I'm just recovering from three wonderful days of celebration at Festival '99 on the East Coast. To all the organizers and vendors it was wonderful.....Thank You!! Tewolde, you are absolutely right, we have a lot to celebrate and be proud of, we also have a lot more to do vis-`-vis the defense and development of our beloved country. Festival and the president's visit has invigorated me. I had been meaning to write about Festival; your note reminded me that I'm "Feeling good" too, so here goes.

Every once in a while there is an extraordinary moment in your life, a moment you will never forget, a moment of profound happiness or pure exhilaration. Last Saturday evening (August 14, 1999) in Upper Marlboro, MD, was one such moment for me. How does one feel when the President of sovereign Eritrea walks into a hall with thousands (the quote is 10,000) of Eritreans applauding? Isaias, the leader of a unique country, a country that defied the odds with its independence, with its rebuilding and development efforts, with its record of self-reliance, of being corruption-free, with its supportive and patriotic people. What you feel is intense and overwhelming pride at being an Eritrean and at the dedication and selflessness of the leadership and its people.

There are those that want to point out or feel the need to point out every mistake made, every goal yet unfulfilled, while at the same time never adequately acknowledging or rejoicing in the progress already made, the goals already accomplished. It's like playing soccer and just when you kick the ball for a goal, the referee moves the goal post. Well, guess what, you'll never score! Constructive criticism I have no problem with because it criticizes while participating in the resolution. What I loathe is the criticizing for criticizing sake, and that's how I see most of our resident "critics". They have the need to constantly "move the goal post", leaving us always reaching but never attaining any goals. For the opposition, those who would like to overthrow the government of Eritrea, GoE, I realize that "moving the goal post" is critical to their survival. It's in their best interest, it's a matter of their existence to always point out the negative - what the GoE did wrong. They can't admit to any progress because they'd be writing themselves out of a title, "the opposition". I believe everyone, including governments need to set their goals and try to achieve them. I also strongly believe in celebrating successes along the way, and that was what Festival was all about, celebrating, feeling good, dancing, learning, meeting others and if you were as lucky as me, being able to reach out and shake the president's hand, or more truthfully, diving across a sea of hands and grabbing the president's thumb!!

I've got to mention the youth; I'm soooooo proud of them. There's nothing more wonderful than seeing teenagers dancing to Eritrean music, reacting to Wodi Shaul's words "Hjido Hayish", or Helen Meles' "Warsai". Eritrean parents and community centers, give yourselves a pat on the back, you have done a great job. Eritrean youth, I commend you for keeping your culture intact, for your sportsmanship (soccer, basketball, volleyball), for the fashion show, all in all, for your participation. I'll admit, I spoke little or no Tigrigna until my late teens, could barely read and write until Boston Tigrigna classes as a college graduate, and I just couldn't dance to Gwayla, couldn't make my shoulders shake quite right for a long time. Of course I've mastered it all now!! ; ) Anyway, you can imagine how it felt seeing these American-born Eritreans who were sooooo Eritrean!!!! Thanks!!!

AEPAD's keynote speaker was our very own, Dr. Tekie Fessehazion. His topic was the role of the Eritrean Intellectual at different points in our history starting with the post-colonial (Italian) and Federation years of the 40's. When you hear him relay the types of exchanges that took place; how different groups (Moslems and Christians) came together when the existence of Eritrea was at stake (i.e. on whether Eritrea should be divided between Ethiopia and Sudan or remain whole), you want to thank God for our heroes of yesteryear, for without them, there would be no Eritrea to fight for or defend.

AEPAD's man-of-the-year was none other than Dan Connell, the journalist and author of "Against All Odds". Dan Connell resides in Massachusetts and I remember first meeting him at "betSiHfet" Boston in the 80's. Me, I was a college student trekking down to the city from Waltham, hoping to eat Tayta (drar tegadelti every Friday, cheap too), meet some relatives, practice Tigrigna and head back on the free shuttle bus, to campus. Dan, was the "mzungu" (white man in Swahili), always amidst us, questioning, participating and relaying news from his last trip to "mieda".

Talking about "Wazungu", I've got to tell you guys, Memhr Yohannes, (John Rude) whom I was fortunate to have met at festival, is the best "mzungu" gwayla dancer I've ever met!! ; ). Although I've always admired the dedication and patriotism of Eritreans in Eritrean affairs, being an Eritrean myself, it never surprised me. I always wondered about the outsiders though, what is it that gets them so involved in someplace and people so removed from themselves? Like Dan Connell, and Memhr Yohannes, Ed White, Nicole Richardson and the many other non-Eritreans supporting our struggle. Well, I got my answer at least from Dan, in his brief speech, he explained his involvement as a journalist covering topics that he felt should be covered, but also as someone who saw Eritrea's issues as a "model" or microcosm of the world's issues. The struggles and triumphs of Eritrea in dealing with the different "issues" (multi-ethnic, multi-religion, democracy, poverty, etc), are the very issues that the world as a whole has to deal with. I think these people (Dan, Memhr, Ed and Nicole, etc) are special because they transcend nationality and borders and see the essence of humanity at work, and support it however they can.

And now back to how very good I feel, how very proud and privileged to be an Eritrean. In my opinion, the not-too-happy with the policies and practices of the GoE, are those who put their dreams, their comfort, their wishes ahead of the country as a whole. The very reason why Eritrea works is because the leadership started from bottom up and not vice-versa. They were not a bunch of "intellectual elites", the "talented-tenth" to borrow from Dubois, who were going to transform post-colonial Eritrea into a model they read about in their Western books. They were simply Eritreans from all walks of life, and from all educational backgrounds who selflessly joined the struggle, who worked with the masses from bottom up. Post-colonial countries in Africa did not fail because the people (Hafash) were any less dedicated or less patriotic than any other people. In my opinion, daunted by the overwhelming sacrifice necessary to overcome the dependency entrenched after decades of colonialism, the leadership failed the people. The leadership took the easy way out....they sold out. The Bokassa's and Mobutu's cared about themselves more then they cared about their country and their people. That is the "real" difference between Eritrea and other post-colonial African countries - the leadership. The Eritrean leadership is supported and loved because they are one with the people, they work with and for the people, they put Eritrea first. As one Dehaier put it "our Tegadelti are the best Eritrea has to offer". They've taught us what dedication to one's country means, what patriotism means, what selflessness means, and they taught us all this BY EXAMPLE!!

As the saying goes, "We can't all be heroes, somebody's got to sit on the sidewalk and clap as they go by". As for me, I'm satisfied cheering my heroes, and always thanking them for what they have accomplished, while encouraging them and helping them whenever and however I can.

Awet n'Hafash
zelalm zKri nswAtna