“ Huh! What a beautiful day! You should not be in office now”, told me the janitor when he saw me going to my office. He is right. It is such a beautiful day and almost every one is now outside; lying on the grass; enjoying the clear sunshine and the perfect weather and playing all kinds of games. This is what they call a typical spring day. I have been told many times about the beauty of spring. And now, spring has started and every one is happy. The other night one of my Eritrean friends called me and asked me if I liked spring.
“What is a big deal about spring? I asked. If it is the clear sky and hot day, I had it almost all my life.” I just want him to talk. Otherwise, after 5 freezing months, I have started to understand why people appreciate spring and why we Eritreans don’t say “what a beautiful day”. My friend laughed and told me a story he has from his early days in the United States. In his first year here, the same time like now, one of his American friend (let’s call him James) asked him the same question- “do you like spring?”.
My friend admitted that he liked spring, and added proudly, “You know: in my country it is always like this- perfect weather: 12 months 12 hours sunshine”. He is right. I would have said the same. So does the Ethiopian government. The logo of the Ministry of Truism of Ethiopia proudly reads “13 months of sunshine”. By the way, do you know what the logo of the Eritrean Ministry of Truism is? It says “ three seasons in two hours”. It actually means, if you come to Eritrea, don’t forget to visit Massawa.
But James had been in Africa before and didn’t appreciate the full year tropical climate. So told to my friend “but you know what? It is boring- always the same, no change”.
Well, what do you think James would have said if he reads the logo of Ministry of truism of Ethiopia then?
“13 BORING MONTHS!”
But, fortunately, if he reads the Eritrean logo, he would say;“Cool! It sounds good. Three seasons in two hours: Too much change in a short time: it really sounds cool”
April 14, 2006.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Man Who Couldn’t Convince His Teachers is Appointed to Convince the World!
Today I was surprised by a Reuter’s news that reported, “Eritrea has appointed a new Foreign Minister”. It was interesting because the post had been vacant for almost two years now after the late Ali Said Abdela passed away in fall 2005. It is irony by it self to see a country with huge problem with the international community has no foreign minister for tow years- a position as critical as foreign ministry to be vacant for such long time is probably for the first time in history. But we poor Eritreans, who have no say in the affair of our country, have used to all types of ironies from our government. We simply take thing that doesn’t make sense as if we are destined for that. But that is not my topic today, and so I will not pursue this article on that line.
But the prominence of the matter was enough to draw my attention and when I saw the title in Dehai mailing list, I was anxious to see who the new foreign minister of my country. After all, at this point in time when our country is facing a formidable challenge from the international community and the country is at its lowest level in its diplomatic works, it is natural to hope that a new and credible personal will come to stage to change the situation. Poor me! who never give up hoping good thing from this government. But it wasn’t only me. There are many like me. In the past there have been rumors after rumors as to who will take the post- Askalu Menkoryos being the main favored candidate in that rumor circle. But, to my surprise and dismay, it was the last person that I can ever imagine for the post! The news says “ The former Minister of Education Mr. Osman Salih will be the new Foreign Minister and Mr. Semere Rusom, Eritrea’s former Ambassador to USA and currently Mayor of Asmara will be the new Minister of Education.” Alas!
By all accounts Osman Salih doesn’t have any quality for his new post. The art of diplomacy is a delicate process that requires a great deal of experience and skills. Osman doesn’t have any of these qualities for the post. Even if there were no people left and the president has a choice from Osman Salih and Semere Rusom only, any sensible choice would be Semere Rusom. He has handled the border conflict with Ethiopia with great diplomatic skill while an Ambassador to the USA. It was he and Haile Mernkoryos- the best diplomats that country has seen as its Ambassadors. So how are we going to make sense out of these new appointments?
