president isaias sends message to president salva...

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Vol. 26 No. 35 Saturday, June 29, 2019 Pages 8, Price 2.00 NFA Presidential Adviser Mr. Yemane Gebreab on 26 June met and held talks with President Salva Kiir Myardit of South Sudan in Juba and delivered message from President Isaias Afwerki. President Isaias Afwerki’s Denden Business School has graduated a total of 462 students including 333 females on 27 June in Book Keeping, Secretarial Science, Library Science and Material Management. Noting that the most valuable resource of a country is its human capacity, Mr. Habtegiorgis Tedros, Head of the school, said that investing in human development has doubled advantage. Mr. Habtegiorigis went on to say that the graduates have received two years of theoretical and practical training. He also called on the graduates to live up to the expectations of the people and Eritrean nationals in Italy, Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of South Sudan have conducted various activities depicting their attachment with their homeland. The national Associations in Italy, Eritrean community, PFDJ and YPFDJ and the National Union of Eritrean Women organizations as well as the committees of Media and Diplomacy conducted six months activity assessment meeting. Noting that the new era ACTIVITIES BY ERITREAN NATIONALS IN DIASPORA DENDEN BUSINESS SCHOOL GRADUATES 462 STUDENTS PRESIDENT ISAIAS SENDS MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT SALVA KIIR message focused on bilateral relations between the two countries as well as regional developments in general and that of current situation in Sudan. At the meeting the two sides agreed on the importance of consultation and integration between the two countries on regional matters. unfolding in the region is the result of the strong resilience and steadfastness of the Eritrean people, Mr. Fisehatsion Petros, Eritrean Ambassador to Italy, called on the nationals to strengthen participation and contribution in the implementation of the national development drive. The participants on their part expressed readiness to strengthen organizational capacity and contribution to the national development endeavors. Likewise, at a seminar the Eritrean nationals residing in Sydney and Adelaide, Australia, conducted, the Consul General of Eritrea in Australia and New Zealand, Mr. Mehari Tekeste, gave extensive briefing on the peace and stability unfolding in the region. In the same vein at a seminar conducted to Eritrean nationals residing in the Awil region, the Eritrean Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan, Mr. Yohannes Teklemichael, called for strengthening organizational capacity and participation in the national development programs. The Ministry of Land, Water and Environment organized training on Global Monitoring and Environmental Security from 24 to 28 June. The objective of the training was to build capacity of the staff of the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment in maintenance of the MESA station and the thematic experts in the analysis of Earth Observation data and use in environmental TRAINING ON GLOBAL MONITORING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY Government that provided them the opportunity. At the event, medals and certificate of recognition were handed out to students who demonstrated excellence during their academic years and teachers as well as to parents’ committee. The representative of the graduates on his part expressed appreciation for the opportunity they were provided and expressed readiness to play due part in the nation-building process. Denden Business School is graduating students for the 17th time. monitoring. The five days training that was organized in cooperation with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Prediction and Application Center was attended by 26 staff members of the Ministries of Land, Water continued on page 8

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Vol. 26 No. 35 Saturday, June 29, 2019 Pages 8, Price 2.00 NFA

Presidential Adviser Mr. Yemane Gebreab on 26 June met and held talks with President Salva Kiir Myardit of South Sudan in Juba and delivered message from President Isaias Afwerki.

President Isaias Afwerki’s

Denden Business School has graduated a total of 462 students including 333 females on 27 June in Book Keeping, Secretarial Science, Library Science and Material Management.

Noting that the most valuable resource of a country is its human capacity, Mr. Habtegiorgis Tedros, Head of the school, said that investing in human development has doubled advantage. Mr. Habtegiorigis went on to say that the graduates have received two years of theoretical and practical training. He also called on the graduates to live up to the expectations of the people and

Eritrean nationals in Italy, Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of South Sudan have conducted various activities depicting their attachment with their homeland.

The national Associations in Italy, Eritrean community, PFDJ and YPFDJ and the National Union of Eritrean Women organizations as well as the committees of Media and Diplomacy conducted six months activity assessment meeting.

Noting that the new era

Activities by eritreAn nAtionAls in DiAsporADenDen business school

grADuAtes 462 stuDents

presiDent isAiAs senDs messAge to presiDent sAlvA Kiir

message focused on bilateral relations between the two countries as well as regional developments in general and that of current situation in Sudan.

