News Analysis

Eritrea: Twenty Four Workers Massacred in a Gold Mining Area

Mon - 12 Apr Written by AI Staff

It is no surprise that the latest tragedy in Eritrea has to do with the mining projects that are sprouting all over the land – be it directly or indirectly. Selfi Democracy Eritrea has reported that on Thursday, April 08 and Friday, April 09, 2010, in the god mining areas of Hademdem and Fankon in the Gash-Barka region, in the altercation and scuffle caused by an unwarranted round up conducted by the Eritrean government to forcefully conscript workers into the army, one soldier was killed instantly. In retaliation, the Isaias regime unleashed a reign of terror for two days that killed 24 of those working in the mining area; and in its aftermath, there is a great tension building up in the surrounding area.

There are two vital pieces of information that are missing that we need to know to get the whole picture right, and both have to do with the nature of the mining project itself: Are any one of the number of Western mining companies involved in this mining project? Or is it one of those areas where locals are frequenting to extract gold on their own initiative? Either way it doesn’t bode well for the Western mining companies to be associated with such a brutal regime, especially since the tragedy has to do with the unscrupulous gold rush.

Eritrea: the Al Qaeda Connection to Somalia

Fri - 09 Apr Written by Yosief Ghebrehiwet

What we are looking at is a terrorist organization increasingly squeezed out from its traditional areas in the Middle East (Iraq and Yemen) and further east in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea, infamously known for sponsoring terrorism throughout the region, in general, and in Somalia, in particular, is providing the necessary link to make Al Qaeda’s desperate attempt to relocate itself in Somalia a success.

Even if Al Qaeda’s total relocation to Somalia seems to be inconceivable in the near future, there is no doubt that the petering out of the Sunni insurgency in Iraq, the heavy military presence of the US in Afghanistan, the ongoing offensive of the Pakistani army on traditional Al Qaeda hideouts and similar offensive on Al Qaeda offshoots in Yemen has incapacitated the organization to a point that it cannot carry any meaningful terrorist attack outside these areas. So there is no doubt that it needs a safe haven outside these areas from which it would be able to launch its terrorist attacks on the West and other nations considered to be pro-West (Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Kenya, etc). And there is no better place than the strategically located, war-torn, anarchic and religiously radicalized Somalia to locate that safe haven. The riddle is: where in this picture does Eritrea fit in?

ERITREA MEDIA WATCH

Mon - 26 Oct Written by Michael Abraha

Eritrea’s Lingering Malnutrition

Awate.com’s Divisive Publications

The only leader who thinks it is o.k. to preside over a nation with the worst record in press freedom is Eritrea’s strongman Isayas Afewerki. He argues there is no such thing as “free press”. Of course there isn’t. But the rest of humanity agrees it is vital to have systems which enable people to freely express ideas and exchange information. “Free press” is not an absolute standard but is meant to serve as a guideline in the establishment of free and united communities. Even Denmark at the top of the list of 175 countries does not have a perfect “free press”. But it is striving towards that goal. And it is never too late for Eritrea to join the civilized world in the fight against darkness. Repression and ruthless censorship create intellectual retardation and hinder progress.

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ERITREA MEDIA WATCH

Mon - 17 Aug Written by Michael Abraha

ERITREA MEDIA WATCH -Assassination attempt on President Isayas -US threats against Isayas over Samalia

As the Obama Administration threatens to punish Eritrea for its involvement in strife stricken Somalia, there are reports of an assassination attempt on the life of President Isayas Afewerki. Quoting sources from inside the ocuntry, two Eritrean Diaspora websites, Assenna and Asmarino, said the attack on the president’s vehicle occurred on August 13 on the road between Asmara and the Red Sea port of Massawa. The president was said to be unharmed. The sources describe the attacker as 43 year-old member of the national army, First Lieutenant Daniel Habte Yihdego. He was killed on the spot by presidential guards. The alleged attempt would come as no surprise to Eritreans and foreign observers given the government’s brutal and repressive policies. The Eritrean government has denied the report.

