The Narcissism of Small Differences: Information Technology, Social Media and the Fragmented Struggle for Democratic Change in Eritrea

18/02/2025 23:45 PM

The Narcissism of Small Differences:
Information Technology, Social Media and the Fragmented Struggle for Democratic Change in Eritrea

by Dr. Gebre Gebremariam, 18 February 2025

The Narcissism of Small Differences: Information Technology, Social Media and the Fragmented Struggle for Democratic Change in Eritrea.
by Dr. Gebre Gebremariam, 18 February 2025

As the Eritrean people know well and as chronicled in the annals of world history, Eritrea’s struggle for independence from foreign rule was a long and arduous journey that culminated in 1991 when Eritrean freedom fighters, with the full support of the Eritrean people, defeated the last foreign occupiers (Ethiopian forces). After the Eritrean people voted for independence, with 99.83%, in the United Nations monitored¹ Independence Referendum of 23-25 April 1993, Eritrea officially became an independent nation, with Issaias Afeworki as its first president. Although, initially, many hoped and aspired for a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Eritrea with an incredible promising future, sadly and unfortunately, the reality soon diverged from these aspirations.

Under Issaias’ rule, Eritrea has become one of the most repressive states in the world. The government has systematically dismantled democratic institutions, suppressed political opposition, and curtailed civil liberties. The country has no functioning constitution, independent judiciary, or free press. Arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, and indefinite conscription are common, leading to widespread human rights abuses, and mass exodus of the Youth, the Educated, Businesses and Investors with business acumen together with their Financial Capitals. The regime has been suffocating the private sector and the farming households, depriving them of the vital resources such as labor, human capital, physical capital and entrepreneurial skills to produce and reproduce. As a result, today, the Eritrean people has become a “Remittance Society” and Eritrea is continuously bleeding and become depopulated.

Apart from being the main source of livelihood for the “Eritrean Remittance Society”, the Eritrean Diaspora, spread across various countries, has long been seen as a potential force for democratic change in Eritrea. However, the Diaspora’s efforts have been hampered by internal divisions and a lack of cohesive strategy. The “Narcissism of Small Differences” has led to the formation of numerous small groups, each with its own agenda and vision for Eritrea’s future. These groups often engage in in-fighting and competition, undermining their collective effectiveness. Note that advancement in information technology in general and the rise of social media in particular has played a significant role in both mobilizing and fragmenting such kinds of movements and groups. While, for instance, social media platforms have provided a space for youth groups, women’s organizations, political entities, grassroots movements, regional groups, friend groups, family groups, religious groups, village groups, alumni groups, former fighters groups, etc. to voice their concerns and organize, they have also contributed to mistrust, suspicion, and a lack of unified strategy, leading to the fragmentation of vision, efforts, and actions. Each group across the spectrum of these divisions thinks only its ideas, strategy, modus operandi are right and correct and lives in its small mini world. Whatever discussions each of these mini groups might have in their respective zoom meetings, get togethers, cyber communications, etc. as related to Eritrean politics, they don’t go beyond “gossips”. But the reality is gossiping about what it does or does not do, however frequently and deeply it is done, cannot dislodge the Issaias regime. Practical actions on the ground are needed.

How much gossiping is out there as related to Eritrean politics? If we assume the precarious condition that Eritrea finds itself concerns every Eritrean, there is too much gossiping which suffocates practical and effective actions that should have been taken against the tyrannical regime. It is that hard to attest this assertion. Simply try to count the number of these mini groupings in the Eritrean Diaspora, they are in hundreds if not in thousands thanks to Zoom’s cheap meeting services. Here, we should be clear that it is not the cheap availability of information technology per se the culprit or the problem for our fragmentation. It is rather the way we make use of it – we mostly use it for gossiping, instead of using it to create a unified and effective resistance force for democratic change in Eritrea. Sadly, and unfortunately, Eritreans have not been able to harness the power of the information technology such as social media to our advantage – we have, instead, for the majority become victims of these incredible tools. I urge each one of us to change courses and use these tools for positive change.