At the meeting the two sides

agreed on the importance of consultation and integration between the two countries on regional matters.

unfolding in the region is the result of the strong resilience and steadfastness of the Eritrean people, Mr. Fisehatsion Petros, Eritrean Ambassador to Italy, called on the nationals to strengthen participation and contribution in the implementation of the national development drive.

The participants on their part expressed readiness to strengthen organizational capacity and contribution to the national development endeavors.

Likewise, at a seminar the

Eritrean nationals residing in Sydney and Adelaide, Australia, conducted, the Consul General of Eritrea in Australia and New Zealand, Mr. Mehari Tekeste, gave extensive briefing on the peace and stability unfolding in the region.

In the same vein at a seminar conducted to Eritrean nationals residing in the Awil region, the Eritrean Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan, Mr. Yohannes Teklemichael, called for strengthening organizational capacity and participation in the national development programs.

The Ministry of Land, Water and Environment organized training on Global Monitoring and Environmental Security from 24 to 28 June. The objective of the training was to build capacity of the staff of the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment in maintenance of the MESA station and the thematic experts in the analysis of Earth Observation data and use in environmental

trAining on globAl monitoring AnD environmentAl security

Government that provided them the opportunity.

At the event, medals and certificate of recognition were handed out to students who demonstrated excellence during their academic years and teachers as well as to parents’ committee.

The representative of the graduates on his part expressed appreciation for the opportunity they were provided and expressed readiness to play due part in the nation-building process.

Denden Business School is graduating students for the 17th time.

monitoring.

The five days training that was organized in cooperation with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Prediction and Application Center was attended by 26 staff members of the Ministries of Land, Water

continued on page 8

Published Every Saturday & Wednesday

Acting EditorAmanuel [email protected]

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

E-mail:profile@ zena.gov.er

Advertisement: 12-50-13

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Azmera BerhaneSara Alem

Published Every Saturday & Wednesday

Acting Editor Amanuel [email protected]

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

E-mail:[email protected]

Advertisement: 12-50-13

LayoutAzmera Berhane

Sara Alem

Published Every Saturday & Wednesday

Acting Editor Amanuel [email protected]

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

E-mail:[email protected]

Advertisement: 12-50-13

LayoutAzmera Berhane

Sara Alem

Published Every Wednesday & Saturday

Acting Editor Amanuel Mesfun

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

E-mail:[email protected]: 12-50-13

LayoutAzmera Berhane

Aida Johar

2Vol. 26 No. 35Eritrea Profile, Saturday, June 29, 2019

Al-Jazeera English TV channel has ratcheted up its smear and defamation campaigns against Eritrea these days. The stats tell it all: Inside Story ran three programmes in the past month alone; Al-Jazeera’s AJ-Stream has also chipped in to broadcast 2 programmes of vitriol in the same period.

Why? What is behind this frantic campaign?

In all these instances, Al-Jazeera has invited rabid regime-change “foreign experts” and Eritrean quislings; some of them involved in criminal human trafficking rackets. Al-Jazeera has also teamed up with Amnesty International in its latest programmes. The latter has been caught red-handed in 2012 when it tried to infiltrate some of its members into Eritrea to advance, what it called the “cause of regime change”. This week, AI

Al-Jazeera: A persistent campaign that remains

hollow and futile

went further to issue a malicious and libelous report that accuses Eritrean youth abroad “of waging a campaign of intimidation” against so-called human rights activists. AI’s sources: the same culprits, who have in fact been and are openly, advocating for violence and assassinations in Eritrea and in the Diaspora.

To dwell on the contents of Al-Jazeera’s ludicrous recent broadcasts is pointless and a waste of time. Indeed, all these programmes invariably revolve on recycling, ad nauseam, the same fabricated lies by the same

disgruntled elements. Critical dimensions of the

smear campaign that must be broached at this juncture are the underlying motives and specific timing.

The pretentious veneer aside, Al-Jazeera is not, indeed, an independent TV channel. Its well-known sponsors have deep pockets and the Channel has, virtually, no editorial autonomy. Al-Jazeera’s central mission in fact seems confined to sheepishly project the soft-power of its sponsors. This is clearly discernible in the regional agendas it seeks to influence.

In this respect, recent developments and trends in the Horn are not moving in the direction its sponsors had banked

on. • Broadly speaking,

Moslem Brotherhood influence in the region has been waning in several countries where all its affiliated political groups had substantial presence before. Closer ties of cooperation and consultation between the Horn of Africa countries will likely reduce external interferences that are aimed at advancing sectarian agendas that undermine societal harmony, and peace and stability in the region.

