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7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
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Meftih The Life Line of Eritrean Community Award Winning Independent Monthly Newspaper
www.meftih.ca email: [email protected] 9 Issue 2 October2013 -
Printed the rst Friday of every month Tel: 416-824-8124 Fax: 416-783-7850
please see page 2
Proud to be your RealtorVince Thomas, MBA
Cell: 416-832-4980
Tel: 905-793-5000 / Fax: 905-793-5020
Email: [email protected]
www.vincethomas.ca
Sales Representative
If you want to buy or sell your home
contact the professional
Vince Thomas !
!
!
Malcolm Ilelaboye (Charles)Sales Representative
Cell: 647-864-9191
Dir: 416-590-2444
17 Church Ave., Toronto, ON. M2N 4E7
Amazing Airfares
to Africa
and the Middle East!
Call Zenab Warah
Tel 416-485-6387 ext 6326
Toll Free 1-877-727-6387
1220 Ellesmere Rd, Suite 1
Toronto, ON M1P 2X5
TICO #4631685, 4631677
Oce: 416-423-3063
45 Overlea Blvd.
Toronto, ON. M4H 1N9
Thornclie Banquet Centre
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We cater and specialize Halal Foods!
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416-937-5764
We do it all:-
* Wedding
* Religious events
* Birthday parties
* Business functions
* Musical events
and more
For more info:
Qadir Siddiqui
416-937-5764
Joel E. TencerLicensed & Certied by Immigration
416-850-9851
Immigration & Refugee Cases
BA, LLB, RCIC
* Business Class Immigration
(Investor, Entrepreneur)
* Skilled Worker Application
* Live-in Caregiver (Nanny)
* Refugee Claim
* Family Sponsorship
* Visitor Visa
* Invitation Letter
* Immigration Appeals
* Work Permit & Study Permit
* Humanitarian &
Compassionate Applications
* And any other Immigration
Services.
Consultants of CanadaRegulatory Council (ICCRC)
Joel E. TencerBA, LLB, RCIC
!
1018 Finch Ave. W., Ste. 223, Toronto, ON.www.jtimmigration.com
* email: [email protected]
ICCRC Member #: R420343
At least 133 people,
including a pregnant
woman and two chil-
dren, died when a boat
capsized and caught
re off the island of
Lampedusa, the Italian
coast guard told CNN
on Thursday.
The coast guard has been
able to save at least 151
people, and the rescue op-
eration is ongoing.
Lampedusas boat people:
One mans story
The boat is thought to have
133 Refugees Died in the
Mediterranean Sea
7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 2
* Car Accident
* Slip & Fall* Insurance Claim
*
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 3
Do you know whom to contact
when you wanted to buy a house
of your dream?Yes, you are right!
Raj SekhonDedicated, trusted and knowledgeable
905-783-1300
647-748-2334
* Pay Day Loans
wire transfers
* Money Orders
Foreign exchangeCheque,
Cashing
1544 Jane St. (south of Lawrence ave)
Toronto, ON.
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647-748-2334
been carrying up to 500
people. Those aboard in-
clude Somalis, Eritreans
and Ghanaians, the coast
guard said, and the boat is
thought to have launchedfrom Libyas coast.
Lampedusa, the closest
Italian island to Africa, has
become a destination for
tens of thousands of refu-
gees seeking to enter Euro-
pean Union countries.
The head of the U.N. refu-
gee agency, Antonio Gu-
terres, praised the efforts
of the Italian coast guard
but said he was dismayed
at the rising global phe-
nomenon of migrants and
people eeing conict or
persecution and perishing
at sea.
133 Refugees Died , , ,
From page 1
Another 13 men drowned
off Italys southern coast
Monday when they at-
tempted to swim ashore,
the U.N agency said in astatement.
It is working with countries
in the region to nd effec-
tive alternatives so people
dont risk their lives trying
to make perilous journeys
by sea, it said.
Popes prayers
Lampedusa, a tiny island
off the coast of Sicily, was
in the news this summer
when the pope went there
to pray for refugees and
migrants lost at sea.
Source: CNN
7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 4
6
200 13
11
235 300
4
( )
!
IMMIGRATION /REFUGEE
AGENT Needed
Seeking to hire persons, to refer clients to me,
who may need Immigration or Refugee Services.* High commission paid.
* Fluent in English.
Joel E. Tencer B.A. LL.B. RCIC
Licensed by Immigration Consultants of Canada
Regulatory Council (ICCRC),
416-850-9851
Member # R420343
7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 5
To advertise on-
line at
(www.meftih.ca)
or
Offline on Meftih
Newspaperplease call
416-824-8124or
Email: infomeftih@
gmail.com
!
416-665-3328
FREE DEBT CONSULTATION
416-665-3328
Free Evaluation at www.Rumanek.comRumanek & Company Ltd. Trustee in Bankruptcy & administrator of Proposals (9 Locations in Ontario)
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 6
80
300
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11 30 30 190
UNHCR
1600 10 (LifeJacket)
!!
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4
. .
An estimated 80,000 peo-
ple took part in a street
demonstration against
Ethiopias anti-terrorism
law on 29 September in
response to a call from
Unity for Democratic Jus-
tice, an opposition group
that spent more than three
months rallying support
for the protest.
Adopted in 2009, the
much-criticized anti-ter-
rorism law enables the
government to justify arbi-
trary arrests of journalists,
members of the opposition
and human rights defend-
ers.
The urgent need to amend
this repressive law was of
one of the recommenda-
tions that Reporters With-
out Borders included in itssubmission on Ethiopia to
the United Nations Human
Rights Council for the 19th
Universal Periodic Review
session to be held between
April and May next year.
The anti-terrorism law is
one the biggest obstacles
to freedom of informa-
tion in Ethiopia, Report-
ers Without Borders said.
Ever since its adoption,
the government has had analarming legal tool that it
uses to gag dissidents.
Without taking any posi-
tion on the politics of the
demonstrators, we urge
the government to hear the
popular demand for imme-
diate reform of the anti-ter-
rorism law. We also call on
the government to respect
the freedom of expression
of all news and informa-
tion providers, regardless
of their political views.
According to the organiz-
ers, the demonstrations aim
was not only to condemn
the law but also to demand
the release of opposition
members and journalists
who have been jailed under
it. They include Eskinder
Nega, an activist and blog-
ger detained since 15 Sep-
tember 2011 for alleged
terrorist activities. Reyot
Alemu, winner of the 2013UNESCO/Guillermo Cano
press freedom prize, and
Woubeshet Taye, the dep-
uty editor of the Amharic-
language weekly Awramba
Times, have been detained
since June 2011 in appall-
ing conditions. They are
serving jail terms of ve
and 14 years respectively
on charges of participat-
ing in a terrorist organiza-
tion and preparing a ter-
rorist attack (http://en.rsf.org/ethiopia-columnist-s-
sentence-on-terrorism-08-
08-2012,43175.html).
Two Swedish journal-
ists working for the
Kontinent news agency,
reporter Martin Schib-
bye and photographer-Johan Persson, were
arrested on 1 July 2011
while doing a report
on human rights viola-
tions in the southeast-
ern Ogaden region and
were sentenced to 11
years in prison on a
charge of terrorist activ-
ities (http://en.rsf.org/
ethiopie-two-swedish-
and-three-ethiopian-08-
09-2011,40944.html).
They were released af-
ter 450 days in detention
thanks to pressure from the
international community.
In an interview for Re-
porters Without Borders,
Schibbye said: The mere
fact that these demonstra-
tions are taking place is a
positive sign in Ethiopia.
This shows the growing
implication of the youth,namely through social net-
works, and their refusal
to live in a society where
journalists and dissidents
can be jailed arbitrarily.
One of the biggest prob-
lems with the anti-terror-
ism law is its extremely
vague denition of what
constitutes terrorist ac-
tivities.
Ethiopia is ranked 137thout of 179 countries in the
2013 Reporters Without
Borders press freedom in-
dex (http://en.rsf.org/press-
freedom-index-2013,1054.
html).
More information about
Ethiopias anti-terrorism
law: http://en.rsf.org/ethio-
pia-journalists-are-not-ter-
rorists-24-01-2012,41764.
html.
