Babylon: Review by Yohannes Habteselasie Adhanom, 23 July
<
http://asmaragazette.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/babylon-review-by-yohannes-ha
bteselasie-adhanom-23-july-1995/> 1995
13.03.2013
Babylon
Author: Kebreab Fre, M. D
Forward Review: Yohannes Habteselasie Adhanom, 23 July 1995
Babylon, in Tigrigna has the style, and quality of a Hollywood standard of
scripts for movies. It appears that Babylon was published in 1995, just two
years after the Eritrean Referendum, and three years before the eruption the
most hostile border war. The author, Kibreab Fre, has to be a visionary. He
sounds gifted and very talented writer. He composed Babylon in a simple
language with easygoing enlightenment of diverse viewpoints. His elements
and characters are from all walks of lives and occupations in Eritrean.The
book starts with the Eritrean arms struggle for independence from Ethiopian
but its theme is focused on post Independent Eritrea. It describes Eritrean
profound challenges associated with administration and political chaos. The
author illustrates two types of Eritrean liberation struggles, (1) arms,
which attained its objectives in 1991, and (2) physio-political plus
socio-economical. The author asserts that the second struggle is ongoing.
The author implies that most likely, the second struggle will be achieved by
future generations. Reading Babylon is revisiting the senseless war from
1998 to 2000, because, the author enlightens his readers by describing the
real geneses of ugliest war in Sub-Saharan Africa, or in the history of the
World.
While reading Babylon a question pops up i.e. from the outset of border war
in 1998, to the present there are many unanswered questions as to why two
former best friends became worst enemies, and over the past three years,
there were countless speculations regarding the causes of the war were
written by many. However, to date, no one has come near to Dr. Kibreab Fre's
distinguished book. He describes, convincingly, the fundamental motives
behind the destructive war; He explains the evolution of Eritrea 's
political crises eloquently. He makes profound arguments, while by the same
token, insinuate ongoing Eritrean challenges, with respect to the next phase
of Eritrea 's internal struggle for identity, political maturity and
Eritrean allegiance [nationalism].
Regardless of political persuasions, Babylon is a must -read book. Readers
find in this book amusement together with a critical thinking. The book's
characters apply a simple Tigrigna; yet touch a complex issue during their
heated debates. They exchange very substantive arguments. The book has very
interesting short stories, which provide readers with perplexed Eritrean
characters under an Amhara baggage. Pro-Ethiopia interest groups are
challenged and confronted by young, matured and sophisticate urban freedom
fighters, which are determined to protect, and safeguard the country's
interests.
Reading Babylon can be arousing the Eritrean consciousness. The author
cleverly, selected his characters, and the crux that one finds in Asmara .
Babylon describes the Diaspora from real well. The book makes readers pursue
the characters all over the main streets of Asmara . The book can be
fascinating, when following the roles of each element in the book combined
with the activities performed by some of them in many parts of Asmara .
Clearly, the author has a great deal of understanding about the Ethiopian
psyche, specially the Amhara clan, and its relations with the western
powers. His primary character plays young freedom fighter Asmarino, who
penetrates the secret agenda of anti government civil servant-characters,
who play western agents such as the CIA, and live in London , Washington DC
, Addis and egocentric Eritreans in Asmara . Pro Ethiopia characters entice
greedy Eritreans with money, and promises to climb to the saddle of power,
if and only if, such Eritreans achieve their mission: To bring Eritrea , and
its people back to "Seyume Egziabier Nguse Neghesti Zethiopia" type of
Ethiopian control over Eritrea .
Naturally, the author seems to be a genuine Eritrean. He sounds humble with
regard to the Eritrea 's martyrs. His winning-characters assure the martyrs
that their atonement has achieved the free State of Eritrea , and that the
State is in good hands. The author relates to the martyrs that their spirits
are well and alive all over the Eritrean land and sea soils. He concludes
the book with the good guys prevailing, while the vicious and money thirst
agents of Ethiopia loosing and exiting from Asmara , but, the unenlightened
and/or double faced tools [Eritreans] of adverse-foreign interests continue
to live in Eritrea humiliated, and embarrassed.
In conclusion, the author insinuates that Eritrea will continue to have two
types of citizens. On one hand, few disillusioned, vengeful and selfish, who
are likely to attempt to sell Eritrea 's hard earned freedom for money. On
the other had, from the silent majority of Eritreans, emerged heroes, who
always, will continue to outsmart to the egoistic Eritreans or their
corrupted masters. The book upholds to Eritrean guiding principles that
foreign master and the mischievous Eritreans, at the end, abandon their
endeavors, and that the fruits of Eritrean sacrifice flourish forever.
Received on Wed Mar 13 2013 - 20:55:57 EDT
