From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Tue May 12 2009 - 09:29:24 EDT
Part one - The Bumpy Journey of Eritrean Generations for Full Ownership
of Their Destiny in Prevailing World Order
Posted by Dan. B on November 30, 1999 at 12:00pm
Hundreds of young Eritreans flocked to Rome, Italy, from Europe, North
America, and Australia to take part in the Fifth Europe Young People's
Front for Democracy and Justice (YPFDJ) Conference in mid April -
bringing beautiful scenery to a beautiful city. Walking down the streets
of Rome in large groups, one of the most talked about topics amongst the
delegates was the striking resemblances between Rome and Asmara: the
streets, the buildings and the city's residents walking in a very
leisurely and relaxed manner were some of reminiscent aspects of the
city that brought the secret city of Africa, Asmara, to mind.
The daunting tasks of organizing and hosting a four-day conference for a
large number of people manifested itself, as hundreds of young Eritreans
arrived in different parts of Rome. They had to be picked up and
transported to the venue by coaches. However, the delegates seemed least
worried about these tasks, which could probably be due to their full
confidence in the ability of their bitsot Italy-YPFDJ and partly due to
the anticipation and excitement in the air: that was almost tangible.
In the last five years, it has become customary for the Eritrean youth
across the globe to get together in the conferences that are held in
different parts of the world every year. The Eritrean youth movement
across the globe has been building momentum and the conference is one of
the many youth activities that has great significance in regards to
social, political, ideological, historical, cultural and generational;
and other important aspects.
In discussing the impact of the Eritrean youth activities, it is vital
to highlight the bigger framework of the youth movement and its
historical context. Taking a glimpse into the history of Eritrean
nation-building process - beginning from the generation of the 1940s and
50s to the present generation - demonstrates the crucial and central
role of Eritrean youth.
In the very pioneering document, the Head of Research and Documentation,
Mr. Zemheret Yohannes, delivered in the 3rd YPFDJ conference, pointed
out that a journey of nation-building is a process that takes the roles
of successive generations. Not only does a successful nation-building
process require each generation to carry out its role, but also a strong
connection and partnership between successive generations that would
produce a capable new generation to build on the achievements of the
previous ones'.
The ongoing extensive drive and investment in all spheres of national
life that are taking place in Eritrea, is a reflection of this
framework. The massive investment in higher education, youth programs
and projects that develop and harness young people's potentials and
facilitate engagements among the youth and with the older generation;
and most importantly through Eritrean youth playing a central role in
the real work of reconstruction and defense of the nation.
It is, therefore no wonder, a strong materialization of educated,
technically capable, disciplined, and socially, culturally, politically
and ideologically conscious young Eritreans are naturally surfacing in
abundant numbers in Eritrea.
Similarly, as integral part of this, the efforts have also been extended
to the Eritrean youth in Diaspora especially in the last five years. It
goes without saying that the role of the Eritrean Diaspora during both
the Eritrean liberation struggle and after the independence has been
very significant.
Scattered across the world in different countries with different
cultures, languages, socio-economic status, the Eritrean Diaspora faces
different types of challenges including social, cultural, economic and
other complex problems. This global network also presents opportunities
for the Diaspora community as well as Eritrea.
The Eritrean youth movement described as "an idea whose time has come" -
has a crucial role to play in creating a successful community, in
overcoming the challenges and integrate the opportunities to Eritrea's
defense and nation-building process in a more dynamic way.
It is with this framework in mind that close to six hundred young
Eritreans from across the globe got together in Rome with the aim of
sharing ideas and experiences, to report and assess their progress, to
map out future plans and directly engage with senior Eritrean leaders.
The delegates arrived in Rome on Thursday the 9th of April 2009 at
different places and times and were transported in several coaches to
the conference venue (located some hours away from the city).
This day was the beginning for the historic conference; the delegates in
their hundreds were now in the massive lobby area and the venue compound
meeting and greeting new and old friends whose ideals match or
complement one another.
These were young Eritreans with very diverse backgrounds in their
profession and education; speak many different languages. Many were born
and raised in different countries, others were born and raised in
Eritrea and now live in the western nations (some for many years and
others for a few months), yet what stands out above everything else is
their unity and commitment for Eritrean national values and their belief
the solution to everything is only to be found in building a viable and
sustainable nation.
