...Eritreans are nostalgic emotional beings. When we claim that "its great to be Eritrean", we are not talking about development, taking advantage of natural resources or who we were in ancient history or any thing along those lines. We are talking about Hammed Idris Awate, we are talking about all the millions of martyrs we have lost in the thirty years liberation war and beyond...

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It is great to be Eritrean...?

By: Sham Ali

You have to be proud that you are Eritrean. It is great to be Eritrean. How many times have you heard this? or may be you say these phrases? I guess Eritreans are not unique as a people to think of themselves as great. The only nation unofficially "not allowed" to think in those terms is post World War II Germany. How do we measure greatness?  what makes one nation or a people greater than another nation? In practical terms if we try to answer these questions, there are specific factors that make a nation great, some of them historical like if your ancestors were the Pharaohs, Mayans or Greeks then you automatically become great. Another aspect is to do with natural resources and the venues that it opens for one nation to develop and create opportunities for growth. When people tell me to be proud for being an Eritrean, that we are great, I always think to myself; When was the last time we Eritreans contributed to the advancement of humanity? How many Eritreans are up for the Noble Prize? Which internationally recognized work of art is produced by an Eritrean? Are there any Eritrean role models alive that we as a nation or as a young generation can look up to?

But we Eritreans are nostalgic emotional beings. When we claim that "its great to be Eritrean", we are not talking about development, taking advantage of natural resources or who we were in ancient history or any thing along those lines. We are talking about Hammed Idris Awate, we are talking about all the millions of martyrs we have lost in the thirty years liberation war and beyond. Rightly so we have to, this is part of our history. Yes, it’s the initiative of our forefathers standing firm to free their land and people from oppression. And the lost lives of our martyrs that help put Eritrea's name on the map today. I doubt though that this is what makes us great, since when loosing millions of lives in wars were a symbol of greatness!! I would argue that what makes my people great is that we are survivors; we mastered the art of enduring pain. While the guerilla fighter was putting his life on the line, many of us were fleeing for safety! We were asylum seekers, we stood in UN queues for bread, we were and remain strangers where ever we go. We might have interacted with many cultures,  learned many language's, the fortunate of us might have achieved high diplomas...etc, for many of us we continue to holding on a dream that one day our country will get better and be great... we will return back home to Eritrea. But this remains to be “A Dream Differed”, rather than a reality.

Eritrea has been recognized as sovereign state for nearly two decades now. However, I still hesitate to use the words "free" and "independent", for obvious reasons. So far we have managed to have wars with all our neighboring countries, still people are getting killed in battles or by the government, still people are seeking asylum and even dying before reaching safety. We have more "opposition" groups than ever before always divided and continuously subdividing. See! I believe that peace is a cultural mentality; to create a culture takes generations of efforts. Greatness shouldn't be our worry just yet. Maybe it is time to get down from our high horse, and see things for what they really are. If we always keep referring to the past, if we just want to remember what was and never what is, thinking in the same ways as we have done for the last forty years or more, we will never be great. We will just get the same results. This is why years pass by and times change, and the dream of going back to Eritrea is still there, just a dream, reflected in every new year’s eve  with the usual wish of “inshallah alsana aljaya fi baladna” “Ze Matsi Zalo Amat Ab Adina”.

In the meantime, the prolonged suffering of our people continues in the form of ruthless killings, unlawful imprisonments, refugee exodus, while many will just be grateful to have a meal for the day in the current climate of severe food shortages affecting the entire Horn of Africa. Yet the people in power are in a chronic state of denial….claiming and talking about “food self-sufficiency” and “self-reliance”, while our people getting poorer, starving and denied of any means of descent livelihood.  The few that are trying to take action opposing this unfair state of affairs get bullied not just by the dictatorial regime, but also by many opportunists whose job is to live on “gossiping” and netting together tabloid stories and conspiracy theories.

Surly the questions each and every one of us should be asking is not whether we as a people are great or not, but what am I doing to bring about change? How better can I help influence my surroundings to think in new ways? What can I do to help my people, especially those in need for emergency assistance? Unless we are scared to face the responsibilities the answers might bring, it is only by realizing what is, taking action, working hard and trying to answer those types of questions that we will be taking our first steps on the ladder towards greatness.....

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Comments (1) >>

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written by Nahom, January 26, 2010

Dear Sham
It is a great article I have ever read that envorages us to seek cgange abandoning our emotional arrogance.

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