Do They Know It Is Christmas?

Do They Know It Is Christmas?

By Petros Tesfagiorgis

The X-mass festive fever started some weeks before the actual day.  Friends, work and school mates indulge in parties, drinks, food, laugher and all sorts of fun fare.

In churches on the TVs, Radios, in the streets X-mass carols are sung. The lyrics express love, peace and prosperity to self and the world. Father Xmass with magic  and flying brooms is out to entertain children. God bless them it is all merry go round scenarios.

X-mass is also a moment in time where the appeal for funds for the poor, disadvantaged, the homeless the sick the refugees (today the Syrian refugees) is at its highest.  All these represent the best Tradition of the British. This year one of the popular appeals on BBC was “Water”. A beautiful African Child fills water on a pot from a river full of dirt, the causes of health problems.  The appeal goes “Please give generously so that the child will drink clean water and grow healthy”, as clean fresh water is pumped out from a tap, the face of the child shines and he smiles a big smile.

It was at the end of 1984 during X-mass, Bob Geldof- the Irish pop artist organised the biggest musical fund raising event, THE BAND AID, for the famine stricken people in Ethiopia. He wanted to avoid the 1972 Ethiopian famine which killed 2 million people.  It was ground breaking initiative that brought together for the first time world class singers and sang the famous song “Do they know it is X-mass?”, and were able to raise millions of pounds that had saved lives.

Not only money but also clothing, medical equipments and toys for children etc. were being collected. Band Aid had a big store at Kings Cross London and Eritrean Relief Association (ERA-UK) was allowed to fill many containers and send it to the liberated areas via the Sudan. Tesfahunei Kidane the Soviet Educated Engineer was coordinating the work; he was a volunteer working for ERA-UK in charge of assembling the plastic microscope- invented by South African scientist for exclusive use of Eritrean Relief Association and  used by the bare foot doctors of the EPLF when they visited villages and look after the Sahel nomads.

The question is does the Eritreans Diaspora and British Eritreans emulate this inspiring tradition rooted in the British culture?

No. It is not happening. More than 150,000 refugees in Sudan and   90.000 in Ethiopia are languishing in refugee camps and hundreds are in prisons in Egypt, Yemen, Djibouti and Libya. They are simply ignored.  Sending them even a small token would have made them happy and grateful to their brothers and sisters in Diaspora. They would have felt that they are remembered.

It was Monday the 23 December me and my friends where in a pub drinking and socializing as part of the festive mood of Xmass.

One friend said. “I have attended a wonderful X-Mass party on Saturday 21 December”. He spoke highly of it. He continued. “It was very well organized, food and drinks were plenty. The fee was £35.00 “They must be an elite, it was by invitation only.

It is a way of looking for some sparkle during these festive seasons and X-mass is meant to be enjoyed. Therefore it has to be supported. But the question is, “Is there any reason why they should not remember the Eritrean refugees by collecting as little as £5.00 during the event and make a difference to their miserable life?  Or make the entranced fee £40.00 to put £5.00 to the refugee kit. .And live up to what they discuss every day in claiming that they sharing the pains and suffering of the Eritrean refugees.  If one is concerned about the need of the refugees’ one has to contribute something.

Such behaviour of being talking shop from our comfort zone in the west and no action has become an in built Diaspora culture and it is an expression of helplessness while we can do a lot.

On the other hand it was a consolation to see a wonderful initiative of mothers to give practical help to refugees. It sparked by a question fired by a child.

Mum why don’t you ask for help for Eritreans stranded in Lampedusa?

A 7 years old girl asked her mother the above question when she saw the Lampedusa tragedy in her TV screen and witnessed her mother crying for days.  Like many other children she was affected by seeing  coffins of 350 Eritreans died at Sea. She could not understand why Eritreans don’t do what others do during the pre X-mass period. Their mail box got full with X-mass cards and leaflets appealing for financial donations.

One leaflet says:  For the Love of God:  Put us where we need to be this Christmas. Wherever people need our help and love we have to be there.

