I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day.  I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did.
~Benjamin Harrison

June 20 is a very important day in Eritrean history: it is the day we commemorate the anniversary of Martyr’s Day. This day is designated as the National Day of Resistance, Devotion and Victory. It is a symbol of freedom and peace of the Eritrean people, a victory achieved as a result of deep faith and earnest struggle of the Eritrean people in general, and our brave and patriotic martyrs giving their precious lives for the mother land.

In this remarkable and significant day, we, the Eritrean populace will never ever forget the formidable obstacles our martyrs have faced to give us freedom and liberty. The past should always be used as a ladder and bridge toward a bright future and further progress. All the memories of the past should never be forgotten; they should be kept alive. But it seems as if our martyrs have given up their precious lives for another country because their pledge is to see a democratic and prosperous Eritrea and not a corrupted, disintegrated, and alienated one falling into oblivion. We must think what is happening in current Eritrean reality and so what we should do in order to improve the overall situation.

The honourable history and glorious deeds done by our heroic martyrs during the armed struggle and even in defending the sovereignty of our nation at the present day in the border dispute should be preserved. The victories achieved by our brave and faithful martyrs should never fall into oblivion. These victories bear great significance. Their martyrdom is, indeed, for a noble cause. It is for our liberty, freedom, self-determination, and human and democratic right respect.

The GOE does not put in to practice all these in to our daily life. We still have a long way ahead towards the desired goals which the martyrs pledged. The martyr’s pledge is seeing a country and society characterized by justice, freedom of _expression, morality, dignity, honor, noble aspirations and the absence of poverty, corruption and discrimination. Is GOE practicing all these visions pledged by our martyrs?

Since post-liberation of our country, the GOE promised enormous things to be accomplished later. But today, the Eritrean people have not attained self-sufficiency in most areas. We should not blame every thing that has happened to our enemies. The GOE should be criticized for the failures and faults. We still have a long way ahead and should make much greater progress. The Eritrean people have no role in deciding their political fate. There is no freedom of choice and democracy that has been vested in our nation.

This day, Martyr’s Day, is not a day that we are sad and sorrow for. This is a day that we should fulfill Martyr’s pledge by advocating for democratic and human right, self-determination, rule of law and constitutionalism. What is expected from each and every Eritrean during this historic moment is not to express our sorrowfulness and sadness but to put our brave martyrs in our heart and fight for our freedom.

A cordial atmosphere should prevail. Every one should have an opportunity to express his views and concerns on the administration of the GOE. We must bridge the gap amongst each other in order to solve the current problems that crippled us. We must admit that the GOE is not performing well in administration wise. So, let us put our constructive criticism regarding its bad administration. The government should make positive effects on the lives of the public.

They should also try to eliminate poverty from the country, administer justice and launch an all-out campaign against human and democratic right abuse and corruption by removing corrupt individuals from state organizations. The Eritrean populace is thirsty of and longing democracy, constitution, and better life. The very important aspect that should be allowed in our country is freedom of speech and constitution. Based on this, there is no any reason that we Eritreans will achieve freedom and liberty which is martyr’s pledge.
 
Glory to our patriotic martyrs

Dawit Maekele

South Africa