Vol. 20 No. 22 Wednesday, 15th of May, 2013 Pages 8, Price 1.50 NFA

EritrEa- ShiEld of rESiliEncE and nobility of Work

The President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma, as well as King Abdalla Bin Ab-dul-Aziz of Soudi Arabia and Mr. Selman Bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Ministerial Council, sent message of congratulations to the people

Foreign Minister Osman Saleh underlined that Eritrea is strongly committed to fighting human traf-ficking at the national, regional and global level.

He made the statement at a High-level UN meeting on Human Traf-ficking in New York City.

Mr. Osman elucidated that the Er-itrean people, who suffered denial of the right to self-determination, two wars of aggression, occupation of sovereign territory and illegal sanc-tions, are presently facing an addi-tional assault in connection with hu-man rights despite their struggle for redress and justice against human trafficking. He further pointed out that the Eritrean government has been taking the necessary measures at the national, regional and global level towards ensuring the success of endeavors to bring an end to hu-man trafficking.

Noting that promoting public awareness regarding the crime of

human trafficking is a major step towards its eradication, the Foreign Minister explained that Eritrea has conducted comprehensive cam-paign strongly addressing the plight of trafficking victims, their families and communities.

Moreover, Mr. Osman stressed that it is the responsibility of states to enact and implement anti-human trafficking laws, and thereby ensure that no such crime goes unpunished. He also emphasized that states can-not win the fight alone, and that collaboration on the part of the countries of origin, transit and des-tination is vital in combating such a crime. “In this connection, Eritrea is closely coordinating its actions with Egypt, Sudan and other countries,” the Foreign Minister added.

Citing that the crime of human trafficking has become enmeshed with an externally-driven political agenda of destabilizing Eritrea, Mr. Osman Saleh emphasized that such

EritrEa Strongly committEd to fighting human trafficking at nation, rEgional

and global lEvEl: forEign miniStEr

phenomenon constitutes not only a criminal network of human traffick-ers but also more insidiously those who are using them as tools. More-over, he made reference to those circles that are creating an enabling environment for the crime through generous funding, vicious propa-ganda and provision of safe havens, besides mounting active destabili-zation machinations.

(For full text of Minister Os-man’s statement see on page 4)

The PRC Ambassador to Eritrea, Mr. Niu Qing, said that relations between Eritrea and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) rests on solid foundation and is developing with good prospects. He made the statement during an interview he conducted with Eri-Tv in connec-tion with the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic rela-tions between the two countries.

Ambassador Niu Qing pointed out that Cino-Eritrean ties is built on common cultural and historical ground, and that the PRC is one of the first countries that officially recognized Eritrean independence,

besides being one of the states that established diplomatic relations with it right at the outset.

Stating that the two countries fostered strong ties over the past 20 years, he noted that such ties pro-vided firm ground for developing relations of partnership.

The Chinese Ambassador fur-ther expressed appreciation for the achievements Eritrea has regis-tered in various domains over the past two decades, especially as re-gards infrastructure, education and health.

Moreover, Ambassador Niu Qing particularly pointed out that Eritrea’s achievement pertaining to food security on the basis of self-reliance is exemplary, thanks to its committed leadership and hard-working people. The Ambassador also conveyed best wishes on the part of the people and Government of the PRC to the people and Gov-ernment of Eritrea.

EritrEan-chinESE rElationS rEStS on Solid foundation and dEvEloping With good proSpEctS: ambaSSador niu Qing

South african and Soudi arabian lEadErS SEnd mESSagE of congrat-ulationS in connEction With 22nd

indEpEndEncE day annivErSaryand Government of Eritrea in con-nection with the 22nd Independence Day anniversary.

In their respective messages, the leaders wished President Isaias Af-werki good health, as well as peace and prosperity to the Eritrean peo-ple.

Eritrean community members in Australia and New Zealand have reportedly finalized prepara-tions for the 22nd Independence Day observance which is being marked under the theme “Eritrea - Shield of Resilience and Nobil-ity of Work.”

Mr. Yasin Omar, chairman of the community’s holidays orga-nizing committee, disclosed that cultural, sports and literary con-tests, as well as other activities

would be conducted in connec-tion with the momentous Day, which event is being celebrated in collaboration wit the branches of national Unions and the PFDJ. He further pointed out that the programs have been organized in such a way that provides ground-work for nurturing national and cultural values to the young gen-eration, and called on parents to demonstrate increased participa-tion with youths in the event.

Reports indicate that the cele-bration would take place from 18 to 25 of this month in the foreign cities of Adelaide, Brisbane, Syd-ney, Auckland and Wellington, among others.

Meanwhile, the community members recently conducted a meeting, during which they voiced staunch resistance against external conspiracies and ex-pressed readiness to back up the national development drive.

