Dear readers:-

I would like to thank all those who used their time and contributed names to the list. However I am still under the impression that there are many missing  names. The suggestion of listing institutions in addition to the list of individuals is a good idea and is accepted. The list will always be open for adding new names and I challenge you all to consult with your acquaintances and add new names to the list. To avoid wasting valuable time in our drive to record the activities of our heroes and heroines a parallel work of data collection and writing has already started. 

I have not received comments about the possibility of recruiting capable individuals in Eritrea to write biography books on any persons in the list against reasonable amount of payment. If any one of you know an individual residing in Eritrea who could be interested in the task of writing please let me know. Send your comments to:-  comments@emnetu.com

In my first email I mentioned that biography books of Eritreans do not exist. Well, that is somewhat overlooking the fact that there are actually very few biography books in tigrinja and Arabic languages. But these books are not traceable on the internet search motors. I am now making a cross reference of these books in my website in English language so that searchers and researchers can be aware that there exist some biography books in tigrinja and Arabic. I have managed to scan the biography books of Degiat Bahta Hagos, Raessi Woldemichael Solomun, Memhir Yishak Tewoldemedhin and an autobiography of the famous artist and freedom fighter Tibereh Tesfahuney. These biography books in tigrinja are now available online in my website. 

It is to be noted that the success of this project will largely depend on the involvement of many of our compatriots who have access to information and are willing to share it. A major problem that encountered in the last months is locating primary sources who are still alive but their whereabouts unknown. One disheartening case is the unwillingness of a primary source to share information. The words uttered by this primary source, after she was contacted for an interview, was that her husband should be “left to rest in peace”. 

In my last message I told readers that I am aggressively  searching for information about Tesfazghi Kifle, the Calsolayo, in order to write a biographical sketch of him. It is now published and is available to readers at the pages of completed biographies. 

A very encouraging development is the publication of a new book in tigrinja entitled ማሰን መልቀስን ቀዳሞት by Solomon Tsehaye. The book which is published in 2012 narrates the life history and the collection of works of many famous oral poets in our country. The author is a resourceful Eritrean who managed to dig information from our past history and make it available for the coming generations. Solomon has made tremendous contribution in recording and making available the works of our uniquely talented oral poets. ማሰን መልቀስን ቀዳሞት is a book I recommend for every Eritrean to posses. It is also a valuable object to be given as a gift.  

My ultimate hope is that the initiative taken now will lead to encouraging our able compatriots to write biography books so that we move up from the level we are now of writing only biographical sketches. Eritrea is very rich in history but the published part of our history is insignificant. We are blessed by having resourceful Eritreans with Alemseged Tesfai at the helm who have saved us from being naked in the records of history. But looking at the availability of capable Eritreans, specially those who are retired, the possibility to enrich our recorded history is all in their hands.  

 Emnetu