[I enjoyed reading two articles on the issue of the flag; one by W.E (11/13/00) and another by Daniel k. (11/16/00). They were touched by the story of YUMA.]

YUMA is a sample of thousands of mothers with broken hearts and ever crying eyes. Their number is increasing ever since the first day the unionists started their notorious party. I wonder if "His Excellency" in Asmara and his disciples have any hearts at all. But importantly, many people are touched by the sufferings and feel that there is something wrong. For example, Daniel wanted to explain and cosole Yuma while W.E suggests some cosmetic changes on the flag.

Picking a pencil and ruler and reshuffling the triangles in the flag to please YUMA is a good gesture. Reshuffling the triangles so that the flag appears beautiful and acceptable to YUMA without going beyond the domain of the rectangules and colors of the flag is a good gesture. But who cares, "a flag is just a piece of cloth "as our former ally " and dear friend M. Zenawi put it. Melles Zenawi became a partner in an alliance against our own kin by a whispered advice of the devil and became an enemy of our people by the same whisper.

However, though I claim to be an Eritrean 'wrongly' without the permission of His Excellency, I believe I have the right to a say on how the flag should look like. I would like to suggest a light brown flag. The color of the desert sand (I am not good at colors), just a one-colour piece of cloth. I have my reasons, very good reasons, and explanations for the Eritrean people:

(1) It denotes the color of our land that turned to a desert due to wars and neglect.

(2) Since we are the African Israel, and our army will engage in many wars to tame and civilize the savages among us, as well as in our neighborhood. A light brown color is a good camouflage on the desert to protect our army.

(3) Taking into consideration our flourishing economy and the shortage in labour force, time and efforts to sew together different pieces and colours will be saved.

(4) Since most of our people were, are and will be conscribed to the great school of "Social and Economic Development" in Sawa, our textile factories will only manufacture the same light brown textile that will be used as flags as well as uniforms for all our great warrior peopulation.

Let now awate.com conduct a poll on the flag their readers would choose. I am sure it will be 50-50. Throughout their short history as a nation, our people are fond of the 50-50 conviction because they are very fair minded people; they hate to annoy anybody. Though The American presidential candidates are on almost a 50-50 tie, they are not using violence and coercion as a means to solve their impasse. What a great people! Why don't we Eritreans, together, try to go beyond the triangles and colours designed by one man and look a way out for the 50-50 situation and mentality. I am positive our people do not lack the wisdom if and only if the sick warmongering mentality is done with. Give it a thought.

Maybe my ignorance made Yuma reject the flag, I or Yuba should have explained to her. Yes, "Yuma cannot, under any circumstance, be disgusted". We are endowed with an "Excellency" who is disgusted, angry, happy or sick on our behalf. Mothers should know that; all the Eritrean people have to know it; they are spared the trouble of crying or laughing since their great son will do it for them. They have only to fight our internal and external enemies if they are in the country and pay what so ever cash they own if they are abroad.

I also blame Yuma; she has never taught me big words. She is Pastoral Nomad and that the blood she carries in her veins. Nomads use the singular YOU. I call Yuma, my father and grandfather alike, "you". I sincerely admit my shortcomings, and I apologize. I am very bad at memorizing the big words of his Excellency. Words such as has to know it, cannot under any circumstance, should have, has to recognize, must do AND must not do. Myself, Yuma and most of the Eritrean people, our "failing and old eyes have betrayed" us. We have "to know it" that all we need "it is in a making". All what is in the making by the God elected sons and brothers. Then you, me and  "have to recognize it as...our destiny and identity". Yuma has no manners or discipline. Why should she aspire and dream of big, big things like "our destiny and identity", she only, "has to recognize" what His Excellency assigns, desires and decides, after all what are presidents for!

Again, I must apologize, on behalf of my mother and myself. Yuma is a very stubborn women. She is determined to have a grave in her country. This time I will try to "explain it to her in clear terms". Unless the UN builds a highway from her hat, all the way to her would-be grave in Eritrea, then she must wait for another 30 years. She is not allowed to die before 30 years if she wants a grave in her hometown. I will tell her that the few who dared to return were kept in camps in Gerset and Galluy (Guluj) short of their home villages and towns. The United Nations "MUST DO IT". They "MUST PAY US" the same amount they paid to the Ethiopians or the Cambodians. I will tell her that our government does not want us to go back to our old hats and use the same old roads when we fled the country. They want us to return on highways and to three-storey apartments that would be built by the UN. I will "explain it to her in clear terms" the moral right of our government to be treated equally to other nations; it is more important than our return. " SHE HAS TO RECOGNIZE IT AS..." the pride and dignity of our nation that should not give up in any case. The cost being our misery throughout the years and the risking of lives of thousands of the young brothers and sisters in Bada, Zalambesa, etc. It is the pride of our nation. Long live the pride; death, hunger and misery to the Eritrean people. I will tell her that nations are not made for people but people are made for nations. Independence is not another way of expressing democracy, dignity and good life, but an altar in which all the Eritrean people should be sacrificed. Long live the pride and long live poverty and long live His Excellency.

The awate.com team does not allow writers to address individuals. However, as a word of gossip, I will whisper to the ears of readers:

Two weeks ago, the SPLA almost occupied the town of Kessela. Sudanese spokesman did not blame Eritrea for some diplomatic reasons beyond my comprehension. Kessela is almost totally inhabited by Eritreans; they are the majority in all the new quarters and the slums. Save 17, all the 72 civilian who were killed were Eritreans. Almost all the 400+ wounded were Eritreans.

The Battalion assigned to protect Kassala was busy retaking Hameshkoreb some 30 miles to the North. The SPLA have had some soldiers infiltrate the town days earlier. The main SPLA attack came from the south following the Gash River. The Eritrean border is just one hour walking from Kessela on that direction. Many Eritreans in Hillet Qessib, Sewariba and Mukram were slaughtered with knives, just like goats. The SPLA soldiers broke into houses shouting "Arab, Muslim, Al Mout ya Arab, Al Mout ya Muslim" and shot at people. Residences of known members of the Eritrean opposition organizations were searched, but none was captured or killed. The attack was at four in the morning and many people managed to escape to the eastern side of the Gash: Qerbel-Gash and Bannet.

No direct member of Yuma�s family was hurt. However, my problem is how am I going to "explain it to her in clear terms"? Is there any one who could tell me how I am going to make Yuma "TO RECOGNIZE" this genocide of Eritreans that was launched from their own country? The country they loved and sacrificed for. Shall I lie to her and tell her that 'our government did not know about it'? Shall I tell her that "our government" will punish those murderers of Eritreans who managed to withdraw into Eritrea? Shall I lie to her and say "our government" condemned this act? Could I tell her that the SPLA have rained to Kesssla from the sky and not from Eritrea?

During the regions of Haile Sellasie and Mengistu Haile Mariam, Kessela and other Sudanese towns were safe haven for the Eritrean refugees. Today after the independence of Eritrea, poor and innocent Eritreans are slaughtered like goats in Kessela. If their own fat sons, flesh and blood, fed by their milk and butter during the struggle for independence, who assumed power in Asmara, if those fat sons do not care about their death and life then would we expect the Northern Sudanese Ghazi Salahadin or Omer Al Beshir in Khartoum to care about them.

I am seeking help from my Eritrean brothers and sisters to advise me on how I should convince Yuma. I am not good on mimicking; she is not as ignorant and naive as some would wish to believe. I will try not to speak to her on the subject because speaking to you is enough.