Reporters Without Bor-
ders (www.rsf.org)
Big Demonstration Against Law used
to imprison journalists
7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 7
Financial Assistance may be available to those who qualif y
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Registered as a Private Career College under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005
With CO-OP
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 8
Editors: Grace Cherian
Photographer : Mulugeta Zergaber
Contributors: Mohamed EdrisNaza HasebenebiMedhin Ghebreslasie, Amleset Tesfay, Bode Odetoy-
inbo, Mimi Chandy, Ken NtiamoaSubscription Costsin Canada $39 for a year and $59 for two years. In USA, it costs $45 fora year and $69 for two years.
Articles appearingin assorted columns of Meftih newspaper are intended to generate civil
& informed public discussions. You dont have to agree with opinions expressed by the writers.However, that should push you to express your own views. Through that way we generate lively
& civil discussions in the community. Rejoinders are not forums for personal insults & we want
readers to adhere to these principles.
Editor-in-chief
Aaron Berhane260 Adelaide St. E. Toronto,
ON. M5A 1N1 # 192
Tel: 416-824-8124Fax: 416-783-7850
www.meftih.ca
7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 9
7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 10
Debt Advice
Yes. By law, all actions against a person ling a bankrupt-cy or a proposal must cease once the documents are led.
However, this does not apply to secured creditors such as
banks holding, for example, a lien on a car or a mortgage
on a house.
If your creditors do not stop harassing or calling you it is
best to inform your trustee in bankruptcy
Will my creditors stopharassing me?
What happens if my em-
ployer just went Bankrupt?
Employer declares Bankruptcy Q&As:
1. What happens to my wages?
Not only is your wage protected under the Wage Earner
Protection Act. but you are also a preferred creditor in any
future asset distribution by the Trustee. Please refer to the
Human Resources Canada Website: Wage Earner Protec-
tion Program: rhdcc.gc.ca
2. What happens to my vacation pay?
As mentioned above, not only is your wage protected un-
der the Wage Earner Protection Act. but you are also apreferred creditor in any future asset distribution by the
Trustee. In relation to the payment of wages and vaca-
tion pay in Canada, an employee working in Canada, le-
gally has certain protections in the event their employer
declares bankruptcy.
3. What am I entitled to?
This is a case-by-case scenario and it depends on whether
or not the Trustee is going to continue operating the busi-
ness, sell the business or liquate the assets.
Jordan Rumanek, B. Comm., CIRP, Trustee,
Rumanek & Company Ltd
By Jordan Rumanek
sentation by saying, it
is a lie. He tried to deny
that the huge exodus of
Eritreans from Eritrea was
not due to the repressive
regime but rather because
of economic reasons.
Fenan Araya Desta, the
son of the Eritrean Ambas-
sador to the United Na-
tions and the leader of the
YPFDJ (Young Peoples
Front for Democracy and
Justice), tried to twist the
facts. He said that there
used to be only one univer-
sity in Eritrea before but
now there are about seven.
He continued to paint arosy picture of the regime
thats known for its ugly
reputation. But most of the
attendees were students of
Political Science, History
and International Studies.
They are smart people who
simply do not take things
at face value. Theyll do
their own research andlearn that the only univer-
sity in Eritrea was closed
for good years ago. They
will also study the reports
of Amnesty International,
Human Rights Watch and
many independent orga-
nizations to learn more
about Eritreas issues. One
of the students said to me,
I knew nothing about Eri-
trea but now I am curious
to read more.
Though the uncivilized
manner of the members of
the PFDJ shocked the stu-
dents, Connell was not sur-
prised at all. He patiently
and calmly listened to their
senseless arguments and
responded to them with
more concrete facts whichsatised students.
Professor Connell is one of
the most renowned schol-
ars of Eritrean Studies. He
is the author or editor of ten
books and has published
many academic articles in
journals.
Please click here to listen
his lecture: http://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=rDU9Af32UPA&feature=yo
utu.be
Lecture by Professor Dan . . .From page 20
Diane Young authored See
No Evil which is published
by Ocra Books Publish-ers, PO Box 5626, Station
B Victoria, BC Canada
V8R6S4, 2006, 103pp.
ISBN 10:1-55143-619-1.
$9.95 CDN.
See No Evil is a book about
two best friends who strug-
gle to reveal the secret they
observed or not. The main
characters are two best
friends Shawn and Daniel.
Shawn and Daniel, wit-
nessing a gang crew beat-
ing behind a local mall on
someone who is harmless
and cant defend himself.
As the attack was going
on Shawn and Daniel rec-
ognize one of the attack-
ers. However were busy
on looking at the attacked
person as they learned that
he was in a critical condi-
tion. While Shawn wanted
to witness the attack to the
police Daniel was just too
terried and also convinces
his best friend that they willbe in a dangerous position
if they witness the attack.
As life moves on for Dan-
iel and Shawn they started
getting threats from the
specic gang crew and that
pushed the boys fear from
fear to an extreme fear.
Things got too far at once
when Daniel was attacked
by the gang members and
Shawn had to keep the se-crets for his friends sake.
While Shawn is behind a
crime that he is trying to
solve he also has a respon-
sibility to take care of his
little brother as their father
works to earn money. And
as of their mother, she does
not live with them due to
divorce between her and
her ex-husband.
In general , when you see
the title of the book it does
not seem interesting, and it
lacks preface and summary
that could encourage youto read it. However, when
you read the rst page you
will instantly be interested
in the book and will want
to read more. I enjoyed it
very much.
I would denitely recom-
mend this book to be read
especially by teenagers. It
is full of mysteries and its
content is very relevant tothe teenagers life as we
read more about Shawns
personal life.
The author did a ne job. I
would rate the book 4/5.
Mussie Berhane is a 15
years old who likes to read
and review books.
Children Book
Review See No EvilBy Mussie Berhane
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 11
It feels like it happened just
yesterday. It was 7 a.m. on
an average day in Septem-
ber in Asmara, Eritrea. My
brain was still reshufing
the information I had gath-
ered about the terrorist at-
tacks on the World Trade
Center a week earlier. I
was writing an article on it
for the next issue of Setit,
the twice-weekly newspa-
per of which I was editor-
in-chief.
I was in bed when my wife
turned on the radio to lis-
ten to the morning news.
Starting today, September
18, 2001, the government
has ordered all private
presses to stop their pub-
lications. The disturbing
words of the presenter of
Dimtsi Hafash Radio, the
government station, sud-
denly froze my train of
thoughts. The ofcial state-
ment went on to accuse us
of violating press laws and
ignoring the warnings we
had been given. I felt as
if I was dreaming. I didnt
move my head. I was still
under the blanket.
In those days, our country,
jammed between Ethiopia
and Yemen on the shores
of the Red Sea, was Afri-
cas youngest nation with a
private press that was even
younger. Like America,
Eritrea had fought a war of
independence (ours was 30
years long), and enacted a
constitution guaranteeing
a free press. Some of us
in the media were former
ghters in the liberation
struggle or in the bloody
conict with Ethiopia that
had ended a year earlier.
As a result, many of uslooked to the future with
great hopes and a dream
of seeing a democratic
government established in
our beloved country. For
instance, I remember all
of us writing in our edito-
rials about the implemen-
tation of the constitution
one week, ghting corrupt
generals another, and thegovernments policy of
compulsory work imposed
on Asmara University stu-
dents the week after that.
However, because we had
challenged the government
or its policies, we were fac-
ing increasing hostility and
enduring police harass-
ment. By September 2001,
the once-united ruling elite
who led us to indepen-
dence with the promise of
democracy split over rebel
leader President Isaias Afe-
workis resistance to the
fulllment of this promise:the implementation of our
constitution. We covered
both sides of this debate in
the columns of our news-
papers.
That September morning, I
saw the last edition of my
newspaper being sold on
the street as I drove down-
town and uptown throughAsmara. I spoke with my
sources and learned some
more shocking news: Elev-
en senior ofcials who had
criticised the president in
an open letter published in
Setit had been thrown in
jail!
At our ofce, the staff was
sitting in the front yard de-
bating that mornings de-
velopments.
September 18, 2001, in Eritrea:
A memory that never fadesBy Aaron Berhane Association of Eritrean Jour-
nalists Press Release
17 September 2013
For many Eritreans Sep-
tember is remembered as a
month of pride and sorrow.
