Eritrea Profile_22062016

Vol. 23 No. 32
Wednesday, june 22, 2016
Commemoration of Martyrs Day with Patriotic Zeal
Martyrs Day is exceptional not only
for the solemn preparations made
by the Eritrean people at home
and abroad but also amid the open
aggression perpetrated by the TPLF
regime against the homeland.
Notwithstanding the motive of the
aggression, the armed attack will
further cement the denotation and
honor of the martyrs, the President
underlined. “We pay tribute to our
exemplary 18 heroes who followed
in the steps of their predecessors,
kept high the banner of our Martyrs
and sacrificed their lives in the attack
launched last Sunday,” the President
added.
Eritreans at home and abroad
solemnly commemorated Martyrs
Day on June 20.
The commemorative event at
national level was conducted at
Martyrs Cemetery here in the
capital in the presence of President
Isaias Afwerki, Ministers, senior
PFDJ officials, Army Commanders,
religious leaders, members of the
diplomatic corps and thousands of
citizens.
President Isaias, Mr. Al Amin
Mohammed Seid, Secretary of the
PFDJ, Gen. Filipos Woldeyohannes,
Chief of Staff of the Eritrean Armed
Forces, Ms. Tekea Tesfamichael,
President of the NUEW, and Maj.
Gen. Osman Aweliai, Governor of
the Central region, laid wreath at the
Patriots Cemetery.
In a speech he delivered on the
occasion, the President pointed
out this year’s commemoration of
The
participants
of
the
commemoration on their part said
that the nation’s martyrs would be
honored when every citizen and
especially the youth further enhance
their commitments to fulfill the
trust of our martyrs and safeguard
the national sovereignty that was
realized with monotonous human
and material sacrifice.
The commemorative event was
highlighted by artistic performances
depicting the glorious legacy of the
Martyrs and the steadfastness of the
entire Eritrean people.
Demonstration in Geneva denouncing COI report
Eritreans and friends of Eritrea
staged a mass demonstration in
Geneva, Switzerland yesterday,
June 21, 2016. The mass rally was
aimed at protesting against the latest
appalling report of the Commission
of Inquiry on Human Rights in
Eritrea.
According to the coordinating
committee of the peaceful
demonstration, the participants of
the mass rally include Eritreans and
friends of Eritrea from Sweden,
Norway, Denmark, Germany, UK,
Italy, France, the Netherlands,
Belgium, Spain as well as from the
US, Canada, Australia and others.
The participants from the different
countries used private cars, buses
and some flow to the venue of the
mass rally.
The demonstrators were carrying
placards in the languages of Tigrigna,
Arabic, English, French and German
that read, “Viva Eritrea”, “No More
Lies”, “Lift Unjust Sanctions”, “We
Condemn UN Deception”, “Stop
Violating Eritrean Rights”, “Enough
is Enough”, “Never Kneel Down”,
and others.
The demonstrators also stated
that the politically motivated report
does not represent the real situation
in Eritrea. Its aim is targeting
and compromising the Eritrean
Independence and sovereignty.
final and binding Eritrea-Ethiopia
Boundary Commission Delimitation
and Demarcation decision. They
also condemned the recent attack by
the regime in Ethiopia against the
sovereign Eritrean nation and they
called on the UNSC to condemn the
unwarranted military attack and to
request Ethiopia to abide by the final
and binding EEBC rulings.
The demonstrators further voiced
that the report is a continuation
of the effort to demonize and
to delegitimize Eritrea in the
international arena and erode the
Representatives
of
the
demonstrators finally submitted the
signatures of 223,810 Eritreans and
friends of Eritrea to the concerned
office of the UN in Geneva.
Pages 8, Price 2.00 NFA
Address by President Isaias Afwerki on Martyrs Day
Ladies and Gentlemen,
First and foremost: Highest Tribute and Eternal Glory to our Martyrs!
I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to the Eritrean people
at home and abroad who have celebrated the Silver Jubilee Independence
Anniversary in a spirit of ardent and unparalleled patriotism and imparted
additional luster to the festivities, and also through candle vigils and other
inspiring activities to pay, once again, glorious tribute to our martyrs.
What gives special meaning to this day – to the Commemoration of Martyrs
Day – this year is not only the extensive preparations that Eritreans inside the
country and abroad have made in remembrance of the event. But the open
aggression perpetrated last Sunday in our sovereign territory in flagrant violation
of international law has imparted additional significance to the commemoration
of the Day.
Although the timing and place of the attack may seem baffling, for the sponsors
of the TPLF regime, it had one objective with three-pronged ramifications.
The first objective was, in their own words, to precipitate “creative chaos”;
to foment “artificial and interminable confusion or crisis” with a view to
administering such a perennial state of affairs; or to micro-manage these crises.
In line with this distorted doctrine, they have managed to embroil the TPLF
regime on three fronts.
The first front is aimed against and targets the Ethiopian people. The objective
here is to ensnare Ethiopia and its people in incessant turmoil and thereby micromanage its affairs.
The second front is to incite endless crisis between Eritrea and Ethiopia and
likewise secure and advance the objectives of micro-management.
The third front constitutes of plunging Somalia in permanent crisis to
undermine the capability of the Somali people to build effective government
and institutions that could eradicate terrorism and extremism. On its stead, there
is micro-management that nominally fights terrorism using the TPLF regime as
a vehicle.
In the meantime, the spontaneous opposition of the Ethiopian people is
increasingly becoming stronger with time to constitute a formidable challenge.
Likewise, deliberate obstructions in the implementation of the border ruling,
unwarranted sanctions, as well as accompanying political, diplomatic and
economic subterfuges have been thwarted by the staunch resistance of the
Eritrean people. The turmoil in Somalia has also augmented tactical challenges
to the TPLF regime. In the event, it has not diminished their concern even if
they have so far managed to exploit it for pretentious objectives.
