While touring Southern California, Ambassador Girma Asmerom held discussions with the various Eritrean groups in the greater Los Angeles area. Having met with the general Eritrean community on December 3, Ambassador Girma met with Women's and Youth groups the next day. The discussion with the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students—Los Angeles and Orange County branches-- alone lasted for four hours (5:00-9:00pm).
After a brief introduction by the Chairperson of the LA branch, Merhawi Keflezighi, Ambassador Girma gave general background information on Eritrea and the Eritrean youth movement in the US during the war for independence. Ambassador Girma advised his audience to remain focused and cherish their identity by making it their launching pad for their goals in life. He stressed that if the youth are dedicated and focused, there is nothing that would prevent them from success. Bringing the discussion to the Eritrean reality today, Ambassador Girma outlined how the youth's efforts to enlighten themselves about the current situation in Eritrea enormously helps Eritrean efforts to implement the border demarcation and preservation of peace in the region. He called upon the youth to be bold and to question what they see, hear, and read. But to do so, he reminded them, they need to do their homework, i.e. remain connected to their roots and keep up with the developments on the ground.
As the floor opened for discussion, the youth asked for more clarification on the current situation on the border with Ethiopia, raised questions concerning the youth in Eritrea, families of martyrs, the economy, education, freedom of expression, involvement in decision-making and more. In the heated discussion, the ambassador assured the youth that there is nothing that the Eritrean government would spare to provide for its citizens. As much as its resources allow, he notified his audience, the government is helping the families of martyrs. After revising its curriculum and making high school completion at the 12th grade, the government was faced with severe shortages in manpower and other essential resources. This reality led to the start of the final year of high school in Sawa where the concentration of the students eases the shortages. The government has opened five colleges to further the reach of higher education. Although the guns had long fallen silent, the Ambassador warned of the grave danger Ethiopian disregard of international law continues to pose to Eritrean survival, due to which the youth are on standby and the economy is affected accordingly.
The ambassador acknowledged that there are problems and the road will be bumpy for some time to come, but assured the youth that not only is farsighted progress being made but also the current leadership's only ambition is to bequeath a prosperous democratic Eritrea to its young generation. And Ambassador Girma called upon the youth to commit to the ideals of helping the Eritrean people and take practical steps to that effect: go back and teach for however long they can, commit to 'adopt' a martyr's family for two years, help the women's and other organizations in their cities, and help each other toward success...