It was a month that marked
the start of Eritreas armed
struggle that ultimately cul-
minated in its independence.
It was also a month that
marked the start of an era of
one man rule and political
liquidation. However, for the
Association of Eritrean Jour-
nalists in Exile (AEJE), its a
month remembered in bitter-ness every single day with a
double tragedy. In one way, it
was a month where the thriv-
ing private newspapers were
made to be shut down on
September 18, 2001 and to
make things even worse the
regime decided to incarcerate
all the editorial board mem-
bers thereby to vanish in the
wilderness of EraEro prison,
a prison regarded by many of
us, as the modern day Nazi
Concentration Camp. Conse-
quently, according to a cred-
ible eyewitness account of a
former prison guard, several
of our colleagues are pre-
sumed dead, as a result of
their torture wounds and lack
of proper medical attention.
Fighting to change this un-
bearable state of affairs
should not be a matter of a
passionate political activ-
ism, it is rather a struggle for
a person in a death row, for
our colleagues are not in de-
tention to serve their prison
sentence, but to die a slow
painful death. Even though
far from home, we are haunt-
ed by the constant thought of
the nightmarish fate of our
colleagues in particular and
our country by in general. As
time goes by, we are increas-
ingly feeling helpless and
desperate, as every second
counts for our colleagues.
Hearing their legs and hands
tied from their back 24/7 for
13 years, is something be-
yond any sane persons com-
prehension. At the same time,
it is something that we should
all feel ashamed of, because
seeing fellow human beings
being treated in such an in-human way, at a time when
animal rights are respected
is inexcusable and intoler-
able. The international com-
munity should never allow
such an act of barbarism and
heinous crime to go unpun-
ished, hence, again we call
upon the United Nations Hu-
man Rights Council, African
Commission on Human and
Peoples Rights and the Eu-
ropean Union foreign Affairs
Commission, to interveneand pressurize the regime
through all possible means,
as it is time to say, no more
business as usual, enough is
enough. We also call upon the
UN Special Rapporteur ofce
to investigate the deaths and
disappearances of Eritrean
journalists.
And yes we are in prison with
the journalists, if not physi-
cally, mentally. Had it not
been fate, many of our col-leagues in exile today could
have vanished in EraEro
prison. Some lucky ones
escaped after years of de-
tention, now suffering with
post-traumatic stress as a
result. But, in spite all these
challenges, we should all
be determined to ght back
the dictatorial regime to re-
lease our colleagues without
any precondition. We should
never be silent until justice
prevails and all those culprits
held accountable.
The harrowing unprecedented
massive attack on the private
media happened, at a time
when we had least expected.
Eritrea; unlike many other
African countries is a coun-
try born out of 30 years bit-
ter war against Ethiopian co-
lonialism. By a conservative
estimate it paid 65,000 of its
youth to realize the dream of
being free and independent.
And the launch of the private
newspapers in the early 1997
Please see page 15
Silence is betrayal
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 12
13
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10
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!
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 13
12
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 14
developing free port. Instead of
reporting on his progress, PIA
tells us that the world has been
conspiring to render Eritrean
ports useless. It is a well known
fact that a Norwegian company(negotiated by high ranking PFDJ
ofcial) had presented in 2007 a
negotiated nal proposal to de-
velop the Port of Asseb but PIA
dismissed the proposal without
even looking at it saying that he is
in talks with Chinese companies
to develop it. Six years later
nothing!
Road and transportation sectors:
After telling for so many that he
has achieved so much in build-
ing road infrastructures in Eritrea,
now PIA tells us that most of the
existing road infrastructures are
inadequate. Moreover he tells usthat train network must be estab-
lished and that we should endeav-
our to connect Port of Massawa to
Sudan through alternative routes
in Eritrea. But these are pipe
dreams for a regime operating on
few dimes of foreign currency.
While PIA is dreaming for all us,
Djibouti and Ethiopia just agreed
to commence connecting the Dji-
bouti-Ethiopia train line to Sudan
at the cost of $ 600M USD. PIA
dreams, others do!
Housing Projects: In 22 years of
power, PIA has not built a single
affordable housing for Eritreans.
As such, Eritreans havent beenable to lead normal family life,
which is the most basic building
block of every society, and by
extension a country. In contrast,
the Addis Ababa Administration
alone has built and delivered to
local residents over 80,000 apart-
ments and houses in the last 10
years, and is currently under-
taking another 130,000 houses
within the Growth and Transfor-
mation Period all again, for or-
dinary folks in Addis Ababa, not
Diaspora Ethiopians with USD$.
Even the Dergue regime, with its
limited resources, allowed localAsmara residents to build houses
in Mai Chehot and many other
areas.
Economy in General: PIAs ar-
gument is that natural resources
are a curse (Resource Curse) un-
less some factors, only known to
him let us call them enabling
factors, are put in place to fully
exploit these resources. Obvi-
ously, one can only deduce that
these are enabling factors are
non-economic factors, as PIA has
done everything to destroy them,
and must be some socio-political
factors. We can also deduce it is
not about building social, eco-nomic, legal or political institu-
tions. After eliminating many
factors, one is left with two fac-
tors: maintaining power as he
may think that his power survival
is Eritreas survival (delusions
of all dictators) and/or social re-
engineering (yet another delusion
of all dictators). Throughout his-
tory people have tried to destroyreligions, ethnicity and other
sources of human divisions for
greater good by attempting to ho-
mogenize their subjects. All have
failed without exception! PIA is
taking a path proven throughout
history as failures. PIA leaves us
with the impression that Eritreas
resources are insufcient to pro-
pel its economic growth. When
asked about mining, he tells us
that it doesnt generate sufcient
foreign currency. When asked
about marine resources, agricul-
ture, tourism and other endow-
ments, PIA keeps reminding usthat he doesnt want to give us
false hopes by telling us that we
can achieve economic growth by
exploiting these resources. Of
course, we get no data. In reality,
a nations wealth is the aggregate
of all the various activities, and no
one sector is examined in isola-
tion. For instance, the Ethiopian
government tells us that it earned
$670M USD from tourism alone,
and whatever amounts from cof-
fee, hides and other merchandise
exports (all data are available on
its websites) all add up to signi-
cant hard currency earnings. It is
the aggregate of all exports thatmakes a country economically
viable. Eritrea, with its small
population, should be rich with
relative small efforts by export-
ing minerals (gold, silver, copper
not just from Bisha but other
parts of Eritrea, marble, granite,
etc...), sh, salt, agricultural prod-
ucts, port and bunkering services,
tourism and many other activities.
Eritreans are resourceful enough
to built Eritreas industrial sector
and undertake business ventures
in other countries, as they are do-
ing now, and bring back the prof-
its back home.Non-economic Policies: PIA can
lecture all he wants about world
politics but it is sufce examining
PIAs total failure pertaining to
Somalia Policy. Seven years af-
ter turning Somalia his proxy war,
PIA & Eritrea are under world
political and economic sanctions,
and PIA is now forced to accept
the current Somali government
as legitimate. PIA has allowed
Ethiopia and the West to nd an
excuse to impose sanctions on
him for gross violations of human
rights in Eritrea. Lifting the UN
sanction will require more than
just refraining from interferingin Somali affairs but will require
PIA to accept full restorations of
human rights in Eritrea. It is dif-
cult to pass UN sanctions because
all ve veto holders must agree,
while withdrawing a UN sanc-
tion can be held up by one veto
holder. Even if Russia and China
want to lift the sanctions, US, UK
and France will ensure that PIAcapitulates on many political re-
forms before they let him off the
hook. In other words, PIA cant
agree to political reforms because
he has burned so many bridges
behind him that it would be po-
litical kamikaze to agree to the
Wests demand. As such, Eritrea
is headed for political, social, le-
gal and economic abyss. It is also
mentioning that Eritrea and Chi-
nas diplomatic relationship isnt
as strong as Eritreas State media
suggest. China has allowed the
UN to impose sanctions on Eri-
trea. While Ethiopia has forgedstrong relationship with China by
borrowing signicant funds and
granting most of the infrastructure
projects to Chinese rms, Eritrea
has slowly kicked out Chinese
rms which were more involved
in the rst 15 years of indepen-
dence. Chinese rms built some
of the road projects, Keren Phar-
maceutical factory and the ce-
ment factory. PIA needs China
to stash away Eritreas hard cur-
rency reserves under his and his
sons name.