The flagrant attack in sovereign Eritrean lands was thus perpetrated against
the backdrop of these desperate circumstances with the aim of deflect attention
from the mounting resistance of the Ethiopian people and its future trends. The
scheme also involved bolstering the attack through intertwined and intensive
media, political and diplomatic campaigns.
This reckless attack, which has no significance other than a mindless act
of adventurism to deflect attention, has only reinforced the resilience and
resistance of the Eritrean people. It has imbued additional weight to the hardwon independence that we cherish and the honour we accord to our Martyrs.
At this juncture, and as we renew and invigorate our pledge to safeguard our
national independence and the respect we accord to our Martyrs, we pay tribute
to our exemplary 18 heroes who followed in the steps of their predecessors, kept
high the banner of our Martyrs and sacrificed their lives in the attack launched
last Sunday.
Praise to the Resistance and Development Strive of the Eritrean Defense
Forces!
Forward with the Nation-Building Drive!
Glory to our Martyrs!
May we enjoy good rains!
Victory to the Masses!
Asmara, 20 June 2016
Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, june 22, 2016
2
Vol 23 . No 32
“We shall this day light such a candle, by Martyrs grace, as
I trust never shall be put out”
Natnael Yebio W.
Meskerem, the Cathedral in all
its magnificence is personified by
people sitting in its stairs. Men
in black, Women in their nestela,
most holding a picture- with an
evidence of pride than mourning in
their faces- of a picture of a loved
one they lost during the armed
struggle against the imperialism
and the Derg and safeguarding the
sovereignty of this sacred nation
against external aggression.
The most rebellious spirits
to ever shake this planet, had
touched hands with their creator
as soon as their bodies, once
buried all over the war field, are
collected and buried in their new
nation Eritrea to the adulation of
millions of their people. The final
gunshots have been shot for the
martyrs formerly known as The
Eritrean Tegedalti. That was June
20th 1991.
Ever since, Eritreans at home
and
abroad
commemorate
Martyrs’ Day on June 20. Like
every year, this year also, candle
vigils and prayer services were
carried out in honor of Eritrean
martyrs and their noble gesture.
Simplicity was but one part
of the complex sum of Eritrean
freedom fighters defiance but in
this basic rhyme they set down
the definite statement of their
unique gift for the struggle they
embodied.
None of us have succeeded in
putting the Almighty Eritrean
Tegadelti into words with the
lyrical clarity of Wedi Tukul, when
he said ‘Yikealo Kulu Zikealo’,
roughly translated as “Yikealo the
entirety of achievement”.
Published Every
Wednesday & Saturday
Acting Editor
Amanuel Mesfun
P.O.Box: 247
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Azmera Berhane
Sara Alem
Aida Johar
Every June of my boyhood,
we lit up candles and attended
highly patriotic services in
remembrance of those who had
given their lives. But on what
assurance did we know that these
gifts had really been made? Only
the survivors—the living—could
attest to it. In order to know that
a person had truly laid down his
life for his friends, or comrades,
one would have to hear it from the
ones living.
The late known martyrs—those
who voluntarily sought death and
rejoiced in the fact—had been
our Warsay’s. Their predecessors
Yikealo had endured torture and
death in order to make about
Eritrea. Their modern equivalents
in the world would be none. About
people who set out to lose their
lives, then, there seems to hang an
air of fanaticism: a gigantic sense
of pride attractively fused with
a masochistic tendency to selfabnegation. That is the Eritrean
way!
Walking
towards
Harnet
Avenue, one notices the city is
not its usual bright self. Every
café, shop, cinema and the likes
are closed and the whole city is
in total blackout…..for a reason!
Today is June 19th; it is the eve of
Eritrea’s Martyrs day.
Government
officials,
dignitaries, accompanied by
people from all walks of life
are gathered around City Park
to honor their fallen heroes and
heroines- lit candles are strongly
clutched in their hands, as if they
are responsible for one Martyr
each- get ready to make their way
to Bahti Meskerem, led by the
Eritrean marching band playing
synchronized beat. Looking up to
the sky, you feel like the heavens
are mourning too. For a foreigner
it might seem like a coincidence
that the sky is covered by clouds
on the eve of the day that Eritrea
remembers its Martyrs but for an
Eritrean, everyone knows that the
land as well, has a mystic bond
with its people, dead or living.
Even kids have been out of their
homes the whole day gathered in
groups of friends and neighbors
to commemorate Martyrs day
and pay tribute to their heroes,
in the most touching and artistic
way possible. They would collect
tiny rocks and spell out ‘20th
June Martyrs day’ and draw a
map of Eritrea in the ground with
precision and care and in the
middle they would light a candle
and put a transparent glass over it
so as the wind wouldn’t blow it
off. At every corner one turns you
see kids in the sidewalks working
harmoniously to put the final
touches in their projects. That is
the Eritrean Kids way!
Meanwhile at the other end of
the city-Bahti Meskerem, people
are flocking from all directions of
the city to take part in the massive
candle vigil ceremony planned
to commemorate Eritrea’s fallen
heroes. Men, Women, Boys, Girls
and war veterans make their way
up the stairs to get a seat. A month
ago the same venue was filled by
Eritreans from the country and
abroad to celebrate Eritreas Silver
Jubilee independence, this time
around many of the people from
abroad had stayed behind so as
to remember their Fallen heroes
and heroines with their people
in the homeland, the same venue
that was filled from one end to the
other to celebrate independence
was once again packed with people
lighting candles to commemorate
Martyrs day in the most Eritrean
way possible, in Unity!
On the other hand, halfway
between City Park and Bahti
After briefly stopping at the
cathedral, the Marching Band
reaches bashti Meskerem and
stops, they swiftly turn to face the
crowd gathered in front of them,
and the lead man stops the band,
to let the guest take their seats.
