Vol. 23 . No. 18 Wednesday, may 4 , 2016 Pages 8, Price 2.00 NFA

quarter century of resilience and development

The Governments of Eritrea and the People’s Republic of China signed an agreement on May 3 in Asmara to strengthen the existing cooperation ventures in the sector of health.

The agreement was signed by the Minister of Health, Ms. Amina Nurhusein from the Eritrean side and the Chinese Ambassador to Eritrea, Mr. Qui Xwejun.

EritrEa and thE PrC sign CooPEration agrEEmEntReports said that the agreement

included supply of medicine and medical equipment as well as enhancing contribution of Chinese medical experts by coming to Eritrea. The agreement also incorporated exchanging of experiences between the two sides and other areas of cooperation.

According to reports from the MOH, in the past 20 years,

numerous cooperation schemes have been carried out on both sides in the sector of health and that Chinese medical experts conducted urinary tract surgery to about 300 nationals.

It is to be recalled that the Governments of Eritrea and the People’s Republic of China have cooperation programs in various sectors.

Easter Holiday was ardently celebrated at the Eritrean Naval Base in Gedem on May 01 in the presence of the Governor of the Northern Red Sea Region Ms. Tsigereda Weldegiorgish and the Commander of the Eritrean Naval Force Major General Hummed Karikare.

“Celebrating our public holidays in unison is the basis for our social gatherings!” said Lieutenant Colonel Teame Tiku, head of the Naval Force Administration during the celebration conducted at the ‘Isola Dahlak’ ship.

The Lieutenant also briefed the guests on the current status of the Eritrean Naval Force besides activities it continues to conduct

EastEr holiday CElEbrationwith a view to upgrade its human resource.

The event jointly organized by the Eritrean Naval Force and the Ministry of Information was further highlighted by the performance of the Aser Cultural Troupe and the Awkan Cultural Troupe from the Eritrean Naval Force.

In related news, his Holiness Abune Lukas, General Secretary of the Eritrean Tewahdo Orthodox Church Synod, gave benediction in connection with Easter.

The General Secretary of the Synod wished the Eritrean people living inside the country and abroad, members of the Eritrean Defence Forces as well as the sick a Happy Easter.

He called on the faithful to extend hand to the needy as well as to the families of martyrs.His Holiness also wished Easter to bring peace and prosperity as well as success of the national development programs.

May Day was enthusiastically celebrated at national level on May 1st in the premises of the Baroko Textile Factory under the theme ‘Strong Organization for a Productive Union’.

Mr. Tekeste Baire, General Secretary of the National Confederation of Eritrean Workers (NCEW) said during the event in which high level Government officials, the PFDJ, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Workers representatives and invited guests attended, that the Confederation is closely working with the Government for the realization of intuitive development objectives and through introducing modern machineries to support the working force of the nation with a view to improve the national economy.

may day CElEbration

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr. Tesfaselasie Berhane disclosed that strategic infrastructure projects aimed at ensuring the basic needs of the public have been put in place and are significantly contributing to the national development programs.

As part of the mapped out plans by the ministry over the past 25 years of independence to narrow the gap between the rural and urban areas of the country through construction of roads, Mr. Tesfasilasie said that 14,560 kms of asphalt and dirt roads, connecting Massawa-Rahaita-Assab, Filfil Solomuna-Gahtelai-Shi’eb-Afabet, Asamar-Tesenai, Asmara-Massawa, Asmara-Aqordet-Sawa were constructed.

Regarding the efforts exerted to develop aviation services in collaboration with different Airlines Companies, the minister indicated that the Airports in Asmara, Massawa, Assab, Nakfa, Tesenei and Daklak Islands are accommodating

local and international flights. The endeavors to further develop the aviation services is ongoing, he added.

He further pointed out that the development of ports play a significant role in the economic, industries and mines development, and that in 2005, the Massawa-Assab Ports Authority, which is responsible to oversee the development of the ports was established. The achievements that are being

stratEgiC infrastruCturE Put in PlaCE: ministErregistered with the renovation of the ports to accommodate big ship, big cranes, and modern docks for small ships as well as the expansion of the Sigalet Ketan road are vivid examples on the ground.

With regards to the development of postal and Internet services, the minister disclosed that efforts are being exerted for their efficiency and improvement. He further reiterated that 44 types of stamps depicting tourism and historical sites have been issued.

