http://www.eritrean-smart.org/content/eritreaat24-series-may-10th-significance-independence
*Significance of Independence*
Sesin Seyoum
In the Eritrean holidays calendar, Independence Day (May 24) is one of
the few with more significance. Eritreans celebrate the end of
colonialism & the beginning of owning their country, future, voices and
destiny. May 24 proclaims to the world that Eritrean strength, unity,
steadfastness as well as the emergence as a sovereign and respected
African nation. While celebrating their freedom, Eritreans unequivocally
promise to light the sacred torch that was lit by the sacred Eritrean
martyrs and turning their vision to a reality-for Eritrea to become a
country where peace, justice, realistic democracy and prosperity
prevail. To eliminate hunger, poverty and illiteracy, to preserve its
identity and uniqueness, to develop commitment to family and community
care by advancing economically, educationally and technologically.
The Eritrean people is unfailingly and diligently working on securing
the hard-earned inalienable independence while the leadership that's
faced with many challenges is working tirelessly in building a
self-reliant nation without incurring a back-breaking debt of billions
of dollars for coming generations. Without being dependent to the so
called donors that are crippling the third world nations and without
giving in to the bullies who continuously try to create chaos, Eritreans
are rebuilding their nation independently.
As it's clearly stated in the PFDJ national charter, the Eritrean vision
is for "Eritrean society to be known as harmonious among its different
sectors, gender equality, love of country, humanity, discipline, hard
work and love for knowledge, respect for law and order, independence and
inventiveness. The vision is to perform miracles in peaceful
nation-building as it was done in the 30 years war of liberation."
It's fair to say that nothing quite so miraculous had been achieved
anywhere by any people in this world. The beliefs of steadfastness,
courage and the Can-Do Eritrean attitude were affirmed by a long and
bloody struggle that was dismissed by almost the whole world as
unachievable but was finally achieved and won to the amazement of those
who dismissed it. The result has been this bright light on the hills of
Nakfa, Asmara and the mountains of Metera. Eritrea has become the hope
and breath of fresh air in Africa.
*Nation Building*
When Ethiopian colonizers were completely chased out of Eritrea in May
24, 1991, 85 percent of Eritreans did not have access to clean water,
basic healthcare & educational facilities. Social & economical progress
in education, technology and the standard of living became a priority.
For Eritrea to prosper, people must regain their economic independence.
The aim is to create the same opportunity for the "children in Arag and
Children in Asmara". The leadership then began to write it's own
programs which caters for Eritrean goals. Although outside expertise and
experts are needed, relying on Eritrean abilities, experts and giving
priority to developing internal capabilities is the only beneficial
move. Avoiding the tendency of worshiping and imitating everything
foreign is strengthening internal capabilities. For a just political
system to exist, developed and just economic system should exist. A
political democracy cannot work without stable social and economic
democracy. Unbalanced and unjust economic system cannot be the basis for
a democratic and just political system.
Let us look at Africa as a continent. Many of it's countries have
suffered from the curse of natural resources. Nigeria spends millions of
US dollars through major borrowing to finance some of it's projects.
Today, Nigeria remains to be one of the poor, corrupt and unstable
nations of Africa and this is after 60 years of independence form
colonialism. Africa's rich natural resources have been more of a source
of conflict than prosperity. The reason for this is that, almost all
African countries have tendencies of worshiping and imitating everything
foreign and never wrote their own development programs. IMF and World
Bank structural adjustment programs is crippling third world nations.
Almost all African nations are lacking good governance that ensures
peace, security, economic growth and poverty reduction. Relying on
western aid have done nothing but weakening the capability of many
African nations. If Africans are asked what they would want from their
leaders; their answer would surely be enough food to eat, clean water to
drink, a roof over their heads, accessible and affordable medical care
and education for their children. When all these are equally provided,
then a stable nation is built. PFDJ charter eloquently puts it as the
following,
"Notwithstanding wishful politics and promises and even the best of
intentions, unless there is a strong economy which benefits all, with an
equitable distribution of the national wealth, i.e. economic democracy,
all the good intentions and promises are an illusion."
When a leadership prioritizes food, water, shelter and medical care then
is practicing democracy. But unfortunately, those who are caught in the
western infiltrated elections trap while their people are dying of
hunger are blinded by the short-lived praises that are heaped on them by
their neo-colonial masters in the west.
Recently I bumped into a neighbor of mine, a veteran combatant of the 30
year Eritrean independence struggle. As Eritreans usually do, we started
conversing about the current unfortunate situations in East Africa and
the Middle East. He said to me, all these horrible results were just
waiting to happen and never surprised him as bad governance lead to
disastrous situations. He continued to say that, well before
independence, the people's front had a good plan and knew all the
obstacles. That's why it was able to fend off all the bullying and
conspiracies in the last 24 years. The easiest thing for the Eritrean
leadership would have been to hold pretentious western imposed elections
without prioritizing the needs of the people. But that was not why
Eritreans went through a long & bitter struggle. Their goal was not only
to gain independence, but also to ensure economic development based on
social justice as the people of Eritrea paid dearly for this.
God/ Allah bless Eritrea and those who gave their lives for their people
Received on Mon May 11 2015 - 06:25:55 EDT