Once everyone took their rightful
places, the whole crowd falls upon
silence to remember their fallen
heroes, in a minute of silence.
After which, Governor of
Central Region Major General
Ramadan Awliyai took center
stage to address the mass, upon
doing so, he reminded that heavy
price was paid for Eritrea’s
independence and showed his
gratitude for Eritrea’s martyrs,
while remarking the best way we
can pay forward their sacrifice
was by safeguarding Eritrea’s
sovereignty with a continue
resolute togetherness and Unity
of the Eritrea people both inside
and abroad.
As I stroll down to get a better
look at the crowd above in the
stands, I was breath taken, the
venue filled from end to end,
would make one, and fully grasp
how much Eritreans value their
martyrs. Before I had a chance to
regain by composure a familiar
voice erupts for the stage, the
stage which was occupied by the
Governor a moment ago was now
playing host to a certain famous
singer, in the figure of Wedi Tukul.
Wedi Tukul who once captured
the hearts of Eritrea when he said
Yikealo Kulu Zikealo, was now
signing Mezmur Libi, (Song of
the Heart). The night was further
whisked away with Music and
Dramas that resonate with the
day itself, The Early mornings
the day also was glorified by a
commemorational mass- sport
sponsored and organized by the
continued on page 6
Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, june 22, 2016
3
Vol 23 . No 32
Michela Wrong Misrepresents Eritrea Again
Sophia Tesfamariam
As Eritreans around the world
commemorated Martyrs Day on 20th
June 2016, Michela Wrong decided
to post her latest article, “Africa’s
Hottest Frozen Border Boils Over”
in the Voice. Coming from someone
who claims to know Eritreans and
Eritrea, enough to write two books
on them, the timing and jumbled
contents of her report is filled with
factual omissions and is not just
suspect, but also quite transparent.
Martyrs Day in Eritrea, is a solemn
day of remembrance for Eritreans
around the world, yet, while Michela
Wrong mentions several issues about
Eritrea, she neglects to mention this
important day in her piece.
Secondly, why wait for a whole
week to write about Ethiopia’s
latest aggressive attack on Eritrea?
This author is too jaded to believe
that it was just a coincidence, or
that Michela Wrong, touted as
an “expert’ on Africa, with close
associates in Ethiopia, would need a
whole week to verify facts that were
exposed within days of Ethiopia’s
attack. I doubt that she would she
have been as reserved if the outcome
were different...
Thirdly, why pretend that
Ethiopia’s latest attack has any links
to the delimited and demarcated
Eritrean Ethiopian border or that it
has anything to do with the 19982000 Ethiopia’s aggressive war of
expansion and occupation? It does
not.
Having followed her latest pieces
on Eritrea, this author noticed
that she seems to get the urge to
write about Eritrea, almost on cue,
when narratives on Eritrea that
she helped perpetuate come under
closer scrutiny. Probably with a little
prodding from her partners at Justice
Africa, who were instrumental in
carving such a narrative to advance
illicit political agendas. In any
case, her appearance is yet another
opportunity to clear the air, the many
distortions and misrepresentations
about Eritrea.
For brevity’s sakes, this response
to her latest article on Eritrea
will seek to correct some of most
egregious factual errors found in her
latest piece.
Michela
following:
Wrong
wrote
the
“...An undemarcated frontier
between two governments that
loathe each other is a grenade
whose pin has been pulled. The
international community may
choose to ignore it, and in the
short term may get away with
this pose of studied indifference.
But the grenade will eventually
explode...”
First of all, the Eritrea Ethiopia
border has been legally demarcated.
It was Ethiopia that refused to allow
the Commission to fulfill its mandate
and demarcate the border by placing
markers on the ground, forcing the
Commission to resort to “virtual
demarcation”, using coordinates on
maps, instead.
Therefore, the Eritrea Ethiopia
border has been legally resolved
and today, the issue is Ethiopia’s 14
year long occupation of sovereign
Eritrean territories, including
Badme, in violation of its treaty
obligations under the Algiers
Agreements, international law, the
EEBC’s final and binding decisions
and the African and United Nations
Charters.
The EEBC delivered its Final and
Binding demarcation decision on 27
November 2007 and whilst Eritrea has
accepted the demarcation decision,
Ethiopia has rejected the decision
calling the demarcation decision
“legal nonsense”. The Security
Council not only endorsed the UN
Iraq-Kuwait Boundary Demarcation
decisions, it also guaranteed its
inviolability. The Security Council
went on to enforce that decision and
today Iraq and Kuwait have a secure
and internationally recognized
boundary.
For reasons that are still unclear
to all that have been following
developments in the region, the
Security Council has so far refused
to endorse and enforce the EEBC’s
demarcation decision, whilst it has
endorsed the “virtual demarcation’
of the Iraq-Kuwait border and
enforced its decision.
statement:
“...The boundary commission’s
findings were clear. While some
disputed areas were allotted to
Ethiopia, the two-donkey village
that had served as a flashpoint for
the war — Badme — belonged
to Eritrea. The commission
found that Eritrea had initiated
hostilities — a claim Asmara
disputed furiously — but on the
narrow issue of Badme, Eritrea
was in the right...”
Badme is not a “narrow issue”-it
is the central issue-the casus belli
for the bloody war. In Ethiopia’s
1998-2000 war of expansion and
invasion, 19000 thousand Eritreans
died defending Eritrea’s sovereignty
and territorial integrity.
Once again, Michela Wrong
fudges the facts, and chooses
instead to regurgitate erroneous
facts surrounding the “origins of the
Eritrea Ethiopia conflict. The Algiers
Agreement is very clear. Article 3
provided for the establishment of an
independent body under OAU (now
African Union) auspices to carry out
an investigation ‘to determine the
origins of the conflict’; in fact this
body was never established.