EritrEan community mEmbErS rESiding in auStralia and nEW ZEaland finaliZE prEpa-rationS for indEpEndEncE day obSErvancE

2Eritrea Profile, Wednesday 15th of May, 2013

Published Every Saturday & Wednesday

Managing Director Azzazi Zeremariam

Acting Editor Amanuel Mesfunamme@zena.gov.er

P.O.Box: 247Tel: 11-41-14Fax: 12-77-49

E-mail:profile@zena.gov.er

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Saba Tesfatsion

Rahel Asgedom

One has to go through the bit-terness of colonialism or face its malicious impacts in order to un-derstand the actual meaning of independence. If one lacks such experience, let alone to understand its actual meaning, it would not only be easy to enjoy the fruits of independence in its entirety. How-ever, those who experienced what the yoke of colonialism can simply explain the hardships they have faced as well as the test and color of independence afterwards.

Eritrea had been colonized for a century and hence its people understand and indeed enjoy the true meaning of independence as of May 24, 1991. Every year in this month the people of Eritrea is ready to celebrate the day through organizing various kinds of activi-ties. The people of Eritrea living in every corner of the country and abroad are ready to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of their indepen-dence. Different kinds of prepara-tions are being made to celebrate the Independence Day; cultural and artistic shows, general knowl-edge contests, community fes-tivities, embellishment of streets, sport activities among others are the events that are annually con-ducted to colorfully celebrate this dignified day of emancipation.

The celebrations that would be conducted all over the country will begin on the 17th of May featuring cultural performances and dramas that unfold the history of the armed struggle and the national develop-

ment endeavors accomplished in the last 22 years of independence.

In connection to the celebra-tory events, a number of shows have been staged in Students week

which started from the first days of this month. As part and parcel of

the celebration activities, different schools and kindergartens have been celebrating the independence

Staging Artistry In The Week Of Independence Day

week with a lot of differ-ent performances. The Abashawl Kindergarten is one among the many schools that celebrated the independence week on May 9. Children from this particular kin-dergarten have staged different artistic and cultural activities that depicted the history, unity, harmony, development, and courage of the people.

The programs that have been performed in different schools for consecutive days added beauty to the whole event. Even though

it was amusing and entertaining yet the meaning they were trying

to convey to their audience hold significant message. They success-fully brought back the memories of the colonization period in the minds of their audiences. The situ-ation clearly depicted how parents and the society at large are shoul-dering responsibility to pass the history and legacy of colonization to the young generations.

Congratulating all Eritreans liv-ing inside the country and abroad, Mrs. Alganesh Tesfazgi, director of the Abashawl kindergarten said, on the opening of the program, “It is a great pleasure to celebrate our 22nd anniversary with a peaceful atmosphere after a harsh succes-sive colonization periods.” Mrs. Alganesh further said that our freedom is the gift of our honored martyrs and hence we have to com-memorate it with due respect.” She expressed her gratitude to the Na-tional Union of Eritrean Women and the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students.

Children of the Abashawl kin-

Alganesh Tesfazgi

Continued On Page5

3Eritrea Profile, Wednesday 15th of May, 2013

Aron Hidru

Today’s article is a renewed ver-sion of an article that appeared in this column some three years ago.On 24 May 1991, on my way to school, I along with my class-mates was near one checking point when it was informally clear that Eritrea became an in-dependent state. Whenever I try to remember May 24, 1991, this particular place comes to my active memory. Its memory en-ables me to have a mind picture about how life insecure was dur-ing those days. Since the soldiers there were suspicious of every-thing, they were very unkind to the farmers, who were coming from the environs to sell their produce, and used to force them to unload and unpack everything so as to be checked in detail. So in this case, independence has to be, among other things, safe life for farmers to farm their lands freely and to sell their produce without obstacles. Independence means secure life for all people engaged in some aspects of life to carry out their normal activities. Soon after May 24, 1991, these unkind and callous soldiers were turned powerless and helpless. The civilians who endured pain-ful experiences caused by the colonial forces took part in dis-arming these soldiers. Yet they did nothing unkind to them. This makes us remember what Martin Luther King was preaching to his followers. According to what he preached, a person should show that he or she loves them and be

kind even to those who do not love him or her because he who tries to manipulate (in return for their deeds) those who somehow tried to manipulate him or her is no more different from them. You show how unkind someone is by being kind to him or her. Very often people hug intimately those people who happen to be their close relatives and close friends – this is at least what I feel. On May 24, 1991, I together with my classmates was told that the freedom fighters have arrived, and everybody rushed to wel-come them. When we reached the place where the fighters were, the mothers and the children were in a queue to warmly greet the fighters. Everybody there was extremely happy. Hugging the freedom fighters especially made the children much happier. This makes you think the freedom fighters were every Eritrean’s rel-atives and friends. They do be-long not to their particular fami-lies only. This is because when you think of the selfless devotion of the freedom fighters and the Eritrean people at large, you get very amazed ,especially when your try to measure such degree of devo-tion by the standards of modern day more individualistic world. People usually abandon all their private concerns only when they decide to join a monastery for re-ligious reasons. Once you join a monastery, since you are not con-cerned about your private needs, you are unlikely to attend even

