I am busy these days because it is Beles season. We call the Eritrean tourists from Europe, America, Gulf “beles”, because like the fruit, they show up for three months in this season. We show them around town and they toss us coins. This article will be shorter than usual. If you want to know how separated the people are from their government let me tell you briefly. The People The country is really in a mess from within and from outside. People have become really depressed and gloomy about the situation. There is no hope for the country. Before everything else, the people couldn't bear the economic hardship. In some Mimhdarat, people have spoken openly about their plight and the unjust crime that is being perpetrated by the PFDJ of Mimhdar Godaif. The only way out for the people now is if something will happen as a result of the American pressure. These days there is no good news to hear except bad. From early morning to evening, you get fed up with news with bad omens that you hate meeting people.
The PFDJ The generals are wary and not satisfied by the status quo. Alas there is nothing they can do, because they don't want to sacrifice their neck. PFDJ cadres are now busy snatching villas by ousting civilian residents. This has gone too far to the extent of a small fish being forcibly ousted by a bigger fish from his residence. It is really a nasty game. Everybody's talk is the acquiring of a villa. The lower echelons are of course grumbling about the unjust practice. So far all Ministers and Generals have acquired 500-600 villas for a peanut amount of 400-500 thousand Nakfas [20 – 25 thousand USD.] Most of the Colonels and department heads have followed suit, though how quickly this happens depends on cronyism and nepotism. Let me tell you about Brigadier General Halibay. He is the husband of “Gual Fano” and he, the general, had served a 5 year prison sentence for corruption. Who do you think is in the charge of the Office established for the purpose of villa distribution? It is Brig General Halibay! He is ill-equipped for the purpose and his Office is already infected with corruption. Many a colonel has changed villas two to three times on the pretext that it is not commensurate with his status. The simple reason is because he gets a better villa by ousting others and exchanges it with the former one under the blessing of the office of course. I have to go pick some Beles now, more details soon! - See related article by Lt. Kidane on the hypocritical Diaspora Eritrean:
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