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ERITREA’S DANGEROUS ‘IRAN AND AL-SHABAAB CONNECTIONS’

Mon - 11 May Written by Michael Abraha

ERITREA remains chokingly gripped with the misfortunes of tyranny, hunger and despair. It was no wonder, therefore, that President Isayas Afewerki has been noticeably busy trying to divert attention away from the hot issues of human rights, democracy and famine. Nothing could be more diversionary than Isayas’s perceived actions in the service of Iranian and Al-Shabaab’s designs to undermine President Obama’s policies toward the Horn of Africa.

In a statement, the interim Somali government last week accused the Eritrean authorities of sending two plane-loads of weapons to Somalia in violation of UN arms embargo on that war-ravaged country. The Somali government alleged that two planes from Eritrea landed at an Al-Shababa controlled airstrip in Lower Shebelle Region in Southern Somalia on April 28 and May 1. Voice of America says the accusation is a repeat of events in 2007, when the United Nations said Eritrea was secretly sending arms and missiles to Al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab.

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Eritrea Media Watch

Mon - 27 Apr Written by Michael Abraha

The Eritrean government has lashed out at the Daily Telegraph for its sensational report of a possible US “military action” against the Asmara government for “its support for a Somalian terrorist group linked to a plot to attack President Barack Obama” during his inauguration in January.

Writing from Asmara last week for the conservative British daily, Damien McElroy said Eritrea was backing al-Shabaab, a radical Somali group which the US describes as al-Qaeda-linked terrorist movement. US intelligence believes Al Shabaab has trained a dozen of Somalis to carry out attacks in the US, according to the Daily Telegraph.

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The Meeting of Lepers, Piracy in the Sea and Arms Smuggling

Thu - 26 Mar Written by AI Staff

What did it take for Isaias to invite Beshir to visit Asmara and for the latter to accept the invitation instantly? Beshir has to be rendered a leper first by the international community for him to visit a leper colony at such a short notice. It took the ICC to scare him to death to seek out his look-alike in Asmara. Poor Eritrea! What else could we expect from a nation led by a Grand Leper, shunned by everybody in the world except for the likes of Gaddafi and Mugabe, themselves old-time lepers.

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Triangulating Bin Laden, Isaias and Sheikh Ahmed

Sat - 21 Mar Written by Yosief Ghebrehiwet

Yesterday (March 19), Osama Bin Laden bombarded the world with one more of his web incendiary messages, but this time around it was entirely focused on Somalia, which tells us the extent to which he seems to have invested his hopes on that region to carry out his Islamic revolution. An analyst makes a similar point:

“‘I think people who were skeptical that al-Qaida has ambition in Somalia will now have to think twice’, Rashid Abdi, an analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank in Nairobi told The Associated Press.” (“Bin Laden exhorts militants on web message”, AP, march 19)

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News & Press Releases

Letter to the President of the Federal States of Somalia

Despite Somalia's current challenges, the Eritrean people still need your support. However I am very confident that your country will continue to show strong leadership on this issue and others, and for that you have my praise and admiration along with that of Eritreans around the world. Your support for the Eritrean people, for the fundamental rights of the Persons with Albinism, and for others, will not be forgotten.

The Washington D.C. Conference

A Conference under the theme “Time for Change: Saving Eritrea’s Future” was held in Washington D.C. during the period May 24-25, 2013.

This conference, organized by Eritreans who came from all over the United States and Canada, was attended by about 2000 Eritrean-Americans, Eritrean-Canadians, and friends of Eritrea. This conference was held on the sidelines of the Washington D.C. demonstration, which has been sufficiently covered but on which we would like to dwell briefly.

UN Urges the World to Keep Eritrea Under Scrutiny

GENEVA (5 June 2013) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Eritrea, Sheila B. Keetharuth, today reiterated her call on the international community to keep monitoring the human rights situation in Eritrea and to protect and support those fleeing the country, in particular the increasing numbers of unaccompanied children.

“I urge the international community to keep Eritrea under close scrutiny until meaningful change is evident,” Ms. Keetharuth said during the presentation of her first report to the UN Human Rights Council. “It will be important to increase efforts to constructively engage with Eritrea and neighbouring countries to improve the situation of human rights in the country.”

