Eritrean Independence Day IS African Liberation Day!

[XXPANTHAXX]

On May 24, 1991 Africa saw the first liberation of an African country in the 20th Century. On that day, fighters of the Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front captured Asmara in the highlands of the Horn of Africa and completed the liberation of the entire country of Eritrea from the Ethiopian colonial occupation army. After 30 years of armed struggle for independence, the modern state of Eritrea was born and for the first time in modern African history a country in Africa was able to liberate itself.
No other country in Africa can be accurately described as being free from neo-colonialism, with the possible exception of Libya, an Arab country in all aspects other than geography. Many might disagree with this assertion, though the facts speak for themselves.
Take for example Zimbabwe. The major industry in Zimbabwe is the diamond mines, which remain 100% owned and controlled by their colonial owners. Zimbabwe remains some $20 billion in debt to western financial institutions and for over 20 years after Zimbabwe was born, the majority of the prime agricultural lands remained under the ownership of the white colonialist settlers. This is a textbook example of neo-colonialism and nothing President Mugabe says is more than window dressing, no matter how he may infuriate his former partners in the west.
Ghana and Guinea, the first two African countries to emerge from traditional colonialism, remain in neo-colonialist bondage, and have never achieved real liberation. Mozambique, Tanzania, Angola...the list of African countries that became neo-colonialist in the 20th century instead of liberating themselves is complete and comprehensive. Only tiny, resource poor Eritrea is the exception and is really liberated.
Despite this fact, African Liberation Day organizers around the world continue to ignore Eritrea and the role model of African Liberation that Eritrea represents. The fact that black folk and Africans choose to ignore Eritrea and real African liberation explains the desperate situation the rest of Africa remains in. Tribal and religious violence, corruption, hunger, crime, homelessness, AIDS, economic collapse and the continued exploitation of African natural resources by western imperialism can all be explained by the failure of Africans to learn from the role model provided by Eritrea. Unity is strength, and no country in the world is more united than Eritrea and the Eritrean people, both in Eritrea and in the diaspora.
The fact that the imperialist powers in the west have recognized the dangers of the Eritrean role model of African Liberation explains the western imperialists support for the Ethiopian aggression and attempts to recolonialize Eritrea, for without the billions of dollars in western funds used to purchase Russian arms and supply the million man Ethiopian army, the largest and best armed in Africa, there is no way Ethiopia could possibly threaten Eritrea.
It is more than a little ironic that the enemies of Africa recognize the threat of real African liberation while those who claim to support African Liberation go about organizing for what they call African Liberation Day, all the while refusing to see what their enemies clearly recognize and are working very hard to destroy.
Real liberation was won by the blood and sacrifice of the Eritrean people and no other people of the world have sacrificed so much for so long to be free, not even the Vietnamese people and their epic fight against western imperialism. Eritrea remains free of control by the western financial institutions, western industrialists, western colonial settlers and western non-governmental organizations. All Eritrea has ever had to rely on is the blood and sweat of the Eritrean people. The record shows that all Eritrea achieved was the result of the efforts of the Eritrean people. Western and Soviet aid, even the Cuban military was used against the Eritrean people. Against all odds, Eritrea achieved independence and real liberation.
Today, Eritrea remains threatened by Ethiopia and Ethiopia's western masters, fighting off the effects of invasion and drought and still managing to build a better life for the people of Eritrea. The streets of Eritrea's cities are clean, safe and free of beggars and homeless. Eritrea has reduced mortality from malaria by 80% in the last five years. Eritrea is the only country in Africa to reduce the rate of HIV infections. Eritrea is the only country in the world to actually begin to educate all of Eritrea children in their mother tongue, all nine tribes and and nine languages. Clean drinking water, medical clinics and modern hospitals, schools, roads, electricity and housing are being provided to the Eritrean people all over Eritrea, with a special emphasis on the needs of the poor. All this is being done primarily and overwhelmingly through the efforts and leadership of the Eritrean people, and all while a large, well armed, belligerent Ethiopian army continues to occupy large chunks of Eritrean territory and threaten the very survival of Eritrea, a country of only 3.5 million.
Over the next few weeks millions of Eritreans in Africa and abroad will gather to celebrate the victory of African Liberation exemplified by Eritrean Independence Day. In contrast, other Africans and black AmeriKKKans will be gathering to celebrate their resistance to oppression, and for some reason, ignoring the one role model they have that can show the way out of the seemingly endless cycle of violence and suffering the rest of Africa remains caught in.
Until the reality of the situation is recognized, until the role model that Eritrea represents is studied and emulated, Africa will not be liberated. No amount of talk by armchair revolutionaries in the west, or by Africans in Africa who remain ignorant or rejectionist of the Eritrean experience, will change the fact that Eritrea is the only country in Africa that is really liberated. Eritrean Independence Day, May 24, is the REAL African Liberation Day. Those that choose to ignore this and keep their head buried in the sand are misleading the African people and denying black folk in the west of any hope of finding a way out of their misery. Eritrean Independence Day IS African Liberation Day!
Forward to the African Liberation Struggle!
and selam and rain for Eritrea,
Thomas C. Mountain
May 14, 2005
tmountain@hawaii.rr.com
808 239-8112

[rebelAfrika]

My only critique of this article is that the author "rightly" draws a distinction between independence and "REAL" indepenence of the various states in Africa. Now THAT was "on point." But what he fails to recognize is that Eritrea is no "free-er" than any of the neo-colonial states in Africa. We (Nkrumahists-Tureists) say that as long as "ONE INCH" of African soil is effected by Neo-Colonialism...ALL of Africa is the victim of Neo-Colonialism. The liberation of Ghana meant nothing to Nkrumah as long as the rest of Africa was suffering. In fact, we say that as long as "ONE INCH" of African soil is effected by Neo-Colonialism, ALL THE AFRICANS "EVERYWHERE" will be effected by Neo-Colonialism. This was the Osagyefo's Analysis. The Osageyfo Kwame Nkrumah, although very proud of Ghana, could not bring himself to declare a "REAL" independence in Ghana. He could only call it a "Flag" independence. This is the problem with Eritrea that I think the author is missing. Eritrea is not "free-er" than the rest of Africa.

On another note, I've heard of this guy Thomas Mountain before. The A-APRP is familiar with him. Considering that, I do not see how he can fix his mouth to say that "African Liberation Day organizers around the world continue to ignore Eritrea and the role model of African Liberation that Eritrea represents." He KNOWS...that if ANYBODY is recognizing Eritrea, it's the A-APRP.

Besides that, this article is EXCELLENT!!! and in general, I would incourage people to read it. In fact, I'm going to send it out to some people I know. Especially my Eritrean people's.

[rebelAfrika]

Damn...I told one of my comrades about this article by Thomas Mountain and he told me he already read it. Then he said that Thomas forgot to mention Eritrea's relationship with zionism and Eritrea's position in support of the united snakkkes war on Iraq. Just something to contemplate.