Short Review | The Burden of Exile: A Banned Journalist's Flight from Dictatorship, by Aaron Berhane6/30/2023 Journalists are often tasked with the responsibility to report on issues concerning the society which they serve. Sometimes, this job results in punishment from governments who perceive journalists as threatening their power or public image.
Aaron Berhane describes his life experiences as a journalist through founding Eritrea’s first and largest independent newspaper “Setit”, and the subsequent challenges that came from publicly criticizing the Eritrean government and its unelected president Isaias Afwerki for mismanaging domestic affairs. Following the mass imprisonment of political figures and journalists in Eritrea in September 2001, Berhane describes his perilous escape from the small Eastern African country, having to leave his young family behind and starting a new life in Canada. Through the sadness of not being with his friends and family and having to lead a brand-new life in a new country halfway across the world, Berhane captures the essence of what being exiled from your home nation means to those who seek to contribute to the betterment of their people. Although physical separation being the obvious instance of exile, Berhane describes that excommunication from members of your own community for telling the truth is an equally dreadful experience. Berhane’s life story is certain to leave an indelible impression on those who come to learn more about Eritrea’s continual descent into political repression. The Burden of Exile is an inspiring example of reinvention and renewal during tragedy, and what it means to pursue purpose in life.
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