The Eritrean government has revoked the diplomatic passport of its ambassador to China, Mr. Mohammed Nur Ahmed and has named Tsegai �Dinnish� as the new ambassador.  The decision to revoke the ambassador's passport was sent to all Eritrean embassies.  The ambassador had been �banished� to China, where he had been serving for nearly two years, after he began to openly criticize the government�s handling of its conscript army.  Mr. Mohammed Nur Ahmed lost his sole daughter, then attending Asmara University, in a military boot camp in the deserts of the Red Sea.  The official cause of her death was ruled dehydration and exhaustion. Since then, he had publicly pledged to crusade for the humane treatment of Eritrea�s youth.  Mr. Mohammed Nur Ahmed is married to Ms. Zahra Jaber, formerly the mayor of Keren and a member of the ruling party�s Central Committee.

Meanwhile, the government has promoted Mr. Naizghi Kiflu, currently the Minister of Information, to the President�s Office to administer the local government affairs, a position formerly held by the now detained Mr. Mahmoud Sherifo.   His new position effectively places him in charge of the four commanders, all generals, who now oversee the four military zones: General Samuel �China� Haile, General Teklay Habteselassie, General Filipos Weldeyohannes and General Ghebrezgheir �Wuchu� Andemariam.  

Mr. Naizghi Kiflu has a reputation for being a �street fighter�: in the mid 1990s, he was named Eritrean Ambassador to Russia partly to spare Asmara youth from his nightly brawls. 

There are conflicting reports on whether General Sebhat Ephrem, who retains the now-ceremonial post of defense minister, is frozen or under house arrest.  Contrary to published reports, it is unlikely that the government would arrest the general, at least for now, because he is reputed to have an especially close relationship with General Tommy Franks, Chief Commanding Officer of the US Army�s Central Command, and a key figure in the US war against terrorism. 

In other developments, the Eritrean government has named �Bruno� as Ambassador to Japan and �wedi Gerahtu� to South America.  Mr. Tsehaie Fassil has been assigned to the United States.  It is unclear whether he will supplement or replace the current ambassador, Mr. Girma Asmerom.