[dehai-news] Isaias Afwerki is us and we are him

Isaias Afwerki
is us and we are him

Amanuel
Biedemariam  

There
is a Facebook group, which I belong to, called:” We Are All Isaias Afwerki”.
>From the start, there were discussions about why we are all Isaias Afwerki and
the answers were all the same worded differently. We are because he is the embodiment of what Eritrea is all about. We are because he is and has been the face of Eritrea past, present and has set a precedent for the future. We are because he is what Eritrea is all about; grit, determination, perseverance, commitment and he is a finisher. We are because he is like every one of us; humble and determined to leave within his means while focusing on the future sacrificing a great deal. We are because of his commitment to honor the martyrs by building a nation worthy of their sacrifices and, the list could go on…  

One
of the most important foundations to life is thankfulness to God/Allah for the small blessing of the world. It is only then that the blessings multiply and multiply. To recognize those small blessings is a blessing in itself. In fact, relatively speaking, many of the disadvantages Eritrea was dealt-with turned out to be a blessing. The fact that Eritrea was denied independence when all African countries were handed their “freedom” turned out to be a major blessing. It gave Eritrea the time to see the entrapments laid out in plain day light to learn from. There is a saying in Tigrigniya that means “let Him give you example and not make you one.” Eritrea was lucky to have-had examples of how not to be. However, Eritrea needed direction of how-to-be and how to chart directions away from the failing of the others that regressed precipitously due to corruption with few on the top echelon sucking the foundations-away from the people to ruins everywhere in Africa without exception.  

The
struggle for the independence of Eritrea was a blessing in a sense because it became a struggle for freedom not only from the chains of colonialism but also from the mental slavery that the west placed upon Africans. It gave Eritrea a space to deal with the political upheavals that Eritrea faced during the first half of the struggle that could have undone the revolution. The ethnic, religious and regional divisions the Eritrean revolution inherited was paralyzing. All these divisions and differences led to a civil war that lasted for years frustrating many that just wanted to see Eritrea focus on the enemies. This also triggered massive exodus.  

Eritrea also
had nothing in terms of organizational structures, resources and support to start the revolution. There was no standing organized army. The tasks at hand seemed impossible or insurmountable, and the odds were stacked against Eritrea. The possibilities that Eritrea could eject Ethiopia, a country that was backed by US, Israel and the USSR was almost unthinkable to the world. Ethiopia received then as now military, political, financial, diplomatic, and all kinds of assistances while Eritrea had none.  

What Eritrea had
were determined people that want independence, peace and life based on a higher standard. Eritrea had people willing to work hard, to sacrifice and pay all that they have in life that is necessary for freedom; people that are willing to endure the rigors, hardships and pain for victory. They wanted to chart their own course in uncharted territories. They carried a stick to fight tanks and, stones to fight war planes. Because that was all they had. They used their ingenuity and illusiveness to elude the enemy and fought with rifles against organized armies. In the process they learned to scavenge effectively. For the first time in the history of Africa, Eritreans fought a well trained and armed army with armaments they took away from Ethiopian soldiers they killed and captured in battle and used it to build a national army.  

Eritreans
fought Ethiopia and the superpowers with everything they had. They fought Ethiopian soldiers and intelligence from within Ethiopian-held cities and territories risking their lives. They fought the fight for freedom from every corner around the globe. They were resourceful, brilliant and dedicated. That again became another blessing that benefited independent Eritrea. It created a network of organized Eritreans in every corner of the world. The traditions and values that were established then are serving Eritrea in this challenging world in ways unseen anywhere. It is saving Eritrea from many threats that are threatening to wipe clean the blood of the martyrs and to undo the hard won independence.  

Central
in these struggles was a group of Eritrean women and men that are farsighted, brilliant, dedicated, imaginative and fearless. They were humble, down-to-earth and cognizant on the fact that Eritrea’s number one asset is her people. They lead the struggle with a realistic approach to life grounded around established ethical, religious and cultural values. They exploited those values and harnessed a work ethic that became a way of life in Eritrea. That work ethic was designed to empower the people by relying on freedom from handouts. They taught them that only collective effort can yield desired outcomes and supported that with a slogan, “Victory to the Masses” and trekked believing, “ Our struggle is long and VICTORY certain.” They trekked unfazed by distractions meant to derail the struggle. They ignored it then as now saying,” let the DOGS bark as the camel strides.” And they arrived. They arrived into a new nation victorious led by Bitsay, Tegadalay, His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki amongst other leaders.  

As a
new nation, Eritrea required her leaders to meet certain requirements. The leader needed to be strong, visionary, committed, selfless and experienced. It required a strong character with unshakeable faith on the people of Eritrea. It required incorruptible character that will not sell the people as they do all over Africa. It required someone with a military like discipline, with a work ethic, unfazed by the glitziest and glamour. It required someone that knows the people of Eritrea and to have a certain personal attachments, understanding, compassion and genuine affection. It required understanding of the anguishes, hardship and painful struggles they went through to get her. They needed someone who knows their homes and families; someone who is like them. Above all, they wanted someone that will honor their sons, daughters, mothers and fathers that perished. They needed someone that can carry the mantle in their honor everywhere.  

