I do not have the detail but it is sad to hear people like Léonard Vincent to retreat from being public figures and and refusing to attend conferences for matters that concern Eritrean current suffering because of continued threats and defamations they receive daily from European politicians and regime supporters in trying to block and silence him to be the voice of the voiceless.
Léonard has contributed tremendesely for the Eritrean tragic humanitarian crisis for the last 8 – 9 years. He is a dedicated man for the Eritrean cause, a journalist, a writer, an activist and humanist Léonard Vincent for his refusal of an ivitation he received to hold a conference on the Eritrean Situation.
He didn’t mention directly what threats he is receiving to make a decision so saddenly but it seems that it is really worrisome. To stop such noble men from being the voice of the voiceless is a hult for human rights advocators.
According to his post, the main reason of refusing to speak publically seems that the treatment he usually encounters from the regime supporters and European politicians who are solely interested on their political interest and agenda. Léonard mentioned that he is a victim of direct defamation, verbal assualts and threats simply because he stands for the suffering of Eritrean youth.
Neverthless he strongly believes that Eritrean Issue can be reflected truely if Eritreans themselves become the actors of their affairs. Having a confidence on Eritreans themselves to handle their situation, Léonardo indicated that there are capable Eritreans who can conduct conferences across Europe, for example, people who he knows personally from Radio Erena(Paris) for such a long time.
Léonard stressed that he will continue to speak about the Eritrean suffering not by becoming at the head but as a human being who cares about the freedom of his fellow human being. He conveyed a strong message to those who invited him for the conference that it is the Eritrean themselves who can be the masters of their agenda.
Léonard Vincent has a blog who frequently publishes his well reseacrhed and opinionated articles about Eritrea (since 2009) – https://erythreens.wordpress.com/ and has published two books that focus one on current Eritrean situation and suffering of Eritrean youth during their never ending journey of immigration to Europe and other areas of the world (Les Erythréens) and other about his experience of visit in Greek (Athènes ne donne rien) . He is a French citizen and a journalist at RFI
I salut Léo for his courageous work and reject detractors who try to silence him from being the voice of the voiceless Eritreans.
Réponse à une invitation à tenir une conférence sur l’Erythrée envoyée à l’instant :
“Bonjour,
Avant tout, je vous remercie pour votre invitation. Malheureusement, je suis obligé de la refuser, et ce pour plusieurs raisons que vous pourrez comprendre, j’en suis sûr. D’abord, mon exposition personnelle autour de la situation de l’Erythrée me vaut beaucoup trop de contrecoups à mon sens : agressions verbales de toutes formes, diffamation, dénigrement, provenant non seulement des partisans du régime, mais aussi de militants politiques européens qui défendent leur propre agenda et non celui des indigents qu’ils prétendent assister, de fonctionnaires sans culture et sans projet autre que la gestion étroite des priorités de leurs chefs, d’universitaires jaloux qu’on empiète sur leurs plate-bandes, de journalistes soucieux de se hausser du col en manifestant publiquement du mépris pour un confrère. Cette situation désagréable me place face à un dilemme. Je ne suis plus disposé à subir cela en silence mais, si je venais à répondre aux invectives ou aux rabaissements, le sujet essentiel sortirait du cadre de la conversation publique : je veux dire les Erythréens eux-mêmes et leurs appels à l’aide. Je suis donc arrivé à ce stade où, paradoxalement sans doute, je me cantonne au retrait de la parole publique autant que faire se peut, pour au moins préserver intact l’intérêt que la terrible situation de l’Erythrée suscite depuis quelques années en Europe, aussi mince soit-il. Peut-être ma position sera-t-elle amenée à changer, mais ce raisonnement me semble cohérent à ce stade.
Ensuite, je suis convaincu que, pour parler de l’état d’esprit et de la marche tragique et héroïque de la jeunesse érythréenne, les mieux placés sont les Erythréens eux-mêmes. J’ai donc pris la résolution de m’effacer à leur profit, et de me tenir littéralement derrière eux, pour les soutenir au besoin, mais certainement pas pour marcher à leur tête. Je vous invite donc à chercher des voix érythréennes pour parler à vos collaborateurs. Il en existe de précieuses en Europe, comme mes amis de Radio Erena par exemple.
This was extracted from my facebook post of 24/02/2017 and the followed discussions(24/02 – 26/02/2017). I found it interesting to share as it has touched many areas covered. Thanks to Zaki Zerom for allowing me to use the materials we discussed in this blog. I have used synonym names for the other participants.
Facebook Post:
The difference between patriotism and nationalism is that the patriot is proud of his country for what it does, and the nationalist is proud of his country no matter what it does; the first attitude creates a feeling of responsibility, but the second a feeling of blind arrogance that leads to war. Sydney J. Harris
Discussion that followed
Zaki Zerom
“What it does ” is the phrase I am having problem with. Who is “it”? The government or the people?
Frezghi:
I like the saying. I consider the avoidance of needless war the highest proof of true love for your people.
Ezana Caleb
I wish if you can stop preching your old and unadjusted political believe. Sometimes i wander why people like you become blind to see and accept the reason of suffering of human beings.
Nationalistic ideologies is what we need now to restore world order. Multiculturalism and Patriotism are the main reason of human suffering d all over the world. These are the reason:
Multiculturalism, created fertil land for Islamic ideology to disturb our peace. (See what muslim terrorist are doing all over the world)
Patriotism is the fact and base behinde of almost all oppressive governments. ( See almost all governments came by revolution including Eritrea).
There for please be fair and kind for all humans.
Tesfabirhan REDIE
[To Ezana] I think you must be the last person to speak about all human being as your political stand(Agazian Ideology) testifies.
Have you ever wondered what Social Nationalism is all about? If you don’t google it but it is exactly what you are preaching for. It is Social Nationalism that gave birth to Nazi. Hope you know what is the iceberg of Nazism.
Another thing: you are blindly guided by Hate of Islam – hence Islamophobia centric. It says a lot about you on your stand against humanity.
Zaki Zerom
Our fight is not with people of other countries but with our own dictator. Call it nationalism, patriotism or any other term you like, just try to find the ingredients that could bring the different segments of our society together. Finding the common sentiments of belongingness for each other the land we hail from. Cherish our values and love one another. What is bad about this?
Tesfabirhan REDIE
The ingredients that I believe could bring us together:
As we don’t have a constitution -at least lets be guided during the transition period by Universal Constitution – which can help us as a guiding principle.
Let’s fight for our democracy – under the principle of “From the people, by the people, to the people”– hence lets be guided by Democracy to fight for our people’s rights
Lets know our people need Constitution, not rule of the jungle
Let’s acknowledge Eritrea is an already existing and sovereign country, like any other country with all its combined values and its own history; be it good or bad – it is all our history. One may respect the good or the other might deny the bad. But at the end, all are just history. We live neither in the past nor in the future but at present. At the same time, we look in the past to learn and we project it as an experience for the future not to repeat the mistakes.
Let Rule of Law be our guidance.
Let our wisdom shine our much we value justice and are blessed by our practice on our fellow human being.
To defeat the regime, lets use all available tools – our people, the International community, inside and outside Eritrea, violent and non-violent, all tools that can get rid of the dictatorial regime. Lets ally with all forces that fight against the regime.
Let’s believe that each entity of Eritrea is living together on its will, a kind of mutual aggrement,, a kind of referendum, or engagement based on wills, not by force, not by history, not by blood, not by ethnic, not by origin, whatever it is, but just by mutual aggrement. This belief will help us to respect the choice of the other fellow.
Always, always, let’s remember our guidance is our sovereign country.
Zaki Zerom
You keep saying “let’s” , Let’s ….who is included here? Isn’t that all we are talking about – to be able to define the “let’s”
Tesfabirhan REDIE
Ok, I will be very friendly with you as you seem to miss what “let’s” stands for:
Let’s -contraction of let us: used to express a suggestion, command, etc, by the speaker to himself and his hearers.
Does it make sense now?
Zaki Zerom
Lol Tes. Sorry if my comment wasn’t clear but I wasn’t asking you to tell me about the contraction of “let us”. I was asking if the “us” in “let’s” refers to “all Eritrean people”.. Reading through your comment, I just felt like your usage of “we” and “us” assumed that we already have unity amongst us. But please, disregard my previous comment.
Tesfabirhan REDIE
Regardless of our unity on purpose, we are united as Eritreans. This is what is most important for me.
We, or us stands for Eritreans – no less no more.
Zaki Zerom
In order for us to say “we”, we must have a common purpose – and our common purpose should not only to remove the dictator but also to build a nation. ….and a nation can only be created and build through nationalism. Well, you got my drift.
Tesfabirhan REDIE
Lol. nationalism never created a nation in history. Basically someone is a nationalist hence, nationalism, because the nation already existed. Nationalism is nothing but blind submission to the already existing nation and align all forces to follow the same line as defined by the nationalists according to what they think a nation is.
Well being my take. I will repeat, regardless of our purpose, no matter how awefully we do, Eritreans are Eritreans.
Ok, according to nationalists definition, what I am saying is a myth. As a nation belongds to those who only obey or worship what the nation stands for according to their views.
Suppose, according to One Nation Movement nationalist beliefs, if an Eritrean does not respect the Martyrs, he doesn’t belong to the Nation called Eritrea.
This is what it makes me unsleep whenever I see nationalists popping up day in, day out.
Zaki Zerom, lets have a wider and liberal definition of what a nation stands for.
Zaki Zerom
I don’t think you are reading the word “NATION” properly.and the word Nation-al-ism.
Zaki Zerom
I think you are confusing country with nation. Several nations can be created within one country.
Zaki Zerom
In your earlier post, you listed seven definitions of a NATION. Having seven definitions shows that it can have different contexts. I know a lot of times a nation and a country are used interchangeably but the sociological definition of a nation is what i am talking about here. In general, a country can always be a nation, but a nation is not necessarily a country.
Tesfabirhan REDIE
haha, I think you are a sociologist. Your reference says a lot. It is sad to speak about imagined community when we are talking about real society, the society of Eritrea.
Anyway, Don’t go that far, thanks to wikipedia, I will give you its definition
A relatively large group of people organized under a single, usually independent government; a country.
The territory occupied by such a group of people: All across the nation, people are voting their representatives out.
A people who share common customs, origins, history, and frequently language
(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) an aggregation of people or peoples of one or more cultures, races, etc, organized into a single state: the Australian nation.
(Sociology) a community of persons not constituting a state but bound by common descent, language, history, etc: the French-Canadian nation.
body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own.
Nation inhabitants of a country; a community of men or animals; the people of the earth, collectively [Source: The Free Dictionary]
etc
Unless you are bringing a new definition of a nation, I don’t think what you are saying is true.
Zaki Zerom
Man, don’t be arrogant about this brother. I will suggest you read this on the subject
haha, I am not. I am just copy and paste what I got. I am not but the facts that I am bringing might be arrogant by themselves brother. Facts gives a pain.
By the way, why you brought a reference that starts with a title, “Imagined”.
I think I can learn then a lot from your previous post.
Lets speak on facts not imagined one.
Zaki Zerom
Do all the seven definitions you listed necessarily refer to a country? Absolutely not.
To give you an example:
Before independence, Eritrea was a province of Ethiopia, and a nation
After independence, Eritrea became a country and a nation.
Do you see the difference? The NATIONHOOD was there long before independence.
Tesfabirhan REDIE
If you have the eyes to read, everything is given.
But let me be again kind for you:
A country –
A nation or state.
The territory of a nation or state; land.
The people of a nation or state; populace
The land of a person’s birth or citizenship
A region, territory, or large tract of land distinguishable by features of topography, biology, or culture:
(Human Geography) a territory distinguished by its people, culture, language, geography, etc
(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) an area of land distinguished by its political autonomy; state
(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the people of a territory or state
Let me bring some materials from the reference you brought.
————————
An imagined community is a concept coined by Benedict Anderson to analyze nationalism. Anderson depicts a nation as a socially constructed community, imagined by the people who perceive themselves as part of that group.[1]:6–7
Anderson’s book, Imagined Communities, in which he explains the concept in depth, was first published in 1983, and reissued with additional chapters in 1991 and a further revised version in 2006.
The media also creates imagined communities, through usually targeting a mass audience or generalizing and addressing citizens as the public. Another way that the media can create imagined communities is through the use of images. The media can perpetuate stereotypes through certain images and vernacular. By showing certain images, the audience will choose which image they relate to the most, furthering the relationship to that imagined community.
