On the occasion of the “Golden Jubilee” Awate’s appeal to Eritrean people…still the “gun” is the first choice
Farajat – Editorial
Although fifty years elapsed since the declaration of armed struggle for Eritrean independence and freedom,still the country needs more guns and millions of banners and Awate plead and call the Eritrean people to declare another revolution that embodies him which should spring from the womb of the sufferings of the Eritrean people.
If this “golden jubilee” was inaugurated in a country not ruled by this insane tyrant or if Eritrea have had reached its 20th anniversary blessed with freedom, democracy, justice and equality as dreamt by our fathers and the first generation of fighters… we would have seen banners decorating and adorning the trees and light posts and the walls being painted brightly for this very important national event. The school children would have competed in drawing and writing about the stories of the Eritrean revolution and its leading personalities and heroes.
Meanwhile the media would have played revolutionary music, and declared official holidays for three or two days; however, the government specialized in presenting the “Expo” exhibition on yearly basis and prepare for it every six months, celebrated the jubilee in a deliberate tarnished manner. The “Golden Jubilee’ was celebrated in a cinema hall packed with about 200 people to commemorate this very important historical date in a poorly prepared and delivered manner. Eritrea became abandoned country by its people who celebrated this vital revolution and important event away from the plains and mountains of Eritrea.
The armed struggle was declared fifty years ago after the Eritrean people exhausted all peaceful and democratic means represented in the parliament, newspapers and associations to regain and recover their legitimate rights which were robbed through the venue of Federation which resulted in the annexation of the whole country to the Ethiopian kingdom openly and publicly with the complicity of some Eritreans in 1962.
One year before that date the Eritrean flag was lowered down and the occupation of Eritrea occurred formally and openly with graceful silence of the international community which linked Eritrea with Ethiopia in a dubious Federal system which achieved very little to quell the aspirations of the Eritrean people. The Eritrean nationalists from every corner of the world collaborated and summoned their strengths to declare armed struggle and the first shots were fired in mount Adal to liberate Eritrea from desecration of the Ethiopian occupation. Thanks to those who struggled and were martyred for our sake, today we have a flag, national anthem and a seat in the United Nations only as signs of Eritrean independence. Hence twenty lean years passed and the Eritrean people didn’t abandon their struggle, didn’t put down their gun, and didn’t give up their demand to gain their legitimate rights. Their rebellion and disobedience against all forms of marginalization, effacement of national culture and all processes of change and alienation of land and identity are in progress and will never cease until all their rights are restored.
Yes, Eritrea was liberated twenty years ago; however, today it is living the same atmosphere and environment which existed at the eve of the declaration of armed struggle in 1961. The well studied and planned actions by the dictatorial regime to blur and dismiss the identity and drain the land from its original and native inhabitants are well known today by all people. Also attempts of defacement and distortion of the National Culture and Heritage, the destruction of the national economy are in full progress. The country is on the verge of collapse in all fields and it is poorly managed by loyalists to the regime resulting in a failed state. The economy is being managed by corrupt people and the ignorant generals are in control and benefit from any transaction in the country. Eritrean national security and sovereignty are in danger due to the reckless policies of the regime to result large areas of Eritrean land being under Ethiopian occupation, thanks to the policies of the “one man party” and the destructive policies of its lone leader.
Despite all circumstances that provided impetus for Awate and his righteous companions for the declaration of the armed revolution; today we see some who fault those who are taking up arms to defend themselves. These people drawl and brag about their peaceful means to bring change to restore our rights usurped by the tyrant. Since we believe that each group has the right to choose the means that suit them, by the same token the dreamy elites that entertain themselves by soft landing and fine landing theories and by the third option, fourth and fifth…these people should respect the victims’ rights to defend themselves. It is their right to escape if they wish or to disappear in the safe if threatened or raise their swords and to shot bullets if their wills are integrated. These are our rights for self-defense, honor and dignity, we will practice them whichever way we want and prefer.
Those who think the exclusionary regime in Eritrea can be changed by peaceful means or even deal with him we believe they are completely wrong. The peaceful means of protest have been tried against the regime before and have proved their failure between the years 2000 -2001, where loud grumbling were heard and lack of acceptance and satisfaction about the regime’s policies were proclaimed. Some Eritreans out of concern for the safety of the country posted the Berlin Declaration known as G-13 which clearly put down all their fears and demands to the regime to reply. Then a statement by the cadres and leaders of the Popular Front known as G-15 appeared, followed by demonstrations of Asmara University students, the independent press and civil forces, journalists and intellectuals whose peaceful efforts were failed completely and were thrown in prison and it would have been better for them if they went to the nearest ammunition warehouse and fired the first bullets.
No one denies the possibility of peaceful means to urge democratic change with minimal losses is the ideal option if the right conditions are met. The peaceful means were successful in Egypt and Tunisia due to the presence and great assistance by the presence of institutions, free press, independent monitoring organizations, political parties, trade unions…which resulted in change with limited and minimal losses. However, when such circumstances are absent, the situation is closest to the example Libya where, the size losses are enormous. Although the inflicted losses and sufferings are huge they are not bigger if the despots remained in power for many years resulting in a very large number of prisoners, displacement, destruction and corruption etc…
For these reasons we are committed with the majority of the Eritrean people to follow the path of the military option because it is more beneficial, more effective and deterrent to the tyrant’s crimes. This country needs a fighting gun, collective courage of all political parties and civic societies that are capable of sweeping the regime’s social system represented by its social security and intelligence forces, the military and the establishment of a democratic system that remain the guardian of the new revolution.
Even now after fifty years, the gun remains the first and best option and the leader Awate remains the leader of Eritrean people throughout all times.
Glory and eternity to the martyrs of the Eritrean revolution who gave us this green country
Defeat and shame to the dictatorial exclusionary regime of DIA that stole
the dreams of our martyrs and people to live in peace and freedom.
The cowards’ eyes…will never rest
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