Article 3 of the Algiers Agreement
provides that:
“...In order to determine
the origins of the conflict, an
investigation will be carried out
on the incidents of 6 May 1998
and on any other incident prior
to that date which could have
contributed to a misunderstanding
between the parties regarding
their common border, including
the incidents of July and August
1997. The investigation will be
carried out by an independent
impartial body appointed by the
Secretary General of the OAU,
in consultation with the Secretary
General of the United Nations and
the two parties...”
Michela Wrong should know
the importance of that the most
longstanding and widely accepted
principle of international law is the
sanctity of treaty commitmentspacta survanda. The African Union,
in fact, has long been a proponent
of the permanence of treaty
boundaries, including colonial treaty
boundaries. Its silence on Ethiopia’s
intransigence is indeed baffling.
Professor Christine Gray in
her paper “The Eritrea Ethiopia
Claims Commission Oversteps its
Boundaries: A Partial Award?” is
about the Eritrea Ethiopia Claims
Commission and its 19 December
2005 judgment and the source of the
minority’s claims about the “origin of
the conflict”. Gray explains in great
detail about the ECCC’s mandate
and the Algiers Agreements. She
said:
Adding insult to injury, Michela
Wrong wrote this contemptuous
“...There is no suggestion in
Article 5 that its jurisdiction
would extend to an examination
of responsibility for the start of
the war...”
It behooves Michela Wrong to
do better research on this issue,
lest she ends up misinforming her
readers by regurgitating Ethiopia’s
version of the truth. She should
also read the Wikileak documents
that refer to the AU’s decision to
table its establishment at the behest
of Ethiopia, its surrogates and
handlers.
In her 20 June article, Michela
Wrong wrote:
“...Ethiopia said after last week’s
hostilities that it was responding
to repeated “provocations” by
Asmara, supporting the theory put
forward by a number of analysts
that this latest clash at Tserona
could have been payback against
Eritrea for an armed raid carried
out in southern Ethiopia in May
by members of the Ginbot 7, an
Ethiopian opposition movement
that has found safe haven in
Asmara and that Addis Ababa
has labeled a terrorist group...”
In the myopic and scared
minority regime’s mind, everyone
that challenges its domestic and
international policies is labeled a
terrorist. The United States and
many European countries “provide
safe haven” for several Ethiopian
opposition groups, including those
mentioned above, so why single
out Eritrea for an attack? The
international community knows
well that Ethiopia finances and
harbors several Eritrean groups and
individuals who have committed
terrorist acts against Eritrea.
Ever since the Eritrea Ethiopia
Boundary Commission delivered
its final and binding delimitation
and demarcation decisions on
April 2000 and November 2007
respectfully, the people of the Horn
of Africa region have seen the US
and its allies provide the mercenary
minority regime in Ethiopia, with
continued on page 8
Press Release
Worn-out Disinformation on Phantom Israeli Bases
The Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen Arabic TV channel falsely claimed, in
its “Al-Zehira” one-hour programme broadcast yesterday from 15:0016:00 hrs, that “Israel has completed the construction of its largest
listening post at Emba-Soira, Eritrea” to monitor “maritime movements
in the Bab-el Mendeb and eavesdrop on Iran”.
Al-Mayadeen TV channel was requested by Eritrea to explain
the source of this ludicrous disinformation but declined to provide
appropriate response.
The same story was earlier published by MEM, the “Middle East
Monitor”. This news agency, which is probably the original source of the
fabricated story, attributes the narrative to the “Palestinian Information
Centre”. A certain Usama al-Ashqar, the agency’s presumed “expert on
East African Affairs”, claims that the “post’s existence was confirmed
by (obscure) Eritrean opposition (sic?)”.
Wild stories on Israeli military bases in Eritrea’s Dahlak islands
existing in juxtaposition to “Iranian military bases in Assab” have been
peddled for years. Eritrea has repeatedly rejected these false reports
and asserts, for the umpteenth time, the fallacy of the reports being
disseminated this week on a presumed Israeli listening post.
Eritrea is keenly aware that these stories are deliberately planted by
certain countries and agencies to serve ulterior agendas. The specific
timings of these intermittent disinformation campaigns are usually
related to, and coincide with, specific schemes concocted by its authors.
The timing of this ludicrous story at this point in time is evidently linked
with, and designed to bolster, ongoing hostile campaigns against Eritrea
through various forms.
Ministry of Information
Asmara
21 June 2016
Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, june 22, 2016
Vol 23 . No 32
4
A Sacrifice for Life of All!
Zahra Ahmed Baduri
The struggle for freedom was indeed
a great deal of sacrificing valiant young
patriots who were visionaries and powerful
minded, who could have contributed more
after liberation of the nation. Life sometimes
runs contrary to how things are supposed to
be, but the fact that we might not even gain
anything regardless its size and quality had
we not sacrificed what is valuable in our
lives. To this our veterans devoted too much
of their lives to bring our nation a light from
the long storm of harsh colonialism. The
idea of handing Eritrea to the benefit of the
colonizing regimes and the coldblooded
Derg military juntas an unorganized agenda
of dismantling Eritrea from the base of its
existence was meant to have unreturned free
access to the Red Sea for the aggressors. Our
martyrs saw the need for an independent
Eritrea and what it meant to get it, they tasted
and felt the freedom of liberation without
seeing it, but most of all assumed that if they
were caught by the first bullet in the field,
their other peers might get greater chance of
seeing the glory of liberty.
A sacrifice of your life for your partner to
live! It was not a difficult intention to hold,
back then. Because every patriot was ready to
give up their life for the sake of their partner
to continue the battle against unjustified war
of expansion and brutal barbaric mental
exploitation. “Sacrifice”, for Eritreans
is a very noble standard with noble ends
like freedom and absolute independence
of identity and nation. The outcome of all
the endeavour comes to be a liberation day
and the creation of a sovereign and secured
nation Eritrea. What was once a vision of an
undefined occurrence had finally become a
reality. The bloodshed of our martyrs and
their aim to free Eritrea and save the historic
identity was not a bargaining ship for both
our patriots late and alive. Taking into
consideration the battle of “Ghinda”, many
patriots of the frontline had to sacrifice their
lives fighting to liberate the city by walking
through the enemy’s bomb barricades, to
open the gates through the mountains for
their units to continue the battle.