With reference to the telecommunications services, Mr. Tesfaselasie said that modern telecom equipment are put in place with the aim to provide efficient services. The introduction of mobile phone services is growing and the coverage is almost nationwide with remote areas of the country becoming beneficiaries. The infrastructure of WI-FI is already put in place and ready for providing Internet service.

Secretary of the PFDJ Mr. Alamin Mohammed Seid Pointed out that May Day was celebrated as a national holiday which begun from the days of the armed struggle for independence with ardent spirit of resilience and patriotism. He added that the PFDJ and the Government stand firm on their pledge and objectives alongside workers for social justice and prosperity.

The Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Mr. Kahsai Gebrehiwet underlined that the Government of Eritrea continues to work towards ensuring social justice through outlining practical national policies and improving the labor laws.

May Day is being observed for its 24th time at national level and for its 126 time at international level.

Published Every Saturday & Wednesday

Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, may 4, 2016

Acting Editor Amanuel Mesfun

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Sara Alem

Vol 23. No . 18 2

Prof. Abraham KidaneEconomic Adivisor- ministry of

National Dvelopment

PART I: DEVELOPMENT POLICY FORMULATION

Eritrea’s 25th Independence Anniversary is an opportune event to undertake a sober reflection of the country’s development policy, progress to date, and prospects. The following is a capsulated review of Eritrea’s socio-economic development policy, progress, and a brief outlook of the near future.

At liberation in 1991, the Eritrean economy was in a sorry state. Indeed, an estimated seventy per cent of the population was poor. Abject poverty and deprivation were even greater in rural communities where the majority of citizens lived. Streets and artery roads were destroyed by war machinery, the once vibrant manufacturing sector was in disrepair, and plant machinery had been cannibalized for scrap metal. Furthermore, basic public services such as transportation, healthcare, education and sanitation were almost non-existent. Utilities such as electricity, telephonic services, clean and safe water were in short supply. Only approximately 15 per cent of the national population had access to clean and safe water, government coffers were empty, and private deposits at banks had been hauled away by the fleeing enemy army. Under these circumstances, all indicators of wellbeing including health

ERITREA’S DEVELOPMENT POLICY, ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE LAST 25 YEARS, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

status, life expectancy at birth and consumption of goods and services indicated woeful inadequacy and societal distress.

Against this background and deeply rooted socio-cultural and historical values of societal cohesion, harmony, sharing, and a great sense of national dignity, a pragmatic and forward-looking development policy emerged. The government adopted what can be referred to as a pro-poor development policy anchored upon poverty eradication in all its forms, social justice, and sustainable development in an environment of social harmony and peace. These core elements of the national development policy are not simply popular ideas adopted by government. On the contrary, they are deeply rooted in the socio-cultural values and history of Eritrea as well as the bitter experiences of the long struggle for independence. They reflect the aspirations of Eritrean society, past and present, the sacred wishes of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives so that Eritrea will be free not just from colonization and oppression but also from hunger, disease and ignorance. However long it takes, this freedom cannot be assured without sustainable development. In the words of Nobel Laureate Economist Amartya Sen “The development process is an enlargement of human freedom”.

To achieve this freedom, a widely consultative process resulted in the formulation of a socio-economic development policy that is articulated in both the National Charter and the Macro Policy document (both of 1994). The policy seeks to develop an economy in which opportunities and prosperity are widely and equitably shared. It seeks to foster socio-cultural, economic and political life that is rich, diverse,

harmonious and satisfying while maintaining equity and social justice for all. Through well vetted investment, trade, and financial policies, the Government further seeks to develop an economy that is open and actively supportive of regional economic integration and international cooperation.

Sustainable development is mainly the result of internal efforts that are anchored on high self-esteem, self-reliance and ownership of policies and programs. Eritrea espouses these fundamental principles. However, its emphasis on self-reliance is sometimes misconstrued as rejection of development partnership or even as voluntary isolationism. Self-reliance in the Eritrean context is none other than emphasis on, first and foremost, the effective utilization of national human and material resources before seeking external assistance or cooperation. Examples abound of national systems that have failed to alleviate poverty and deprivation of the majority of their populations due to corruption or the propensity and zeal of leadership at every occasion to plead for external aid. By the same token there exist examples of once poor small nations that have prospered based on policies of self-reliance in spite of the fact that their natural resource endowments were negligible. In simple terms, Eritrea’s policy of self-reliance seeks to avoid the pitfalls of the insidious culture of dependency.

