(Corrected Copy:10/10/06, 10:00)

Mr. Temesgen Debessai, Director of the English Desk at the Ministry of Information, failed to return from his trip to the Bahrain and is presumed to have abandoned the government.  He is expected to join his wife, who is already in the United Kingdom.

Temesgen, who completed his high school education Semaetat Secondary School (formerly Santa Anna) and later lived in Saudi Arabia, is a graduate of the University of Asmara (English major.)  In addition, he also had completed a certificate course in journalism at the UoA.  A reporter and host at Eri-TV English Desk, he was equally fluent in English, Tigrigna and Arabic�a fact that won him praise from President Isaias Afwerki who rarely praises anyone.

A less known Eri-TV employee, Abel, has disappeared: it is not known whether this is because he is arrested or he has crossed the border to Sudan or Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, after inexplicable silence, the death of the artist Abraham Afewerki has begun to be published in Eritrean government outlets including official bulletin boards and Hadas Ertra.  Abraham, who was visiting Eritrea for a tour and to shoot music videos for his new CD, Semay, is reported to have died in the Dahlak Islands.   He was expected to be buried on Monday in his hometown in the environs of Debarwa.