• Recent strategic re-alignments also do not bode well for those with myopic perspectives, limited sphere of influence, and fledgling regional credibility. The Horn of Africa seeks genuine partners and honest brokers for stable peace.

Long gone are the days of sowing discord in the region, and using Eritrea as the scapegoat. • A third factor is

Eritrea’s growing prominence in international forums widely acknowledged contribution to regional stability and security. In this regard, Eritrea’s election to the UN Human Rights Council has evidently frustrated their decade-long campaign to cast the country as “a pariah State” and thereby encourage and instigate unwarranted intervention to plunge the country into perpetual chaos.

Al Jazeera’s futile attempts to disparage Eritrea will not diminish Eritrea’s critical role in the region. It will only further corrode Al-Jazeera’s relevance and credibility.

local news

At an assessment meeting conducted on 24 and 25 June, the National Union of Eritrean Women reported that effort is being made to boost the role of partners in empowering women.

Commending the participation of the friends of the union in the effort in controlling backward and harmful practices as well as underage marriages, the report called on the friends to strengthen participation for better outcome.

Indicating that commendable achievement has been registered in the adult education program, the participants expressed readiness to reinforce participation in the endeavors of the union.

Pointing out the significance of the role of women in a society, Ms. Amna Hassan, Head of the NUEW branch in the region, said that the Union is giving utmost attention to strengthen organizational capacity and ensuring the health of mothers and children in cooperation with stakeholders.

Sister Yihdega Andehaimanot from the NUEW Central Office on her part called on women to increase participation in the effort to empower women and develop themselves with vocational skills and education.

effort to increAse role of nueW pArtners

Over one million tree seedlings are ready for plantation across the country through the Students Summer Work Program. The report was made by the head of the Summer Work Program at the Ministry of Education, Mr. Fitwi Woldegergis.

Indicating that the Summer Work Program has already started in the Southern Red Sea region on 1 June, Mr. Fitwi said that the other regions will start from 2 July in the Central region and from 8 July in the rest of the regions.

Mr. Fitwi went on to say that the Summer Work Program that will be participated by over 30 thousand students and 1500 caretakers will include soil and water conservation, tree planting, construction of terraces as well as renovation of dirt roads.

The soil and water conservation activities will be conducted at schools, public institutions, as well as renovating school desks and chairs, Mr. Fitwi added.

The Students Summer Work Program commenced in 1994 and that so far over 24 million tree seedlings have been planted and over 16 thousand km of terraces have been constructed.

over one million seeDlings reADy for plAntAtion

gatherings because I smelled bad. My life became very hard. I could not talk to anyone about my condition because of shame,” Mrs. Rigat recounted.

“It made my life completely unbearable.”

Fortunately, her family stood by her. “Especially my husband assisted me with everything available in his power. I am happy, healthy and hopeful again after the operation,” she said. “I am a capable member of society once more and can start over with my child, husband and family members and live a normal life,” she said.

Mrs. Asha Kerar, one of the patients who married underage, from Agum (sub-zone of Barentu) had given birth without a health attendant and as a result suffered terribly. This had left her with severe obstetric fistula. “Similar to other fistula survivors I have benefitted from counseling and the vocational training which

will help me re-establish my life. I was divorced because of the problem that happened to me and my life was ruined, but now I can’t wait to go home to reunite with my family and restart my life. We are very thankful to the doctors who took care of us so well,” she said.

Nurse Yirgalem called upon every woman suffering from obstetric fistula to seek help without any concern and shame. “I also want to tell them to be careful not to go through childbirth without a skilled birth attendant to assist them during delivery,” she added.

3Vol. 26 No. 35Eritrea Profile, Saturday, June 29, 2019

Habtom Tesfamichael

Fistula is a devastating injury which is almost always sustained in childbirth, after an obstructed labour. This happens when the delivery of the baby stops often because the baby’s head is too big to pass through the mother’s pelvis. It is a tragic condition that leaves women leaking urine, feces or both. It can lead to chronic medical problems and cause social exclusion. Women are often abandoned by their husbands and sometimes by their own families because of their incontinence and unpleasant smell. They face depression and social isolation—either self-imposed or caused by their communities.

