In memory of Hamid Idris Awate.
The Father of the Eritrean Revolution
Burial site of martyr and hero Hamid Awate in
Haikota. In September 1994, the remains of martyr Awate were buried in the
historic city of Haikota (Gash region – west Eritrea)
Martyr Awate’s original burial place was kept
secret (except to very few individuals) and it was in the east of Hadamdami and
west of Gash where special and clear signs were marked to identify the burial
place of the martyr and hero Awate. In September 1994, the remains of martyr
Hamid Awate were buried in the historic city of Haikota.
The unexpected death of the leader and hero
Awate was kept deliberately “secret” from the public for several years and this
was done to keep the morale of the Eritrean people and Eritrean liberation army
high in order to continue the war for liberation with the same spirit and
determination and not to be affected by the martyrdom of the national icon and
leader. If the death of the hero and martyr was announced, the Ethiopian enemy
would have used it at its advantage to declare victory and propagate in its
media the end of the Eritrean struggle for liberation and independence.
The despotic DIA never acknowledged and respected the Eritrean
people and their national symbols and heroes and as a result no media coverage
or commemoration are done in honor of martyr and hero Hamid Idris Awate, the
“Father of the Eritrea
Armed Struggle” for liberation and Independence.
The article below is from Farajat website:
Short
URL:
http://www.farajat.net/en/?p=850
(EDITORIAL)
In memory of Hamid Idris Awate. The Father of the
Eritrean Revolution
On May 28th 1962, the martyr
and father of the Eritrean armed struggle for independence and freedom, passed
away peacefully without any fanfare or ceremony.
The Eritrean armed struggle for independence was
at its infancy when the hero passed away, but his heroic companions continued
the struggle with the same determination and spirit. It took 30 years of
continuous and heroic armed struggle for Eritrea to be free from the yoke of
Ethiopian occupation.
The price of Eritrean independence was heavy and
costly and we paid dearly with the lives of our best and most courageous people,
where tens of thousands of Eritrean heroes were martyred for the sake of Eritrea
to be a free and independent country.
What did the historians and writers say about the
death of Hamid Idris Awate?
Mr. Taher Indoul on his article: The History
Maker, wrote as follows:
“On May 27th 1962, Awate drunk milk
for dinner, then soon told his unit that he was not feeling good. His condition
began to deteriorate quickly. It is said that Awate called pioneer Kiboob Hajaj
and gave him his beloved gun emphasizing on the continuation of the revolution.
The next morning, Awate rested in peace. The ELA decided not reveal the
martyrdom of Awate, and they buried him secretly. Awate’s martyrdom was made
public 4 years after his death.
Martyr and leader Hamid Idris Awate lead the armed struggle in its critical
times. He laid the way for this new Eritrean experience to take its shape.
Awate died when our revolution was in desperate need for his leadership. He has
gone but left huge legacy of self-reliance. He left without a farewell to his
comrades, people, family, and most importantly his wife and son Karar who was
born in the jail in the city of Tessanai. May Allah\God bless him and bless all
our martyrs.”
Engineer Suleiman Faid in his book titled: Awate
his life and heroism, writes about his last moments under the title: Martyrdom
of the hero, as follows:
“The life of this hero was a series of
sacrifices, which ended in his sudden martyrdom on a Monday morning of the 28th
of May 1962.
On the eve of a day full of activities, Awate
moved with some of his fellow combatants to the village close to the mountains
of Aquitaine (western Eritrea) in the Gash region and had dinner. As it was
customary, after the dinner meal, Awate moved away from the village and camped
in a safe place to spend the night. At midnight Awate awakened the fighter Kboob
Hajjaj to tell him that he felt a sharp drop in his heart beats, and felt
cold and pain throughout his body. Awate held his rifle (Abu Aashara), with
which he fired the first shots of the Eritrean revolution armed struggle
declaring its official birth, and handed it over to the pioneer Kboob Hajjaj and
said to him:
Raise this rifle high (continue the armed
struggle), until final victory is accomplished, God willing.
Then took his sword and gave it to Kboob Hajjaj
and asked him to deliver it to his son Karar Hamid Awate. Also asked him to
deliver the dagger to his nephew Awate Mohamed Fayed, and asked him to deliver
his briefcase of documents to his deputy Mohamed Idris Hajj, and then closed his
eyes and calmly appeared resigned to a long drowsiness and rested in peace.
Awate was martyred at five in the morning (5 am)
of that day with his face raised to the sky and his body embracing the dust of
his dear and beloved homeland. His worldly body was gone forever, to live with
us with his spirit and his eternal compassion and tenacity which is reflected in
the heartbeats of his people (Eritrean people), leaving behind a generation of
fighters to continue to march, amid storms and raising the Eritrean flag high
and changing hands martyr after martyr until the final victory was
accomplished. ”
In September 1994, the remains of martyr Awate were buried in the Haikota (Gash
region)
The Eritrean war of Independence ignited by the
martyr and hero Awate and his brave companions, continued for long 30 years.
During these years an immense and infinite stories of heroism, self-asceticism,
bravery, compassion, patriotism and devotion can be told and written proudly.
The spirit of Awate continued and survived to the end, and all our fighters
became Awate in their spirit, actions, devotion and love for Eritrea.
Undoubtedly, our heroic martyrs will be
remembered forever. Our war veterans, handicaps, orphans, widows, refugees, war
victims etc…These are our pride, our best, our people and our dignity. All of
them fought and paid dearly for the sake of our freedom and independence.
It is our moral and national responsibility to be
positive, to fight, to restore rule of law, justice and democracy in Eritrea.
These are the fundamentals to build a united, strong and advanced Eritrea and to
protect its sovereignty. If we love and respect our martyrs let us follow their
path to strong Eritrea, peace, stability, respect and reconciliation.
The price of Eritrean independence was very high
and we must acknowledge its value. Let us continue on the same spirit of Awate
and all our martyrs to build a strong nation based on rule of law, justice and
equality to restore and materialize the entrust of our brave martyrs.
Respect and gratitude to all our heroic martyrs!
Awate and all our martyrs will be remembered
forever!
Source:
Farajat website (www.farajat.net)
Short URL:
http://www.farajat.net/en/?p=850
(EDITORIAL)
؛Prepared
by: Hamed Idris Awate – FaceBook page (on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of
the Eritrea Revolution)
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