EVERY CITIZEN IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE A PATRIOT BY EAIM (AMARE GEBREMARIAM GEBRE)

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1 EVERY CITIZEN IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE A PATRIOT BY EAIM (AMARE GEBREMARIAM GEBRE) A man s country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle and patriotism is loyalty to that principle. OVERVIEW Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all Eritrean family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in Eritrea, which does not exist now because of the dictatorial system of government. Patriotism is a devotion to one s country. The qualities and devotion expected from a patriot include: Support the values of one s country. Protect the civil liberties of citizens. Endeavor for sustainable future of one s country. Eliminate the dependence on intriguing foreign help and advice. Be willing to die to protect the country. Show compassion and consideration to all people. Patriotism is a related sentiment to nationalism. Political or social philosophy in which the welfare of the nation-state as an entity is considered paramount. Nationalism is basically a collective state of mind or consciousness in which people believe their primary duty and loyalty is to the nation- state. Often nationalism implies national superiority and glorifies various national virtues. Thus love of a nation may be over emphasized; concerns with national interest to the exclusion of rights of other nations may lead to international conflict. Many philosophers contend that nationalism is a comparatively recent phenomenon, but despite its short history, it has been extremely important in forming the bonds that hold modern nations together. Today it operates along side the legal structure and supplements the formal institutions of society in providing much of the cohesiveness and order necessary for the modern nation- state.

2 THE NATION-STATE A nation state is defined as quote nation state is a state self-identifies as deriving its political legitimacy from serving as a sovereign entity for a nation as a sovereign territorial unit. The terms nation, state, country and nation-state are used to refer to political, economic, social and cultural actors in the international system. The modern nation-state refers to a single or multiple nationalities joined together in a formal political union. The nationstate determines an official language(s), a system of law, manages a currency system, uses a bureaucracy to order elements of society, and fosters loyalties to abstract entities. Ethiopia and Eritrea are two nation-states which are the product of the African balkanization by European colonials. The two nations have parallel statehood history except for the short lived annexation of Eritrea by Ethiopia. Some people either knowingly or unknowingly confuse the statehood with the origin of the Ethiopian and Eritrean people. Yes both people are of the Semitic, Cushitic and Negroid origin, so do many African people. THE ERITREAN EXPERIENCE IN ETHIOPIA During the Italian and British rule some Eritreans migrated to Sudan and Ethiopia and other countries for political or economic reasons. After the federation with Ethiopia large number of Eritreans lived in Ethiopia. Yes Eritreans worked at different field, some graduated from universities, became doctors, teachers, lawyers, business men etc. Ethiopians were conducting the process of assimilation while Eritreans were playing dead. It is true we get educated, employed, lived in Ethiopia, but never gave up our aspiration to self-determination to statehood and it is every Eritrean s experience we flock to the Eritrean field when the need and the opportunity allowed us to do so. Some Eritreans are saying Ethiopia house our refugees, I am glad to see that Ethiopia is fulfilling its international obligation while others do not. Others say Ethiopia is educating our young and I say that is what we expect from a neighbor, so do Sudan. When good minded Eritreans criticize the Ethiopian government it is not based on social issues, but political matters. The Eritrean crisis is political crisis and to tackle the political crisis you need political principles and these principles solely belong to Eritreans. I do not dear to say only Eritrean refugees and political activists or political organizations are living in Ethiopia, but thousands of

3 Eritreans who chose to live in Ethiopia for various reasons like those of us who are living in the West. Is Ethiopia encouraging the Eritrean Ethiopians to participate in solving the Eritrean political crisis? Why did the Ethiopian government invited Eritrean intellectuals from the West while many Eritrean Ethiopians are right there in Addis? WHY ALL THESE FUDGE Some people resort to defense mechanism so as to maintain selfimage. Defense mechanisms are unconscious psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and to maintain self-image. The ego defense mechanism is to protect the mind from anxiety or from a situation with which one cannot currently cope. Addis September 5 Ethiopian organized seminar attendees resort to defense mechanism to protect their self- image forgetting their patriotic duty and nationalism. For example let me quote from the author of Addis reflection part III. Change Will Come Only From Inside This is also a wishful thinking that is not always substantiated with historical facts! Change can come from inside and that is the best if attainable. But change can also come from outside with evenly positive results. Take the example of Uganda and Tanzania. In 1979 while I was in The Sudan, Tanzanian forces invaded Uganda and united the different political factions under Uganda National Liberation Front. Idi Amin fled and after many trying years Uganda started to regain its dignity. Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire (Congo) was overthrown with the help of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers! Don t forget the first country Laurent Kabila visited after the liberation of Congo was Eritrea! Here is the link to read the whole hatch-patch. Another ego centered is the author of Ethiopia-intervention- a scapegoat for power struggle. Let me quote from his article. Why do some Eritrean opposition organizations or parties complain about the intervention of the Ethiopian government in the Eritrean internal affairs? The complaint is a scapegoat for their failure in the power struggle. When I write an article, it is not my intention to offend anybody. But as a matter of fact, when the EPDP had a conflict on the issue of the National Conference for a Democratic Change, and left the EDA, it began to complain about the Ethiopian intervention in the internal Eritrean affairs. Before then, it did not show any sign of such kind of thought. In my view such complaint never had any basis.

4 Recently, I read an article titled, National Dialogue with partners for a common strategy written by Fesseha Nair whom I praise for his contribution as a writer in the struggle for democracy, and I respect him. However, I strongly disagree with his article in general, particularly when he said: Ownership- without ownership, there is no sustainability and thus no long-term effects. The ongoing discussions among Eritrean political and civic organizations for democratic change how much their organization of dialogues and conferences are owned by them is not clear. A congress without this perspective is not a congress. Many are recommending that how much do we own this congress? It is not only that we conducted a congress but who cares- that the congress should lead us to practical and sustainable results. A congress conducted by intervention of supporting countries is not sustainable. (See Darfur, Somalian. And many others) Which country is he referring to in the last sentence of the following paragraph? It is obvious he means Ethiopia. Below is the link for his article. I am afraid some esteemed and prominent Eritreans seem to be falling into the same trap. I could not believe my ears when I heard Dr Bereket Habtesselasse saying let me paraphrase we are all Ethiopians and I would like to see the unity of Eritrea and Ethiopia before I die. First of all we are Eritreans and Ethiopians are Ethiopians. The 30 year war was waged because we are not Ethiopians and the 30 years of material destruction and martyrdom is the price of our sovereignty. Please don t take us back I also don t agree with the title of your book. Eritrea is not a wounded nation, but in political crisis. If you mean to say Eritrean is wounded and it can be healed only by Ethiopia that your U-TUBE utterance implies you are dead wrong. The other assault on our sovereignty is that of Dr Fessehasion Mengustu who said a sort of I told you so in his 52 page article at meskerem.net. Dr Fessehasion Mengustu tells us that the 30 year war of cessation was unnecessary and unwarranted and because it was wrong Eritrea is in Crisis. The only thing his 52 page article deserves is fudge. We struggle we succeed Comments>> ama766@comcast.net Glory to our martyrs.

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