PIA belittling Private Sector
It is pure politics! In reality, for
those who heard Mr. Kubrom Da-as, PIAs ventures have been ut-
ter failures. Before blaming the
private sector for PIA induced
failures, it is worth reiterating
Mr. Kubroms observations. A
regime unable to uphold the rule-
of-law, to provide the most basic
services, failed in diplomacy, and
failed in business ventures cant
be credible enough to belittle the
private sector as failure.
Some of PIAs ventures have
failed (besides failing to provide
the rule of law, which is an utter
breakdown of a civil society),
Ghindae Marble Factory: estab-
lished with modern equipment
and with millions of dollars, it has
barely produced marble and gran-
ite although Eritrea is endowed
with these resources.
Nuovo Sasbre: a brake lining fac-
tory is defunct.
Gas Cylinder Factory: is func-
tioning at a loss and minimum
production as there isnt enough
fuel gas to supply.
Sawa Agro-industry: which had
started to export to Italy was later
scuttled. Gerset/Farko is also a
failure as a venture, except it is
relabelled as an agricultural ex-
periment to avoid the stigma.
Eritrean Airlines: its operations
have scuttled due to PIAs contin-
ued interference
Keren Pharmaceutical Factory: it
is operating well below its capac-
ity. Compared to EPLF Pharma-
ceutical Factory in Sahel, Keren
Pharmaceutical Factory is back-
pedalling to insignicance.
Massawa Cement Factory & Hir-
gigo Cement Factory: are both
failures.
But these are not the only fail-
ures:
Elaberid Agro-industry: which
had been producing so many ag-
ricultural products is in ruins
Asmara Glass Factory: which was
closed down to make way for new
factory in Ghindae remains just a
pipe dream
Coca Cola, Beer factory: arelargely failures despite solid de-
mands for their products.
PIA has failed not only operating
industries that should be left to
private sector must in every other
endeavour:
Education system is in ruins. De-
spite new colleges, instructors are
not fully qualied, no libraries, no
modern electronic systems, and
demoralized student population.
Health system is in ruins. Despite
Orotta Medical School (possibly
the only success story), the new
graduates are demoralized and
prone to ee the country. Inade-
quate mediation, lab and medical
equipment, and absence of pri-
vate clinics (which PIA berated),
has meant poor health service in
Eritrea. PIAs logic is that as the
vast majority of rural Eritreans do
not have access to health services,
the urban population shouldnt
be privileged with better health
systems. An excuse for fail-
ure! Few years ago, a top North
Korean ofcial boasted that his
country achieved equality al-
beit through poverty. Equality
in poverty! Instead of trying to
pull people gradually into betterliving, easier to destroy the little
one has.
Law and Order: before PIA belit-
tles private sector which he delib-
erately destroyed, a government
should do its primary job, which
is dispense the rule-of-law, which
the most basic building block of
any civil society. PIA has utterly
failed!
Agriculture: Despite 22 years
of government efforts to build
the agricultural sector, we are no
closer, in his own words, to be-
coming self-sufcient. So what
are we doing? In fact, PIA tellsus that food production for do-
mestic production isnt justied
(cost of operating farming trac-
tors in USD if a form of subsidy
the regime cant afford) because
consumers pay in Nacka for their
foods. Moreover, as PIA pointed
out, agriculture isnt just about
barley and wheat, but about grow-ing fruits, vegetables, meat and
dairy products. Most of these are
grown or produced in negligible
amounts, and their prospects are
even dimmer.
In the NUTSHELL, PIA is in a
dire predicament that he cant es-
cape. He needs investments and
cash infusions from abroad (UN
institutions, Western public and
private investors, the Chinese,
Indians, and Mining Companies)
and others but doesnt want to give
any foreigners a political leverage
to demand political reforms. The
UN sanctions WONT be lifted
unless PIA agrees to political re-forms, address the exodus of Eri-
trean youths, and free all prison-
ers-of conscious. But PIA cant
undertake political reforms with-
out major political consequences
for him as he had chosen to burn
all his political bridges behind
him. It is catch 22! It is a hole, or
a nightmare, he cant escape. It is
an irreligious person waiting for a
miracle, waiting for a world po-
litical tsunami that will bail him
out.
The latest news of PFDJ reorgani-
zation, shifting power to the youths(who are as much damaged from
PIAs cruel policies, Investment
Conference, playing with names
(from Eritrean Defence Forces,
to Warsai Yikealo, to Peoples
Army), or any other shreds and
dramas wont change the PIAs
ominous predicament. Wecho
Entegemtelkayo Wecho! PIA is
still running a defunct liberation
movement, NOT a nation!
A Nation, a people are born out of
hope! Hundreds of thousands of
Eritreans sacriced their lives for
the hope of peaceful and prosper-
ous Eritrea. We dont need any-one telling us about false hopes
(or mitibar). Eritrea was born
against all odds. We overcame
everything because of our hopes
and we dont let anyone take it
away from us be it colonizers
or temberkektis. We shall over-
come!
September 18th, 2001 - lest we
forget!!!
Berhan Hagos
PIA Compliments Ethiopia's Growth . . .From page 17
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 15
was a testament to humble Eri-
treans, the price paid was not
ended up in vain, for they had
come to enjoy and cherish the
down of an Era with the newly
found freedom of expression.
Many ordinary citizens began
to constructively criticize to
the transitional government
in an effort to help create a
prosperous and democratic na-
tion. But, after so much sacri-
ce and struggle, and after 13
years of imprisonment of our
colleagues, today we ask, what
have we achieved so far? Today
the dream of many of our citi-
zens have evaporated into the
thin air, today we got neither
prosperity nor liberty; today
we got neither the trial of our
colleagues nor their immediate
release. Today we got nothing,
but lost everything. All what
we got today is a country that
ranked rst on the list of coun-
tries with the worst record on
press freedom violations, sur-
passing North Korea.
Today we also got the
massive ight of our
colleagues to seek
refuge elsewhere, in
an effort to spare their
lives.
But, today we still
have hope that one
day, this manmade
disaster will become
history, that one day
we will all sit and
reect back how we
had failed and let
this massive disaster
to happen in front of
our own eyes and that
one day we will take a
bold measures to pre-vent such kind of an
adventure from ever
happening again.
Our message to fellow Eri-
treans
The regime doesnt attempt
to kill the messenger by ar-
resting our colleagues, but the
intention was the message. A
message is far more danger-
ous than an individuals threat
for a regime that has so much
to hide from the rest of the
public. Hence, imprisoning
a journalist is silencing the
rest of the population from
speaking up against injustice.
Therefore, silence is betrayal
and we call upon all justice
loving people in general and
Eritreans in particular to raise
their voice in unison in spite of
their seemingly big difference
of opinion. We should always
remember it is our collective
failure that led to the deterio-
ration of our present situation.
Over the last years, we havefailed to see the big picture, by
concentrating our effort exten-
sively in attacking and counter
attacking with each other, as if
we had the monopoly of pow-
er to shape the destiny of our
country alone. And a minute
spent on such endeavor really
hurts, it is like empowering the
very regime to continue tortur-
ing our citizens back home un-
abated and in the process our
people back home feel increas-
ingly hopeless and helpless.
Therefore, our main focus
should always be the regime;
we cant always expect to re-
solve our difference of opin-
ion, but we can only discuss
them, however, that shouldnt
pass its limit and turn into out-
right animosity. With no dem-
ocratic atmosphere in place,
where such opinions could
only be judged by the wider
public, their importance seems
irrelevant at the moment.
Our strategy to ght the regime
should be based on the realis-
tic objective situation on the
ground, other than on super-
cial idealistic aspirations. We
should always remember not
only our opinion, but equally
others opinion also matters
as much as ours in building a
pluralistic democratic state.
