‘Paranoid’ Pres. Afeworki never trusted PM Zenawi and more | 6 Cables – US Embassy Asmara[full text]

By Daniel Berhane on Monday, December 20, 2010 @ 4:58 pm

Recently published leaked cable of US Embassy Asmara revealed the mistrust of Eritrea President Isaias Afeworki to Ethiopian Premier goes as far back as 1996; that is, two years before Eritrea invaded Ethiopia on the pretext of border dispute.

The leaked Cable of US Embassy Asmara, titled ‘BIO NOTES ON ERITREAN PRESIDENT ISAIAS AFWORKi – is Isaias unhinged?’ states:

An Alleged Ethiopian Assassination Attempt: Isaias and Meles, brothers in arms during the 1980s, are now blood enemies. Why? In 1996, while returning from a vacation in Kenya, Isaias, his family, and his inner entourage stopped in Addis, where Meles offered to fly them back to Asmara in one of his aircraft. Isaias accepted the offer; en route the aircraft caught fire, but managed to turn back and land safely in Addis. According to someone who was on the aircraft, an infuriated Isaias accuse Meles to his face of trying to kill him and his family. Isaias has not trusted Meles since, according to this source.

In fact, the two leaders and their parties had never been soul mates. That is, Isaias Afeworki’s Eritrean Peoples’ Liberation Front (EPLF) now renamed Popular Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), and Meles Zenawi’s Tigrayan People Liberation Front, which is one of the core parties of the Ethiopian ruling party EPRDF, Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front.

The relation between the two parties has been marred by frequent disputes since their days in armed struggle. The dispute had been so serious at times that it led to the cessation of all kinds of communications in the years between 1976-79, jut two years after the founding of TPLF, and again from 1985-89.

It is to be recalled that the extremist media, including Addis Neger, Ethiopian Review, and others, rushed to post ‘Meles Zenawi tried to kill Isaias Afeworki’, without waiting to get the details, when a previously leaked Cable of US Embassy Asmara, titled IS ERITREA UNRAVELING?, stated:

The accelerating decline into dictatorship began in 1996 with an alleged assassination attempt against Isaias by Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi, followed by the bloody 1998-2000 Border War, and the “treason” of the inner-circle critics called the G-15.

What is more amazing is that, blinded by hate and impatient to make accusations, the extremist media forgot their long-standing claim that the two leaders had always been friends. In fact, as sympathizers of Isaias, it is no surprise the extremists took Isaias allegations as a fact.

The Leaked Cable provides many more insightful as well as entertaining revelations about the Eritrean President Isaias Afeworki.

You are encouraged to read the full cable.

Assuming you would be interested, I posted here all the five Cables of the US Embassy Asmara wikileaks published so far, including the two cables cited above.

Here is the full the text of the Cable (taken from Wikileaks).
*******************************************************
I. BIO NOTES ON ERITREAN PRESIDENT ISAIAS AFWERKI
II. IS ERITREA UNRAVELING?
III. AN ERITREAN OVERTURE TO THE UNITED STATES
IV. ERITREA’S SQUABBLING COLONELS, FLEEING FOOTBALLERS, FRIGHTENED LIBRARIANS
V. ARREST, INTERROGATION, AND TORTURE OF XXXXXXXXXXXX
VI. ASMARA ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: MORE DETAILS EMERGE

_______________________________________________________

Reference ID – 08ASMARA543
Created – 2008-11-12 10:10
Released – 2010-12-15 21:09
Classification – SECRET//NOFORN
Origin – Embassy Asmara

P 121055Z NOV 08
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COMUSNAVCENT
S E C R E T ASMARA 000543
NOFORN
DEPT FOR AF/EX AND AF/E
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2010
TAGS: PINR ER

SUBJECT: BIO NOTES ON ERITREAN PRESIDENT ISAIAS AFWERKI
REF: ASMARA 345 “IS ISAIAS UNHINGED?”
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d)

¶1. (C) Summary: Isaias is an austere and narcissistic dictator whose political ballast derives from Maoist ideology fine-tuned during Eritrea’s 30-year war for independence. He is paranoid and believes Ethiopian PM Meles tried to kill him and that the United States will attempt to assassinate him. He is not notably nepotistic and has not favored his ancestral village or immediate family. This message includes some biographic tidbits offered as an addendum to USG bio information on foreign government leaders. End Summary.

¶2. (C) Aiming for 112: Isaias, 62, told a visiting German parliamentarian in late 2008 that he is healthy and expects to live another 40 or 50 years. He said he hopes to serve his country as long as he is able. In a May 2008 television interview, Isaias said Eritrea might hold elections “in three or four decades.”

