Category: saay on:

Of all the “What If” books, my favorite is “The Man in the High Castle” by Philip K Dick.  It explores an alternate world (actually, an alternate America) where the Axis Powers (Germany and Japan) had won World War II.  People who live in this terrible world are looking for a book “The Grasshopper Lies…

Resist.  Strive.  Purge. According to the Ethiopian ruling party’s self-assessment, since it came to power Seven (7) Years Ago, it has brought about tangible changes on Three (3) National Agendas, despite the fact that, over the Last Two (2) Years, Ethiopia’s Historic Enemies and their Quislings (Egypt, Eritrea) were not happy by its decisive military…

It’s clear now, even to the staunchest supporters of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, those who secretly exercise their freedom to think, that he exercised very poor judgement about Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. 1. In 2008, he, on camera, (a) deputized Abiy Ahmed Ali to “lead us”, (b) told the world Eritrea and Ethiopia are…

1. Since Eritreans gained political consciousness in the 1940s and agitated for independence, their argument for sovereignty has always been centered on contracts: Ethiopia entered into a treaty with authorities (Italians) that created the polity known as Eritrea, forfeiting it, and it should honor it. Pacta sunt servanda. 2. In contrast, Ethiopia has argued that…

Writing for Horn Review, an Ethiopian thinktank, Ambassador Dina Mufti proposes a solution to the Eritrea-Ethiopia “conundrum” in the form of a “supranational union” modeled on the European Union, with four pillars: economic integration (e.g., customs union, Ethiopia’s access to Assab), a political council for dialogue, security and defense cooperation, and cultural-social ties.   Before we…

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed woke up one lazy Fall in 2023 and remembered that it’s time he spoke up about the tragedy of Ethiopia’s land-locked-ness and started pining for Ethiopia’s Sea. Among other things, Abiy Ahmed referred favorably (ዊዝደም ነው) to  the claims of one 19th century General Alula Aba Nega* who apparently said the…

“The feat that confirmed the nearly 50-year journey to secure national independence is the Eritrean people’s firm faith in their just rights, their dedication, their courage, their sacrifice, their perseverance, their resilience, the unity of their ranks, and their unbreakable spirit and moral values—these are the honors of the pledge. The pledge is nation-building. Nation-building…

The interviewer had all the time — 5 hours, so far (this is Part IV)— to ask all the questions.  And while her cadence suggested that each question was her last one (a fine trick), she had so many questions. Heavens, no, she didn’t have 5 hours worth of questions but Abiy likes to share…

Eritrea and Ethiopia have gone to war twice now.   One, the War for Independence (1961-1991), took 30 years.  The other, the War for Border Demarcation (1998-2000) lasted two years.  During the No Peace No War era (2000-18), it’s safe to assume there were bombing raids and clashes here and there that were not fully disclosed. …

Buckle up. This will be a long post. Before I get there: Radio Erena is the closest thing we have (imo) to the inheritors of Eritrea’s disappeared journalists. It’s not another YouTube channel: it’s staffed by actual professional journalists. It is reporting (hosting documentary) on the next PFDJ Congress where the president-in-training, Abraham Isaias Afwerki,…

Notwithstanding the deliberate efforts by Eritrean state media to hide them and their contributions from the Eritrean public, there are 11 UN agencies in Eritrea.  Some of them issue annual reports on Eritrea which are, for the most part, given to them by the Government of Eritrea.  UN agencies can consolidate reports given by the…