Hence, on this occasion our
association would like to call
upon all our political opposi-
tion groups and civic organiza-tions, to create and embolden
a united front in spite of their
differences of opinion. Once
a liberated democratic Eritrea
is created all our differences
could easily be discussed and
if possible resolved through
democratic means. Once again
our private papers are expect-
ed to play the crucial role of
minimizing the gaps and in
facilitating to heal the wounds
sustained by generations old
oppression. And thereby cul-tivate a culture of tolerance,
which is a cornerstone for
sound democracy.
Finally, we would like to plea
again that the focus of our en-
ergy should be mounted to-
wards ghting the real enemy
at home and everyone who
throws a single stone towards
this objective should thus be
regarded as a friend, regardless
of his/her political opinion.
Association of Eritrean Jour-
nalists in Exile (AEJE)
Silence is . . .From page 11
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 16
Please see page 17
OPINION
PIAs latest lecture is yet another
conrmation that Eritrea is fur-
ther backsliding into economic
obscurity and the worst is
yet to come. It is bafing how
self-respecting intellectuals and
even those with basic school of
life can support and regurgitate
PIAs circular reasoning. Many
cyber articles have already been
written analyzing or satirizing
PIAs lecture. This article ana-
lyzes PIAs lecture from slightly
different perspective.
First, PIA has one valuable asset
faking sincerity. He tells us
about our limited capacity, the
need for accountability, transpar-
ency, wider consultations with
senior government ofcials andwith the public, socio-economic
experiences of other countries,
his concerns for human life, and
his aversion towards giving false
hopes (mitibar) through un-
workable socio-economic poli-
cies. He tells us that we should
work towards attaining sustain-
able development. To add in-
sult to injury, he tells us while
addressing health issues that
no medical expense should be
spared to send patients, i.e. his
top yes men, abroad for medi-
cal treatment because - hear this
- human life is precious. Af-
ter telling us every Eritrean life
is weighed in the hard/foreign
currency it generates and know-
ing fully that he has imprisoned
thousands of mothers, elders,
and prisoners-of-conscious for
no political motive other than
out of vindictiveness and to in-
stil utter fear into the population,
it is mind boggling the audacity
of making such blatant lies. For
a regime totally averse to trans-
parency, PIA keeps telling us
how important transparency is
for economic growth. Lies told
often enough dont become the
truth!
But reality is totally different.
PIA tells us that there is no need
to provide socio-economic data,
except the regime is spending
$320 Million USD on energy
imports. Indeed it is not im-
portant when ordinary Eritreans
need no ofcial data as they are
experiencing it bitterly every
day. Prohibited from earning
honest days wages, skyrocket-
ing prices, no electricity or wa-
ter, forced to attend Sawa Rape
Factory, and imprisoned incom-
municado, people are eeing
the country en mass these are
the only data they need. On per
capita basis, and even on abso-
lute basis, Eritrea is the single
biggest producer of refugees
and human misery in the world.
If it is about sacricing oneself
for the future, then it is about
equal sacrice not few livingin luxury while most live in mis-
ery. It is about those in Diaspora
who speak and campaign for
Eritrean sacrice except sac-
rice is meant for those in Eri-
trea, not themselves. It is also
about justice not few above
the law, while vast majority are
being abused by the few who are
above the law. Todays Eritrea
is suffering a disconnect among
idealism, hodgepodge politics
and reality just as PIAs latest
lecture clearly shows.
So what is PIAs sustainableeconomic growth? Mr. Kubrom
Daas interviews with assenna.
com give us valuable insight
into the state of economic af-
fairs in Eritrea. If we are to re-
duce PIAs economic rationale,
it would that if an economic ac-
tivity doesnt generate hard/for-
eign currency (such as US dol-
lars) then the activity should not
be undertaken. Yet again, PIAs
economic philosophy is deeply
intertwined with his sadistic
political philosophy. After all,
after telling us that economic
growth must precede democ-
racy, the sure way to extinguishany hope of democracy in Eri-
trea is to strangle its economy.
Moreover, PIAs, as is true for
other dictators, false campaign
for self-sufciency is designed
more to avoid interaction
through insular policies with the
rest of world which may demand
accountability, transparency, and
the rule of law.
What are Eritreas Development
Projects? What does PIA mean
by sustainable economic devel-
opment?
In the nutshell, PIAs circular
reasoning goes like this lack of
electric power (energy) impedes
us from realizing economic
growth - then goes the circular
reasoning - and we can not in-
vest in electric power expansion
because our economic growth
doesnt justify it. It is like
the chicken and egg question
which one comes rst?
As stated above, PIAs sole
economic formula is that every
activity must generate DIRECT
hard currency. Examining PIAs
logic, for instance, increasingsh export to generate hard cur-
rency and then using that to buy
fuel for tractors to farm land for
farmers is a waste of resources.
According to PIA, every non-
hard currency generating activ-
ity in Eritrea be it food, elec-
tricity, water, education, health,
justice, etc... - is a waste if itdoesnt eventually lead to ex-
ports that generate hard curren-
cy. Wow! Eritreans in Eritrea
who worth only in Nakfas are
doomed!
Examining PIAs underlying log-
ic, his feigning of concerns for
human trafcking beguiles a de-
liberate and cruel policy which
is to forcefully exile Eritreans to
generate foreign currency. For
instance, Eritrean exiles in Is-
rael have been remitting signi-
cant amounts to Eritrea which,
according to PIAs economicphilosophy, makes them more
valuable because they are worth
in USD, not Nacka.
According to PIA, every penny
of hard currency should be used
to undertake sustainable eco-
nomic development. As such,
electricity, water and other in-
frastructures that are currently
available in the urban centres
simply consume hard currency
without generating any long-
term economic benets while
exhausting dwindling hard cur-
rency. As such tells us PIA,
the urban population shouldnot get any more benets than
the rural population. In other
words, Eritrea must regress rst
economically, socially, and po-
litically before proceeding for-
ward. Equality in poverty rst
before prosperity! It is a mili-
tary equivalent of withdrawing
or retreating into your base, or
reverting from a conventional
army to guerrilla warfare. At
least during the war of indepen-
dence, everybody pretended that
there was equality in sacrice
but not in todays Eritrea.
Throughout the lecture PIA
keeps reminding us about Eri-
trean development projects. Yet,
one is forgiven if bafed at what
point in his ve hours of lecture
he spoke in any detail of these
projects. One moment he tells
us about agricultural projects,
water reservoirs, roads, ports,
electricity, etc..., and then the
next moment tells us that most
of these projects are worthless
because they dont generate hard
currency. All these road projects
dont even meet anticipated de-
mands.
The only so called develop-
ment project in Eritrea is PIA
s pet project Gerset/Farko,
which is about 20,000 hectares.
Twenty two (22) years of in-
dependence later, we have one
20,000 hectares of commercial
farming which is more used forexperimental purposes than
any serious effort to meet the
countrys food need. In fact, fol-
lowing PIA singular obsession
of hard currency, Gerset/Farko
would only be considered a suc-
cess if it can generate cash crops
for export (such as cotton). Ac-
cording to PIA, why should he
waste hard currency to produce
food for domestic consump-
tion because ordinary Eritreans
pay him in Nacka. The self-
sufciency campaign, which
we took to mean self-reliance to
produce domestic food needs, is
totally misguided. Rather, self-
sufciency has a new meaning,
which is to generate hard cur-
rency by producing cash crops
for export, and which in turn is
deposited in Fubon Bank.
Deciphering PIAs ominous
message:
The worthiness of people or
consumers will be determined
by their abilities to generate hard
currency. Exporting people, al-
beit through cruel policy of forc-
ing people to ee the country by
demoralizing, is a deliberatepolicy designed to generate hard
currency. In contrast, and as
potential source of hard curren-
cy, Diaspora Eritrea should be
courted in order to dip into their
hard currency laden pockets.
Worse will be education, health,
and any institution which will
not be allocated hard currency.
Dwindling hard currency means
that electric outages, water
shortages and other urban ser-
vices will deteriorate for years
to come. The biggest victim is
the City of Asmara.
With cement factory unable toproduce cement, and PIA telling
us that there is no electricity to
power the factory, the recently
announced Housing Bank proj-
ect might not be built or may
take much longer to construct.
Without affordable housing,
normal life for Eritreas youths
is a pipe dream for the foresee-
able future.
