Where Is Bekhitay When We Need Him? 

Just like one should not credit a rooster for the breaking dawn, one should not blame the town crier for the death of a loved one. Both announce an event though they have nothing to do with what preceded it. And so it is with me and EDA... but I will come back to that later on.

Long before the Internet, long before the EDA press releases of splits and mergers, long before Haddas Eritrea and its micro dams, there was a man who announced directives and proclamations; and he was not as boring. In fact, he was very entertaining and likable. I am talking about Am Bekhitay, Keren's official announcer.   And the town crier.

All municipal decisions were announced by him: to have the fire-wood camel park known as souq echei, locate to an area behind the town clinic (remember Addalet the nurse?) and many announcements of private events. If he had bad news to announce, his face would show it and he would murmur in sotto-voce, 'yom zemmetkum' while walking to a higher place to start shouting the announcement. If he had good news, his face would be beaming brightly and he would have a wide smile showing his white teeth.

Just because he announced something did not mean he expected to be heard, either. When Bekhitay announced the imposition of the curfew, not so-many young people were bothered. Most had already made up their mind to fight the occupying regime and weed it out; thus, a curfew didn't change anything. They left town in droves to join the liberation struggle anyway.

Announcements were his official job; but the man had a hobby that fought boredom in the town, so he also became a musician, with a band.  Actually, a hip hop artist: every Kerenite of my generation knows his hit song ' Ashlengiya':

Ashelengiya, Ashelengiya
Keren Keren Galoli,
Keren Keren Galoli, Ashelengiya.
Weiza Htseitey,
Kndey Tfetweni,
Sabuna Lux Gera,
Nebsei t'Hasbenni.

Now go match those lyrics! And, by the way, the owner of Lux (British Unilever) owes him royalties for prmoting their product.

I last saw him in Kessela in the mid-seventies. He was wearing a light blue Jelabiya and a well-knitted Kuffiya. I was saddened to see the once energetic man looking so frail and evidently in bad health. He must have aged 30-years since I saw him about three years prior to that. He was walking with the help of a cane when I approached to greet him. I shook his hands and asked, "What happened to you?" He recognized me but couldn't remember my name. "Ya wed-oubeker houye,…."  He said with a sad smile, "if you take a fish out of a pond, it will die.  I started to die slowly the moment I left Keren." His resigned tone shook my being. I felt very bad for not being able to at least invite him for a cup of tea - I was helpless, penniless and in rugs myself. I watched him walk slowly and disappear in the crowded street.

There went the man who had announced every major official proclamation since I was a kid.  All announcements except the emergence of the Opposition Tribe.

The Opposition Tribe

In many ways I feel like Am Bekhitay. Some people do not like what they read and get all worked up. Some read more than what is written while others read what they think is written. To explain my point, I will use two examples that came as a reaction to my last article. But first, let me stress on the fact that I do not consider myself infallible as few of my correspondents who think they own the truth.

Tribes are what our society is composed of and it is a non-alienable identity of the Eritrean citizen. Tribal affiliation is not tantamount to being a member of a criminal cult like the PFDJ believes though it considers itself a mega-tribe. However, overcoming the social backwardness associated with tribal lifestyle is not achieved by a mere PFDJ-like proclamation but through the proper tools: peace, justice, and education. Natural tribalism doesn't annoy me at all, the political tribes created by cadres do.

There are some who try to make the traditional opposition a conglomerate of political tribes. They think that these political tribes and their chiefs are the only legitimate claimants to authority to run Eritrean affairs: political struggle at this moment and the government in the post-tyranny Eritrea. The moment they catch a message targeted to the people residing in Eritrea, they squirm. Why? They consider all those in Eritrea as either PFDJ members or PFDJ-militia, thus, a rival tribe. When I conveyed a message to the rank and file of the PFDJ apparatus inside Eritrea, they jumped accusing me of betraying their tribe and favoring the "other tribe".  They are those who are always on the cadre-mode, and who insult when they think they are communicating, and kill correspondence when they think they are debating, and poison healthy debates. The PFDJ has denied Eritreans their natural and political identities; but that should not make us consider our political affiliations as a substitute to our denied identities; it should be the reason for our struggle to regain all of our denied rights.

Cults Vs Institutions

Most of us have our reservations and stands on the state of the opposition in general and the lame EDA performance in particular. But we have active, involved opposition and there are those who pretend to be saviors coming on a white horse who start something to disappear in no time. They are the ones who always complain that the opposition is fragmented, action-less, unproductive, incompetent and the like. I concur with all of that but I am not flattered by their endless quest for "like-minded people." Well, if one is looking for like-minded people (if the groupings that were initiated over the last few years are indications), then they are looking to form a cult and not a democratic institution. Like-minded people (as per the exhibit of most groupings so far) are more of a cult type. Democratic institutions are composed of individual stake-holders with democratic views and diverse backgrounds. Now, this view is not necessarily targeting any individual and I hope speculations are saved. I mean it in a more encompassing way and not addressing individual persons as a few friends might think. Look around and examples are abundant. That is my bone of contention with the many "gele-negber" lots. I believe it is my responsibility to articulate and critic the Eritrean political environment to the best of my knowledge; and I am sure many of my correspondents would appreciate that.

