Eritrea This Week – 20160523

At Eritrean independence silver jubilee, after telling Eritreans that everything that is right with Eritrea is credited to his government and everything that is wrong can be blamed on the United States, the 70-year old President Isaias Afwerki told his audience: “may we meet for our golden anniversary.”  This is consistent with wikileaks report which indicated that, in 2008, he fully expects to live another 40 to 50 years (and to be in power) well through his 100s:

Writing at awate.com, Abdulrazig Kerar defines the Eritrean catalyst for democratic change: “To fully awaken these forces and ultimately bring about change, however, the forces of change in the Diaspora, which enjoys the luxury of free speech, freedom of association and advocacy, must play their catalyst role effectively; unfortunately, these forces are far from ready to assume the role. Thus, bringing about a smooth change and transition that ultimately leads to a peaceful and democratic Eritrea is currently a mere mirage.” –  Full article at awate.com

Writing for IRIN News, @klsiegfried reports that “authorities in Sudan have launched a crackdown on Eritrean migrants – arresting those living in the capital, Khartoum, and intercepting hundreds travelling north through the country towards Libya, the launching point for smugglers’ boats heading for Europe.”  Full report

In Megareh, a Keren neighborhood, the Government of Isaias Afwerki evicted Eritreans, including disabled combatants, reports Assenna.com, an Eritrean website (report in Tigrinya)

Meanwhile, Girma Asmerom (who is now “Presidential Envoy”) waxes poetic about human rights at the “World Humanitarian Summit”, whose second core value is “leave no one behind”: that is, don’t disown you people:

Helen Gebreamlak, a former nurse at one of #Eritrea’s many prisons, leaves the country and gives her horrific testimony to Radio Wegahta (interview in Tigrinya)

Finally, to complete the circle, in a four-part interview, a former guard at the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF, the precursor to Eritrea’s ruling party), assigned to the “Revolutionary Guard” and now using the pen name “Foro”, describes himself as a former “Isaias Mule” and discloses barbaric violence that was meted out to Eritreans in the 1970s and 1980s.  Testimony (in Tigrinya) given at Smer Room at Paltalk on May 24, Eritrea’s Independence Day: