open Democracy News Analysis - africa - Comments

Nicholas Githuku on "Kenya: it’s our turn to read"

Nicholas Githuku — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:26 +0100

I haven't read the book yet being one of the people beijng victimized by the ban or whatever it is...I popped in at a bookshop on Nairobi's Kenyatta Avenue the day the book was launched and sensed what we know now...That it wasn't going to be stocked afterall in leading bookshops. So far, what I have been able to read are the book's excerpts published in the Daily Nation just before the book was launched.

I have keenly read "It's our time to read" and feel these exact sentiments. However, especially seeing that I wrote my M.A thesis on Ethnicity and its corruption nexus back in 2004, I think it is rather wrong, no pun intended, for Ms. Wrong to make a blanket statement in this article thus: >>>>.....Kenyan newspaper reviewers greeted it more warmly than I had ever dared hope, but the discussions on Kenyan websites leave me in no doubt that many - particularly members of the president's Kikuyu ethnic group - fiercely reject its findings<<<<< While this might be the case, Kenya's coming from a very difficult time in its short history and such sensitive remarks can only heighten tensions and increase suspicions. While the truth must be written, spoken and debated, let's do acknowledge the delicacy of the subject and avoid polarizing people along ethnic lines. I happen to be Kikuyu but, I must say, am not defending anybody here...just throwing in a word of caution....Otherwise, when all said and done, Ms. Wrong has done such a great job...I can't wait to lay my hands on this book.

Nicholas K. Githuku

Graduate Student

WVU, African Studies.

Biniam on "Isaias Afewerki and Eritrea: a nation’s tragedy "

Biniam — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:32:53 +0100

Selam, your article is exceptionally impressive. There is no need for anyone to doubt the accuracy of your article. Esyas has introduced a brand new form of dictatorship to this world. What is surprising, however, is our failure to say ‘enough is enough’. It is a mystery to me that there are many Eritreans who see Eseyas as an angel despite his flagrant disregard of the country’s interest. We may not need to go into details to know who Eseyas is. He is the one who is ready to see his people dying rather than accepting assistance from the international community. Anyone who still cannot see Eseyas’ cruelty today is either someone who is taking advantage of the situation or someone who still living far from the country or someone who is insane. I left the country at the end of 2007 after suffering from hunger not to mention violations of dozens of my basic rights and if there is anyone who would tell me Eritrea is fine, he/she must be insane.

Marta Gual Zereba on "Isaias Afewerki and Eritrea: a nation’s tragedy "

Marta Gual Zereba — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:32:56 +0100

"Only by starting from common principles agreed upon by all, rather than limiting ourselves to the principles which only we believe in, will we make progress with human rights." Shirin Ebadi

Do Eritreans agree upon what to make of the assault against the sovereign nation in 1998-2000? Writing off the offensive-turned-defensive posture between 1991 to 1998 of the leader as some "ideological rationalisation rather than a genuine response to new circumstances" is flat unreal; Eritrea enjoys no luxury to put aside rationalization because of new circumstances! The regime is driving the wedge of political and religious oppression in the name of national security while the Eritrean opposition movement fuels that wedge in the name of promoting democracy and human rights! If Eritrean history sheds little insight into this matter, the on-going history of English & US involvement in Iraq and Iran in the past 50-60 years should give thinking Eritreans reason to pause, re-evaluate what "western support" means before diving in head-first! A nation which has no credibility to point a finger at Eritrea may militarily and economically over-power Eritrea covertly and overtly but please don't call it democracy - that's survival of the "fittest!" Any reporting about Eritrea that disregards this cruel reality commits the lie of ommission. For that, I say "may they who bury the truth be buried alive." (Haki di kebur, mis tinfasu yikeber)

simon12 on "Isaias Afewerki and Eritrea: a nation’s tragedy "

simon12 — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:52:57 +0100

Oh Selam, I think your hate for the government is clouding your mind.

I can list so many impressive achievements, but I will leave you with reports from WHO and Unicef that you can verify.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30864223/wid/11915773/
Eritrea increased its average life expectancy by 33 years to 61 for men, and by 12 years to 65 for women overtaking Russia.
"WHO’s annual World Health Statistics"

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/eritrea_46858.html

She noted that Eritrea’s under-five mortality declined by roughly 50 per cent.

“Eritrea has provided an example that if concerted efforts are made, a lot can be achieved for children,” she said.
"unicef"

And here are the results of the most aid recipient countries in the Horn of Africa that are NGOs' playgrounds.
http://www.wfp.org/crisis-horn-africa
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8103355.stm

I will leave the readers to judge who is making progress and who is better off.

Finally, stop spreading false rumours, you very well know the Asena story you quoted is a lie, similar to the false story they spread about Iran having a submarine base in Eritrea. What next, a sighting of Bigfoot in Eritrea ?

Sarah11 on "Isaias Afewerki and Eritrea: a nation’s tragedy "

Sarah11 — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:47:33 +0100

Selam,

Please don't call your self human-rights activist, because that will be denigrating and de-service to the real human-rights activists.

If you love to spread unsabstaciated rumors and lies, why don't you tell the open democracy readers that you are from the opposition camp and you are the daughter of one of Mengistu (Butcher of Ethiopia's) hench man.

F Dar on "Kenya: it’s our turn to read"

F Dar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:33:05 +0100

Having read Michela's book,I look forward to her next effort,perhaps about those in EU & USA who initiate,consistently encourage & gain from corrupting Kenya's political 'Warlords', to maintain their Neo-Colonial control of Kenya??Now that would be a challenge,Michela.Have a go pls.

rg616 on "“South African Photographs”, David Goldblatt"

rg616 — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:53:15 +0100

Agreed; you could only understand these images if you understand the culture, context and time they were taken in. I think images in magazines like national geographic completely hide the truth of the africa and disguise it in this rural anchient bushman culture, simply to feed the ego s of the western middle class so that they believe they are still be the most superior. Goldblatt is not cruel, he is truthfull.

