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ELECTIONS FOR ERITREA

By Michael Abraha If multi-party elections were held in Eritrea with the next 18 months, Pres Isaias Afewerki would win by an overwhelming majority and voters would probably also grant him protection and immunity from prosecution

By Michael Abraha

If multi-party elections were held in Eritrea with the next 18 months, Pres Isaias Afewerki would win by an overwhelming majority and voters would probably also grant him protection and immunity from prosecution for any political wrongdoings or crimes.

Eritrea is the center of ancient African civilization and has remained connected to many foreign political and social cultures for centuries. No observer should underestimate the shrewd imagination, intelligence and judgement of the Eritrean people. The Eritreans would endorse pragmatic political and electoral measures in the interest of national stability, peace and prosperity.

And the people would very much prefer to hold the elections now while Ethiopia still controls Badme.

It should be remembered that the generation that briefly experienced free and fair elections during a very short period of ten years in the 50’s is no longer with us. That generation has long been gone. Eritreans then elected their Parliamentarians and Head of Govt within a Federal System with Ethiopia.

Indigenous Eritrean leadership existed before the Italians conquered the country in the late 1890s. Before the Italians came, Eritrea was, by and large, in the hands of brave leaders known as Rasi or Bahri Negasi (King of the Sea). Such a brave Eritrean hero managing the country was Rasi Woldemichael Solomon before he was tricked and lied to and captured by agents of Ethiopian Emperor Yohannes.

Unlike the present Eritrean leaders, Woldemichael Solomon provided swift justice to his opponents and he is said to never leave them languish in jails. He loved to engage and make peaceful arrangements with his enemies without fear that his power or authority might be affected in the process. “We make peace with our enemies not with our friends”, is known to be one of his favorite utterances.

With due respect to Pres Isaias and his aides, there is no such thing is “our unique way of doing things”. That is the standard government response whenever the question of change arises. The truth is that there is nothing unique about the nature of politics and governance. They are basically the same everywhere just as the crow is dark-colored in Eritrea as it is in Mongolia.

Humans and their politics are influenced by the same fears, hates, jealousies and survival questions – just as they were during the ancient Roman and Greek civilizations thousands of years ago.

Common sense and reality demand that the govt. loosens its grip over the people and allow free internal political debates and discussions today leading to elections. These are bound to end reinstating Isaias as President, which should perhaps be for just one term of four years. Many will disagree but it sounds like a perfect bargain for Isaias after an estimated fifty years in power first as liberation leader and then as post-independence Eritrea.

aseye.asena@gmail.com

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40 COMMENTS
  • Berhe Tensea May 15, 2017

    Isais is beyond being reformed. and there is no hope of any sort, The Shifta and grandson of Wube can not and will not be reformed. He has committed too much crimes of historical proportion against the innocent people. The only solution is to get rid of him by any means necessary He also knows well that there is no hope of being reformed and believes he must hang on to power at any cost.
    Thinking of election and any kind of accommodation of Iseyais is unrealistic..
    The only solution is removing him by force.

  • Zekarias May 15, 2017

    Brother Michael Abraha,
    I may not agree with all your comment and contributions but I salute/admire you for your bold analysis and responses to some of the negative replies to your all most brilliant article.
    Please keep informing us with different stories of the past and scenarios for the future.
    My reading of history tells me we need to reflect on our past and prepare a better future for our kids. Towards that goal, I am ready to do my part. Once again, well said/responded Mr M.Abraha and just keep it up.

  • Zekarias May 15, 2017

    Adhanom, Andom and K.Tewolde,
    You lot seem to have a habit of “gual zereba and qoyoqa”.
    Useless people like yourselves have commented many times that we didn’t like and some we just chose not to read, but, we don’t have the right to tell you what to write and I hope you would extend Mr Michael Abraha the same courtesy. In short, you’re in no position to lecture anyone or to order anyone what to write or not to write.
    I can’t blame people for being ignorant, illiterate and uneducated; life is sometimes unfair, but I can’t stand those who write under the influence of stupidity/arrogance and willful defiance against reason, logic and facts.

    • andom May 16, 2017

      Of course u will not like our comments. How can a pfdj remnant like u like our opinion. If u do not like our comments do not read them, simple, or go to tesfanews.