Empirical evidence of the sources of growth in most developed nations reveals that the single most important source of growth and development has been human capital. This continues to be the case in all economies regardless of their sizes and known physical resource endowments. Educated and skilled labour is not only productive but

also enhances the productivity of all other factor inputs in the production system. To eradicate poverty and to secure sustained development with social justice, Eritrea’s priority development strategies include development of human resources, agriculture,infrastructure, and rural development.

Sustainable national development programs further require inclusion and wide participation of citizens in regard to gender, age or cultural identity and diversity of interest.Eritrea’s development strategies are inclusive and diversity sensitive. Early during the struggle for independence, the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) recognized the importance of women’s emancipation and empowerment in development, and established the National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW) in 1979. Ever since its establishment, NUEW has advocated women’s equal participation in all aspects of Eritrean life including the honour of bearing arms side by side with men. Equally significant are the establishment, during the struggle, of the Confederation of Eritrean Workers (NCEW), the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students (NUEYS), and the Cultural Affairs unit that includes music, arts, theatre and cinema. These and other professional associations promote the interests of their respective groups and play effective roles in educating and training their members for national development. Eritrea’srecent and remarkable advances in social and cultural life through sports and athletics, music and the arts speak not only to the enrichment of Eritrean lives but also to the essence of development. Development is a multidimensional phenomenon that, in addition to economic growth, increments in

real incomes and the meeting of basic needs,leads to satisfying lives for all citizens in an environment of peace and social harmony.

At the outset of these remarks, I noted that at the time of national liberation in 1991, the great majority of the Eritrean people were impoverished and haggard. At that time as at the present moment, the majority of citizens lived in rural areas that were neglected and underserved, and they suffered from abject poverty. Moreover, even at the low level of incomes that was then national in magnitude, income and wealth distributions were unacceptably inequitable. Extreme inequality does not only make mockery of all other advances but it is outright dangerous, immoral and socially divisive. Currently, several countries including some that are otherwise growing fast are experiencing widening inequality. Few people, usually urbanites, get extremely wealthy often at the expense of the majority. Unless appropriate and timely policies and measures are applied, this can have deleterious effects that should be worrisome to policy makers. In the midst of widespread poverty, therefore, it was pragmatic and far-sighted for the Government of the State of Eritrea to have ranked food security and rural development as top priorities in its national development strategy. This is a brief review of Eritrean cultural, social and political values as well as history that formed the basis of post-liberation development policy. It also provides a glimpse into how this socio-economic policy landscape evolved over time. In parts IIand III we will briefly review the key achievements during the first twenty five years of independence, and the challenges and prospects, respectively.

3Vol 23. No . 18Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, may 4, 2016

Understanding 25: A Crash Course on the A, B, C’s

Reflections of an Eritrean Prolific Writer

Continued on page 6

Asmara 1991, pure independence Euphoria

Eritrea is on the verge of turning 25. The Independence Torch is winding its way across the country, attracting large, boisterous crowds and building up anticipation, while small towns and cities are busy and eagerly preparing for the celebration. For decades, both during the long, bitter armed struggle and since the country’s unlikely independence, a broad array of analysts, commentators, and observers have inundated us with myopic, inaccurate, bleak, sensationalist, and politically-driven reports, analyses, and condemnations. Everybody predicted that Eritrea: would become (or is) a failed state; is too small or weak to be viable; is on the cusp of demise or implosion (e.g. “it’s going to blow”); is an isolated, hermit kingdom; and is a type of hell on earth.

However, in the face of these misplaced assessments and projections, Eritrea remains, and approaches 25. It crawls. It stumbles. It grasps. It misses it lives. It stands. But, it also rises, it progresses, it

develops, and it moves forward.

Independence is much, much more than a quick stroke of a pen upon a formal declaratory document. It is not a simple wave of a flag, or a passionate rendition of a

national anthem. It is not an event, but an ongoing, dynamic, fluid process, involving considerable twists and turns, ups and downs. It is taking firm command of one’s own presence and forging a self-developed path towards the future. It is sitting upright at the table, alongside and rightfully with its foot on the floor, not subservient and supplicant, awaiting crumbs.

The following article presents a “crash course” on the “A, B, C’s” of Eritrea, detailing some basics about the country, both to clear up misconceptions and provide a small glimpse about the importance of 25th anniversary. This first edition features letters A through M.

A - is for Afabet. In March of 1988, Afabet was the scene of a monumental battle during the independence war, considered by eminent historian Basil Davidson as the most significant victory for any liberation movement since the Vietnamese victory at Dien Bien Phu. By the end of the three day battle, the Eritreans had killed or captured over 18,000 Ethiopian soldiers, and acquired a massive amount of arms and supplies from the enemy.

