Today is a national public holiday: “Ethiopian Patriots’ Victory Day”. It is celebrated every year on the Ethiopian calendar of Miazia 27. It is made in commemoration of the gallant patriotism of our forefathers and foremothers and the victory they attained against insurmountable invading fascist Musolini’s army. The army had intended to revenge the Adwa Victory and conquer Ethiopia, the then sole sovereign state in Africa 79 years ago.
The invasion which was in direct violation of the wishes of the League of Nations was started in October 1935 in the northern part of Ethiopia. At the beginning, the technological advancement of the invaders’ army had put the war in its favor. But that was just for a while.
The resistance they met from the bare-handed Ethiopian patriots was so fierce that they took one solid year to reach the capital city, Addis Ababa. Even then, subduing the capital was not as such easy for them. Among the resistance they had met was the failed assassination attempt against the General Rodolfo Graziani. The reprisal led to the massacre of over 200,000 Ethiopians.
Despite harsh reprisal, the war, which has been referred by historians as the second Italo-Ethiopian war, had to be concluded in just few years time with the defeat of Italian invaders in1941. That was how Ethiopia could manage to preserve its sovereignty throughout history.
The heroic act of the patriots has not only inspired other colonized countries but also left important lessons for the successive generations to come. The most important lesson the left for they posterity is that fighting poverty, or fighting for such noble causes of freedom, equality and prosperity is as patriotic as fighting for national sovereignty.
That’s why, at a time when we are commemorating our patriots, we are also in national mourning, preparing for state funeral of the late Dr. Negasso Gidada, who served his country from 1995-2001 as a president.
Though, the paths were full of challenges, there was no time when Negasso had refrained from fighting for the freedom, equality and prosperity of the Ethiopian people. And he waged his struggle through peaceful and democratic means alone, though the existing tendencies were otherwise.
So, when we, Ethiopians are commemorating and mourning our late president Dr. Negasso, we need to remind ourselves that we are in the 21st century where the old patriotism has been replaced by the modern one.
And let’s be clear that modern patriotism has several manifestations. The willingness to scarify one’s interest for the sake of the people is one of its manifestations. No matter what might be the consequences, the new Ethiopia demands those patriots willing to die for truth and democracy; for freedom and equality; for the wellbeing, prosperity and unity of Ethiopians as a whole.
The Ethiopian Herald May 04/ 2011
