Today in history: Start Eritrea’s armed struggle for independence
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Editorial
01 Sep 04
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:
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.
This year, Eritreans
commemorate the 43rd 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 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/beyond Augut 31. 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 example, GOE/PFDJ
messages issued on the occasion of this day (Shabait.com, shaebia.org) don’t
tell what is it all that makes this day worth a national holiday and there is
no mention of/reference to Hamid Idris Awate. Therein
lies the sense that there is 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?
For more about Eritrea’s struggle for
national independence in pictures,
please refer to www.kurbaria.tripod.com to the following links:
http://www.kurbaria.tripod.com/id29.htm
http://www.kurbaria.tripod.com/id33.htm
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.
Team EritreaDaily
Unlimited, high