The Power of Information Technology: Information Technology has revolutionized the way people communicate and organize. For the Eritrean Diaspora, platforms like Facebook, Twitter (X), Telegram, TikTok, YouTube, and WhatsApp, and meeting or video conferencing software such Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex Meeting, Skype, etc. can become essential tools for:

• Raising Awareness: These platforms can allow activists to share information about the situation in Eritrea, raising global awareness about human rights abuses and the need for democratic change in Eritrea.

• Mobilizing Support: These platforms can enable rapid mobilization of support for protests, campaigns, and other initiatives of national significance, both within the Eritrean Diaspora and among allies worldwide.

• Connecting Communities: These platforms can help connect Eritreans across the globe, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. They can also be used to foster inter- and intra – communities (social cleavages that are based on region, religion, culture, language, occupation, etc.) communications and dialogs which are essential to create a cohesive and unified strategy and an effective change agent to effect a democratic change in Eritrea.

Fragmentation and the “Narcissism of Small Differences”: Despite these benefits, the way we use information technology in general and social media in particular has been contributing to the fragmentation of the Diaspora-based Eritrean movements. The “Narcissism of Small Differences” phenomenon, where minor differences lead to significant divisions, for instance, is exacerbated by the nature of social media and by the way we use it. In this respect, it is vitally important to note the following facts, which are also true as attested by the realities of the Eritrean Diaspora:

• Echo Chambers: Social media algorithms often create echo chambers, where users are exposed primarily to information that reinforces their existing beliefs. This can lead to the formation of insular groups with rigid ideologies, making collaboration difficult. Let’s reflect to what extent we have become victims of this fact.

• Proliferation of Groups: The ease of creating social media pages and groups has led to a proliferation of small, specialized entities. While each group may have noble intentions, the sheer number of organizations dilutes efforts and resources. Our reality also speaks to this naked truth.

• Public Disputes: Disagreements and conflicts that might have been resolved privately are often played out publicly on social media, leading to further divisions and a loss of credibility. When gossips get out of its burn, it is very destructive and this is what those of you who frequently engage in the Eritrean cyber space witness and experience.

The Impact on Unified Strategy: The fragmentation caused by the way we use information technology in general and social media in particular has several implications for the Eritrean Diaspora’s efforts to bring about democratic change in Eritrea:

• Crab Mentality: Instead of helping and supporting one another, these Diaspora-based Eritrean insular groups work against one another in a manner like what crabs do when kept in a bucket. This leads to animosities, mistrust, continuous infightings and chronic lack of cooperations and collaboration.

• Lack of Cohesion: Without a unified strategy, the Diaspora struggles, but often fails, to present a coherent and powerful opposition to the Eritrean regime. This lack of cohesion undermines the effectiveness of their efforts, leading to almost political paralysis.

• Resource Allocation: Resources, both financial and human resources, are spread thin across numerous groups, reducing the impact of any single initiative. This fragmentation makes it challenging to sustain long-term campaigns. The history of the Diaspora-based Eritrean struggle for democratic change in Eritrea is replete with these kinds of nonviable political and social campaigns – there is no viable, effective, and trustworthy media outlet, political or social platform in the Eritrean Diaspora to date.

• Credibility Issues: The Eritrea people back home and the international community may view the fragmented opposition as disorganized and ineffective, leading to a lack of support for their cause. This perception can hinder efforts to garner both public support and international pressure on the Eritrean regime.

Moving Towards Unity: To overcome the challenges posed by the fragmentation of the Eritrean Diaspora-based movements for democratic change in Eritrea, the Eritrean Diaspora must work towards greater unity and collaboration:

• Coalescing around National Issues: The different insular groups along the whole spectrum of the Eritrean Diaspora, should coalesce around the issues of Eritrean Sovereignty, Constitutional Governance, Rule of Law, the protection of Fundamental Human Rights. To this effect, mini and insular groups should join national political organizations such as Organization of Eritrean Unity (OEU) that uphold the above-mentioned principles of national significance.

