Visit the new AsenaTv Website

https://asenatv.com

HILINA: Dedicted to Dr. Asefaw Tekeste

HILINA Dedicted to Dr. Asefaw Tekeste by Fetsum Abraham I was pleased to see Dr. Assefaw Tekeste in the last Assenna interview, yet I apologize for not sharing my first impression of  him in my last article. It

HILINA
Dedicted to Dr. Asefaw Tekeste
by Fetsum Abraham

I was pleased to see Dr. Assefaw Tekeste in the last Assenna interview, yet I apologize for not sharing my first impression of  him in my last article. It was in 1990 when our struggle already had Massawa under control and we were all psyched up to see the successful end of the Eritrean struggle ever since. I volunteered to participate in MAETOT and went to MEDA with my comrades to serve the struggle in the areas of installing Microwave Communication Systems in SAHEL And SENHIT. After staying for few days in Afabet, we headed on to Massawa by dark on an open truck loaded with probably about 10 people. The driver was cruising it at around 100 Kms an hour on a flat landscape called DOGALLI when my comrade Fikre Tsegay suddenly lost control and flew out of the truck like a piece of paper in a wind. Everyone was silently expressing the inevitable in different emotions. The driver stopped few meters ahead thinking what had dropped was a luggage to only learn that it was Fikre who suddenly got lost out of sight. He then drove back towards the spot and I still have a photographic memory of how I felt seeing him alive wounded everywhere and crying with pain. We then somehow helped him and continued driving towards Massawa where we finally dropped him off at the City Hospital which was then managed by the very interesting brother Dr. Assefaw Tekeste. The Doctor immediately took care of Fikre and literally saved him from death. He turned that hopelessness around by giving Fikre his life, of course after few weeks of suffering.  Fikre lives in America today because of how brother Asefaw professionally and compassionately participated in the horrible event that almost stole his life. I take the opportunity here to salute my brother for what he did then and to our people in general during the struggle and far beyond. I take this opportunity to salute our people that are being dehumanized by the savage regime in the name of the brother doctor.

Our struggle for independence was full of patriots but few exceptional individuals surfaced as the most decisive elements of its objective. Literally speaking, the success of our struggle against the SHADISHAI WERAR and the SELAHTA WERAR offensives was impossible without the exceptional leadership of brother Ibrahim Affa (EPLF’s Chief of Stuff of the time) in the military sect, Petros Solomon’s genius in intelligence (Espionage) and General Ugbe Abraha’s capacity in the areas of logistics; and of course that of our medical doctors who were conditioned to sleeplessly work around the clock for many years at the expense of their comfortable lives elsewhere. Likewise, the destruction of the THE NADEW EZ (the strongest Ethiopian mechanized force) in the battle of Afabet in the late eighties would have been impossible without the brain power of brothers General Sebhat Efrem (EPLF’s Chief of Stuff of the time) and Mesfin Hagos (strategy), Petros Solomon (intelligence) and Uqbe Abraha (logistics) to say the least. I add the late brother Ali Saed Abdella and other distinguished patriots in this list. I am sorry if I made a mistake or if I missed a hero because of a certain degree of ignorance on the matter but stick to the idea if you can.

Apparently, the collective effort of the people liberated Eritrea for all Eritreans to live peacefully and lawfully in their homeland not for the convoluted mind of Afwerki to dictate alone.  Eritreans liberated their country to use it democratically; not to make it the cause of their suffering; to be jailed and killed without justice. Eritreans liberated their country to develop it through education and participation; not to produce the highest refugee crisis in the world and to install institutionalized slavery and ignorance on the people indefinetelly. Eritreans did what they had to do for the comfort of all citizens and not for one man’s authoritarian ambition through the destructive and empty philosophy called Afwerkism that does not even allow an Eritrean’s burial in the motherland!!!!

Dear Eritreans; you know that our country under the current system has been reduced to rank at the bottom of the list in injustice, lack of freedom, lawlessness, refugee crisis, lack of education, censorship, etc.  10,000 brothers and sisters are behind bars without due trial. Human trafficking (organ selling, prostitution) and illegal activities have become the fate of the people under Afwerki’s vision-less brutality. The family structure is deliberately destroyed. Our people can not continue to suffer only for one man’s hallucinative ego trip. They are voiceless in Eritrea and we must carry our national and spiritual responsibility to salvage them from the chain of dictatorship without denial, pretension and fear.