¶3. (S/NF) An Alleged Ethiopian Assassination Attempt: Isaias and Meles, brothers in arms during the 1980s, are now blood enemies. Why? In 1996, while returning from a vacation in Kenya, Isaias, his family, and his inner entourage stopped in Addis, where Meles offered to fly them back to Asmara in one of his aircraft. Isaias accepted the offer; en route the aircraft caught fire, but managed to turn back and land safely in Addis. According to someone who was on the aircraft, an infuriatd Isaias accuse Meles to his face of trying to kill him and his family. Isaias has not trusted Meles since, according to this source.

¶4. (S) Fears of an American Assassination Attempt: Isaias thinks the United States will attempt to kill him by missile strike on his residence in the city of Massawa, according to late 2007 information from the Force Commander of UNMEE.

¶5. (C) Holier Than Thou: Isaias has berated the Chinese ambassador in Asmara for China’s embrace of market capitalism. Isaias was sent to China by the Eritrean Liberation Front for political commissar training in the 1960s, where, according to the Chinese ambassador, “he learned all the wrong things.” Isaias was turned off by the cult of personality surrounding Mao, but apparently internalized Maoist ideology.

¶6. (C) Fluent in Arabic: Asmara-based Arab ambassadors are impressed by Isaias’ fluency in Arabic. There is some debate about where he learned it, but all agree he is a comfortable and capable Arabic speaker.

¶7. (C) Talented Speechwriter: In mid-2008, after Isaias delivered an impressive address in English to a gathering of ministerial-level representatives on the subject of Darfur, Yemane Ghebremeskel, the director of the office of the president, said Isaias had written the speech himself.

¶8. (C) Hot Temper: At a January 2008 dinner he hosted for a codel and embassy officials, Isaias became involved in a heated discussion with his Amcit legal advisor about some tomato seedlings the legal advisor provided to Isaias’ wife. Isaias complained that despite tender care by his wife, the plants produced only tiny tomatoes. When the legal advisor explained that they were cherry tomatoes and were supposed to be small, Isaias lost his temper and stormed out of the venue, much to the surprise of everyone, including his security detail.

¶9. (C) Holds a Grudge: A senior party official said Isaias and Djibouti President Guelleh had (g(eed during a ‘u’e 2008 telephone conversation to try to resolve at the presidential level issues related to the June border clash. According this senior Eritrean official, Isaias was livid when Guelleh supposedly shortly thereafter lambasted Eritrean aggression in a media interview. Isaias reportedly felt personally betrayed by President Guelleh, and has been obstinate about resolving the Djibouti-Eritrea border dispute ever since.

¶10. (C) Thin Skinned: Isaias asked to be named the patron of the World Bank-funded Cultural Assets Rehabilitation Project (CARP). When individuals involved with CARP published the book “Asmara: Africa’s Secret Modernist City,” it failed to include a note of thanks to CARP’s patron. Isaias was miffed and shut down CARP.

¶11. (C) Good Op-Sec: Isaias has an aversion to talking on the telephone and frequently sleeps in different locations to foil a coup or assassination attempt. During the winter months he spends most of his time in Massawa rather than in Asmara. When dining in restaurants, Isaias will often switch plates with a subordinate, apparently to avoid being poisoned, according to the Qatari ambassador.

¶12. (C) The Early Years of Little Beer Pot: Isaias’ father, Afwerki, comes from the village of Tselot, which is perched on the lip of a 7,000′ escarpment four miles southeast of Asmara. When Isaias was a boy Afwerki reportedly spent much of his time in Tigray, where he owned a coffee farm that was later nationalized by the Derg. With Afwerki largely absent, Isaias lived with his mother (rumored to have family roots in Tigray) in a working class neighborhood in eastern Asmara near the train depot and the Lutheran church. Isaias’ mother made and sold a traditional beer called sewa. By some accounts, Isaias was nicknamed the Tigrinya equivalent of “Beer Pot,” after the ceramic jug from which sewa is dispensed.Q Qoday he is a QeQvy whisky drinker, but perhaps as a youth his nickname referred as much to his habits as to his mother’s business.