Egyptian politicians caught in on-air Ethiopia dam gaffe

Egyptian politicians are embarrassed after being caught suggesting hostile acts against Ethiopia to stop it from building a dam across the Blue Nile. ...

As the participants did not know that the meeting was being aired live by state TV, they spoke their minds unreservedly.

Their suggestions centred around military action as a decisive response to what one of them called a "declaration of war".

One of the politicians suggested sending special forces to destroy the dam; another thought of jet fighters to scare the Ethiopians; and a third called for Egypt to support rebel groups fighting the government in Addis Ababa.

Eritrean Nationals in the Greater Bay Area Celebrated 22nd Independence Day with Great Enthusiasm

Large crowd of mostly youth Eritreans gathered in Oakland, California on Sunday May 26 to Celebrate our country’s 22nd Independence Day. This gathering was exceptional in many ways. To begin with, the National Holiday was prepared by the effort and co-operation of different political organizations, civic societies and independent citizens namely, Eritrean Youth Solidarity for Change (EYSC), Eritrean National Council for Democratic Change (ENCDC), Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) and Eritreans with no political affiliation. Secondly, the hall was packed with participants of all ages with mostly young men and women.

3rd state agrees to take Israel's Eritrean migrants

An undisclosed country has agreed to absorb the majority of Eritrean citizens who have illegally entered Israel, representatives of the state said Sunday.

The remarks came during a High Court discussion of a petition filed by human rights groups against Israel's infiltrator's law, which allows for the detention of illegal migrants without trial.

(Photo: Eritrean migrants protest Negeve detention facility)

Persecution Greater Than Ever and 'Getting Worse' in Eritrea

Religious persecution in Eritrea is at its “highest level ever and getting worse,” an Eritrean Christian leader, who cannot be named for security reasons, has told the Christian charity Open Doors International.

Thirty-seven Christian students from the College of Arts and Social Sciences in the town of Adi Kihe, and five men from the Church of the Living God in Asmara, were arrested last week, taking the total number of Christians known to have been arrested this year to 191.

(Photo: College of Arts, Adi-Keyih)

Swedish Men Charged with Extortion Racket Linked to Eritrea Kidnappings

A Stockholm court has charged two young Swedish nationals of Middle Eastern origin with extortion in connection with the kidnappings of Eritrean asylum seekers.

The two, aged 21 and 18, allegedly demanded money from families living in Sweden for the safe return of loved ones. The suspects, who were arrested in February, have been accused of trying to extort $33,000 (£22,000) in ransom demands.

TD Bank urged to exit Eritrea collection scheme

A Canadian chartered bank being used in Eritrea's controversial tax collection scheme is being urged to get out of it, CBC world affairs correspondent Rick MacInnes-Rae reports today from Winnipeg.

The UN says Eritrea relies on threats and coercion to extract two per cent of the income from Eritrean citizens in Canada. In Winnipeg, the money is then funnelled to the East-African dictatorship via Toronto-Dominion Bank, documents obtained by CBC News show.

Pray for Eritrea: 'Come, Let Us Rebuild Our Walls'

In Eritrea, thousands of Christians are being detained without charge or trial in truly inhumane conditions.Please join us in protest against these injustices and to pray for God's intervention.

Hundreds of Eritreans and Concerned Americans March for Freedom in Eritrea

May 24, 2013 Today hundreds marched in Washington, DC to decry the acute mistreatment of Eritrean people and the country itself by the self-serving and self-perpetuating government. At the Eritrea embassy, the group found a counter-demonstration set up by supposed regime supporters, which had arranged things ahead of time, forcing the local police to set up a caged “neutral area” between the groups. The freedom-loving opposition side outnumbered the regime supporters by at least half again. The vehemence of the oppositionists surpassed the other group, whose voice was primarily loud music, and which did not have its usual covey of children along. Ironically, the regime supporters who were demonstrating against the oppositionists, were using the freedom of expression available here but not to any oppositionists back home.

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