Wherever you stand on the Eritrean issue and whatever you want to do with it is your choice but my spirituality does not allow me to take advantage of what brothers like Bitweded (long time prisoner) and sisters such as Senait Debessai (Base guitarist and Actor during the struggle now in jail for many years) brought for us without defending their rights and freedom. I just can not benefit from what they gave me in their absence without suffering guilt through clear-cut betrayal and opportunism. I can not swallow Afwerki’s denial of a grave yard to an Eritrean veteran (Naizghi Kiflue) without offending the creator and tress-passing my humanist concept of existences. I do not want to live in Eritrea knowing that the best actors of the revolution are either suffering in custody, killed or denied peaceful life at home. My rationality rejects the notion of living in Eritrea where brothers and sisters are permanently eliminated for just defending democracy. I can not justify my quietism in the face of the brutality dispatched upon sister Aster (Tegadalit mother of the kids of Petros Solomon) for just being the wife of the brother. I can not have peace of mind ignoring the sad destiny of their traumatized children who were condemned to everlasting parent-less existence for the rest of it. Nor can I expect happiness from this life suppressing my feeling about the fatherless-ness induced emotional consequences of Dawit Issac’s (Swedish Journalist) children who was lost for just writing few sentences in the press at the moment press freedom was legal in the country under this government. The abuse kept on going attacking the Sheriffos and their children as if human beings were disposable objects without trace. I can not do this to my self:

I can not justify the fate of Eritrean liberators Ugbe Abraha and Mahmood Sherifo who were forced to commit suicide or die in prison just for asking the implementation of our constitution. I despise to live in Eritrea where its liberators such as Dr. Asefaw,  General Tekeste Haile and even brother Ali Addu can not live in because of senseless injustice. I do not want to be an Eritrean in an Eritrea that jails and kills its makers because I do not deserve it as much. I can not do it without being selfish. I just do not want to be an Eritrean for the sake of identity. It breaks down at this fundamental contradiction of the concept in my conditionally pacifist outlook of life.

At the bottom line, I can not compromise my spiritual integrity for anything and for anybody. I refuse to exchange my moral values for material advantage and I decline giving up my freedom through silence on the plight of innocent sufferers of injustice anywhere in the world. I am not saying the people imprisoned in Eritrea should be free with out due trial; nor am I saying the former leaders of the EPLF were innocent of whatever they were accused of doing by the government. They were not Angels and I believe they have done wrong things as important individuals in the system. One man alone could not have dictated with this amount of pressure had they been strong in principle anyway. Meles Zenawi, for example was not allowed to dictate as such by his comrades. I believe they are partially responsible for putting us in this situation ladies and gentlemen!

I am only saying that they must have been proven guilty first through the process of justice before facing the extent of suffering they have been going through. I am saying that the president can not be the accuser and the judge at the same time, but he was in this regard. I am saying that the president has refused to be a human being by standing above the law (only God can stand above the law). I am saying that the system has the burden of proof and the victims deserve the benefit of the doubt. In the absence of evidence for nearly 14 years, the universal perception of justice asserts that they were INNOCENT. Eritrea under Afwerki, therefore has ravaged human life unlawfully and is responsible for ITS ACTIONS.

aseye.asena@gmail.com

Review overview
99 COMMENTS
  • jonah February 6, 2013

    Fetsum I salute your service to Eritrea during struggle and now. Very powerful article.
    I have a lot respect for all those freedom fighters and individuals of your generation.
    You put your life on the line for your country. He had a vision and knew what you were fighting for.. As you stated what current leadership is lacking is vision and skills.

    It has taken a long time but their is a new vision or energy forming- That is to replace the current government. It is growing and all need now is to get bring together all the different oppositions group under one umbrella with one common plate form. I know it is just the beginning but how quickly this changes happens and how effective it will be determined by how quickly the opposition parties put difference aside and put together on common political action. I don’t have problem with having different organization but they need to come together under one umbrella with basic platform. Given our 30 years independence war(no civil society) and 20 years of dysfunctional leadership- It might hurt for Eritreans to start reaching to http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/issues/governance-accountability.
    Opposition leadership can take courses and get basic education on organizational development. We need to start acquiring not only technology from West but effective organizational development.

    When Eritrean were fighting for independence everyone knew what the objective was.. What is objective of these opposition parties. It needs to be common and clear. More Eritrean in diaspora will join and tide will start gradually changing. Jan 21 protest is best indication that people have had enough.. we need to have the platform and common objective where that energy could be effectively channeled and we don’t start going after each other Libya.

    I hope your next article is as powerful and deals with common platform and one organization for all opposition parties i.e. an AIPAC style. Also, I don’t see why Assenna, Awate, and Asmarino can’t have badge or logo on their website that says “We support Jan 21 Protest”..

    • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

      Dear Johnah;
      I feel like u are potentially powerful and want to closely know u if u give me the chance. Please send me a mail at my email add if u don’t mind.

      Tnx

  • rora eskindir February 6, 2013

    thank you Mr. Festum! i love your kind of Eritreanism. but i don’t like the part where you mention ali abdu. i don’t like the fact that you put him on the same page with Biteweded Abraha, Petros Solomon, Sherifo and all the other brothers and sisters. this person is guilty of putting young bright writers, poets and journalists and teachers in prison. and he abondoned eseyas’s regime and he is telling us he is worried about his family. those Eritreans he put in prison have also children, parents, friends and what not. their children are growing up without knowing their fathers. we all know how ali raised his children-like princesses when everybody else is living like a slave. he only left because the honey he was licking while Eritreans were suffering was finished. all he wants now is to hide and enjoy the luxury with the money that he stole from Eritreans.

    • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

      Dear Rora;
      I understand but we need to stay ahead of the game through forgiveness. Amnesty is necessary for society to go forward. That will be the fuel for the energy needed to do the job together. Ali was a Tegadalai but also victim like every every Eritrean in this experience.

      Tnx

      • sarah February 7, 2013

        Fitsum.
        Ali was a victim? Victim of what and who? So are we saying that every one who has left the country after doing whatevery they want is a victim. Ali is run after taking as much as he can and after doing as much damage as he can. I know, it is just becuase he is a tegadalai. Many peoepl have played this card for the last twenty something years. Just because they fought for eritrean liberation it does not mean, does not mean at all that they can kill, enslave, abuse, rape, or rip eritreans. This should eb clear for everyone who intends to play this card of tegadalai thing. We love them for what they sacrificed to liberate the country!!! We loved them to bits!! Many of us still do. But they can not justify harming us so badly as they did. Many of them, not all of them. So Fitsum hawey, I do not buy that card. Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law and the Lord. I do not understand how their lives are better than the lives of the young eritreans and the ones who are being sold and passed over like things in the sinnay desert. People who use this card to harm us are worse than the derg time’s AFAGN BUDN. That is it!!

  • Asgedom Abraham February 6, 2013

    I like and respect Dr Assefaw Tekeste – the smart, the gerhi and the lewah Hamassienay – a lot . His problem is that he is too kind and civilized to believe that other people are as kind and as civilized as him.

  • A Iyasu February 6, 2013

    Dear Brother Fitsum

    May the Lord hear your cries for justice to all.

    • Asgedom Abraham February 6, 2013

      That must be an irresponsible cry for ” justice”. Dreaming to destroy your country for reasons having to do with hatred towards the Eritrean government or our head of state is the apex of stupidity.

      Besides how does Fitsum Abraham define ” justice “? If you have to shoulder the responsibility of defending and building your country are you, in that case, being subjected to ‘injustice ‘? If you live in a poor and “Thirdworld” country whose government is working day and night to improve the living standard of its people, is that too kind of ‘injustice’ ?

      • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

        Asgedom;
        ‘justice is going through a due trial if accused of something before sentence. Justice is being governed by a constitutional law. Freedom of speech, expression, movement, etc. Justice is working freely without being forced or becoming a slave.

        There is no concept of “working for a country” without JUSTICE and freedom. Slavery does not work for a country. I, however, would very much appreciate u if u can go home and build the country my brother. Let me know when u decide that and we will hail you in public.

        • Asgedom Abraham February 7, 2013

          Fitsm,

          As far as I am aware the British do not have a constitutional law. Freedom of speech? I don’t have to tell you that we do not need to reproduce or re-create Rwanda with its radio Hutu and Padre Hutus in our lovely Eritrea.

          I am surprised to see you equating hagerawi agelglot with SLAVERY. Whatelse do you want us to do? To disband the Eritrean army?

          ayatatna tebahilkum kem aQol’Ut aytHsebu!!!

  • Asgedom Abraham February 6, 2013

    “I volunteered to participate in MAETOT and went to MEDA with my comrades to serve the struggle in the areas of installing Microwave Communication Systems in SAHEL And SENHIT.”

    Fitsum Abraham,

    Go back to your country. Eritrea needs people like you to do things and not to talk about politics.

    • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

      Asgedeom;
      u are angry ahead of time and it shows. What u need to do is chill and understand people have the right to express anything like u do.

    • Temesgen Kibreab February 6, 2013

      Ayeeeeee anta hagereseb kabey amtsiekayo computer nekekuanu. Please stay away from computer writing your trash against our hero Fitsum. I love You Fitsum, Eritreans have Hero’s everywhere. We will definitely destroy Esayas and his croonies like this Fara.