B - is for Badme. This small Eritrean town was one of the triggers for the destructive 1998-2000 war between Eritrea and Ethiopia. However, although the two countries signed internationally observed agreements to end the conflict, Ethiopia has failed to fully and unconditionally implement provisions of its final and binding

agreement some fourteen years later. It continues to militarily occupy swathes of Eritrean territory (including Badme), in violation of its agreements and international law, while it has also engaged in repeated, aggressive military incursions into Eritrea. Unfortunately, the US, even as one of the witnesses and guarantors of the binding peace agreements, has failed to encourage its ally, Ethiopia, to abide by its legal obligations, thus tacitly supporting Ethiopia’s flagrant contraventions of international law.

C - is for Cuba. From Che Guevara’s military campaign to avenge Lumumba in the Congo to the fall of apartheid in South Africa, nearly 300,000 Cubans fought alongside African revolutionaries. However, for Cuba, the Eritrean liberation struggle was complicated, and the Cubans sacrificed the Eritreans by instead supporting the Mengistu regime. Cuba trained the Ethiopian military, and sent thousands of troops to the Ogaden to combat Somali forces (who were also battling Ethiopian colonial domination). Consequently, Cuba “freed” Ethiopian troops to focus solely on Eritrea – thus working against the Eritrean revolutionaries. However, Cuba and Eritrea have strengthened ties since independence, particularly in the areas of health and education.

D - is for Dos. Dos as in “two.” Reviewing Africa’s many revolutionary and independence struggles, only two countries really “won” their independence from their colonial masters, Zimbabwe and

Eritrea. Furthermore, of the two, only Eritrea gained its independence with an outright military victory on the battlefield (recall that Zimbabwe’s independence movement agreed to the “Lancaster Agreements”).

E - is for Economy. In recent years, Eritrea has produced considerable annual economic growth, often higher than the impressive average growth rate of the Sub-Saharan Africa region. Importantly, since economic growth does not necessarily equate to “development,” the country has promoted the former alongside, and not at the exclusion of, the latter.

F - is for France. France was where Eritreans made history during last year’s Tour de France, considered cycling’s most prestigious event and one of sport’s most grueling. Not only were Eritrea’s cyclists the first black Africans to participate in the legendary competition, Daniel Teklehaimanot also donned the Polka Dot jersey as “king of the mountains.”

G - is for Gold. Eritrea is endowed with abundant natural resources, especially gold. It has translated this into economic growth and tangible developmental outcomes. To be sure, resources are not the magical solution to the country’s development challenges and instead are only one variable within the country’s multifaceted, multi-sector national developmental strategy.

G is also for Gender. Around the world, it has long been the rule that women are inferior, with little ability to contribute substantively to society. However, from the days of the long struggle and since independence, Eritrea’s resilient women have shattered such outdated, patriarchal rules and notions through their wholehearted participation, struggle, contributions, and sacrifice. Today, Eritrean women are active within all areas of society and they contribute in many diverse ways, ultimately playing a crucial role in the country’s socio-economic progress and overall development.

H - is for the Horn of Africa. One of the most difficult environments in the world, the politically-fractious region is a powder keg, and has suffered from decades of poverty, strife, foreign intervention, global superpower competition, famine,

Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, may 4, 2016 Vol 23. No . 18 4

So many people, some of them out of innocent ignorance and others out of deliberate negligence, believe that the struggle of the Eritrean people for independence was fought only with a rifle and a tank. Nothing could be more incongruous understanding and annoying remark as regards to the armed and political struggle of the Eritrean people other than this. The role of the gun in the struggle of the Eritrean people for independence, though decisive, came as a voice of a lonely people who were denied their fundamental right for self-determination and as choice when all the peaceful means were blocked.

It’s true that while the struggle of the Eritrean people for independence started as a peaceful demand for the right of self-determination, resistance to the occupation and domination by outsiders has been the tradition of the Eritrean people since time immemorial. Armed struggle, therefore, comes as no wonder for people who were betrayed by the principles of the international community and abused by the powerful states of the post-World War II.

It would be absurd to imagine that the resistance was solely through the act of violence. Literature has played an important role in the armed and

The Literature of Resistance political struggle of the people starting before the society has developed the skills of recording physically.

All over the society, oral tradition is full of songs and poems that where recited on public occasions either to praise heroes who stood for their people or criticize cowards that betrayed their people or to condemn the brutality of colonizers.

