Eritrea
Part 2 of 2: 2018: A Year of Dazzling Reforms & Stifling Standstill
For Part 1, items 1-65 of this 2018 retrospective, please refer here: 66. Gender Equality, Ethiopian Edition, BAA (Before Abiy Ahmed): Before PM Abiy rammed-through his gender-equality reform in Ethiopia over the heads of the stodgy EPRDF, Ethiopian economists (all 5 men) met with Chinese economists (4 women, 1 man.) 67: Eritrea’s Endorsement of Russian…
2018: A Year of Dazzling Reforms & Stifling Standstill
In other words, this is a retrospective of the Horn of Africa. Mostly. Very subjective of course: 130 things. Warning: it is so long (you are welcome), it had to be divided into two halves: 1-65 and 66-130. By the time you are done reading both halves, we will need a new one for 2019. When we started the…
SBS ትግርንያ ፡ ቃለ መሕትት ምስ ሳልሕ ዩኑስ
This is a transcription of the interview of Saleh Younis conducted by SBS Radio Tigrinya on December 16. Many thanks to Eritrea Digest super fan who listened to and transcribed the interview which suffered from bad audio, which is entirely the fault of the interviewee. Thanks as well to interviewer Beyene Semere. በየነ: ሰማዕትና ሰማዕቲ…
The Untold Story of 25th and 26th Round – Sawa (Part 1)
This is a translation of a narration in Tigrinya which was made by one of the members of the 26th Round. All errors in translation are that of ED Editor. Special thanks to ED friend AZ for bringing this story to my attention. When you read this story, remember it is that of 17-18 year…
The Untold Story of 25th and 26th Round – Sawa (Part 2)
This is Part 2 of a translation of a narration in Tigrinya which was made by one of the members of the 26th Round. All errors in translation are that of ED Editor. Sawa recruits are 17-18 years old Eritrean kids: keep that in mind as you read this report. Then maybe you will understand…
An Ethiopian in Eritrea: An Ode To Asmarinos
The author, an Ethiopian, is a very good friend. Has been one for a dozen years. And by “friend” of course I mean social media friend, not the kind you call to help you carry furniture when you are moving. So, here’s his report about Eritrea which he compiled after going to the usual places. …
Eritrea Sanctions: When Belligerence Is Confused For Resilience
The Eritrean government (which is to say: President Isaias Afwerki) is terrible at many things but it is great at weaving a narrative. Thus, to this day, many people, including many who consider themselves well-read, would say that the reason the UN imposed resolution 1907 on Eritrea in 2009 is because (a) it was fed…
Eritrea: Waiting for Bolokh
July 2012. It had been 15 years since the Eritrean government suspended the people’s constitution; 12 years since the end of the war with Ethiopia; 11 years since its enforced disappearance policy extended to high-powered government officials (G-15); 10 years since the National Service was converted to indefinite conscription under the PR phrase of “Warsay…
Despite the Rogue States, HRC Is Still A Good Thing
The government of Eritrea, which was elected to the Human Rights Council (HRC) by default and in contradiction to the UN’s minimum requirements for a country to join the HRC, has issued an editorial expressing its pleasure and gratitude for being allowed to join this club with no standards. The government further describes its dismal…
Thank You, Ethiopians
1. Abiy Ahmed Schools Isaias Afwerki “…[President} Isaias [Afwerki], when visiting Gomu Gofa zone and its comforts…. mango groves, guava fruit…said the area has a lot of resources… but there is one resource he forgot. Lest he repeat it again or forgets…more than its comforts, more than the mangoes, more than the guava fruits, we…
What Eritreans Can Teach Ethiopians About Mutinies
It may feel longer but Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been Ethiopia’s head of government for only six months. And six months into his premiereship, he had hundreds of soldiers, armed, heading to his office, with a list of demands. Here’s how his government dealt with it and, because this is a website that focuses…
Isaias Afwerki Self-Interview: What Badme?
4 questions, 80 minutes. So, nothing has changed. 1:20 ratio. Stylistically. Actually, substance-wise, everything changed: we have Isaiaism Sofware Upgrade: 2018 edition. Those who gave up on the guy won’t even raise an eyebrow. But those of you who have been sledgehammering us with Badme might want to pay attention. You don’t want to be…