For a people that sacrificed so much to guarantee their right to self-determination, May 24th will always occupy a special place in the hearts of Eritreans around the world. There is no need to detail the burdens that were borne by an entire generation to achieve an independent state, nor the sacrifices of succeeding generations in preserving its sovereignty. Indeed, every Eritrean family is marked by the scars of our shared struggle, and thus requires no reminder about the costs of our historical achievement.
However, it is worth remembering what made Eritrean independence possible. A unity of purpose, across lines of class, ethnicity, religion and geography, were the basis upon which our successful struggle was built. What the Eritrean-Orthodox taxi cab driver in San Francisco shared with the Eritrean-Muslim fighter in Sahel, beyond a common territory of origin, was a shared commitment to the national ideal of an independent Eritrea. Those bonds were never broken, and this shared national vision allowed the Eritrean people to persevere and succeed against enormous odds. A nation is nothing without its people, and our people shared a steadfast commitment to the nation.
Yet on this sacred day, these lessons of history seem to be lost on far too many of us. Given the current political climate, and the issues at stake, its understandable that many feel that May 24th is an opportune moment to air political grievances and assert political claims. The sentiments that give rise to this rhetoric – no matter what part of the political spectrum you may sit – are sincere and important. All Eritrean voices should matter, no matter the time, place, or issue.
But we should remember that when current political debates have run their course, and the rancor of the moment has long since faded, we are still Eritreans with shared commitments to the success of our national project and a common destiny. Some may think May 24th is a time to apportion personal blame, question the patriotism of their peers, or pass moral judgment on those they don’t know or have never met. We think May 24th, however you choose to celebrate it, should be an opportunity to be kind to your compatriots; to recognize that although we may have our political disagreements, we will always be brothers and sisters birthed by the same land and history. Open and candid differences of opinion are always fine; but if we cannot be respectful to one another on days such as this, then we have truly missed the significance of May 24th and lessons of the martyrs.
Last but not least, national holidays are not only an opportunity to review where we have been, but a moment to refocus ourselves on the national building effort going forward. That effort will involve all of us, no matter our political perspectives or affiliations. Let us take time on this day to not simply consider what others have or have not done, but ask ourselves what we can do to make Eritrea’s future bright and prosperous.