¶13. (C) No Pork for His Ancestral Village: In November 2008 emboffs visited Tselot and saw no indication that the village has received any special favor from Isaias. Like most Eritrean villages, it has electricity but no running water or sewer system. Gaunt cattle and untended donkeys roam the village. Their droppings are quickly gathered and formed into oval patties, which are then stuck on rock walls, dried, and used as fuel for cooking. Afwerki is said to be buried in the village cemetery, but emboffs could not locate his grave. Isaias’ immediate family is rarely featured in the state-run media and keeps a low profile. Although his portrait adorns many shops in Asmara, there is no cult of personality in Eritrea. Isaias often appears in the media clad casually in slacks, jacket, open-necked shirt, and sandals or loafers. He rarely travels in a motorcade.

¶14. (C) Hard-hearted: When a visiting U.S. movie star in early 2008 raised the plight of two Embassy Asmara FSNs who have been imprisoned without charge since 2001, Isaias glared stonily at her and replied, “Would you like me to hold a trial and then hang them?”
MCMULLEN

________________________________________________________

Reference ID – 09ASMARA80
Created – 2009-03-05 13:01
Released – 2010-12-08 16:04
Classification – SECRET
Origin – Embassy Asmara

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Thursday, 05 March 2009, 13:21
S E C R E T ASMARA 000080
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/EX AND AF/E
EO 12958 DECL: 03/04/2019
TAGS PGOV, PREL, ECON, PINR, ER

SUBJECT: IS ERITREA UNRAVELING?
REF: ADDIS ABABA 567
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d)

¶1. (S) Summary: Young Eritreans are fleeing their country in droves, the economy appears to be in a death spiral, Eritrea’s prisons are overflowing, and the country’s unhinged dictator remains cruel and defiant. Is the country “on the brink of disaster” as posited by Eritrea’s first cousins across the border in Tigray, Ethiopia (ref)? Party leaders tell us their Leninist “war economy” will be reversed, while Asmara is abuzz with reports of multiple cabinet-level changes. However, tinkering at the margins of governance will count for naught as long as the Isaias regime remains a one-man band. Gold mining will not provide the anticipated economic panacea. Although the regime is one bullet away from implosion, Eritrea’s resilience as a country is based on 1) a strong sense of nationalism forged over four decades of war, and 2) the capacity of most Eritreans to withstand suffering and deprivation with forbearance and toughness. Any sudden change in government is likely to be initiated from within the military. End Summary.

¶2. (S) The Regime’s Political Capital is Tanking
——————————————— —
Isaias’ popularity stemmed from his leading role in Eritrea’s Davidic victory in the thirty-year struggle for independence. Immediately after liberation, Isaias seemed to be providing (like Mugabe) reasonably good governance to his traumatized nation. The accelerating decline into dictatorship began in 1996 with an alleged assassination attempt against Isaias by Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi, followed by the bloody 1998-2000 Border War, and the “treason” of the inner-circle critics called the G-15. Severe persecution of any potential opposition increased. With half of Eritrea’s population being born after liberation, Isaias’ Struggle credentials are less important than before; youth today face a hopeless future of open-ended National Service at survival-level wages. Hope for a better future fueled Eritrean resistance for a whole generation; the country’s reservoir of hope is now largely depleted.

¶3. (S) The War Economy is Failing
———————————
Hagos Ghebrehiwet, as the Economic Director of the Peoples Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), is the architect of the regime’s failed economic policies. When previously asked by the ambassador if he was a Communist, Hagos replied, “No. Quite the opposite.” He explained that from 1993-98 development of the tiny private sector was a top goal, but with the outbreak of war in 1998 “national security became the economic and political imperative.” He contends that the subsequent “no peace, no war” situation with Ethiopia obligated the state to maintain the economy on a war footing, due to shortages of hard currency. Hagos told the ambassador in mid-February that the regime was reversing its war economy policies. “We are going back to the immediate post-independence approach,” he claimed. NOTE: Post has seen no indication of this. END NOTE.

¶4. (C) Gold To the Rescue? No
——————————
Many Eritrean businessmen and officials hope, and opposition members fear, that come 2010, gold mining will provide the economic fillip needed to rescue the economy and the regime. Mining company executives tell us these hopes and fears are grossly misplaced. Nevsun is the Canadian company leading the development of the large Bisha gold, copper, and zinc field. Nevsun employees say Bisha is like Neapolitan ice cream, with a thin layer of gold atop thicker layers of copper and zinc. Nevsun’s agreement is heavily front-loaded for cost recovery, meaning for the first two years (the life of the gold extraction) almost all revenues will accrue to Nevsun for capital and infrastructure costs. The gold will be flown from Bisha directly to Switzerland. While the government will get some revenues from taxes and royalties, it is only with the beginning of copper extraction in 2012 or 2013 and zinc five years later that the government of Eritrea will see much return on its investment. In short, there is no help on the immediate horizon for Eritrea’s faltering economy.

