Imagine the United States and the rest of the western world opening their doors to uncontrolled immigration! Imagine the congress passing a law that would admit any applying country to the union of states. You got it; not a single country, save few prosperous ones in the rest of the world, would be left �and the whole world would become the United States America� meaning the united states of the world. But our country might be an exception because I heard we are becoming prosperous. Last week, The Financial Times reported that our fiduciary deposits in the Banks of Switzerland are growing. If what was reported is true, I am glad they are hiding it in Switzerland� away from the evil eye.

When their governments oppress citizens of any cursed country, they flee to America. Countries go hungry, the hotline to America becomes hotter: please mama America, help! Long Live America and its enviable Democracy! But was America fair to the world? Though the reply to that question could be considered a relative judgment, many times it hasn�t. Still, all the �wronged� people of the world look up to America. Then we have Mountains and Hills advising us how to confront America! I say, fly on the wings of Angles, or, Yeftah Allah!

As our neighbor on the left corner, Mr. Saleh Younis, tells us, few days ago, a group of seventeen Iranians went on trail. The Iranian Attorney General is requesting the death penalty. Their crime is �Daring To Criticize� the system of Mullas that rules over Iran. Professionally speaking, the accused are a representation of the Iranian intelligentsia. In April of this year, they met in Berlin, in the same Hotel where the Eritrean G-13 met. They came out with similar misgivings about their government. They returned to Iran only to be thrown in jail. Too bad they are in jail and facing the death penalty. But hey, the Mullas have mellowed dawn quite a lot; few years ago, they would have hanged them on Lampposts in a quickie trial.

Why Berlin? The reply would be in a question format: Why not Berlin? Anywhere is everywhere is somewhere. Somewhere is good. Believe me, somewhere is better than nowhere is. Berlin of Heinrich Boel, the German NGO that funded the two meetings. Well, a disturbed cry went out from some Eritrean corners, CIA! Paranoia-- and we have it in abundance. Easy for the lazy mind. Yell CIA and you don�t have to think anymore� easy for the lazy brain.

NGOs are created to do such things. Ironically, they are harshly criticized. Yet, we should be the to criticize them. Can anyone try to remember if he ever was a beneficiary of any NGO funding? Easy, almost all refugees of yesteryears benefited from NGOs. NGOs paid for tickets from the lands of refugeeism to the West. Caritas and the famous kitchen in Rome�how many dinned in that generous feeding hall? The Red Cross and several others have paid for the settlements of many refugees in another country someway or the other.

Then there is the Carter Center that apparently funded the EPLF-Derg meetings. I am just wondering-- if not the Carter center, who could have funded those meetings. The Airfare and accommodation of the delegates, the conference costs, etc. Who could have funded the cost of the chain of meetings that started in Nairobi, passed through Atlanta and ended up in London in 1991?

Why do they do it? Why do NGOs spend so much money on us? Again, the lazy mind would abruptly reply: �they have selfish interests�. Yes they might have �selfish� interests; but we need to remember that when we go hungry because of the wars that we create ourselves, we run to the West begging them to feed us. When we fight against each other, we call on the West to help us extinguish the fire that we ignited ourselves. Yes, they do have interest, but considering it totally selfish, is selfish in itself.

Some NGOs predict disaster and try to contain it. They foresee instability and try to redirect it. They protect their interest for they don�t want to be called upon to help when it is too late. They organize meetings and help those who wish to organize meetings. Most of the time, precaution is what they practice. Sounds naive? Maybe, but it could also be the other side of the story. Now, who in his right mind would insist that only one side of the story is true? Long live the NGOs and the system that allows NGOs to flourish.

Where NGOs flourish, civil society is healthily flourishing. Civil societies speak the language of the people. Had there been a civil society, we wouldn�t be begging a foe to reconcile while he arrogantly ignores calls for reconciliation. You don�t exist. Really?

I thought that the denial was just a trend and a passing fad. Like many others, I hoped that the denials would vanish with time. No, wrong prediction. The trend overstayed Michael Jackson and continues to be the number one political hit for twenty years in a row. A renewable beat of an old tune, �you don�t exist� is the name of the song� won�t you dance?

In a barbershop, parents decide on the style of hair cut for a six-year-old kid. Try that with your adult siblings! A whole nation is being treated like six-year-olds; only that the people are paying for their haircut and the haircut of the self-imposed parent. The challenge facing the nation is to end the arrangement where few self-appointed group rules as guardians while the majority are regarded as serfs. This arrangement is hindering reconciliation and national unity. If it is considered a trophy, then Eritrea is the prize of all and not for a select few.

Then comes angry characters who do not like what they read. Welcome to the club, others do not like what they read everywhere also. Anger is evident in a child who tries to show his anger by impersonating a certain writer. Sometimes maturity is late in arriving; and the gullible continues to think that everyone else is gullible. Amateurish imposters might try faking identities. For example, IP# 205.188.195.59

Someone branded Gedab as a Tabloid. Remember Pulitzer Prize? It was named after Pulitzer, an early journalist who owned a Tabloid. So Tabloid is not bad as they try to make it sound. They complain: unsubstantiated news where the sources are not disclosed! It is funny that some have the nerve to ask of the source; how strange! Why would one reveal his sources? For example, if I report of a cousin or a nephew who left behind a family and is in jail without trial for years, how would I substantiate that? If Haddas Ertra is the yardstick, then, we all fail miserably in the strange litmus test. But hey, with the scary Press Law that we have, it is difficult�.have any of you thought of guarantees? I encourage you to read the Fit-for-Halloween-scare Press Law and think about it enough. Until then, Gedab will stay Gedab and no one is shoving news dawn any body�s throat. The deal is �Take It Or Leave It�.

Since it is was announced that this is the season for celebrating our crazy people, I had the urge to write about qeshi qoray in detail, but I am afraid I am nearing the finish line. But briefly, I will only mention that qeshi qoray used to study his targets and selectively throw stones at them for no reason. His victims were never offended, scared or mad; in fact, they revere qeshi qoray for offering them a real entertainment. These days, since many nerves are on the loose, a little entertainment is good for the health of aggravated people; �The Surgeon General has not warned� likewise.

the awate team