) As for China, Isaias told Robert Kaplan that it is his model state. A sample of the psychological warfare waged by Freedom House reads as follows: In 2002, the government of President Isaias Afwerki continued its repressive policy of allowing no opposition or independent organizations in the political or civil sphere. The only way for a liar to maintain he is telling the truth is by accusing everybody else of lying. Add the US State Department, Freedom House and the Southern Baptists to the long list of organizations (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, CPJ, etc, etc) that are part of the external agents waging psychological warfare. IN YOUR FACE To quote our readers, Awate.com is the new Yemane Baria for the new Eritrean century and Gedab News is the Eritrean BBC. Gedab (Tigre for hiker) was launched with one goal in mind: to reveal the truth that the PFDJ spends so much time and energy hiding from the great masses of the plain people, the Hafash. To the dismay of its detractors, the record is clear: for over two years, this website has peeled off one PFDJ falsehood after another PFDJ lie; one PFDJ scandal after another PFDJ secret. We have relished methodically stripping the veil shrouding the monstrosity of PFDJ. On April 9, 2003, (while PFDJs Three Musketeers were preaching dont believe Awate.com), our relentless Gedab broke the news that Ermias Debessai (Papayo) had been released from jail that same day. There were those who were seeking reassurances from their favorite PFDJ Mafiosi that Awate.com could not be telling the truth; but none was coming. Indeed, the governments spokesperson, Yemane Gebremeskel, confirmed the news Gedab broke that Papayo had been released in his interview with an AFP reporter. But how could this be? Didnt they say, Gedab News has no sources; it is dry now that half the nation is in jail, who could be leaking this news? But the ugly truth has a funny way of getting out, from the least likely sources. You could arrest the entire nation and Gedab will still be breaking news. And we promise you more is under way. And now for the ugly PFDJ truth (which they will call psychological warfare.) Ermias Debessai Papayo was arrested on June 29, 1997 after he was called back from China for a meeting. He languished in prison for half a year in 1997, all of 1998, all of 1999 and all of 2000. That is 3 years without judgment, without due process, without a clue. He was just another disappeared citizen all those years. On June 6, 2001, he was brought before the special court. He was brought to the kangaroo court partly because of the relentless campaigning by everyone regarding the unjustness of the special court; partly because the PFDJ were going through yet another short-lived diversion: The Other War: War Against Corruption (heard anything about it lately?) and they wanted to make an example of high profile cases. After all of ONE DAY of hearing and deliberation, the special court passed its guilty sentence, retroactively. Why was he released on April 9, 2003, almost three months short of six years? Is it because he served out his sentence? Is it because he has health complications? Is it because he plea-bargained? Is it because he was out early for good behavior? We wont know: it is not like he can go out and be interviewed by the private press; they are all under arrest for spying, remember? But we will know and we will share it with our readers. ISAIAS SAYS: HUNGER IS MAN MADE Is starvation caused by nature or man? To the typical unthinking PFDJ hzbawi mekete types, the answer is simple: in the case of Ethiopia, it is man-made. In the case of Eritrea, it is natural. What they dont know is that they are contradicting their boss, Isaias Afwerki. In November 1996, Isaias Afwerki was invited to speak at a food security summit organized by the FAO in Rome, Italy. Heres what he said: An integrated and holistic approach to enhancing global food security must surely address its multifaceted causes and linkages, especially the crucial problem of peace and stability. There is indeed overwhelming evidence, particularly in Africa, that structural food deficit and mass starvation are likely to occur and persist in areas afflicted by war and civil strife. The painful tragedy in Somalia and the crisis unfolding in Zaire today are perhaps the most recent and vivid illustrations of the urgency of dealing with the political causes that engender social chaos and hunger. If agricultural production has declined steadily in the past 20 years to induce hunger and, at times, calamitous famine in our region in general and my country in particular, the primary cause has again been war and turmoil.
Recurrent droughts, erratic rainfall patterns, poor agricultural techniques, inadequate infrastructure, fragmented markets and depressed economic development may all have compounded the problem to varying degrees. But these constraints are not insurmountable structural hurdles that cannot be harnessed through prudent policies.
Isaias Afwerki and his administration are guilty as charged: pursuing policies that are not prudent and engulfing Eritrea in a never-ending environment of war and turmoil. Once again, we state the obvious: the Eritrean people should not be made to suffer for the ineptitude and misadministration of their government. The prudent thing to do is to find an alternative way to deliver the money to the peoplethrough UNICEF, WFP and other NGOs. A government that considers stroking its ego and funding an airline in times of drought a top priority cannot be trusted to administer your money properly.
ANOTHER SENSELESS DEATH
In the Western plains of Eritrea, another innocent person was killed. That the innocent person, Mr. Timothy Nutt, was a guest to Eritrea is what makes the tragedy even more reprehensible. In the conservative Eritrean culture, it is a taboo to show anything but generous hospitality to your guests. Throughout Eritreas armed struggle against Ethiopia, foreignerseven foreigners who were seen as having taken sides with the enemywere spared attack. This is why Eritrea remains, even after concerted and aggressive efforts by the PFDJ to destroy its culture, a hospitable and welcoming terrain to all foreigners.
The Eritrean government immediately blamed the killing on the Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJM), and its sponsor, the Sudan. Sudan denied the charge and the British Embassy in Asmara has suspended judgment until the evidence of the investigation is presented (something the PFDJ can learn from.) The EIJM (which is not a member of the Eritrean National Alliance) has NOW issued a statement denying the accusation and in what looks a counter accusation asked, why cant it be the work of the systems intelligence organs to create a crisis in search of justification for a hidden intention of an attack.
The PENCIL has made repeated appeals, including as recently as March 17, against the approach taken by the opposition and the government to find a violent solution to the political problems in Eritrea. Whoever the culprit, we condemn the assassination of Mr. Timothy Nutt. We find it appropriate to send our condolences to the family of the deceased. We hope that they get the patience and strength to get over their grief.
Readers should know that many Eritreans have met the fate of Mr. Nutt and perished needlessly. The PFDJ would not disclose its ugly confrontation with different Eritrean armed groups; some opposition members, others lawless bandits. Away from the eyes of those who think they are in the middle of an imaginary psychological warfare against traitors, the Eritrean armed forces are in continuous confrontation in the countryside and the people are paying dearly.
Had Mr. Nutt been an Eritrean national, the Eritrean government wouldnt have dared to disclose his assassination. They wouldnt have sent their condolences to his family. After all, three years after the cessation of hostilities with Ethiopia, let alone sending condolences, the PFDJ has yet to inform the families of those killed in the war. Last week, Mohammed Abu, a man who literally spent his whole life for the Eritrean cause, died a poor man in Khartoum. He couldnt afford the cost of a first class air ticket from Dubai to Asmara, which Abdella Jabir spent a few weeks ago, to pay for treatment in time. Thats how low the great veterans and the masses of the plain people fare in the eyes of the PFDJ: disposable, useless and easily replenished. How long will we let them underestimate our intelligence? Comments:
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