your father’s burial ceremony let alone to take part in some other family issues. This is because you are no more part of your fam-ily. Likewise, people in the EPLF were not concerned about their private particulars. The members of EPLF constituted a common family and their only concern was related with the concerns of that super family. Everybody abandoned their golden opportu-nities and put aside the burdens of their respective families to join the EPLF in total subordination of private needs to collective needs to deal with the overall collective burden. So it is very natural for everyone during the special day when independence was heralded to affectionately hug the freedom fighters as common relatives and common friends whom they have not seen for a long time.There was a mother, a neighbor, who used to tell me many things, sometimes jokingly, about the EPLF when I was a kid. Some day she told me that the EPLF gives those who newly join it certain pills that make them more courageous and enable them to endure troubles (to bear the un-bearable). She also told me that the pill makes them not to long for their families. She was more concerned about the EPLF and she used to tell me and others a lot about the EPLF because, among other things, three of her sons were freedom fighters. She is considerably outspoken. I loved

her a lot, but I hated her more than I loved her when in the mid-dle of such a joyous moment (on 24 May 1991) she talked some-thing that reminded me about the prices paid for such joyous moment – for independence in general. Since I was not mature enough at that time to properly understand the prices paid for our independence, I disliked her very much. People like me at that time had very unrealistic expectation about independence and what we may get as a result of inde-pendence. We were never aware that impendence is a challenge. We were not aware also that there is no gain without pain. Since the time I could realize the prices paid for our independence, I al-ways remember what the mother said. In fact, two of her sons are martyrs. They sacrificed their lives to save our lives! There is one argument about self-ishness that makes me think deep-ly. The writer starts the argument with the assertion that everybody is selfish. In his attempt to justify this claim, he requires the readers to define selfishness first so as to share his views. According to his

The Struggle Beyond The Struggle

PArT I

definition, if selfishness is being wholeheartedly engaged in what one is interested about, we can see that no one can claim that he or she is not selfish. Can you think of anyone who is not engaged in what interests them? The writer argues that even the people who are engaged in charitable activi-ties are selfish according to this definition of selfishness. What he meant is that they help others so that God can accept them in His Kingdom at Heaven in return for what they do on earth. So what they do primarily benefits them regardless of the positive contri-bution of their help, according to his criteria. The way this writer thinks amazes me very much. If selfishness is being engaged in what is beneficial to you as an in-dividual, I would like to ask that writer one question: if everybody is selfish and pushed and motivat-ed by what is in it for them, how would our martyrs be categorized according to his criteria of self-ishness? As they sacrificed their lives to save our lives, would he

Continued On Page 4

4Eritrea Profile, Wednesday 15th of May, 2013

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Position :- Mining Manager (01)

Opportunity

Reporting to the Operations Manager, the Mining Manager will be responsible for the key mine production departments – Mining – Drill and Blast, Load and Haul, Explosives, Short Term Planning and Survey. Developing and implementing mine production plans to safely and effectively utilized available equipment that that will ensure a safe, profitable and responsible operating environment aligned to the Bisha Mining Share Company’s (BMSC) strategic objectives is a key consideration for this position.

Major Duties and responsibilitiesPreparation of yearly Mining Operational Budget including required capital expenditure together with a 2 •year mine production business plan.Coordinate and align the mining teams to meet and exceed yearly operational budgets within mandate of •BMSC’s strategic objectives.Coordinate his/her department’s resources – people, equipment, spares/consumables and facilities into a •proper mine planning system so as to achieve the mining teams wider objectives, including equipment utilization and cost management targets as set out in the yearly budget.Ensure all Mining personnel and contractors under your control work in accordance to relevant laws, •regulations, company policies, standards and procedures.Ensure his/her departments work to the highest of standards and all hazards and risks are identified and •corrective and preventative actions are continually put in place to ensure a safe and efficient working environment.Ensure the Mining teams’ information systems provide accurate and timely information on daily, weekly, •monthly, quarterly and yearly progress.Participate in new idea generation/proposal preparations, general project planning and scheduling by •contributing his/her particular expertise to ensure a culture of continuous improvement exists within the mining departments.Participate in proposal preparations and project planning and scheduling to transition the mine from Gold to •Copper production by contributing his/her particular expertise and that of his/her subordinates.Ensure the Mining teams meet and exceed their employee development plans with special focus on apprentice •and artisan skills development.Be prepared to relieve the Operations Manager from time to time.•

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Minimum 15 years mining experience, at least 5 years’ experience should be in a senior mining position on large mine – gold and/or copper open pit (>20mtpa) with associated mining fleet (>15 truck fleet), gold CIL and Copper floatation processing plant (>3m tpa).

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Proven ability to manage large diverse multinational workforce and contractor groups within a developing mine context. (African experience considered essential)

Other skills and abilities

Thorough knowledge of computers, associated software and the ability to present. Thorough knowledge of all phases of mine operations including mine construction and projects. Proven record of meeting and exceeding operational objectives safely and cost effectively.Ability to interact with large and diverse stakeholder groups including communities, government agencies, board members and investors.

