http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/Eritrea+reputation+suffers+from+distortions+hypocrisy/5816941/story.html
Eritrea's reputation suffers from distortions and hypocrisy
By Mulu Beiene and Cheai Sahlezghi And Yonas Zeru, Vancouver Sun December
6, 2011 2:13 AM
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http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Eritrea+reputation+suffers+from+distortions+hypocrisy/5816941/story.html#ixzz1flLzwfdS
Re: Eritreans in Canada shaken down by despot back home, vancouversun.com,
Nov. 25
It is very unfortunate that the The Vancouver Sun website had to devote
valuable time and script in disseminating distorted information about the
Eritrean government and the Eritrean diaspora.
We would like to clarify two main issues of which Canadians should be aware.
First, the two-per-cent recovery tax mentioned in this story (mehweyee
gibree in Tigrigna) is meant to help a country devastated by 30 years of
its war for independence. Eritrea, unlike many other war-torn countries,
was not compensated by the West, which helped Ethiopia finance the war. As
a consequence, Eritreans in the diaspora proposed the two-per-cent tax in
1992 to help the young country. This tax is paid voluntarily and the only
time Eritreans are asked for proof of payment is when they need services
from the government.
All the commotion about this tax is incomprehensible considering lots of
other Canadians with dual citizenships make remittances to their home
countries.
Second, the accusation that the tax goes to Somalia to help Al Shebab is
false, created by Eritrea's arch enemy, Ethiopia. This accusation is
supported by the latter's mentors in order to divert the attention of the
world and the United Nations Security Council from the real issue: the
unresolved border problem with Ethiopia.
Let it be known that Eritrea neither supports nor sympathizes with Al
Shebab or any other terrorist organization.
If anything, long before 9/11, Eritrea was under attack by Osama bin Laden
and his followers while he was in the Sudan. The ugly and grotesque faces
of terrorism were long understood and fought against by the Eritrean
government.
Eritreans, both in the country and the diaspora, are peace-loving,
lawabiding and proud people, and when it comes to defending our nation, we
will not stay silent while our reputation gets tarnished.
Mulu Beiene, Cheai Sahlezghi and Yonas Zeru Eritrean Cultural Centre of
Greater Vancouver
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Received on Tue Dec 06 2011 - 11:02:34 EST