  • Thomas Tewelde February 6, 2013

    Fitsum wedi Sheka Abraha, I am glad to see you on the opposition side. I’m not criticizing or anything but I still remember your writings in the early of 2000. You were against the opposition especially you were against doctor Tadesse the early critic of DIA. HIGDEF were using your testimony to assassinate Dr. Taddese’s character sometimes they were using your name to fabricate things. Here is my question to you, aren’t you ashamed for sinking in to the opposition camp without redeeming yourself? At least you need to apologize to Dr. Taddese after all he was the one who recruited you to visit meda that you are now bragging about.

    • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

      Thomas;
      my position on the doctor stays consistent. I do not want to talk too much here and u know the reason. The Dr had other issues that I knew and I exposed what I know; and I stick with it right now.
      2000 is a very long time for one to learn more on something confusing then after. I hope u do not expect human mind to stay stagnant for 14 years brother. The mind is not static for those who want to use it; it is dynamic.
      I hope this grabs u well as far as my consistency on the doctor and my human nature vis-s-vis time were concerned.
      Tnx

    • Asgedom Abraham February 6, 2013

      Bragging?

      • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

        Asgedom;
        Little KIDUS from Asmara is trying to teach u something interesting. Please learn it without bias.

        “Asgedom! Try to open your eyes. Look for people living inside the country. I am among them always living in fear. You know what injustice mean and how the dictator is sucking blood. Try understand me, how much fear I have while writting this small comment. I am in minase internet cafe and I’m glad nobody is around me now. But you people living comfortable in free world… frankly we are sick of you. Inside our beloved country we deserve the amount of freedom you guys are enjoying in somebody’s country. God bless eritres”

        Tnx

    • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

      Thomas;
      I read ur comment again and really wondered about what motivated you to lie? Too many turns and twists for me to take u seroiously as one with a neutral mind. I have never assissnated the doctor’s character then and in fact shielded much more things I knew in respect of his and my family’s friendship.
      I actually do not understand your concept of BRAGGING. Is sharing my experience of meda bragging? Good luck with ur commonsense brother!!!

      • Thomas Tewelde February 7, 2013

        Your first comment was wise, people do change I agree you with you. Having said that, you were DIA’s apologist and stanch supporter of the regime. Because of your likes the regime prolonged it’s life line. At that time you deliberately accused the doctor with trivia and childish accusations. I know you been in lots ups and downs may be you forgot what you wrote I advise to read it again. Hope you will come to your senses.

        • fetsum abraham February 7, 2013

          Thomas;
          Now I must tell you that u are a liar and u have a negative objective here to destruct. I will never get trapped in ur poison. I will never forget what I wrote and I am responsible for it. ring out something out of if u want to discuss intellectually. U, however, must be straight. I do bielieve your doctor is one of the most selfish people I met in my life. He had so much ego that had to be defleted through the power of reason. Your egocentric doctor did it to himself and I carried my responsibility of challenging him directly. Should u have a problem with my old position on Afwerki, let me tell now again. I defended him fully to the point of ridiculing myself sometimes but he deserved it then.

          I do things openly sir, I do not hide and nor am I afraid of anyone. U can worship ur dioctor but I am telling u again that I have no respect for him as a person!!!Got it?

          aiTadde

          • Thomas Tewelde February 7, 2013

            Wedi Sheka,
            You still missing my point I don’t care about your personal vendetta. You used your personal grudge to humiliate his anti DIA stance. If he betrayed, or crossed you while you two dancing with DIA that is not my business. But you my friend, after been used, chewed and spited by HIGDEF and coming here and act like you are anti HIGDEF that to me a betrayal. I asked you to redeem yourself before you open your mouth.

  • gidus February 6, 2013

    Asgedom! Try to open your eyes. Look for people living inside the country. I am among them always living in fear. You know what injustice mean and how the dictator is sucking blood. Try understand me, how much fear I have while writting this small comment. I am in minase internet cafe and I’m glad nobody is around me now. But you people living comfortable in free world… frankly we are sick of you. Inside our beloved country we deserve the amount of freedom you guys are enjoying in somebody’s country. God bless eritres

    • Asgedom Abraham February 6, 2013

      temesgen bel: amlaK tfelT ‘nte koynka:: bnay Se’Adu propoganda ayt’talel:: ‘ mlflal keli’omna ‘ ilka bzuH mElbaT ayedln ‘yu::

    • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

      Dear Kidud;
      Thank you for sharing and I feel your pain deeply. You deserve the freedom and justice Europeans and Americans enjoy. The time will come and stick to the cause. Be careful my dear.