Not logged in on "Eritrea: slender land, giant prison "

Not logged in — Sat, 09 May 2009 10:41:21 +0100

Simonm,

No matter what so ever internal and external problems Eritrea is facing, the people of Eritrea do not deserve the cruelty and disrespect they are subjected to from their own government, the way it is in Eritrea day in day out.

If you have an opinion, the Eritrean government is doing a fair job and treating it's people as humans, then i rest my case. And note, I have shed my share of sweat and blood I feel so disgusted few people with Isayas at the helm are treating Eritrea as their private ranch. My pain and misgivings are too long to list them here.

weDehanika.

Denden Nakfa

Not logged in on "Eritrea: slender land, giant prison "

Not logged in — Fri, 08 May 2009 05:47:42 +0100

I am a proud Eritrean but I am too sad, too disappointed and too disconnected to join and celebrate our hard won independence.

my people, the Eritrean people do not deserve to be treated this was. It is betrayal in its totality!

Humility, empathy, sympathy and compassion is the core of our value but you don't see this value in the PFDJ leadership and in their alien culture.

Thanks for voicing for the voiceless and joining the struggle for a fundamental change!

dankusti on "Eritrea: slender land, giant prison "

dankusti — Fri, 08 May 2009 03:38:48 +0100

Your articel was interesting, up to a point. However, you need to include in consideration of the problems of this whole region of Africa, the excessive birth rate of close to five children per woman, which DOUBLES the population every 30 or so years !! How can the situation in these countries improve when the already starving population is adding contantly MORE of malnourished children ?? The only beneficiaries of this kind of mindless propagation are the exploiters of these misfortunate people. The religious and mercantily warlords who profit from these mindless conflicts.

Dankusti

Not logged in on "Eritrea: slender land, giant prison "

Not logged in — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:28:06 +0100

Normalizing relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea will never solve the case of human rights violations in Eritrea, in the contrary such an approach would enforce and prolong the span of Isaias Afwerqi stay on power. Which means more and more violations,

The right thing to done it just overthrowing Isaias Afwerqi and bring him to the court of law.
He have said that free elections will not happen in Eritrea for the next 30 or 40 years. He said this when interviewed by Aljazeera English "Riz Kan"
We never expect him to tolerate rivals, he kills and kills and kills and we watch and just
Cry.

we will never see rule of law, democracy,free press, and just in Eritrea since Isaias is in power

oh when will people stop telling white lies on "Eritrea: slender land, giant prison "

oh when will people stop telling white lies — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:37:11 +0100

The problem with this article is there are some truths many lies and some star treks moments all mix into one story

Simonm on "Eritrea: slender land, giant prison "

Simonm — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:29:53 +0100

Ben,

I appreciate the work of HRW to highlight issues to do with human right, but your article is just one sided and full of inaccuracies.

[Quote] "President Isaias uses the border standoff and paranoid claims of "western interference" to justify his increasingly totalitarian rule"

Well, I do not call it paranoid claims when western countries are blatantly manipulating international rule of law, illegally funding and dumping huge amounts of arms and invading countries by proxy. Please follow the few links among hundreds that I can provide you.
http://www.slate.com/id/2178793/
http://tinyurl.com/djt9yu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VJka6q16Os

You conveniently try to blame Eritrea and its leadership, while not mention the real culprits of the real problem, that is imprisoning millions of Eritreans in "No war no peace" constant mobilization limbo.

If you are not aware of it, there is such a thing called International rule of law, that so called democratic countries should not put conditionality, but they are.
As you correctly pointed, the Hague based international border commission made its ruling, that both countries agreed to abide before hand. UN, US, EU and AU were witnesses to this agreement and UNSC was supposed to be the guarantor and enforcer of the ruling, but instead they have blatantly tried everything but enforce the decision, including reversing the decision, falsifying UN monitoring report etc...

It is disingenuous to point at every shortcoming of Eritrea, while try to defend the disgraceful actions of so called democratic western countries in the horn of Africa.

Even in your HRW report on Ethiopia, you questioned why the Western countries are pumping so much aid (at least $2 billion/yr and growing) with out questioning the human right and heinous crimes.
[Quote] "Western governments and institutions alone, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, give at least US$2 billion in aid to Ethiopia annually, but have remained silent on the widespread abuses being committed"

"Ethiopia: Army Commits Executions, Torture, and Rape in Ogaden
Donors Should Act to Stop Crimes Against Humanity"
http://tinyurl.com/cg4ygx

I can add to it
Illegal invasion of Somalia with UN and US complicity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VJka6q16Os

Somalia Crisis worse than Darfur, says UN
http://tinyurl.com/cern3e

Ethiopia's 'own Darfur' as villagers flee government-backed violence
http://tinyurl.com/ysmvtc

Looking at the above links including your report, it is hard to miss the deep western gov. implication and conivance to the whole crisis in the horn of Africa.

In the end, I agree with your conclusion. Humor the Eritrean people and leadership by enforcing the demarcation of the border, then there is not excuse for no democratization .

kaciey on "Water problems in Somalia: a photo-essay "

kaciey — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:07:43 +0100

any solutions????

CrystalT on "Life in the world's largest refugee settlement"

CrystalT — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:35:22 +0100

I think a life in any refugee camp would be horrible for people. it's sad because we take so much for granted.