¶5. (C) No American Enemy to Blame
———————————
Prior to January 20 every bad thing in Eritrea was touted as proof of an American-led conspiracy against Eritrea. Daily anti-American diatribes peppered the regime-controlled airwaves and print media. The regime attempted to deflect all complaints by claiming America and its puppet, Ethiopia, were an immediate threat to Eritrea’s sovereignty and/or territorial integrity. Criticism of the regime was thus tantamount not only to sedition, but also to treason. Since January 20 the regime has been on what it considers a charm offensive with the U.S. in hopes that the Obama administration will for some reason reverse USG opposition to the regime’s regional meddling and domestic oppression. Without the “world’s sole superpower” being constantly blamed for all of Eritrea’s woes, Eritreans seem to be focusing more on their own government’s manifest shortcomings. Grumblings are increasingly loud and frequent, but still only in private.

¶6. (C) Tough, Proud, and Suffering
———————————-
Around 80% of Eritreans live on farms or in small villages. Many are only marginally involved in the monetized economy and produce part of what their families need to survive. Governmental benign neglect would be a positive and welcome change. The regime’s practice of seizing crops or forcing farmers to sell grain at below-market prices has caused families to attempt to withdraw from the monetized economy, at least in part, although the Isaias regime is very good at controlling nearly all aspects of Eritrean society. Eritrean farmers have long lived a knife-edge existence due to marginal rainfall, decades of war and brigandage, and the use of Dark Age technology. Even before last year’s dreadful harvest, UNICEF reckoned that 40% of Eritrean children were malnourished. Despite this, Eritreans remain fiercely patriotic. In the face of deprivation and oppression, the time-tested best practice is to shut up, hunker down, and pray for rain.

¶7. (S) Where Will Change Come From?
————————————
In hushed tones, Asmarinos are discussing reports of wholesale changes in the cabinet and other senior civilian positions. From what we understand, the exercise (septel) will be a grand round of musical chairs, with former fighters loyal to President Isaias mostly swapping ministerial portfolios. Meanwhile, the urban population remains largely cowed. The PFDJ’s Secretary General languishes in medical exile in UAE; Isaias chairs the party’s monthly meetings in his absence. Neither the government, party, nor populace seem to have the wherewithal to effect a sudden change in government. The military does. We’ve heard increasingly frequent and specific reports of mutinous behavior from within the military, sparked by growing numbers of troops deserting across the border into Sudan and even into Ethiopia. The mantle of Eritrean nationalism could conceivably pass from the shoulders of Isaias Afwerki to the Eritrean Defense Force. Defense Minister Sebhat Efrem probably has the standing to paper over the rivalries of the senior generals (at least temporarily), should the military or a faction of it suddenly find the need to step in to “save the revolution.”

MCMULLEN

________________________________________________________

Reference ID – 09ASMARA429
Created – 2009-12-15 11:11
Released – 2010-12-08 16:04
Classification – SECRET
Origin – Embassy Asmara

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S E C R E T ASMARA 000429
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TAGS PGOV, MOPS, SOCI, PREF, ER

SUBJECT: ERITREA’S SQUABBLING COLONELS, FLEEING FOOTBALLERS, FRIGHTENED LIBRARIANS
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d)

¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Things are getting worse and worse in Eritrea. The regime is facing mounting international pressure for years of malign behavior in the neighborhood. Human rights abuses are commonplace and most young Eritreans, along with the professional class, dream of fleeing the country, even to squalid refugee camps in Ethiopia or Sudan. The economy continues to sink; exports for 2008 totaled only $14m and vital hard-currency remittances have fallen to 43% of the 2005 level. “He is sick,” said one leading Eritrean businessman, referring to President Isaias’ mental health. “The worse things get, the more he tries to take direct control–it doesn’t work.” The following three vignettes highlight the current state of affairs in Eritrea. END SUMMARY.

¶2. (C) THE DEFENSE MINISTER AND THE COLONELS
——————————————–
Defense Minister Sebhat Efrem convoked army colonels in late November for a three-day conference on professional and career issues. On the second day a serious row reportedly broke out among the conferees; the acrimony rose so high that General Sebhat cancelled the rest of the conference and sent the quarreling colonels back to their units. The bone of contention? Perceived differences in the quality of the villas (often confiscated from the original owners) given to the colonels by the regime to maintain their allegiance.