• Building Bridges: Efforts should be made to bridge the gaps between different groups, fostering dialogue and understanding. This can be achieved through regular meetings, both online and offline, to discuss common goals and strategies. But, for a better outcome, this requires for each mini and insular group to take the initiative – it takes two to tango. Note that efforts in this regard did not yield fruitful results for lack positive initiatives from the fragmented mini groups yet.

• Creating Umbrella Organizations: In principle, establishing umbrella organizations that can coordinate the efforts of various groups can help streamline activities and present a united front. These organizations can serve as central hubs for resources and information. But experience shows that these fragmented and mini groups use these umbrella organizations just as a “placeholder” or as a coalition of convenience instead of a true alliance, leading to repeated failures and political PTSDs (post-traumatic stress disorders). Let’s evaluate our experience in this regard and try to do a better job this time around. As one of the greatest philosophers in history, Socrates, once said “the unexamined life is not worth living”, lets learn from our mistakes and be ready to show that we have learned and grown up. Let’s not behave like what Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different result”.

• Promoting Inclusivity: Ensuring that all voices, including those of youth, women, and marginalized communities, are heard and valued is crucial for building a cohesive movement. Inclusivity can help prevent the formation of insular groups and promote a sense of shared purpose. For this kind of efforts to succeed, we should be healed from our “Narcissism of Small Differences” syndrome or disease. This will require for those who dwell and worship on small differences, to start thinking from the big picture framework – their issues or problems, be they political, social, cultural, religious, regional, etc., cannot be solve unless the national issues and problems are solved. The Eritrean predicament emanates from lack of justice and constitutional governance in Eritrea. No subnational, individual, reginal or socio-cultural issues(s) can get justice unless Eritrea becomes a just country. But the truth of the matter is Eritrean can be a just country only by the collective and unified actions of Eritreans – no mini group alone can liberate Eritrea from the tyrannical regime of Issaias.

• Leveraging Technology: While information technology in general and social media in particular has been contributing to the fragmentation of the Eritrean Diaspora-based movements, it can also be used to foster unity among these dispersed mini groups. There is no area or aspect of our struggle for democratic change in Eritrea where information technology does not touch. Creating platforms for collaboration, creating awareness and educating the Eritrean public about key national issues, joint campaigns on critical national issues, cultivating the national heritage and centralized communication channels for news and information, can help coordinate efforts. All these require a paradigm shift on the way we use information technology in general and social media in particular – we should harness the power of these tools for positive socio-economic, political and cultural enhancements in Eritrea.

Overall, the road to democracy in Eritrea is fraught with challenges, but a united and determined Diaspora can play a crucial role in bringing about the change that the Eritrean people desperately need. our greatest problem is that we are sick of “Narcissism of Small Differences” and there is no force on Planet Earth that can heal us of this monster except ourselves. By addressing the “Narcissism of Small Differences” and working together, the Diaspora can help pave the way for a brighter and more democratic future Eritrea. As Eritreans, it is important to recognize that there are many things that bind us than separate us. Let’s not dwell on the small differences that we have, which is the norm in a plural society such as ours. Justice is the common denominator to these small differences, and they will be justly handled in a democratic and just Eritrea. Let’s work in unison to that end. In this regard, it is paramount important to recognize the role of information technology in general and social media in particular. These tools have been playing a dual role in the Diaspora-based Eritrean movements for democratic change. While they have provided powerful tools for raising awareness and mobilizing support, they have also contributed to fragmentation and a lack of unified strategy. By recognizing these challenges and working towards greater unity and collaboration, the Eritrean Diaspora can harness the power of information technology in general and social media in particular to build a stronger, more effective movement for democratic change in Eritrea. It is possible and let’s do it.
Amen!!!

¹The UN Observer Mission to Verify the Referendum in Eritrea (UNOVER) was established pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 47/114 of 16 December 1992 and lasted until 25 April1993.

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