Heart of Fire – A British Film Industry Disgrace

WOW… on Saturday 25^th October 2008 seats in Screen 2 at the Ritzy in Brixton, London, showing Heart of Fire, a film on alleged Eritrean child soldiers by Senait Mehari, a former member of ELF, were sold out. It was interesting to see up to 90% of the audience composed of non-Eritreans, with many from UK backgrounds and some Italians. I am not sure what this show of interest was about, given the current general cynical view on all things Eritrean generated by the media. Judging from some of their questions and expressions exchanged with a few Eritreans following the screening, I felt they were a mixed bag including those with unaffiliated genuine interest, those with cinematic interest, those with interest in child care practice, and many demonstrated their interest in media and politics.

One Italian asked me whether there were any crucial differences between Ethiopians and Eritreans. Another asked what fundamental differences existed between “Jebha” and “Shabea”. I was also asked whether there are any former “Jebha” members presently holding positions of power in the Government of Eritrea, and appeared puzzled when I confirmed that indeed there were such people in high positions, demonstrating the all-inclusive attitude of the policy in Eritrea.

As for the film itself, I think it was such a lightweight in both content and quality. It was totally unrepresentative of the Eritrean struggle for independence, a story unresearched and unsubstantiated with any documentary evidence and aimed purely on creating sensationalism to attract headlines and promote sales. The book on which the film is based has been rejected for its veracity and the writer and publisher are currently awaiting judicial outcome in the German court for the lies, character defamation and vilification of Eritrean history. It is mind boggling how such a controversial book purporting to be a true story can be allowed to be filmed at all.

I applaud the Authorities in Eritrea for not allowing it to be filmed in Eritrea. What a shame on the Kenyan Administration who allowed their land to be used to sell lies and benefit British Film Industries. When will Africans stop being pawns in the games of multi national corporations and begin to put long term national interests above short term financial gains?

The film portrays children as young as 10 being recruited by ELF during the late 70’s and trained to carry guns to shoot and kill the enemy, which included EPLF fighters. The children are seen experiencing abusive and harrowing treatment by their own regiment commanders. Whilst it would be more appropriate for first hand witnesses to comment on the details of these acts of perpetration, from a cultural stand point, (whether ELF, EPLF or the wider civic society) using children in this manner is unheard of and unnatural to Eritreans, because children are seen and handled with great love and care and are the responsibility of the community, not just their biological parents. On the contrary, the protection and safeguarding of children in the Field, despite the desperate militaristic environment at the time, received the highest priority and has always been exemplary. Having said this it cannot be denied that those children will have understandably suffered the ravages of war. The most vulnerable will evidently be negatively affected by the impact of war, however well attempts are made to protect them. They may be war children, but they were not child soldiers.

Within this culture, the Eritrean Government, soon after independence, signed up to the Rights of the Child to ensure their continued protection.

A more sinister message of this film is the message it gives and stokes the fires of renewed fratricidal fighting among the Eritrean people. There is strong emphasis on the war between “Jebha” and “Shabeia” of the late 70’s and the voices of people who say they have remained unable to return to Eritrea after independence. Mutterings are heard that they are still

“waiting for the freedom of Eritrea to return to their country”.

The producer (an Italian) of this film is bent on creating hatred between Eritreans. He fails to see that Eritreans have long learnt the signs of enemy manipulations and contemporary methods of divide and rule, When it comes to the crunch, the Eritrean people will not fall prey to such evil attempts.

The film is a total disgrace to the British Film Industry and there is nothing in it to merit a place in the Film Festival. It is a further shame to screen it during Black History month and to have used it as an educational material.

Seble Ephrem

London

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