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R 021303Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0233
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UNCLAS ASMARA 000105 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL 
USAID FOR GEORGIANNA PLATT 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PROP SOCI PGOV ER
SUBJECT: RADIO ASENA IS THE NEW OPPOSITION VOICE 
 
REF: A. ASMARA 67 
     ¶B. ASMARA 28 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Opposition website assenna.com recently 
launched Radio Asena, airing hour-long broadcasts on Mondays 
and Wednesdays in Tigrinya and on Fridays in Arabic. ("Asena" 
means "good" in the congratulatory sense).  The station, 
found on 9610kHz, reports on a variety of topics including 
mass arrests and detentions, military defections, destructive 
government policies, and military corruption.  While these 
topics are standard opposition website fare, Radio Asena has 
turned up the heat with hard-hitting programming.  Two 
programs in particular have caught the attention of the 
Eritrean public: an interview allegedly with a dissatisfied 
military official and a report of a politically motivated 
murder in Asmara.  End Summary. 
 
RADIO ASENA ASCENDENT 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Radio Asena reportedly has developed a strong 
following in Eritrea and eclipsed awate.com as the leading 
source of anti-GSE information.  It appears to be more 
credible than other sources.  While most opposition-based 
news reports are unverifiable, we have been able to 
corroborate two of Radio Asena stories with firsthand 
accounts from embassy contacts.  Radio Asena reported on the 
mass arrest at Radio Bana (Ref A) and the arrest of 10 
employees at the Ministry of Immigration (MOI) accused of 
selling exit visas.  A close embassy source with regular 
contact with the MOI corroborated the latter information. 
Contributing to Radio Asena's standing are its three 
well-known news anchors, two of whom were formerly with 
GSE-controlled Eri-TV. 
 
INTERVIEW WITH DISGRUNTLED MILITARY? 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) In early March Radio Asena aired what it claimed was 
an interview with a discontented Eritrean officer, who said 
he was part of a group demanding major government reform.  He 
said the group delivered to senior military officials a list 
of demands that included an end to national service and 
implementation of the constitution.  The nearly one-hour long 
interview supposedly took place via cellphone. (Note: Post 
has been hearing different versions of this story since last 
November, including one with tanks in the streets and 
midnight visits to GSE officials.)  The officer said the 
Minister of Water, Resources, and Environment, Woldemichael 
Gebremariam, had been nominated as the mediator between the 
government and the dissident military.  Curiously, 
Woldemichael was reassigned in the recent Cabinet shake-up to 
be Minister of Local Government, a powerless position that 
indicates he has been largely sidelined. 
 
POLITICALLY MOTIVATED MURDER 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The radio station also reported on the death of Mr. 
Fesseha Woldedawit, head of the Finance Department at the 
Northern Red Sea Administrative Region.  Mr. Fesseha 
allegedly discovered a 30 million nakfa ($2 million) 
discrepancy in the department's records and was found dead 
soon after reporting the matter to the appropriate officials. 
 Authorities stated Mr. Fesseha committed suicide by 
strangling himself with a laptop cord, according to Radio 
Asena. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: Post contacts indicate Radio Asena is the 
buzz of the town, with good reason: it's reaching more