Whenever the issue of religious rights arises, Yemane Ghebremeskel [Director of the Office of The President], who has so many posts, claims that the new religions such as Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witness and other protestant denominations in the country are destroying the nation’s social fabric. This is a very preposterous claim considering that it is the PFDJ [the ruling (and sole) party] that is guilty of the crimes that it accuses others. Simply put, the PFDJ is destroying the Eritrean social fabric.
This is not new: since its inception, the PFDJ has been doing everything at its disposal to destroy the society’s social values and traditions in every way possible. The PFDJ is destroying the Eritrean social fabric by assaulting God; placing party loyalty over everything else; attacking the Eritrean character; attacking industriousness; attacking its unity; attacking its values of democracy and justice. Let us now look at an example of each one: 1. Attack on God
The strongest glue in Eritrea’s social fabric is the people’s belief in God. This dates back to the 3rd and 7th century for the overwhelming Christian and Moslem population. Starting back from field life in Sahel, the EPLF [previous name of PFDJ] used to inculcate into the mind of the fighters that there is no God. Fighters were told that everything pertaining to religion or God was simply rubbish or feudal. By establishing the famous cadre school originally at Menteble and then at different localities such as Nakfa temporarily and later at Arag, it converted thousands of loyal fighters into hard core atheists. Eritreans had a great deal of respect for their religious leaders who exemplified virtue and showed that there is no higher authority than God. The PFDJ assaulted this by corrupting those it could, thereby ensuring their loss of respect, and removing those who were incorruptible, thereby ensuring that they are in no position to lead. Now religious leaders only speak when they are calling for the implementation of the Border ruling or when they telling their flock that aghelghilot [national service] is a national duty. What the PFDJ has replaced the authority of the religious leaders is with that of vague collection of words like steadfastness, unity, and endurance which are supposedly exemplified by the Great Helmsman, Isayas Afeworki. 2. Elevating Party Loyalty Over All Else Another Eritrean social fabric is respect for intelligent folks and elevating those who can serve the people. Dating back to the EPLF, the criteria for joining the cadre school was not the fighters' academic level or the IQ of the individual or the respect they enjoyed from their peers, but the fighter’s political loyalty. Anyone who seems to be more intelligent than his squad chief or section head and is at the same time independent minded will never go to that school. Anyone who was groomed to join the cadre school will come back a changed man in the sense that he considers himself as a high priest and will look down upon the rank and file, even his closest associates as Roman plebeians. Moreover, the cadre will change his technique of speech, and begin to utter the phrases and slang used by the veteran cadres. The worst thing is, even those of peasant origin tried to harangue the rank and file with Darwin’s theory of evolution. I remember a devoted Moslem friend, a learned fellow, used to fast and pray during the month of Ramadan. He was considered to be a sort of misfit and was immediately sent to Menteble and came back after he was forcibly fed with Dialectical materialism. Menteble was a sort of an Intensive Care Unity (ICU) where people who didn't even know the rudiments of arithmetic and A-B-C-D became transformed within two months into ardent Marxist ideologues. Graduates of this ICU include General Wuchu, General Tecle Manjus, and General Wedi Liqe. 3. Attack On the Eritrean Character One of the strongest glues in Eritreans (or any society’s) social fabric is valuing truth for its own sake. The Eritrean character of thoughtfulness, modesty, civility, truthfulness are directly assaulted. The PFDJ is loud, rude, crude and brags with and without cause. Let me continue with my story of my Moslem friend. After he came back from Menteble, he confided to me that he was still a true Moslem. But, he said, “for political reasons I am acting as if I have abandoned Islam and became transformed into a true Atheist.” Hence, we can surmise that the EPLF (the so called vanguard of the Eritrean masses) starting from their days in the field, started to destroy truthfulness and substituted it with hypocrisy which is unnatural to Eritrean social and cultural fabric, but a required ingridient for success in the PFDJ. As a result of endless proclamations that pop up like a mushroom every morning, people have learned that there is no reward for righteousness. People use various intricate ways to bypass the unjust laws, thanks to corrupt government officials. Asmara is now full of Agheghilot [national service] participants who have the money to pay for staying in Asmara. The poor fellows from poor families and from the countryside bear the brunt of the ghiffa [round ups] or they flee by crossing the border. 