Eritrean Vision: I fought for freedom but am still waiting for freedom

Eritrean Vision: I fought for freedom but am still waiting for freedom: Africa Fights 

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                   AFRICAN FREEDOM FIGHTS :

     Eritrea officially celebrates 30 years of independence from Ethiopia. Former BBC Tigrinya editor Samuel Ghebhrehiwet was a freedom fighter. He writes about his experiences on the battlefield, and how his hopes were dashed when Eritrea became a one-party state.

During our 30 years of struggle for freedom, we were at war every hour.

We became accustomed to pain and self-sacrifice. Many of us were injured two or three times during the war. We were soon promoted and marched on additional battles.

 and climbing all the mountains and valleys. I was among the lucky ones. About 65,000 of our soldiers died in the war.

I joined the liberation movement as a 16-year-old in 1982 after hearing stories about Ethiopian violence and jealousy about the beautiful image of freedom fighters with their long hair, shorts and AK47s.

I received training for several months in the village of Arag. We learned how to attack and retreat, how to disguise ourselves, and how to use weapons - including RPG bombs.

Our training was excellent. It was supported by political education, including how to establish a democratic government.

I became involved in many wars and decided to free the port city of Massawa from Fqel in February 1990. That task was decided. It put a strain on the movement of Ethiopian troops, and eventually drove them out of Eritrea.

We fought fierce battles for 72 hours to capture this strategic city, and then defended it for over a year with 100km of canals. During those wars, I suffered head and arm injuries. I was treated at the hospital. After my release, I returned to the battlefield.

In the late 1990's, I was sent to join a cultural group to promote our army through songs and insurrection. In 1991, we were on Dahlak Island, near Massawa, where we heard the biggest news of our lives - we had finally found our independence.

Celebration days :

     Filled with excitement, we set sail for Massawa. We were then loaded onto trucks to go to the capital, Asmara - a trip that took about three hours. We crossed the southern checkpoint of Ethiopian troops. No one was there, and the Ethiopian army had left.

It was like a dream come true in Asmara. The people of this city have abandoned all acceptance of the freedom fighters. They broke the impromptu "guayla" (traditional music and dance) on the streets of the capital, as well as in other cities and districts.

Before that momentous day, the people of Asmara were completely under siege. The airport was constantly bombed, there was a set time to get home. Then on May 24 everything changed.

Mothers leave clay pots on their "fernello" (coal stoves); they forgot the fire in the "grandmother" (oven) and went out with their coffee habits to join the reception party.

People carrying palm leaves, often used in ceremonies, attacked the streets - all palm trees were uprooted. The teens climbed into the tanks that came in and waved palm leaves.

The festivities continued for days and nights.

There was great concern amidst the excitement as there were many parents out on the streets holding photo frames in their hands. They asked the incoming soldiers about their children where they were.

"Are they back? Are they dead?"

I remember Seum Tsehaye, a nominated photographer, taking pictures of an important event as his party entered.

I also remember two members of our unit - Gedle and Abayey - meeting face-to-face with their family members while in the back of a truck. Happiness, tears, tears.

Gedle's father was so happy that he beat his chest with his palm branch.

"I got my son! I got my son!" Abayey, a female driver in the driver's seat, spotted her mother-in-law and tried to jump out of the truck, nearly injuring herself.

Accompanied by cheering crowds, we arrived at Albergo Ciao - a hotel in the city.

Later, our boss told us that we could go out and look for our family members - those with relatives in the city. It was not easy to find them in a few hours, after years of absence. But we did it.

We all hoped that Eritrea would prosper and live happily ever after.

Leaders have fun :

     Unfortunately, it did not take long for our hopes to be dashed. We gave up everything we had - our youth and our lives - to gain freedom. We had dreams.Many of us wanted to go to our families, continue their studies, do community work, build a family and do well in our communities. To our great surprise, we were not even allowed to leave the army.

S.P Overseas News World

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