2016 here we come!

New year…but no new resolutions?…

SELAM: what are you wishing for Eritrea in 2016.... actually what are you wishing for in Eritrean activism in 2016?

BOHASHEM: My wish for our Eritrea is to see an end to the destructive tyranny to pave the way for a peaceful democratic nation. For our activists, to first thank them for all the great demonstrations and efforts to ensure Eritrean plight is heard. Second to wish them all every success in their justice-seeking activism, to stay away from un-constructive and un-productive inter-activist rivalries and squabbles. To be more focused on issues that matter to justice and human rights.

How about you?

SELAM: My wish for Eritrea is that people would at long last find their voices and sense of outrage against pfdj and begin to resist pfdj and not suffer in silence or flee in desperation.

In our activist circles I wish for more stakeholders to join so the struggle is not unnecessarily monopolised by few people who seem to have forgotten how to move things on (myself included)…. I wish for more energetic young people to take the lead… I wish for more selfless elders to guide the struggle and I wish for more passionate people to take part in everything…. I wish we won’t have another lampedusa or Sinai or Daesh executions to pull us together… instead I wish for a wilful pulling together of activists i.e. for people to decide the only way forward is complementarity…

I wish for no more walking on eggshells…. And instead more open and honest discussions that fling open the dark corners of our history and our struggle too….

What will be your personal priority and first step for 2016?   

BOHASHEM: My personal priorities will be focused on:

1. continuing the struggle as an "elder" activist and "independent" politician with more interest in raising public awareness of the challenges that the transition and post-transition era pose,
    
2. to maintain and expand my existing good network with likeminded individual activists and groups from across Eritrea's diverse cleavages,
    
3. to support my children into adulthood.
    
4. to learn how to enjoy life amidst all the challenges and sad conditions we often tend to find ourselves in.

How about your priorities for 2016?

SELAM: ermmmmm let me leave the really personal priorities and focus on my priorities for activism. I have just embarked on a research project looking into the traumatic impacts of the ‘Eritrea experience’ I am going to primarily focus on that…

In addition I will be pruning my activism and getting rid of all unproductive branches in the hope that the branches that remain will flourish…

Finally I also hope I will get to retrieve some of the lost friendships that were damaged in the battles of previous years…. When my friend Abraham Mihret- Ab passed away last month, I realised that sometimes there just isn’t the kind of time we often imagine there is…

BOHASHEM: Let's hope we realise our priorities and positively contribute to the on going struggle for peace and Justice in Eritrea. I do wish you and your family the happiest New-Year full of joy.

SELAM: same to you Bohashem... I am confident that you will find a way to make a very positive contribution indeed

BOHASHEM: I'll look forward to more interesting conversations with you during 2016. May i use this opportunity to wish all Asmarino readers, writers and admins a very Happy New Year.