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Eritrea is a Failed State

One might ask as to how  it failed? We all know very well that our country is passing  a critical moment and thanks to the tyrrany of Issayas Afewerki and his PFDJ, the only legal political-party

One might ask as to how  it failed?

We all know very well that our country is passing  a critical moment and thanks to the tyrrany of Issayas Afewerki and his PFDJ, the only legal political-party and its core leaders who all suffer the Identity crises & complexity, today it is beyond reach and it is certainly beyond repair.

Noam Chomsky’s FAILED STATES  broadly defines most of the countries failed to function properly, and without Institutions to govern the State or a nation. He even goes to the extent that the USA is not fulfilling its obligation to its citzens in several ways. Failed States like Somalia,and some African countries are without a functioning government and none of the foundations of good governance are visible,nor are there viable instituions to continue as a government or as a State.

We have a regime in Asmara,that has failed us all and blocked  the possibility of governing the State but instead has chosen  to kill all existing institutions, by applying the path of a mafia gang, without respecting most of the agreemens signed. International agreements are neglected totally by the regime and rules only by a decree according to the whims of  a one man, Issayas Afewerki.

The methodes of rule by the PFDJ  of Eritrea and the Khmer Rouge’s of Cambodia, have  a lot in common with each other. The dictators have both based their corrupt ideas on the Maoist Cultural Revolution, saying they both  based it on agrarian social revolution.

Whatever the common socialist ideas they used to start with, both are devastating and inhumain to both the Eritrean pasturalists and settled farmers, likewise to the elite and city dwelers of Eritrea. and Campochia.With both leaders consumed by their personal holy wars,both Campochian and Eritrean societies drifted into anarchy.

Everywhere you see in these most backward lands, now and then , you can spot a wild monkey jumping from branch to branch, even in the cities,while the majority of the population are held hostages by the regimes and not able to move from one place & to any where in their own countries. As it turns out,however, layering bits of modern world into a society still living in the Middle Ages is causing disruption-not broader progress.

The Campochia’s  Curse…………. a book called  Campodia’s Curse by Joel Brinkely @2011, clearly elaborates the situation during the Phol Pot‘s rule and the failure after that is a reminder to us Eritreans after the Post Issays period, if the dire necessities of the people are not met urgently today.

Khmer Krahom’s programs have much in common with  those of totalitarian regimes in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union,particularly regarding efforts to psycologically reconstruct individual members of society, which can result from these practices and which causes individuals to feel, effectively isolated from the rest of the community, these can be seen to have actually occured;refugees from both Kampochia and Eritrea are so afraid of arrest and execution that even in thier own homes the dare not  utter a critical word and obediently complied with every regime’s directive or decree.” Meanwhile, half of those who lived through the Khmer Roug era still suffer from post traumatic stress disorder today- and this affliction is being passed to the next genration,darkening the entire nation’s personality.”Brinkkley cuts a clear narrative path through the bewildering,cynical politics and violentsocial life of one of the world’s most brutalized  and hard-up countries. ……….the comment by FOREIGN AFFAIRS

With or without doctors, a patient could not survive in a Cambodian hospital without the help of a family member or friend. Many services are in accessible to anyone who is seriously ill. A study published  in the Journal of the American medical Association in 1995 looked Cambodian refugees in Long Beach, California,who came to the USA in the early 1980s, just after the Khmer Rouge years. More than half suffered serious,debilitating depression. Two –thirds had PTSD, post truamatic stress disorder,but through the 1990’s no one in Cambodia recognized this or offered any Treatment.

“The PTSD is also what most of us in Eritrea have suffered during the last 23 years of  PFDJ dictatorship. This syndrom is never raised among the diapora community nor is it recognized by the regime in Asmara. For people still seffering from the trauma of war,the continuing violence in the 1990’s and later, nourished the delibilitating mental illness that still plagued so many Cambodians. “Sometimes we hear them crying”said a farmer.”You can hear voices of women and children and men,just as if they were alive.

The state to where Eritrea under PIA’s (PFDJ) rule and its volentarilly silent  population is exactly similar to that of the Cambodian people’s  situation, during both the Khmer Rouge tyrrant rule  and there after,when that under a similar Hun Sen’s  long period of sole governing,whereby Human Rights abuses were not dealt by the Cambodian people themselves or the World community as such but went for a long uncontroked period of brutal rule.

