DIA is afraid of no one but the Eritrean people. Because of this, he is penalizing the people for their disloyalty to him.  When he is drunk to the brim, he has been heard saying, “Mszi keda’e hzbi kinire’e’e ina,” [I will teach a lesson to these traitorous people.] This shows that his days are numbered and it is the result of his frustration that he has practically locked everything. If a leader becomes irresponsible to the extent that he drinks until he becomes the laughing stock of everyone, it means he is begging those who can see and hear, “please remove me, why do you let me suffer to this extent?” But the generals (if at all they deserve the name) are following his cue and spend most of their time drinking as a way out for their frustration.

Tell anyone the real facts in Eritrea and ask the solution to it. He will openly tell you that the solution is the removal of the man. If you then ask, “Why does somebody not do it then?” and you will come to a dead end.

I am an eyewitness that Eritrea is loved by everyone as long this does not put him in trouble with the regime. DIA also knows that this is the psychological frame of every one in Eritrea. The worst development in Eritrea now is the chameleon behavior of all dignitaries and government officials. The code of conduct has become “whatever may be your opinion, pretend that you are with the regime.” Everyone knows now that the PFDJ stands for blatant lies, omissions and outright denials. While doing something it tries to tell the public the exact opposite.  The chameleon culture was born in 1993, one of the opportunities lost by PFDJ.

A Fateful Year: 1993

The PFDJ (EPLF) as its name implies claims to be the champion of democracy and justice. Unfortunately, its actions and policies on the ground are the exact opposite. When the secretive party congress was held in 1993 at Valineki near Adi Nefas, most of the now imprisoned leaders stood by their principle of handing over power to the people, DIA opposed them staunchly. People like Petros Solomon and Duru’e reacted by saying, “If we don’t hand power to the people by holding elections EPLF’s credibility will plummet and we will lose the confidence of the Eritrean people.” But DIA would not listen. In such a manner, assisted by so many opportunists and sycophants, he succeeded in outvoting (if at all there had been a vote) the progressive elements and accomplished his goal.

That fateful day was the demise of justice and democracy in Eritrean history. 

In 2001 those same people started a movement for democracy under the acronym of G15. They tried to incarnate the corpse of democracy and justice. Undeniably, they underestimated DIA and committed many errors.  But he prevailed by his usual old tactics of divide and rule. Musa Rab’a and Romodan for example were some of the supporters of the G-15. Ignoring Mussa Rab’a as a small nut to crack, DIA concentrated on Romodan. Romodan had been an ardent supporter of the movement to the extent of giving an interview by claiming that the difference of opinion is a healthy trend in a civilized society. But Romodan retreated from his original stand that the issue should be solved democratically and accepted DIA’s ultimatum: “no middle of the road, it is either them or me.”

DIA’s War On Eritreans

After those fateful years (1993 and 2001) when all who could challenge him were marginalized, DIA increasingly showed his contempt for the people.  DIA and his media are tireless in their crusade against countries they hate for tormenting democrats and denying them a legal court hearing. This is an outright insult to the Eritrean people let alone our submissive intellectuals who are concerned with their personal property in Eritrea. The Eritrean people are suffering under a vulgar leader that cares not an iota for their livelihood by locking all trade and investment, basic commodities, revoking licenses etc. while on the other hand he insults them publicly.

Tell me, anyone, is there a head of state anywhere in the world who would say of his people:  

Sinkulan bxigab teserniqom, [the disabled veterans are spoiled]

nsdra siwu’at ab gegeza’om begi’e kinhardelom aykonan, [we are not going to slaughter sheep in honor of the families of the martyred]

kab qenat adi’om seldi seriqom ziteselefu tegadelti alewu, [some of the combatants used to steal money from their mothers’ purses]

deqikum ab Sawa keybelashewa tiblu zelekum ab Asmera do aykonan kizora zihadra zelewa [why do you parents blame Sawa for the corruption of your children? Aren’t they haven’t all night parties in Asmara?]

To add insult to injury when he was asked why women were needed at Sawa, he retorted by saying, “They can at least be moral boosters for the men, (sexual gratifiers of the generals)” and laughed.  Alas! Our glorious TV and Dimtsi Hafash disseminated all these trash as if they were cardinal speeches by a benevolent leader.  Hooligans and irresponsible people say such things and only in bars and unwanted places.

