|
Last weekend, Dr. Weldeab Isaac, the president of the University of Asmara and Mr. Musa Naib, general curriculum department head within the Ministry of Education, convened a meeting with students in South Africa to press the governments message that students must return to Eritrea as soon as possible.
To express the urgency of the need for their return, Dr. Weldeab Isaac disclosed that of the USD 50 million dollars in soft loans his government received from the World Bank for the purposes of higher education, his government had diverted 20 million dollars to other purposes. As with previous officials who addressed the students, Dr. Weldeab Isaac warned the students that they face a life of economic hardship if they chose to migrate to Western nations.
Mr Musa Naib, who is considered one of the more effective PFDJ cadres, spent most of his allotted time addressing the political, economic and military predicament the Ethiopian government purportedly faces. Faced with a barrage of unfriendly questions from the students, particularly dealing with the governments decision to replace civil authorities by military officials in the administration of the provinces, Mr. Musa Naib expressed his befuddlement and stated that Asmara is not a prison! I wonder why people consider the current regime as a sadist government. Why...are we really sadists?
The meeting between Eritrean authorities and the nearly 600 students in South Africa is the second session in one month. During the first week of June, Eritreas ambassador to South Africa, wedi Gerhatu, held an antagonistic meeting with the studentsa session noted for its threats and intimidation. The ambassador also attempted to organize a rally allegedly to denounce the Ethiopian government for statements it issued after the final ruling of the Border Commission. Sources inform our reporter that the rally was cancelled when the students demanded assurances from the organizing committee that they wont be used as "pawns" to denounce Eritreas so-called internal enemies.
Background
Mr Musa Naib formerly held the position of Attorney-General. Excepting for his offices brief role in the prosecution of Mr. Semere Kesete, (the president of the University of Asmaras student union who escaped from jail last July), the Attorney General, who is theoretically the governments chief prosecutor, played no role in preparing a case against the political prisoners held in detention by the government. Although the government has yet to bring the accused to a court of law to face their accusers, party functionaries who hold no government portfolio have taken the leadership role in advancing the political case against the prisoners of conscience. The governments prosecutorial team is made up of the ruling partys secretary, Mr. Alamin Mohammed Said; the partys political director, Mr. Yemane Gebreab and the partys director of organizational affairs, Mr. Abdella Jaber.
The Curriculum Department Head position now held by Mr. Musa Naib was previously occupied by the current ambassador to South Africa, Wedi Gerhatu, who filled his post when the governments first choice declined the position. Mr. Alemseged Gebreselassie, who was previously the Director General of Administration within the Ministry of Transportation, now holds the ceremonial post of Advocate General.
For a detailed coverage of the meeting between the government authorities and university students, stay tuned for Gedab News Reportagecoming soon. |