Defining what sacrifice had meant for
fellow veterans back in the battle field with
simple words is not an easy task. For it meant
more than just giving up their life to defend
the nation’s salvation. It had far greater
meaning, it was to defend the identity that had
been so many times exposed to abduction by
foreign colonizing political parties and claim
the existence of Eritrea’s historical identity.
The abduction of its identity was a strategy
meant to collide and join Eritreans with other
ethnicities and slowly disintegrate them out
of their own historic background. Fighting to
save the identity and create their own history
despite the history of annexation they faced
for long was their vision of every martyr, it
was a massive vote of ‘NO’ to suppression
and conquest.
Even after liberation freedom fighters
carried on the responsibility of rebuilding
their home nation and beware against alerts
of further disputes. The feeling of readiness
to defend the nation remains a permanent
foundation in every patriot’s mind pre and
post-independence. Some freedom fighters
I happen to meet explained to me if we
went back to the armed struggle to see the
rate of readiness to sacrifice was more than
salvation, it was simply providing a partner a
chance to see tomorrow and just continuing
to fight, literally to proceed where the others
have left off.
Here is another candle to light for the
commemoration of a freedom fighter who
is remembered by his partners back in the
fields. He passed away long after liberation.
He is one of those who played a part in
Eritrea’s development and reconstruction,
contributing in the best way he knows how.
This year I chose to pay a tribute to the
late freedom fighter Engineer Mehreteab
Tesfagerghis who was among the many
gallant heroes and heroine martyrs.
Mehreteab Tesfagergis was a veteran, a
freedom fighter who had joined the EPLF
in 1976 and set his feet until 1991 day of
emancipation. He was one of those who
created the radio of the Masses “Demsi
Hafash” in 1979 in the liberated zone of
“Fa’h” Sahel. In fact he was a Technical
creator and innovator who developed
the transmission capacity of the radio
station and its studios until it was able to
successfully reach and clearly cover almost
all neighbouring countries and beyond,
during the armed struggle.
Once in Kagnew now at Forto! Dismantled and reinstalled by Engineer
Mehreteab.
After liberation, the Department of
Information came to Asmara from the
mountains of “Hager Nish”, where it was
based during the liberation struggle. Almost
after three years an idea of building a new
premises for the Ministry of Information
was enacted to be on the top hill of “Forto”,
where it is currently located.
By that time new big radio transmitters
were brought and television broadcasting
launched. So Engineer Mehreteab saw the
need of implanting a higher tower to transmit
from the studios over the hill of “Forto” to
where the radio receivers in “Sela Daro” and
“Biet Gergish” are placed in the direct line of
its sight. He searched everywhere for a higher
tower until he came to find one placed and
used by the “Kagnew station”, a residential
camp in Asmara after liberation, which was
a former camp base for American soldiers
in the time of Hailesilasie Administration.
It was called ‘Track B’ tower, the Engineer
then dismantled it and reinstalled it on the
official base of the Ministry at Forto. Ever
since, it has been doing perfect performance
in transmission and connecting flows of
radio and television broadcasting from the
studios at the Ministry of information to the
above mentioned towns.
Beyond becoming available worldwide it
has a frequency of its own in international
cables of Arab Sat and Nile Sat. One of
his colleagues told me, “when I look at the
tower lit in red and yellow at the top of the
hill I always remember my veteran colleague
innovator Engineer Mehreteab.”
On the other hand that was not the only
achievement he had accomplished. Engineer
Mehreteab Tesfagerghis put a great impact
in developing and enhancing the Eritrean
Telecommunication (Eritel). His devotion
and the devotion of many others like him
have brought many things to light and
growth.
People like Engineer Mehreteab sacrificed
the blossoming years of their teenage lives
for the sake of national prosperity and lived
to add to it afterwards with great dedication.
When it came to sacrifice for freedom and
the grace of a nation, they even continued
sacrificing to create a far brighter future for
young generations like mine and the next
ones. For they will always be the generation
that planted pride, determination and
resilience in the heart of every Eritrean, as
so their history will remain to prosper far
into the future.
Everlasting glory to our martyrs!!!
Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, june 22, 2016
5
Vol 23 . No 32
G20 Hangzhou Summit -- An Open, Inclusive and Transparent Forum
The City of Hangzhou in Zhejiang
Province, China, is known to the
world for its beauty and the West
Lake. On 4-5 September, President
Xi Jinping will be joined by
leaders from other G20 members,
guest countries and international
organizations in Hangzhou to discuss
ways to advance global economic
cooperation and development. The
G20, Hangzhou and China will
attract the eyes of the world.
The Hangzhou Summit would
focus on the core challenges and
outstanding issues confronting the
world economy and work with all
parties to seek common solutions
and contribute China’s wisdom.
The Summit aims at steady growth
in the near term by addressing the
symptoms and adds momentum
to the long term by treating the
root causes. To facilitate G20’s
transition from a crisis-response
mechanism to one focusing on
long-term governance is also sought
so as to better lead world economic
growth and international economic
cooperation.
At the Antalya Summit last year,
President Xi spoke about the theme
and key priorities of the Hangzhou
Summit as well as China’s basic
approach. On 1 December last year,
the very day China took over the G20
presidency, President Xi delivered
a special message, expounding on
China’s vision and considerations.
China chose “Toward an Innovative,
Invigorated, Interconnected and
Inclusive World Economy” as the
theme of the Hangzhou Summit
and identified four key priorities,
namely, “breaking a new path
for growth”, “more effective and
efficient global economic and
financial governance”, “robust
international trade and investment”
and “inclusive and interconnected
development”. The theme and
topics proposed by China have
received strong endorsement and
support from other G20 members.