General Information and other requirements:

Place of Work• : Bisha site.Type of contract: • PermanentSalary: • As per Company salary scale.Additional requirement for Nationals: •Having fulfilled his/her National Service obligation and provide evidence of release paper from Ministry of Defense. •Present clearance paper from current/last employer •Testimonial documents to be attached (CV, work experience credentials, a copy of your National Identity Card etc.).•Only shortlisted applicants would be considered as potential candidates for an interview.• Application documents will not be returned back to sender and.• All applications should be sent through the post office•Deadline for application: 10 days from the day of publication in the Newspaper.•

Address: Please mail your applications to;• Bisha Mining Share Company, P. O. Box 4276 Asmara, EritreaNote to Eritrean applicants:

Please send a copy of your application to:Ministry of Labor and Human WelfareDepartment of LaborP.O.BOX 5252, Asmara, Eritrea

The Struggle Be-yond The ...

Continued From Page3say they are superhuman and ex-traordinary – hence their deeds would not be rated according to humanly measurements? It amaz-es me how people can be public spirited to that degree.One major advantage of the EPLF is that it was extremely sensitive and responsive to the needs of the people. Some people where go-ing to the field in search of health services because they preferred the health facilities of the EPLF to the supposedly modern hospi-tals (that of the Derg regime) that were stationed in cities unlike those of the EPLF stationed in the hills and under trees. This in-dicates the degree of confidence that was built among the people. EPLF was able to win the hearts and minds of the people. And this often begets popular commitment. That is the secret that enabled Er-itrea to win its independence. It is because of the confidence the Eritrean people had in the EPLF as a governing body that made the Eritrean people to be ready to sacrifice their lives.Everybody (the civilians, the fighters, almost every Eritrean) was considerably and enthusiasti-cally committed during the strug-gle - we were devoted to bear the unbearable. While some countries are consid-erably endowed with gold fields, others are not. Some others have rich oil deposits, whereas oth-ers don’t have any. Mostly re-sources are not evenly distributed among nations in the globe. But

there is one significant resource that all nations indiscriminately share – human resource. Proper management of this resources or lack of it determines the degree of a nation’s success and prog-ress. How a nation manages this resource determines everything else. EPLF was able to manage this valuable resource effective-ly and finally it was able to win with comparatively insignificant resources other than its human resource – the Eritrean people. Since it was able to manage this resource properly, it was able to effectively socialize the people to the extent of sacrificing their lives happily to further the sacred cause - independence. Hence, independence has been relayed to us from our martyrs as Eritrea is a gift to us from our martyrs. Can this gift be recipro-cated in any way? If it is possible to reciprocate such a gift, how can it be reciprocated? Is independence an end or a means? Sometimes I don’t eas-ily and clearly understand where a means ends and where an end begins. While it was bitter in our case, almost all colonized people in Third World hoped for inde-pendence, fought for it, paid for it, and finally achieved it. What matters most is, however, as ex-perience has shown us, what you do after you achieve it. Indepen-dence is only a means to an end and not an end in itself. More im-portantly, independence is a chal-lenge. It is a struggle that follows the struggle for liberation.

A workshop aimed at strength-ening and developing Al-Hadditha Newspaper was conducted today at Hager Assembly Hall,within the premises of the Ministry of Infor-mation, under the theme “Reader: Stakeholder of the Editor”.

Mr. Mohammed-Nur Yahya, Ed-itor-in-Chief of the paper, pointed out that the objective of the work-shop is to identify the strong and weak sides of the newspaper, im-proving existing programs and in-troducing additional ones, as well as hold discuss regarding the fu-

WorkShop aimEd at StrEngth-Ening and dEvEloping al-ha-

ditha nEWSpapEr conductEd ture prospects of the newspaper.

In the workshop, papers were presented regarding the history of the newspaper as well as the ob-servation of readers. The partici-pants of the workshop conducted thorough discussion on the papers thus presented forwarded con-structive ideas as well as view-points.

Al-Haditha Newspaper, pub-lished in the Arabic language was established in September 1991, and currently printed four times a week in 12 pages.

5Eritrea Profile, Wednesday 15th of May, 2013

dergarten performed dramas, re-cited poems, acted cultural show of the nine ethnic groups. Besides, they sang, danced and played mu-sic that depicts the very meanings of the colors of the national flag.

Exhibitions that highlighted the natural resources of the country, and some other activities were also presented. All the aforementioned performances presented by those children are indeed reflections of the diligent effort exerted by the teachers of the kindergarten. Si-multaneously, their organized pre-

sentation shows how the children at this early stage of childhood are able to speak about their country and history boldly. Hence, their enthusiasm is promising.

What is more is that a number of children and more than 200 in-vited guests were present on the occasion. Parents expressed hap-

piness about the performances of their children and the very lesson they learnt about the true love and value of their country and its peo-ple. They also appreciated the hard work of the schools which is aimed at strengthening the all-round know-how of their children. Thus, the parents recommended for the need of sustaining such noble acts of nurturing national and cultural values and thereby bequeathing them to the young generation.

The Abashawl Kindergarten has a total number of about 320 children. This Kindergarten has been a model for its effective and well-organized learning and teach-ing method. From all the kinder-gartens of the central region, this very nursery school is able to have various certificates and awards for the hard work it exerted towards equipping the children with the desired skills. The Abashawl Kin-dergarten was established with the collaboration of the Ministry of Education and German Ms. Stephy Graph who was a world Champion of table tennis.

