Running a media service – whether it is a television channel, a social platform like TikTok or YouTube, or a news site such as this one (setit.org) – carries immense responsibility. Media shape’s opinion, and for too long, Eritrean outlets have focused on appeasing audiences instead of challenging them. As Saleh Younis of Eritrea Digest noted in his article “The Horseshoeing of Eritrean Politics,” much of our media has been reduced to “feel-good” content rather than critical, intellectual argument. Ambassador Andeberhan once remarked in a book club discussion I attended that many Eritrean media personalities are “cringe and subpar” – an accurate critique. I was relieved when he said that because I knew I was not the only one that feels this way. Much of the media personalities and outlets we have are crap. That is the only adjective I think is fitting to describe the Eritrean media landscape.
That being said, this brings me to today’s topic: the case of George Dirar.
George Dirar’s Early Purpose
In his early days on YouTube and social media, George offered Eritreans content rarely discussed in our community about how to invest, nurture healthy relationships, and understand human psychology. He would even go on to break the barriers as we thought some topics are considered “taboo” to discuss openly, like sexual activity/health. The point that I am trying to make is that at the time, his videos were thought-provoking, practical, and above all things educational. He was for that period of time a positive force for all Eritreans worldwide.
The Pivot
This all changed in 2023 with the rise of “Brigade Nhamedu” an extremist group that sought to bring change through destructive acts raiding festivals, damaging property, even committing arson. George rightfully condemned those attacks, but in doing so, he began drawing closer to the government, eventually evolving into a voice of propaganda.
Like many others, I have become disillusioned with the Eritrean opposition. It is fractured by political, regional, and at times sectarian divides. Brigade Nhamedu’s actions pushed me to distance myself entirely; I no longer align myself with either camp. I now consider myself politically independent. Many Eritreans believe that when it comes to politics, you must choose one side or the other, or be called a “langa langa,” but quite frankly, I do not buy into such trivial and unintelligent name calling. I stand on principle. My only loyalty is to what is right for Eritrea. I will honor what is just and true, and I will challenge what is wrong and unjust, no matter who commits it.
George, however, has long abandoned that commitment. This is a man who once demanded the implementation of Eritrea’s constitution and the release of political prisoners, yet he now changes his politics as casually as one changes a T-shirt. Worst of all, he has recklessly reopened wounds that Eritreans have never healed—none deeper than the unresolved case of the G-15, a painful scar that continues to divide our people to this day.
George has resorted to recycling old interviews with figures like Sebhat Efrem and Zerai Haile, simply echoing the government’s narrative on the G-15 without offering any serious analysis or context. One of his earlier videos was even titled “Listen and Be the Judge.” But on a matter of this grave, presenting selective, one-sided material and then leaving the audience to “judge” is not only irresponsible—it is misleading. True judgment requires truth, and truth demands that both perspectives be heard before any serious conclusion can be drawn.
The reality is harsh and undeniable: the members of the G-15 men and women who sacrificed their youth and dedicated their lives to Eritrea’s liberation have vanished without a trace. They have been denied even the most basic human dignity: the right to see their children, to embrace the grandchildren born long after their disappearance, to simply exist as human beings. To bring such a wound into public conversation is not a matter of casual reposting or opportunistic noise. It demands more. It requires moral clarity, deep analysis, and the courage to confront uncomfortable truths. The demand is simple and just: the G-15 must either be brought before a court of law or granted full pardon. Nothing less honors justice, nothing less honors the struggle they once waged for Eritrea’s freedom.
Instead, the grim reality is that a good chunk of those members is believed to have died in prison, and their families have been kept in the dark about their fate. This silence is not just a political stance; but rather a profound human tragedy that marked the beginning of Eritrea’s political divide – one that was felt and more pronounced in the diaspora. It just surprises me that someone would repost this on the eve of the G-15’s 24 years since their disappearance. But as the saying goes, money talks.
Thus, I turn my attention directly to George Dirar. You hold a moral obligation to apologize not only to the families of the G-15 who have come across your video, but to the countless Eritreans who have been offended and disappointed by your recent videos and pivot. With the influence you command in Eritrean media, your responsibility should be to uplift the community and provide thoughtful, challenging analyses on the issues that concern the country. Instead, by recycling old propaganda under the guise of commentary (which is sheer laziness), you have chosen clicks and ad revenue over principle. Such opportunism reveals a greater concern for personal gain than for the people you claim to represent.
One thing you must understand is that Eritrean politics swings like a pendulum. There may come a day when HGDEF doubles down once more, and opposition to the government surges again (in however shape or form that happens). But the measure of a man’s integrity is not whether she shifts with the political winds, but rather if he remains true to his principles and values.
For me, through my time of being involved in Eritrean politics, those principles have never changed. Never once have I had second thoughts on the belief of implementing our constitution, adherence to rule of law, the release of political prisoners without due process, and the pursuit of genuine national reconciliation. These are the foundations of any just and normal society, and for me, they are non-negotiable.
My hope in writing this open letter is that it prompts you to reflect – not only on how you conduct yourself online, but on the responsibility that comes with your platform. Regardless of what political season we are in, Eritrea deserves sincerity, independence of thought, and a politics rooted in the nation’s long-term well-being, not in fleeting alliances or opportunism.
Thank you.
