Isaias and his past, present and future.
The image shows Isaias Afewerki alongside his paternal uncle Dejazmatch Solomon Abraha - the former governer of Wollo. His mother Adanech Berhe, who comes from Adwa, was known to have owned a Mies House (a traditional drink in Eritrea). His roots are strange, being related to Ethiopian royalty via Haxey Yohannes IV. His father, Afwerki Abraha, was a known friend of the previous emperor Haile Selassie and his uncle was known to have ordered assassination attempts on Woldeab Woldemariam. His family were staunch unionists and according to historians he had surprised many people by joining the ELF in 1966 with such a famous family. During the struggle, Isaias was known to have entered Asmara many times with recorded meetings with his imperial family and the CIA working as a spy for Ethiopia. When Shabiya were going through some of the toughest battles, he was abroad in London visiting the sick ex-prince who governed Eritrea - Leul Ras Aserate Kassa. His presidency has also been nothing short of these things - in 1993 he said 'Why not!' to uniting with Ethiopia saying that it may take decades but he would work towards it. Since then, he has systematically managed to destroy the country economically, societally and morally. The morals of Eritreans who are simply content with supporting Isaias and not being able to question him. The people who have not seen daylight for almost a quarter of a century who have not even been seen in a court. The morals of being taught to hate and scapegoat Tigrayans and Weyane for Eritrea's issues. Eritrea's society is that of a people who are fleeing every day - families who have had 5,6,7 + children are left with none. Economically, just listen to Isaias' interviews where he calls the economic projects he started as having been failures and embarrassing to talk about with some areas looking like a place were deki Hidrtna (ghosts) would hang out. He says Massawa used to be the pearl of the Red Sea and now it ceases to be. He talks about how the industries that existed during the era under Ethiopia couldn't even be maintained and now cease to exist. His aim as president seems to fundamentally be to destroy Eritrea and from there fulfil the dreams of his forefathers.