  • Asgedet February 6, 2013

    Selam Fitsum,

    Your command of the English language is absolutely impressive (no patronizing intended). And of course, the substances in your series of articles are gracing all of us as they are enlightening among other things. But I seem to differ about your take on Dr. Asefaw. He could be good in what he does and all but when it comes to his stand on the political situation of our country, he appears to be not only luke-warm but confused as well. I often get tempted to say that he seems to have a soft heart for the dictator in Eritrea because of the prospect of the unknown should the dictator exits the political scene for good.

    • Asgedom Abraham February 6, 2013

      Asgedet,

      Why don’t you keep it short and direct? You could also accuse Dr ASSEFAW TEKESTE of his Hamassienay origin. The same accusation has been levelled against GENERAL MESFIN HAGOS.

      Asgedetina, for your information, both Dr Assefaw and General Mesfin Wedi Hagos are proud of their families.

      • sarah February 6, 2013

        Asghedom,
        Shame on you for trying to use Hamassien to evoke sympathy for your sick cause. It is divisive people like you the mad dog is using to destroy eritreanism. At this time when eritreans from corner to corner of the country including all those who have left the country are suffering, you talk about Dr Assefaw’s hamassienaism? who cares about that? We know him as a brave eritrean who has done so much for us and our country. We do not need or want to know anything else!! There are eritreans from all corners of the country who have done and sacrificed everything they have and beyond for the country!!

        • Asgedom Abraham February 6, 2013

          Sarah,

          Just read what Wedi Philippo writes about General Mesfin Wedi Hagos and you will understand where Asgedet and Wedi Philippo are coming from. You have to learn to read between the lines. It is as simple as that.

          • sarah February 6, 2013

            Please do not talk about Mesfin Hagos, He is PIA Shadow. His ideas, the way he talks just are disgusting imitations of PIA. Especially when he dodges questions and cheats in order to hide the truth in interviews, it is sickening. I have no hope and absolutely no confidence in him. I just feel that if peace comes, God willing, to this beautiful country eritrea, we will still have to watch our backs from people like him. So please do not talk about Hamassien. This monster whose hands are still wet with eritrean blood does not represent Hamassien or any other awraja for that matter. He can not hide behind Hamassien.
            One this though, Asgedom, this is not the time for us to talk about individuals as Fitsum has said, the time for it will come. NOW, we need to focus on the vulnerable people.

        • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

          Sara;
          I love what you told the brother very much so. There was nothing in the exchange of ideas that provoked his negative response. I like the way u checked that divisive idea out of the way intelligently. Tnx

    • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

      Asgedat;
      Doctor Asefaw can be soft but it does not change his legacy. Fighting Afwerki is the role of every one of us and the doctor can not take that responsibility alone. U should take him the way he is and love him for what he did. Soft heartedness is a widom by the way and the doctor is blessed of it because he is a clean man!!! Apparently, it is the turn of young people to change the Eritrean situation my dear.

      tnx

      ar

  • Halafi Mengedi February 6, 2013

    Staff or stuff? As usual no ill will intended. 😉 Overall I always enjoy reading your articles. I will read your article again to understand it well. Have a good day

    • Amazed February 6, 2013

      Halafi megedi

      I hope it makes you feel superior for correcting spelling out of Fitsum’s article. But , the reality is, you have to be born again to get to the level of Fitsum. You have a nerve to for attempting to correct this exceptional genus also one of a kind.

    • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

      Hallafi;
      I appreciate ur talent in spelling and i am sure u can teach us a lot in that regard.

  • sara February 6, 2013

    I have mixed feeling of some of the people you mentioned was working hard to help issais to stay in power like Ali said Abedlla who was responsible for the death of many eritreans. Listen to tesfay temnwo what happened to the youg university students Part 34. I admire always the way you present things but it is hard for me to see things the way you see them. Issais wouldn’t be in power unless these people worked hard for him like bees.

    • Asgedom Abraham February 6, 2013

      Temnewo? Is that the guy who described the murder of 50 farmers from Kebessa by Jebha as a mistake (giega) ?

    • fetsum abraham February 6, 2013

      Dear Sara
      I agree with u. They were corrupt with him and we are here because of all of them. They all, however, caused the independence as Tegadelti. History will tell many things in the future but there is no doubt that Ali Said was a hero who faced the Ethiopians directly in many occasions. He hijacked Ethiopian airlines in the name of our causer my dear. This is the time to get rid of dictatorship for all of us to relearn the history from different angles in free Eritrea. We can wait until then to create an academic environment to learn better.

      Tnak u for the good input

1 2 3 5

POST A COMMENT