Every generation tries to convince itself�and the younger generation, that it is not interested in its own but the future generation�heard that, said that, a lot. Promise to selflessly do things for the sake of future generation. This bluff has lost all credibility. The claim is a bad lie, a deceiving tradition to the extent that it has become a reflex action that people say without actually meaning it. The burden of any generation seems to be the obsession to do things for the sake of the next generation. How noble! Where did that get us, or, where did it take the would be taken-care-of generation? Obviously, somewhere and nowhere as anyone can attest.

There is no yardstick whereby one can measure if the previous generation has really accomplished its objectives-- that objective of doing things for the future generation. Yet, future-generations are already present-generation and we seem to have missed that. Yet, past sacrifices didn�t release present generations off the hook of misery� and that same hook is still mercilessly holding on to the �future-generation� of today, the toddlers. Devastation, sufferings and disaster have become the rule and not the exception.

Betrayal or loyalty to the trust? So much cost paid in sweat and blood for freedom, yet, freedom is held hostage. Freedom lives in dungeons because, as the guardians tell us- and we better believe them- is risky to humanity. People might think they are old enough, yet they are not mature enough to handle freedom.

What if we become a bit creative and, just for one generation, tried another approach to life and betterment of our country? Wouldn�t it be more productive if a generation worked for its own betterment and left the next generation alone to attend to its fate? What worse could happen?

Our self-appointed guardians chose the military culture to assure the wellbeing of the future generations. Warsay of the seventies and eighties followed Yekaalo of the forties, fifties and sixties. Now, funnily, I heard they have introduced the new brand of warriors, Arkebe, the generation born in the late eighties. Obviously, it is time to search a brand name for the generation born in the nineties, that seems to be our fate. They might be asked to march to the Sudan to say �Happy New Year.�

The Western border is boiling--they say. John Garang is poised against the �Arab Sudan�. By the way, why is a country off-limits to its own citizens and a desert carpet for Garang? Why is the Eritrean government busy reconciling the Sudanese when it is not reconciled with its own people? Interruptions and more interruptions, keep busy do nothing.

Garang and his people do not feel part of the Sudan and they should be left alone to determine their future and even to secede from �Sudan proper� if they wish to. No bloodshed is necessary to keep a people in unity against their will� for God�s sake, even cattle would refuse to be herded if they didn�t wish to smell the pasture across the hill.

In the case of �daughter� Eritrea, as �Mother� Ethiopia later discovered, no land can be incorporated into a bigger landmass without the consent of its rightful owners, even if you were an imposed foster parent, I mean foster country. Motherhood and Mother India aside, every Eritrean knows of the two Sudans, which are glued by cheap Flea Market glue: the Sudan close to Kenya and Uganda and the Sudan close to Eritrea.

We are extremely grateful for the generous Sudanese people for the past and the present and in advance, for the future. But there is a song, playing loudly, and that we do not like: it is no business of Eritrea meddling in Sudanese affairs simply because at this moment, the Eritrean government is not qualified to act as a peace broker. Maybe IGAD can, but what is IGAD? Happy Name change IGAD--Inter-Governmental Agency for Destruction.

On his last visit to the Sudan, president Isaias might have angered the only two governments left on his side, Egypt and Libya. He is reported to have characterized the Libyan-Egyptian peace initiative for the Sudan as a �worthless paper talk good for the newspapers only�. Now, that implies that his solution, and IGAD�s is the only viable solution for the Sudan. It further implies that Eritrea holds the solution cards to the Sudanese crisis. If they refuse, we could impose economic sanctions and dry them hungry, Superpower huh! But no problem there, because even an Arab from the Desert might try to teach an Eskimo the art of living under ice. Possible, but corny and funny too. Happy Birthday Eskimos and Sudanese�and the nations in between.