Such was when wise men advised with regret the great Ras Weldemichael after he fell in to the trap that was prepared for him by the Tigrayan chiefs and warned other leaders from such a danger through an oral poem, which is still recited by some elders. Not only this, poems were the most effective way of mobilizing the people against any danger at that time. I just picked Ras Weldemichael randomly, but there are so many examples substantiating the fact that literature was part of the political struggle of the Eritrean people.

By the late 19th century with the advent of European colonialism, literature came to the forefront as effective way of expressing hatred to colonialism. The poems of Degiat Bahta Hagos and Zemach Wed Ekud, the heroic leaders who died fighting the Italian colonialists in Halay and

in prison, the infamous Nakura Island, respectively are few from the many examples. Until this time, as the literary status of the society was at its lowest level, none of it was recorded. Of course, so many other oral literatures might also have been forgotten.

The late forties up to late fifties and early sixties marked a new era on not only the political situation of Eritrea and its people, but also the Eritrean literature. After the defeat of the fascist Italian colonial state in the Horn by allied forces in 1941, Eritrea was given to Great Britain as a captured enemy territory until its fate was to be decided. In 1952, after the four great powers have failed to agree on the future of Eritrea, the UN, under great pressure and influence from the United States of America and its allies, decided to federate Eritrea with the American puppet in the region, Ethiopia. As the then US Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles said, this decision was taken not only against the principles of the UN, but also against the wishes of the Eritrean people and the conscience of the American government to safeguard its national interests in the region.

This abusive betrayal by the international community in general and the then US

administration, in particular, has left an intractable black spot in the political history of the Eritrean people. Adding insult to injury, when the backward feudal Ethiopian state abrogated the practically misspelled and unworkable federal arrangement, the chief protector of the agreement, the UN, sat passively. Worse, when the feudal government occupied Eritrea, its first action was to suppress the pillars of democracy and the very political culture of the Eritrean people for once and ever utterly damaging the political tradition of the Eritrean people.

It was at this time that the Eritrean literature reached a new stage of sophistication in its history. Unfortunately, the suppression of freedom of speech by the feudal state forced it to seek sanctuary in polemics and double meaning. The songs of Atobrahan Seghid, Alamin Abdeletif, Tewelde Reda and other great singers of the time are all political songs shrouded in love poems, manifestation of the sophistication of literary work of the time. These artists have played an important role in raising the political consciousness of the people and the youth particularly. It also laid ground for the radical literature of the Armed Struggle.

By the late sixties, literature and particularly music and poetry entered a new era. The “field” or the part of the country where

the armed struggle was being waged was open for free exercise of freedom. There, from among the freedom fighters, some of the best poets and artists of the country were born to confirm and transform the role of literature in the armed and political struggle of Eritrea to another stage. The role literature played in the armed struggle is unparalleled. Revolutionary songs that made thousands of young people compel themselves to die for their country and people are still popular across the country.

It would be doing disservice to try or actually explain the role of literature in the struggle of the Eritrean people for independence within this piece of article.

But such self-reservation has made many people overlook the importance of literature in our struggle for the right to self-determination. And so many others remain to date unaware of its role at all simply because we have not said what we should about our struggle for freedom generally and less about the role of the pen and the Kirar particularly.

Because the guns have spoken for themselves, everybody knows about their role; and now it’s about time we started talking about the silent traces of the pen.

G. Damr Press during the struggle

Not only weapons fought the struggle

5Vol 23. No . 18Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, may 4, 2016

mela Ghebremedhin

As we are in the historic month of May, the month which heralded the victory of the 30 years long struggle and the liberation of Eritrea, we are fast approaching its 25th year silver jubilee anniversary. We will give you a glimpse of the life of ordinary Eritreans during the 30 years of war through short stories. Here is the first of its kind.

When the EPLF launched attacks against the Derg regime in the towns of Dekemhare and Keren, the former was liberated on the 6th of July, 1977 and Keren two days later, on July 8. In the late 1970s, most of Eritrean towns, including Nakfa, were finally in the hands of Eritrean freedom fighters and the towns of Segeneyti and Digsa were also freed on July 30, 1977. Liberating the town of Keren had strengthened the front and with the capture of artilleries and weaponry bolstered the front’s capacity. Thus, Keren was an important factor in the victory of the EPLF in liberating the towns afterwards….