Writing in the public sphere comes with a price: I don't expect, nor do I have the intention, to appease anyone. I can only ask forgiveness (and understanding) from those who might be offended by what I write. I don't believe I should focus on individual egos and interests when the stake is a nation suffering under the yoke of tyranny. My center of attention is the whole nation and not softies who have yet to learn the art of subduing egos.

The gates of public affairs are extremely hot and people should be prepared to be baked in its oven. Public criticism is a sort of initiation to toughen ambitious aspirants; it is never meant to discourage people from joining the struggle. It is to shake them up and –just in case- remind them of what is at stake. Eritrean struggle is neither a pastime for the faint-hearted nor a showcased pageant contest.

We have about 25 organization –some are real political organizations; others claim to be. We have tens of groups that consider themselves "civil-societies". There are tens of websites and foundations. We have all the platform anyone can wish for. Yet, those who criticize the fragmented number of groups and organizations, those who seem to be disappointed with the uncoordinated actions of those mini-groups, are the ones who always hatch groupings and confuse the environment most. We have witnessed many groupings that came and went like winter sunshine.

I don't trust those who selectively approach vibrant activists to join them in their new ventures. Trying to recruit declared activists when you have thousands of dormant and dead-conscience individuals tells me one is looking for an easy ride. Why bother those who are already struggling? If I am allowed to boast a little, I would say that I have a gift of identifying such initiatives. In fact, let all know that I feel very offended by those who approach me to say, "gele-negber". I am doing some "gele" to my level best; if you can help, fine, and if not, hold your peace. Do your thing. I also beg of those who are soliciting new-venture "gele-negber" from known activists to leave the certified activists alone. It just sounds like, "what you are doing is not good enough, join me and I will show you how".

Again, I don't want my views to be misconstrued to mean that I am discouraging "gele-negber". On the contrary, what I am wishing for is some pioneering work; focusing on new frontiers, the dormant intellectuals, the PFDJ supporters, the fence-sitters and the "silent-bystanders". Know where to market your wares. Stop trying to sell water to those who have wells with gushing water; go to the dry lands to sell your water there. That is where genuine metal is tested. You will be amazed at the success you will register. And importantly, don't disappear like Embaba Meskerem, the colorful spring flower, once you start this trip. Giving the public false-hope is just not right.

After having said all of that, if anyone thinks I am discouraging anyone from actively being involved in the struggle, they must have missed the whole point. I just wish people would be more humble. Do what they can without fanfare. Stop recreating the wheel again and again. People should look into the dozens of organizations and groups around. I am sure they will find a group that suits their aspirations. If not, they should realize there is something wrong in their objectives. If one disapproves of fragmentation, then one is not supposed to be a cause for more fragmentations.

Auditing : The Abhorred Gemgam 

And of course, my friends would like me to comment on the recent (is three to four weeks recent?) successful EDA congress! Isn't all of the above related to the EDA, I mean to the opposition! It is. Just multiply the above to the power of ten and you get what ails the opposition in general, including EDA.

All organizations are supposed to have a periodical audit of their performance and achievements. If year to year, and to the following year, an organization has achieved nothing, and if it is not likely to improve, then it should just go to the edge of town and commit a silent suicide without any ceremony.

I wish members of the opposition organizations would be more assertive in controlling their reckless and brakeless leadership. The step taken by the grassroots of the organizations in Sweden is welcome; but I wish they would give their leaders ultimatums instead of niceties; they don’t deserve it. They have been wasting all the goodwill that individual activists and the common members of those organizations have garnered. They wasted all the investment in time and emotions irresponsibly. It is time they are restrained.

Like anyone else, I prayed for a better outcome from the Addis Ababa congress, but I think I knew the limitations and expected the outcome. Just look at the member organizations and tell me what you see! The crazy number of organizations with similar programs is proof that what ails the opposition is craving for power and a non-dignified thirst for a non-existing prestige. And you would expect some drastic move from the organizations to offset the failure they caused! It is like trying to squeeze honey from a rock. Maybe in their next meeting after one year or the one after that; they have all the time in the world.  If the EDA was an ambulance, I would'nt want it to be called to carry any patient- the patient would die while the leaders argue on who will drive it. Some don't even have a driving license.

In such a situation, three views are wrestling in my mind: 1) Do we go to the mortuary and read our eulogies and perform "selat aljinaza", and announce the death of the political tribes so that it becomes formal? 2) Do we just deliver our divorce (bittelata) letter and go our separate ways? or  3) do we try to pump a new life into a mummy?

I haven't made up my mind and I wish Am Bekhitay was alive to help me announce it once I do.

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Am Bekhitay as I remember him in his early days.