They all agree that China’s vision
embodies long-term, strategic
considerations and demonstrates
a broad perspective and ambitious
goals.
G20 activities run through the
whole year of China’s presidency,
with the culmination in the
Hangzhou Summit. Throughout the
year, 66 events will be held in 20
Chinese cities. Among them, there
are 23 ministerial-level meetings,
including four G20 ministers
meetings, five Sherpa meetings, four
Finance Ministers and Central Bank
Governors meetings, four finance
and central bank deputies meetings
and six large-scale side events.
Forty-three working group meetings
in various fields will be held.
Altogether nearly tens of thousands
of people will get involved. These
meetings will lay the ground for the
Hangzhou Summit from different
areas and perspectives and help
translate consensus into action.
In the next 100 days, summit
preparations will enter the final
sprint. China will hold another two
Sherpa meetings in June and early
September and a Finance Ministers
and Central Bank Governors meeting
in July. Starting from June, G20
meetings for agriculture ministers,
energy ministers, employment
ministers and trade ministers will
be held in quick succession.
Major side events such as the
B20 business forum, the Labor 20,
the Think-tank 20, the Youth 20,
the Women 20 and the Civil 20 will
follow.
To be problem-oriented is aimed
in preparing for the summit. In
response to problems in different
areas, China, in hosting the G20,
will strive: to push for greater
macroeconomic policy coordination
to avoid negative spill-over effect;
to champion reform and innovation
to unleash new impetus and achieve
strong, sustainable and balanced
growth; to strive to improve global
economic governance and safeguard
international financial stability;
to reinvigorate the two engines of
growth and build an open world
economy to address sluggish trade
and investment and resurgence of
protectionism; to push the G20 to
take the lead and play an exemplary
role in global cooperation on
sustainable development.
With these goals in mind, we are
working with all sides to deliver ten
major outcomes.
First, work out a blueprint for
innovation-driven growth; Second,
adopt an action plan for the
implementation of the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development.
A bigger number of developing
countries will be invited to take part
in the Hangzhou Summit so as to
make the summit more representative
of developing countries in the
world. The message China hopes to
convey is that the G20 belongs not
only to its 20 members but also to
the whole world, and that the G20
cares about not just its own interests
but the common development of all
in the world; Third, identify priority
areas and set up guiding principles
as well as an indicator system for
structural reforms; Fourth, adopt a
global trade growth strategy Trade
and investment will be on this
year’s summit agenda, and regular
platforms such as the G20 trade
ministers’ meeting and the trade
and investment working group
have also been planned. The global
trade growth strategy is aimed at
reversing the downward growth of
global trade by coordinating trade
and investment policies, taking
facilitating measures to lower
trade costs and increasing trade
financing; Fifth, lay out the guiding
principles for global investment
policies; Sixth, deepen reform of the
international financial architecture;
Seventh, launch three-pronged anticorruption cooperation; Eighth,
initiate cooperation to support
industrialization of Africa and
least developed countries (LDCs)
in the world; Ninth, formulate an
entrepreneurship action plan; Tenth,
push for early entry-into-force of
the Paris Agreement on climate
change.
In addition to the above outcomes,
the Hangzhou Summit will feature
the following two highlights:
One is the rich and colorful
events that will be arranged. The
summit will be held back to back
with a B20 business forum, the
biggest of its kind, on how to boost
global growth. President Xi Jinping
will make a keynote speech at the
B20 business forum. An informal
BRICS leaders meeting will be held
before the summit. President Xi
Jinping will chair the summit and
brief the Chinese and international
media on its outcomes after the
summit closes.
The other is the open and inclusive
working style in hosting the summit,
respecting all sorts of views and
voices. Six supporting events, i.e.
the B20 business forum, the Women
20, the Labor 20, the Civil 20, the
Youth 20 and the Think-tank 20,
will be held.
China will continue to work with
other parties in an open, inclusive
and transparent manner, and will
increase communication and
coordination with them to ensure a
successful summit.
By H.E. Ambassador Qiu
Xuejun of the People’s Republic
of China to the State of Eritrea
June, 2016
Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, june 22, 2016
6
Vol 23 . No 32
Message from the Ministry of Agriculture
On the occasion of World Day to Combat Desertification
“Protect Earth. Restore Land. Engage People”
“This year’s World day to
combat desertification shows the
importance of being inclusive as we
cooperate to restore and rehabilitate
degraded land. It also points to the
convergence of international action
and landmark agreements recently
adopted which recognize the
links between the different global
challenges of our times. Apart from
land degradation, these also include
biodiversity loss, climate change,
food and water security, and poverty
eradication. The 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development and the
Sustainable Development Goals
prominently feature the importance
of land resources, biodiversity
and ecosystem services. The Paris
Agreement on climate change
highlights the role of conservation
and sustainable management
of forests. The target of Land
Degradation Neutrality recognizes
the need to support ecosystem
functions and services through
sustainable land management and
the rehabilitation of degraded land
and soil.”
This statement is taken from the
message of the Executive Secretary
at the convention on biological
diversity, Mr. Braulio Ferreira De
Souza Dias on the occasion of World
Day to Combat Desertification on
June 17.
Eritrea, due to the fact that it is
situated in the desert prone region of
the world, must put land degradation
neutrality in its frontline. Having
this fact in place, the Eritrean
government has rendered various
integrated
land
reclamation
activities for the last quarter a
century. On May 15, 2006, a national
conference, in which President of
the State of Eritrea participated
and gave important directives, was
conducted. Subsequently, May 15,
has become a national greening day.
As per the conference resolutions, a
massive greening campaign, aimed
at rehabilitating degraded land
through afforestation as well as soil
and water conservation programs,
was launched.