Staging Artistry In The Week Of ...Continued From Page 5

Statement by H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea During The United Nations High-Level Meet-ing on the Appraisal of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Traffick-ing in Persons Sixty Seventh Ses-sion of the UN General Assembly Agenda Item 103 (Crime Preven-tion and Criminal Justice) New York, 13 May 2013.

Mr. PresidentIt is with a sense of pride and

honor that I address this important and timely High-Level Meeting on Human Trafficking on behalf of a people, who for over two genera-tions, have been on the front line of the struggle for dignity and human rights, for themselves and other peoples. At a personal level, it is a privilege and honor for me, as it is for many other Eritreans, to have participated in this just struggle, without remuneration, for two-thirds of my life.

The Eritrean people were among the first in the African continent to suffer from the brutal yoke of colo-nialism. Later, their human rights were violated again when they were denied the right to indepen-dent statehood that was recognized for other African peoples, simply because the powers of the day de-cided that their hegemonic inter-ests required that Eritrea be placed under proxy colonialism. Eritreans did not bow down to this logic of force, nor were they cowered, but they responded with a successful thirty-year armed struggle for hu-man rights that entailed the loss of 65 thousand martyrs, the disability of tens of thousands, the displace-ment of close to a million people and the destruction of the country and its economy.

As an independent and sover-eign nation, Eritreans chose not to look to the past or seek repa-rations, but embarked to rebuild their country, when once again, they became victims of a second war of aggression that resulted in the loss of 20,000 Eritrean lives. Even though this senseless war came to an end with the signing of the Algiers Agreement and an in-ternational tribunal gave its ‘final and binding verdict ‘, 11 years on Eritrean sovereign territory re-mains under occupation in fla-grant violation of the human rights of the Eritrean people and international law. Once again, those responsible, those who con-sider that ‘might is right”, have not been called to account and Eri-treans continue to seek justice.

In an effort to silence the voice of the Eritrean people that has been calling for the respect of their sov-ereign and human rights, the per-petrators of the injustice, arrogating

to themselves the role of accusers, witnesses and judges, imposed il-legal sanctions on Eritrea in the name of the Security Council. To-day, four years on, the fabrications that formed the basis for the sanc-tions have been exposed and it has become clear that there is no justi-fication for maintaining them and yet, the injustices continue, which begs the question: where then are justice and human rights?

Mr. President,Dear Participants,The Eritrean people, who have

suffered the denial of self-deter-mination, two wars of aggression, the occupation of sovereign ter-ritory and illegal sanctions, are now facing an additional assault on their human rights and their struggle for redress and justice-organized human trafficking. This barbaric crime is the latest tool in the ongoing attempt to drain Eritrea of its human resources, destroy the economy, impover-ish the people and foment a crisis with the aim of violent “regime change.” But even as Eritrea and its citizens- particularly the target-ed young people and women-suf-fer from this hideous crime and its formal request for an independent investigation goes unheeded, the perpetrators have the effrontery to accuse Eritrea of human traffick-ing. It is the classic case of a thief crying “thief to hide hi s transgres-

sion, but again where is justice and human rights?

Mr. PresidentEritrea is strongly committed

to fight human trafficking nation-ally, regionally and globally. It has undertaken concrete measures to prevent this crime from happening and mitigating its impact on vic-tims. These include:

1. Enhancing awareness: Cog-nizant that public awareness about the crime of human trafficking and its many and ever changing mani-festations is the first, important step towards its eradication, Eri-trea has undertaken a comprehen-sive campaign strongly featuring trafficking victims, their families and communities.

2. Prosecution of Criminals: This is an important tool in Eri-trea’s strategy of fighting crimes of human smuggling and traffick-ing. Law enforcement agencies and local communities are actively working in identifying and appre-hending the perpetuators of these crimes and bringing them to jus-tice.

3. Support to victims: Eritrea opposes any stigmatization of victims of human trafficking and provides them with all possible assistance. Eritrean diplomatic missions and communities in the countries of destination provide them with consular services and other assistance they may require.

The government encourages them to visit their country or to return permanently and thousands of them have done so.

4. Regional and international Cooperation: It is the responsibili-ty of states to enact and implement anti-human trafficking laws and ensure that no such crime goes unpunished. Yet, no state can win the fight alone. Collaboration between countries of origin, tran-sit and destination is also vital to combat this crime. In this regard, Eritrea is closely coordinating its actions with Egypt, Sudan and other countries.

5. Calling for an impartial inves-tigation: As I indicated earlier, in Eritrea’s case, the crime of human trafficking has become enmeshed with an externally-driven po-litical agenda of destabilizing the country. It is not only a crimi-nal network of human traffick-ers that Eritrea is contending with, but more insidiously, those who are using the traffickers as tools, those who are creating an enabling environment for the crime through generous funding, vicious propa-ganda, provision of safe havens and active destabilization. Eritrea has solid evidence that individu-als and groups posing as “human rights defenders,” representatives of at least one UN agency and offi-cials of some governments are im-plicated. This is why Eritrea has officially called on the United Na-

tions to launch an independent and transparent investigation of this abominable affair so as to bring justice to Eritrean victims and to a country that is the target of a ma-licious, concerted and unlawful campaign. Such an investigation will also serve to expose and bring into account not only the criminals who ply their murderous trade for money, but also those ultimately responsible who cynically abet the crime in pursuit of an illegal and violent political agenda.

