“A promise made is a debt unpaid” – Robert Service

May 24^th, which the Eritrean people are grateful for, is again reminding us to renew our vows of keeping the promises we all bound to our martyrs. A promise to keep the torch of freedom alive; a promise of implementing constitutional governance; a promise of equal opportunity for all nationals; a promise to keep our territorial integrity; a promise of building a prosperous nation.

On the contrary, the once promise land, Eritrea, is today becoming the ghost place where the young and the old are deserting it. It is a place where the gallants are condemned to incarceration; it is a place where the future owners are condemned to the dungeons; it is a place where the only university is shut to the hopeful; it is a place where the youth has no future; it is a place where children grow without parents; it is a place where commerce is shut to citizens; it is a place where development is heading backwards; it is a place where a loner rules; in short it is a place like hell to its citizens.

You are the heroes who fought for the independence of the country and its people. Like every Eritrean you didn’t dream less than free and democratic nation. But, you were the first victim of the dictator in 1994 when he quashed your requests and systemically eliminated the activists. Again, in 2002 he eliminated his lifelong comrades for requesting to implement the martyr’s promise. The monster will never stop there. He will continue to incarcerate or eliminate to anyone on his way until the last head count. You can attest this by his recent burial denial to his lifelong loyalist and a partner in all the dark pages, Naizgy Kiflu. This confirms that no one is immune from the dictator’s doctrine.

Today, you are confined in the dungeons of arid weather in the pretext of war. This no war no peace policy is designed to serve his interests. You are deprived from raising your children or achieving the highest education you dreamed about. You are condemned to serve the dictator and his cronies to extend their repressive acts towards your fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, community, and countrymen. You are put in a journey of no light at the end of the tunnel for you are a disposal to him.

But, you are the backbone of your people. You are the link to the promise of our martyrs. You are the link to the dream and destiny of your people. You are the iron feast forces who broke the invincible and well equipped foreign forces in history. Today more from the past you are in the leadership role. To lead your people to the promise land and fulfill your comrades’ in arm dreams and promises.

This year again all Eritreans around the globe are celebrating the light of independence scattered. This should have been a day that all nationals should have converged into the motherland and proudly celebrated the dreams of our martyrs. Our ideal differences should be a treasure of creativity and development. There is no such thing called homogeneous society other than repressive communist government which are only superficial.

In conclusion, you are the most valuable forces Eritrea own. EPDP and the national forces for change are calling you to join the fight for change our people strived for decades. We are all the stewards for the dreams and promises that our martyrs left us behind. Work side by side with the forces of change to bring constitutional government, justice for all, equal right for all, and equal opportunity for all. Because, we still have unpaid debt.

HAPPY INDEPENCE DAY!