The Burden of Exile: A Banned Journalist's Flight from Dictatorship

Berhanes, a young reporter, co-founds the first independent newspaper in Eritrea, publishes stories that anger the president, and then has to escape to save his life and his loved ones. He flees arrest and begins a dangerous journey to freedom, first across a desert, at night, into Sudan, pursued by Eritrean secret police, then into secret safe houses in Kenya. With the help of the United Nations, he finds sanctuary in Canada, where he learns about a new country and pieces together his family.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 22 December 2022
Publisher: Dundurn Group Ltd

In the strict dictatorship of Eritrea, a young reporter co-founds the first independent newspaper, publishes stories that anger the president, and then has to escape to save his life and his loved ones.

An idealistic journalist with a young family starts the first independent newspaper in the notorious police state of Eritrea — one of the most brutal dictatorships in the world. When the paper is shut down, he flees arrest and begins a dangerous journey to freedom, first across a desert, at night, into Sudan, pursued by Eritrean secret police, then into secret safe houses in Kenya. With the help of the United Nations, he finds sanctuary in Canada — a place he knows nothing about. Meanwhile, his wife and young children are stuck back home, in constant danger of reprisal.

Berhanes story is one of bravery amid complicated international geopolitics, of spies, guns, and betrayal, and — ultimately — of triumph and the piecing together of family in a cold new country.

The Eritrean government is known for its harsh crackdown on dissent and its use of torture and imprisonment to silence its critics. Berhanes story is a testament to the courage and determination of those who risk everything to speak out against injustice and to seek freedom and a better life for themselves and their families.

The United Nations has been critical of Eritrea's human rights record and has called for an end to the country's authoritarian rule. The organization has provided assistance to refugees fleeing Eritrea and has worked to raise awareness of the country's human rights abuses.

Despite the challenges he faced, Berhanes was able to rebuild his life in Canada and to continue his work as a journalist. He became a vocal advocate for human rights and for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. He also worked to raise awareness of the plight of his family back home in Eritrea and to help them escape the country's brutal regime.

Berhanes story is a powerful reminder of the importance of freedom of speech and the power of the press to bring about change. It is a story of bravery, resilience, and the human spirit's ability to overcome even the most difficult circumstances.

ISBN-13: 9781459748545