¶3. (SBU) SOCCER TEAM 1 – REGIME 0
———————————-
Eritreans are mad about soccer. Many dusty streets in Asmara are filled with urchins kicking an old sock stuffed with rags back and forth between goals made of piled stones. Senior government and party officials are avid fans of the British Premier League and sometimes leave official functions early to catch key matches. Despite tight control of the domestic media, satellite TV dishes are allowed, probably so folks can watch international soccer. Impressive numbers of senior regime officials attended the World Cup pool draw reception thrown by the South Africa embassy last week. The BBC and diaspora websites are reporting that the entire Eritrean national soccer team defected after playing in a regional tournament in Kenya. If true, this will be stunning news for the Eritrean population. Only the coach and an escorting colonel reportedly returned to Eritrea. (One wonders why, given their likely fate.) Isaias has previously claimed the CIA was luring Eritrean youth abroad; if the soccer team has in fact defected, he will undoubted try to twist logic in some way to blame the United States.

¶4. (C) [Content removed]
—————————-
Eritreans are fearful of associating with foreigners, as they are often grilled afterwards by security thugs. XXXXXXXXXXXX

¶5. (S) COMMENT: The brittle Isaias regime is one pistol shot away from implosion. However, Isaias is clever, very good at operational security, and two decades younger than Mugabe. While many in Eritrea long for change, few are in a position to effect it. END COMMENT.
McMullen

________________________________________________________

Reference ID – 08ASMARA543
Created – 2008-11-12 10:10
Released – 2010-12-15 21:09
Classification – SECRET//NOFORN
Origin – Embassy Asmara

SUBJECT: BIO NOTES ON ERITREAN PRESIDENT ISAIAS AFWERKI
REF: ASMARA 345 “IS ISAIAS UNHINGED?”
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d)

¶1. (C) Summary: Isaias is an austere and narcissistic dictator whose political ballast derives from Maoist ideology fine-tuned during Eritrea’s 30-year war for independence. He is paranoid and believes Ethiopian PM Meles tried to kill him and that the United States will attempt to assassinate him. He is not notably nepotistic and has not favored his ancestral village or immediate family. This message includes some biographic tidbits offered as an addendum to USG bio information on foreign government leaders. End Summary.

¶2. (C) Aiming for 112: Isaias, 62, told a visiting German parliamentarian in late 2008 that he is healthy and expects to live another 40 or 50 years. He said he hopes to serve his country as long as he is able. In a May 2008 television interview, Isaias said Eritrea might hold elections “in three or four decades.”

MCMULLEN

_________________________________________________

Reference ID – 08ASMARA546
Created – 2008-11-12 11:11
Released – 2010-12-15 21:09
Classification – SECRET//NOFORN
Origin – Embassy Asmara

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2028
TAGS: ASEC ER PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF

SUBJECT: ARREST, INTERROGATION, AND TORTURE OF XXXXXXXXXXXX
REF: ASMARA 509
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d)

¶1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: On XXXXXXXXXXXX was released after five months in jail. XXXXXXXXXXXX emotionally recounted his experience to the RSO, including his interrogation, deplorable prison conditions, beatings, and witnessing the torture of other prisoners being held at the XXXXXXXXXXXX facility. XXXXXXXXXXXX kept a prison diary and gave different, but similar, versions to the RSO and XXXXXXXXXXXX.
END SUMMARY.

ARREST
——
2 (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was assigned as a guard at the XXXXXXXXXXXX. On XXXXXXXXXXXX, police came to his residence around 6:00 a.m. and demanded to see his demobilization card. Such intrusions are common in May during the run-up to Independence Day, as the government increases security and also rounds up national service evaders. The demobilization card is proof that an Eritrean has completed national service, and in theory, not subject to call-up or arrest for service evasion. As XXXXXXXXXXXX was pulling out his demobilization card, the officials spotted his XXXXXXXXXXXX ID and noted his Ethiopian last name. XXXXXXXXXXXX told RSO he does not think the officials came to his house because he worked for the XXXXXXXXXXXX, but
were looking for suspicious persons and arrested him after seeing his XXXXXXXXXXXX and last name. XXXXXXXXXXXX

¶3. (S/NF) Police questioned XXXXXXXXXXXX at a downtown police station for about four hours. They asked about his job XXXXXXXXXXX, his father’s last name, how many XXXXXXXXXXXX, and how long he had worked there. Later that day, XXXXXXXXXXX was taken to the XXXXXXXXXXXX located XXXXXXXXXXXX..

