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Bahti Meskerem -
Day of the first bullet that led to Eritrea’s National
Independence |
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By M.
Filli A |
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September
1, 2003 |
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Like all countries
in Africa, Eritrea was first established as a distinct colonial territory (Nation
State) as a result of the 19th century colonialists’ “Scramble for
Africa”; but unlike all such colonial territories, which were disposed of as
self-governing and politically independent sovereign States at the end of
colonialism, Eritrea was denied national independence for 50 years simply
because Eritrea’s enviable geopolitical and strategic location was coveted by
regional and global forces and Ethiopia’s expansionist dreams. For a small
country with a population of barely over 3.5 million, Eritrea’s national
independence was attained the hardest way and with no precedence or parallel
in the annals of colonial history. And every day in our struggle for national
independence bears emotional significance that is cumulatively expressed by
the following
historical
dates: Martyr Hamid Idris Awate
Eritrea’s rightful
struggle for national independence had a decisive and gutsy beginning (Bahti Meskerem, September
1st), a happy and victorious ending (Independence Day, May
24, 1991), and tragic human consequences (Martyrs’ Day, June 20). Those
three holidays are inextricably bound to each other and cannot be considered
in isolation: There is no end without beginning, and there is no gain without
pain, as they say! People make history; and those who made history may or may
not perish, but history is cruel and cannot be erased; it will remember them
for what they did or didn’t do regardless whether others like it or not. All
Eritreans associate themselves with those holidays for they all have
participated and contributed to the struggle for our national independence,
and no political or non-political group has a proprietary right to those
holidays for they involve all Eritreans. Hence, politicizing any of those
holidays would be egregious, selfish, and blatant denial of the very Eritrea
that we call home today and negation of one’s Eritrean-ness because non of
those holidays could ever be the cause or contributory to whatever
dissatisfaction people may or may not have post independence. |
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This year, Eritreans
commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the issue at hand, Bahti Meskerem, September
1st. After all of 20 years of peaceful means to attain Eritrea’s
legitimate quest for national independence had failed and faced with the deaf
ears of the international community, a group of 15 valiant Eritrean Martyrs
under the leadership of the gallant Martyr Hamid Idris Awate risked life
and limb and decided to respond forcefully to Ethiopia’s forceful occupation
of our country, Eritrea, and engaged them in a battle at a mountainside
called Adal (Western Eritrea), where and when the first bullet against the
enemy was fired. The first bullet sent a shock wave to the enemy camp and
sparked Eritrea’s protracted armed struggle for national right ultimately
leading to Eritrea’s national independence on May 24, 1991.Thus, Bahti Meskerem, September
1st constitutes the birthday of Eritrea’s armed struggle for
national independence. It is the day when Eritrea was conceived to be born on
May 24, 1991, when it had to be born. On this day we commemorate, pay
tribute, and express gratitude to those valiant Martyrs who were the first to
put their life on line for our country’s sake. We also celebrate this day
because it led to the emergence of a country that we have proudly come to
call home today. Having said that,
although all three national holidays enjoy equal holiday status on paper, in
practice Bahti
Meskerem gets the least attention. Although Bahti Meskerem was
the only holiday we commemorated pre-independence, it doesn’t get even a
fraction of the attention of the weeklong preparation, media blitz, and
hoopla of Independence Day or the magnificent commemoration of Martyrs Day,
not to mention the months long, feel-good, and party-time extravaganza known
as Eritrea Festivals? It appears to me that Bahti Meskerem is
observed merely because it is marked on the holiday calendar, for there is
almost no time left to prepare for it, since the Festival season extends to
Augut 30. This year, Toronto had combined Festival and Bahti Meskerem.
This is simply not right. Bahti Meskerem must be given equal and due attention
like all other national holidays. There must be enough time to prepare for
it. It is unfair to squeeze it between couple of days and to subject it to
symbolic observance. It all smells like an attempt to belittle the
significance of this day is at work. For, while the GOE
message on this day’s occasion not only acknowledges the significance and
meaning of this day but also refers to Hamid Idris Awate as “the gallant
Martyr Hamid Idris Awate”, PFDJ’s September One
Message posted on shabait.com doesn’t even mention Hamid Idris Awate and the talk is all
about EPLF, EPLF. Therein I sense an attempt to belittle the significance of
this day for fear that it might undermine EPLF’s own accomplishments when
there is no reason for that? In
closing, since Independence Day is symbolized by the huge Sandals, would it
be asking for too much if Bahti Meskerem, were to be symbolized by a statue of
the valiant Martyr Hamid Idris Awate?
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Happy and victorious ending |
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For more about Eritrea’s
struggle for national independence in pictures, please allow me to refer
you to www.kurbaria.tripod.com to the following links: http://www.kurbaria.tripod.com/id29.htm |
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Long live the spirit of Bahti
Meskerem Everlasting glory and fame
to our valiant Martyrs Hamind Idris Awate and his group United we succeed, divided we fail Eritrera will prevail. |
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