Mr. President,The fight against human traf-

ficking is ultimately linked to the struggle for peace, stability and so-cio-economic development within countries and a fairer and more equal situation globally. Even as we pursue this comprehensive approach, however, we are all aware that human trafficking must be combated in the here and now. Moreover, there is a need to take concrete action, in the form of specific investigations into gross cases of human trafficking and the violation of human rights, with a view of bringing the perpe-trators to justice. For their part, the people and government of Eritrea will steadfastly continue to build their nation and at the same time to expose and fight the human traf-fickers and their sponsors.

Thank you Mr. President.

Statement By H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh Minister Of Foreign Affairs

6Eritrea Profile, Wednesday 15th of May, 2013

Daniel Semere

An Eritrean writer once stated his dilemma in writing a fiction book out of the Eritrean struggle for independence by saying “There are many real stories, but how can one make them seem more fiction-al. Many of the stories are simply unbelievable.” That is why, he ex-plained, he finally resorted writing the stories of selfless commitment of the then Eritrean youth as they are. That is perhaps why one can not get enough of hearing the sto-ries of the youth in the struggle told again and again.

One of the hallmarks of Eritreans’ struggle for independence was the unmatched voluntarism that was displayed by the complete selfless-ness and commitment of the youth. It has been said time and again that the real strength of the Eritrean struggle was not the modern weap-ons, or the alliance with the then superpower or any external help. One of the fundamental sources of the strength of the Eritrean struggle was the selfless commitment of the Eritrean youth that prevailed over the seemingly impossible task. In-deed among the pillars of our prin-

ciples was the belief in the decisive role of human factor proving what many have argued that voluntary associations contributes to the

quality and strength of a society.

It is perhaps, precisely for the above fact that one can tell the suc-cess or failure of any endeavor, be it in revolutions or development ef-fort, way before it ends. For the ini-tiated it was not difficult to foretell the failure of America’s infantry in Vietnam, or even in Afghanistan and Iraq. The terrible failures of the various civil wars and some of the so called struggle for liberation of suppressed sections of society can be explained by the lack of volunta-rism on the part of the participants. This might be due to lack of belief in the cause of the struggles or lack of faith in the motive; nonetheless the result strengthens the above ar-gument that with out the heart of a volunteer, no major success can be hoped to be achieved. If we ask for the failure of grand schemes and excellent policies to materialize on the ground, we would invariably find that it lacks the participation of people full heartedly.

There is nothing stronger than the hearts of volunteers. And if there is anything the voluntarism in our struggle for independence has taught us, is that nothing is impos-sible. The Eritrean youth have his-torically been at the centre of social change. Just like in the struggle times, after independence also they

Voluntarism: The Answer To All Challenges

have played a catalytic role in the humongous task of nation build-ing; in the re-construction of the Eritrean economy and infrastruc-ture, and in the many extended so-cial services. They have also paid with their life in the defence of the nation and sacrificed a lot. What made all these endeavors success-ful and effective is that it addressed the heart of the problem that con-cerns the entire people, and hence it invoked the voluntarism and civic participation. All these ben-efits are attributed to the voluntary organization of the youth because it increased and enriched the stock of social capital that a society pos-sesses.

The concern now should be the maintenance of the voluntary par-ticipation of the youth. Because as far as voluntarism is concerned there is a global concern that large section of the youth particularly those who live in rural areas have become marginalized and are not effectively participating in the transformation process. In these countries the failure the most promising, and largest population to participate constructively in the socio-economic transformation of their society could undoubtedly cause a deep frustration for many young people. Indeed in many de-veloping and even developed na-

tions this frustration has been the main cause of frustration that in many cities it is causing the grow-ing levels of youth crime and vio-lence, growing levels of drug and alcohol abuse, increased level of HIV/AIDS incidents, lack of dis-cipline at school etc. All these can undoubtedly affect the social fabric of the society that will eventually lead to destruction.

Eritrea has depended much on the voluntarism of its youth. And now, more than any other time, in the face immense challenge this re-liable source of strength is needed. The trick in prevailing over these challenges lies in maintaining the increased youth involvement in the national development discourse and implementation. However the involvement of youth in the un-folding development processes should not be always be induced. Our youth should proactively seek to be part of the process of devel-opment through their participation. It is this voluntarism of our youth that has been the critical interven-tions in our struggle so far. And it is the most reliable guarantee of the nation’s endeavor in search of economic liberation and indepen-dence. Maintaining this in their heart of our youth is all we have to do to see it accomplish miracles for time to come.

7Eritrea Profile, Wednesday 15th of May, 2013

Filmon Gebrehiwet

When I was young of all the days I used to love Tuesday because my mom has told me that it was my birthday. However, as I grew older I began loving Saturday and Sunday because these are the days I get rest and probably would have enough time to entertain myself, especially watching football games.

