We never learn.  Every time they announce that Isaias will give an interview or speech, we dare to hope.  The public was waiting with great enthusiasm to hear an interview of the Great Leader. There was a rumor circulating specifically in Asmara that everything will be reversed and things will be normal again. Many people heard that gas oil will not be couponed; trade will be free; construction will start, and even prisoners will be freed. The naïve ones believed the story and waited endlessly for the clock to tick to 8:00 PM. To the dismay of all spectators, The Lion roared in the screen and told all that the status quo will be preserved with even more stringency and steadfastness.

Most but not all may have followed Isaias’s Interview which was in fact a diatribe full of lies, evasions and deviations. The pre-arranged interview was so awkward for the two poor fellows (Solomon Berhe and Asmelash Abraha) that they were trying to make it as natural as possible. The poor creatures did not have the audacity or the mandate to ask him critical questions in black and white.

These are the cheap lies that The Man donated to his beloved people for the New Year:

On the issue of inflation:

The man shamelessly tried to justify the high cost of basic commodities on speculation of some irresponsible elements. He did not utter the word “traders” because he knows that there are no traders or merchants of any caliber in Eritrea.  He has destroyed them all. He also claimed that the government is not interfering in the market. Then who are the microscopic people that are immersing the country’s economy into a landslide of unpredictable magnitude?

Definitely, it is his own multimillion companies like Red Sea Trading Corporation, Dukan Rit’awi [fair shops] and the military contrabandists. The interviewers should have asked The Man the following question: Why did the price of goods soar after the restriction on importation and trade was monopolized by the Red Sea? Cement, oil, wheat flour, sugar were being sold at a reasonable price but when the dukan rit’awi started to sell it to the people, the price increased by 100% and, in some construction items, by 200%?

Certainly they can never ask such a question and the man would never answer but would have deviated to other issues. To my knowledge, Isaias never answers any question directly and prefers to beat around the bush.

As if he never tried to be the champion of the free market nine years back, in this interview he never mentioned the free market. He only claimed that there is always a market, a market is necessary etc. What about the law of demand and supply that he was talking about emotionally? Of course as usual he should make a U-turn and cheat the Eritrean masses. The paradox is, while our unlearned mothers have come of late to know the man’s tricks, while the common people talk back to their TV screens and shout, “what bullshit is the man talking? He can no longer cheat people like that…”, the Intellectuals in the Diaspora have become the Seventh Guard, (Shabuay Wardia.)

On the issue of national development

He tried to claim that the regime has accomplished the distribution of clean water, provided education, and transportation to the masses etc.  What he failed to tell is that when the clinics were established, there were no doctors available.  Eritrea has one of the fewest doctors per capita, even by African standards.  After the roads were smoothed, there was no gasoline.   When the schools were constructed, there were no teachers or books or exercise books. Such is the mahberawi fithi (social justice) of PFDJ.

Isaias boldly said that while someone is drinking clean water another citizen should not suffer from its lack. However, the issue is, as Wedi Ghebru said, “Nghele mai Harimuwo nghele whiski qetinuwo” [Some complain about water, some about the dilution of whiskey.]

While Isaias is having a lavish life in his villa and drinking Chivas Regal and whisky in various dens, the masses do not have a cup of moya Saha or tanika may. [tin cup water.] While people like General Tekle Manjus are hoarding more than ten quintal of Xa’eda Taf in their cellars, the masses cannot get Meshela let alone bread.

These being the hard facts, our beloved leader told us the reverse of the reality. There is something carefully hidden from view.  The provision of clean water, vaccination of cattle, construction of micro dams, and clinics is due to the physical and unpaid labor of Warsai Yika’alo.  The youth are not paid but the regime is handsomely funded by UNDP, Save The Children, Dutch Church and other NGOs that are in fairly good terms with the regime.  Eri-TV is so devious that during news coverage of such projects, it goes to the extent of concealing the picture of some NGO representatives so that people will not give the credit to anybody except the regime.

On the issue of corruption:

After giving a long lecture on the methods of corruption, Isaias claimed that the government cannot tolerate corruption. What about the issue of the gangland type of shootings and counter shootings inside Asmara? Why were people like Wuchu not imprisoned? Is it because they are his henchmen? What about the generals and colonels that are embezzling government funds through the so-called Wefri Warsay Yikealo and various other agricultural projects?

Of course, The Man knows where his bread is buttered and never wants even to touch his corrupt generals. He can only hold them accountable if they ever try to disseminate anti Isaias propaganda. As long as they are his protectors and keep in line, he will never castigate them let alone make them accountable--even if they sell a piece of our sovereign land to a foreign nation.

On the issue of desertion:

This was the most laughable of his answers. He claimed that the UN, NGO’s and other agencies are involved in the matter. If this is so, why doesn’t the government make the Eritrean facilitators accountable? The colonels have become changed into facilitators of a clandestine, albeit lucrative, business. They are the Western Union of Eritrea, except they transfer people, not money, for a fee.  

The issue of unpaid salary of the warsay conscripts, the endless hunger and the alienation of the youngsters from their loved ones is not an issue to Isaias. It can never be an issue to Isaias and his cronies because they do not have their own children in Wia or Gahtelay.  

On Ethiopia:

The man has been claiming that the clock is ticking for the Woyanes and it is the 59th second of the 12th hour since 2005.  For most of the year, he said war with Ethiopia is inevitable and in November he had us all worried that Ethiopia was going to start war any minute.  Now he is talking about the Federal Government of Ethiopia and how the border issue is closed!  Not because the issue is closed, but he has run out of options and he cannot do anything without endangering his stranglehold on Eritrea.  So the issue is closed!

I also wish the Woyane be destroyed and a just system prevails in Ethiopia, but my wish also pertains to the Isaias regime.

PS: The thing the PFDJ hates the most is the truth, and Awate is disseminating the truth. Therefore, it is a must for them to attack awate (kulu negher anxar awate kikewin ghidinetyu.)  Keep the flame of truth burning until it burns the malicious tentacles of PFDJ.