The G-13�s (give or take one or two) visit was used to advance the �democratic nature� of the Eritrean government. The Sudanese media was boastfully told that even those who criticize the government are safe and enter Eritrea without fear of being apprehended. Yes, those with �unbecoming behaviors� are tolerated in Eritrea, the democratic Eritrea. Really? Of course, very democratic indeed and if someone does not like this statement, �they can drink as much salty sea water as they can� as the Egyptians would say. Happy New Year to Egypt and to all salty waters of the world�we might need it! We sure might need it and if you doubt that, read the following story�

In the seventies, due to continuous harassment and unlivable security situation, a person fled Tessenei for Kessela in the Sudan. He established himself by building modest huts and calling them home. In 1993, (before I forget, please repeat with me �long live the UNHCR�), he was repatriated to Eritrea as a returning refugee. He arrived in Tessenei and rebuilt his modest home which he left over a decade ago and settled dawn. In May of 2000, his house was shelled and razed to the ground. He fled for dear life to the Sudan again and rebuilt his huts that he left behind about seven years ago. Last month, the Army of John Garang occupied Kessela for a day and half in which it was able to burn the huts of the poor unfortunate man. He was squeezed between the two countries. He is expecting advice on what to do from anyone who can afford one. His address follows later. I wrote advising him to establish a fence right on the borderline between Sudan and Eritrea over Baratollo�s plantation canal and declare a sovereign state for himself. Running between the two countries every now and then is surely not going to help him. Certainly, it is not happy New Year for this man and people like him, join the crowd. Again, as the Egyptians would say, we closed the door and threw the keys into the sea. Happy New Seclusion Year to You and Welcome to Eritrea UNMEE.

Th UN forces, UNMEE -- un-me, a corny identification name-- are in the middle of an AIDS scare. As reports indicate, they do not play with time. Therefore, they have not wasted precious time being acquainted to the dens of prostitution in Eritrea. But that reminds us of something, just been wondering: do prostitutes pay the 2% tax? They should, in fact in Dollars. However, there is a snug, how would one know the income of someone who works in such a profession? But nah, I believe the giant parastatal, the Red Sea Corporation, driven by its business ingenuity, would find ways to account for and audit the income. A meter is not a bad idea. Maybe a human meter in each and very door of a den or a cheap hotel� counting. Then some expert on demographics might volunteer and tell us the male/female ratio of our population and why the balance might have tilted� or not tilted for that matter. Now we have �Tor Serawit� of a different kind�thanks for the cause of their invitation. Happy New Year to UNMEE.

Once they are done with the Eritrean-Ethiopian border, the way things are boiling, I am afraid they would be asked to patrol the Eritrea-Sudan border. Who knows, they might stay for decades as they are doing in Cyprus, South Lebanon, Golan Heights, Angola, Bosnia, the Sahara of Polisario and many other places where the Blue Helmets came for a brief mission and are staying indefinitely. �Hababom Ashera� as the Sudanese say, but still, paranoia is every where and it is contagious. Somalia was worse after the UN forces landed and left, than it was before they arrived. The UNMEE would become indispensable, could create a vacuum or get involved in internal affairs. Our hope is to get over with the demarcation and they get the hell out of Eritrea. But to do that, Meles and Isaias need to sign the agreement and an offer I put over two years ago, for a tablecloth for an old table on which they would sign an agreement, is still standing. Surprise, surprise�

Anthony Lake�s Algiers 2000, will be Hermann Cohen�s London, 1991. The Isaias Melles duo, hopefully, will sign an agreement this December 12. That is supposed to be good news, but why is it depressing news at the same time? Don�t we want peace? Yes we do eventhough the meeting is two and half years over due. It is also tens of thousands of lives late. �Why� is the question with no answer that must be answered soon enough. Talk about fourth invasion and fifth invasion is just for the local consumption, sort of tactical �leave us alone� boring line. Now, we deserve answers, responsibilities and the like. We have to see chairs rolling. This time the people should move the chairs and not a tight clique of insiders making and breaking chairs in a manipulative strategy. The CHAIRS SHOULD ROLL. Those who stupidly watched the country go Bazooka should repent. Those who were responsible for the calamities and the blood letting must go. Then we would say to each other � Happy New Year�� and watch out for the New Year.