DETENTION AND INTERROGATION
—————————
¶4. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was placed in a cell approximately 40 feet x 38 feet with about 600 other prisoners. He stated the conditions were so cramped, it was not possible to lie down and barely possible to sit. He was held there for one month before being interrogated. He was interrogated on two separate occasions by members of the Eritrean National Security Organization (ENSO), including one nicknamed XXXXXXXXXXXX On both occasions the interrogator beat him.

The interrogator asked him the following questions:
¶A. What was his job title and responsibilities.
¶B. Did he perform any other duties XXXXXXXXXXXX ,
and why does he work there.
¶C. Which XXXXXXXXXXXX were spying for XXXXXXXXXXXX
¶D. XXXXXXXXXXX
¶E. What were the religions of XXXXXXXXXXX.
¶F. What activities occur at the XXXXXXXXXXXX, is
it being used as a warehouse, and what is stored there.
¶G. Who is the XXXXXXXXXXXX, what is his job, what
activities does he do at XXXXXXXXXXX, who does he
meet with, and what parts of Asmara does he frequent.
¶H. They asked about, XXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXX stated the ENSO personnel called him a “spy XXXXXXXXXXXX during his interrogations. They stated they knew “everything that happens in the XXXXXXXXXXXX and that if he lied to them they would know XXXXXXXXXXXX stated he was simply a guard at XXXXXXXXXXXX. He stated his job was to provide security XXXXXXXXXXXX The interrogator XXXXXXXXXXXX later told XXXXXXXXXXXX he must come at least once a week to XXXXXXXXXXXX office in Asmara and report all activities he observes at XXXXXXXXXXXX.

XXXXXXXXXXXX.

PRISON CONDITIONS
—————–
¶5. (S/NF) After the two interrogations, XXXXXXXXXXXX was not questioned again, but returned to the crowded holding room. Prisoners were fed 2 pieces of bread three times a day and allowed to use the toilet twice a day. A bucket in the middle of the room served as a toilet between escorted bathroom breaks, but it constantly spilled and contaminated the room with urine and feces. Many prisoners could not talk due to the lack of water, their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths from thirst. XXXXXXXXXXXX said prisoners believed ENSO had placed informers in the prison cell to gain additional information. Family members and friends are allowed to bring food to prisoners. One of XXXXXXXXXXXX friends smuggled in a notebook and pen with a tray of food, and he chronicled his experience in two versions, one for the RSO and another for the Ambassador. XXXXXXXXXXXX smuggled the diaries out also using the food trays.

WITNESS TO TORTURE
——————
¶6. (S/NF) The ENSO personnel regularly tortured prisoners imprisoned with XXXXXXXXXXXX. His cellmates were Eritreans who tried to flee the country, military deserters, common criminals, and Protestants (presumably of unregistered denominations). XXXXXXXXXXXX stated they could hear the screams of people being tortured and he witnessed ENSO staff bringing back badly bruised and bleeding detainees to the holding room. On one occasion, XXXXXXXXXXXX observed ENSO officials beating a man with a rubber hose on his bare feet. Another time, when XXXXXXXXXXXX was allowed out to use the bathroom, he passed a shipping container and saw a man sitting with his arms tied and raised behind his back. His feet were tied together and a wooden pole was placed beneath his knees. He saw head with a rubber hose and wooden sticks. XXXXXXXXXXXX said ENSO later moved the container to a more remote part of the Camp where other prisoners could not observe the torture.

CHILDREN NOT SPARED
——————-
¶7. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX said that for a few days, approximately 35 boys, aged 8-13, were confined with him. Asked why they were arrested, the boys said they had crossed into Ethiopia, but Ethiopian soldiers caught them, and, after feeding them and giving them new clothes, sent them back to Eritrea, telling them they were too young to cross by themselves. Upon returning to Eritrea, the boys were arrested and taken to XXXXXXXXXXXX, and later to another prison in XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXXsaid ENSO personnel also beat the boys And told the adult prisoners not to talk to the boys or to each other about why they were in prison or about their beatings.

RELEASED AFTER FIVE MONTHS
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¶8. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX was angry and nearly broke into tears a number of times. He said although the physical abuse and deprivations took a toll on his body, it was the psychological abuse of being packed in with so many other people, of not knowing when the next beatings would come, and believing he could be killed, that was the most damaging. XXXXXXXXXXXX has probably been more candid about his experience than other XXXXXXXXXXXX who were incarcerated (reftel).

