http://www.eritrean-smart.org/content/eritreaat24-series-may-20th-did-they-remember-not-being-free
*Did They Remember Not Being Free?*
By: Seble Tsehaye
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Eritreans and friends of Eritrea around the world eagerly await to
embrace the celebration of the 24th anniversary of Eritrean Independence
on May 24, 2015. As part of that specific populace, I ask myself what
does May 24th mean to me? Why do I celebrate this day?
For reasons some will clearly understand, this always takes me back to
July 1991, where an airplane filled with Eritreans from all over United
States made a voyage from Philadelphia to Asmara, the first flight from
the US to land in free Eritrea. The only word that I can use to describe
the aura of those journeying from Philly to Sharon to Asmara via an
unexpected stop in Djibouti is....euphoria. There were mothers, fathers,
sisters, brothers, daughters and sons. There were loud chatters, soft
mutters. There were those who prayed in silence with bowed heads and
those who gave thanks with arms spread wide and heads tilted towards the
ceiling of the plane as though they could see the heavens above. There
were unprovoked spurts of "jeganu dekena" (??? ???), "Hasabna
asmiromlna" (???? ???????). There was singing. There were a few
"koboros", and of course dancing and ululation. Everything was shared on
that special trip...our joy, our anticipation, our fear, our pride, our
thoughts, our laughter, our food, our seats, our music, our
ululation...pure euphoria. What an absolutely humbling privilege, my
first trip ever to Eritrea.
During that trip, I saw and met family and friends again or for the
first time. And some were just fellow Eritreans, neither family nor
friends. I was lucky enough that few shared stories about how life used
to be. In infinite ways, it was a life-altering experience for me. It
was also one that provided many learning moments.
After a few weeks, the charter flight brought most of us back to
Philadelphia, to disperse again to our different home cities in the
different corners of the States. As you can imagine, the flight back was
more lucid. There was calmness and more composure. During the flight
back, and even to this day, I repeated some of the experiences of those
weeks in my head. And I went back to the euphoria of the flight to
Asmara. I started wondering about how those who had previously lived in
Eritrea must have felt. I could not even imagine nor comprehend what the
trip meant to those who had lived in the Eritrea under Ethiopia's
oppressive and brutal occupation. I wonder what they remembered on that
first flight to a free Eritrea.
* Did they remember not being free to talk to a neighbor?
* Did they remember not being free to run an errand for their mother?
* Did they remember not being free to send their children to the market?
* Did they remember not being free to travel outside their village or
city?
* Did they remember not being free to walk on the sidewalks?
* Did they remember not being free to walk in groups of more than two?
* Did they remember not being free to save burning Tigrigna books?
* Did they remember not being free to go to school?
* Did they remember not being free to defend themselves from accusers?
* Did they remember not being free to voice their Eritrean identity?
* Did they remember not being free to grieve for their children,
parents, brothers, sisters and friends killed by the oppressors?
* Did they remember not being free to collect the dead body of a loved
one without paying for the bullet that killed her?
* Did they remember not being free to think they had the right to live?
* Did they remember not being free?
I hope they remembered this and much more and still do to this day. I
hope they shared and continue to share their stories with their
children, with grandchildren, neighbors and strangers. Not only will I
never forget the stories but will share them with every willing ear.
That is why I commemorate May 24th... to remember the cruel travesty
which freedom conquered so that it is not repeated, to tell of the
vicious travesty which freedom conquered so that it belongs to the next
generation, and most of all to remember the precious and invaluable
sacrifice by which freedom was realized.
Received on Wed May 20 2015 - 06:09:27 EDT