Near Future

“We will initiate our regular program in the near future” is the promise of the Eritrean opposition satellite broadcast. The problem is that the opposition has been making this promise for almost two months and the ruling party in Eritrea, the PFDJ, which had been so anxious about the broadcast that it had been searching for ways to jam it, is now finding that its worries were pre-mature.

“If it is lacking in content,” writes an Asmara resident, “all it had to do is announce its e-mail address and it will be overwhelmed with information about what is happening in Eritrea.  This is how the Ministry of Information gets all its information from its Ears.”

Feast or Famine

The spokespersons of the Eritrean government take turns announcing Eritrea’s dire straits and the need for patience and resolve or Eritrea’s near achievement of food security and, perhaps in the near future, its ability to export food items.  At the last tripartite meeting held in Dbarwa, President Isaias Afwerki was in a pessimistic mood: the rains will be meager this year, he announced, and the people should be frugal.

The cost of living, particularly in urban areas, is now increasingly beyond the reach of most people. One of the most shocking developments in urban areas has been that begging is now widespread and coming from quarters one would least expect.    Faced with arbitrary rules, unfair competition from the ruling party’s businesses, and no hard currency, many of Eritrea’s businesses have relocated to Sudan, Kenya, Uganda and nations beyond.

Sightings, Hearings, Movements 

• Six Eritrean athletes who went to Scotland did not return to Eritrea and they have presumably asked for asylum;

• Five Eritrean players for Altahrir who went to Kenya several months ago did not return.  They, too, asked for asylum;

• Mesfun Tesfagiorgis (“Maebel”), an Eritrean singer, songwriter and actor is in Sweden.  Maebel is the husband of musician Remdet;

• “Wedi Trota,” Managing Director of “Hidri Fair Shops,” who also worked in the Ministry of National Development has been sighted in Canada.

• Engineer Eritros Abraham, formerly from the Office of President, was promoted to Director General of Infrastructure of Central Zone;  

• Yousef  Sayq has been transferred from Massawa ( Northern Red Sea) to Central Zone,

• Rezene Adonay assigned to Gash Barka replacing Ukud Ahmed Ukud,

• Berhane Tawla former officer of Southern region (frozen)

• Tesfaalem Ex-Southern Red Sea PFDJ (frozen)

• Abrehet Tesfamariam, PFDJ Central Zone (frozen)