Medhane Tadesse in his writing: The Eritrean-Ethiopian war:Retrospect and Prospect;1999

By elaborating Four Stages he analizes:

The Tigrigna factor, the EPLF-TPLF discord,the politics of Eritrean self-image and the post 1991 regional economic and diplomatic dispensation;

He therebye gives a unique and comprehenssive  prospective on what caused the destruction behind the Eritrean-Ethiopian war., the way PFDJ and its leader have created wars and hatred with the neighbours as a way out for its narrow economic ability to run Eritrea as a state with a healthy financial capability . Eritrea with its 30 years indeprndence struggle depended on its neighbours for economic progress,but the PFDJ chose a means of provoking all its neighbours by acting as a spoiled child  and its relationS with its close neighbours, got edgy and became a wor mongering regime.

What will be the scenario after the death of Isayas Afewrki as it is roumored  recently by the media if he is abscent for a long period? It is no body’s guess what the military will be doing or able to deal with the period after the disappearance  PIA, from the seen..Who will take the lead and to what direction will it be heading, and what will be the role of the people inside the country if the country is lead by any of the generals and colonels ,who are supposed to take over power from in the unpredictable period. Is there a way out from defragmentation of the country that has been bleeding for so long. since Isayas came to power in 1993. These and hundreds of questions have to be dealt soon if the country is going to survive this period and come as one nation ruled by a central government of any kind.

We, the opposition in the Diaspora seem to be undetecting to the idea of the eventual abscence of Issayas from the country. What will be our input in the above mentioned scenario? Could we be of any importance in stabilizing, the unpredictable period yet to come?

We don’t seem to have any significant bargaining power to have any influence in the period where the destiny of the country and its people seem to be uncertain.

Who else can play any role in preventing the country’s fragmentation to ethnic groupings or military infights as the most likely scenario to come forth. We are not yet ready to salvage the sinking ship, God forgiving us we need to come together and bring forward our joint action to support our compatriots in the country whatever positive action they may take during the eventuality of  the country emploding within.

 

  • It is high time,that we Eritreans wherever we may be,need to start recoincile with each other, and unite our efforts for the dismantling of the dictator in our country and creat a strategy of  emergency and build a safety net to the suffering people inside the country. This can only be achieved if we put all hands together.
  • Forget past differences and give prioriyty to our National Salvation
  • Take a responssible attitude to the solution we may think could be useful in achieving what we are looking for.(The Salvation of our people and country)
  • Let us be people of action and not damaging each other with unnecessary grievences between us.
  • Let us respend to the recent wakeup calls of the Tripoli and Lampedusa disasters of our young.

God save our people and Eritrea

Tesfazghi Yitbarek

References

  • Noam Chomsky’s FAILED STATES
  • Joel Brinkely book @2011
  • Medhane Tadesse The Eritrean-Ethiopean War: retrospective And Prospects

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Review overview
18 COMMENTS
  • rezen December 21, 2013

    Dear Tesfazghi Yitbarek

    Your observation that “ERITREA IS A FAILED State” is, sad to say,a fact.I call it “dysfunctional” state — it is the same.

    The five appeals you listed at the end are noble recommendations. They will NOT be heeded to — in a FAILED State, that is.

    I drafted some thing entitled “Desperation”. It is just a 400-word commentary. I will post it here soon.

  • Bruk December 21, 2013

    This is article is loaded with many statements(PTSD , faled state) but it is interesting to read. Few days ago , I was wandering if Eritrea ” fulfills ” a criteria of a failed state and I came across ” Failed states index” 2012 (http://ffp.statesindex.org/rankings-2012-sortable)..believe it or not Eritrea has better score than Ethiopia( meaning ethiopia has better chance of becoming a failed state as compared to Eritrea) … but this does Not mean Eritrea is better. I think the situation in Eritrea is really bad .. But I don’t think Eritrea is a failed state YET! Eritrea exhibits some characteristics of a failed state.. But it has cruel but centralized government. Remember a failed state doesn’t have control of its territories. We hate Isayas but we don’t have manipulate facts for our political agenda. Trust me you don’t want to see Eritrea to be failed state where many faction control parts of the country which can take decades to fix even long after dictator Isayas is gone.