Each week is divided into two: the working days mostly involve Monday to Friday and the rest are mostly those referred to as the weekends. Weekends imply both Saturday and Sunday, and in most cases these are the ones known as ‘rest days.’ I heard that Saturday is named after Saturn, the Roman god of farming. The Jews made this day their Sabbath or day of rest and worship, because the Bible says God created the world in six days and took rest on the seventh. And Sunday was named after the Sun. The early Christians classi-fied this day their Sabbath, or day of rest and worship, because Christ rose from death on Sunday.

In our capital, Asmara, the work-ing days usually last from Mon-day to Friday, and in the week-ends some activities are common in the city. Some families, during the weekends, may like to visit relatives; in fact this is the result of a highly socialized society like that of Eritreans. Such practice is part of an entertainment program for many Eritrean families. Every one greets with each other, asking

for how everyone is doing as well as laughing and joking until the planned time is over. Such practice plays great role in fostering unity and solidarity among families and their kids.

Not only this. Some families or individuals may like to go to some of the recreational sites around the city during the weekends. There are some parks around Asmara which are a little bit crowded dur-ing weekends such as Kelete Hotel, TMT, Mai-Sirwa, Dirfo, Biet Gior-gish, which is the only zoo in the country. Not only parks but also some citizens, especially youths may like to visit one of the night-clubs in the city. Such clubs, es-pecially those located in the Expo grounds like Banifer, West End, Molober and the like are usually crowded during weekends.

Another activity of Eritreans that are common here in the capital and that have been adopted as habitual ones, especially among the follow-ers of the Christian faith, is that of visiting church to participate in the liturgy that usually takes place from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. It is delighting to watch people standing and pray-ing inside the church compound and what a beautiful view it is to witness all such citizens wearing netsela (traditional white garment). After the liturgy is over, everyone goes home with blessing and usu-ally the participants of the liturgy bring seti (tiny long grass) home and spread it around the floor at home. And in almost every house it

is after the Church’s program that the coffee ceremony takes place. Such an act is believed to bring blessing to the household.

The biggest of the weekend ac-tivities here in the capital is the marriage ceremony. Not only in Asmara but in almost all parts of the country, especially in places where Christianity is the faith of those concerned, marriage cere-mony takes place during the week-ends. The formality of the ceremo-ny starts early in Saturday morning during which the bride and bride-groom go to church for a matrimo-ny. And in the wake of photo shoots within the church precinct, a short breakfast program is conducted before the bridegroom returns the

Weekends In Asmara

bride back to her family. Then on the same day in the evening, there would take place guayla (Tigrigna dance) program in the family house of the bride where the families of side, as well as friends and rela-tives dance and have fun. Then in the next day, on early Sunday, the bride and groom proceed to one of the parks in or around Asmara for taking photos. Except during re-ligious feasts, all the parks in and around the capital are full of brides and bridegrooms, as well as their relatives, all of whom are having their photos taken.

Another activity of the citi-zenry during the weekends is that of watching football games from around the globe. Citizens, particu-

larly those in Asmara, are fans of the English Premier League. In-dividuals of different age usually watch premier league games in most cases during the weekends, and it’s a common practice in the city after the game is over to have tea with friends and everyone gives comment about how the game was. Not only do citizens watch foreign games but also domestic football matches that take place in Cicero (Asmara Stadium) during the week-ends. However, the fans are ofthen few in number. Not only watch-ing football is a common practice in the capital during the weekends but also playing soccer takes the upper hand. On weekends, many desolate streets of the city are usu-ally full of kids playing football. It is especially amusing to see old people forming teams and playing football in places like Barka, Keih Bahri and other secondary schools, around little cicero, Ferrovia and the like, to keep themselves health-ier. Another sport highly known for its fans here in Asmara is cy-cling which takes place on Sunday morning. Thousands of people of-ten flow to the streets of the capital where the race takes place to watch and motivate the riders. Moreover, it is the outcome of this unbreak-able spirit that many Eritrean riders are by now professionals, and the national cycling team is the leading champion at the continental level in Africa.

Shopping is also another activity that is mostly practiced on Satur-day morning. The market at city center is always crowded during that day, and most of the time fresh products such as vegetables and fruits are supplied to the market on Saturdays.

8Eritrea Profile, Wednesday 15th of May, 2013

Some 78,000 people from 120 countries have applied for a one-way trip project of settlement in the Red Planet run by the Dutch nonprofit company Mars One.

Deforestation in the Amazon region could significantly reduce the amount of electricity produced from hydropower, says a new study.

Scientists say the rainforest is critical in generating the streams and rivers that ultimately turn turbines.

If trees continue to be felled, the energy produced by one of the world’s biggest dams could be cut by a third.

The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Many countries in tropical regions are turning to hydropower as an untapped source of energy. In Brazil around 45 new hydro plants are in the planning stage.

Rainforests, by their very name, are prime locations for the dams

The company plans to send a few willing pioneers on a one-way trip, with no chance of returning to Earth.

The project is scheduled to

apply existing technology and be funded through sponsors and private investors.

Few months ago, the company released its basic astronaut requirements for the plan to call not only scientists or pilots but anyone who is at least 18 years old.

Recruiting for a ‘mission to the Red Planet in 2023’ started from April 22 during a televised global selection process based on some criteria.

