President Isaias’ Address on the Occasion of 22nd Independence Day
Anniversary
24/05/2013
President Isaias’ Address on the Occasion of 22nd Independence Day
Anniversary
The Eritrean people at home and abroad
Dear guests and participants
First, I would like to congratulate the Eritrean people and friends on the
occasion of the 22nd Independence Day anniversary and that of the 20th since
the nation’s accession to sovereignty. And I commend those who made major
contribution in organizing this auspicious event, namely the National
Holidays Coordinating Committee, students, youths and EDF members.
My special thanks and welcome also go to our Sudanese brothers here in our
midst for this great event, along with my best wishes for unity, stability
and prosperity.
The meaning of this historic Day is to be explained not merely over the past
20 or 22 years, but also stretches over a period of 60 years. Eritrea was
entitled to become a sovereign nation right after the Second World War.
However, the country was forced to stay under so-called ‘trusteeship’ for 10
years, i.e. ‘colonialism through proxy,’ in a bid to satisfy the appetite of
the then prevailing ‘world order’ and the interests thereof. Although we
habitually refer to “Ethiopian colonialism,” the fact remains that such a
phenomenon amounted to surrogate colonialism under the then existing world
order. And this because the Ethiopian authorities of the day lacked the
potential to meet the assumed criteria.
When the Eritrean people achieved independence in 1991 through undertaking
heroic resistance against successive accomplices of the Cold War and paying
enormous sacrifice, thereby ensuring national sovereignty in a legal
process, the emerging world order under the hegemony of the USA did not
leave room for Eritrea to enjoy the benefit of national sovereignty. The
scenarios of fabricated border disputes and hostile attempts aimed at
undermining Eritrea’s sovereignty witnessed after independence were not
sudden instances. And the fact that our sovereign territory has remained
under occupation for about 15 years with the connivance of an external power
fully attests to this. Hence, our 60-year-long struggle for independence and
sovereignty has not yet come to an end, thus characterizing the uniqueness
of the current Independence Day anniversary under conditions of incessant
external animosity on the one hand, and the strength of our united
resistance on the other. Glory to the steadfast Eritrean people!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The games of hostile plot witnessed over the past 15 years were basically
aimed at sapping the nation-building process through fomenting crises, and
thereby trying to hold the nation hostage. Despite this, however, we were in
a position to accurately and timely define our options. Our priorities have
been focused on all-round and unrelenting nation-building tasks, while at
the same time giving the necessary attention to safeguarding national
sovereignty. However, such a stance caused apprehension among enemy
quarters.
• The major and open crime in this regard pertains to the fact that our
sovereign territory under occupation still remains to fall outside the
domain of development opportunities, in addition to the continued acts of
military aggression resulting from the violation of agreements and supremacy
of law. It is an open secret that the sole superpower of ‘the prevailing
world order,’ i.e. the US Administration, has impeded the United Nations,
including the Security Council, from taking the necessary measures towards
ensuring Eritrea’s sovereignty. We are also well aware of the ploys designed
to trap us in public relations gimmicks through the involvement of various
collaborators so as cause confusion and buy time in a bid to give cover to
such acts of crime and terrorism.
• While the illegal sanctions resolutions imposed on Eritrea 4 years ago
on the basis of defamation have already been laid bare, attempts to give
them new lease of life through concocting cheap acts of lie are but in vain.
• The organized crime of human trafficking with a view to draining the
country’s human capital and diluting popular resistance to external
conspiracies has, in open mockery, not only exposed many of our youths to
loss of opportunities but also to miserable plight. Moreover, futile
attempts have been made to portray as if the nation’s youths are resorting
to migration in order to ‘avoid’ the National Service Program and economic
hardships; and this not to mention the cheap acts of trying to implicate
Eritrea with ‘accountability’ in connection with human trafficking.
• Still more hostile attempts were made to expose the Eritrean people to
poverty and other forms of hardship, and thereby incite acts of popular
restlessness and sap the implementation of the country’s major development
programs, besides trying to obstruct remittances to citizens inside the
country.
• It is also a usual enemy attempt to polarize the Eritrean society with
a view to creating conflict and instability, and thus undermine the popular
resistance drive against anti-Eritrea agendas. One can easily discern that
such externally funded cheap acts have been abetted by paid agents and
institutions, and that conspiracies of this kind are being fully exposed.
• It is also worth noting that hostile psychological campaigns aimed at
creating diplomatic isolation, imposing cultural contamination and
undermining the popular resistance momentum, and the like, have but given
rise to added strength to the national resistance drive.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As I have already outlined, the value of our freedom and sovereignty is to
be gauged not only in terms of the intensity of enemy conspiracies but also
in light of the corresponding popular resistance against such a scenario. It
is equally worth emphasizing at this juncture that we don’t need to pay
undue attention to acts of sabotage and conspiracy but rather remain focused
on strengthening our resistance and furthering all-round national
development.
We have acquired added potential and streamlined a number of development
programs for 2013 through surveying our resource capacity vis-à-vis the
necessary expenditure thereof. Beyond referring to details on this
auspicious occasion, further explanation would be given on the opportune
moment through the national media outlets.
Still, as the rainy season is on the onset, the nation needs to reinforce
ventures in this connection, in addition to the ongoing community-based soil
and water conservation, as well as other agricultural activities.
Glory to Our Freedom and Sovereignty!
Glory to the Eternal Legacy of Our Martyrs!
Victory to the Masses!
Received on Fri May 24 2013 - 18:44:27 EDT