PIA Complimenting Ethiopia
Despite a broad range of issues
addressed, albeit supercially,
during PIAs lecture, the under-
lying message was designed to
demoralize the Eritrean popula-tion by, in his own words, not
give Eritrean any false hopes.
At the same time, PIA made a
conscious effort not to be com-
pared to Ethiopias booming
economy telling us that it is all
illusion.
Probably no part of PIAs lecture
fell apart as much as when he
talked about Ethiopias Millen-
nium Dam (Grand Renaissance
Dam /GRD). When completed
in 2017, it will produce up to
6,000 MW of hydro electricity.
PIA attempts to belittle GRD by
comparing Ethiopias electric
production to Israel and then to
Europe and that can only be
a compliment when one starts
comparing a third world country
to First World Countries. Why
not compare Ethiopias progress
with Eritrea, or other third world
countries instead of rst world
countries? Kudos to Ethiopia!
Todays Ethiopia is a thorn on the
side of PIAs Eritrea not so much
militarily but because Ethiopia
has managed to formulate short
and long term economic policies
(e.g. 2010 2015 Growth and
Transformation Period (GTP)
which incorporates the Mil-
lennium Development Goals),
which enables it to slowly and
in controlled manner to build its
political and other institutions,
and to transition into post-Meles
Ethiopia.
During the 2010-2015 Growth
and Transformation Period,
Ethiopia will have added over
10,000 MW of sustainable hydro
and wind power to its power
grid. In 2015, Eritrea will have
lost most its 120 MW of capac-
ity to less than half i.e. in PIAs
own admission that the existing
electric generators are getting
old and in much need of repair
but that nothing can be done in
the near future due to lack of
hard currency. Moreover, it is
worth distinguishing between
capacity and actual production.
Electric production is measured
in MWh or mostly in GWh, i.e.
how many hours the electric
generators operated in a year.
In Eritreas case, due to lack
of fuel and maintenance issues,
the generators are operating less
than 50% of the time (based on
estimated electric blackouts in
Asmara), thus the 120 MW of
capacity at 50% operation is
equivalent to 60 MW operat-
ing at 100% (theoretically, as
no generators ever operate at
100% due to scheduled mainte-
nance, but sufce for illustrationpurposes). Instead of belittling
Ethiopia over its 10,000 MW,
PIA Compliments Ethiopia's Growth and
Transformation
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PIA should answer how he can
achieve sustainable economic
growth with 60 MW.
Every project in Ethiopias
Growth and Transformation Pe-
riod is what PIA envies and talks
about for Eritrea infrastructure
developments, generating hard
currencies, balanced growth all
over Ethiopia, etc...
Comparing the sufciency of
Ethiopias electric output to De-veloped Countries is highly de-
ceiving:
Most developed countries are
located in colder climates where
electricity, along with gas, is
used to heat homes in winter and
air conditioning in the summer.
Most of Ethiopia is blessed with
moderate climate that doesnt
require articial air control.
Most households in developed
countries have many kitchen
appliances, washer/dryers,
dishwashers, hair dryers, mul-
tiple televisions and many otherelectric goods. Todays Ethio-
pia needs basic electricity for
households mostly for lighting
and electric stoves. In todays
Eritrea, even urban areas arent
served with basic electricity.
Signicant portion of daytime
electric consumption in devel-
oped countries is made by com-
mercial and industrial establish-
ments. Ethiopia has not yet
reached that level yet.
The 10,000 MW of electricity
enables Ethiopia to:
Provide basic electricity to
households which PIA cant do
for its own population other than
to tell people to go and live inrural areas (sadistic),
Provide sufcient electricity to
its growing commercial and in-
dustrial establishments. As an
Eritrean, it is embarrassing when
Ethiopia is able to run 3 or 4
massive cement factories while
PIA is complaining that he cant
even run one small sized cement
factory and we are endowed
with so many raw materials for
cement production.
Provide Ethiopia with a clear
and well dened economic path
that it can build on. As they say,
Rome wasnt built in a day andthat incremental growth is what
gets us to our destination. What
isnt here today surely wont be
there in 5 or 10 years. PIAs Eri-
trea has no plan to expand elec-
tricity in the near future, which
means that Eritrea will remain in
the dark for the next 10 years.
Provide Ethiopia with hard/
foreign currency. Although
Ethiopia needs every MWh of
electricity it produces for its do-
mestic consumption, it must sell
electricity to Djibouti, Kenya,
and Sudan for the same logic that
PIA took 5 hours to lecture us
i.e. every venture must generate
hard currency just like his yet toproduce development projects.
Ethiopia may buy crude oil from
Sudan in exchange for electric-
ity. Ethiopia may pay Djibouti
for its port facilities with elec-
tricity, and the same for Kenya.
What Ethiopia is doing is every
bit consistent with PIAs lecture
yet PIA has no qualms belit-
tling Ethiopia.
Power Ethiopias rail system,
thus alleviating its transporta-
tion system from relying on im-
ported fuel, which in turn saves
foreign currency (consistent
with PIAs philosophy). TheAddis Ababa-Djibouti, Mekele-
Djibouti, and Addis Ababa LRT
will all be electried.
PIAs Kamikaze Policies
First it should be noted when-
ever PIA says, ... Our policy/
policies ..., or ...This gov-
ernments policy/policies...,
it should be taken to mean his
policies. There are no parlia-
ment, PFDJ Central Committee,
or cabinet ministers to consult.
During his lecture, PIA keeps
returning to a couple of decien-
cies that are holding Eritreas
economic growth
Agro-industry: when asked
about agro-industry, PIA lec-
tures us that selling raw agri-
cultural products will not yield
sufcient foreign revenues and
that these products must be pro-
cessed further to fully realize
our potential. The drawback: no
electricity to run our factories.
Mining: after telling us min-
ing isnt producing sufcient
income but then tells us that
mining products cant be further
processed locally because of
lack of electricity.
Alternative energy: PIA tellsus Eritrea must obtain alterna-
tive local energy resources to
power its electrical outputs. At
the same time, PIA alludes to the
fact alternative energy sources
too expensive and cant be justi-
ed under current circumstanc-
es. Not satised with hydro and
wind energy (Ashegoda Wind
Generator alone in Tigray pro-
duced over 120 MW), Ethiopia
is undertaking feasibility stud-
ies with Icelandic consulting
company to explore geother-
mal power in Ethiopia which
potentially produce over 5,000MW. Eritrea should have simi-
lar potential.At the end of PIAs
lecture one is left with the im-
pression that electricity is some
supernatural phenomenon that is
beyond the capacity of Eritreans
to produce and that we, including
PIA, must pray to Apollo or Ra
(Sun gods) for our energy needs.
It appears that PIAs pinning his
hope, in his own words during
the latest lecture, in eventually
normalizing relationship with
Ethiopia and buying electricity
from them. Kab Seb Zitesebey
bdewu beleye!
Port and Free Port: For 22 years,PIA has been talking about ex-
panding Eritreas two ports and
PIA Compliments Ethiopia's Growth . . .From page 16
Please see page 14
7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
18/24
Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 18
AP: Bayern Munich and Real
Madrid produced dominant per-
formances in the Champions
League on Wednesday as the
likes of Arjen Robben and Cris-
tiano Ronaldo found the net on
a good night for Europes top
forwards.
Robben helped Bayern outclass
Manchester City 3-1 away, a
demonstration that Bayerns de-
fence of the title is right on track
with two wins from two games.
We controlled the match and
that is important in the Cham-
pions League, Bayerns coach
Pep Guardiola said.
Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria
scored two goals each for Real
Madrid in a 4-0 rout of Copen-
hagen, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic
notched a brace for Paris Saint-
Germain in a 3-0 demolition of
Benca.
They were all outdone by Kos-tas Mitroglou, who scored a hat
trick to lead Olympiakos to a
3-0 victory at Anderlecht.
Manchester United was held
to a 1-1 draw at Shakhtar Do-
netsk, while Citys former coach
Roberto Mancini steered Gal-
atasaray to a 2-2 draw at Juven-
tus, just two days after taking
charge of the Turkish side.
Ronaldos two goals against Co-
penhagen raised his total for two
games to ve following a hat
trick in a 6-1 win at Galatasaray
on the opening matchday.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti
said he was pleased with the
game, saying it had a good be-
ginning, intensity and balance.
