“And those who disbelieved said to their messengers, “We will surely drive you out of our land, or you must return to our religion.” [Ibrahim 13]
“They said, “And why should we not fight in the cause of Allah when we have been driven out from our homes and (separated) from our children?” [al-Baqarah: 246]
These past weeks have been very intense and anxious for Eritreans at home and in the Diaspora. As news messages came in and tweets were flooding in through my handset about my beloved home. My children gathered around me on my bed one evening, as I was waiting for the video ‘youth raiding the Eritrean Embassy in London” to load… It was appalling to watch these young men behave in such manner. The entire raid or what one of the guys kept calling it occupation – was so chaotic and unbelievably foolish. One of them actually took the picture of President Isaias Afewerki and smashed it with his hand. I’ve always condemned violence because as you well know violence only generates violence. As much as I got enthusiastic at the thought of the overthrow of a dictatorship in my homeland, I was honestly put off by some of these youngsters actions. After the video, the kids being kids started asking me all sorts of questions with regards to Eritrea. As soon as they went to bed I grabbed hold of my pen and diary and found myself jotting down my sentiments towards the political violence in times of great turmoil not just with regards to Eritrea but all around the world.
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“They talk about An ‘Eritrean Spring’ …
However, I fear for you from the whims and aspirations of leaders and parties, that will not put you and My people at the top of their list…
I fear for you from the youth that will not use their intellect, wisdom and vision in planning ahead.
A youth that lives ‘a hollywood dream’; believes in a ‘man made democracy’ and misunderstands ‘Freedom of expression and speech’…A youth from the video games era, who press their controls from the comfort of their sofas and believe they can make a change.
A youth that lacks respect and care towards the values for which my beloved father and many like him have sacrificed so much for- ultimately paying the ultimate price. Men who fought and struggled for an Eritrea where no child cries because he was hungry.. or no parent feels impotent and humiliated because they couldn’t provide for their family, where the weak and elderly are taken care of, and where compassion, tolerance and reciprocity kept our society together making our diversity cause of unity rather than division. Change is good and Change is needed instantly. By no means, I accept the rule of a dictator, yet real change occurs from the bottom-up. THE Real change WILL happen because of you and I truly care for a ‘Better Eritrea’ and not endeavor to fulfill our selfish desires.”
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As my pen came to a halt, I prayed and hoped with all my heart that the violence in Eritrea will be contained and that it won’t degenerate with time. Feeling the sudden wind blowing through my window, I got up and did my routine check and closed all the windows around the house. Hearing the normal night noises – of the donkeys howl and the dogs whine. I Reminisce over my parents past. Far away from a land that they have been driven out from and separated from their families. Not forgetting their childhood dreams of a ‘Free Eritrea’…