According to the Unite Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), around two million women are living with this affliction in the developing countries and around 50 to 100 thousand encounter this problem annually but only fifteen thousand of them get proper treatment and rehabilitation.

On the 11th June, 2019 the International Day of Fistula was marked at the Kudo Himbasha Hall in Mendefera under a theme “let’s work together to end fistula”. One of the areas Eritrea has achieved remarkable success in the health sector has been reducing child and mother mortality rates and things related with it such as fistula. A fistula rehabilitation center was opened on the premises of the Mendefera Referral Hospital to treat women with these kinds of problems.

Yirgalem Issak works as a head nurse at the Fistula Treatment Center based at the Mendefera Referral Hospital. She says “any hole between the birth canal and bladder or rectum, which causes pain and chronic infections, is called fistula. It causes incontinence, which often leads to women’s social isolation”.

It prevents women from getting together with their relatives and family members because of the bad smell. They become fed up with their lives. Some of them get divorced because of their incapability which creates further social problems for themselves

Helping Women to Regain their Dignityand the family at large. “They have to work at home, cooking, cleaning and doing laundry as housewives but are not able to do any of that properly. This makes them feel incapable and useless in society”.

The main causes attributed to this problem are underage

marriage and rape although they can be experienced by any mother who encounters prolonged labor. Especially when it happens to underage mothers, the effect could be severe because they are not prepared both physically and mentally to give birth. As a result it is often hard for them to tolerate it and cope with it.

Nurse Yirgalem says usually when the patients are first admitted to hospital they arrive chronically ill. They refrain from eating and drinking to avoid having to go to the waste room which often leads them to become underweight and severely malnourished. These problems, coupled with the grime, aggravate their injury. In some cases these problems cause disability in their legs that may be cured or become permanent for some of them.

“The first thing we do when they first arrive here is that we help them get a balanced diet and check their hygiene. What is equally important is the intense psychological assistance we offer in order to rehabilitate them fast. The effects are much more than the physical pain. Therefore they must be brainwashed before they undergo medical surgeries,” says Nurse Yirgalem.

She remembers a woman with fistula who was severely malnourished, weighing only 25 kg when she was admitted to hospital. She couldn’t even stretch her legs. “When we gave her all the necessary treatments, she quickly recovered and her weight increased instantly to 56 kg,” she recounts. She is now fully recovered and pregnant for her second child. Most of the women who get rehabilitated at the center go to the hospital to give birth if they get pregnant again.

Treatment at the fistula center does not end with the surgeries and post-operative medical care. Other than the medical assistance, the center also provides vocational training such as weaving, literacy and hair braiding with the help of the National Union of Eritrean Women and the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students in order to help them sustain their lives after their discharge. This has proved to be very helpful in the past and will continue with further motivation.

The National Fistula Rehabilitation Center was opened in 2007 in Mendefera Referral Hospital. Before the rehabilitation center was opened, patients were called through

radio announcements every six months. The fistula operation started in 2004 in Massawa. Then it moved to Dekemhare in 2006 where it offered treatments for three rounds. The operations were led and conducted by committed health workers such as the renowned Dr. Habte and Dr. Morgan at this time. Currently, the center receives patients from all over the country. Some of the patients are treated permanently at the center while others come in every three months after the initial surgeries and medication. The center covers the cost of treatment, medication and transport for patients, and supports training for the hospital’s expert fistula surgeon.

The center has increased its capacity and is gaining experience. It is now recruiting new health professionals specializing in this area. The operation it offers is also improving from time to time. Nurse Yirgalem recommended that the campaign on the awareness of this disease should increase in order to prevent the social isolation the women face and help them get immediate and proper treatment.

Mrs. Rigat Yakob came to Mendefera from Tesseney to get treatment for her fistula. She encountered a prolonged labor in hospital at Tesseny and was referred to Barentu and then to the National Fistula Rehabilitation Center in Mendefera. She suffered terribly while giving birth to her third child.

“At the beginning, I was ashamed to tell anyone that I had fistula. Most of the time, I could not take part in social

Mrs. Rigat Yakob

Mrs. Asha Kerar

Nurse Yirgalem Issak

4Vol. 26 No. 35Eritrea Profile, Saturday, June 29, 2019

Abrahaley Habte

Listening is a skill many people do not develop. Often, people assume that they are listening while what they are actually doing is hearing. They do not understand many factors hamper them from listening effectively. They do not realize their wrong assumptions about the speaker, and the issue renders their listening ineffective.