    • Med December 21, 2013

      Dear Bruk

      Can you please clarify what are the main criteria for country to call it failed state?

      with many respect!!

      • Bruk December 21, 2013

        Source: http://www.globalpolicy.org/nations-a-states/failed-states.html
        “Failed states can no longer perform basic functions such as education, security, or governance, usually due to fractious violence or extreme poverty. Within this power vacuum, people fall victim to competing factions and crime, and sometimes the United Nations or neighboring states intervene to prevent a humanitarian disaster. However, states fail not only because of internal factors. Foreign governments can also knowingly destabilize a state by fueling ethnic warfare or supporting rebel forces, causing it to collapse.”
        A failed state is a state perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government. There is no general consensus on the definition of a failed state. The definition of a failed state according to the Fund for Peace is often used to characterize a state with the following characteristics :

        loss of control of its territory, or of the monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force therein
        erosion of legitimate authority to make collective decisions
        an inability to provide public services
        an inability to interact with other states as a full member of the international community
        Common characteristics of a failing state include a central government so weak or ineffective that it has little practical control over much of its territory; non-provision of public services; widespread corruption and criminality; refugees and involuntary movement of populations; and sharp economic decline.
        http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Failed_state

    • Genet December 23, 2013

      Bruk
      According to your belief, a state is failed if only a formula say so. Let me tell you someting, a failed state is a state without rule of law. We don’t need a formula to tell us our country is a failed state. You said Eritrea has a centralized gov. You are calling the incompetent and lunatic one man rule, a centralized gov. To the majority of Eritreans, our country is already a failed state. If you don’t work hard to unite our people, we will see a bloodbath. The luntic dictator is grooming our people to a bloodbath after he is gone. UNITED WE STAND TO PREVENT BLOODBATH POST DICTATOR ERITREA!
      Genet

  • rezen December 21, 2013

    To: Tesfazghi Yitbarek

    Here is the ‘draft’ that I mentioned in my first entry — for what it is worth.

    Desperation

    1.Definition
    My little Oxford Dictionary defines:
    a)Despair as : “ the complete loss or absence of hope”;and
    b) Desperation as: “a state of despair, typically one which results in rash or extreme behavior”

    Substituting the word despair in b) by the definition in a) we get a complete definition of desperation as follows: “a state of the complete loss or absence of hope, typically one which results in rash or extreme behavior.”

    2.Discussion
    A subject is raised and two individuals or groups are thrashing the idea from presumably all angles. They all are conversant about the civilized and democratic way of agreement and disagreement without raising a ‘war’ So far, so good. Discussion begins and both present their argument. Along the way the true characteristic of the persons start to emerge. Both have firm views on the subject. As the argument is heated so does the display of behavior, throwing their presumably cherished civilized and democratic mode of discussion. And soon, it was clear that one was superior in understanding the subject matter, based on so many tangible factors; while the other have only emotional attachment to the subject matter, but not adequate resources to convey and defend it. And so the discussion turned into argument and eventually into polemic. Worst than that, as desperation sets-in extreme behavior is displayed. The emotional person starts to attack the other and dwells on raw character assassination. It becomes nasty. And the important subject matter is forgotten and all effort and energy is mobilized on destroying the other person by all means available. Internet website is a perfect junkyard for junk attitude.

    Eritreans are divided on parochial matters: the very top of which is religion; to be followed by provincialism if the first miraculously fades away; and if both diseases unbelievably disappear racism is readily available. And Eritrea will be happy ever after, in a circular motion, following the rotation of the planet. Why not! In such an environment the definition of “happiness” is elastic. Therefore the old cliché sets-in: ‘To each according to what he deserves’

    Eriteans have gone to 30-year war supposedly for independence, liberty, freedom, justice, equality, prosperity, sovereignty and so many other jargons that certain websites have been playing like broken ‘record’ of yesteryears. For good measure, they added , that all the noble attributes were achieved thanks to [in alphabetical order] ‘real’ Eritrean bravery, courage, determination, farsightedness, valor etc. Well, the meaning is clear!

