Meeting Seyoum Ogbamicael:
In January of 2003, during the sixth zonal ELF-RC conference, a group of us from the Eritrean-American Public Forum of Dallas and Fort-worth drove to Houston to attend a public seminar where ato Seyoum Ogbamicael was the keynote speaker. Upon returning home, I wrote an article sharing my observations and thoughts about the seminar that was posted in this column “perspective” at awate.com. Here is what I said about Seyoum Ogbamicael:
“The seminar was addressed by the current chairman of ELF-RC, ato Seyoum Ogbamicael, who was accompanied by ato Tesfai Woldemicael (Degiga), ato Habtemariam Kiflai, ato Gebrezghier Tewolde and ato Amanuel Menghistu. This was the first time I see ato Seyoum Ogbamicael. Ato Seyoum is of medium Eritrean height, of darker complexion or what we call "kederai", and with balding and thinning hair. There is nothing spectacular in his looks, but there was an air of confidence that seemed so natural with him. When he speaks he looks straight to your eye and his piercing eyes and facial demeanor bespeak his intelligence and sagacity. Seyoum, from his days as a student leader, prisoner in Ethiopian jails and tegadalai has lived the most turbulent times in Eritrean history. Like most of his generation, he is the embodiment of the trials and tribulations of Eritrea. In a way he is the coming of age of the nation we call Eritrea.
Seyoum gave the most cogent diagnosis of the current and past ills of Eritrea. He analyzed the problems at the social, political and economic levels and then shed some light of how we can go ahead and meet the challenges of national salvation. Seyoum is by far the most articulate Tigrinya orator I've the privilege of attending, so far. He is soft-spoken and very coherent in his thoughts. Like many people of his caliber and stature, he has very strong and unyielding convictions that became more evident particularly during the Q&A session.” Perspective (awate), January 20th, 2003.
Birth and death, the irony of life:
On last Saturday morning, I was returning from Lancaster, a suburb of Dallas, after buying a young sheep (I was advised that the younger the sheep, the taster the meat) due to the occasion of the birth of my fourth child, when my phone rang and recognized the voice of my friend, Bashir. Bashir never calls me in the morning and I jokingly said that the dictator in Asmara must have been overthrown to privilege me with a morning call. Unfortunately, it did not take me long to detect a sense of loss and sadness in his voice, and, then, he said, “My friend, I’m afraid I’ve some bad news for you. I just heard that Seyoum Ogbamicael has passed away this morning.” I felt like a ton of brick hit my head and could not believe the untimely death of Seyoum at such a fairly young age. When I saw Seyoum two years ago, he was so energetic, vibrant and hopelessly optimistic, I just could not believe that Seyoum could easily surrender to the angel of death. With his black coat and well-pressed dark pants, he seemed to have a fine taste for fashion and enthusiasm for life. His conservative attire seemed do him justice. It gave him an air of elegance and dignity that is rare among those in positions of leadership in today’s Eritrea. In a weird twist of irony, with young dead sheep in the trunk of my truck, I felt like the angel of death. I knew exactly my reasons but what was the angel's. Is Seyoum the sacrificial lamb of the democratic struggle?
Seyoum had a mission and those that know Seyoum would tell you that he is not a kind of man who gives in easily. He was a born fighter- a stubborn fighter. Seyoum can not abandon his mission and the cause of his people that his life was devoted to. Seyoum was fighting for free and democratic Eritrea way before I was born, and it is a shame that he will not even be buried in a land that he loved and fought for all his life. Those of us who share the ideals that Seyoum stood for- peace and democracy- must take a solemn oath that this shame must not happen again. It a shame that so many founding fathers of the Eritrean revolution have died and are dying in obscurity in strange lands away from the country they loved and sacrificed so much for. This unforgivable injustice will leave an indelible scar in our public consciousness for generations to come.
That evening I called, Seyoum’s friend and long time comrade, ato Tesfai Woldemicael (Degiga) to extend my heart-felt condolences to him personally and to the ELF-RC in general and left a message. It was so nice of him to call me back and assure me that, although, the vacuum left by the devastating loss of a friend and a leader would not be easily filled, the ideals that Seyoum and ELF-RC stood for would even be pursued more vigorously. The realization of a free and democratic Eritrea is the best way to honor Seyoum and the so many heroes that went before him and that are languishing in the dungeons of “higdef”. Seyoum is gone but his departure should be a lesson for all of us. The current leadership in the opposition must now, with unprecedented sense of urgency embark on a road that would immediately remove the dictatorship in Asmara and pave the way for constitutional and democratic rule. Anything short of this, does not do justice to the suffering our people are enduring at the hands of Isaias and his cronies.
