ERITREA, BETRAYED AND TOILING

ERITREA, BETRAYED AND TOILING

UNDER TYRANNY, SHOULD NEVER

BE LABELED “AN AXIS OF EVIL”!

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“A fallen tree becomes an easy target to many axes.” (Eritrean proverb)

Indeed, it is hard to remain quiet after reading the article titled: Eritrea joins the Axis of Evil - written by, whoever they are, the Geopolitical and Conflict Report : Sim Tack (Tuesday, 16 March 2010 09:04). As a conscientious Eritrean-American, I found its blanket and unqualified labeling detestable, unfair, misguided, and setting a dangerous trend to Eritrea and its wronged people. Had they qualified the subject as “the regime in Eritrea” instead of just “Eritrea”, and hence avoid putting government and people in one boat, what they had written would perhaps have validity; or perhaps, if the Eritrean people had been unequivocally ardent supporters of the regime, having to make distinction would be difficult. However, given the hostile relationship between the Eritrean people and the fascist regime of PFDJ, to label them as if they are acting in harmony is entirely wrong.

The Eritrean people, experiencing an immeasurable suffering under the heels of a naked power, with no rule of law and system of justice, denied of all basic human rights, in the land turned into an unbearable prison, denied the freedom of expression, even freedom of movement within their own land, denied of all normal working and business life, their youth condemned to military slavery, facing the greatest exodus in their history; in short, this is the darkest hour of Eritrea’s history. Hence, to unmindfully label country and people as “an axis of evil” is no less than committing the crime of negating the Eritrean people. The people, who are perennial like grass, should not be confused with a transient tyrannical regime. To see the Eritrean people in the image of the illegitimate and tyrannical regime, and judge them as such, is therefore clearly a travesty of justice. To label people who are trampled upon by the iron heels of naked a power as axis of evil, is like treating victims of lightning with fire. Perhaps, the writers meant no harm to the Eritrean people; then they should make themselves clear to that effect.

It is true, Eritreans in the Diaspora, supporting the dictator Issayas and his regime, had demonstrated condemning the UNSC’s Sanction. But they are Eritreans who chose the dictator over their wronged mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters; they are Eritreans who, ruled by ignorance, traded reason for emotion, compromised the dictates of their hearts and minds, and unabashedly sold their souls to gain narrow interests. They are indeed an aberration of the true character of the Eritrean people. For, in spite of what is happening, Eritrea is known for its people who are courageous, painstaking, tolerant, generous, kind, freedom and peace loving. The Eritrean people have suffered enough; and no doubt that one day they will free themselves from the shackles of this unlawful regime and join once again the world of free people. It is, therefore, imperative not to subject them unfairly to the “axis of evil” stigma, which is solely related to the tyrannical regime.

As the world did not expect with full confidence that one day Eritrea would be free, no Eritrean had ever thought that his/her country’s darkest hour would come after independence; furthermore, no Eritrean would have suspected that his country would one day face UNSC’s Sanction and that it would be called “an axis of evil”. Although the Eritrean people, except in the realization of their hard earned independence, have no hand in what led to the Sanction, it nonetheless came to be! No one can feel proud to see ones motherland vilified. Eritrea had become the subject of UNSC’s Sanction, as a result of the destructive and lawless behavior of the dictator Isaias and his tyrannical PFDJ regime. The Eritrean people, already victims of his dictatorial rule for the last twenty years, will definitely face worst condition in his only option of retaliating against the UNSC’s Sanction.

Of course, if it was not for the weakness of the opposition, particularly the indifference, i.e. half death, of the majority of the educated sons and daughters in the Diaspora, Isaias and his regime would not have lasted this long; and by the same token, we do not know how long he is going to continue unopposed in implementing his long term agenda of destroying country and people. What more urgent wake up call could there ever be?!

Against all odds, let us hope that the UNSC’s Sanction would be the signal that the ending of his power is in sight, and that this would be the last path of the long night that leads to the Eritrean people’s longest and brightest day of freedom, justice and sustainable peace at home and abroad.

Eternal Memory to our Martyrs!

Peace in Freedom and Justice to the Eritrean People!!

March 22, 2010{jcomments off}