We tried to carry on scor-
ing right into the last minutes,
there was a good attitude in the
team.
Copenhagen coach Stale Sol-
bakken praised Ronaldo, saying:
He is the man of the match with
his two goals.
With 10 goals in two matches
and six points Real is rmly in
control of Group B, ahead of Ju-
ventus with two points.
Drogba salvages draw
Juventus nearly picked up all
three points on the night when
substitute Fabio Quagliarella
made it 2-1 with an 87th min-
ute header only for Didier
Drogba, who had earlier put
the Turkish side in front, to nd
Umut Bulut for an immediate
equalizer.
Bayern also has a perfect record
at the top of Group D, while
CSKA Moscow pulled level
with City on three points with a
3-2 victory over Viktoria Plzen,
with Zoran Tosic scoring one
goal and setting up another.
Bayern took a 1-0 halftime lead
after City goalkeeper Joe Hart
let Franck Riberys shot slip
through his grasp in the seventh
minute, before Thomas Mueller
and Arjen Robben piled on the
misery with goals in a four-min-
ute span just before the hour.
On a sobering night for City,
substitute Alvaro Negredo
grabbed a 79th-minute consola-
tion before Bayern had defender
Jerome Boateng sent off for a
professional foul on Yaya Toure
with four minutes left.
United stayed true to its stutter-
ing start in its rst season after
Alex Ferguson by conceding a
late equalizer in Donetsk.
Danny Welbeck gave United the
lead in the 18th as he slid in be-
tween two players to nish off
Marouane Fellianis low cross,
but Shakhtar levelled in the
76th from Taisons volley after
Nemanja Vidic failed to clear a
cross.
Both teams have four points in
Group A.
In the groups other match, Bay-
er Leverkusen substitute Jens
Hegeler scored from a free kick
in injury time for a 2-1 victory
over Real Sociedad.
Paris Saint-Germain also hassix points at the top of Group C,
with Benca and Olympiakos
both on three points.
What was good tonight was
that we controlled the game
from the rst to the last minute,
PSG coach Laurent Blanc said.
We scored when we were on
top and caused them problems
throughout.
The biggest players are raring
to go in the Champions League.
(Ibrahimovic) has never won it.
His performance was very, very
good tonight, Blanc said.
Shakhtar Donetsk.
Bayern, Real Madrid cruise to
easy wins: Champions LeagueGetting Drake on board as
an ambassador for the To-
ronto Raptors might not
have been the only reason
ofcials with Maple Leaf
Sports and Entertainmentwere smiling this week.
It turns out the Ontario
government gave $500,000
to the company that owns
the Raptors, as well as the
NHLs Maple Leafs, the
Toronto FC and the Air
Canada Centre, to help
host the 2016 NBA all star
game.
The provincial govern-
ment never issued a news
release to announce the
half-million-dollar cheque
for MLSE from its Cele-
brate Ontario Blockbuster
program.
The Canadian Taxpay-
ers Federation says Maple
Leaf Sports and Entertain-
ment was recently val-
ued at $2.25 billion, and
doesnt exactly need cor-
porate welfare.
CTF Ontario director Can-
dice Malcolm says the
Liberal government has
no shame when it comes
to wasting taxpayers mon-
ey.
Maple Leaf Sports and
Entertainment announced
Monday that it had hiredhomegrown rap star Drake
as a new global ambas-
sador, and predicted the
NBA all star game would
generate around $100 mil-
lion for Toronto.
Ontario gives MLSE $500K
for NBA All Star game
Kobe Bryant is heading overseas
to have a medical procedure un-
related to the torn Achilles ten-
don he sustained in April.
The Los Angeles Lakers said
Thursday that Bryant is expect-
ed to return early next week.
He went to Germany twice in
2011 for a procedure on his sore
right knee and a sore left ankle
that bothered him at the time.
The Los Angeles Times on
Thursday cited people with
knowledge of the situation as
saying that Bryant was going
to Germany this time. He was
having a knee procedure that in-
volves removing blood from the
affected area and spinning it in a
centrifuge. Molecules that causeinammatory responses are then
removed to create a serum that
is injected back into the affected
area.
Lakers coach Mike DAntoni
told the Times that Bryants trip
and ensuing procedure had been
planned, and that the team had
no concerns about it.
The 35-year-old guard has been
recovering from his Achilles
injury and subsequent surgery.
He did some shooting at train-
ing camp on Wednesday, but
hasnt been cleared for running
or jumping.
The Lakers havent provided
a timetable on Bryants return
from the Achilles injury other
than saying in April that he
would be back in six to nine
months. The overseas procedure
wont affect his recovery time
from the tendon injury.
The Lakers open the season Oct.
29 against the Clippers.
Lakers Kobe Bryant headsoverseas for medical procedure
7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 19
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 20
Editors: Grace Cherian
Photographer : Mulugeta Zergaber
Contributors: Mohamed EdrisNaza HasebenebiMedhin Ghebreslasie, Amleset Tesfay, Bode Odetoy-
inbo, Mimi Chandy, Ken NtiamoaSubscription Costsin Canada $39 for a year and $59 for two years. In USA, it costs $45 fora year and $69 for two years.
Articles appearingin assorted columns of Meftih newspaper are intended to generate civil
& informed public discussions. You dont have to agree with opinions expressed by the writers.
However, that should push you to express your own views. Through that way we generate lively
& civil discussions in the community. Rejoinders are not forums for personal insults & we wantreaders to adhere to these principles.
Editor-in-chief
Aaron Berhane260 Adelaide St. E. Toronto,
ON. M5A 1N1 # 192
Tel: 416-824-8124Fax: 416-783-7850
www.meftih.ca
Please see page 10
please see page 21
Kuala Lumpur
By Grace Cherian
In sojourning back to the
past, I ew into Perth on
May 29 of this year. I want-
ed to spend some time with
my very dear friend, Judy.
We had studied together in
After Mass I looked around
for my cousin but couldnt
nd him. However Saviour
sought me out. I hadnt
seen him for 42 years! But
he looked almost the same
as I remembered him all
those years ago. The only
difference is that his hair
had turned a little grey.
I also met some of Aunt
Celines grandchildren.
Aunt Celine was Moms
sister.
Malaysia for eleven years.
But we hadnt seen each
other for forty-two years
because my family and I
had emigrated to Canada.
Judy and I had a delight-
ful visit catching up with
each other and reminisc-
ing about the past. As with
all good things, my stay
with Judy and her family
quickly came to an end.
The next leg of my trip
took me to Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, where my old-
est brother James lives. I
arrived in Kuala Lumpur
late at night. But I was so
exhausted I went straight
to bed.
The next morning I phoned
my cousin Saviour and
asked him if he would be
in churchthe Churchof the Assumption where
James and I would be wor-
shiping.
After Mass James sug-
gested we go out for non-
vegetarian lunch. Im not
much of a meat eater so
that suited me just ne.
At this restaurant, meals
are served in tiny metal
containers. This is known
as a thalia selection of
a number of eight or nine
different curries, rice, pap-padum and even a des-
sert. Patrons wash eat their
meals with their hands.
Of course you wash your
hands before and after eat-
ing.
It was interesting because
in this restaurant you
mixed your rice and cur-
ries not on a plate but on
a banana leaf. That makes
for easy dish washing. Youjust throw out the banana
In a lecture he delivered
at Ryerson University on
September 19, 2013, Pro-
fessor Dan Connell, Se-
nior Lecturer in journalism
at Simmons University in
Boston, presented rst-
hand information about
how human trafckers tor-
tured Eritrean refugees in
Sinai.
The International Issues
Discussion (IID) series at
Ryerson University spon-
sored the lecture in con-
junction with PEN Canada
on the topic of Trafck-ing and Torture in the Si-
nai: Rights Denial and the
Eritrean Exodus.
Professors, activists, Eri-
treans, and members of
the PFDJ (People Front
for Democracy & Justice)
as well as about30 students
from the departments of
History, Political Science
and International Studies,
attended the event.
Connell addressed the
issue of trafcking and
torture in Sinai and the
challenges the Eritrean
refugees faced in Sudan
and Ethiopia. He described
in detail that the dictatorial
regime in Eritrea was the
cause of the suffering of
Eritrean refugees.
