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Mealti Sematat: Eritrea’s Memorial Day

Ethiopian forces tried to weaken the morale of the population of Eritrea by hanging captured EPLF fighters and civil collaborators in the center of the Eritrean villages.


Mealti Sematat: Eritrea’s Memorial Day

By Berket Kidane

Later this month, Eritrea will observe Mealti Sematat (Memorial Day) for its fallen heroes.  Mealti Sematat has become as sacred as the ancient Muslim and Christian religious holidays celebrated in Eritrea.  There is a certain sanctity to it.

Collective responsibility is a fundamental principle of Eritrean society.  In Eritrea, the idea that we are all responsible for each other and for protecting the country’s sovereignty permeates every aspect of Eritrean life.  It is particularly evident on Mealti Sematat because Eritrea being a small country everyone has experienced a personal loss, the country shuts down and people use the day to reflect and pause to honor their fallen heroes.

Mealti Sematat touches all segments of Eritrean society from Asmara’s urbane middle class to rural farmers in the highlands to nomads and pastoralists in the lowlands.  Everyone has someone they remember on Martyrs Day.

But Martyrs Day is not confined to the memory of our fallen heroes and combatants only.  In addition to the 90,000 plus combatants, we remember too the tens of thousands of innocent civilians that were massacred by successive Ethiopian Armies in towns like Agordat, Sheeb, Wekidiba and others.  They too were martyrs.  Their only crime was being born an Eritrean.

Mealti Sematat is a solemn day on the Eritrean calendar that is characterized by testimonials from families of the fallen heroes and their fellow tegadeltis.  It’s a solemn day full of sadness that’s balanced by stories of heroism and self-sacrifice.

Eritrean media reflects our hearts on Mealti Sematat. Both Eri-TV and radio air interviews with families of fallen heroes and play sad songs and somber music.  It can be difficult to watch sometimes without reaching for your handkerchief because there are stories of mothers who have three or four martyred kids, in addition to their husband.  Watching these is inspiring and sad at the same time because so many of those martyred were remarkable and inspiring people whose lives were cut short at the hands of our enemy.

As the Independence Day celebrations wind down, the dancing of Independence Day is replaced by tear-jerking and the memory of the heroic sons and daughters of Eritrea who are no longer with us.

Independence Day is inseparably tied to Martyrs Day.  We can’t appreciate one fully without the other.

Zelealemawi Zikhri n Swuatna!

Awet n Hafash!
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Mealti Sematat: Eritrea’s Memorial Day Reviewed by Admin on 6:05 PM Rating: 5

34 comments:

  1. Forever in our heartsJune 9, 2015 at 6:18 PM

    True death only occurs when the memory of a person's life is lost or forgotten. Now that their lives have become our memories, their memory is our treasure and a source of strength as they live through moments like this in our hearts and minds and we nourish their spirits by telling their amazing stories of bravery and self-sacrifice. They will never be forgotten! Not for one minute. They will live in our hearts forever.

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  2. you must be mad. Those hunging are a bunch of bandits.

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  3. Isaias afewerki: save your crocodile tears; you will need tones of the them at your trial in the Hague for your crime of Genocide on the people of Eritrea.

    You called the report of the UN Inquiry Commission that cataloged your crimes against humanity, travesty of justice. Knowing full well your narcissistic mind, by characterizing the report in such manner, you are indicating your rebuttal will be to show that the report is biase and circumstantial.

    If indeed you are contemplating to mount such a defense and expect to win, you are out of your mind. The reason they did not go to the crime scene, Eritrea, is because you refused to grant them visa. You cannot have both ways. To expect such thing is illogical but again if you were such deviant being, you would not have committed such horrendous crimes.

    You will probably also say in the court that you have never killed any human being. This too won't work to your advantage. As immaculate killer as you are, if the only evidence allowed in court were catching you comming the crime, I bet you will be set free. But when you have disfranchised the people by willfully abolishing their Constitution and Baito, making yourself absolute tyrant, denial of committing crime is pure lunacy.

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  4. You smell like Agame.

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  5. The hanging of our freedom fighters was NEVER an issue of HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERN to anyone, especially to UN. Thank God Eritrea is nether waiting for freedom from UN nor for food stamp from USA.
    .
    Long Live PFDJ

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  6. just agame belo ember

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  7. Ata kundaff aregawi, first of all you misspelled your name, you are aregawi not haregawi and second you should be shame of your self to say that kind of hated words, but after all you are indeed agame chenawi. So I have to say this , get out of this website you don't belong here, go visit your uncle meles chenawi in the hell.

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  8. True. Everyone has someone they remember on Martyrs Day!

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  9. Though it is true derg and haile selassie comitted these crimes, the photo you put up is actually taken from a village in Tigray. Not in eritrea

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  10. Can you please change the picture. Tesfanews has a picture of the martyrs grave site in Asmara. There are young people visiting this websites too you know. The Ethiopians did far worse things than that by the way. They used napalm bombs, crushed people with tanks etc. But you wouldn't show pictures, or footage up close of people that were just literaly run over by a tank would you? Thanks.

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  11. Cluster bombs are worse than lynching? Yes Ethiopia did horrific things in Eritrea. So did weyane.

