webmaster
© Copyright DEHAI-Eritrea OnLine, 1993-2010
All rights reserved
From: Ogbazgy A.Asmerom (ogbazgy@gmail.com)
Date: Wed Oct 06 2010 - 21:25:13 EDT
*International Crisis Group: Creator of Phantom Crises*
*By Ogbazgy Abbay Asmerom*
*PART II*
*Xelai xelelo qebai. .. .”An enemy paints you with soot” ... Tigrigna
expression. *
ICG does not have any business in writing anything about Eritrea. Why would
a foreign entity be interested in writing about a nation it does not care
for? The intention was to meddle in the internal affairs of Eritrea. ICG
wants to be one head within two heads. Thus, its main objectives and goals
have been to intimidate, paint a negative picture, and expose anything that
does not look like the false impression we find in many capital cities of
Europe.
By denying the tangible progress being made by the Eritrean government, ICG
“lives, writes, and breathes” to create crises within the Eritrean polity.
It is evident that it does not write about the crises, ills, and horrendous
situations in the “so-called advanced societies.” Its targets are poor
countries! What a sad situation to be a target of merciless enterprises! ICG
has forgotten to realize that Rome was not built on one day! Eritrea cannot
bring an overnight transformation of the whole country. It will take time to
resuscitate the devastated economy. Eritrea can do it, and may also need
partners that work with it in good faith, especially if they respect the
national security, territorial integrity, and maintain the dignity of the
general pubic.
According to some stats obtained from the Eritrean Ministry of Education, in
2010, there are about 1,658 schools in Eritrea. During the Italian colonial
rule, there were 19, during the British Administration, there were 86, and
during the Derg, there were 273 schools. Most of the schools associated with
the years of the Derg were built during the Federation Era, 1952-1962. At
that time, there were 315 schools in Eritrea. At this time, there are
several technical, vocational, and professional schools of higher learning.
For the first time in Eritrean history, there is a medical school! Eritrea
has its own medical doctors! It is also amazing to note that there are
several high school students from rural areas who are excelling in their
final examinations to enter into college and higher education. This is an
achievement to be respected! It is a sign of national pride!
Some stats obtained from the Ministry of Health, in the fields of health and
medicine, within 13 years, 1997-2010, showed that 13 new hospitals, 50
health centers, and 112 clinics have been built by the Eritrean government.
Malaria is almost abolished from Eritrea! Smallpox is about to be declared
eradicated and defeated! Do we find such success stories in many African
countries?
The offices of ICG are full of lazy, impotent, and incompetent “so-called
writers, editors, and field analysts.” These people do not do their homework
properly! They depend on old and irrelevant recycled, copied, and pasted
pieces of information gathered from the dustbins of renegades, plotters,
traitors, desperadoes and quislings, and “unreliable informants” that do not
care about the security and well-being of Eritrea and the Eritreans. They do
not really know how to do “open fieldwork and participatory research, where
sources are quoted appropriately and credits given to the proper
participants.” ICG editors depended on phantom and ghost suppliers of lies,
propaganda, hearsay, and unsubstantiated reports. The Group depended on
disgruntled informants, some of them “so-called Eritreans”, who are full of
anger and stupid beliefs of unfulfilled dreams. Some of these “so-called
Eritreans” wish to rule over Eritrea, destroy it, hand it to the rulers of
Ethiopia, and then make it look like present-day Somalia. These individuals
find themselves roaming aimlessly and moving around in several capital
cities of foreign countries, including sleeping and dining in Addis Abeba,
Ethiopia! ICG used these sore losers as Delilah! Most of the sources quoted
in the report have been collected behind the curtain from the enemies of the
state, government, and the people. It is safe to say that most of the info
supplied was from grievers, trollers, and haters of the progress being made
by the Eritrean government, PFDJ, Youth, Army, Civil servants, and the
people. It is obvious if you give a complete cover of anonymity to habitual
complainers, losers, and desperadoes, they can tell you anything under the
sun, including making the “sky fall down, the mountains move, and the oceans
disappear”! The often quoted “sources, cited footnotes, and field
researches”, presumably done to influence public opinion, are not credible.
They have strayed far to the wrong direction. Hence, the report was
published to inflict some wounds, fear, panic, and violence within the
Eritrean people. The sources were cited to mislead and confuse innocent
readers! Hence, ICG received garbage, and published garbage, GIGO! Thus, the
report cannot be taken seriously!
Why did the ICG not write and report about the myriads of positive changes
taking place in Eritrea? Why did they not check the progress being made in
the rural areas? There is action there! Why did they not tell us about the
useful water wells, dams, reservoirs, agricultural ventures, small-scale
industries, the mining sector, tourism, and higher education, construction
of bridges, roads, schools, health centers, clinics, and hospitals that are
being built in Eritrea? All of these types of infrastructures and changes
were not observed or present during the time of Italian, British, and
Ethiopian administrations! The three successive foreign rulers did not bring
anything good to the people! They were in Eritrea only to subjugate and
colonize the people!