From late 1977 onwards, many youth seeing the consecutive victories of the Front decided to join the armed struggle through the town of Keren by running away from the hands of the Derg regime. Zewdi, is an example among many. This is the story of a young woman during the time of the Derg regime…, she decided to join the armed struggle at the age of thirteen, without telling her parents nor her siblings, she just decided to join them. Yet, too young, with great eyes and curly hair, all she wanted was to join her older brothers and be part of the revolutionary movement. A young woman who had everything… growing up in

Short Story of Ordinary People during the Armed Struggle…

Asmara from a well-established family… yet, she always knew that one thing was missing: the lack of peace, the fear of being killed by the Derg every time she would leave the house… the fear of never seeing her siblings, who had already joined the front, again … That was what pushed her to go.

Her older sister, Ghenet, who was a student at that time and active in Asmara heard that her young sister just left and was around the city of Keren. Her aunt and she, embarked on a trip to look for her. One morning, they took a bus… as soon as the bus left, the driver passed through the small towns near Asmara but right before heading towards the small town of Himbirti, there was a checkpoint controlled by the Ethiopian Derg regime… Everyone out of the bus… everyone was ordered to sit down quietly on the ground in the form of a queue, while the sun was hitting their heads and Ethiopian soldiers wandered around them.

Ghenet, with her bright glowing eyes and beautiful long hair, is then called by one of the soldiers, her aunt, discreetly followed her and kept repeating: “neza mer’at gualey intay delikhuma”, or “what do you want with my newly married daughter” in case the soldier would have some thoughts in taking Ghenet with them… Here she is, put aside and interrogated the whole day… thinking she might be a spy for the EPLF… She was frightened from the inside but showing so much confidence from the outside.

During that time, the town of Keren and its environs were back in the hands of the EPLF, thus any movement towards this direction,

especially of youth would be suspicious for the Ethiopian regime. Ghenet kept telling them that she was just going to her village in Himbirti … after long hours of interrogation, the soldiers decided to let all passengers go… everyone started running away from them… Guya! Running! Old and less old disappearing... Ghenet and her aunt would continue their journey towards Keren… with only one thing in mind: finding Zewdi.

Finally, Ghenet and her aunt approached Keren and again, they are stopped by another checkpoint... but this time, by Tegadelti, EPLF fighters… Again, long hours of interrogation to Ghenet ensuring that she was one of them… Finally, they embarked on another bus, an EPLF bus driven by a so-called …. The music is on, everyone singing and dancing in the bus under the hit revolutionary songs of the EPLF such as Weyno Weyno.

Finally, Ghenet could see a glimpse of Keren, reaching the liberated zone at last… Upon arrival, Ghenet and her aunt walked around the famous roundabout of the center of Keren… a little silhouette wearing the beige uniform of Tegadelti with afro curly hair appeared in the middle of the crowd. It was Zewdi, the Asmarina teenager who is now an EPLF fighter… Ghenet, ran towards her and greeted her little sister, hugs, cries, hugs, cries… Zewdi looked different in her military outfit, her afro hair but holding the same beauty as her older sister. After long greetings, the siblings and aunt sat down to have tea in the Tegadelti’s compound. Zewdi wanted to stir the sugar in her tea but she could not find a spoon, as a habit, she took out a pen from her pocket and just used it

as a tea spoon. Ghenet looked at her in surprise… thinking of what her younger sister had back in Asmara and now, she is already carrying the spirit of the fighters… jokes, talks, stories continues in the little shelter, and Zewdi, suddenly said: “sine sirat gerkum tezarebu, bebetera tezarebu” telling her elders to talk one by one and with discipline. All astonished, looked at her. The EPLF school has already taught her the importance of discipline, the little Asmara girl is now a grown up and conscious young woman who has learned the principles of the EPLF: discipline, consciousness, commitment, self-reliance, camaraderie…. Ghenet, as a responsible older sister tried to convince Zewdi to return home with her, at least until she gets older. But, Ghenet realized how the little girl in her teens was already consciously strong and eager to follow what she believed was the right decision, in other words, fight for the rights to self-determination and liberation of the people of Eritrea.

By that time, when Zewdi joined the EPLF in late 70s, women already had took important roles as equal to

their male counterparts during the armed struggle, thus, challenging the cultural doctrines of the patriarchal Eritrean society. Zewdi, then, went back to her compound with her other comrades and as the situation started to tilt in favor towards the enemy again with new attacks from Ethiopia and its new ally the Soviet, Ghenet and her aunt, quickly went back to Asmara.