As we witness the achievements
of the campaign, it is self-evident
that the country is on the right
track in the global effort of land
degradation neutrality. This year’s
world day to combat desertification
was celebrated under the theme,
“Protect Earth. Restore Land.
Engage People.” This is definitely
consistent with Eritrea’s road
map that mainly focuses on
community mobilization to combat
desertification, land degradation
and drought.
It is to be noted that the Ministry
of Agriculture, in collaboration with
the Forest and Wildlife authority;
and the Administrative regions, has
been able to mobilize and lead the
community to plant more than forty
million seedlings.
Moreover around 300,000
hectares of enclosure area has been
established thanks to the greening
campaign. Additionally more than
500,000 hectares of land in BoriAyrori, around Red sea cost, is ready
to be part of the national protected
area.
Since the concept of land
reclamation need to start at the
grassroots level, more than 482
school based green clubs have
been established. This process
will continue until every school
in the country establishes at least
one green club. These clubs are
playing an important role in raising
the awareness of school children
and motivate to participate in the
greening campaign.
One of the biggest achievements
of the campaign is distribution
of improved stoves which play a
vital role in reducing fire wood
consumption. So far, more than
143,000 improved stoves have
been distributed throughout the
country. Since this kind of stove is
able to cut firewood consumption
by half, it will continue until every
household installs one. Soil and
water conservation activities at
farm land and in catchments are
also part of the major programs of
the greening campaign.
Even though, we are on the way to
achieve our goals, it is to be recalled
we still have a huge assignment
to approach our vision: a Green
Eritrea.
The Executive secretary of the
convention on biological diversity
Mr. Braulio Ferreira De Souza Dias
concluded his message by saying;
“The impacts of land degradation
affect the sustainability of the
entire world, thus a global effort is
needed. Land resources are the very
foundation upon which our societies
and economies grow and prosper.
By restoring and rehabilitating
degraded land we contribute to
achieving the overall Sustainable
Development Goals and the future
we want.
17 June 2016
“We shall this day light such a candle, by Martyrs ....
continued from page 2
Olympic
Tadesse.
medalist
Zerisenay
June 20th arrives, the sky still
covered with clouds and with
a fresh breeze of air, the day
begins with Mass prayers held in
Churches and Mosques and Bahti
Meskerem is once again filled with
people, as it did the night before.
This time most Eritrea people,
the old and young are taking part
to walk together to the Martyrs
Cemetery, met by the President,
Ministers, government officials,
dignitaries; they make their way
to the Martyrs Cemetery. After
having reached the cemetery,
President Isaias Afwerki puts
wreath of flowers in the statue of
Martyrs followed by secretary of
the PFDJ Mr. Alamin Mohammed
Seid, Chief of staff the Eritrean
Defense Forces, General Filipos
W/Yohannes, President of the
National Union of Eritrean
women, Mrs. Tekh’a Tesfamichael
and Governor of Central Region
Major General Ramadan Osman
Awliyai.
The day which was further
invigorated by programs planned
to commemorate the day, was
opened by President Isaias
Afwerki address to the nation (see
on the first page). The president
which starts by honoring Eritrea’s
martyrs, states that Eritrea’s 25th
silver jubilee was celebrated with
zeal both at home and abroad and
remarked that the Eritrean people
deserved tremendous gratitude.
Furthermore, as June 20th was
being commemorated exactly
a month after independence
celebrations, he reminded that
the day is further glorified by the
recent TPLF attacks on Eritrea’s
sovereignty. The attacks though
new, the President elucidated that
the aggression was not a surprise
given the TPLF’s continuous
hopes of destabilizing the horn
of Africa. This recent attacks has
further intensified our patriotism,
the President added.
Eritreans throughout history
had been subject to many
injustice and external aggression.
Injustices and aggression refuted
by the might and courage of the
Eritrean people. Eritrean defiance
grew under the shadow of the
executioner’s rods and axes, and
every Eritrean lived in the peril
of physical torture and death. The
thought of martyrdom coloured
the whole outlook of Eritreans.
But it was never fear, it was an
ideal and a hope. For the martyr
was the complete Eritrean, he/she
was the champion and hero of the
new society and its conflict with
the old, and Eritreans today look
on the martyrs as their saviours and
protectors. Yikealo had brought
independence in 1991, WarsayYikealo defended it in 1998 and
once and again, the recent TPLF
attacks were foiled by WarsayYikealo, but Defense is never at
no cost! Last week, 18 Eritrean
Soldiers now fallen heroes had
bravely given up their lives to
defend their nation, Eritrea.
Once more, the day is
commemorated by Music’s,
Dramas and Poems to remember
Eritrea’s beloved Martyrs.
As the event came to an end
the Eritrean Marching band
instrumentally played the Eritrea
National anthem and brought the
event to conclusion.As I made my
way back home, thinking of the
event of the night before and June
20th, I scan my surroundings,
to my left there is Kagnew, the
first radio base station used by
U.S military spys during the cold
war, now home to most Eritrean
war veteran, to my right I see
history in the form of destroyed
Military Vehicles and tanks and
the sort all in display ever since
independence. But what caught
my attention the most was, little
kids between the age of 8 and 10
all wearing their Kongos, shorts
and shirts and with a football
in hand, off to play a game, I
assumed. In a way the kids were
off to honour their fallen heroes in
the best way possible, enjoy their
independence and freedom!
Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, june 22, 2016
Photo: Aklilu Zerezgi
Yemane Abrha
Mihretab Ghebremichael
7
Vol 23 . No 32
June 20
Commemoration
Design: Taezaz Abrha
Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, june 22, 2016
8
Vol 23 . No 32
“. . . my heart was always in Eritrea.”
Mela Ghebremedhin
Today’s Q&A’s guest is Ms. Yordanos Abraham, a proud and confident woman from Canada. She is visually impaired but it did not stop her from visiting Eritrea.
