Afshin Rattansi: Please don’t talk about us without us!

Afshin Rattansi: Please don’t talk about us without us!

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Re: Eritrea a nation in isolation

Dear Mr Rattansi,

We watched your recent documentary on Eritrea (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM_EdLBjNqM&feature=share) with great interest; after all it is not every day that ‘independent journalists’ get free and uninhibited access to go anywhere and speak to anyone ‘unannounced’ in Eritrea. We are sure that it would not escape your attention that all journalists from Eritrea’s independent media have either disappeared without trace into the country’s network of prisons or find themselves scattered right around the globe as refugees, after the government banned free press ‘temporarily’, in 2001.

Whilst we understand the main point of your documentary is to explain Eritrea’s otherwise tarnished image as emanating from the United States of America’s obsession to overthrow the government of Eritrea, we are surprised, that the only ordinary Eritrean that question was paused to was a high school student, not older than 15 years of age, who probably has never seen any other independent journalist in her life. Inevitably her answer echoes what the president piped to her generation throughout their lives ‘they are jealous of us!’

We are also surprised that despite the current concern about human rights in Eritrea and the refugee crisis that is impossible to ignore, the only time your documentary mentioned human rights was to a business tycoon, who has indeed made good out of Eritrea’s isolation.

In his response to your question he gave you a list of the snacks on offer at his staff canteen to the last banana.
Interestingly despite spending ample time talking to the president, the chair of his excuse for women’s association and several toddlers, it never occurred you to talk to ordinary Eritreans about what they think of your conclusion or the president’s assessment of Eritrea’s situation.

Indeed if you had asked the people of Asmara where the best place to visit to give an idea of what is going on n Eritrea was; we are sure they would have pointed you to the various official and unofficial prisons dotted around the city, the most notorious of these known as Kersheli was within walking distance from where you were filming, it is unfortunate that your free access and unannounced visits turned a blind eye to this reality that didn’t require much digging.

Have you noticed that there really weren’t any young people on the streets of Asmara? We did, it is stark a reality even your rosy depiction couldn’t gloss over, if you had enquired Asmarinos would have told you that the city was between raids (giffa as we know it), the hunt down of young people, to forcibly send them to the military camps that we are surprised your camera missed.

For someone who was so interested in finding out about the country’s military ambition, down to the point of asking preschoolers about it; we are baffled that you neglected to talk to the hundreds of thousands of military service recruits who would have offered you that very insight from their hands-on experience.

Finally whilst we are not sure that your arguments about US’ ambitions against the government of Eritrea hold much water, we would like to tell you about millions of Eritreans who desperately want this government of Eritrea to be replaced by a democratically elected government that will take responsibility for implementing the objectives of the long and arduous struggle of the Eritrean public for self determination.

We would like to conclude this letter by offering you opportunities to really find out about the situation in Eritrea from thousands of our compatriots who are languishing in refugee camps after they have fled the prisons and military camps that you so conveniently neglected to visit during you ‘unrestricted and unannounced visit’ to Eritrea.

Signed

Aron Haile EYSC ( USA)

Abby Ave Maria Abby Ave Maria, USA

Abdu Mohammed - Research Scientist - USA
Abdulahe Mahmoud Sudan

Abdulrazig Osman - Journalist Australia
Abraham Haile

Abraham Tesfu - Exploration Geologist (UK)
Ahmed Abdela eritrean youth league for chenge KSA riyadh
Ahmed Raji, New York, USA
Alex Foto - USA
Aman Betsue, Student
Amanuel Kehasse; Research scientist; Activist, Novato, CA, USA
Amanuel Zemichael -USA
Asghie beyene..VA, USA
Asim Keita

awet abraha - switzerland
Awet Eyob, USA
Besrat Joseph Gebrewold

Biniam H. Tsegay

Biniam Negash, Toronto, Canada
Biniam Tsegay, Student - USA
BT Hayle,
Dani Dave

Daniel Asrat

Daniel G. Mikael, Activist, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Daniel Gebre Lynwood ,wa
Daniel refugee USA
Dr Daniel Rezene Mekonnen -Human Rights Lawyer (Germany)
Dawit Supp, GB
Dawit Tewelde

Desbele Teklebrhan - Refugee (Switzerland)

Ermias Leake
Ezra Yohannes USA
Filmon Habtom

Filmon Hailemelekot dallas, tx usa
Getu Tsgai, Tornto, Canada
Ghebrehiwot Meles

Ghezae Zeresenay

Haben Tedros

Habtom Desta, USA
Habtom Tedla, Canada
Hade Adam

Hagos Tekie-Accountant-(Sweden)
Haile Hagod = USA. Do not let this idiots fool you.
Hanibal Daniel, USA
Dr Harnet Bokrezion -  Food Security Expert and Activist (UK)
Henok Goitom Solomon

Hiab Gebreselassie

Hussen Ahmed, USA
Ibrahim Ali

Idris Mk - Norway
Isayas Sium, Bay Area, CA
Iyob Tseggai., Engineer &activist ( UK)
Khaled Abdu ,(former Chief editor of Admas newspaper in Eritrea) Employment officer and Activist (Sweden)
Dr Khalid Beshir, Research Scientist (London, UK)
kibreab haile refugee in switzerland
Kidane Ghebreselasie

kifleyesus U S A
Luwam Estifanos
Mahamuda Danaba

Mahamuda Danaba, Ethiopia
Matias Negassi

Medhanie Berhe USA
Mekonen Teame USA
Mekonnen Gebrezgabier, refugee in Canada.
Meron Estefanos - Journalist (Sweden)
Mesfin Gebrkidan

Mesie Mehari

Michael Teckle, Vancouver Canada
Michael Yonas

Mike Samuel

Paulos Tsegai, North Carolina, USA!
Peteros Abraha USA
Philmon yemane-Refugee (Norway).
Rita Dinner

Robel Tesfai

Robel Yowhannes ,UK
Ruth Tsehaye EYSC usa
Samiel Mehary....... political activist USA, Washington,DC
Samuel N Araya, asylee, California.

Sammy Vino , Germany
Samuel Misghina , student USA
Samuel Tsegai

Selam Kidane- Policy Adviser and Human rights activist (London UK)
Simon Assefaw -U.S.A
Sium Meskel, activist (Norway)
Solomon Assefaw, EYSC-USA.
Stifanos Afewerki . Manchester uk

Terhas Zeru, Student, Canada

Tesfaldet Berhane

Tesfaldet Tesfamariam  refugee in Israel
Thomas Tekle Oakland USA
Tiegsti Habtemichael sister of Jornalist (Dawit Habtemichael) who disappear with his colleague since
September 2001.
Tsedal Yohannes - Human Rights activist (London UK)
Tsegazghi Tesfadet

Tsegehans weldeslassie  activist (Italy) ex Eritrean teacher, Now refugee In Italy)
Dr Tsigabu Asmelash, Activist EYSC- USA
Weldegebriel T. Kahsai

Yodit Haile, Toronto.
Yonas Goitom

Yonas Hagos - Activist, USA
yosief tekle - refugee –norway
Yosef Woldu, USA

Zara Tewolde-Berhan, student (London, UK)

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