The late 1970s showed a new shift in the struggle for independence since the first EPLF Congress of January 1977 in the Sahel and the adoption of a program for the creation of an independent, secular and independent state. Besides this, the program also focused on the liberalization of women’s rights, particularly in regards to the access to land and property, and an education policy in all language aiming at fighting illiteracy. Liberating the town of Keren, also coincides with the first congress and establishment of the National Association of Eritrean Youth and Students held in the symbolic city of Keren in 1978.

To be continued...

THE STATE OF ERITREA EUROPEAN DEVELOPmENT mINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE FUND

Procurement – Notice

PROJECT: Support to the Agricultural Sector/ Food Security in Eritrea

Contract Title: Supply of galvanized iron tubes for energy saving stoves’ chimney.

Publication Reference No. EuropeAid/138-021/ID/SUP/ER

Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, may 4, 2016 Vol 23. No . 18 6

The Ministry of Agriculture intends to award a supply contract for procurement of galvanized iron tubes for energy saving stoves’ chimney in Asmara/Eritrea with financial assistance from the European Development Fund (EDF). The tender dossier is available from:

Ministry of AgricultureSawa Street P.O.Box- 1048Asmara, Eritrea

Tel. 291-1-181042, Fax 291-1-181759 Email: moaedf10@gmail.com

And will also be published on the Europe Aid website: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/online-ervices/index.cfm?do=publi.welcome]. The deadline for submission of tenders is June 13th, 2016, 17:00 P.M. local time.

Possible additional information or clarifications/questions shall be published on the Europe Aid website:

https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/online-services/index.cfm?do=publi.welcome, and published in the Eritrean newspapers: Haddas Eritrea & Eritrea Profile

Understanding 25 ... Continued from page 3

drought, ethno linguistic and religious conflict, external manipulations and machinations, and war. It is precisely within this challenging context that Eritrea must be understood. In poetic terms,

“Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature’s law is wrong, it learned to walk without having feet. Funny, it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else ever cared” (Tupac Shakur).

I - is for Isolationist. Eritrea’s championing of the principle self-reliance is often mistaken for isolationism. Self-reliance involves depending on one’s own resources and efforts to develop, strengthen, and grow, so as to integrate and engage with others cooperatively, not subordinately.

Peaceful and cooperative regional and international co-existence and integration have long been bedrocks of Eritrean foreign policy. However, at the same time, the country has been the target of an externally-driven strategy to isolate it, particularly through attempts at scuppering foreign agreements and economic deals. For example, according to a leaked US embassy cable in Addis Ababa

sent by Chargé d’Affaires Vicki Huddleston (dated November 1st 2005), the strategy of the U.S.-backed Ethiopian proxy was to “isolate Eritrea and wait for it to implode economically.” Moreover, a 2009 cable sent by Chargé d’Affaires Roger Meece reveals that the “USG [U.S. government] has worked to undercut support for Eritrea.”

Moving forward, as Eritrea works toward improving the lives of its people, developing and fostering regional and global relations should remain a key feature of policy. However, the process is a two-way street; Ms. Bronwyn Bruton, Deputy Director of the Africa Center at the Atlantic Council, has noted the failure of isolationist policies towards Eritrea and suggested that it is “time for a new approach” by the international community. Ultimately, greater integration, cooperation, and dialogue will not only support vital socio-economic growth and general development, but also encourage peace and stability in a long troubled region.

I - is also for Invaders. Eritrea has an extremely complex history, dominated by the fight against invaders. Since the sixteenth century, the country has been occupied in turn by Ottoman Turks, Egyptians, Italians (from 1886 until 1941), the British (who defeated

Italian forces in Eritrea during the second World War) until 1952, and the Ethiopians until 1991 (Pateman 1990: 5-6).

J - is for June. While Independence Day falls in May, it is impossible without June, the month of martyrs. Locally, June 20th is Martyrs Day, a day reserved to honor and remember the sacrifices of the fallen.

K - is for Kneel. Eritreans never kneel down.

This can be correlated with one anecdote. During the long, bitter independence struggle, the fighters acquired Kalashnikovs (often commandeered from the enemy), and modified the weapon so that it was lighter and easier to control.

L - is for Labour and Legal Protections,

particularly for women. In Eritrea, National Labour and Land Reform Proclamations secure legal protection for women in employment, guarantee women equal opportunities and maternal protection benefits, and ensure that women are able to purchase, use, or inherit land without discrimination. Additionally, several national initiatives, such as the Macro Policy, the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Program, the National Saving and Loan Program, the National Gender Action Plan, and NUEW’s micro-credit programs

were created to guarantee that women would be adequately supported with the requisite resources and vital technical training that would help them fulfill their potential.