A story by Mr. Siltan Kebedom, the author of Hiywetwen Dob Alowa (Literally, Even Life Has a Limit), a collection of Tigrigna stories, brought this truth home to me. The story, Xilalot Rizvan Lukas, (The Shadow of Rizvan Lukas), is the story of a beautiful young woman with an uncommon Eritrean name. Audacious and with keen knowledge of her beauty and the power this gives her on men, Rizvan ensnares rich men and fleeces them of their wealth. They are ensnared (one after another) despite the warning they receive from her victim.

Hiywetwen Dob Alowa is a collection of 12 stories, most of which have women characters, most of whom do not share much with one another. Some old, others young, some cultured, others unexposed to modernity, they represent the various sections of the society. In short, Hiywetwen Dob Alowa could be taken as a study of Tigrigna women.

Through one story, Mr. Siltan has us read about the troubles of a rape victim. Living in a society that is not sympathetic to such victims, she keeps her agony to herself, keeping it a secret from the two closest people in her life (her husband and her friend). The woman wrestles with her conscience whether to reveal the secret to her husband and her friend, and agonizes about the consequences of such a bold and uncommon decision. Hade Kem Lekatit is a commentary on a society that stigmatizes victims of rape, and how such indifference contributes to its unhappiness.

In Fiori Nimen (Who Should the Flower Be), Mr. Siltan

Hiywetwen Dob Alowa - The Study of Tigrigna Womentells the story of a young man, misunderstood by the woman he loves deeply. Without condoning the failures of the young man, the author describes the young woman as unforgiving and as unsympathetic, who doesn’t try to put herself in his shoes. His pleas fall on her deaf ears and she judges him as unsuitable for a mistake he once committed.

One of the strengths of Hiywetwen Dob Alowa is that it is a thought-provoking book, with stories that show us how we are behaving as human beings, and where this may lead us. In a futurist story, Masao, Eti Koskuasi Tekli, (Masao - the Gardner) with a Japanese scientist, as its main character, and his Eritrean assistant as its narrator, he shows how technology may transform life (music, travel, literature, etc.), and how such transformation would have a catastrophic effect on human beings, on their well-being. Through this story, which depicts a crazy world where criminals, aided by technology, evade justice, he suggests such life to be not worth-living, and reminds readers that people (with their selfish lifestyles) are fast approaching that frightening future. It is noteworthy that the story has no woman as a character, while the two men make a complex computer, which reveals

the future for them.

It won’t be true to suggest, let alone state, that Hiywetwen Dob Alowa depicts all women as unfriendly, unsympathetic, and unreliable. It has stories in which they are depicted as loving and understanding human beings. In Maiteb ZarTonay Askale (ZarTonay Askale’s Faith), Mr. Siltan tells us about a woman, kidnapped by a young man, whose father, a priest, was unfairly treated and murdered. She, finally, brings about his reconciliation with the community and makes peace between her husband and the community. Similarly, in Godena Hifret (Shyness Street), Mr. Siltan has the picture of a typical Tigrigna woman, who kept her love for a young man, her school mate, to herself until they accidentally met again in college. By the end of the story, the author makes us ask: “Why should she wait all these years if she loved him?” and opens our eyes to how oppressive the Tigrigna culture is, which discourages women from expressing their feelings for men they love.

This is not a matter that should be treated lightly. And it is not also just about the liberation of women. Neither is it about individuals, but about the whole society. A

society’s happiness depends on it. A woman who can’t choose her life partner is not only not-free but is also unhappy. Her unhappiness spills over to the rest of the family and affects her husband and her children.

In Gahmi Libi (Blindness of the Heart), Mr. Siltan recounts the story of a man named Amare and a young woman named Yanet. Both Amare and Yanet meet at a New Year party, and she immediately falls in love with him, as he with her. On his part, he takes an initiative to build a relationship but doesn’t succeed as he hoped. Similarly, Yanet tries to reach him but fails in the same way. He meets her again about two years later. By then, she has married another man and has a child. Unbeknownst to him and her (that they had met before), they have a chat in which she complains of her husband: “We have lived together for two years and five months. Now, it is surprising that he still doesn’t know where I spend my Sunday afternoons!”