In referring to the UN-HCR (The Ofce of the
United Nations High Com-
missioner for Refugees)
document, Connell stated
that about 3000 Eritreans
ee the repressive regime
of Eritrea every month at
great risk to their lives.
Connell added that as soon
as they enter the refugee
camps run by UNHCR, the
refugees face a new threat
from human trafckers.
They are kidnapped in Su-
dan and tortured in Sinai
until they pay ransoms of
$40,000. Some of them are
murdered for their organs.
Connells lecture was
based on the extensive eld
research he has conductedinterviewing refuges and
torture survivors, activ-
ists, relief ofcials and aid
workers. The slide show he
displayed of some of these
victims of torture was very
disturbing to watch. You
felt the pain keenly.
Connells comprehensive
presentation gave a com-
plete picture of Eritrea in
the past and present. Inthe mid-1990s, Eritrea was
a bright spot on the Afri-
can horizon, said Con-
nell. Despite the impact
of the devastating war of
the last 30 years, it seemed
to be a model of multi-eth-
nic and religious harmony,
growing gender equality,
corruption-free adminis-
tration, and debt-free de-
velopment.
However, under the ad-
ministration of Isaias Af-
worki today, the country
is moving backwards. The
president has refused to
implement a constitution;
has arrested thousands of
critics; shut down the inde-pendent press and arrested
tens of journalists and
banned non-governmental
organizations and reli-
gious institutions. Connell
highlighted how Afworkis
highly repressive police
state has forced tens of
thousands of youth to ee
their homeland.
The one and a half-hour
lecture was very touching
and left the audience feel-
ing optimistic. Connell
said the diaspora move-
ment is gaining momen-
tum and playing a crucial
role in challenging the re-
gime from both inside and
outside the country. The
diaspora youth movement
makes robocalls to Eritrea
and sends radio broadcasts
to inform the people who
are denied from listening
to the opposition voice.
Connells presentation was
very powerful. He vividly
conveyed the image of Af-
workis repressive regime.
Its Natural to see the
members of the PFDJ (an
ally of the terrorist group
Alshabab that vowed to
attack Canada) yelled like
crazy, barking like dogs
and behaving like animals
in a zoo. One of the loyalmembers of the PFDJ, Be-
reket Asefaw (Kuchi), tried
to denounce Connells pre-
Lecture by Professor Dan Connell El-
evates Students' CuriosityBy Aaron Berhane
7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
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Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 21
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leaf. Unfortunately, the
practice of eating from ba-
nana leaves is dying out.
Banana leaves are expen-
sive because banana trees
are becoming scarce even
in a tropical country like
Malaysia. I really enjoyed
eating out of the banana
leaves with my hands be-
cause Im a very tactileperson who enjoys touch-
ing and feeling things. I
had forgotten what this
was like because I had last
eaten with my hands when
my family and I lived in
Malaysia. We had no cut-
lery in the house but we ate
out of plates.
I must confess that when I
arrived in Canada, I found
it very confusing to learnhow to use knives, forks
and spoons. It seemed so
much easier just to pick up
my food with my ngers
instead of daintily cutting
the food with a knife and
a fork and lifting it into
my mouth. But eventually,
after some practice, I did
learn in which hand I was
supposed to hold the knife
and fork and how to use
them to eat my meals.
However, sometimes when
I was invited out, life wasnt
so simple. I would be con-
fronted with an entire ar-
ray of cutlery. Somewhere
along the way, I learned a
rule: Use the cutlery from
the outside in. That rule
helped me a great deal.
The other trick I learned
was to wait and watch my
hostess. Which utensil did
she pick up rst?
Eating that non-vegetarian
meal was abso-
lutely delight-
ful. You see I live
alone and Im
quite lazy about
cooking meals for
myself. I generally
make a huge batch
of food, divide it
up in small, store
them in the freezer
and take it out as
I need it. But to
have eight or nine
different dishes in
one meal? What a
treat!
Here you see my
brother James re-
ally focusing on
his food. Eating
requires intense
concentration es-pecially when the
food is so deli-
cious.
Kuala . . .From page 20
Vatican City, 3 Oct. (AKI)
Pope Francis on Thurs-
day described as shame-
ful the shipwreck off the
southern Italian island of
Lampedusa in which near-
ly 300 migrants are fearedto have drowned.
The many victims of the
umpteenth tragic ship-
wreck today off Lampedu-
sa cause me deep sorrow.
Shameful is the world that
comes to mind: it is shame-
ful, Francis said.
Lets join forces to make
sure other such tragedies
never hap-
pen again,
he added He
was address-ing delegates
at a Vatican
conference to
mark the 50th
a n n i v e r s a r y
of Pope John
XXIIIs 1963
Cold War era
Encyclical Pacem in Terris
or Peace on Earth.
Lets pray to God or the
men, women and children
who lost their lives, fortheir families and for all
refugees, the pontiff said.
In a message from his
Twitter account earlier on
Thursday, Francis urged
Catholics to offer prayers
for the victims of the ship-
wreck.
Many thousands of mi-
grants have drowned or
died of dehydration during
Pope condemns shame-
ful migrant drownings
off Lampedusathe dangerous
sea voyage to
Europe across
the southernM e d i t e r r a -
nean, often
crammed into
unsafe people-
s m u g g l e r s
boats.
Lampedusa is
the main arriv-
al-point for mi-
grants heading
to Europe by
sea and Italy
wants Europe-an Union poli-
cies to help it
handle the
inux of tens
of thousands
of people ar-
riving on its
shores annu-
ally.
Source: Adnk-
ronos.com
7/22/2019 Meftih Newspaper-Oct2013
22/24
Meftih October 2013 Volume 9 Issue 2: page 22
Technology & Science
Mayor of Brampton, Su-
san Fennell celebrated
the National Seniors Day
last week.
On behalf of the peo-
ple of Brampton, said
Mayor Fennell, I join
with our entire City to
celebrate the important
and lasting contributions
made by local seniors on
National Seniors Day.
Whether as veterans
who fought for our na-
tions freedom; entrepre-
neurs who started suc-
cessful companies from
the ground up and cre-
ated good-paying jobs;
engaged residents and
committed community
volunteers; or as devoted
parents raising budding
families; Brampton se-
niors have helped build
our City, our province,
and our nation for thebetter.
On Wednesday Octo-
ber 9th, 2013, the City
of Brampton will once
again host its annual
55+ Information Fair at
our Flower City Seniors
Recreation Centre.
I encourage residents
to participate in this im-
portant and informative
Brampton event. Its an-
other opportunity to in-
crease awareness about
services, programs and
products available for
seniors in our communi-
ty. Visit to discover waysto stay independent,
healthy and active.
And as always, addi-
tional information about
community programs
available for seniors can
be found in our Fall &
Winter 2013-2014 Rec-
reation Guide.
Bramptons MayorCelebrates National
Seniors DayFacebook users should
check their privacy set-
tings if they want to limit
the people who can search
every post or status update
they have ever made, on-
line security and technolo-
gy bloggers say, following
an upgrade to Facebooks
Graph Search.
Facebook announced Mon-
day that its Graph Search
a search tool available
to some English-language
users, mostly in the U.S. has been upgraded to al-
low users to search status
updates, photo captions,
check-ins and comments.
Previously, the feature
could only search people,
photos, places and inter-
ests.
Suddenly everything
weve written on Face-
book isnt just clunkily
navigable from our pro-
les. It can be searched byanyone with permission to
see it, wrote blogger Josh
Constine on the technol-
ogy news site TechCrunch,
following Facebooks an-
nouncement.
Your bitter posts from
your college library, silly
comments on friends wed-
ding photos, and dispatch-
es from distant vacation
check-ins can all be dis-tilled from the rest of your
content.
Facebook noted that us-
ers will only be able to
share content that has been
shared with them that is,content shared with friends
only can only be searched
by those friends, but posts
that are shared publicly can
be searched by people you
are not friends with.
Facebook said the expand-
ed search will be rolled out
gradually, and will initially
only be available to some
of the people who current-
ly have Graph Search.
However, you can still
swab the deck in prepa-
ration for whatever mess
might spill over once ev-
erybody gets the ability to
s