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  12. That picture posted with this article was taken in Ethiopia not Eritrea. This is just another cheap, unsubstantiated propaganda by this forum. But be that as it may, Eritreans are now flooding into Ethiopia by the hundreds every day. The very same Ethiopia that this article claims hanged the Eritrean patriots pictured with this article. The very same Ethiopia that used tanks to crush Eritreans. The refugee camps setup in Ethiopia for Eritreans are filled to the gills with Eritreans fleeing their homeland and hard-earned freedom. The new phenomena is young Eritrean children arriving at these refugee camps unaccompanied by any adult. Some would rather risk physical abuse, organ harvesting and enslavement in the desert of North Africa or rather drown in the sea than stay and live in the independent Eritrea. So, nevermind the Ethiopians who left Eritrea nearly a quarter of a century ago... lets talk about the tragic situation at hand in Eritrea today. Harping and yapping about the past and burying our heads in the sand will not cure the horrible ills of the present. This article is just another tragic case of "ቂጥ ገልቦ ራስ መከናነብ".

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  13. Anyone who rips open your festering wound is an Agame to you. Address the substance of Mr. G/Mariam's posting and refrain from name calling. It only reflects on you and validates Mr. G/Mariam's assertions.

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  14. He just recognizes am Agame when he sees one! We all do actually. And u are an Agame. Agame is as Agame does.

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  15. Get immediate help before your brain shrinks to Quenty size.

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  16. This picture is in Keren ,Eritrea.We saw it with our own eyes.We were there. Keren in the center,fruit market ,,the house was newspaper vending kiosk.They are martyrs from Halhal near Keren.
    Stop discrediting it .We had enough of Ethiopian atrocities.

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  17. ኣሌክ - Alec youJune 10, 2015 at 1:09 PM

    STFU...Agame sahsah...

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  18. ኣሌክ - Alec youJune 10, 2015 at 1:11 PM

    Agame..Agame..Agame...Just STFU that twisted heart of yours doesn't work here.

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  19. ኣሌክ - Alec youJune 10, 2015 at 1:12 PM

    Agame..Sahsah Agame...

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  20. ኣሌክ - Alec youJune 10, 2015 at 1:13 PM

    Ata qomal Agame go f@ck a donkey or something.

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  21. ኣሌክ - Alec youJune 10, 2015 at 1:14 PM

    We will never forget your sacrifice Our Fallen Heroes..Beloved Y'KAALO & WARSAI!!...

    Others payed to serve--> but Eri-Army payment was our Independence and to protect our sovereign state/Eri...that we breathe to day. Thank you for your Love and ur sacrifice so we can live in FREE E R I T R E A!!!..

    Greater love has no one than this, that he/she lay down his/her life for his/her country and people. Thank you...We will never forget your sacrifice. Salute OUR Bloved!!

    ሳላ ታ/ቲ ጂግና!! ጻሓይ በሪቃስ Eritrea ከማን ኮይና!!! God/Amllak/Allah- Bless your souls.

    R.I.P to all fallen soldiers!!.. ዘልኣለማዊ፡ ዝኽሪ፡ ንስውኣትና!!!... ዓወት ንሓፋሽ!!...

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  22. Eritrea as a nation is dead and you know that. It makes no sense to remember the so-called martyrs while the nation as anation is dead.

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  23. ኣሌክ - Alec youJune 10, 2015 at 1:20 PM

    F@ck yourself. Agame boy!!

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  24. Right click on the image above and then click Search in google the image and then you will see the real fact. Liars!! Teseteru!!!!!!!!!!

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  25. What! Lebanon Agame! It is RIP abay Tigray!

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  26. Agame Lemani Yerdaeka!

    Your HILMI ABAY TIGRAY IS DEAD!

    BURIED SIX FEET UNDER WITH THE Chihuahua!

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  27. kezab, they were bandits who were working for sudan and egypt to make eritrea and arab country. Come on, we know the history, wedi geza-wereqet.

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  28. Sharmuta agame! Tigray Lemanay!

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  29. Poor guy! There are up and downs in every life. The Eritrean Gov't and people never forgot its Martrys. Shame on y to insult yrself. It doesn't matter whether y r Ethiopian or Eritrean. Nature goes, children are born and grown. The present situation is a calculation of the regimes to mix the breed and creates antagonism. The gov't is wise and working with children's right that makes a nation strong. I see a generation gap very widely. Patience and tolerance would let things work out positively.

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  30. These is to remember how Eritreans were devasteted. It reminds me of the legend told that General Mengistu Neway stand up for truth and better future of
    Ethiopia where he killed many people to avoid the suffering of poor people. I heard he was hanged with his brother and the security officer. History repeat itself.

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  31. Be tolerant and let us defend our unity and sovernity by being very wise.

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  32. The Eritreans suffering could not be denied for the facts to struggle is because of such facts. Many Ethiopian really don't know what we had before. The war was over and peace and stability was anticipated. 'kit gelebo ras mekenaneb' is an example for y guys for what causes the people to flee is yr evil calculation. The previous gov'ts have calculated by inflitrating and abolition culture, trandition and force intermarriage and change the native language etc for bad outcome. Now the gov't is doing at its best to build the nation but one of the pressure is what y mentioned above. Take Somalians case. What about other refugees who are fleeing from other country? I was just reading a quotation 'Lord help me to welcome difficulties with joy. Let them test my strength and build my character.' When I read this I am glad the pressure and the difficulties didn't stop the camle to work at its best.
    The other example I heard from a prominent writer is I quote literally if the past is not remembered the present is not existing.

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