Eritrea
did not need a ruler. Eritrea needed someone that can be a captain of the Eritrean submarine in uncharted waters. Because every Eritrean is capable to play his or her part as they have for decades. Eritreans assumed roles to successes. Every Eritrean is a leader. That is what Eritrea requires from all her children without exception. The tasks at hand for all Eritreans are so varied and numerous it required Eritreans to roam free representing their nation in every aspect of life everywhere. It required filling all the gaps needed, however they can and as directed and they did a million times over.  

That
makes for a great partnership between a country and leadership; all works in harmony as it is and has been with His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki. Eritrea is a blessed nation with a leader that the world has ever seen without exaggeration. President Isaias is one of the greatest of gifts Eritrea is blessed with. It is often not commonly practiced in Eritrea to praise a leader; some are culturally squeamish since all have contributed mightily for Eritrea in many ways. That is understandable because there are those that have given entire families, limbs and paid in many ways near and dear. However, this special occasion warrants the greatest of praises to one of Eritrea’s greatest heroes.  

President
Isaias met all the requirements that Eritrea required and more. He is the source of strength, unity, the voice, the parental figure, the brother and warrior in trenches. He is the guide that points Eritrea in the right direction. He led the mother in a distant field toward the water that can quench the thirst of child. He is a farmer; member of huge farmland called Eritrea; and he is roaming throughout the entire country greening the land wherever he goes. He is the teacher that believes all the kids must have the same opportunities to learn not to get out of poverty as the main objective but to thrive in life and in the process; lift the nation to the highest of standards. He is the friend of the doctor that saw a nation’s health as a national imperative and built medical facilities throughout Eritrea. He is a man that knows military strategy, intelligence, security and geopolitics. He is the man that co-founded one of the strongest armies in the world and created a national service program to ensure perpetuity.  

To
say what transpired in Eritrea over the last half century is a miracle is to truly undermine the brilliance of Eritrea’s leaders and a leader. When the history of the world looks back at this era and particularly relative to African nations, Eritrean leaders led by His Excellency President Isaias will be looked at as the greatest leaders of our time and models to be emulated simply because of their commitment to freedom and build a nation by relying on itself. What is even mind-boggling is the simplicity of the formulas they employed. It is a formula that just focused on the masses to be aware, organize and get armed for life.  

In
life, the average person is limited to certain accomplishments mainly personal. What His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki has done with his life is admirable. Eritrea is blessed to have leaders that function at high levels. However, President Isaias epitomizes the best of them. He is selfless, focused, brilliant and a true Eritrean who made Eritrea, his life’s work. He lived Eritrea. Eritrea is his mission, his way of life and life. He gave his life for Eritrea. That commitment is the reason why he was able to oversee Eritrea transform through critical stages that propelled Eritrea into the world stage that we are witnessing today. He saw the beginning and lived the transformation. He experienced all the ups and downs of the Eritrean revolution from atop. He lived through the hardships to see the independence of Eritrea by defeating enemies. He oversaw the unthinkable; the yanking of the Derg regime; facilitated a regime change and produced the signature that engraved Eritrea as a member nation of the UN. He ushered Eritrea into a new Era of independence through the referendum.  

Soon
after independence, Eritrea was challenged as a nation militarily, politically, economically and in every conceivable way by enemies that wanted to reverse a hard won independence. His Excellency President Isaias again guided the nation with strength, and showed Eritrea the way-out into the new platform of freedom that is in the process of placing Eritrea in par with the rest the developed world in unprecedented speed shocking detractors and naysayers. The only way to describe it will be to liken it to a nuclear submarine navigating through the darkest and most hostile of deep waters under extreme pressures. The President has guided it through the deep waters into an oasis. To say we are living in the most hostile part of the world is understatement. All one has to do is think of Djibouti, Yemen, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia and think about the internal strife in these nations. Think about the geopolitical interests of the superpowers that want to destroy any semblance of nationalistic attitudes anywhere in the region. Think about the greedy that want to exploit our riches at the expense of the people. Yet, only Eritreans are truly enjoying their nation in its truest of forms communally in unison with President Isaias in observance.  

As
Wedi Tkabo sings, “Eritrea’s umbrella is untouchable by the raging fire because you are our cover, Butterfly.” The raging fire and destitution plaguing the region is distant from Eritrea because of leaders that bought Eritrea time and anchored the people in united purposes. That is the hard truth that the enemies are finding hard to swallow.  

I am
and we are Isaias Afwerki because we all stand for one common purpose, Eritrea. In an effort to subjugate Eritrea and make the people of Eritrea kneel and bow; with the idea, if you cut the head the body will fall; the enemies of Eritrea waged major demonizing campaigns against His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki. They want to extricate the president from the people. In a sense they said the President Isaias is Eritrea. The reality however, where Eritrea is today is the cumulative result of the hard work of the people. If President Isaias is capable to achieve all these Eritrean successes individually; then he is GOD.    

Hence,
His Excellency President Isaias is not Eritrea but he is Eritrean representing Eritrea; his people. And the people are saying yes! Eritreans are flocking to New York from Europe, Canada, and West coast and all over US to show him support. They are flocking in busses, planes and cars spending thousands to say “We are All Isaias Afwerki. He is us, we are him and we are Eritrea and, nothing can change that”!  

Eternal
Glory to Our Martyrs  

Awet
N-Hafash  

Awetnayu_at_hotmail.com                                                                                                                                                                              

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