—————————–
Can I ask you one question please
“How long have you been outside Eritrea?”
I am afraid now One Nation Movement might have the same approach.
It is shame, really shame.
Zaki Zerom
If you continue arguing on this, i am going to take your bajela away and send you to back to high school. Seriously, this shouldn’t even be a subject of discussion.
Tesfabirhan REDIE
I am ready to give you. I am now very confident to lecture you on this subject. Lol
I am an engineer, but now I will be a sociologist. By the way, I like sociology.
Zaki Zerom
Now I see the problem with you. You are trying to apply the laws of physics on society completely ignoring feelings – sentiments,
Sentiments matter!
Tesfabirhan REDIE
Haha, I use law of physics often when there is an action, hence I react.
And I use also dynamics, if people are trying to keep my eyes closed.
In addition, I use thermodynamic principles to absorb the heat generated.
You see, physics helps.
By the way, why you are giving me a book available at amazon?
I can not wait and buy in order to argue with you. Anyway, let me provide you some material on “The Nation within a Nation”.
I read about three paragraphs and I think your reference again has a flaw.
We are not talking about black community. We are talking about Eritreans.
Zaki Zerom
If the afar, the kunama, the bilen ethnic groups do not have any sense of belonginess to the tigrigna group and to each other, there will not be any Eritrean Nation – and therefore no country called Eritrea.
Tesfabirhan REDIE
I think none of these are fighting to have their own nation. They all believe on One Nation called Eritrea.
But there are severe and justified grievances that is forcing them to fight for an Autonomous state within the unified Eritrean naion.
Afar– for example, have formed state in Exile – called Eritrean Afar State in Exile-EASE. Recently (2016) they had a very eye-opening gathering. Their objective is not to have Afar country, but if things continue to worsen and no solution is found for their grievances, they can go to the extreme choice of struggle[emphasis mine]. Afar State in Exile are fighting for justice, like any other Eritrea, but they also have an objective that extends into forming an Afar Autonomous state.
In 2007, I have visited Assab and on my way, I got a chance to visit known Afar towns along the Red Sea. What I saw there is really worrisome. I have witnessed through my eyes that the Afar people were prohibited to fish even for their own daily home consumption, let alone to sell in the local market. Forget about taking a boat and sail(because they are suspected of crossing the sea – smuggling business), as they used to do throughout their life.
The same is true with Kunama – Kunama are native people who are treated badly – the worst, by PFDJ regime. I fully support their struggle.
For Bilen, so far, there is no movement except cultural. But there is a very strong cultural rehablitation movements. I hope we [I am a Bilen] will preserve our culture for generations to come.
But on the struggle against PFDJ, Bilen are fighting with anyone who opposes PFDJ without forming a unified one ethnic centered party (which shows their unifiying power).
Therefore, let’s not fabricate unfounded scenarios.
There is some conspiracy of Union with Ethiopia movement but I believe it is fictional or some wishful thinking, at least for the moment.
My Political take
I will fight for Kunama, Afar and now Akeleguzay people to make their dreams true. I believe on strong regions which can govern themselves under one Nation called Eritrea.
I believe on Decentralized Govenment, hence States – which have their own internal Administration System. I am against the Centralized Administration system which is now used by PFDJ rule.
Equally I believe on United Sovereign Eritrean territory of 1890.
ThoughI am not sure whether belongness is a correct political term or not, I believe that there are very strong and common binding factor:
In my political understanding, “belongingness” is what it lets people go in conflict. Tigrigna people belong to no one except are Eritreans. Tigrigna people can not in Assab and claim that it belongs to them. The same is true for Afar.
But, as Eritreans, everyone has an obligation to protect the sovereign country called Eritrea.
But there is no limit for people’s movement in a sovereign country. People have a right to move all over Eritrea and live according to the country’s rule.
What I am saying is not different than the concept of United states of America which might be different from that of Unitary States -there is a proposal writen at awate about this topic.
Here in France for example, there are 13 regions which have almost an autonomous rule. Each region has its own flag and governor.
Anyway, here we can refer what Afar State is expected to be according to its advocators.