The conference was officially opened on Friday morning with a ceremony
including, raising the national flag of Eritrea and Singing the Eritrean
National Anthem, a speech, cultural and artistic shows. The theme of the
conference was "Organizational and Social development" reflecting the
rapid growth of the movement all over the world, which requires
addressing organizational issues and role of the youth movement in
social issues and creating a strong Eritrean Diaspora.
The official opening was followed by presentations of activities for the
past year by all chapters including Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France,
Norway, Denmark, Sweden, UK, Austria, Holland, USA, Canada, Australia
and the European wide YPFDJ coordinating committee.
The reports reflected the vast activities undertaken in areas of
community issues, raising political and ideological consciousness,
media, fundraising, skills development, lobbying and networking and
projects carried out by members while in Eritrea. Not only did the
report from each chapter present the successes of the undertaken
projects, but it also demonstrated the dynamism and creativity of the
Eritrean youth.
The reports were also an immense indication of the direction of the
youth movement and progress achieved so far. One of the successful
activities undertaken was the effort to form stronger relations and
common understanding with the youth from across the Horn of Africa:
Somalia, Ethiopia, the Sudan, Ogaden and Kenya.
The activities were carried out jointly with the youth from across the
region with the aim to create a common understanding and working
together for peace and stability of the region including forums,
peaceful demonstrations against the Ethiopian regime and its supporters,
media activities and the participation of the youth from all the above
stated countries in the first Horn Youth Conference that was held in
Eritrea.
Fortunately or unfortunately the Horn of Africa is located in one of the
most strategic parts of the world and with abundant natural resources,
the consequence of this has been the concentrated outside intervention
throughout the history of the region.
The outside intervention has not only prevented the people of the region
from solving their internal problems by themselves, but has also been
the major cause of the problems the region faces. For example the
Ethiopian regime, a regime that is terrorizing the whole region, would
not survive for a week had it not been for the massive injection of
capital and Political support by Western Countries. In return Ethiopia
reciprocates by acting as the bully and destabilizing agent.
A group of young Eritreans were using the Zebra crossing to cross the
road in Rome. Although they were in the middle of the road, the cars did
not stop, putting them in a dangerous situation. This was apparently
normal and you are made familiar with the saying that goes: "Traffic
lights are instructive in France, suggestive in Spain, and decorative in
Italy."
This saying can also be extended to the way the USA and other Western
nations have been operating in the Horn region. The values they preach
about democracy and human rights in order to intervene in the affairs of
other nations. The UN resolutions, international court rulings, are
applied with one agenda in mind and that is to advance their interest.
These values and rule of law are instructive, when it suits their
perceived interest; they become suggestive when the present arrangement
suits them; and they become decorative when the offending government is
a partner/ally in crime.
The heinous crimes of the Ethiopian regime that are committed in the
Ogden, Somalia and Ethiopia are ignored, while the ones in the Sudan are
glorified. The Ethiopian regime is given ample support to ignore the
International Border Ruling and thereby occupying Eritrean territories.
The regime also receives a great deal of political support in
suppressing the Ethiopian people's opposition.
There is now a profound consciousness across the Horn of Africa about
the negative role of the outside intervention. The Horn of Africa
Diaspora communities in particular the youth are now jointly working in
engaging the powers of the world by informing them that their interest
can be secured when there is peace and stability in the region and that
peace and stability can only be secured when the interest of the people
of the region are respected. Imposing puppet regimes is not the
solution; the result of that is the existing sorry state of the region
where millions of people are extremely marginalized.
The likes of the former US Assistant Secretary for Africa Jandayi Fraser
(hopefully resting in peace now), the Ethiopian regime and other
governments and elements that put their own interest before that of the
people of the region, have tried to make the world believe that Eritrea
is the source of instability in the horn region. This is, of course, an
attempt to hide from the wrong policies and mistaken strategies they
pursued in the region; and a reflection of the fact that they view
Eritrea as an obstacle in the implementation of their agenda.
Contrary to their claims, Eritrea's constructive engagement in the Horn
of Africa originates in the principles learned through the struggle of
over a half century, a struggle that defines the characteristics of the
country. The Eritrean vision that was articulated decades before
independence and the execution of this vision until this date
demonstrates the strong conviction that for Eritrea to enjoy a permanent
peace and tranquility: a peaceful neighborhood is a necessity.