Honestly, most of the stories are very readable, and, in fact, you read one or two of them more than once. Such are Gahmi Libi and Xilalot Rizvan Lukas. However, it is the stories whose main characters have unpleasant characters that

grab our attention, and make us question if Mr. Siltan has been fair to women in his depiction of them. Most certainly, Rizvan Lukas is not the kind of woman that walks the streets of Asmara. Neither can she represent other Eritrean women, for she is a very ruthless woman, a very rare kind of woman. The other woman, an unnamed one, (referred to as Regu’s wife), is morally unacceptable to most Eritreans. She is the kind of woman who has not divorced her husband but has started to live with another man when her husband lived far away. Her actions become all the more unpleasant as her husband and her son pay dearly for the comfort of the family. One cannot fail to notice the similarity between Regu’s wife and Yanet, for both thought the author doesn’t tell us why Regu’s wife abandoned her husband; it could be because she was not happy with him.

In short, Hiywetwen Dob Alowa can be taken as a study of Tigrigna women for the author has taken lots of care depicting the life and character of Tigrigna women, and they appear prominently in his stories. It is the women who stand out; even in some of the stories they may not be the principal characters, pointing to Mr. Siltan’s purpose.

Hiywetwen Dob Alowa makes an interesting reading, and through it Mr. Siltan not only entertains us but also opens our eyes to the factors that limit women’s lives. As long as women do not overcome these obstacles, we are made to think, they cannot be happy. And they cannot be happy, we are made to conclude, if they cannot make their own (small or big) decisions.

I don’t, however, think readers will be able to derive untainted joy out of their reading. One passes through the pages as if one were driving through a road with many potholes. One is reminded of a ride, made uncomfortable by the potholes in the road. Truly, some of the letters used in the place of another spoil the readers’ pleasure, and sometimes one is annoyed by the little mistake one encounters in the stories.

5Vol. 26 No. 35Eritrea Profile, Saturday, June 29, 2019

The Permanent Mission of the State of Eritrea to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva wishes to provide clarification on the erroneous assertions made by the “Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea” in a News Release issued on 21 June 2019.

The “Special Rapporteur” alleges, among other things, the curtailment of Catholic Church activities in Eritrea.

Eritrea is a secular nation within a societal context of Christian, Islamic and other faiths which have co-existed peacefully for centuries. Christianity was introduced in 329 A.D. and Islam in 615 A.D. The Eritrean people are not only pious practitioners of their respective faiths but all Eritrean cities, towns and village are notable, perhaps uniquely, as places where churches of various denominations (Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant) and mosques are found in proximity or juxtaposed to each other. (Asmara has one Synagogue serving literally a couple of Jewish families).

Based on this centuries old tradition and culture of tolerance, the right to belief has further been enshrined in Eritrea’s modern Civil and Penal Codes. The country

PERMANENT MISSION OF THE STATE OF ERITREA TO THE UNITED NATIONS GENEVA

Students in Gash Barka region who demonstrated excellence in their eighth grade national examination have received Tamfeda Award at a ceremony held on 17 June. The awardees include 60 students including 18 females from 17 schools in the region.

The Head of the Political Affairs at the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students in the region, Mr. Markos Girmatsion, said that the award creates a competitive atmosphere for students to perform distinctively and that students who scored over 85% are eligible for the award.

Indicating that the number of the awardees at regional level is still low, Mr. Markos called on the concerned institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen participation for better outcome.

Mr. Mohammed Ali Ibrahim, Head of the Ministry of Education branch in the region, on his part said that the Tamfeda Award is intended to encourage students to work hard for the bright future in their lives and others to follow their footsteps and called on students to concentrate on their education and become competitive.

Cultural and Sports Week has been conducted in Barentu, Gash Barka region, in which 1160 students from 16 sub-zones took part.

At the opening ceremony that was attended by the Governor of the region, Mr. Fisehaye Haile, Mr. Solomon Teklehaimanot, Head of Culture and Sports in the region said that the objective of the program that is being conducted under the theme “Reliable National Development through Educational Competence” is to assist students identify their talents and share experiences among each other.

The Cultural and Sports Week has incorporated music, drama and literature competitions, general knowledge contest, debating as well as football, volleyball, basketball and athletics competitions.

Certificates were handed out to winners of the competitions.

stuDents WeeK in gAsh bArKA region tAmfeDA AWArD to outstAnDing stuDents

does not have an official religion, as is customary in various countries all over the world as well as our region. None of the established religions have preferential or primary status within the framework of the secular Eritrean State.

