Eritreans have been looking forward to have a day called “Eritrean Veterans’ Day”. Discussions have been going on among many or in private. Earlier this year, an Eritrean woman approached some Eritrean Veterans and asked the reason there was not a day called “Eritrean Veterans’ Day”. One of the Veterans suggested the 1st week of August as the best timing for that day.
We are writing to you as friends and compatriots while trying to pen the words with our hearts towards making you understand that the Eritrean Veterans who put their lives to the service of liberating and protecting our beloved country, Eritrea, never had their services acknowledged with a day dedicated solely to them, a day simply called “Eritrean Veterans’ Day”.
Our Veterans never looked for glory, for medals, for financial gain. Some of them will be reading this letter and the attached flyer, confined on a wheelchair. Others from the antiseptic corridor of hospitals in a foreign land or in our country. Some are still recovering from explosion, from the shrapnel that pierced their flesh. Many are still processing tumultuous memories and nightmares. All of them are forced to relive the death of their comrades, the enemy’s attacks. Devastation is embedded in their memories.
We are pleased to present you this flyer explaining our wish to create an “Eritrean Veterans’ Day” to honor all our Veterans wherever they might be living. Our initiative is free of politics, nor does it have strings attached to personal feelings or financial request/gain. We are a group composed mainly of Eritrean Veterans and a civilian that wondered the reason why there is not one single day to honor our Veterans. A day when communities will meet with them and simply utter the words “Thank you”.
The Eritrean that initiated this dream could not imagine the inconceivable horrors of our Veterans’ war experiences. She told us that it sent chills down her spine to only envision the bombs, the blood, the sweat, the tears and bodies scattered all over after any of the enemy’s attack. What she could not settle in her mind is that these Eritreans Veterans left the comfort of their houses, the offers to study abroad and chose to defend their people and liberate our country from enemy’s occupation. Today they – our own Veterans - are surrounded with silence. This brought a silent trembling to her soul and she approached us. We were humbled and joined hand to create a day that we – ourselves – want to enjoy and be surrounded by our people.
More than a measurement to gratitude, it will be a day to measure our love for country, for our people and forever standing to attention to defend our borders and our Independence.
For all Web Developers, you have the skills that can liaise effectively with readers, work colleagues and above all our communities all over the world. We are humbly asking you to work with us individually and as a team and prioritize the need to dedicate a day in the year to acknowledge our deepest gratitude towards our Veterans. We strongly believe that you can make a significant contribution towards this day’s creation.
We want to highlight that we are not trying to take over any of the Government’s responsibility. Far from there. We will be happy to see our Government take over and create a day called “Eritrean Veterans’ Day” for our Veterans. We will be the first ones to stand to attention and salute that day if only it will become a reality. In the light of our Independence’s 25th anniversary we would like you to join us and post the attached flyer on your esteemed website.