Let me ask one question to the Eritrean people in general and the Tegadelti [combatants] and those in the Diaspora in particular. Is our national struggle fated to kneel for crackpot dictator forever? Do we not have the determination of starting a grass roots movement like civil disobedience such as: termination of payment of 2%, boycotting PFDJ public meetings and cultural shows etc? Are we to be trampled under his foot forever? After all, governance is not the private property of one person but the collective responsibility of a people, which they practice through their voice.

Issayas is planning to follow the footprints of Malawi’s Kamuzu Banda. He is destroying our economy, our culture, our national heritage and cohesion. When he becomes old and senile like Banda, his case will be closed on the pretext that he will not be able to stand at court due to old age. One day or another we are waiting for that scenario. What is the use if at all he faces is a criminal tribunal and only after he has destroyed everything we cherish?

History Repeating Itself

When you see the prevailing situation in Eritrea, you come close to believing what the late Deghiat Abraha Tessema (son of the late Ra’esi Tessema) said in March 1953 to the then British council head Wardle Smith. In his prophetic speech, Deghiat Abraha Tessema said:

“Tedla Bayru has become a stooge of Haileselassie.  Since there is no freedom of speech and independent mass media, it is impossible for anyone to oppose Tedla or make organized opposition.  The only viable opposition can come from the parliament, but the 68 members are sheep (abaghi’e iyom) and nobody can wait anything tangible from them. As a result Eritrea will slowly be transformed into a province of Ethiopia.  In such a situation, the Eritrean people will understand that they have become vassals and will rise against their lords. This in turn will give way to a civil war and will take some years. The reason for the absence of an uprising now is that the Eritrean people are hopelessly divided on religious and ethnic lines. The Moslems, orthodox, Catholics and protestants will not be united under a unified political program. However, when they come to understand that they are being re-colonised they will unite against Ethiopian oppression.”

Frustrated, Deghiat Abraha said, “the Eritrean people are cowardly (Hizbi Eritra Ferah’yu.)”  

History is now repeating itself. As far as I can tell, the Eritrean people never cared (except a few) about democracy. The people hated the Ethiopians not because of ethnic difference but due to the worsening of the economic situation. If the Ethiopian government had introduced economic revival in Eritrea, they would have supported the status quo (federalism). Their basic priority is their economic survival. Issues like freedom of press, justice, elections etc are vague ideas to the masses. Of course, it does not mean they feel jolly when they witness the obstruction of justice, the illegal detention of peaceful citizens or abuse of power by government officials. Nevertheless, they are not keen on advocating such things openly. These issues are left to the intellectuals, Tegadelti, aghelghilot etc. Nevertheless, if you keep the people under poverty for a long period that they cannot lead a decent life, they will not look for some one to agitate them even if that would be of some help.

The people have become fed up with the opposition, which they consider as opportunists fighting for their partisan power only. In comparison with what the people know about what a well-organized struggle looks, these parties are a bunch of armchair revolutionaries. They do not know the desire and aspiration of the Eritrean people. People are suffering from lack of basic commodities, lack of employment and hyperinflation. They have lost hope on PFDJ, the religious leaders, the Generals, and even their beloved sons and daughters. Eritrea has become a Gestapo camp where people as old as 90 years are afraid to talk their mind and even prelates of any religion have become intimidated of giving sermons on sin and good deed. Some of the priests are even working as intelligence agents of the regime. What worse can happen to this land?     

A Foal from A Mule

In the absence of a parliament, freedom of speech, in a land of a rubber stamp cabinet, meek generals, complacent cadres, and opportunist Diaspora, no one expects a rapid change except by an insurrection. To hope that the prevailing condition will give way for a better future is like waiting for a mule to bear a foal.  The PFDJ will never be re-born anew, it will never reform.  If the prevailing situation does not show any trend of improving for a better future, (which is a pipe dream anyhow), the people will definitely rise in their respective places.

Nothing is worse than the neutralization of a peoples will and determination to fight oppression. Issayas has the loyalty only of a handful of his close associates and his generals, which are accountable themselves and are having a symbiotic life. In spite of this, no one has the courage of saying, “We are hungry! We are suffering!” in a loud voice. When people become intimidated to talk their mind, it means they have practically transformed into zombies.

To make a long story short, the Eritrean people have become an orphan. An orphan is even much better because it may have the care of a benefactor or a relative. The train of thought is moving in such a way. What will happen next only God knows, and those who are alive will witness it.