Thread by @BeqaYiakl

Today’s #Yiakl #SundaySpotlight goes out to the campaigners & supporters of #EndHighSchoolInSawa in acknowledgment of their concerted efforts to resensitize #Eritrea|ns on the hideous policy of sending students to Sawa military camp to complete their final year of high school.

#EndHighSchoolInSawa campaign started in June 2019 by a group of former Sawa high school students and activists in support of ZurFenkil movement at home with the objectives of:

- Ending societal numbness towards the immoral & illegal policy.

- Denormalizing conscription of child soldiers, separation of families & mixing of education and military.

- Relatively easily activating resistance by refusing to comply with the destructive policy.
#Eritrea

This year, the campaigners are specifically calling for an end to high school in Sawa amid COVID-19 pandemic after the #Eritrea|n government ordered all 11th graders to finish the remaining weeks of their 11th grade class before they report to Sawa. #EndHighSchoolInSawa

Since the beginning of the campaign, concerned Eritrean citizens and organizations have joined the campaign demanding an end to high school in Sawa via social media and traditional media sharing videos, articles, panel discussions, petitions, interviews e.t.c.

Former Sawa students have been courageously sharing their stories, encouraging other former students to do the same. Their stories have made it very difficult for government supporters to defend this brutal policy. Special thanks to these ex-students.

Thank you to those who are actively sharing the campaign across all platforms to get the message to more Eritreans at home & diaspora thereby preventing the #Eritrea|n government from monopolizing and disseminating false information & narrative about Sawa
twitter.com/i/events/12886…

Thank you to all Eritrean youtubers and media who are addressing the issue by providing excellent analysis and expert opinions @BakreiH @meetyoel @AANmedia

Thank you to those who continue to raise awareness by conducting panel discussions about Sawa and the education system in #Eritrea.
#EndHighSchoolInSawa

ATv:

EriSat:

Thank you to all #Eritrea|n organizations who continue to back the campaign. @new @EMDHR @onedayseyoum @ReclaimEritrea

Thank you to Human Rights Watch, @hrw for releasing a special issue on the militarized education in Eritrea and how it is at the heart of the repressive regime in Eritrea. hrw.org/report/2019/08…

Thank you to those who have signed the #EndHighSchoolInSawa petition - calling on the funders of Eritrean education system such as @AfDB_Group, @FinGovernment @EU e.t.c to pressure the Eritrean government to dissociate education and military.
change.org/p/human-rights…

This year 11th Graders are expected to finish classes by August 20th and take a “model exam”. Departure to Sawa could be anytime after the examination so let’s all continue to raise our voices to #EndHighSchoolInSawa!

Let’s continue the conversation with families and friends at home by reminding them of the risks involved if students were to go to a cramped military camp in the middle of a pandemic and encourage them to stand up for their rights! #EndHighSchoolInSawa

To learn more about the campaign & what you can do to help, Visit:

Twitter: @FenkilHSIS
FB: EndHighSchoolInSawa
IG: EndHighSchoolInSawa
TikTok: @EndHighSchoolInSawa_
YouTube: EndHighSchoolInSawa
Website: ehiseritrea.com

Once again, Thank you to all #EndHighSchoolInSawa campaigners and supporters who continue to bring the issue of Sawa to the spotlight!

We encourage every #Eritrea|n to join the campaign today!

#Eritrea2020 #SundaySpotlight
#Yiakl #WeAreComingHome