Man is created free and for the most part, struggles of humanity were always centered around the struggle for independence and freedom. Independence is revered because it is supposed to lead to freedom. Freedom is felt and lived; it cannot be replaced by symbolism. In today�s world, almost all nations have a day that symbolizes their independence � free nations celebrate the day spontaneously. For the oppressed, Independence Day is a reminder to keep the spirit of freedom alive.

In many Third World countries, Independence Day celebrations have become a day of muscle flexing and an occasion to intimidate the oppressed: military parades and a stage with a podium where authoritarian leaders with dark sunglasses salute the marching army formations accompanied by tanks, artillery and rockets that protect unpopular regimes. It has become a day, where of all things, freedom is not celebrated. School children are trained to parade in stadiums carrying flags, placards and all sorts of pictures all full of fake sloganeering. Then some propaganda filled music and finally a speech by �the leader� in which he accuses every opponent and critic as a traitor. With that speech, the Independence Day celebration ends and planning for the next one starts. Happy Independence Day!

The Americans are probably the first people who established the tradition of celebrating Independence Day: they have celebrated it for 227 continuous years since July 4, 1976. To many countries, Independence Day celebrations have become empty with no real meaning. What should Independence Day mean?

On a letter to the president of the USA, Thomas Jefferson, who could not attend the 50^th anniversary of independence celebrations in Washington DC, wrote the following regarding the Declaration of Independence:

May it be to the world, what I believe it will be ... the signal of arousing men to burst the chains ... and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form, which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. ... For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.

Compare the above with the situations in Eritrea.

In 1991, the Eritrean people breathed a sigh of relief. The hope was:

The struggle that was waged for decades bore fruit and that Eritrea will be blessed with an age of peace and harmony among Eritreans and with the region and the world beyond. Elected parliamentarians would solve political differences. The country would race to start building a democratic, modern, stable and prosperous country. Justice will be upheld and rule of law will flourish.

The PFDJ stripped Independence Day off its essence, freedom. Instead, it gave us a day of frenzied drum beating and partying. Then we discovered the betrayal. We were robbed of our Independence Day.

Independence Day doesn�t belong to the PFDJ; the people own it. This is a day that came as a result of long and arduous journey paved with the blood and bones of our heroes. This day is a ***image2:left***testimony to the battles of Halhal and Salina. This is a day that commemorated Tegoruba and Dekemhare. It is a result of the battles of Nackfa and Barentu. This is a day built on the lives of thousands of our heroes. It is our day, the people�s day. We are determined to re-own our Independence Day. Those who betrayed the legacy of the martyrs can only own �Oppression Day� and not Independence Day. We will contemplate and engage in a serious soul searching. We will not dance in celebration of Independence Day when people are behind bars and when the basic rights of Eritreans are denied. We will not pretend to be happy when one third of Eritreans is unjustly kept behind bars, another third exposed to hunger and the remaining is either exiled or being subjected to all sorts of humiliation by the PFDJ. We will celebrate May 24 with a genuine joy when all Eritreans are free. This year, May 24 should be observed in a different setting- prayer, discussions and soul-searching

Eritreans in different parts of the world are owning Independence Day. Civil societies and groups have started rectifying the principles of the Independence Day celebrations. We urge you all to struggle more to regain May 24 for the people. Importantly, let�s look forward and aim for the next May 24 to finish what was left unfinished on May 24 of 1991.