This laudable climate of statutory equality of all religions has further been reinforced in recent years by additional regulations that spell out the distinct powers and functions of the State and the respective faiths.

Regulation 73/1995, enacted in 1995 after proper consultation between the government and the respective faiths, is a case in point. The regulation emphasizes the separation of powers and limits developmental activities of religious institutions to funding and monitoring in specific sectors identified by the Government (Article 6). Religious institutions are not allowed to actually conduct developmental activities in areas of their choice as this is fraught with discrimination against non-adherents of the specific institution in question. Religious institutions are not also, allowed, to solicit funds from external donors for the same considerations of equity and eschewing externally-induced imbalances. In this spirit, the funds that religious institutions allocate to developmental services must be raised from their local constituencies

(Article 7).

The recent directive issued by the Ministry of Health to relevant religious institutions (mostly clinics run by Catholic Churches) constitutes implementation of Regulation 73/1995 in the instances where it had not been fully enforced in the past years. The directive requests relevant religious institutions to transfer operational/administrative authority of clinics under their control to the respective regional branches of the Ministry of Health in full compliance of Regulation 73/1995.

The notion that this will negatively affect “or endanger” delivery of health services is far-fetched and simply not true. In the first place, the issue at hand is the mere transfer of operational modality.

More importantly, the wide network of Referral and Regional hospitals, clinics and health stations throughout the country are run by the Ministry of Health. Health services in Eritrea - outpatient as well as inpatient - are heavily subsidized in accordance with the policy of social justice and have equitable spatial distribution. The commitment of the Eritrean Government to the provision and expansion of affordable and accessible healthcare to the population can be easily inferred from the substantial

investments made in the past two decades to build and operate health facilities, including publicly-funded training of healthcare providers, and provision of medicaments at affordable prices. This investment has resulted in more than 82% of the Eritrean population having access to medical facilities within 10 kilometers radius.

The stellar achievements of Eritrea in the health MDGs gives a glimpse of the enormous investment and tangible progress in the health security of its citizens. This is also attested by UN agencies (WHO and UNICEF in particular) that have various programs of cooperation with the Government in this sector.

The Permanent Mission of Eritrea expresses its disappointment in the judgments and conclusions made in the Special Rapporteur’s Press Statement without due regard to the concrete situation on religion and religious harmony as well as the legal basis in the provision of religious institutions in public social services. Furthermore, Eritrea finds unacceptable the common pattern of making such pronouncements by a special rapporteur and other groups in a sensational way for political pressure and by timing it with the HRC Sessions.

news

6Vol. 26 No. 35Eritrea Profile, Saturday, June 29, 2019

Bisha Mining Share Company is inviting applicants for the following position for Bisha site project.

Position: HR-Data administrator

Department: Employee Services

Section: Human Resources

Number Required: Two (02)

Primary Purpose

Data capturing, Report writing.

Main Functions

Administration

Capture or update employees personal data, leave, rosters, emergency contacts, employment contracts, disciplinary actions, terminations and engagements, promotions, International employees’ timesheet transfers and salary adjustments.

Maintain company organizational charts to reflect current structure at all times.

Develop and maintain labor budget and forecast spreadsheet .Guide HODs and others in processing

Assist with employee requests on leave balances.

Required to reconcile HR data with other business systems like , Master list, BioStar, PeopleWare, Cognos and Labour Budget/Forecast included in Master list

Administrate the BioStar and HRWebApp Systems

Capture new employees and update for promoted and terminated employees

Respond to employees’ queries, generate reports as requested by departments and HR Management and Refresh daily attendance reports by latest 8am.

Add employee handovers in HRWebApp when requested due to employees forgetting to do it

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Review outdated leave requests in HRWebApp and send reminders to line managers to approve/reject

Import the exported leave data from Biostar to the Peopleware daily and check if import was successful.

Control and provide new employee’s employee ID number.

Capture the Cvs of applicants received from Asmara Office

Receive, capture and follow up on international employees’ timesheets every month.

Ensure the international accrued leave excel sheet is up to date and accurate.

Advise HR Superintendent of expats with accrued leave in excess of 30 days and less than 0 days. Reports

Adhoc reporting information as per requests received.

Prepare daily, weekly and monthly HR report to line Manager.

Compile and assist with HR Management reports in line with standard operating procedures.

Compile weekly terminations and engagements report for submission to the camp administration.

Attend HR meetings to report on daily activities.

