‘Youth using the experience of the older generations to bring success in this new generation’
Since the beginning of last month social media has been filling up with various posts congratulating and welcoming home the Eritrean Defense Forces. The different platforms have been filled up with phrases describing Eritreas victory. Such as the biggest one that came from a phrase His Excellency President Isaias Afewerki had said a while back, “Game Over.’’ This phrase after the victory of our forces has become a very notorious phrase repeated all over social media platforms. But it’s not just the posts, even the comments sections are being overflowed by Eritreans expressing their pride and joy, showing how high the level of nationalism has reached in youth and adults in the Eritrean community, at home and abroad. Unfortunately, there are a few ill willed posts going around from people who do not wish to see Eritrea succeed. But that only strengthens Eritreans resolve, because when our enemies begin bickering and complaining it shows us that we are on the right path,
One of the sources for the Eritrean people’s strength is that they are a very humble people. Due to that and many other facts, Eritreans have always achieved their goals. Since before European colonization, Eritreans have been fighting for their freedoms. Most notably when independence was unfairly snatched from the grasps of Eritreans for the profit of others, specifically from 1961 when Eritreans began using what little capacity they had to create a liberation force o free themself from their oppressors. The forces that have fought in the name of Eritrea (past and present) have never given an inch of their nation.
How was it possible for the youth from the revolutionary era with very little human and military resource to trump the ‘largest military in Africa’ at the time? How, after independence were the generations of Sawa able to stand firm in the name of defending and developing their nation in spite of all the barriers step by our enemies? And how has the Eritrean Defense Force been able to continuously defeat its foes which have always been objectively bigger military forces? These questions and more have been difficult to fully answer by foreigners and even Eritreans themselves. This just comes to show how hard it is to analyze what makes a country strong and brings it unity.
One of the advantages of the Eritrean Defense Force is that it has been blessed with experienced soldiers from the legendary freedom fighters era, and that it has youth in its ranks that continuously use the experience given by the freedom fighters mixed with their fiery spirits to keep the nation safe. In addition to all of that, the support that our soldiers receive from the people is extraordinary and because of that support our fighters go into our nation’s defense with the highest levels of morale, knowing that their people are with them till the end.
The reputation of our gallant forces goes back to the revolutionary era when the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) sprouted success where nobody thought success could sprout from. Then again our Warsai answered the call to arms without hesitation and defeated our enemies who threatened the very existence of our nation. When you see such bravery and dedication you must acknowledge it and give it the respect it deserves, you must make sure that their sacrifices may never be forgotten. Now, once again our selfless Eritrean Defense Forces have delivered the country from the dangers and evils of our enemies, though there will never be enough praise we can give them to equal what they have done for their nation and people, nevertheless our soldiers deserve eternal respect and praise for their sacrifices and triumphs.
There is a certain truth that must be acknowledged which is, the full strength of youth cannot be easily shaken. And to create this strength is hard, but to make sure it is consistent and does not wane is much harder. If there is no source of continuation then all the strength that has been collected at one point will altogether vanish and will have been for nothing. The main strength of a military is its youth, and the strength of youth is like a wave. In order for the wave to rise it needs a sort of undercurrent. The undercurrent in Eritrea’s case is its citizens. So in other words you can say that the people of Eritrea are the underlying strength of their defense forces, if the people are strong then their Defense Forces will take from them and be the same.
In the end the dedication of the people and their love of their nation are the biggest factors of a strong nation and Defense Force. The Eritrean Defense Forces have put a spotlight on the true meaning of dedication and love for one’s nation. And they have proved how powerful of a force they are by using the experience of the past generations to bring success in this new generation. May they live on Eternally in the history of their nation.
Written By: Simon Weldemichael
Translated By: Raey Berhane