Here is her impression on the country.
Great meeting you Yordanos,
please tell us about your
background…
Thank you for welcoming me,
my name is Yordanos Abraham I
was born in 1965 in Asmara and
now I live in Toronto, Canada.
When did you leave Eritrea?
Well, I have been living in
Canada for the last 27 years. I left
Eritrea in 1987 and then I arrived
in Canada.
Memories of Eritrea back
then…
I left when I was 21, so, yes, I
do remember the life in Asmara
very well.
It was a disaster, it was very
hard to get out from the house. If
you would dare to go out, you will
be chased by Ethiopian soldiers as
we lived close to expo, an area full
of Ethiopian soldiers of the Derg
regime, but now I feel free to get
out of the house even at night.
Your visual impairment…
I was diagnosed with glaucoma,
which damaged the retina so when
I checked up with the doctors at
that time I was asked to have a
surgery but the conditions weren’t
suitable for such surgery, so I left
Eritrea.
Living in Exile…
I live on my own in Canada. It
was very difficult at the beginning.
I was very young, the cultural
shock, and the weather. I had to
start everything from scratch,
going back to school and learning
the language without failing to
recall the number of training on
mobility, on how to use a white
cane and also how to move in this
new place. It was frustrating but
with time I managed to integrate
myself. However, my heart was
always in Eritrea.
Your first time in Eritrea since
you left?
This is my second time in
Eritrea, however, the first time
was in 1993. This time I could
really have a greater idea of
reality on the ground.
The reality on the ground you
said, how did you imagine Eritrea
before your arrival?
Before coming I thought the city
was empty with its ghost houses,
a place where there was nobody
and where nothing was moving
but when I landed I realized that
it was completely the opposite
from what the media is feeding
us with. Everything I witnessed
from the water dam construction,
the people. Everywhere I go and
the peaceful feeling I have is how
it’s so different from when I left
the country 27 years ago.
Visiting Eritrea…
I did many things since I
arrived in Eritrea. There were
street performances, people were
explaining to me the costumes,
and children were singing and
trying to be comedians. I never
seen such beautiful and talented
people here. The creativity
and how from little things they
managed to make great costumes
and decoration, I witnessed during
the Independence Day celebration
as well as the thousands gathering
in remembrance of our martyrs.
I also went on a tour to the Gash
Barka region. I visited Bisha,
Sawa, Kerkebet. In Kerkebet, I
couldn’t believe what they were
explaining to me and how huge
the dam is. The students in Sawa
also, singing together, especially
the girls and the self-confidence
they expressed. In Bisha, the
hospitality and the tour was wellexplained and impressive.
Besides the tour…
On June 24th, we have a day
in Keren with the hard-hearing
people as well as an event will
be organized on the 27th for the
visual impaired in Eritrea. I am
hoping for a more digitalized
system for our visual impaired.
We just started an organization
in January 2015, in North America
called Eritrean and Visual Impaired
Organization (EHVI). Eritreans
living in North America, we are
scattered everywhere, one reason
I came to Eritrea at this time is
to bring computers to the visual
and hard-hearing people. We are
about 20-25 active members and
more than 50 in total.
Initially, a few years ago, I met
someone who lives in Auckland,
United States, Mr. Araya Efrem,
and we started to discuss and
fundraise.
I was writing to him an email
that I needed his phone number
and when I explained to him that I
was visually impaired he couldn’t
believe that I was writing him back
by email. That’s when the idea of
raising awareness on the situation
of visual impaired Eritrean people
came. Thus, another person was
willing to raise awareness on illimpaired also.
The organization then grew to
include technology sharing and
fundraising with Eritreans in the
homeland on the importance of
using computers to ease their
daily life and education. Right
now, we just started working with
institutions here in Eritrea. It is still
in process as I met Prof. Tadesse
Mehari, Executive Director
of the Commission for Higher
Education, as well as Minister of
Labor and Human Welfare, Mr.
Kahsai Ghebrehiwet.
Thoughts on the image
of Eritrea and the released
Commission
of
Inquiry’s
report…
What I hear it’s not right. What
can we do other than fight against
it? We have to be strong, keep it
up and I am in full spirit with my
people in Geneva. The struggle
continues.
Michela Wrong Misrepresents ...
continued from page 3
unprecedented diplomatic and
political shield and support as it
violated the terms of the Algiers
Agreements, flouted international
law, refused to accept and abide by
the delimitation and demarcation
decisions of the independent Eritrea
Ethiopia Boundary Commission
(EEBC).
Today, 14 years later, in violation
of international law and UN Charter
and over two dozen Security Council
resolutions, as if its occupation and
plunder of Badme were not enough,
emboldened by the inaction of the
international community, Ethiopia
once again launched another attack
on Eritrea on 12 June 2016 using
flimsy pre-texts. Wrong ought to
review the regime’s contradictory
statements in order to decipher the
truth about its latest adventure into
Eritrea. Parroting its narratives
on Eritrea will only undermine
her credibility and integrity as a
professional jouranlist.
As Eritrea celebrates its 25th
Independence Anniversary, it is only
fitting to look back at what Michela
Wrong once wrote about the people
of Eritrea. She said they were:
“...Proud, principled and
impoverished, Eritrea is virtually
without peer in Africa as it pursues
its own model of development and
vision of democracy. … Given
Eritrea’s grim legacy, its challenges
are formidable. But thirty years
ago most observers doubted that
Eritrea would even win its war for
independence. Who is to say that
Eritrea will not again surprise the
world as it seeks to liberate itself
from poverty?...”
Eritrea will surprise Michela
Wrong and all naysayers once
again...in the meantime, reigning in
the minority regime in Ethiopia will
bring peace, stability and security to
the Horn region. Journalists, like Ms.
Wrong ought to play a constructive
role in ensuring that international
law is respected.