Once again, tension between Asmara University students and the government is approaching a breaking point.  AU students have been ordered to report to the Ministry of Defense to register for orientation to participate in the so-called "Warsay-Yeka'alo Initiative."

***image2:left***  The orientation is scheduled for November 1st.  Of the 2000 AU students, only 300 have volunteered, with the rest defying the project and condemning it as a "slavery" project. 

The government has ordered Mr. Shengeb, the chairman of National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students (NUEYS)--the ruling party's youth franchise--to prevail on the students to voluntarily register.

Procurement Circular

Meanwhile, the Eritrean government has issued a procurement circular to all ministries and parastatals instructing them to deal exclusively with Red Sea Corporation--the ruling party's economic powerhouse--when buying supplies and equipment.  Reports reaching us from Asmara indicates that this new policy is "unworkable" and "deemed to fail" with many waiting for the inevitable reversal of this "absurd" policy.