Eritrea vs The Diaspora Media
Woldu Mikael
January 15, 2008
Having suppressed the voices of free media and academia in Eritrea, the government appears worried about the increasing influences the diaspora media is having on the public. The messengers of reason and sanity are the biggest enemy. One of the targets has been the leading independent news organization, awate.com and its editor, Saleh Gadi.
Through relentless intimidation and other ruthless measures, the authorities have silenced scholars, writers, journalists and artists critical of the regime´s failed domestic policies.
As part of its plan to strangle the sentiments and convictions of these groups, the government has outlawed academic and press freedoms and abolished university education.
In the mean time, many exiled intellectuals in North America and Europe have become more and more effective in their challenge against flawed government policies. They have been successful in pinpointing the dangers facing the Eritrean people unless rule of law and justice prevail.
In retaliation, the government and its agents have resorted to personal insults and unfounded accusations against many of the country´s respected intellectuals. Among the many who have been targeted for unwarranted character assassinations are the legendary Eritrean scholar and statesman, Distinguished Professor Bereket Habte Selasse, the international award winning Human Rights and Democracy Activist Paulos Tesfagiorgis, and Saleh Gadi, Editor of the prominent online journal, Awate.com.
Like thousands of other Eritrean scholars and professionals, these three personalities have refused to live and serve under dictatorship in Eritrea. Instead, they have been calling on the administration to allow freedom of expression, basic human rights, and the establishment of democratic institutions as the surest and only way toward national unity and growth.
Expectedly, the government response has been hostile. It has unleashed personal attacks and unfounded charges against them ranging from alleged opportunism to treason.
The most recent target is Seleh Gadi and his website, awate.com. Critical of the government´s exclusionary stances, Gadi´s sole aim has been to bring national reconciliation and justice for every Eritrean.
In addition to members of Eritrean communities worldwide, Awate.com is believed to be widely read by Western and African diplomats, policy makers, and researchers interested in independent news and views about Eritrea.
Many of the spiteful attacks against Saleh and the other democratic voices are authored by a government operative.
American Chronicle which innocently posted a malicious anti-Awate.com story a few days ago has now removed it from its site. It considered the article as offensive and potentially libelous.
Many government supporters have aliened themselves with the forces of tyranny under the guise of defending the country against external enemies. In the process they have lost the ability to distinguish between ´servitude and freedom´, to borrow Saleh Gadi´s favorite phrase. The truth remains that only free men and women can build and defend a nation.
Resorting to personal insults against peaceful critics means the authoritarian regime is worried about its future. The good news is that history is never on the side of tyranny.
CORRECTION: There was a slight error on paragraph 8 in my last story (01/12/08) entitled "Eritrea: Diaspora Media, Successful in Challenging Policies - Awate Editor under Attack."
The first line of that paragraph should read: "The current target is Saleh Gadi and his website, awate.com, and not "The current target is Saleh Gadi and his website, dehai.com.
Through relentless intimidation and other ruthless measures, the authorities have silenced scholars, writers, journalists and artists critical of the regime´s failed domestic policies.
As part of its plan to strangle the sentiments and convictions of these groups, the government has outlawed academic and press freedoms and abolished university education.
In the mean time, many exiled intellectuals in North America and Europe have become more and more effective in their challenge against flawed government policies. They have been successful in pinpointing the dangers facing the Eritrean people unless rule of law and justice prevail.
In retaliation, the government and its agents have resorted to personal insults and unfounded accusations against many of the country´s respected intellectuals. Among the many who have been targeted for unwarranted character assassinations are the legendary Eritrean scholar and statesman, Distinguished Professor Bereket Habte Selasse, the international award winning Human Rights and Democracy Activist Paulos Tesfagiorgis, and Saleh Gadi, Editor of the prominent online journal, Awate.com.
Like thousands of other Eritrean scholars and professionals, these three personalities have refused to live and serve under dictatorship in Eritrea. Instead, they have been calling on the administration to allow freedom of expression, basic human rights, and the establishment of democratic institutions as the surest and only way toward national unity and growth.
Expectedly, the government response has been hostile. It has unleashed personal attacks and unfounded charges against them ranging from alleged opportunism to treason.
The most recent target is Seleh Gadi and his website, awate.com. Critical of the government´s exclusionary stances, Gadi´s sole aim has been to bring national reconciliation and justice for every Eritrean.
In addition to members of Eritrean communities worldwide, Awate.com is believed to be widely read by Western and African diplomats, policy makers, and researchers interested in independent news and views about Eritrea.
Many of the spiteful attacks against Saleh and the other democratic voices are authored by a government operative.
American Chronicle which innocently posted a malicious anti-Awate.com story a few days ago has now removed it from its site. It considered the article as offensive and potentially libelous.
Many government supporters have aliened themselves with the forces of tyranny under the guise of defending the country against external enemies. In the process they have lost the ability to distinguish between ´servitude and freedom´, to borrow Saleh Gadi´s favorite phrase. The truth remains that only free men and women can build and defend a nation.
Resorting to personal insults against peaceful critics means the authoritarian regime is worried about its future. The good news is that history is never on the side of tyranny.
CORRECTION: There was a slight error on paragraph 8 in my last story (01/12/08) entitled "Eritrea: Diaspora Media, Successful in Challenging Policies - Awate Editor under Attack."
The first line of that paragraph should read: "The current target is Saleh Gadi and his website, awate.com, and not "The current target is Saleh Gadi and his website, dehai.com.