Osman Salih was minister of Education for the last 13 years and deputy of the same ministry before that time. In fact he was in the education department even before independence. But what he has achieved in all these years in the Ministry is confusion, destruction and mess. Although the Ministry of Education has by far the largest Eritrea’s educated human power, the ministry was by all account the most inefficient, beaurocratic and messy Ministry. I am not exaggreting. I have seen it during my one year service in that Ministry. If you don’t believe me ask any teacher, and I bet you will never get any positive sympathy for Osman. Nor do you actually need to ask; the stustus of education in our country speeks for it self. Folks in that ministry have cried for years now in a workshop after workshop about the degrading status of education, their distatisfactions about the administration and the consequences for the country. But what they found was bullying by Osman. As a result, the status of education have degraded to a level that even haven’t reached during the Ethiopian colonial time. Although Osman Salih was not responsible for all the decline and destruction in our education system, he is at the center of all that failure. So in effect, the replacement of Osman by Semere is an effort to fix the problem in the ministry. I am sure for the folks in the Ministry of education, and for all the people who were crying about the decline of education in Eritrea, this is good news. Semere Rusom, besides his skills, he was a high school teacher before he joined the struggle for independence. So his appointment makes sense. In fact the rumors from Asmara(bado 3) had said so long time ago and have turned out to be true now.
What doesn’t make sense is the new post of Osman Salih. In effect he is promoted by this new post- informally to a position next to the president. Two points here: first Osman doesn’t deserve promotion. After all the confusions and inefficiencies he produced in the ministry of Education, it was demotion not promotion that he deserves. But again, we have seen the reward system from the president doesn’t work that way: and I will not be surprised to see achievers getting the stick and failures to getting the carrot.
The second point is Osman is not fit for his new post. The art of diplomacy is delicate and Osman is not the kind of person the country needs at this time. We need some one who is flexible and can communicate with a language the world understands. Osman doesn’t speak that language. So how are we going to make sense of it? What is the rational behind the president’s choice?
Osman will not do any thing in this new post. But that looks exactly what the rationale for the president’s choice. The Ministry is so crucial and sensitive. Given the domestic and international dissatisfaction with the president, all he needs is security and not performance. He doesn’t care about improving the diplomatic face of the country: what he cares his staying in power. For that he needs a loyal man there. After three of his former Foreign Ministers turning against him( do u remember them? Sherifo(1991-1993), Petros Solomon (1993-1997), and DuruA(1997-2001)) the President never felt secure about that post. And when the late Ali Said Abdela passed away, he was studying for the right person for the past two years- one who couldn’t pose any threat at all. As for work, like any ministry, he will run it from his office- by the people in the so power full office of the President. In fact for the last two years and even before that when Ali Said was the Minister, Yeman Gebremeskel was the real Foreign Minister. So what they need now is one who could nominally fills the vacuum and sign statements written by Yeman Gebremekel and pretends as if it was from his office. For that Osman is a perfect candidate- A complete yes man!
Well, I guess I was not welcoming Osman to his new post. But, I couldn’t imagine any thing positive about the man. But to be fair with him, I will give an opportunity for my readers to give their own reaction for his new post. On the left side of this blog, under the subtitle “Poll of the Week” give your reaction on how you think about his fitness to the new post.
God Save my beloved Eritrea
But the prominence of the matter was enough to draw my attention and when I saw the title in Dehai mailing list, I was anxious to see who the new foreign minister of my country. After all, at this point in time when our country is facing a formidable challenge from the international community and the country is at its lowest level in its diplomatic works, it is natural to hope that a new and credible personal will come to stage to change the situation. Poor me! who never give up hoping good thing from this government. But it wasn’t only me. There are many like me. In the past there have been rumors after rumors as to who will take the post- Askalu Menkoryos being the main favored candidate in that rumor circle. But, to my surprise and dismay, it was the last person that I can ever imagine for the post! The news says “ The former Minister of Education Mr. Osman Salih will be the new Foreign Minister and Mr. Semere Rusom, Eritrea’s former Ambassador to USA and currently Mayor of Asmara will be the new Minister of Education.” Alas!
By all accounts Osman Salih doesn’t have any quality for his new post. The art of diplomacy is a delicate process that requires a great deal of experience and skills. Osman doesn’t have any of these qualities for the post. Even if there were no people left and the president has a choice from Osman Salih and Semere Rusom only, any sensible choice would be Semere Rusom. He has handled the border conflict with Ethiopia with great diplomatic skill while an Ambassador to the USA. It was he and Haile Mernkoryos- the best diplomats that country has seen as its Ambassadors. So how are we going to make sense out of these new appointments?