Intelligence, good mental and physical health as well as dedication to the project are concerned as the most important criteria for the project titled “Inhabitants Wanted.”

“The eligible applicants need to take eight years of training before their launch programmed for 2023.”

Final astronaut candidates will be selected after review by Mars One experts during their Earth-based training, officials said.

“Gone are the days when bravery and the number of hours flying a supersonic jet were the top criteria,” Mars One’s chief medical director and a former NASA researcher Norbert Kraft had earlier said.

“Now, we are more concerned with how well each astronaut works and lives with the others, in the long journey from Earth to Mars and for a lifetime of challenges ahead,” Kraft added.

A series of robotic cargo missions will be launched between 2016 and 2021 to prepare a habitable Red Planet outpost before the arrival of the first four immigrants in 2023.

More settlers are planned to leave Earth for the Red Planet every two years after the first group. “There are no plans to return the pioneers to Earth.”

“The Mars One astronauts will depart Earth with the assumption they will never return . . . Mars becomes their new home, where they will live and work for what will likely be the remainder of their lives,” announced on the Mars One website.

that are usually required to create the force of water needed to generate electric power.

Until now the presumption has been that cutting down the trees near a dam actually increased the amount of water flowing into the dams.

But in this new study the

Mars One Colonization Scheme Submits 78,000 Applications

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says the United States has made a ‘grave mistake’ in refusing to acknowledge his victory in the recent presidential election.

The statement came on Saturday after US President Barack Obama recently rejected to say whether Washington recognized Maduro as the new president of Venezuela.

“I believe (the United States) is committing a grave mistake, one more in its policy towards Latin America,” Maduro stated.

“It is making a tremendous mistake because Venezuela plays a leadership role in Latin America and the world,” the Venezuelan president said.

Maduro defeated opposition leader Henrique Capriles on April

14 by receiving 50.7 percent of the vote against 49.1 percent. However, Capriles has claimed vote irregularities.

In addition, Maduro said Obama was “convinced” by his advisors to refuse to recognize the election results. “They promised him that I would be ousted in 24 or 48 hours, or that there would be a violent crisis in the country.”

Also, in reference to the election and the deadly protests that followed, Maduro called Obama the “grand chief of devils” on May 3 and said the US president had given “his blessing for the fascist right wing to attack Venezuela’s democracy.”

Venezuela and the United States have not exchanged ambassadors since 2010.

US Committing Grave Mistake On Venezuela, Maduro Says

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a press conference in Caracas on May 9, 2013

researchers took a broader look at the climate projections for the Amazon basin and not just at the rivers on which the dams were built.

They found that rainforests are more critical than previously thought as they produce the rain that fills the streams that ultimately

Washington has dispatched more troops closer to Libya in the wake of the attack on a US consulate in the North African country so diplomatic personnel can be protected or evacuated in case of any potential threat, the Pentagon has announced.

“We are prepared to respond if necessary, if conditions deteriorate or if we were called upon,” Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters in Washington on Monday.

“Obviously we have moved assets and personnel,” he said, without providing any more details.

On September 11, 2012, clashes broke out at the US consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi after a group of people held a demonstration to protest against a movie deemed offensive to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

US Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three staff members of the US consulate were killed during clashes at the consulate building.

The incident occurred following a massive demonstration held earlier in the day in neighboring Egypt to condemn the anti-Islam movie.

Little added that the additional military forces were stationed at the NATO air base in Sigonella on the Italian island of Sicily.

He went on to say that some of the troops had come from a base in southern Spain, where 500 Marines, troop transport planes, and refueling aircraft were recently deployed.

On May 8, the United States decreased the staff at its embassy in Tripoli, citing the deteriorating security situation.

Britain adopted similar measures after a car bomb attack on the French Embassy in Tripoli injured two French citizens on April 23.

Meanwhile, a car bombing in a hospital parking lot in Benghazi killed at least 15 people, including children, and injured 30 others on Monday.

The blast occurred in a crowded area near al-Galaa Hospital.

Benghazi was the birthplace of the 2011 uprising that toppled long-time Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. It is largely governed by militias in the absence of unified Libyan security and military forces.

The former rebels refuse to lay down their arms, despite efforts by the central government to impose law and order.

Benghazi has been the scene of numerous attacks and assassinations over the past year as the power struggles between militiamen have intensified.

US Moves Military Forces Closer To Libya: Pentagon Spokesman

A vehicle and the surrounding area are engulfed in flames after it was set on fire inside the US consulate compound in Benghazi on September 11, 2012.

(file photo)

drives the rivers and the turbines. The scientists found that thanks

to current levels of deforestation in the region, rainfall is 6-7 percent lower than it would be with full forest cover. Predictions for 2050 suggest a 40% loss of forest, meaning significantly less rain and 35-40 less electric power.

They researchers looked closely at Brazil’s highly controversial Belo Monte dam, said to be the world’s third largest hydropower project. If deforestation continues the scientists say, the project will deliver 30% less power than currently estimated. That’s equivalent to the energy used by 4 million Brazilians.

The proposed Belo Monte dam will be one of the biggest in the world, but deforestation could limit the amount of energy generated

rainforest Plays Critical role In Hydropower Generation