The jury of his peers have spoken, “Seyoum was always guided by the rule of law”:
I can’t share any personal stories about Seyoum. I’ve only met him once but I came to know more about him through people that have worked with him and that have known him. He was beyond any doubt an intriguing figure who invokes all sorts of emotions on friends, admirers and foes. But there is one common theme that runs through all the decisions and actions that he has taken. He has tremendous respect for rules and regulation and he has always stood his ground firm when those rules and regulations were challenged – quite often at a great personal loss and risk. Seyoum never flinched from his principles, a trait that has made him friends and enemies- but that is the stuff of leadership, and Seyoum had plenty of it. Seyoum was his own man.
Two months ago, Ambassador Abdella Adem, who is the current chairman of EPM, came to Dallas to give a public seminar and a group of us, went to dinner with him. Ambassador Abdella Adem is so civil and respectful; you would not even believe that he is a product of the culture that has produced the likes of those running the country. Truly, ‘kersi ades guramura.” During our casual conversation, somebody in our group said something that was not flattering about Seyoum and it was so refreshing to see the honorable Ambassador coming to the defense of Seyoum. According to Abdella Adem, of all the leaders in the opposition that trace their political pedigree to the ELF, Seyoum was by far one of the most sophisticated, clear and articulate thinkers with a great sense of humor. Seyoum was riveting and exciting, and true to his Seraye roots, the man was a gifted speaker. (I know I should not stereotype, but, it is not for nothing that we say, “Asha seraye’s lebi kem Alemu.”) And, although, quite often misunderstood, Seyoum had, according to close observers the best vision for the opposition in particular, and for Eritrea in general. Seyoum, his critics, would say was unnecessarily legalistic, but I say, that is exactly what Eritrea needs- one who consistently plays by the rules of the game. Seyoum, most people would agree was an ambitious person, but, he has also the wisdom to patiently wait for his turn. Seyoum would have made a great lawyer and a greater judge. His independence, his impartiality and his adherence to the law would have made him a great asset to the judicial system that has been stillborn under the mediocre leadership of Fozia Hashim. Seyoum would have been our John Marshal. (This would have been an appropriate analogy, Sal Younis, not your subtle but completely unfair comparison of Isaias and George Washington and the lack of the Madisons, the Jeffersons etc. “betrey habuni zHmeqo aleni” When King George heard that George Washington was stepping from the presidency, in utter disbelief, said to the effect that George Washington would go in history as the greatest man ever born to lead a nation. Greatness is not in acquiring power but in letting it go, my friend. Your Isaias is a petty dictator who would one day pack and run like his predecessor, Menghistu Hailemariam. Out of respect for George Washington, I ask you, Sal, to retract the analogy. And yes, Sal, it is about time that we get a leader of true Eritrean genealogy. In my opinion, it is way over due. It has been over 100 years. If this makes me a bigot- so be it.)
Sorry for the digression, but, isn’t interesting that the two ministries that are notoriously ineffective and mediocre: justice and education, are the ones that are headed by Fozia Hashim and Osman Saleh and these two are the only ones that have not been shuffled by the petty dictator. It just shows that these two most important public issues are the ones that Isaias don’t give a damn about. In my opinion justice is the way we judge how human life is valued at the present time and with education we invest in its future. These are the best indicators to judge the health of a nation. Eritrea under this petty dictator and impostor is under a life support in intensive care. If the opposition does not resuscitate Eritrea in the neck of time, we will have another failed state in a region that has given us Somalia.
“Habeshan derhon ms metu ykebru”
Lately, I came to know a lot of good things that Seyoum stood for and I came to the conclusion that he was also badly misunderstood. I asked myself multiple times if this is the case of “habeshan derhon ms mete yu zkeber”. No. Seyoum was a good man, a principled man and may the Lord rest his soul in peace and may the nation that he gave his life for, find the wisdom to return the love that was freely given to it by Seyoum Ogbamicael and the so many other heroes that have not been honored for their sacrifice.
Last but not least, I want to reiterate what is been aptly expressed by the awate team that the opposition needs to reinvigorate itself, redouble its effort and keep its eye on the ball. The enemy is “higdef” and the sooner we eradicate it the better chance we will have on healing the deep wounds it is inflicting on our people and country.
To the families of Seyoum Ogbamicael, I like to extend my heart-felt condolences and assure them that one day that their loved one, the man who advocated for peace and democracy will be honored in his native-land, Eritrea.
Merry Christmas and happy New Year.
weriz@yahoo.com
