Rejuvenate, Rethink and Respect "ERITREA'S Independence day”

Independence Day festivities in Asmara (Credit: Natnael)

Rejuvenate, Rethink and Respect "ERITREA'S Independence day” 

By Mike Seium

It is obvious almost every Eritrean knows the history of our nation’s independence, but to repeat it over and over again is a good thing. Repeating leaves an everlasting memory making sure we never budge an inch from the very important responsibility to “Rejuvenate, Rethink and Respect the term “ERITREA'S Independence day .” On May 24th, 2015 Eritrea will be 24 years old and it continues to be one of the few African countries that has truly been independent.

TRULY INDEPENDENT! An incredible accomplishment considering the many obstacles and battles it has faced within its short period of time. In order to understand the term “ERITREA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY ” we must put many things into perspective and not abandon the idea why so many people gave up their lives for this worthy cause. After years of occupation by different colonial powers and after thirty years of Armed Struggle for Independence, and the loss of thousands of Eritreans, the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front liberated Eritrea in what was probably the most efficient and organized liberation movement in history. To put a stamp of approval on this amazing accomplishment, “Independence” was recognized in 1993 after an official referendum was held resulting in 99.83% voting in favor of “INDEPENDENCE” with a 98.5% turnout thus Independence was declared on April 27, 1993.

As Eritrea and Eritreans get ready to celebrate the 24th year of independence, a lot of negative statements have been written and said about the nation. Why? Because the fact that Eritrea has been able to independently manage it’s own affairs. This mere fact seems to be a huge problem for those who were part and parcel of the reason why Eritrea was under occupation in the first place. The fact that ERITREA has been able to change it’s own course by building schools, clinics, and providing the basic necessities of life, including food security to the masses as well as reaching the projected target of the UN Millennium Developmental Goals (MDGs) is an amazing achievement by any standards.

Those who are encouraging the flight of youth out of Eritrea are doing it purposely in hopes of bringing Eritrea down to its knees. However, ERITREA never ever kneels down. It didn't kneel down during its Armed Struggle for Independence and it will never kneel down now. The conspiracy that is encouraging the youth to flee Eritrea is based on many evil desires. (1) Create a crisis and a no war no peace situation (2) The Youth would leave attracted with a better life in the west and in the process providing cheap labor , (3) ERITREA will lose its young and dynamic children, where it hurts the most, (4) Eritrea will be in a very difficult situation and therefore Eritrea will crumble. As a result, young people desperate for economic prosperity overnight falling for a trap that does not help themselves or their country end up making news headlines. Sad as it may seem ERITREA after all is the country that their parent’s generation fought and died for. It is also to be noted that they have become victims of traffickers, where their families contribute large sums of money when they could use it to do something more constructive.

The few who believe their enemy would sustain them if they went to their camps and whose journey through Ethiopia ends up in a traumatic experience have a heart wrenching experience. Little did they know that millions are being given by organizations funded by UN Agencies utilizing the legal and other illegal human rights and human trafficking industry. No one is denying that there are some youth leaving Eritrea but if we do the math however the amount of youth that stay in Eritrea to further their education and serve their country honorably is by far a larger number. Immediately after independence, there were about 186,000 students in Eritrea; but now the number has reached 650,000 a clear indication that there exists a structure that allows the youth to flourish. However you will never hear that story because it is too good to be true in the eyes of those who want to see the demise of ERITREA.

Let us examine how and why the situation has gotten to this point. The first and foremost problem is the fact that the country is illegally occupied after LEGALLY winning the arbitration in the 1998 war against Ethiopia that was waged on it and so the Government of ERITREA must defend the nation at any cost and has to look into it’s own human resources. Then you have a systematic sanction put on the country by the UN, an institution whose responsibility is not to govern the world or make laws but to accommodate peaceful means for stability. It should, provide the means to help resolve international conflicts and formulate policies on matters affecting regional peace. However, illegally by forming a committee whose sole purpose was to sanction Eritrea, the UN once again did the unthinkable. It sanctioned ERITREA illegally. Meanwhile, as the sanctions continue it also became busy with assisting refugees. Another purpose for the UN being created was through its agencies to assist refugees, bringing into question why it took a long time for the UN to meet with Eritrean officials on the matter of human trafficking. It was after the much publicized Lampadusa incident that the General secretary of the UN decided to hold meetings in regards to refugees with Eritrean President Issias Afwerki on the sidelines of the annual UN meeting 3 years ago.

As we speak today and since before the Eritrean-Ethiopian war there were millions of refugees that fled from every sector of Africa, Asia and other places but because it is the norm to defame and attack ERITREA for the simple reason that it has created a self reliance and an “INDEPENDENCE” attitude, which it continues to practice today going against the big powers desires. Then it should be punished and vilified through media, illegal sanctions, lies and innuendos. Trying to take away that hard won “INDEPENDENCE” at the expense of a dead beat ally like the regime in Ethiopia by luring Eritrean youth will not work and do the trick for the enemies of ERITREA.

Even though the attempt to use the ERITREA identity for Ethiopian and other refugees is a well know fact that has helped increase the amount of refugees numbers from ERITREA. This alone should a clear cut case to sue the UN refugee office and countries that have accepted Ethiopian refugees using fake Eritrean identity. Hopefully with new Eritrean Identity cards coming out soon a study will prove this criminal act against peace loving ERITREA!

It should also be noted that, for every youth that decides to make a bad choice in the process risking their lives, there are multiple youth who have decided to remain home and continue their education while serving their country. They have decided not to abandon the “HIDRI” which came with a heavy price. In the end they will be the number one beneficiaries of the fruit of ERITREA’s labor.

For those in the diaspora and for those who truly want to defend ERITREA as you have been please continue to do so by joining others from around the world and making sure that Eritrea’s independence is Rejuvenated, Rethought and Respected.

By launching the largest Internet battle and emancipating yourselves from the many lies that are all over social media and news blogs you must defend ERITREA in the name of “Mekete”. This term should have a new meaning for all of us on “INDEPENDENCE” day. We must be united in our common interests at all times. Until we get a peace of mind even if it takes forever we must unconditionally remember the 24th of May as we continue over and over again to protect our hard earned freedom. We’re fighting for our right to live, to exist. And win, we will because the day 24th of May will always be known as an ERITREAN holiday declared in one voice. We will live on! & We’re going to survive & We are going to thrive!

On “INDEPENDENCE DAY” let us Rejuvenate, Rethink and Respect the freedom so many lost their lives for.

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