VoE: After you run for the Senate, you have indicated in a "letter from the desk of Tom Campbell" on your website that you had wished for a different outcome. Now let me put it to you hypothetically that if you had been successful in your bid to the Senate, what would you have done? In general, what were some of the main items in your agenda as a new Senator, regardless how hypothetical this may be? TC: Oh it was very concrete Haile, but may be some day somebody else, if not I, can get a chance to advance it, and it was very concrete, and it had to do with United States' Foreign Policy, and particularly Foreign Aid. In my campaign I had observed what so many people had observed when I went around Africa. My wife and I both went to Africa together, and we learned that so many people had a high opinion about the United States. Well, they have relatives in the United States, they know what the American people are, and they ask, "why doesn't America have a fairer policy of its Foreign Aid?" And the conclusion I had come to was that the huge percentage of America's Foreign Aid goes into 2 countries; Egypt and Israel. This is not because those 2 countries were the most poor, but those were the 2 countries most Americans would want to see Foreign Aid, and that wasn't resentment but it was contradiction. America tried to portray itself as a fair, but our Foreign Aid appear to be unfair, it appeared to be responsive to strong domestic concerns instead of to sending the money, that generous tax-payers are asked to give, to those in need. If American tax-payers thought that their contributions to Foreign Aid was going to poor people to inoculate children for life time of health, or to clean waters of parasites so that children wouldn't get river blindness, I think there will be a great willingness in America to support and even increase Foreign Aid. But there is no that feeling today and it is because the feeling is that we are using Foreign Aid for other purposes than compassion. So when I announced, I was very clear about it and was that if I were elected I would introduce legislation to take the Unite States Foreign Assistance and direct it more on the basis of a need. And in the House of Representatives, I actually introduced a Bill that was voted on, it was an amendment to an appropriation, and it was to cut the United States economic assistance, just the economic assistance portions, to Israel and Egypt, and use that amount for the poorest countries on Earth for the most simple needs, as I said, child inoculation and clean water. I hope with that, having been so clear and explicit in the campaign, that had I been elected Senator, other members of the Senate might find that they could say the same thing without risking anything politically.VoE: Ok, well, that was a very good agenda, and I just hope that you and other colleagues with the same thinking would succeed and push this agenda because it seem like a very noble agenda…TC: Well thank you, I think what most American would wish it is overwhelmingly clear that Americans want to be good friends to those in need in the world. It is just that the record has been that the money could not be argued have gone that way.VoE: Ok, well I tell you what, Let's talk now to Tom Campbell the law professor at Stanford University… Ok, well, How is life as Professor in University comparing with life as Congressman in Capitol Hill?TC: Oh, be careful in asking me that because[laughter] I will never come back to politics if I think long enough…[laughter] It is wonderful. I am privileged to live in California. It is a beautiful day today. I am looking out of my window, it is still sunny, blossoms are on trees, it is 71 degrees. The teaching is wonderful, I have brilliant students. I teach issues in American constitutional law, I teach American anti-trust law, I speak a great deal on International subjects. So it was a privilege to represent the Californians that I did when I was in Congress for nine years. But I am not entitled to any sympathy. I am only happy to be in the job that I am in now [laughter]VoE: Let me go forward to your recent visit in Eritrea, because that is also another subject I would like to touch on. You taught economics at the University of Asmara on your last visit and also you gave seminars to the Ministry of Justice in International rules, corporate law, tax law, law on free trade, etc, etc. Now, how beneficial do you feel this was especially for a nation in a rebuilding process, as we seem to be doing now after the devastating war? How effective was that? Can you touch a little bit on that?TC: I can only say that I hope it was of some value. The invitation from Ministry of Justice was very gracious, graciously given. I was to speak on those areas of law most important to the restoration of the Eritrean economy and Eritrea's positions in trade. By PFDJ decree, the Eritrean government has announced that it welcomes foreign investment. It is a very wise investment that Eritea doesn't have to worry, it is a nation filled with self-reliant people, so they don't have to worry about Foreign Investors taking over the country, they are smart and are very careful. They know that with foreign capital they can build faster, and I was pointing out those aspects of International Law that will induce a fair and a large amount of Foreign Investment. Which would mean Law of Contract, that would be enforceable internationally, and a currency, the Nakfa, that could be, in my judgement, made fixed in value to the Euro so that the investor who would receive payment in Nakfa for his or her investment in Eritrea would immediately exchange it for an international currency. These were the subjects that I was given to speak on because the formative period is right now and I am hopeful that it had some effect. Now for the students at the University of Asmara, it was a different subject. It was on understanding the basic concepts of economics as they apply to questions of