Critical Looks on Eritrea: Interview with Marcel Claxton

Critical Looks on Eritrea: Interview with Marcel Claxton

“If we can’t take Eritrea, why we don’t take Eritreans away?”

By Yosief Abraham Z

On December 3 of 2017, Marcel Claxton presented a deeply researched, cross-referenced and magnetizing paper to Concordia University of Canada. This paper pays its glance on Eritrea, its apparent challenges and opportunities. Yosief Abraham Z, Executive Director of HorMid Media and Art Center, has interviewed him on the contents profoundly. Appreciated for his intent, Yosief has the details:

*Thank you for this moment Claxton. Let’s start with your peculiar interest on Eritrea? What are the instigating factors?

In the world media, targeted countries are always the most dark stars in the confusion galaxy. Vietnam had once the amplification; Iraq also passed this on its war with Kuwait. Nigeria‘s Biafra gloom, Iran’s revolution and other countries, were largely targeted in different era of the world media. We have now—over Syria and Yemen—Eritrea. Why a country has substituted negatively the famousness of Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo provokes the intent.

*on page 3, you have stated of the global immigration phenomenon. But if there are claims that underscore Asmara as behind the reason for the immigration of Eritrean youth, then how shall contextualize, analyze this, profoundly?

J.K. Marcel Claxton

The national service question is there; but no one dare to exert maximum efforts to persuade Ethiopia for border demarcation. Even the BBC Tigrigna has, recently, been told that the number of Ethiopian youth is more tripled than Eritreans. But Eritrea is the target while your arch-foe—Ethiopia---is an ally. I know, for instance, that the Assyrian exodus from Iraq to US and neighbor countries is the worst in its immigration phenomenon. The 2009 Catholic Almanac puts that the Assyrians left Iraq accounted to 1 million; now, therefore, only below 200,000 are in Iraq. This happened from 2003 until 2011 and, assuredly, has been continuing in stealth manner. Since US is behind the crisis in Iraq, don’t expect streams to cover as Eritrea has been targeted.

What about those displaced and immigrated to Algeria because of Morocco and Saharawi Al-Arab dispute? What about the South Sudanese immigration to four neighbor countries? South Africa, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, USA and other countries are full of Ethiopian immigrants. Overall, however, Eritrea is selected to be slaughtered and alienated through Medias’ blades, fabricated knives.

*For instance, you have detailed the challenges for Eritrea on page six. But if one posed did Eritrea selected the alienation, to be isolated, or it is more installed by different quarters, what would be your answer?

As one cajoled, if Eritrea has enabled to stretch its hand to Ethiopia and led it to debacles, to Sudan and destabilize it, yet again, if Eritrea has been successful in shaking the pillars of Somalia and Djibouti, even more surprising if it had once supported rebels in Central African Republic and helped North Korea to supply arms to Africa, then Eritrea is a strong nation that has more money and intelligence more than the states Eritrea has victimized!

When you add the name of Eritrea to the allegations of supporting to Hamas and allowing Israel on its Red Sea territory, you would surprise how a small nation was related directly and indirectly to Djibouti, Ethiopia, North Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Israel, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Qatar, Yemen, Libya, Iran, Norway and USA, gives you the clue: will Eritrea has financial or military power to isolate all these aforementioned states?

*On page 43 details of economy crossroads for developing world, you claimed Ethiopia and Sudan, and within different parameters, Angola and Uganda, are gaining more because of Eritrean immigrants. What are the evidences?

In the mid of 2017, European Union, United Kingdom and the World Bank launched massive program to ‘aid refuges by creating sustainable job opportunities.’ Ethiopia succeeded over Sudan and Uganda for the bid and consequentially agreed to establish two industrial parks. The project costs about half-a-billion. Ethiopia propagated to establish them soon and to generate about 100,000 jobs, of 30,000 from this, to be reserved for refugees. But nothing has been done in demobilizing the refugees from camps; Ethiopia is only absorbing huge financial accumulations in the name of refugees.

On the matters of Angola and Uganda, Eritreans are one of the six top investors in different large business sectors. They are major role players in the commerce landscape like the Chinese, Indian or Lebanese. That is why you are authenticating such facts on the economy.

*And in the Concordia presentation, one asked you why then Eritreans have been investing in other countries if they are in deep contact with their country.

I believe the Asmara government doesn’t want to see a black Trump who would control current and future politics of the country with their monetary power, financial gains. One family overwhelms Syria’s politics; Pakistan had the same line until recent years. Angola was under kleptomaniac and rich man for over thirty years. May I state from your article “When Money Flourishes Politics: 

Plutocracy in USA vs. Germany” to ‘the Egyptian Gazette’ before seven months. If Eritrea paid 110,000 martyrs, would that be easy 110 millionaires to purchase the nation and its treasure as mobile card for their own purpose? Then would this be a conclusion that sacrifice by Eritreans is made for benefiting a few individuals? These have to be considered deep from higher officials to traders’ path.

For sure, immigration and money purchased through politics intends to implement the policy of ‘if we can’t take Eritrea, why we don’t take Eritreans away’ is the philosophy.

*And in the conclusion, you warned on those who let Ethiopia’s marching from shallow base to deep quagmires of political instabilities notoriously. On page 38, you also added that there are two Ethiopia. More clarification on this…

If Ethiopia failed, all neighbor countries would be remained challenged; all ethnic groups that exist in neighbor countries also exist in Ethiopia. In addition to this, in the past one decade, we witnessed to Ethiopia: the virtual one and the real Ethiopia. The real Ethiopia is the worst instable country among the federal states; economy growth is making rich to a few individuals. Political movements are assimilating tribal and ethnical lineages. The real Ethiopia is still a good haven for unlisted army insurgents; all to all, Ethiopia is succeeded in creating nine states in one nation.

The virtual Ethiopia is the fastest economy recorder in Africa, an important and vital ally of the West in the most fragile region, a peace moderator in the trajectory part of the world. The list goes on like that!

I appreciate for your time and I and my crew hope in recent times to brief some of your articles to the public. Thank you.

Thank you for the time. Moreover, I appreciate artist Fitsum Semere, from Asmara, for his fabulous painting and Bilal for the background of cover of the book tremendously.

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Yosief Abraham Z is a freelance journalist and Executive Director to Media and Art Center. You can contact him at josiabraham29@gmail.com

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