  • Tes May 15, 2017

    Mr Micheal
    Usual most of the articles in Eritrean opposition website place horror story and crime committed by the junta in Asmara. I am obliged to give you credit to come with solusion albeit it is not fit to the situation in Eritrea.
    You oversimplied the acute situation in Eritrea as if there’s little normality in Eritrea. Eritrea today like a car deriving by a blind man in a moterway in a wrong direction and making incalculable damahe in its way. The mayham it create wouldn’t be difficult for intelgent man like you.. You suggestion for solution is out date it may be feasible right after referendum. As you may aware many victims of the stragle era were in a forgiving mood. They were designed to accept as price for freedom.
    My friend! I am not sure what is the base to your over simplified solution to serious problem. Whether you have no clue about Current Eritrea which is out of innocence or a deliberate act to scratch the already bad wounded soul of the majority. How on earth would Iseyas can win overwhelmly in Eritrea in 2017. I think you are living in your own world. Hgdef is enemy number one in Eritrea and they knew it. Please don’t be that silly. Try to gather some real facts in the ground and the you will get a real. Grip of the problem and you might come with better solution to the problem.
    As for Ypfdj everyone knows those kids have identity crisis and relatively cheap break with a three or more nights party with lot of drink and sex. It give them a sense of belonging . It is nothing to do with Hgdef idology what so ever. They meet there with hedef with different aims irreconcilable for that. As they’re the future of Eritrea oh my God you are out of your mind. Eritrea are elian different planet for them.it improbable those kids to return to Eritrea. No chance my brother. Next time please come with more credible solution that oversimplied childish idea. Having said that thanks for trying.
    Cheers mate

  • Sol May 15, 2017

    ኣቶ ሚካኤል

    እዘን ብሰንኪ ጸይቐ ግኑን ኤሰያስ ዝኣለሞ ውግኣትን፣ ኣብ ኣድራሻ ዘይብሉ ቤት ማሰርቱን፣ ካብ ሰይጣናዊ ስርዓቱን ክሃድሙ ደቐን ጠፊኦም መኻናት ተቐይረን ዘለዋ ኣደታትሲ ንኤሰያስ በዘይካ መርገም ወላሓንቲ የብለንን።

    • adhanom May 16, 2017

      That is 100% true sol. Abraha knows only adey amete bzey hadar bzey wilad kab chinket tedehanet sieli iseyas hiza meneseyat ab bahri endamotu kitsiesie tihdir ab tilyan bmikidam xehai ziareben. Milonat adetat kuburat emo dem yineba alewa abraha zeyfelten.

      • adhanom May 16, 2017

        P/s
        Ezien niseyas kimerxa teraeyuni. Ab zeyti yititiko ember aymerxon eyen mr abraha. Seriku yiewet entelkana kibilti eya. Kalie dea entay kumneger ke kigebir.

  • Habtom Araya May 15, 2017

    All opposition parties will participate in the process and the people will get a chance to hear what has happened in Eritrea including the killing and disappearing of hundreds of thousands. The same fathers and mothers who heard for the first time about what happened to their children will vote for the same person who killed their children.

    • Natu May 17, 2017

      so is it “… , the same person who killed their children.”

  • Senayt May 16, 2017

    This man is deluded ,blined mouth piece of the decaying regime in eritrea.nisu nihna nihna nisu
    First,he tried to rewirte history by distorting facts making scape goat the mess that has been happening in eritrea.you are not historian and you are not in position to write such trash article. I think you are lost here.you should have sent this article to tesfa news.

  • B. Russom May 16, 2017

    Michael Abraha:
    : I chose to assume that you are joking; not really serious. If so, I have different opinion of who would win in the election giving that he may trip to allow it happen and authentic.
    Election for the sake of it is not only a lead for consequential demise of the nation but also inviting outsiders..
    . The rules should clearly be stipulated.
    However, all the exercise in your article is a pipe dream to expect for from some one who had lost his reasoning part of brain for decades and became megalomania.
    Yes,, he would win not only 99% but.101% but also be assured one morning, any morning, the news would repeat his predecessors; foot; Khadiffi of Libya and Idiamin of Uganda. Stay tuned!.
    The train had left long time ago for his return or any consolation and forgiveness unless we all become overnight godly.
    The magnitude of his crime had surpassed of all the leaders not only in Africa but Asia. It would remain etched in the minds of our next generation; if there would be any generation left, well documented as it is already now widely published as a dark history of the new nation for time immemorial.
    Amanuel have his own discretion to allow such kind of wiggling articles but not with a deadly enemy of the people. It could distract for a moment for those who disavowed the dictator not looking back. ward..
    B.Russom.

    • k.tewolde May 22, 2017

      I completely agree with you Haw Russom,even though I will fight for every human being to voice his/her opinion regardless if I disagree with it, this particular article that was written with shrewd intent,full of vile and insult for the dehumanized Eritrean people shouldn’t been disseminated in this website,then again who am I to tell the medium procurers what to do.

      • k.tewolde May 22, 2017

        In other words,posting a provocative comment is one thing,but plastering a grossly maligned article is totally another.

  • Geladios June 1, 2017

    Our future Election of Eritrea is with out those Isaias and company. .Mr. Michael one thing is you are making a joke or you are living on the early days of 1991. The call of the day is Eritrea with out the Dictator and his company period.

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