My Personal emotional journey on 20thJune.
For me and every Eritrean the month of June is synonymous with Bravery, Courage, Will Power and sacrifice. We stand together shoulder to shoulder to pay our respects and reaffirm our promise to those who sacrificed their lives in order that we could live free in our land, to be the masters of our own destiny.
It seems easy and painless to say “sacrificed their lives” but it is the most precious gift anyone could give.
Today’s significance was apparent on everyone's face. When I looked at people's expressions there was a look of sadness tinged with hope.
There aren’t many families who haven’t been affected by the long gruesome, gruelling and torturous ordeal of our Independence struggle. For us this is a special day, an emotional day. People streamed into Kennington Park, Central London on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. The turnout was good considering that it was a weekday. Many attending the Martyr’s day Memorial looked as if they had just left work or school. I watched as people greeted each other and slowly made their way to the allocated seating areas. I felt a sense of pride at being with my people at such a truly poignant day.
The main event of the day commenced with “Zikre Sema’tat”, a minutes silence with the head lowered and any head adornment removed, to pay homage to those who paid the ultimate price of life to secure our unfettered future.
As I stood there with everyone else, my mind started to wonder How Brave they must have been. It must have taken a lot of courage, discipline, strength of character and many other attributes which I fail to mention here, to not think about their needs but that of others. Where they not created the same way we were? Did they not have the need for comfort? Where they created especially to be the sacrificial lambs for the rest of us? How could they run into fire with Death or disfigurement at the very least, the only possible outcome? How could they do any of it again and again for such a long time? Did they not feel the need to live an ordinary life?
As a child I have fond recollections of the time I spent with Tegadelti. I will treasure those memories for the rest of my life. I will never forget the care we received during our hike to Sudan. They did everything humanly possible to protect us from harm, hunger and thirst.
Standing to attention in Kennington Park, Remembering all those who paid with their lives and the disabled war veterans, my mind goes into overdrive searching for answers.
I am constantly searching and occasionally I feel I have answers and the overriding theme to my answers is Defiance against aggression and tyranny and the will and resolve to see it through to the end. I take away from today, lessons that help me in my own personal life and I am certain of one thing, that we must never allow their sacrifice to be in vain.
By Yonas Goitom
Awet Ne’hafas
Zelalemawi Zkri Ne’semae’tatna
Received on Mon Jun 25 2012 - 17:03:01 EDT
