Years of war have left 20,000 Eritreans invalided

ASMARA, Nov 1 (AFP) — In one of the lanes of a busy avenue in Asmara, several men in wheelchairs progressed alongside the traffic.

Nearby, on the pavement, a blind person and a man with crutches and only one leg passed by. These are common sights in the Eritrean capital.

Since 1961, this small poverty-ridden Horn of Africa country has been devastated by two conflicts: a war of independence against Ethiopia from 1961 to 1991 during which 65,000 Eritreans died, and a border war, again against Ethiopia, between 1998 and 2000, which killed nearly 20,000 Eritreans, according to the official statistics.

One of the most tragic consequences of these two conflicts is that “Eritrea has approximately 20,000 war invalids,” explained Eritrean War Disabled Fighters Association’s (EWDFA) spokesman Fisshaye Micael.

In all, the Eritrean population comprises nearly four million people, according to the authorities.

The war invalids “are very respected in Eritrea because they fought for the people. It is not always like this in some countries,” said Fisshaye.

It is common to hear Eritreans assert that first of all they respect those who died during the wars, and just behind, they respect the war invalids.

EWDFA was founded in 1993, the year Eritrea officially became independent, to assist the victims of the 30-years war.

“In all, our association looks after 18,000 disabled people. Two thousand more are waiting to become members,” said Fisshaye.

“Women represent 20 percent of our members. During the war of independence 30 percent of fighters were women,” he pointed out.

Among the members, about 87 percent percent are physically handicapped, 10 percent have sight problems, just under two percent have hearing problems, and 0.6 percent have mental disorders, according to EWDFA.

“Our aim is to reintegrate them in the society. We give them and their families money. We also help them to establish small-scale businesses like bakeries and petrol stations. We work in collaboration with the ministry of labour,” he explained.

But currently, only 3,500 invalids benefit from these programmes, added Fisshaye.

A young man who asked to remain anonymous, and is often critical of the regime, said that concerning the help given to the invalids, the government was doing a good job.

“The invalids I know and the population as a whole consider that the government looks after them well. The invalids know that the process of starting small businesses for them takes time, but it is an ongoing process. They don’t say that the invalids who already possess a small shop are privileged.”

“The government covers 90 percent of our needs,” said Fisshaye, explaining that United Nations and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also assist.

The amputees receive 1,800 nakfa (72 euros) a month, the other invalids get 1000 nakfa (40 euros) a month. The GDP per capita in Eritrea in 2003 was 890 dollars (712 euros), according to UNDP.

In some cases, the association also provides lodgings for the invalids, especially in Asmara “where there is a shortage of residences”.

Dawit Fisshaye, dark glasses and curly hair, is an ex-fighter and a member of the association. He has been blind for nearly thirty years. “Since March 1977, during the first battle to liberate the town of Nakfa (north). I was one of the first attackers. I received a bullet here,” he said pointing to his temple.

Dawit then went to Italy for an operation. “Thanks to the diaspora’s support, but the operation didn’t succeed.”

In 1978, he returned to Eritrea. “I then worked in the (Eritrean liberation front’s) department of social affairs, near the battlefields. I taught music and literature,” he said, stubbing out his cigarette. Nowadays, he works for EWDFA.