

Currently released so far... 1463 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
2010/12/14
2010/12/13
2010/12/12
2010/12/11
2010/12/10
2010/12/09
2010/12/08
2010/12/07
2010/12/06
2010/12/05
2010/12/04
2010/12/03
2010/12/02
2010/12/01
2010/11/30
2010/11/29
2010/11/28
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Paris
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
Secretary of State
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Browse by tag
CH
CIA
CACM
CDB
CU
CO
CI
CS
CVIS
CD
CV
CA
CJAN
CLINTON
CASC
CE
CMGT
CBW
COUNTERTERRORISM
CY
COUNTER
CF
CIS
CM
CG
CN
CDG
ENVR
ECON
EG
ETRD
EAID
EFIN
ETTC
EAIR
EINV
EPET
ENRG
EWWT
EIND
ELAB
EN
ES
EAGR
EU
EUN
EINT
ELTN
ELECTIONS
ECUN
EINVEFIN
EC
EXTERNAL
EI
ECPS
EFIS
EMIN
ECIP
EINDETRD
EZ
EREL
ET
ER
EUC
KDEM
KSPR
KNNP
KN
KTFN
KCRM
KWBG
KPAL
KACT
KG
KCOR
KZ
KS
KGCC
KJUS
KISL
KSUM
KPIN
KGHG
KSCA
KDRG
KGIC
KRAD
KPRP
KU
KMDR
KHLS
KE
KPAO
KBIO
KIRF
KPKO
KUNR
KCIP
KOLY
KHIV
KCFE
KDEV
KV
KAWK
KIPR
KNPP
KR
KWMN
KTIP
KICC
KTIA
KFRD
KAWC
KPWR
KWAC
KMIG
KSEC
KIFR
KDEMAF
KFIN
KNUC
KCOM
KMCA
KIRC
KHDP
MOPS
MNUC
MARR
MASS
MO
MX
MCAP
ML
MA
MTCRE
MZ
MIL
MR
MY
MU
MPOS
MAR
MD
MEPP
MOPPS
MG
MASC
MP
MTCR
MAPP
MCC
MK
PGOV
PREL
PHUM
PINR
PARM
PK
PTER
PROP
PREF
PINS
PINL
PL
PM
PHSA
POL
PE
PBIO
PA
PO
POLITICS
PEPR
PBTS
PSI
PINT
PSOE
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PECON
PAK
PGOF
POGOV
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09ASMARA429, ERITREA’S SQUABBLING COLONELS, FLEEING
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09ASMARA429.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09ASMARA429 | 2009-12-15 11:11 | 2010-12-08 16:04 | SECRET | Embassy Asmara |
INFO LOG-00 EEB-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 INL-00 DOTE-00
PERC-00 DS-00 FAAE-00 VCI-00 H-00 TEDE-00 INR-00
LAB-01 CAC-00 MOFM-00 MOF-00 VCIE-00 DCP-00 NSAE-00
ISN-00 OIG-00 NIMA-00 PM-00 GIWI-00 ISNE-00 FMPC-00
SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 SCRS-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00
PRM-00 DRL-00 SAS-00 FA-00 SWCI-00 PESU-00 SANA-00
/001W
P 151119Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0639
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
NSC WASHDC
CIA WASHDC
DIA WASHDC
JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
SECDEF WASHDC
CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
COMUSNAVCENT
Tuesday, 15 December 2009, 11:19
S E C R E T ASMARA 000429
EO 12958 DECL: 12/10/2019
TAGS PGOV, MOPS, SOCI, PREF, ER
SUBJECT: ERITREA’S SQUABBLING COLONELS, FLEEING
FOOTBALLERS, FRIGHTENED LIBRARIANS
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d)
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Things are getting worse and worse in Eritrea. The regime is facing mounting international pressure for years of malign behavior in the neighborhood. Human rights abuses are commonplace and most young Eritreans, along with the professional class, dream of fleeing the country, even to squalid refugee camps in Ethiopia or Sudan. The economy continues to sink; exports for 2008 totaled only $14m and vital hard-currency remittances have fallen to 43% of the 2005 level. “He is sick,” said one leading Eritrean businessman, referring to President Isaias’ mental health. “The worse things get, the more he tries to take direct control--it doesn’t work.” The following three vignettes highlight the current state of affairs in Eritrea. END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) THE DEFENSE MINISTER AND THE COLONELS
--------------------------------------------
Defense Minister Sebhat Efrem convoked army colonels in late November for a three-day conference on professional and career issues. On the second day a serious row reportedly broke out among the conferees; the acrimony rose so high that General Sebhat cancelled the rest of the conference and sent the quarreling colonels back to their units. The bone of contention? Perceived differences in the quality of the villas (often confiscated from the original owners) given to the colonels by the regime to maintain their allegiance.
¶3. (SBU) SOCCER TEAM 1 - REGIME 0
----------------------------------
Eritreans are mad about soccer. Many dusty streets in Asmara are filled with urchins kicking an old sock stuffed with rags back and forth between goals made of piled stones. Senior government and party officials are avid fans of the British Premier League and sometimes leave official functions early to catch key matches. Despite tight control of the domestic media, satellite TV dishes are allowed, probably so folks can watch international soccer. Impressive numbers of senior regime officials attended the World Cup pool draw reception thrown by the South Africa embassy last week. The BBC and diaspora websites are reporting that the entire Eritrean national soccer team defected after playing in a regional tournament in Kenya. If true, this will be stunning news for the Eritrean population. Only the coach and an escorting colonel reportedly returned to Eritrea. (One wonders why, given their likely fate.) Isaias has previously claimed the CIA was luring Eritrean youth abroad; if the soccer team has in fact defected, he will undoubted try to twist logic in some way to blame the United States.
¶4. (C) [Content removed]
----------------------------
Eritreans are fearful of associating with foreigners, as they are often grilled afterwards by security thugs. XXXXXXXXXXXX
¶5. (S) COMMENT: The brittle Isaias regime is one pistol shot away from implosion. However, Isaias is clever, very good at operational security, and two decades younger than Mugabe. While many in Eritrea long for change, few are in a position to effect it. END COMMENT.
McMullen