On 21/02/2017, I came to learn that Marine Le Pen, the far right Predidential candidate of Frence 2017 has refused to wear headcraft during her scheduled meeting with Lebabon Mufti during her tour …
Eritrea as a country has existed since 1890. Since then, it has seen colonial system, federatal system, invader’s rule, short lived liberator’s highdays and since 2001 pure dictatorial regime.
When Italy colonized Eritrea by defining the trritory, Italians built the country like their home country. Cities with modern infrastructures were developed. Asmara, the then chosen to be capital city was built in exact copy of Rome’s architectural buildings. Modern transporation system, sanitary network, communication and administrative systems were introduced.
By the end of mid 1970s, there were about 75,000 Italians living in Eritrea, predominantly in Asmara. During those days, Asmara was considered “Small Rome”. The late Ethiopian dictatorial regime, Derg, has played its role to ruin Eritrea.
Despite Derg’s destructive rule, Eritrea is ruining like no other time under the current dictatorial regime of PFDJ.
Asmara Ruining like ‘No Other Time’ for the last 17 years.
Staring 2000, PFDJ has introduced a marshal plan with a sole purpose of nationalizing everything, the people and the resources. Since then, Asmara has registered unprecedented poverty and destruction. It is hard to imagine how much the effect is but recent eye-witness photos leaking from the country are testifying the immense destruction happening.
The transportation and communication sector is one of the public services that is clearly and directly affected by the maladministration of the authoritarian regime in Asmara.
The majority of the Eritrean people use land transport services hence the importance of sufficient public bus services is indisputable. There were public transport buses owned by different individuals and associations but they are now out of business, owing to government action. The authorities deliberately denied bus companies access to fuel and banned the import of spare parts. The regime also conscripted bus drivers into the military service. It also forced the owners to pay huge tariffs and taxes. The implementation of these anti- business policies, deliberately intended to undermine the private sector, has resulted in the transport services being engulfed in a huge crisis.
Once the privately-owned bus companies were put out of business, the bus transportation service was replaced by buses administered through government’s own economic institution, the PFDJ. These new buses were imported duty free. They are administered by Harat Company – an economic arm of the PFDJ. The problem with these buses is that they remain unable to meet the demands of public transportation. Principally, there are far too few buses in total number and like any other sector of the economy administered by the government or PFDJ, the service is embroiled in a high level of maladministration and corruption. As a result, commuters are forced to stand waiting for a bus day and night at every bus station. Some people report that, just to get a bus from Asmara to Tesseney, they wait at the bus station for three days and night to no avail.
Some of the photos she shared are disturbing. Even I can not imagine how fast life is deteriorating in Eritrea. I left Eritrea in 2012. By then, I was disappointed how life became bitter and poorer. But to tell you frankly, it was much better than today. It is paradoxical to witness 2012, even 2000, was better than 2017.
Photo footage of current Transportation condition in Eritrea, (source, Elizabeth Chyrum facebook page)
Water has become a very scarce commodity in Asmara. Once a well developed water distribution network, now Asmara dwellers are struggling to get water for daily use. Water is distributed on a ration base through water tank loaded vehicles. To get water, each family has to spend the whole day lining.
Spying Network and Diaspora Community Control Network
It is not a secret that the dictatorial regime muscles are deeply extended in the diaspora community. Every Eritrean is controlled directly or indirectly by the regime. A whole building and office facilities are dedicated on this mission. A recent photo leaked from Asmara(thanks to Elizabeth for sharing) reveals this evil agenda of the PFDJ regime.
Those who might not understand Tigrigna, this list is the room number of each office that works for the Foreign Mission Control Officers. There are 16 offices. The offices are categorized into 6 main branches. Each one is a controling mechanism of Diaspora according to the will of the regime.
Foreign Mission Officer
Tax Collection (2%) and Finance
Reception of Guests
Dosiers Verification Center
ID Card, Passport and Visa Services
Communication Center(Control of Message received by fax and e-mails).
On 21/02/2017, I came to learn that Marine Le Pen, the far right Predidential candidate of Frence 2017 has refused to wear headcraft during her scheduled meeting with Lebabon Mufti during her tour in Lebanose. Here is my reflection.