Osman Salih was minister of Education for the last 13 years and deputy of the same ministry before that time. In fact he was in the education department even before independence. But what he has achieved in all these years in the Ministry is confusion, destruction and mess. Although the Ministry of Education has by far the largest Eritrea’s educated human power, the ministry was by all account the most inefficient, beaurocratic and messy Ministry. I am not exaggreting. I have seen it during my one year service in that Ministry. If you don’t believe me ask any teacher, and I bet you will never get any positive sympathy for Osman. Nor do you actually need to ask; the stustus of education in our country speeks for it self. Folks in that ministry have cried for years now in a workshop after workshop about the degrading status of education, their distatisfactions about the administration and the consequences for the country. But what they found was bullying by Osman. As a result, the status of education have degraded to a level that even haven’t reached during the Ethiopian colonial time. Although Osman Salih was not responsible for all the decline and destruction in our education system, he is at the center of all that failure. So in effect, the replacement of Osman by Semere is an effort to fix the problem in the ministry. I am sure for the folks in the Ministry of education, and for all the people who were crying about the decline of education in Eritrea, this is good news. Semere Rusom, besides his skills, he was a high school teacher before he joined the struggle for independence. So his appointment makes sense. In fact the rumors from Asmara(bado 3) had said so long time ago and have turned out to be true now.
What doesn’t make sense is the new post of Osman Salih. In effect he is promoted by this new post- informally to a position next to the president. Two points here: first Osman doesn’t deserve promotion. After all the confusions and inefficiencies he produced in the ministry of Education, it was demotion not promotion that he deserves. But again, we have seen the reward system from the president doesn’t work that way: and I will not be surprised to see achievers getting the stick and failures to getting the carrot.
The second point is Osman is not fit for his new post. The art of diplomacy is delicate and Osman is not the kind of person the country needs at this time. We need some one who is flexible and can communicate with a language the world understands. Osman doesn’t speak that language. So how are we going to make sense of it? What is the rational behind the president’s choice?
Osman will not do any thing in this new post. But that looks exactly what the rationale for the president’s choice. The Ministry is so crucial and sensitive. Given the domestic and international dissatisfaction with the president, all he needs is security and not performance. He doesn’t care about improving the diplomatic face of the country: what he cares his staying in power. For that he needs a loyal man there. After three of his former Foreign Ministers turning against him( do u remember them? Sherifo(1991-1993), Petros Solomon (1993-1997), and DuruA(1997-2001)) the President never felt secure about that post. And when the late Ali Said Abdela passed away, he was studying for the right person for the past two years- one who couldn’t pose any threat at all. As for work, like any ministry, he will run it from his office- by the people in the so power full office of the President. In fact for the last two years and even before that when Ali Said was the Minister, Yeman Gebremeskel was the real Foreign Minister. So what they need now is one who could nominally fills the vacuum and sign statements written by Yeman Gebremekel and pretends as if it was from his office. For that Osman is a perfect candidate- A complete yes man!
Well, I guess I was not welcoming Osman to his new post. But, I couldn’t imagine any thing positive about the man. But to be fair with him, I will give an opportunity for my readers to give their own reaction for his new post. On the left side of this blog, under the subtitle “Poll of the Week” give your reaction on how you think about his fitness to the new post.
God Save my beloved Eritrea
Contributed Jokes
After digging to a depth of 100 metres last year, Russian scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 1000 years, and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network one thousand years ago. So, not to be outdone, in the weeks that followed, American scientists dug 200 metres and headlines in the US papers read: " US scientists have found traces of 2000 year old optical fibre, and have concluded that their ancestors already had advanced high-tech digital telephone 1000 years earlier than the Russians. One week later, the Eritrea Profile (newspaper )reported the following:"After digging as deep as 500 metres, Eritrean scientists have found absolutely nothing. They have concluded that 5000 years ago, their ancestors were already using wireless technology.
Contributed by Osman
Contributed by Osman
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