law. I spoke and taught for a month in the law school, and I taught students who will become judges within 2 years. Eritrea is in need of judges, and graduates of the Law school at the University of Asmara are going to be assigned to judge positions through out the country. So there, I though that I might be having a very good influence, and it led to my decision to go back. I am going to go back in June, and finish what I begin in December and January. And then it is my hope, Haile, if all goes well, good willing, it is my hope that I will be able to go every year for at least a 2-week intensive course, so that the University could be in a position to expect me, and put my course in to their syllabus. As we see, more and more Eritreans being prepared to conduct business with the knowledge of the international rules of law, and be judges in their own country with knowledge of the economics that underlie the systems of law that are most effective.VoE: Ok, before I go to my next question, let me just go back and sort of put you on the spot, if you will.. Because you have first-hand knowledge about Eritrea and you went there and taught and also seem to be very well connected. From your own personal point of view, do you feel comfortable with how Eritea is making a progress to wards this Foreign Investment and things like that? Do you feel the infrastructure is being built in a positive manner? This question is even more of an interest to us that are here in the Diaspora and have been here for so long, and perhaps want to go back and invest in our country, but do you feel comfortable with the way it is going right now? TC: Yes I do. I feel comfortable on the economic legal side. For example there is a decree to create a free-trade zone. There is an international airport that is about to be opened, if it hasn't been opened. It is right about now to be opened in Massawa. The free-trade zone guarantees that there would be no tax, not only no duties but also no tax. And that is truly quite remarkable, because free-trade zones exist in another places in the world, but normally that only means no duties. If you bring in goods, have them assembled and then export them, they don't charge duty on the component parts of the inputs. But Eritrea went one-step further and said we promise we won't tax the profit that you make either. So it is a most welcoming environment, it is a way of saying come setup your manufacture facilities in Eritrea or your food processing facilities or your fish freezing facilities and we will benefit from learning how it is done, we will benefit from employment of Eritreans, and we will make it attractive for you. So I was happy about that. My advice was on the current phase to try to fix the value of Nakfa, as I said to the Euro, so that the investor will be sure that his or her money won't be diminished by inflation. There is a need for a developed court system and that is not yet where it should be, but that is for an obvious reason. Eritrea has been at war and it is trying to establish many of the basics after the war, but what would be ideal is very much something the government has committed to, mainly the establishment of court that would be fair to outsiders. Remember, if one is to attract investment from outsiders, even Eritrean-Americans or Eritrean Europeans, there are many Eritreans in Germany for example, then the court must be perceived as fair. If you have a dispute, you go to the court and a foreigner must be as likely to win as an Eriteran. So that needs to become a law and I have expectation that it will. And I feel in one area though, that Eritrea needs to be careful that it doesn't get dangerous reputations and that is the postponement of the ELECTION. I am not trying to preach, these are my good friends, I understand that things have their own pace. But it would be widely expected that there are to be National Elections some time this year and it would be, I think, damaging to the reputation of Eritrea if they were postponed again. I understand that the last postponement was related to the war. I am not in the business of criticizing because of that, but I am saying confidence in investing and willingness to visit Eritrea is related to. It is not unrelated to, it is related to the sense of how stable is the government, and is it following through the expectation that they have announced. So that would be one strong of a piece of advice. Oh incidentally, I should've mention it is not only manufacturing and processing, it is also tourism. The Dahlak islands are fantastic. Massawa is remarkable city, a city of great history and depth. Asmara, the listeners may not be of an Eritrean origin, or may not know where Asmara is, is a gem. It is a beautiful city. And the tourist will go to Eritrea I think quite readily, but will be turned off, will be hesitant to do so if there is any fear of renewal of the war or any fear that the government is not keeping its promises. That is the other one piece of advice I would offer.VoE: Right, it is very appreciative as usual, and your input is always welcome. We touched a little bit about the Eritrean-Americans, and it is time to talk about it. As you are aware there is a great need for us, Eritrean-Americans to play a vital role within the American society as many other ethnic-Americans have successfully done here in America. And I can say that an effort is underway to doing so, but from your experience what do you think we have to do in order to accomplish this and blend into the Americam mainstream? What so you suggest we should do, and how do you think this will benefit our native home Eritrea? TC: The best way to have influence in America is to come to town-hall meetings held by members of congress and let your member of congress know of the American-Eritreans living in his or her District. Than is not a difficult thing to ask, and hopefully people listening to this program would be natural candidates to do that. Every congressperson