¶9. (S/NF) , XXXXXXXXXXXX was freed, with no explanation for his release or detention. ENSO personnel warned him they would kill him if he told anyone. XXXXXXXXXXXX of his detention and treatment. The ENSO personnel refused to return his XXXXXXXXXXXX or his demobilization card. XXXXXXXXXXXX believes, XXXXXXXXXXXX, his arrest occurred because the ENSO official saw XXXXXXXXXXXX and noticed his father’s Ethiopian last name.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

MCMULLEN

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Reference ID – 07ASMARA850
Created – 2007-10-26 09:09
Released – 2010-12-15 21:09
Classification – SECRET//NOFORN
Origin – Embassy Asmara

VZCZCXRO0028
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHAE #0850/01 2990919
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 260919Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9208
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1482
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1658
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ASMARA 000850
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2017
TAGS: PGOV ASEC ER

SUBJECT: ASMARA ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: MORE DETAILS EMERGE
REF: A. A) 00821 ASMARA
¶B. B) 00838 ASMARA
Classified By: CDA Jennifer A. McIntyre, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

¶1. (S) Summary: As the investigation into the shooting of National Security Agency Deputy Colonel Simon Ghebredenghil continues, an Eritrean businessman believed to be involved in the assassination attempt was shot and killed by Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) officials near the Ethiopian border. The GSE allegedly has arrested over 500 individuals in connection with the shooting, which may include the arrest of General Gerezgheri “Wuchu” Andemariam on October 24. The emerging details surrounding the assassination attempt are shining a bright light on the extent of corruption within the senior ranks of the military and showing the cracks in the outwardly unified faade of the President Isaias’ government. Post will continue to monitor fallout from this incident and its possible implications for the GSE’s inner circle and military preparedness in the face of possible conflict on the Eritrean-Ethiopian border. End Summary.

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IMPLICATED BUSINESSMAN SAMSON KILLED BY THE GSE
——————————————— —

¶2. (S/NF) Following the October 13 assassination attempt on Colonel Simon Ghebrendenghil, wealthy Eritrean businessman Samson (LNU), who had been implicated in the attempt, fled Asmara. Accompanied by the personal driver of General Gerezgheri “Wuchu” Andemariam and a military guard under General Wuchu’s command, Samson traveled overland in a military Landcruiser stocked with a cache of arms. The group took refuge in an Eritrean Orthodox Church monastery near Adi Quala (to which Samson previously had made donations) waiting for the right time to flee across the Ethiopian border. GSE officials tracked Samson to the monastery. A firefight ensued and Samson was killed. The driver and guard were taken into custody and returned to Asmara. In a separate conversation with Emboff, XXXXXXXXXXXX confirmed Samson’s death, the existence of the weapons cache and the presence of General Wuchu’s driver and guard at the shootout between Samson and the GSE officials.

¶3. (S) Samson, who was also know as the “civilian general”, had a long-time business relationship with General Wuchu and others in the Eritrean military. In his late 30’s, he ran a hardware and import/export business reported to have made millions by means of government contracts arranged by high-ranking military officials, and illegal foreign currency transactions and import/export exchanges over the past ten years. A partial owner of the Midian Hotel, Samson reportedly used the hotel as a means to launder money for military and government officials.

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GENERAL WUCHU ARRESTED?
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¶4. (S/NF) Rumors abound as to the status of General Wuchu. The reports have varied from claiming his departure from the country to his death. One Eritrean contact told Poloff he saw General Wuchu driving through Asmara on Monday, October ¶22. The resident Reuters stringer shared with Poloff that in the late afternoon on Wednesday, October 24 one of his sources informed him of General Wuchu’s arrest. XXXXXXXXXXXX told to Poloff on Friday, October 26 that the GSE had arrested General Wuchu earlier in the week.
(Comment: Post has been unable to confirm this report. Local observers also claim that over 500 individuals have been arrested so far and anticipate that more arrests are on the horizon. These interlocutors also believe no government or military officials are immune from indictment. End Comment.)