M - is for the Millennium Development Goals. Eritrea’s record on the recently completed UN MDG’s was amongst the best in the world. The country made commendable progress within social, health, and education sectors, achieving several of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Notably, a number of regional and international organizations, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the World Health Organization (WHO) have noted that since Eritrea’s independence, life expectancy has increased, school enrolment and educational achievements have risen greatly, maternal, infant and child mortality rates have reduced dramatically, immunization coverage has skyrocketed, malaria mortality and morbidity have plummeted, HIV prevalence has decreased considerably, and access to potable water and sanitation have significantly increased (Pose and Samuels 2011; UN 2015; WHO 2014).

7Vol 23. No . 18Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, may 4, 2016

quarter century of resilience and development

Design by Taezaz Abraha

Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, may 4, 2016 Vol 23. No . 18 8

quarter century of resilience and development

Let’s go a bit back in time, what urged you to join the armed struggle?

Just like every Eritrean at the moment, I was, too, burning with nationalistic and patriotic feelings. What else could there possibly be?

You were wounded…

Yes I was. In 1980, I injured my left leg and a year later my right knee and I also had head and shoulder injuries. I spent more than seven months in the Ararab, where we had our hospital, and then left to Germany in 1982 as my injuries were quite heavy.

It took a long time for my recovery.

In Germany

I had to learn the language, I worked hard too. I, initially, went to Germany to get treated, so there was nobody that could come to the hospital to teach me the German language, so I did my best through

Designing, Laughing and Designing Again

self-learning. And, also, while I was still under recovery, I started high school lessons in Haidelberg. It was somewhat hard but I managed to go through five years of intense studies in biology.

Back to Eritrea

I came back to Eritrea with my family in 1994. And here we are!

Designing

Since a young age, way before I even joined the army, I used to do embroideries in Asmara. And in Germany, I stitched some clothes while I was studying, and I did update myself with education in fashion and styling. And, more recently, in 2003-2008 my children were in India so I stayed for some time with my children there, and since I didn’t want to just waste my time by staying idle, I took some courses for to expand further my knowledge I had in fashion and designing.

I treasured the opportunity to learn Indian sartorial.

Would want to learn more?

Yes, always.

Alemtsehai Brand

I officially started my business only five years ago. I make traditional attires added up with some futuristic touches as to have a modern look based on traditional characteristics. Making solely traditional garments such as Zuria and Tilfi do not present much difficulty, however making our young girls happy is what makes the whole fashion industry challenging in a good way; we always have to satisfy the avant-

gardism of our youngsters. They demand for fresh and modern outfits combined with tradition. As such, I had a lot of ‘catching-up’ to do: I referred several books and sometimes I blindly relay on my imagination...

Do you get inspiration from other designers? Ever?

Yes, but is hard to say. Like I

Former freedom fighter Mrs. Alemtsehai Lebasi is a well-received designer in the local fashion industry. She has long years of experience and she is always eager to share her knowledge with juniors in the field. Q & A gives you today, designer Alemtsehai Lebasi.

Billion Temesghen

told you I like to base my designs on my own points of views, I simply want to stand out with my piece of fabrics.

Fashion shows

So far I have had six fashion shows and more coming soon. The most encouraging thing about fashion shows are feedbacks; that is where a designer can get the most of responses. And, as for me, every time I host a fashion show, many come with encouraging and constructive

comments. I i m m e n s e l y appreciate it.

You work hard in sharing your knowledge…

I do as it gives me pleasure in sharing my know-hows with junior designers. Then again not passing down what you know is a big squander. And since I profoundly believe so, I try in my outmost ability to share what I learned through years of experience. In addition, I do some counseling related to fashion and fashion tips.

Do you charge?

I don’t. I told you it is a matter of principles.

How is the market for traditional clothing?

Good; highly desired in national, religious or events such as matrimonies and baptisms. And the market for traditional clothing is exceedingly promoted abroad, it is all related to how Eritreans living

abroad have profound connections with the homeland, our traditions and our identity at core.

Designers working in your brand say you’re nice…

I am honorably flattered. I believe that human beings need to help each other, it is actually an innate need. As such they help and I help them in return. I love seeing my girls working hard and it delights me when I see them learn. They are like my sisters!

‘Laugh Yoga’ at work, is it true?

Yes, every morning before we start working we kick off our day by practicing ‘laugh therapy’. We start with a relaxed body and elated mind. I highly recommend it to everybody.

Thank you for your time!