The concern of the child would inspire the mother, Rosina Tesfamariam, to do something but what? She convinced the organisation of mothers she belongs (Horn of Africa Community Group) –to support her.  She said, “I live in Stockwell and I always pass by a street where I see an add {Eritrean Saho Cultural Association}.  I said these are my people I will go and ask them for help”. They were very supportive and got me in touch with a woman named Khedijah Ali who invited me to attend a meeting that would discuss a strategic plan to work in partnership among various Eritrean associations   in order to give substantial help to Eritrean refugees.

It was in response to the recommendation of a conference titled “Making a difference to the lives of Refugees”.

However, in this moment in time there was an urgency to raise funds to pay for   airfare for Eritreans refugees imprisoned in Egypt. The Authorities has agreed to secure their release if only there is someone to cover the airfare to join refugees in Ethiopia.

Rosina was delighted to chip in and in partnership with Network of Eritrean Women in UK and Eritrean Refugees Support Association UK she took up the challenge to organise fund raising event.  At the same time the partnership will explore if there are countries in the West to give them asylum.

The Event was ground breaking: Mothers and children participating in fund raising:

The event took place on 7/12/2013.  In the hall I saw many children queuing to get their face painted as their mothers pay for the service. It was a festive atmosphere food was available. What happy days to see children from the Horn of Africa get excited to doing the charity work?

£767.70 was raised enough for 3 people to cover airfare. It is during childhood, in their formation period, that the future of any children is taking shape. By participating in the activities they are internalizing a humane culture of giving to the poor to the needy and to the destitute and to love, care and give service to society.

X-Mass and New Year Message particularly to the facebook, tweeter generation:

Steve Cole, professor of Medic at UCLA and co-author of the report said, “Many meaningful things are very deeply rewarding.”

“Perhaps the chief activities that bring us meaning are ones that draw us out of our cocoons of self-s to tend to others in some way” suggested Dr. Fredrickson.

“This can range from ordinary day to day activities like helping to take care of friends, family, and community to much larger pursuit like devoting years or decades of your life to find ways to reduce human suffering” The later defines the front line activist women. We have women like Dr. Alaganesh, Meron, Khedijah, Sister Azezet, Elsa Chyrum, and Lul Seyoum. Yes “Alewana” “Alewana” as expressed in poetic terms by the late fascinating poet Dr. Reesom Haile.

Recently Dr Alganesh was awarded   an “Ambrogino D’Oro golden Medal” by the mayor of Milan and received National Prize in Rome in recognition of her Humanitarian work. It was some days before X-mass, I gave a ring to Dr. Alganesh for some information in relation to the prisoners in Egypt. In the discussion she said she soon will be flying out of Italy and she will be with her children at X-mass. I asked her what children? She said my children in the refugee camps in Ethiopia. What an inspiring person.  She is bigger than life.

Any small support can make a difference to the lives of refugees. It is also fulfilling spiritually and emotionally.  People can involve in works they relate to. There   are some good initiatives some just for signature. E.g.

• Stop Sinai Torture – by Chelsea Prayer Group London (catholic) in Liaison with Sister Azezet who is helping Eritrean women survivors of kidnapping in Israel. www.stdopsinaitorture.org.
• Keshi Athanasius Ghebre-Ab”. Appeal to the UNHCR to consider a third country resettlement of the Eritreans young men prisoners in Djibouti.
• Leila Segal: An Israeli woman who is working with Eritrean women in Israel.  Under the name of Voice of Freedom http://bit.ly/vofsupport :
• There are many other projects that needs grass root support: The Meron Estifanos & professor Miriam research: Aba Musie persistent and heavy work  with various problems of refugees, Selam Kidane (Eritrean Release) project for mothers in Israel., Elsa Chyrum powerful advocacy of human rights etc.

During the “Making a difference conference workshop Dr. Algansh was delighted and willing to connect with such grass root small organisations in Britain. In the work shop there was even a suggestion to promote the project of “Ghandi Children’s Feeding Centres as a pilot project. To which ERSA-UK and its partners have agreed to lobby for funds. “See photos”

Mary x-mass and a happy New Year for you and All the Refugees & Immigrants the world over and contribute to peace harmony, love, peace and justice.

Hoping the new generation will rise up to the challenges to render help to Eritrean refugees with passion and creativity.  And they can make it.

X-mass appeal to help refugees in Egypt is on Facebook – Donation to: HSBC: ERSA-UK: Sort Code: 40-04-04:  Account: 21637339 Email contact:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.