“Look Abraham, everything seems to deteriorate. I cannot see any future for Eritrea at the moment. Do you think there is any hope left for us?” uttered a friend of mine on a bright Sunday morning, as he saps his homemade coffee. I could not say a word in response. Deeply in my heart, I always had strong conviction that the struggle of the masses would eventually prevail no matter how wretched things may seem. However, my vision was so clouded by the rate at which things regressed at home the last few years, especially the damage our social fabrics have sustained. I could hardly see a light of hope at the end of the tunnel. “What could be our future, as Eritreans, considering all the facts we all witness today?” I questioned myself. The level of frustration and absence of any clear sense of direction in life among the youth is really of great concern to anyone who is genuinely connected to his/her homeland.  My heart just breaks when I see the urge in the mind of many teenagers to flee the very land they are supposed to cherish. Are we the most cursed generation of all the generations in the past? Nothing like this had ever happened before. It seems that our home would remain desolate if everybody was granted the craving of his/her mind. What is prompting our youth to contemplate ideas of crossing the border to Ethiopia and Sudan? What triggers them to make such  dangerous and risky choices in life? Aren’t we, like all other nations on the planet earth, blessed with a piece of land? A land to cultivate, make a living out of it and enjoy the fruit of our labor with our families. What drifts us then, in such a high speed, into exile where we are mistreated and humiliated as if we were sub-humans? Are we not born with dignity? Don’t we have any sense of pride as a nation? I was told that our fathers and forefathers in the past were men of strong conviction, who never traded their sense of pride and identity for any price; despite they were so often overwhelmed by the extreme destitution. Today, things seem to be the exact opposite of our venerable heritage. What is going on???? Who might be responsible for this calamity?

It is a plain reality today that the young generation of Eritrea is not empowered enough to assume any responsibility. We will definitely feel the pain of generational gap soon in the future. Our youth are wasting their golden age wandering around the planet in search of refuge as if we were not granted a piece of land to secure our lives. They can hardly visualize their bright future at the moment. When are they going to score the level of knowledge, skill and experience desperately needed to face and address the challenges of tomorrow. It seems that they have been deliberately and completely disengaged from their future. Purpose deficiency has become commonplace. Our youth cannot attach any social value to their existence. Where are we heading as a nation? Who is going to take over and assume the responsibility of leading a nation when the morning sun shines? Do we have young people with different mindset whose rays can radiate across the agitated sea to the plain and calm beaches on the opposite shore?

Since I came to the Republic of South Africa, I had frequently met with members of Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (EMDHR). Here, I see young and talented people determined for freedom and passionate for their people. Their dedication and commitment to make their aspired goal a reality had planted a seed of hope in my soul. Their coherence and high degree of integrity makes me fell optimistic about the future of Eritrea. This people seem to have triumphed over the fear and self-contempt that are eating the lives of our youth. I really commend the great job they are doing. Their harvest will definitely come in due time. Eritrean people, who nurtured them and paid everything they needed to empower them, will bless them one day. Now, my heart will not faint and my confidence will never desert me. At least, I can see that there is still hope and future for Eritrea from the Southern hemisphere. I say, “Keep the good job that you are doing”

Abraham

Pretoria

South Africa