4. Attack On Industriousness Eritreans value hard work and they do not begrudge those who get rewarded for their hard work. This was also part of the social fabric, because you could not have a working community if all who work hard and earn money were attacked by the envious and the slackers. After it destroyed the Eritrean merchants by encouraging the masses to harbor class envy, the PFDJ has passed laws that protect its power grip while undermining this work ethic. Because it is in the interest of the PFDJ to have zero unemployment, it has created job titles even if there are no jobs. To those in aghelghilot, this means back- breaking work sunrise to sunset with little pay, unsafe work conditions, and no unions. But to the government functionaries in offices, it has meant turning them in paupers. They sign-in in the morning and come back to sign at 11:30. There is no dignity of labor or integrity? The industriousness the Eritreans are known for is no longer voluntary but by threat of punishment. 5. Attack On Democracy A society cannot exists unless those governed have respect for the system that put in place those who govern them. Even when you may not like those who govern you, if you have respect for the system, it is possible to have a cohesive society. This is after all the definition of democracy, respect for the system of ruling. The PFDJ continues to mystify democracy and preaches that it is an European import, unnatural to Eritrea. But democracy is organic to Eritrea. Traditionally, the Eritrean highland society were usually administered by their local councils and in the lowlands by their village elders and Nabtabs. When the Italians colonizers arrived, they were amazed at the code of laws (Hghi Endaba) that helped the people govern themselves. It was therefore easier for them to let the society administer its local issues at the village or wereda level. For the Europeans, it was unheard to have such sophistical level of local laws, some of them documented (Hghi Adghina, Tegheleba, Adkeme milga'e etc ) in any African nation. The EPLF was instrumental in destroying some of these laws pertaining to women. The sad thing is the exemplary ones were also neglected and thrown to the dust bin. The village council (Bayto Adi) was destroyed and substituted by government appointed committees. Of course there is a rubber stamp Mimihdar Adi that is answerable to the Amehadari woreda. Gone are the good old days when village issues were solved amicably at the village level. Now, everything should be reported to the police or the security section of the PFDJ at the village level. 6. Attack On Eritrean Unity The Eritrean Social Fabric existed because of respect. Respect across regional and religious lines. But the PFDJ is creating a wedge between brothers and compatriots by defaming one region against another favored region. This has become an open secret that everybody including the favored ones are opposing this trend vehemently. According to people close to the Great Helmsman, he himself is cultivating (when drunk of course) such rubbish ideas by uttering undesirable words. Men like General Wuchu openly and loudly aggrandize their region and degrade other regions in public places. Thanks to those who heard him say such nasty words, they despise him and give him a deaf ear. This is tantamount to treason. But as long as Wuchu is loyal to Isaias he will never be accountable. Believe it or not, I heard from two sources that the dictator has said, “As long as I am in power never mind, but after I pass away I don’t care if Eritrea becomes turned into a Somalia. Miszi Keda’e Hizbi kinire’a'e ina!” Such is the thinking of a psychotic man that he actually thinks that it is the Eritrean people who have betrayed him, instead of the truth, which is that it is Isaias who has betrayed us! 6. Attack On Justice The Tigrigna saying that goes, “Zereba klite keysema’eka aytifred” [don’t pass judgment without listening to both sides of the story] shows how much Eritrean society is sensitive to justice. Eritreans social fabric could not have existed without reverence to justice. Unfortunately, the PFDJ always on its guard to obliterate justice wherever it pops. In her usual empty rhetoric, Fouzia Hashim [the Minister of Justice] always tries to embellish the fruitfulness of the communal courts (Comawi Bet Frdi) which are run by PFDJ cadres. There is also the Fluy Biet Firdi [Special Court ] which runs contrary to Eritrean social culture since it never allows the victim to have an advocate or to appeal against an unjust verdict. The three judges (usually generals) give their verdict by saying, “Beti zimeslenan beti zitered’anan Meseret, ghebenegna koynka sle zterekebka Aserte, Hamushte, Seleste Amet teferidka aleka.” [Based on our perception and our understanding, you have been found guilty so you are sentenced to fifteen, three years.] Does this not run contrary to the Eritrean Social fabric? There are countless episodes of such cases where the victim suffers gross injustice. As usual, the Fluy Biet Firdi was established by presidential decree and runs contrary to, “Fred nnebsika, Bla’e nikersika” [Judge others as if you are judging yourself; feed others as you would feed yourself.] Would the PFDJ generals like to be judged the way they are judging others? Conclusion It is convenient for the PFDJ to always find a scapegoat for the masses, it was the “Jihadists” in the 1990s and now it is the “Pentes.” If the PFDJ want to know who is destroying Eritrea’s social fabric, they need to buy a mirror. It is clear that the Great Helmsman is clinging to power thanks to the support of a few individuals. And if he is to stay in power, he never cares not only about the social fabric but if Eritrea is totally destroyed. People are now so much preoccupied with the possibility if the Americans will be able to dethrone him. Anyone you meet in Asmara now asks: “Is there any news from the American side? When do you think they will remove him from power? Can he be removed through sanctions only or are they going to use military power? Nezi rigum Fitret kirekbu kiblu yilkimunaqwa etc [while trying to get to this cursed creature, maybe they will get to us.]” |
