Journalist, writer, and translator Omer Abib is in ICORN residency in Östersund
Eritrean journalist, writer, and translator Omer Abib arrived in Östersund ICORN City of Refuge in August 2023. He is the third ICORN resident in the Swedish municipality.
Omer Abib is a journalist, writer, and translator from Eritrea who has published two books and numerous articles in daily newspapers and magazines. Working with two other translators, Abib translated two of Alemseged Tesfai's books on Eritrea’s history, charting the country’s past between 1941-1950 and 1951-1955, respectively.
His journalistic contributions have included working for the first Tigre-language newspaper Gheled where he published articles on cultural issues. Omer has also worked with radio theatre and written about 15 radio dramas in Tigre.
Abib has also worked as radio presenter for stations such as Dimtsi Hafash and Radio Bana, hosting Tigre-language programmes focusing on culture. Together with Dessale Berekhet, Omer wrote and published a book Meqberet Kibt Wezen (The Grave on the Hill), a collection of short stories based on true stories. Some of his other professional engagements include the development of a Tigre-language dictionary.
In the context of brutal crackdowns on the press, including a ban on all independent media, Omer Abib was targeted and detained by the Eritrean authorities. As a result, Abib fled Eritrea for Sudan in 2013.
Omer Abib arrived in Östersund in August 2023 and continues working as journalist, writer, and translator. During his ICORN residency, he plans to write a book about the current political situation in Eritrea. Abib plans to resume working as broadcast journalist in TV and radio, aimed to service people in Eritrea.
Since joining ICORN in 2017, Östersund has hosted three ICORN residents. Journalist, writer, and poet Suzanne Ibrahim from Syria was Östersund’s first ICORN resident in the period 2018-2020, followed by Palestinian poet, playwright, and activist Dareen Tatour between 2020 and 2022.