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BUSINESSMAN FIKRE’S DEATH AND HIS FUNERAL
—————————————–

ASMARA 00000850 002 OF 003

¶5. (S) Reading like a John Grisham novel, more details of the circumstances leading to Fikremariam “Fikre” Andemariam’s death are coming to light. (Fikre’s death allegedly was the lead up to the assassination attempt.) According to a well-connected Eritrean, the saga began several months ago when Samson and three other businessman approached General Wuchu to contest the awarding of a tender to Fikre’s company for installation of water pipes in the city of Asmara. Despite the protests and GSE investigation, Fikre retained the contract.
(Note: Fikre’s company had also received all of the supply contracts for the construction of the Sawa Military Camp in western Eritrea for the past 10 years. End note.)
Tensions arose given the fierce competition among the few Eritrean businessmen who receive government contracts) contracts that are primarily awarded to friends of high-ranking government officials (namely the military) who then skim a portion of the profits for themselves. Fikre reportedly began to fear for his life and asked for protection from XXXXXXXXXXXX.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Fikre returned to Asmara the week of October 1, at which point, the GSE detained him in Police Station #2, with at least two of his brothers. (Note: The brothers were released after a few days. In addition, employees of Fikre’s supply company have been in detention in Police Station #2 since the middle of August. End Note.)

¶6. (S) Fikre reportedly died in jail on October 8. The family requested an autopsy be completed prior to his burial, protesting that Fikre had been young and healthy when entering the jail only a few days earlier. An Eritrean contact told Poloff that only President Isaias, Colonel Ghebredenghil and XXXXXXXXXXXX received copies of the autopsy report. Despite never having done his mandatory national service, Fikre received a hero’s burial and was laid to rest in Asmara’ Martyr’s Cemetery on October 12. The funeral became a city-wide event. One witness commented that attendance at Fikre’s funeral exceeded that of the two biggest funerals since the country’s 1993 referendum – the former Foreign Minister’s funeral in 2005 and the funeral of one of the founders of the struggle in 2000. He observed that the turnout essentially represented a silent demonstration by the people, as they are unable to protest in other ways.

———————–
THE GSE’S OFFICIAL SPIN
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¶7. (U) The Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) announced Tuesday, October 23 that “perpetrators” of the assassination attempt on Colonel Simon Ghebredenghil were in GSE custody, although the announcement did not include the names of those arrested. In an interview with Reuters, Acting Minister of Information Ali Abdu stated “the government had full control of the situation” but refused to comment on the details of the detentions. According to the Acting Minister, the investigation is ongoing.

¶8. (U) Complementing the statements about the investigation, the GSE published an editorial about fighting corruption in the Arabic, Tigrinya and English government-controlled newspapers. Describing corruption as, “treason against our martyrs”, and a vice that “pollutes and weakens any given society”, the editorial likened fighting corruption to continuing the independence struggle and urged the people to join with the Government to fight against corruption. The editorial further insisted that “law enforcement bodies and the means for surveillance at their disposable should be strengthened and constantly updated”, thus empowering the GSE to fight corruption by any means necessary.

ASMARA 00000850 003 OF 003

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WHAT THE MAN ON THE STREET SAYS
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¶9. (C) Residents of Asmara state they were aware of the shenanigans of their military officers and their corrupt business activities. For example, General Filipos Woldeyohannes (formerly head of the western Gash Barka region and now head of the Asmara region) is well-known as the “go-to” general to arrange an escape to Sudan. Many Eritreans regularly gossip about the homes which have been appropriated from civilians and given to military or government officials, or about the foreign travel of the officers’ families. As the details about corruption in the military become public, Poloff has heard a common refrain that “it is about time” these activities have come under public scrutiny. Many Eritrean observers believe that this incident will begin to crack the iron grip of President Isaias and his military officials over the government and the people of Eritrea. One high-ranking government official told Emboff, “Thank goodness. Now maybe things will change for the better.”

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COMMENT
——-

¶10. (C) The assassination attempt on Colonel Ghebredenghil has created a real dilemma for the GSE by publicizing the existence of deep-rooted corruption within the military — making it impossible for the GSE to hide or deny these charges. Within the higher levels of the GSE, there appear to be a split into two tiers: those who are still committed to the ideals of independence struggle and who will use any means to bankroll and continue the struggle, and those out to make as much money as possible for their own bank accounts. The question remains: can the first tier ) the President and his immediate circle – effectively battle and contain the fallout from this incident or does this incident presage the beginning of the regime’s fall from grace?

¶11. (S/NF) Post will continue to monitor the potential impacts on the military. Multiple sources indicate that the GSE leadership anticipates an outbreak of hostilities with Ethiopia in the near future. With General Wuchu possibly in prison, speculation from many observers that General Filipos is next, and reports that numerous colonels have fled or are in prison, the military leadership is clearly shaken and the impact on morale of the military is unknown at this point. Finally, if the GSE cracks down on the illegal financial operations of the military and its privileged businessmen, the GSE may end up limiting those resources available to the military for maintaining its large number of recruits and to prepare for conflict. End Comment.

MCINTYRE

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