Bahti Meskerem Celebrations in Stockholm

 By Organizing Committee

The Eritrean opposition political organizations members of the Eritrean Democratic Alliance and the civil society organizations have celebrated together the 47th anniversry of the Eritrean armed struggle that was started in 1961 led by Martyr Idris Hamid Awate at Mountain Adal. The occasion was celebrated colourfully and all the Eritrean diversity has participated in commemoration of the historical day that led to the Eritrean independence in 1991.

The Celebration started at the scheduled time at 18.00 local time, people flocked at the hall under a waving flags of Eritrea and Sweden under a theme, “ People First”.

A welcome opening speech was delivered by Fesseha Nair, member of the Organizing Committee. When all participants have taken their places, the programme of the celebration was read  and people began to follow it. The programme of the evening was ,

-         Panel Discussion

-         Joint speech from the organizers( EDA member organizations and civil societies)

-         Cultural dance and music

-         Conclusion

Panel Discussion

The panel was on media organization and development in the opposition camp. Invited panellists were from TV Adal, Salih Sabah, from TV Zete, Solomon Gebray and Mehari Abraham and from Eritrean Peoples Voice local Radio from Göteborg / Guthenborg City was Gezae Kidane.

The panel was moderated by Fesseha Nair and Negash Osman.Fesshea Nair introduced shortly the births of the two TVs in Stockholm and the guests to the audience. Each panellist was given 15 minutes to present his paper.

The first panellist was Salih Sabah TV Adals Chief Editor. In his presentation, Salih has mentioned the historical mass media development in Eritrea during the Italian colonialism and how it developed in Eritrea later. He has briefed how TV Adal has started, its performance in producing and disseminating news and information about the Eritrean peoples situation at home. He stressed that there is shortage of economic and human resources to run such community TV and urged the participants that this TV Adal is for your service and take the responsibility to continue broadcasting. He further told the people that Tv Adal can also be seen in the Internet, therefore has viewers from all over the world like for Example, Sudan, Australia, USA and the Middle East.

The Second panellist was Gezae Kidane Chief Editor of the, Ertitrean Peoples Voice, in Guthenborg, he presented his paper how he started this radio in Guthenborg city. This Radio has been broadcasting all over the World in cooperation with the BBC but because of financing shortage ceased to continue but is still broadcasting locally. It is a community Radio serving the Eritrean people with news and information on the Eritrea peoples’ situation under the harsh dictatorial regime, emphasized Gezae. He further analysed the obstacles and opportunities facing the radio in the Guthenborg but many listeners were hooked by this radio and has created a huge audience in Sweden.

The Third panellists were from TV Zete, Mehari Abraham and Solomon Gebray both chief editors of the news-and information programme of TV Zete. The first speaker was Mr. Solomon, he presented his paper how and when TV Zete has started and what were the circumstances of the Eritrean opposition at that time. He mentioned that when Tv Zete began there was only TV Adal as opposition community TV but TV Zete has come in 2001. He analysed the causes and objectives of the TV and programme and contents it broadcasts every week  He further pointed that TV Zete has influenced the Eritrean Society in diaspora by raising their awareness and arousing their moral responsibility to affect the situation at home. He also mentioned the shortages they face while producing the programmes of the TV. He concluded his argumentation by urging the people that a community media need the support of the civil societies.

Mehari Abraham, journalist in profession and chief editor of the TV Zete’s news and information programme shortly analysed the statistical results of the TV Zete since its start in 2001. He has illustrated hoe TV Zete today linked with Internet and is seen all over the world, he said that TV Zete in World Wide Webb is observed by 250000 Eritreaner.  Mehari has stressed the weakness of the opposition media in comparison with that  of the government that is still there is shortage of financing and human resources to develop and sustain the TV to serve the Eritrean people, he added.

When all panellists presented their papers, a public discussion has started.

Discussions

The discussions focused on the harmonization and cooperation of the opposition media in general and the two TVs in Stockholm, in particular. Constructive proposals were presented by the audiences on the harmonisation and cooperation of the media to face and foil the Eritrean government’s media campaign. Having contacts and being friends of the program producers of the media is not enough the owners or publishers of the TV Adal and Zete must take steps and take joint actions to resolve the problems facing the two channels.  Panellists answered the questions asked by the audiences. All the participants and the panellists agree that the media is very important to promote popular democracy and fight the dictator and a media strategy and mechanisms must be created to achieve the goals of our people at this time.

Joint Speech commemorating the 47^th anniversary of the armed struggle

The joint speech prepared by the organizing committee of the anniversary was written in Arabic and Tigrinya. The Arabic version was read by Negash Osman and the Tigrinya version was read by Alazar Hagos. ( you can read the speech on the websites) After the joint speech the audiences kept silent and stood to pay tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to liberate Eritrea.

Cultural music and dance

Food and beverages were all the night, dancing floor was full of dancers and Eritrean cultural music thundering the floor echoed the voices of Bahti Meskerem by chanting,

                                  We can change!

                             Change we believe in!

 reflecting exactly the 1961 in Mount Adal. In the spirit of unity and to achieve the goals of our people we will continue our struggle to re-liberate our people from the rule of the dictator.

                                  2008  Bahti Meskerem Organizers-Sweden