On This Day: Remembering the Cheers & Tears

Tesfaldet Bahlibi, May 24, 2007

 

This morning May 24, 2007 at 8:05 AM, I barely started my dailies at work. My cell beeped. I checked and it said – 1 unread message. I checked. It read exactly like this:

RUHUS BEA’AL NATSENET!!! 16 YEARS BABY!!!

ELELELELELELELE …

 I checked for who the sender was. I was really surprised.  It was from a person that I had always dreamt to receive.  Finally, my dream came true just at the right moment. It broke my heart. It is the best present I have ever received from her. She was my adorable daughter, texting me to share with her the 16th Independence Day celebration for our beloved country. This particular occasion, without doubt, has assured me the transfer of the passion that I have carried out thought out my life time for my country to my children. Being here in America away from home, it is very encouraging to see that the young generation is following their parent’s footsteps for their country. I consider it a success.  I said to myself “ dHri ezis mot kem Alem.”  To my beloved daughter, thank you for the reminder and,

RUHUS BEA’AL NATSENET!!! 16 YEARS BABY!!!   ELELELELELELELE … to you and to all of our people.

The last two years, I have aired my Independence Day messages via the internet. At the time, I was using my pen name, Gerelase Welenkiel.  And the message was the early rev of this message.  This time around though, I was not prepared to write one for I was pre occupied with my dailies till I was hit by my daughter’s text message.  For the passion she showed me, I took the courtesy to respond to her in this way. I visited my old files to which I did some quick revisions and came out with the following new Rev07.    

CHEERS AND TEARS!

It has happened and it was real. Finally, the people’s dream came true. Shedding blood on soil has made history. Some called it miraculous. Some called it God’s order. Some called it Eritrea’s obstinacy. Some called it EPF’s perseverance. I called it all of the above. It pumps me up with pride for having taken a short walk in the historic super highway with the many of comrades. 

After fourteen years of indifference, the oppositions have, all the sudden, become part in the celebration bonanza across the globe beginning in 2005. This year, they are buzzing in celebration to claim the independence they were hesitant to celebrate in the first place.  What change of mind has come? Next time around, could it be possible to share the celebration together with the opposed supporters of our society in the same hall? After all, celebrating Independence Day is the least common factor that must ties up all Eritreans together at least for one day.

What a day, May 24, 1991? The news broke out. A man wept in tears out of joy. It was tears for cheers. The more he tried holding it back the more it kept coming. It was falling down the stream like the Niagara Falls does. He did not know what to say. He froze in numbness. He did not even belong, by any membership or any association, with the victorious Front. However, his differences in vision for the good of Eritrea have never reserved him from lending a big heart including via the EPLF to the desperate Eritrea that needed help badly during crucial times. It was he, the author, of this article.

It was May 24, 1991. Boom! The thirty-year long and arduous struggle has finally concluded. She came to life. She is the newly liberated nation of Eritrea. For her, I celebrate.  For her, I salute. For her, this is my love. For her defense, never kneel down. For her, a Happy, Happy, and Happy 16th birthday a million times!

On this day, I remember the martyred father of our nation, Hamid Idris Awate, the pioneer leader of the liberation army. How could I forget him?

On this day, I remember my old happy days, and the old bad days as well. On this day, I remember my fallen comrades of whom a hero comrade Mustafa Abdu has just passed away two weeks ago while on exile.  On this day, I must remember all the martyrs from all the Fronts. As Christ did win over humanity’s death by death, our martyrs have won Eritrea’s death by death to resurrection. The sum of all their sacrifices is what this day is all about.  Glory to you, O our martyrs. How could I forget them?

On this day, I even remember the camels, the donkeys, the mules, the horses, the goats, the sheep, the cows and the antelopes upon which the Fronts have depended to carry out they mission. Without them, how hard it could have been? How could I forget them?

On this day, I remember the Shida, the Bren, the Abu’Ashera, the AK, and the many weapons with which Eritrea’s life was made to come back.  How could I forget?

On this day, I remember all of our mothers from the Kunama, Nara, Beni’Amir, Maria, Bilien, Mensa’E, Hadendewa, Rashaida, Afar, SaHo, Asawrta, Jeberti and the Habesha. Without their generous food offerings such as: the Tokoshem, Bojboj, Ge’At, KiTcha, Tchayta, Milk, Swa, and water, who could have been able to walk for a day? They made it. How could I forget?

On this day, I remember all the places of Gash-Setit, of Barka, of Sahel, of Senihit, of Semhar, of Dankalia, of Kebesa and the scam about Badme. How could I forget?

On this day, I am here to proudly remember the peasants, the workers, the students, the shepherds and their hospitality. Without them, it cannot have been done. This day, it must be in honor of their perseverance. How could I forget them?

I must even remember the challenges from the animals: such as the hyenas, the snakes, the mosquitoes and the anacondas, Aselet, if you will. These animals too, they tried and tried with snags but they were unable to inhibit the course of action by the Tegadelti. How could I forget them?

On this day, I remember the countless heroism performed by the Eritrean Liberation Army of the ELF crushing to the Ethiopia’s occupation army where ever they were. How could I forget?

On this day, I remember the pains suffered by the Eritrean People in the hands of the  fascist and evil Haile Selassie, the then Emperor of Ethiopia followed by his successor the deadly dictator, Megistu Hailemaria, condemning the Eritrea people to subjugation by all means at their disposal. Their popularly known mission statement “drain and dry the sea first in order to kill the fish” was intended to kill the Eritrean Liberation Front, ELF, by annihilating civilian Eritreans.   How could I forget that?

On this day in grief and sorrow, I remember the many massacres. On this day in rage, I remember the crimes committed by the occupier’s air force bombers. On this day with a broken heart, I remember the burning flames of our villages, cities and forests. On this day in vain, I remember dismembered bodies soaked in blood. On this day in sadness, I remember the ugliness of our fraternal wars. How could I forget?

On this day, I remember our fallen martyrs of the border war with Ethiopia, 1998-2000. How could I forget? 

On this day, I passionately remember the heroism of the heroes who have crushed to the massive 6th offensive army of the enemy to a severe defeat and humiliation. Without that decisive victory, who knows what could have happened. How could I forget them?

On this day, I proudly remember the victory gained over the enemy’s strong Nadow front. How could I forget?

In totality, I remember the bad, the ugly, the worst and the good as well. And with a unique passion, I remember my father to whom I denied him my visit prior his death favoring over him the mission I was engaged for the country. And also, I remember in this day my fallen brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and cousins that have perished for the same cause of whom one was my mentor master. May our Lord receive their souls in heaven! 

All of these, It was for Eritrea.  I must end here with cheers and tears again.

Happy 16th Independence Day Eritrea! Glory to our martyrs!

God Bless Our Country

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