Alienated Citizens Asmarino Editorial - 5 Nov 2004 This editorial is dedicated to those who lost their lives at Adi Abieto Camp When one loses a sense of enthusiasm, when one is emotionally numb, and when one continues to drop the ball, so to speak, he/she could be suffering from alienation. Have we, Eritreans, in diaspora lost that enthusiasm that carried us through the difficult period of yesteryears? Have we ‘lost that loving feeling’ that we once had for Eritrea? Have we socially and politically withdrawn from our dreams? Alienation is the feeling that one does not belong to a given group. It is characterized by a lack of interest in the rights and feelings of others. Some people withdraw affection from positions of former attachment for various reasons – disenchantment, dissatisfaction, boredom and despondency. When alienation spreads over a wider scale amongst the population then that is a good sign of imminent danger. And if the situation is not managed or diffused in time chaos may ensue. Basically, as an Eritrean citizen, one is fully aware of the fact that our freedom fighters touched our hearts so much we spawned that crucial patriotic sentiment which served as a useful vehicle for the revolution. Again, the level of attachment to the homeland was so impressive that the ‘can-do’ and ‘will help’ attitudes very well continued in post-independence Eritrea. In other words, we cherished that fervent and caring patriotic attachment all along. One can say that times have drastically changed in the last few years. And so did we. In this day and age, we have reached a stage where we need to re-assess our blessings and unwaveringly query whether we are successfully managing that heritage or not. During the last few years in office, the leaders, rather dismayingly, instead of restoring the glitter of their heroic legacy, they did more to turn people off than most people realize. Eritrea is suffering from human rights abuses, misuse of labor, retarded economy, negligence towards diasporic potential, shelving of the Eritrean Constitution, delayed political developments, endless exigencies and so forth. No matter how much we would like to act as if the problems do not exist, each one of them is a well-documented fact. On the whole, many Eritreans do not understand, and some of them all too often do not seem to care, how the leadership’s actions are interpreted outside our borders. By exhibiting so little interest in diasporic and other countries influences, the leadership continues not only to shock, frighten and anger people around the world but to alienate those who stood by its side during difficult times. Unfortunately, most of the instances we have been observing (persecution of minority churches, alienating donors and foreign governments, expelling foreign businesses, mass detentions …etc) could and should have been easily foreseen and avoided, if only the leadership had cared enough to think about its handling of the current situations and showed even moderate respect for how others view today’s cranky Eritrea. The leadership is now, rather furtively, on the verge of taking this current crisis to a new level. It is not only alienating citizens it is also persecuting them rather unrelentingly. Why? Why do students and young people have to be stopped, searched and taken in all the time? Why does the government choose harsh measures in pursuing its social design? Why treat the young as if they are government property? Why frustrate them to a point of pandemonium? And why shoot at them inhumanely? It is wrong! This is not the Eritrea we fought to create. The leaders have apparently squandered the potential support by projecting an unfortunately all-too-typically arrogant attitude toward the world in general and Eritreans inside and outside the country in particular. Alienated citizens can turn into dynamic citizens if the government only chooses to clean up its acts. Many Youngsters are Reported Dead in Asmara Overnight https://web.archive.org/web/20041109024838/news.asmarino/Information/2004/11/Asmara_E_5.asp November 5, 2004 Many Youngsters are Reported Dead in Asmara Overnight Very recently government forces were out in full force to round up suspected draft-dodgers, and ended up taking in thousands of youngsters off the streets of Asmara. The detainees were taken to Adi Abieto’s prison-like camp. Adi Abieto is located a couple of kilometres outside Asmara. The camp was so full of young people that an accident was waiting to happen. Last night, 5 Nov 2004, trouble erupted as pushing and shoving started by the frustrated youngsters. Out of frustration the detainee pushed the fences and walls of the camp until it fell outwards killing five guards. Shooting started and soon after there was utter chaos. Unconfirmed reports say that the guards started shooting killing over 20 detainees and wounding over hundred. People who escaped from the scene reported that Halibet Hospital is full of dead and wounded youngsters at the moment. Many more have lost their lives after they arrived at the hospital. Others reported that the scuffle and shootout continued for about three hours as indiscriminate shots wheezed everywhere. Eyewitnesses have also reported that many citizens who sustained eye injuries were seen at the Asmara Eye Hospital. It is reported that out of the many injured dozens are in critical situation and the number of casualties is expected to rise. Halibet Hospital is surrounded by armed guards and Doctors and hospital workers are not allowed to leave the premises. Asmarino has confirmed that there was chaos overnight and many citizens were seen flocking towards Adi Abieto. Some of them reported seeing a fallen wall at the camp. It has also been confirmed that many citizens are waiting to hear news of their loved ones at Halibet Hospital. It is to be remembered that yesterday a distressing message was sent to Asmarino about the rounding up operation and the writer pleaded that Amnesty International be contacted as soon as possible.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 06:53:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015