Irrespective of his whereabouts, however, Ali Abdu’s disappearance from public view in the last five months by itself points to a bigger picture. “Ali played a central role in one of the most oppressive governments on earth. The opacity that now surrounds his whereabouts is a symptom of more general problems in Eritrea, issues that have made life virtually impossible for much of the population- indeed, over a quarter-million Eritreans are living as refugees in surrounding countries”[