Eritrea Websites: Mainstream versus Potpourri

Observation

06 Jan 2004

Eritrea is a multi-ethnic society thus blessed with diversity and the consequential multitude of visions, views, and opinions on almost every issue of national and international interest. And that makes Eritrea a land of consensus building and not one of absolute righteousness, where every view/opinion/vision is valid on its own right but the most right, one that enjoys consensus among and between Eritreans is adopted without invalidating others. Hence the justification for the logo of the national constitution, though not yet implemented, therefore, not in effect: Unity in Diversity.

During the struggle for national independence, post national independence, and today at a time when Eritrea successfully foiled Ethiopia�s attempt to undo its national independence under the pretext of border dispute, Eritrea media outlets and internet websites have reflected and continue to reflect this diversity that is uniquely cohesive and united for the common cause of Eritrea despite and in spite of the inherent diversity of opinions, views, and visions.

Mainstream has been established to mean:

The principal or dominant course, tendency, or trend
The prevailing current of thought, influence, or activity
Representing the prevalent opinions, attitudes, values, and practices of a society or group
Main current of thought or behavior: the ideas, actions, and values that are most widely accepted by a group or society
Reflecting the norm: reflecting the most widely accepted views of a nation on a variety of issues: political, cultural, religious, moral, international, economical or culture.

Though that has been established as the norm for mainstream, it certainly does not rule out the prevalence of views/opinions/visions/thoughts that are valid on their own right but didn�t make it to the level of being considered mainstream.

For example, in Eritrea there is a mainstream trend where consensus prevails in

The necessity to implement the national constitution
Defending, protecting, and preserving Eritrea�s national and territorial sovereignty
The final & binding nature of the border ruling
Establishing a constitutional governance
Establishing a pluralist society
A peaceful and democratic transition to constitutional governance, and more.

While that does not by any means negate the active prevalence of views/opinions/visions/thoughts outside the mainstream, there is no one single Eritrea website that can claim to be mainstream with any certainty because one can clearly discern a tilt towards one or the other side, to say the least and easy one. That doesn�t mean there won�t or can�t be one but there is none at present.

Today, there are Eritrea websites that represent exclusively government policy, others that represent policies competing with that of the government and or views/opinions contrary to that of the government, there are those that tilt towards one or the other, and there are those that provide forum for any thing and ever thing about Eritrea from within, without, and surroundings indiscriminately. There is nothing wrong with all of that because it only reflects the diversity of the Eritrean society. While a website, like the latter, can proudly boast about its wide spectrum, indiscriminate, and global representation and as much as that is admirable and well worth of our applaud, it is by far not mainstream but a potpourri (meaning well organized, grouped and indiscriminate assortment or miscellany of any thing & every thing about, from, and by Eritrea from within, without, and globally) of all what it represents and there is nothing wrong with that. It is just not mainstream because mainstream doesn�t mean the sum total, a collection, or a pool of all the views, opinions, and thoughts on a variety of issues that prevail within a nation/society but a reflection of the most widely accepted and predominant views, opinions, thoughts, trends and tendencies of a nation on a variety of issues.

A website can give itself whatever label it wants, but no one can deny the facts to the contrary. Just a humble pointer to merely distinguish mainstream from an all, any thing and every thing encompassing website and to set the record straight in that regard.

This website doesn�t claim to be mainstream or extreme but we advocate putting the interests of the People and Country of Eritrea First with an involuntary noticeable tilt towards our alma mater : University of Eritreans For Liberation in Europe and the USA, EFLE (Eh Naa Eh) and EFLNA (Eh Naa Se Ah) respectively, where we were surviving on a daily bowl of vegetable potpourri. Therefore, we kindly ask for and would appreciate it if you would tolerate our involuntary call for Awet N�hafash as well. Thanx. J