Our Brother Is Where Our Conscience Dwells

Bay Area Eritreans for Democratic Change
June 13^th, 2014

As Eritreans everywhere celebrated the 23^rd anniversary of the Eritrean Independence, four exceptionally insightful and brave Eritrean Catholic bishops summoned their wisdom, spiritual insight and exemplary courage and placed their focus on the pulse of our nation. What resulted in is an illuminating analysis of a country lacking in freedom, rule of law, accountability, economic and social stability. But, this was no mere lamentation of the woes that have befallen us, but a gutsy confrontation of the challenges we face as a nation and a reminder that the solutions are within our grasps.

In a manner that is illustrative of our Eritrean characteristics at their best, the letter is graced with honesty, insight and minced no words in addressing what is often carefully mumbled under the nation’s breath. In the 38 page letter that weaved spiritual teachings with brilliant diagnosis of much of Eritrean ailments and an urgent call to find the solutions, the four religious leaders: Father MengsteabTesfamariam (Eparch of Asmara), Father Tomas Osman (Eparch of Barentu), Father KidaneYe’ebio (Eparch of Keren) and Father FeqremariamHagos (Eparch of Segeneiti) encapsulated their message by citing [from the Bible] the timely and timeless question: “Where Is Your Brother?” ¹
On May 25^th, 2014, the truth manifested itself as an elegant defiance that is embroidered with all the uncompromising and fine threads of thoughtful analysis of the predicaments plaguing our nation. It is also a call for accountability that is thoroughly spread in all pertinent directions. Theirs is not a call that is cemented and rendered immobile as a subject of our admiration or intellectualization, but a powerful flame that is determined to deprive us all of our dark corners where we harvest our excuses for not fighting for justice with more diligence. These four courageous religious leaders and citizens of a nation whose immense potential they lovingly recognize, confronted lawlessness by standing up for love and justice. They are not merely authors of these powerful messages, they are mirrors to us all as Eritreans and their love for their people and country is evident in their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the greater cause that doesn’t tower it’s people.

The Bay Area Eritreans for Democratic Change (BAEDC),unequivocally stands in solidarity with our courageous Fathers. We honor their message, we commend their inspirational bravery and we are hopeful that their call will be a spark that will ignite the flame for more thoughtful defiance from all corners. But, more importantly, much like their action transcended symbolic gestures of love and solidarity, our work must follow suit! This powerful message requires us to examine the roots of our activism and assess how thoughtful our questions are, how clear our vision is and how genuinely determined we are to engage in action. We certainly don’t lack the praises to shower our courageous fathers with, but perhaps no honor is greater than to stand in solidarity with our deeds. We are thoroughly fueled by the wisdom and inspired by the ultimate sacrifice embedded in their selfless action.

Their question, no doubt, reverberates wherever Eritreans reside:Where is your brother?. To that, we reply, where our conscience dwells.
In Solidarity,
The Bay Area Eritreans for Democratic Change

References:
1: Genesis 4:19. “Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

2: For a summary of the 38 page letter, please visit: www.awate.com:

3: The 38 page written by the Eritrean Catholic Bishops http://www.eparchyofkeren.com/topics/PastoralLetterCatholicEparchsEritreaDF.pdf