Goitom the Gentle Giant of Geneva

To say Geneva26 was a success doesn’t even begin to describe the power of solidarity, the value of determination and triumph over all sense of apathy and despondence. It doesn’t tell the story of our young people taking pfdj on, in their own game and defeating them (finally defeating them)…. It doesn’t describe the stubborn determination of the seasoned activists to never ever ever give up…. To pay all that there is to pay and keep the fire (sometimes just a faint ember) going… No Geneva26 wasn’t just successful…. It was a somewhat prophetic message… a signposting moment of where the struggle for justice in Eritrea is heading.

There is a story in the Bible that always makes me shudder… the story of Samson after his demise in Delilah’s hand… his hair was shaven….and his hands were tied and yet he didn’t realize that his power had left him and he attempted to exercise it only to become a laughingstock in the hands of his enemies… the same was true for pfdj in June…. Assuming they can command the numbers they used to…. Pfdj functionaries sent a marching order out, only to realize that their power had left them and the effect of their feeble attempt was becoming a laughingstock across Geneva…. The pfdj demonstration was nothing but indicative that the gradual decay of pfdj is finally visibl…. (and audible)

Nature abhors vacuum… and so the space left by one giant had to be replaced and replaced it was! By a movement …. a gigantic waive of young people who have been there and know the brutalities of pfdj… faced the slavery that tormented their entire generation (and beautifully they are joined by their peers born and raised in the diaspora but determined to stand with them upholding the principles of fairness and justice).

But today I want to pay tribute to a different giant… one that refuses to sink however hard the tides rise… one that refuses to be defeated however loud the sound of carnage around him and certainly one whose resourcefulness was a major pillar in pfdj’s demise last week…. Goitom Kuflom….

I could simply write about his generous spirit in guiding the rising tide last week and that would be no mean feat….. I could also write about his many years of activism and contributions and make quite an impressive entry here. But a simple act of determination and forethought on his part last winter (or early spring) was to prove a major stumbling block for pfdj in the run up to June 26 ….

All of us know about Geneva26…. But before Geneva26 there were Geneva23-25…. Three days of daily vigils held outside the Palace of Nations… all of them conceived by Goitom… who silently but gallantly determined that a daily vigil, despite the skepticism of many of us, was necessary… and it is that forethought that denied pfdj an opportunity to rally on the days they so wanted (all the pertinent days from the 23^rd to the 26^th were booked by the pro justice camp under the auspices of Goitom) and the frustration was clear to see, even the person reporting their event on EriTV stated that (the truth that forced its way on EriTv)….every single day in the three days leading up to Geneva26 Goitom and a few others held vigils encouraging us as we were lobbying inside the UN, informing many, about the plight  of Eritreans but most importantly frustrating the plans of pfdj… such a simple act but such a giant significance from a very gentle but determined activist.

Thank you Goitom… you have inspired many and have taught us an important lesson in silent determination and forethought… knowing your adversary focusing and targeting pertinent actions effectively….

Selam