    At the end of the war, the poor country had lost over a quarter of a million promising youngsters and wound-up with a devastated piece of land. And those who came back from the 30-year war have permanently lost their productive years without ever enjoying their wonderful young ages, and above all permanently lost the opportunity for higher learning and the opportunity to climb the ladder of success in their own endeavor. They left at the age of 20 and came back reaching 50. Now, unless one expects them to spend the rest of their lives in monasteries, they will fight tooth and nail to recoup their lost life by ‘any means necessary’? Just, look around, read and observe the present situation. After twenty-two years of indigenous rule, Eritreans are in a much, much more tragic and toxic situation than they were under any colonial rule. How low can one get!

    The Epitaph
    By ultra ‘nationalists’ prism, the present situation is only a little hick-up, and that the “promised land” is not far away. Keep on sacrificing more souls! Anyone who questioned this prism is to risk being labeled as the enemy of the State of Eritrea; or a person who lost his/her senses; or a person who should be taken to the highest court for treason …. The epitaph goes on. When a group reaches such desperation, consumed by hatred and hopelessness to meet their old-age dream, the level of eventual destruction is incalculable. Eritrea is considered as one of the few pariah states; but only for the time being. Taking the road that it decided to follow, it won’t be long before even the given name “ Eritrea” would disappear all together and the forged landmass turns into its old fragmented elements to exist [not living, mind you!] in ‘tranquility.!!! It is all curvy-turvy! And the ultimate sacrifice of the innocent people would be lost in vain – while the propagators remain in their secured and safe haven in Western and other countries, free from justice for their callous and criminal adventure. THE END

    • Genet December 23, 2013

      Dear Rezen
      You do write so eloquently. An English professor would give you an A+ for the way you write in English. Good for you! I am not sure if you are an Eritrean. I am not talking about blood line. I see, when you are adressing Eritreans, you write, “They” “group” “forged landmass” and “devastatd pices of land” What about a land full of golds. If you are an Eritrean, for worst or better, do you believe our martyrs and our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and all the cousins, who fought against the much larger Ethiopian military for very narrow personal interests? Do you know Tigrian had entertained the idea of “independent Tigray” how do you feel about that? Do you think that is a big joke?
      You seems to indicate, there was a wonderful life to be enjoyed by young Eritreans, under the Ethiopian rulers. Do you see the considerable disconnect you are exhibiting?

      FYI Mr Rezen,
      Eritrea is not a devastated pices of land. It is the land of the braves. It is the land of the two greatest religions. It is the land of decent Muslims and Christians. It is the land of two ports. It is the land of rich in multiple natural resources. We Eritreans are Eritreans for worst or better. Eritreans never say, we are better than any body else.
      Genet

  • Suleiman Salim December 21, 2013

    Ytbarek,

    nsKa Hade Hangol zeyblu tEbiteNa fTret iKa:: ‘ngliz ‘nte SeHafka zselTenka key mesleka:: quanqua mmlaK bzey Hasab wala Hade trgum yeblun:: hager Tr ila ab semay sle zeybeS’Het diKa ” failed ” tbl zeloKa? teAges!!!

    • Abdu December 22, 2013

      Donkro tsmammm
      Ignorant and stupid.

      • Suleiman Salim December 22, 2013

        Humar,

        kem’a ilka aloKa!!

    • Genet December 23, 2013

      Hello Suleiman Salim
      You are still standing by the dictator and DEMHIT or the Ethiopian mercenaries.
      During the Lampadousa’s hundreds of young Eritreans death, you went in to hiding. When the dictator was calling Eritreans “illegal immigrans from east Africa”, you were in hiding. Not long ago, you came out of hiding. But you are still standing by the dictator, when the streets of Asmara is been terrorized by DEMHIT. Do you know how many PFDJ and YPFDJ members are frozen with disbelief “PIA” as thy call him, allowed DEMHIT to run wild in our Country. They are becoming former PFDJ and YPFDJ members in droves. That is what real human being do. You are worshiping a man like a true cult members. I feel sorry for you. Mr Suleiman. No human being should be subjected to be robbed his ability to think. One thing that set us human, apart from the rest of animals is our ability to think and our superior brain. Our ability to see right from wrong set us apart from the other animals. Mr Suleiman, If you think you can hide during the mass death of young Eritreans, and come out of hiding when you think is safe and cont to speak in support of the dictator is just, unreal. You are becoming a big joke. NO man or woman, who support the dictator can explain DEMHIT roaming the streets of Asmara. I have many friends who are YPFDJ’s members. They are beside themselves. They can’t believe this is really happening. If you ask me, I am not surprised at all. It was just a matter of time, for the dictator to show his suicidal ideation. Any one who follows a lunatic is a lunatic himself.
      Genet