On one hand the Eritrean people have gone through immense suffering and
sacrificed the blood of so many while fighting against regimes supported
by world superpowers to win their independence in 1991 expecting no less
and no more than full ownership of their own destiny.
On the other hand, the world was moving in the opposite direction.
Complete domination: the independence of countries mainly in Africa and
other less developed countries reduced to symbolic ones, ruled from
elsewhere. The western economic institutions in charge of the economic
and social policies; politics run by Western drive to spread democracy;
the nongovernmental organizations that come in all types of names
replaced the African governments; commercial interests in the hands of
outsiders; the peace and security under blue-helmeted troops; and
priests that come with brand new bibles and churches in charge of
religion.
Given its history and character, Eritrea was not prepared to join the
jubilation of the new world order. Following its independence in 1994,
Eritrea charted its journey of new chapter in a document, "A National
Charter for Eritrea" that describes the vision and principles of the
country.
The charter describes itself as: ""A National Charter for Eritrea". It
is not copied from books or from the charters of other countries. It
starts from the realities of our country and society, and from our rich
experience. It does not borrow wholesale any analyses or formulas that
are fashionable in today's world either. Rather, by critically examining
all ideas and relating them with the realities of our society and our
experience, the purpose is to chart an independent line that works for
Eritrea."
The goals and principles are simply stated in the National Charter, yet
deeply rooted in the Eritrean history and the values upheld by society
and those strengthened and developed during the struggle for
independence.
This "independent line that works" has proven that it indeed works;
Eritrea has complete ownership of all its policies including foreign
policy and socioeconomic policy. The developments of the last eighteen
years in Eritrea show that Eritrea is in the right direction and the
recent world trends of ideas have moved along the lines of the Eritrean
way.
This independent line has also made Eritrea the target of the most
powerful countries and their institutions. Arrogant western diplomats
who were used to donor/recipient relationships with the developing
countries found it hard to adjust to Eritrea's strong conviction in
partnership and mutual interest way of dealing.
Equally all the other representatives of all the institutions that have
no regard for the national sovereignty found Eritrea irritating. They
have come back presenting themselves as "Guardian Angels" of the
Eritrean people with an intense propaganda campaign against the Eritrean
Government/Country.
These enormous challenges also brought opportunities for Eritrea
including to build strong relation with its natural allies, the
oppressed people across the Horn region; proved once again, with the
cherished Eritrean values: self-reliance and resilience of its people,
it can survive, develop and make progress to mention some in health,
building infrastructure, food security, social sector and foreign
investment in the mining industry operating with deals and shares
reaching in some cases 50% for Eritrea, a phenomenon unprecedented in
the developing world. Many others are now also coming to terms in
accepting Eritrea with its full national characteristics.
When non-Eritreans learn about the high level of mobilization of the
Eritrean Diaspora, organized in different forms including youth, women,
children and community as a whole, they often get amazed how such
phenomenon was made possible. Again this is also a product of the
history of the Eritrean people.
Eritrean Diaspora has always been the backbone of the struggle for
liberation in the past and is playing a significant role now to overcome
current challenges. For instance in the very country Italy in which the
youth conference took place, Eritrean women worked as maids, cleaners,
cooks and child minders for Italian families and sent their earnings to
fund the Eritrean liberation struggle.
Like all other Diaspora communities, Eritreans also face different
social and other problems. As well as the positive aspects, extreme
individualism and other social problems also affect all Diaspora
communities. The vast majorities of the Diaspora communities join the
society at the lower end of the host countries with immense social
problems; where in many cases, with the eroded values of family, having
a father in one's life is, considered as a privilege. Minimizing the
influence of such an environment and the bigger objective of creating a
strong and successful community, are reflected in the activities carried
out by chapters of the youth movement. Great deal of activities are
undertaken in regards to raising consciousness, maintaining strong
Eritrean identity and values rooted in Eritrean history and culture.
The Eritrean national charter is the guiding document for the Eritrean
Youth movement. One of the six goals, "Cultural Revival" is a great
point of guidance in regards to the challenges the Eritrean Diaspora
face. Among some of the values stated include: "solidarity between men
and women," "love of country," "self-reliance," "respect for law," "hard
work," "self-reliance" "love of truth and justice" etc. It also warns:
"Caution should be exercised so that aspects of our heritage such as
love of family and people, and community and cooperation, are not
eroded".
http://village.africanpath.com/profiles/blogs/part-one-the-bumpy-journey
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