From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed Feb 11 2009 - 15:30:04 EST
Congratulations to Eritrean People! A People of Unique and Proud History
By Staff
Feb 11, 2009, 13:13
Nineteen years ago this week, courageous Eritrean freedom fighters
successfully carried out a military operation both through land and sea, one
of the few of its kind in the history of military operations. The 'Operation
Fenkil' stunned the world with the efficiency of its strategy and lightening
speed and dealt the final blow to the Ethiopian colonialism. Thus, every
Eritrean will always remember and take pride in this historic military
operation.
Executed within 72 hours, the 'Operation Fenkil' was a milestone in the
history of the Eritrean armed struggle. The success of "Operation Fenkil"
was the result of the cumulative experience gained through the repeated
military confrontations that required greater courage and endurance. Thus
'Operation Fenkil' is the cumulative outcome of the intensive military
confrontations carried out in the mountains in Nakfa, Northeastern Sahel and
Barka over a period of 12 years that exasperated Ethiopian colonizers and
their superpower supporters.
The liberation of Massawa broke down the chains of colonialism, heralded the
dawn of freedom and fueled the hope and faith of Eritreans inside and
outside the country. Although 'Operation Fenkil' made it clear that Eritrean
independence was inevitable, instead of counting their human and material
losses in the 30 years of war, Ethiopian colonizers continued to play the
desperate game of fire. Still their last minute attempts could not amount to
anything and soon the EPLF liberated the entire Eritrean nation and closed
the chapter on the people's struggle for independence.
Having gained their freedom through their own struggle, the courageous
Eritrean people never once viewed independence as their ultimate objective
but rather as the first crucial step towards establishing peace and justice.
Hence, soon after securing independence, the Eritrean people embarked on the
struggle to rebuild and develop the nation, and just as in the days of the
struggle for independence, the Eritrean people continue to score miraculous
feats one after the other. The port city of Massawa is one example that
proves the above fact. One can see the reflection of a promising nation that
picked itself up from the ashes of prolonged war and speeding towards
development in the port city that heralded the freedom of the entire nation.
Congratulations to all on the commemoration of the 19th anniversary of the
liberation of the port city of Massawa! And Congratulations to the people of
Eritrea whose history of courage and patriotism is unparalleled!
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