  • Kabbire December 21, 2013

    Our esteemed and qualified experts are arguing on the definition of a “failed state”; this is reasonable. There is no doubt that Eritrea is a failed state.

    Proof: Eritrea is so failed that none of its young citizens want to live in Eritrea. Every young Eritrean that I spoke to wants to leave at any cost, including at the cost his or her life.
    Call to any of your family member in Eritrea and show me a single Eritrean who can survive on his own employment income. After all, this is the only nation that can not provide a simple running water and electric power for two weeks in a row for its own capital city Asmara.
    Compare the city of Asmara under Emperor Haileselasie and under Issaias Afewerki: government services, employment, transportation, quality of education, hospitals, air transport, provision of water and power, highway, security, banks, insurance, tourism, taxes, industrialization, food sufficiency (grains,milk, meat, eggs) value of money, salary, courts, number of foreigners, freedom of movement, passport and visa services … the list goes on and on.
    One Eritrean friend told me: life under the feudal imperial Haileselasie was far better than the life of slavery under Issaias Afewerki and his Hgdef.
    After 50 years of stupidity under the leadership of Jebha and Shaebia, we only proved to the world how to transform a region from a semi Feudo-capitalism into a Slave system.

  • Kalighe December 22, 2013

    Dear Tesfazghi Yitbarek your points are well taken,(just to add a few):

    – Let’s start to reconcile with each other, and unite our efforts for the dismantling of the dictator in our country. (It’s a good point, I totally agree).

    – Let’s learn from past mistakes. Forgetting them won’t help much. It’s easy said than done. The past has shaped our troubled present, it’s part of it. The problems we face now are rooted in our past mistakes. So, it’s very important to understand what went wrong, without dwelling too much on it. If we don’t learn valuable lessons from the past we will keep repeating them.

    – Take a responsible attitude. Yes, this is what we are missing many times.

    – The recent tragedies of Tripoli and Lampeduza are just part of what has been going on for the last two decades. The killing of Wuguat Harnet in Mayhabar and other similar crimes should have been a wake up call, but unfortunately we were not ready to listen or see at the time.

    • Suleiman Salim December 22, 2013

      Kalighe(Humar),

      You will be dismantled and dead soon. Say insha’allah!! The government has millions of supporters and you want to dismantle it. Humar, you do not know what you are talking about.

  • Kalighe December 22, 2013

    “You will be dismantled and dead soon. Say insha’allah!! The government has millions of supporters and you want to dismantle it. Humar, you do not know what you are talking about.”

    Suleiman Salim

    Your boss the bastard Issu “Tembiyenai” and you are dead long ago.
    You are just waiting to be buried.
    Rest is Hell …

  • halengi December 23, 2013

    kalighe youare already buried

  • aus 17 December 23, 2013

    Yes, ERitrea can be a failed state because we Eritreans have already failed our FREE thinking and prone to accept any order given.
    The soldiers, generals colonels, and the people have simply gave up, its rights to demand and take things in its own hands,thus, we suffer and still suffering from our own making.
    Think about not to repeat it again, but not tell us to forget because this the philosophy of ISAyas and his groupies. a false based hope.

  • aus 17 December 23, 2013

    Brother Kebire, you need not need to describe Asmara’s state in comparing with…
    Ghost city Asmara where:
    * darkness overwhelms its streets.
    *strret lamps are hiding place for giffa managers (coloured with darkness)
    *the carbage heaps are mountain like, deadly smell, rotten fish
    *water is like hard currency. to be washed 3 times like Haile-silassie and DErgie time, forget it.
    * transport back to horse or simply walk distances
    *bartel economy- in kind, or black market owned by higdefites

    What is left? the down fall of regime any time soon!!
    But first people should gain their lost free thinking!!!

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