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olive_tree9473 karma

Great answer to a potentially risky question!

olive_tree9436 karma

If you still haven't read it, she was kicked by a horse in the jaw, flew ten feet and hit a split rail fence.

olive_tree9420 karma

No, they do not ask. What we have to do instead is pay a 2% tax on our gross income. In a country like Sweden where tax records are public, it's easy for the embassy to check what that amount of money should be. If you don't pay this 2% tax then you will be treated like any other tourist if you try to visit Eritrea, and you can't take advantage of certain government services. My dad hasn't paid his tax in maybe 2 decades now so when my grandma inevitably passes away, the inheritance from my great-grandma and the split of assets that will take place will probably be a shit show.

It bears mentioning that some have reported that when they didn't pay the 2% tax they received calls from their local embassy threatening to hurt their family members back in Eritrea, but neither me nor my family have heard of this actually happening to anyone we know. So it might just be lies, or exaggerations.

I believe that Eritrea is one of the only two countries that do this kind of international taxation on their citizens. The other being the US of A, and the very very long reach of the IRS.

olive_tree947 karma

My personal opinion is that it's not sustainable at all. There are three possible scenarios:

  • the country reforms. It opens up itself for foreign investment, strengthens the position of private entreuprenership making it easier to do business; and ends the national service programme. This would usher in a period of growth as members of the diaspora invest their money in the country.

  • the president, who is currently 71 years old, passes away at some point. Whether that leads to a peaceful transition of power to a successor, or triggers a violent conflict as generals duke it out, remains to be seen. If its the former, then reforms will need to be made or they are not likely to last very long and the latter will end up happening anyway.

  • Eritrea and Ethiopia come to blows again. Both countries are already, allegedly, supporting the counterpart's opposition. Ethiopia, which is on the rise and likely to become a regional power in East Africa, would most likely win any conflict, but it could turn very ugly if other countries get involved. Ethiopia might be backed by the US, while certain Arab countries might intersede and support Eritrea to keep Ethiopia in check.

Regardless of what happens, the older generation of people are simply tired. Prices are rising, electricity keeps flickering in and out. The belief in the upper leadership has been eroded (even amongst people in the diaspora who used to be super patriotic). People have no appetite for war and conflict either after the 30 year war and the '98-'00 one. The country is also hemorraging its youth - the group of people who might have attempted some kind of revolution.

olive_tree946 karma

A lot of shitty, tragic things happen there, but there are also cases of political opposition living in exile fabricating lies or exaggerating things to make it seem even worse and further their own political agenda. I think the atrocities that do take place are bad enough by themselves.