holds meetings with the public in his or her community. And make a point to go with may be two or three of your neighbors and go to these town-hall meetings. Stand-up at the town-hall meetings and introduce yourself, and you get about a minute to talk, just tell the congress member that you are an America and your native home is Eritrea that you want the congress person to know about Eritrea's remarkable history and struggle and the friendship that Eritrea has for America. That will do a lot of good just there, because God forbid, if there is another period of conflict, well the congress person who have heard about Eritrea, and heard it in a best possible way from constituents, from people who are in his or her own District. Secondly, there should be formed a group to lobby on a more regular basis, and that can be coordinated with the help of the embassy, where Eritrean- American specialist in particular fields would come to congress when the matter, for example, the Africa growth and opportunity act is being considered, to be sure that Horn of Africa is included. Or when the question of the Unites States free trade, lowering of trade barriers is discussed Eritrea is not part of WTO, to make sure the WTO rules are fair. That may a bit more sophisticated, but there are many Eritrean-Americans of such sophistication, including many who live in Los Angeles and out here and I think also in the Washington suburban area. On that I am more than happy to help and I offered to help when I was in Asmara. I contacted one or two, for example the President of Riverside College here in California, he is of an Eritran birth and his name is Rotella, so it told you how old he is [laughter]. He was born when the Italian colony was still there [laughter]. But these are friends who can help lobbying for Eritrea. So that would be my 2 suggestions. One is, it is really quite straightforward to go to the town meetings, and then secondly there should be more systematic effort to organize lobbying. Oh one thing else, because you're giving me this opportunity… We have not yet created it but I am attempting to create a "501C3," a charitable foundation that would be able to receive contributions and give Americans tax deductions for those contributions, which would go to benefit the University of Asmara. That way American citizens who have to pay tax could get a benefit of tax deduction, and I was thinking once we set this up we would try to contact as many Eritrean Americans as we could though web addresses. And you know what I should Haile is be in touch with you, you might have some names to suggest, and then I would suggest that the foundation would solicit contributions over the web.VoE: There is no question about that and we should whatever it takes to make this work. And we will be in touch, and I believe this is something that we will need. We have, like I said, organizations here, and in particular there is one organization of Friends of Eritrea here that is actively doing things. I am sure they will be interested, I personally am just glad that you are willing to participate with this type of task.Having said that, we are about to conclude our interview, and if you have any final words, especially about your wife, who joined you on your trip to Eritrea, we wold love to hear about her experience.TC: Firs of all, my wife shares my love of Eritrea. She also gave up her time and her money to go. It was equally hers every step of the way, and she's got native national costume now which she wears in California [laugher], and I tell you, when ever she does people say, "oh, who is that beautiful woman." She is beautiful any way, but the national costume even makes her even more so. Secondly, I tell you what I observed at the University of Asmara. There are many teachers from other country, especially from India. There are some from America, there are 2 other professors at least there from America. But what I would love to see is more Eritrean-Americans, who have enough success that the may be able to contribute a semester. In the Law school, for example, where I was teaching, there was full-time one Eritrean and six Indians, and I have nothing but praise for all of them. But I do think the role model for Eritrea, of having an Eritrean-American teaching is best. An Eritrean from Eritrea is best perhaps, but if it must to be someone from overseas. Are there not enough Eritrean-American who can teach Engineering, who can teach Public Health, who can teach Mathematics, who would be willing to give a semester, coming back to Asmrara or coming back to some of the Teacher's college and get some teaching done in the country side, for a month, 2 months or 3 months? I think there are. And the absence of the returning Eritreans in the University was obvious to me, something that I would strongly appeal to the people who are listening to this program. If you can think how you would save-up enough money to go back to your home, original home anyway. Why not stay for an extra month if you can, or two, it is not expensive once you're there as you know. And may be you can teach, which would be a tremendous value. All people who're teaching at the University teach in English, of course, but if you're able to explain a concept in trgrNa if you not getting it through in English, now that is the gift that I do not have. So that would be what I would conclude, a specific request to those in the Diaspora, who may be able to offer that great service.VoE: Yes, that is a very good message, and I think through this program and through other means, we at VOE will spread the word, because like you said a role-model from one's own country would give the students more incentive to excel in their studies.Well thank you Professor Campbell for your time, we will keep in touch, and I am sure if we need some additional information we will be looking for you…TC: Oh I would count on it and I am a friend-for-life, and I am proud to have your friendship too.