Sanity of Liberty
I don’t agree with most policies that the far right presidential candidate of France 2017 wants to implement but I REALLY ADMIRE HERE DECISION TO REFUSE HEADCRAFT during a scheduled meeting with Lebanon’s Mufti. She ddoesn’t wear in her daily life why then she has to just to meet the mufti.
By doing this, I think Le Pen has shown her role as an emancipated and free woman of 21thC. Freedom is freedom and should not be taken away at any time and place.
I am confident also the Mufti will admire her decision and arrange another meeting that respects her full freedom.
Relatively Lebanon is a liberal country by comparing to other Islamic States. Respecting Marine Le Pen’s freedom not to wear headcraft will therefore make Lebanon more liberal, not other wise.
Still Lebanon has some liberal views regarding to religious communities. And its society are open minded and respect diversity. As a Francophonic country, its link with European culture is strong despite challenges facing the area zone.
Now that it is an important moment for the world in the political discourse to follow for the 21cC, what leaders do matters. Marine Le Pen, a conservative leader of France, iShe is trying to preserve the historical legacies of French civilization throughout the 19thC and 20thC.
This being the fact, France has strong world heritage in terms of liberty and secular views. Obeying what religious leaders order is therefore unacceptable.
Marine Le Pen, as crazy as she is, she didn’t let the French Revolution down in her trip to Lebanon. She has shown her strong side, an emanicipated woman of all oppressions. I believe therefore, her womanhood in the French eyes will give an honour of legacy that will be remembered for generations to come.
I salut her courage and modeling role of all women to fight against religious oppressions.
Controversy of Policy: Paradox
In september 2016, Nice court has moved on banning women not to wear headcraves in public areas. This rule affected Moslem women directly. Though The highest French Court ruled against the banning lawsuite, it has questioned the controverial issue of human body liberty. Especially, women were affected directly.
Marine Le Pen, like all other of her conservative beliefs, it has supported the banning. This has uproared liberal thinkers and strong supporters of feminist movements.
On this occasion, I call Marine Le Pen to support other people’s choice of wearing whatever they want. In the paradoxical move of banning headcraft in public areas of France, she [Marine Le Pen] supported the ban. And this shows her double standard on her own liberty according to what she beliefs and her controverial policy of limiting people’s freedom.
In my conclusion, I refuse any kind of impossed rule on human being, be it on men or women. People should be guided by liberal life rules and respecting a choice of someone should be the ultimum sanity.
Unless One Nation Movement comes with a revised beliefs and an inlcusive objectives and with a clear strategy, it is simply a hallucination, it is simply another entry of 2017 in the opposition list.
I wish they have learned something from Medrek, a supposed platform for all opposition groups, turned itself an opposition organization which competes with the existing camp.
Daniel:
When you said inclusive objectives what do you mean? Would you mind listing the inclusive objectives that you have in mind.
Tesfabithan:
Very good question.
Some of the inclusive objectives that I have in my mind:
1. Lets avoid social classification system –
Reason: be it 9 ethnic groups or 100, it does not matter. Lets respect this declaration on human rights Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities
2. Lets not exclude forces that believe change can also come from outside.
Reason: All opposition forces are fighting from outside, including the One Nation Movement. Lets consider therefore all the opposition forces are part of the changing process, not a supplementary.
3. Lets not be isolasionists
Reason: Declaring ‘No intereference of outside forces in the Eritrean matters’ is nothing but Isolationist Strategy.
Even our struggle for independence had ally forces – like China, Syria, Cuba, Somalia, Ethiopia (TPLF), Sudan, Algeria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, etc.
4. Lets avoid strategy of saying, ‘If you agree with me, welcome, if not get away”
5. Lets acknowledge people’s grievances –
Reason: every thing has a reason to exist. For example, Kunama Opposition forces, Afar, Jeberti, etc, have a reason to exist. If their rights to exist as people fails in danger, they have every right to fight for self-determination.
6. Lets not preach again nationalism on the same style that we are preached by the existing oppressive regime.
Reason: Lets read what Nationalism/Patriotism is. In fact, what One Nation is trying to convey is purely the Ideology of Nationalists. You can read this link and you will see why One Nation Movement is not coming with any original material.
Harabet 