Update and report the probation period deadlines to the HR officers on a weekly basis

Update the Emergency contact details of International employees and send the report to the HR Manager by latest 1st of every month.

Prepare the performance evaluation summary report twice in a year

Compile BMSC contractors weekly report for submission to

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7Vol. 26 No. 35Eritrea Profile, Saturday, June 29, 2019

the Safety and Occupational Health department.

Filing

Filing of captured data documentation, employee related changes and newly received Cvs of applicants

Filing all BMSC national contractors release paper and assist the HR manager at the site entry approval by checking the existence of the release papers.

Ensure that all leave related documentation is processed in time to be captured on payroll system/finance. Unique Requirement/Other Information

Carry out any other duties or instructions as requested by the incumbent’s supervisor or manager. Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Qualifications:Degree/diploma in Computer Science or application

Knowledge and Experience:3 – 5 Years data administration experience

2 Years Supervisory level experience could be an advantage

Advanced MS Excel experience

Technical Skills Behavioural Skills

Computer Literacy (MS Office – Intermediate – Excel -Advanced)

Communication (English and local language)

Accuracy and attention to detail Confidentiality and supervisory skills

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Knowledge of Policies, Procedures and Processes

Interpersonal relations and innovative thinking

Administrative and analytical skills Ability to meet deadlines

Report writing business writing skills Ability to perform under pressure

Innovative thinking

General Information and other requirements:

Place of Work: Bisha.Salary: As per Company salary scale.Type of Contract: Indefinite

Additional requirement for Nationals: Having fulfilled his/her National Service obligation and

provide evidence of release paper from the 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 will be considered as potential

candidates for an interview.Application documents will not be returned to sender.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, Eritrea

Note to Non- Eritrean applicants: Please send a copy of your application to Aliens Employment permits Affairs, P. O. Box 7940 Asmara, Eritrea.

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8Vol. 26 No. 35Eritrea Profile, Saturday, June 29, 2019

“In oratorical imagery the best feature is always its reality and truth,” said Cassius Longinus, a Roman orator and statesman. “When the spoken words work ethically as well as effectively, they bring home to listeners the reality and truth of a situation.”

So is the oomph of the spoken word: more colorful and more intense and more effective than the written language. When skillfully used, the spoken language can reach others in ways that the written words cannot. Effective use of a spoken language can help you influence the lives of the listeners instantaneously.

Our grasp of the power of the spoken word must begin with understanding the difference between the oral language and the written language. One of the most striking differences is that the oral language is more spontaneous and less formal than the written language. However, our understanding of this art is incomplete if we fail to learn how to weave a fabric of words

The Punchy Punthat expresses our messages with clarity, power, and beauty so that listeners will understand and remember what you say and relate it to their lives. This brings us to the basic metaphor for the skills of language use: when speaking on controversial subjects, we must choose the most compelling arguments to advance our position. Remember: the skillful use of wording can evade even the most cunning questions and the skillful orators and wordsmiths always find their way out when faced with a rhetorical question or an awkward situation. Here is a striking use of language where an answer seems to evade a tricky question:

A legislator was asked to advance his position on how he felt about whisky.

He replied, “When you say whiskey, if you mean the Devil’s brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, creates misery and poverty- yes, literally takes the bread from the

mouths of the little children; if you mean the drink that topples Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of righteous and gracious living into the bottomless

pit of degradation, despair, shame and helplessness, then certainly I am against it with all my power.”

“But if, when you say whiskey, you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in an old gentleman’s step on a frosty morning; if you mean that drink, the sales of which pours into our

treasury untold millions of dollars which are used to provide tender care for our crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, pitiful, aged and infirm, to build highways, hospitals, and schools, then certainly I am in favor of it… That is my stand, and I will not compromise!”

So, where is your stand - in favor or against?

Issa Adem (Assistant Professor of English, CBSS, Adi

Keih)

and Environment, Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government.

Indicating that 10 African countries including Eritrea have installed MESA station, Mr. Kifelemariam Sebhatu said that the objective of the training is to revive and develop the capacity of the staff members.

Mr. Kiflemariam reiterated that

the objective of the training is also to expand the station aimed at providing observation and analysis service to all sectors.

Indicating the importance of integrated effort in collecting reliable earth observation data, Ms. Viola Otieno, expert of earth observation from Kenya, said that continuous effort will be conducted in the human resources development and expansion of the Earth Observation stations.

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trAining on globAl monitoring AnD . . .