The main reason underlying the formation of nations is the betterment of individual lives. Ever since human beings started to live in communities, they realized that having a defined state led by their representatives would help them live in harmony, as well as realizing their individual aspirations. Over the eons, nations have evolved to ensure the basic human rights of individuals. In societies where there is absence or violation of such basic principles, individuals are left with two options; either to leave their homeland in search of better life somewhere else, or fight to regain back what is naturally theirs.

Eventually, most individuals realize that leaving the country does not provide a lasting solution to the problem.

In Eritrea today, we are witnessing an extremely repressive regime. It makes one question the fundamental reason for the formation of nations. In particular, nations like Eritrea that defied the world and clawed their way into existence.

The Eritrea of today is an open prison where nationals disappear without a trace. Individuals can be held in prisons incommunicado and indefinitely due to their political views. It has become a closed island where there is no private press to criticize the government, no freedom of worship without State interference, no freedom of association without the ever present secret police, no political parties to advocate for various viewpoints. In short, Eritrea has become a prison for its people where there is no respect for any of the internationally recognized basic human rights. Though this situation affects every part of the population, Eritrean youth have been forced to shoulder the majority of the burden. It is for this reason that thousands of them have been forced to leave the country for which they have worked tirelessly.

Hundreds of thousands Eritrean youths have abandoned their loved ones to escape the hopeless future of youth in Eritrea. Many of these of innocent youth lost their precious lives trying to cross to other countries. Some have vanished in the deserts of foreign lands and thousands of Eritrean youth are languishing in prisons of foreign nations.  Some unfortunate Eritreans were cruelly deported back to Eritrea only to be detained indefinitely in notorious prisons including Wi’a and Nakura. Suicide is an increasingly frequent phenomenon among these youth.  A recent news story from Israel recounted the final moments of young Abrahley Misgina.  Abrahley was overwhelmed by the hard choices that being an Eritrean youth brought him. A choice between hopeless existence in his homeland or living as a desperate refugee our brother Abrahaley chose to take his life. His final moments are telling of the Eritrean character. He took someone’s phone to make a call but he didn’t seem to know who he was going to call. He courteously gave the phone back to its owner and prompted hanged himself from a nearby tree. The struggle of the Eritrean people for peace and justice has claimed another innocent Eritrean life.

Our young brothers and sisters who are still in Eritrea continue to pay a heavy price. They are not only unable to help themselves and their loved ones, but they also waste their youth without acquiring the necessary education and skills that would help them to be successful in life.

For all these reasons, there is no time to waste. There is no other day than today for Eritrean youth to come together to put an end to the reign of a brutal tyrant. A tyrant who is intent on burning the precious years of Eritrean youth. This is a burning issue that should not be allowed to continue without immediate intervention.

Eritrean youths have been a driving force behind the liberation of the country from colonization and continued to discharge their responsibility unreservedly when the sovereignty of the country was threatened. As remuneration to their unparalleled heroism, what Eritrean youths received was repression with no end in sight. When their very existence is put into question by a ruthless tyrant, it is time for Eritrean youths to say enough is enough and stand together against a dictator that has left no stone unturned in the quest to stay in power.

Though the number of Eritrean youths in the Diaspora has been increasing considerably, embassies of the dictator continue to use the divide and rule mechanism in their effort to weaken opposition by and organization of Eritrean youths.  Embassies of the dictator are no longer doing their official mission apart from campaigning in churches, mosques and communities designed to prevent opposition from Eritrean youths. Do we stand with our hands tied? Hoping that this problem will go away on its own? The answer is NO!

In an effort to address the aforementioned challenges, particularly of organizing youths to stand for their rights and that of their people, an organization named Eritrean Global Youth Movement came into being on the 20th of June, 2009. Through such initiative Eritrean youths will be able identify their challenges and priorities. Such initiatives would also enable them to establish a country with democracy and respect for basic human rights of individuals without any distinction. Needless to say, initiative of this nature cannot be a reality without the participation of each and every one of us. With the participation of all, the initiative intends to restore the faith and hopes of all Eritreans.

The Eritrean Global Youth Movement cordially extends its invitation to all youths wherever they are to be part of the change the Eritrean people desperately need. It is up to the youth to get rid of tyranny once and for all.

The Eritrean Global Youth Movement is currently being led by a Committee of seven members until the organization conducts its first general meeting. EYGM also has a Constitution which will be a living and evolving document. EYGM intends to conduct its general meeting in the next 6 months and invites all Eritrean youths from every corner of the world and particularly in North America and Canada to be part of the new established association.

The future will not be handed to us on a platter. We must seize it.  Join the movement, join the change.

Freedom for the Eritrean people!
No man is free others are shackled!
Eritrea will be free!

EYGM can be reached at EYGM.USA@gmail.com
Eritrean Youth Global Movement