Eritrea, the Eritrean government, and people do not need to hear “a
Sermon-like litany or counsel” to be preached to them about “new democracy,
constitution, election, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and human
rights.” If democracy means letting the rich and powerful oppress the common
man; if election means buying votes and stealing the results; if freedom of
the press means lying, and writing false stories only to sell publications;
if freedom of religion means believing “you are the only chosen child of the
Almighty”, and keep on denigrating the belief systems of others; if human
rights means letting guns fill the streets, introducing drugs in every
corner of the block; building prisons in your backyard, and killing people
with lethal injections; then Eritrea cannot be accused of not following or
implementing such cruel systems. Democracy should not mean about wining
elections! Democracy must be the center of rules and regulations that
benefit all citizens! It must emphasize the true meaning of liberty,
equality, and fraternity. No one has a monopoly on the noble tenets of human
respect, dignity, and decency! The Eritrean government and people will not
accept any piece of “counsel” that comes from alien forces that are full of
failure, despair, and timidity. Eritrea has its own barometer, measurement
scale, and yardstick to measure its progress to meet the goals of its
projects. It does not work to please absentee landlords and merciless
mortgage brokers. The commitment of the Eritrean government to bring
fundamental changes in the lives of ordinary citizens is non-negotiable. It
will do what is good for the people. If the living standard of every
Eritrean citizen is not uplifted, and the scourges of poverty, diseases, and
illiteracy are not uprooted, there will not be any meaningful changes in
Eritrea. Hence, the Eritrean government has nothing to fear about the
future, because it works to harness the usefulness of its natural resources
so that the common man/woman gets a fair share of the wealth of the land.
If some individuals take a detour, jump ship, and look for “greener
pastures” somewhere else, the Eritrean government cannot be blamed for those
decisions and the misfortunes that may happen on the way, high seas, and
sandy deserts. It is sad some of the individuals do not know what lies
beyond the fence and inside those so–called green pastures. There are
obvious dangerous snakes and cobras hidden in those pastures! If people make
the wrong choice and fall into some traps, they do reap the consequences of
their actions. Unfortunately, some people keep on making the same mistakes
over and over! It is sad life-long lessons are not being learned! Thus, it
should not surprise us, and it is human nature, to see some people not
emulating the faith of their forefathers! In every society, we do find some
“Thomases, and Judas of Iscariots”. The point of consolation is the numbers
are very few, and they cannot achieve any tangible results!
Eritrea wants to be a land of law and order. No one should be allowed to
non-chalantly violate and break the laws of the country that have been
promulgated to protect the security and safety of the people. The national
security of the nation and the safety of the citizens come as number one
priority for the PFDJ, government, and the people! Corruption must be
uprooted! In Eritrea, taking bribes and perverting justice should not be
tolerated! Transparency, accountability, and personal responsibility in
every level of administration must be maintained! No person should be above
the law! Non-productivity must be curtailed! There should be no one who
walks around by violating the national security of the nation, and safety of
all citizens. This kind of violation should not take place in the name of
“ushering alien and false form of democracy and “new” freedoms of the press
and religion” that are meaningless, especially when it comes to the overall
safety and security of the nation and people. The ELF, EPLF and other
nationalist forces did not struggle for more than 30 years to see the fruits
of independence being pushed and pulled away by disgruntled individuals or
enemies of the people!
The PFDJ is designing efficient administrations in all parts of Eritrea. It
has taken the historical responsibility to do so! Hence, it will not turn
away from such responsibility and will not see Eritrea fall into the hands
of black market merchants. Thus, Eritrea demands dignity and respect, like
any nation that fights to chart its own ways to reach at the hilltop of
human progress and achievements. If other nations and their citizens vow to
maintain the historical legacy of their ancestors, why is it not appropriate
for the Eritreans do the same thing? Eritrea and the Eritrean people will
protect their sovereignty, as any nation or society does. Why are the
European countries fighting for their national security and the safety of
their citizens in far away lands? What is NATO doing in Afghanistan?
The history of Eritrea is a history of self-reliance, creativity, and
ingenuity. In the Horn of Africa, Eritrea is the Phoenix of the Red Sea
basin, which rose from the ashes of extinction, and has shown to the world
that it can survive, and will continue to survive, in spite of the hardships
and economic crises that the whole world has been engulfed by greedy and
free market speculators.
