Today is Eritrean independence day. Eritrea is holding 28th of its independence day, today 24 May 2019. Eritrea got its independence after a 30 Year's long fight and paying a heavy price from Ethiopia in 1991. It celebrates it every year on May 24.
Independence day can be so many things to people. for some of us, it can be remembering to the beloved one who sacrificed their own lives to bring the freedom to our country and people, it can be also celebrating the day with family member together, it can be, to be grateful for what this day gives us. It shows it is not the same meaning to everyone and we do celebrate differently.
In our case, to Eritreans, this day is not of course about being grateful for what it gives us. It's not about we celebrate it because it gives us freedom and allows us to be the way we want to be or to be ourselves in our country. As long as Eritrea is under the long-term and self-elected absolute dictate regime, that kind of meaning of independence is very impossible. Eritrea has never held national election since the independence day. Eritrea never had the formal parliament. The government completely refused to implement the constitution that was made right away after the independence day to make the country with rule of law. the government closed the only one independent university, Asmara University. Eritrea currently doesn't have a high education institute. the government closed all the independent media and right away baned freedom expression. arresting and disappearing of people who tried to express their concern about those matters to the country and its people. without any trial, the government has kept them in prison till the time going. Eritrean military regulation is indefinite and lifelong, unbearable service which is the main reason to Eritrea young people for leaving their home country.
So obviously, there is no sense of celebrating or being grateful for what this day is giving to us, meaning there is no freedom for us in the country. Families cannot be together and celebrate this day. Most of the family cannot be present to each other to celebrate this day, as we know Eritrea is one of the highest countries to produce refugees in the world. Some of us never saw our family members for almost decades and more.
Through this day we are highly obligated to remember, respect and value our beloved ones who offer their life to free our country from Ethiopia. Through this day, we all remind to ourselves what they fought for and died for is, for what we are missing and seeking now. They fought and died for us to have an independent country with freedom and rule of law.
This day is very important for us to remember the true fighters who sacrifice their life, same thing to remind the Eritrean government, what is really mean Independence Day to us. To remind the government that our people who died for it is not for what Eritrea and Eritreans are suffering now. To remind him, they died not for him to stay as a president for life. To remind him they died not Eritreans to be status less everywhere and live in limbo. To remind him Eritrea and Eritreans deserve the right to live in their own country with their family. We deserve to invest, to study and have a normal life in our home country. To remind him it’s time for him step down and leave the country alone to its people.
This day is an opportunity for us to come together for remembering those who died to bring this day and to give joined voices calling the government to step down and we Eritrean are seeking internal Independence and freedom from the absolute dictatorship regime.
Happy Birthday, Eritrea!
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