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From: samuel Igbu (ypfdjbc@gmail.com)
Date: Wed Mar 09 2011 - 18:37:45 EST
Eritrean Patriot Mama Zeynab – Mama Zeynab was born in Afabet in 1918.
Joined EPLF in 1977 and died in 2005 at the age of 87.
Mama Zeinab worked on the front-line. Her role in the Eritrean national
memory was so significant that the Ministry of Information documented all
her works and presented her publicly as a 'strong, sprited woman, who wasn't
held back by tradition.' Click above to watch the video
http://eastafro.com/Post/2011/03/06/video-remembering-mama-zeynab-an-eritrean-patriot/
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Eritrean Women and Their Place in History
By Berhane Kahsay, Apr 7, 2009
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Eritrean women are living in legends of unparalleled heroic stories
across the globe. They fought on equal basis with their male counterparts to
liberate their country from colonial forces and are actively engaged in
safeguarding the sovereignty of their country.
In writing about Eritrean heroines, however, one always worries about
translating their bravery into matching words. That being the case, what
encouraged me to cross the line of contemplation and move into writing is an
interview aired on Eri-TV on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of
Operation Fenkil, which took place from 13 to 15 February, 2009, with some
of the Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front’s (EPLF) women fighters who
actively took part in liberating the port city of Massawa. The four
heroines-Captain Senbelawit, Lt.Colonel Elsa, Fiyori and Mebrat-joined the
EPLF in the late 1970s and were wounded several times in the series of
battles they were engaged in against the enemy.
What was most captivating about their wartime stories was their dedication
to the bigger national goal-liberating their country-and consequently their
equality. In all their activities they demonstrated that they were equally
capable and competent as their male counterparts. A glimpse of the pre and
post-independence Eritrean reality reveals numerous instances of such
heroism and unwavering participation of women, which is hard to conceive for
outsiders let alone believe it. Under the EPLF women were not only given the
opportunity to participate in areas that were naturally reserved for men,
but also to fight for their rights through participation. And this is how
Eritrean women came to see their relationship and role within the EPLF:
“Remember the women who have been martyred fighting. Remember the women who
gave birth while fleeing from their homes, and those women who have been
born and have grown up fighting for the liberation of our country. We are
the EPLF as much as anyone …………..we fight for our rights as women……………...”
What can be deduced from the above quotation is that not only did the EPLF
recognize women’s role as essential in liberating Eritrea and establishing a
society based on equality and respect, but also Eritrean women deeply
believed in the principles upon which EPLF was founded. That is why the
Eritrean government strives hard to recognize and reward their heroic place
in history. This has indeed been acknowledged even from unlikely corners
when it comes to analyzing issues related to Eritreans:
“In an effort to encourage broader participation by women in politics, [the
People’s Front for Democracy and Justice] the PFDJ in 1997 named 3 women to
its executive council and 12 women to its central committee. Women
participated in the Constitutional Commission, filling almost half of the
positions on the 50-member panel, and hold senior government positions,
including minister of justice, minister of labor and minster of tourism.
Approximately 40 percent of all households are headed by women. Equal
educational opportunity, equal pay for equal work, and penalties for
domestic violence have been codified. However, traditional societal
discrimination against women persists in the largely rural and agricultural
country.”
True, the EPLF, and its current incarnation, the PFDJ, have never
romanticized women’s roles. As much as they proudly proclaim about their
contribution in the liberation of Eritrea and in the ongoing development
process, they do recognize that much has to be done in abolishing social,
cultural and economic obstacles that hinder the progress of all women
advancing Eritrean society. In this regard, the effort of every single
Eritrean is needed to address systemic disadvantage and discrimination
against women in the country. As we celebrate International Women's Day
(IWD) on March 8, 2009, we need to honor our Eritrean heroines [mothers,
sisters, wives and daughters] for their extraordinary achievements. More
importantly, we have to make sure that in the long run we do all that we can
to honor the contributions and achievements of our heroines. It is not
atypical to read infuriating messages from former women liberation fighters
such as this:
“How could I have been called a “terrorist” [during the war] and today I
can’t be called a hero with my fellow comrades? If ever one crossed the
border, going to join the struggle, and that person managed to fight during
the war, or died during the war, or they survived, that person is a hero,
because it’s “mission accomplished”! The pride we have is hidden. You know,
the way we are living, you can’t be proud. You don’t want to be identified,
because we are living in poverty.”
This perspective is articulated by a Zimbabwean woman ex-fighter who claims
to have fought equally with her male counterparts in the liberation war of
Zimbabwe, which ended in 1980. However, the nationalist propaganda refutes
her claim, states Lyons, referring to her contribution and that of her
comrades not equal although significant. Either way, the woman ex-fighter
thinks her contribution and that of her colleagues went unrecognized in
post-independent Zimbabwe. She believes the system has let her down the road
of humiliation rather than pride: in her own words, she was called a
terrorist during the war but after the war she can’t be called a hero.
Tragic! We must make sure that the heroic place of our women-ex-and-current
fighters-is kept for eternity, and that their revolutionary chronicles are
documented.
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-- Sincerely *YPFDJ British Columbia Chapter* YPFDJ Goal and Purpose- Our goal is to build a strong, conscious and patriotic youth movement.
Our purpose is:
- To raise the awareness and level of organisation of Eritrean youth to serve our nation - To reassert the identity, patriotism and unity of Eritrean youth - To promote the participation of Eritrean Youth in the national reconstruction of Eritrea as well as guarding the sovereignty of Eritrea - To enhance the position and influence of Eritrean Youth in their respective countries of residence.
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