In 2010, many African countries are celebrating their 50th year of
independence. It is a hollow and dismal celebration! Most of them have not
achieved what Eritrea has achieved in 20 years! Eritrea and the Eritreans
have depended on themselves, and will continue to depend on themselves! They
cannot depend on pre-fabricated and fake solutions that come from abroad and
across the seas and oceans! Those fake solutions have been tested before,
and have failed in Eritrea! What did the Eritreans get from the Italians,
British, and Ethiopians? Nothing, except misery! Where were the members of
ICG when Eritrea and Eritreans were bleeding by the inhumane treatment and
atrocities perpetrated by Ethiopia and its supporters for six decades? What
did they write? What did they say? As we know, the main source of the
troubles we have in the Horn of Africa is Ethiopia. As the often-quoted
European expression, “When France sneezes, Europe catches cold” states,
Ethiopia is the main virus that has infected the counties of the Horn of
Africa. What is going on in Somalia? Who is behind the ongoing mayhem over
there? Will the African Union forces bring peace in Somalia? No!
There is a Tigrigna expression that clearly states, “If you want to rest at
night, your restless neighbor ought to sleep”! Ethiopia has become the
restless child and spoiled brat in the Horn of Africa! Why did the leaders
of Ethiopia renege on the implementation of the Border Commission’s decision
of 13 April 2002? Who is behind this intransigence? What did the African
Union [AU], European Union [EU], and United Nations [UN] do about it?
Nothing! Thus, another crisis continues! These organizations are useless!
The Eritreans need to remain vigilant and on high alert to defend
themselves, and maintain their own security and territorial integrity. The
present leaders of Ethiopia will not sleep without getting an outlet to the
Red Sea through Eritrea! How many landlocked nations do we have in Africa,
Europe, and Latin America? Hence, do we expect the Eritreans to be docile,
lie down in supine position, and let the enemy run over them? No! That was
not the original plan of the ELF, EPLF, and it is not the current plan of
the PFDJ! The gallant Eritrean youth who are dedicated, committed, and
focused on modern transformation will not allow the feeling of melancholy
blind their future! Hence, hard-working, peace-loving, and dedicated
Eritreans will not despair over the actions of “tweedledums and tweedledees”
of modern day prophets of doom and gloom!
The struggle for Eritrea and the Eritreans to be independent has shown to
Africa and the world that there is life after death! Eritrea was not
supposed to be independent! However, against all odds, by sheer force,
sacrifices, blood, sweat, tears, determination, perseverance, hope, faith,
dedication to a cause, and commitment to a goal made it possible to become
free. It is unfortunate to note that the writers of the ICG want to prolong
the sufferings of the Eritrean people. They do not want to see “a nation of
good example to others, with a can do it attitude”, and unflinching tenacity
in the Horn of Africa thrive and survive! Hence, through its trashy report,
ICG did not offer any valid solutions! The Eritreans do depend on their
resources, how meager that may be! As it was stated many years ago, “no good
thing can come out of Nazareth.” Eritrean “salvation” cannot come from the
Crisis Group or from its readers, followers, sponsors, informants, or
sympathizers. The Eritreans will not beg or wait on the line for handouts or
pieces of crumbs to come from anyone! They will not wait for a “manna to
come down” overnight from the heavens. Eritreans do detest dependency! When
there is dependency, there is indolence. Hence, unproductivity and poverty
creep in! Who wants to be called a beggar? Begging is for those who slumber,
especially when they ought to sow and harvest! Begging and dependency stifle
the initiative to produce local items that can be used for consumption and
for export.
When there is a mental problem in the minds of despondent people, they
constantly create a scenario in their heads and tend to create constant fear
and cycle of violence on others that are being caused by their own demons.
When a deranged person is possessed by dangerous demons, the chance to be
violent is greater! The Crisis Group manifested its own demons and worked
very hard to transfer them to others. Thus, the problems of Third World
countries are being compounded by the stories or “so-caled balanced reports”
that come out of the idiotic publications of some corners of the globe! Who
can pin point an area where the ICG has resolved any crisis in Africa, South
America, Middle East, or Southeast Asia? Are there not perpetual conflicts
going on in most of those areas being fanned by interest groups from western
capitals? Are not some of the Board Members of ICG the managers of the
crises in many areas of the Third World countries? Who is to be fooled about
this? ICG cannot be allowed to create demons out of the leadership of the
Eritrean government or PFDJ! ICG needs to find its own demons somewhere
else!
ICG, keep away your junk pens, typewriters, computers, publications,
propaganda machine, and hands from Eritrea’s back! There should not be any
interference in the domestic affairs of a nation that tries to assert itself
in the cruel world full of betrayals, hegemony, domination, and unholy
alliances! Let the Eritreans manage their own affairs. Let them be the
owners of their future, and the captains of their destiny! They can solve
their economic, social, political, and other problems! The government of
Eritrea knows what needs to be done to improve the devastated economy of the
nation, and what good practices ought to be maintained. The people know what
they need and what to do. No one should tell them what to do! They do not
need “ghost experts” who wish them ill will, and who do not have the best
intensions in mind for Eritrea and the Eritrean people!
Let justice prevail in the corridors of ICG, the halls of AU, EU, and the
UN. Let Eritrea remain free and independent, with dignity and respect!
THE END
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----