07/12/2020 21:15 PM

Yemane Tesfai
A code of honor

by Kiki Tzeggai

Yemane Tesfai -- A code of honor
by Kiki Tzeggai.

Yemane:

your silence said it all and your eyes are still questioning us! So often, you forced our six millions pair of eyes turn towards our own conscience!

You saw the crimes that would take us to a brink as a nation, while we were still dancing to the euphoria of independence!

You feared and fought the barbaric scenes of trucks loaded with our people fleeing a dictatorship in the making. You whispered to describe their voices saying “don’t tell my father what they did to me in the Sahara desert!”

You also knew that a new body of government could not keep track of every constable! The shortage of real politicians and the hope for a mixture of educated Eritreans to lead our newly independent country, made you ask us to never create egos. To always remember those who lined up to die first.

To never forget Eritrean women you saw abused by Ethiopian soldiers, they are walking holding a cane to this day. They still try to tell us that all they suffer from is a problem of back pain! You validated Eritrean women roles at all levels. You fought in silence for your female comrades’ rights. You told us about the Eritrean mother who shared her meager dinner with you and your platoon; the shelter our people gave to our fighters. You never forgot the loyalty of your people!

Yemane, you validated ALL of us and said that there cannot be a stable Eritrea with no women in power. You looked - with disdain - at the make believe power of few and for few women to be only a facade! From the presidency down, you wished for Eritreans to compete fairly for the benefit of our existence in the world's platform.

You knew - with the fall of Asmara - that life would be difficult and Eritrea would be very demanding. You were able to visualize culprits in the making; and despite all this, you asked us to control our emotions and build a judiciary system we had to cooperate with! You dreamed of an Eritrea that gets suspects to trial safely! The eternal Tegadalay in you, wanted to be part of a system that allowed the due process of law to take over our Eritrea.

You - Yemane Tesfai- did not want to save time to salvage a ruined Eritrean reputation, but instead hoped to make the reputation of the Eritrean people one cemented on the principles of our war for freedom! You tried to stop the bleeding of our country and the last humiliation you tried to prevent was Ethiopian vigilantes walking the Eritrean soil while we - Eritrean refugees- are prevented from feeling our land beneath our feet!

You belonged to a group of men and women that was not visible at all. Such an institution that its’ work was not openly acknowledged! You wore no uniform, no designation, no medals and yet, you were the pride of a nation! You worked in anonymity. All you did for Eritrea, is beyond the regular mind’s comprehension.
To your last day on earth, you followed a principle and never run after the glitzy of a title and financial corruption. Your death safeguards the lives of millions of Eritreans!

Each time I was in Asmara, I never missed a morning coffee with you. The banker in you, tried to fix a corrupted system left by the enemy, you tried to build a strong and lawful banking system serving Eritreans. Instead you witnessed a system built on corruption to its’ core!
Your talents, your aptitude, your uniqueness made you valuable to Eritrea before and after death!

My Berhane and a large group of Eritrean heroes are waiting for you at the gates of heaven! Long live the Eritrea you defended and made independent from slavery of occupation!

Rest in courage Tegadalay!
Haftkha,
Kiki Tzeggai

ሞትን ጥቓ ሞትን!