From: Ben Geb (asmara1020@yahoo.com)
Date: Tue Dec 22 2009 - 12:27:04 EST
A classic Treason!
Nowadays people continue to migrate from any part of the world, including within Europe for a better life, but they do not use the same method Africans use, i.e. blackmailing their country and government.
Like most Eriteans my heart is broken to learn the running away of 12 Eritrean soccer players who abandoned the trust of their people and government, furthermore putting their country in a spot light as a bad country. The course they took is simply a slap in the face especially to Warsai & Yikalo who are picking up their spot because athletes like them are exempted from the nationwide project such as warsai Yikalo.
Not as the exaggerated numbers but some Eritreans do leave Eritrea legally or illegally for variety reasons, mostly because of economic reasons. And I wouldn’t have any trouble understanding anyone who feared for his/her life to flee from their country, but what the soccer players did was a classic treason not allegiance. They were the Eritrean defense force in a football field. As far as everybody knows these players were not in any danger whatsoever when they left Eritrea, what is more they were treated above and beyond anybody of their age because they represent our country. They were sent to play not only to represent the people of Eritrea on earth but also to those who are not fortunate to live and gave their life for Eritrea, and had dreamed that one day Eritrea will freed again and will have its national team in the world stage of sports, nevertheless they dishonor that in disgracefully way and owes apology to the people, government and martyred
of Eritrea.
Of course, there is no such thing perfect governance or government in any country, and likewise in Eritrea. At the same time no one believes also that there was anything wrong by government of Eritrea in treating those players, in actual fact they were treated as heroes like the actual hero Zersenai Tadesse.
These players are young and they can easily slip up, make a mistake and swayed by anything or anybody, and if they had decided to go back to the country they betrayed I am sure nothing would have happened and no one would have talked about them globally, on the other hand it is not even too late to be exemplary now by doing the right thing.
In life, there is nothing as exciting as represent your country in the world stage; and not too many people get that chance. These players were fortunate and worked hard to be in that position but missed their opportunity by letting down their country first and to themselves. It may take them time to realize the treachery they committed is serious, and believe me they won’t be welcome by Eritreans in any country their agents assigned them to go. Individually they may think they have achieved their goals, but nationally their name will remain in the history book of Eritrea as seditionist who surrendered their flag to the United Nations like others. Having said that I certainly believe Eritrea is capable to produce more football players who proudly represent her, and the young Eritreans should not have to be discouraged by the event.