I have sat down many times to put down my thoughts on the historical Strasburg Peace Rally by Eritreans in Europe held on 24 October 2005, but could not find the right words to describe what I had experienced, and I must admit I was a bit weary of trying to describe something of such importance with mere words, or even pictures. How would I describe the thumping in my heart that started the Wednesday before I left on my long journey, and didn’t seem to settle down even when I returned? Whose faces do I write about? What voices keep ringing in my head? Was it the French-Eritreans, German-Eritreans, Italian-Eritreans, Dutch-Eritreans, Swedish-Eritreans, UK-Eritreans, Norwegian-Eritreans, or the many others who like me, had come out to support Eritreans in Europe? Hopefully by now, the story of Strasburg has been told in the many different voices and I think I am ready to slip mine in.

After reading so much about the upcoming rally and chatting with friends across the Atlantic, I meant to sit down and write an article of appreciation, of solidarity and best wishes, but as I sat down and thought about it further, I decided that the invitation to participate in such a historic endeavor was one I could not easily turn down; I decide to be a part of it all and began planning for the trip with a call to my father. I asked him to find me an air ticket to any one of the European capitals, with the hopes of hitchhiking with the participants to Strasbourg. I knew there would be buses from Sweden, Frankfurt, London, Milan and other European cities...I could even fly into Paris and take the train to Strasbourg...

Daddy comes through. "Sophie, I found you flights to London, but you have to leave on Friday, connect through Atlanta". At this point my heart is racing with excitement. I am all over the Internet checking for the weather in Europe and also trying to figure out exactly where Strasbourg was, so that I could explain to the children why mummy had to go. After running around all morning, getting things ready at home, I took off to the airport to catch my flight to Atlanta. Unfortunately, since I was on standby, and with the many cancellations due to the weather, reduced schedules (due to high fuel prices) etc. etc. the flight was full. I got lucky on the next scheduled flight and I began my hour and half trip to Atlanta, Georgia.

Once in Atlanta, I got on the very next flight to London and breathed a sigh of relief. I tried to close my eyes and rest because I knew I still had a long way to go to get to Strasbourg, but I couldn't sleep. I didn't know what to expect, but I somehow felt that this rally was important enough, not to just to be a part of, but to offer my support and solidarity, in person, to the thousands of Eritreans in Europe, especially the youth, who would brave all weather and other conditions, to speak up, to march for and with Eritreans, in defense of Eritrea.

I arrived in London at about 9:00am and quickly made my way out of the airport, considering I had no luggage checked in, and had hand carried the little amount of clothes in a carry on bag, which looked like it would tear if I added one more item. From the airport, I went to a friend's house in the city for a little nap. After a brief nap, it was time to pack flyers, cameras, videos, etc, etc, into the mini van that would drive us to Strasbourg. After a quick dinner at one of London's Eritrean restaurants, our trip to Strasbourg began at 10:00pm that night.

The group I traveled with included old friends, but I also got to meet new ones. I will fondly remember my travel mates as "Ganta Shewate". Even though we did not know each other in person, I felt completely at ease, totally fitting in and sharing in the singing and joke telling. Here were six people, of various ages, backgrounds etc. and me, and if anyone was to record the rapport, they would not have guessed that we were all strangers, brought together by a mutual commitment to Eritrea and the people of Eritrea, and to each other as members of Eritrea's Diaspora community.

After about two hours of driving, we arrived at the Dover hover port, about 70 miles South of London where we boarded a ferry across the English Channel to the French city of Calais. Once inside the ferry, we toured around the ship to see its many levels, shops, restaurants etc and imagined out loud about having a similar liner connect mainland Eritrea with the many islands in the Red Sea... We settled down to take a break, stretch our legs, get some food and relax over some light hearted conversations and songs. One song stayed with us throughout the trip. Here are a couple of lines from the song written by Awra Woldemichael, a quiet gentleman, who spoke very little but said a lot when he did…

Men alo kemzi hzbi, delai selam QolA abi
Hade dimtsi, hade libi

Hagerey neaKhi mifQar, fikri hzbi iyu
Ni selam, niwuhsinetki, libey duluw iyu

Hagerey natki mikwaney abi tsega iyu
Fikriki halefa alewo, fikre ade iyu

Aleku kemkedemey ab metkeley
Alena kemkedemna ab metkelna

But it wasn't just a great song making its debut, we also had a multitalented young man, Berhane, a graphic designer by profession (who dabbled in music on the side) giving it all he had, in a persistent bid to convince Awra that he could sing it the way he intended it to be. We listened as he reached for the higher vocals and marveled at his unbelievable stamina, as he sang one song after another for hours on end. The rest of us played judge and teased his efforts for the next couple of days. In the end, I think the song remained ours and if it were to be sung and recorded, it would be remembered as the song of the Strasburg rally... you will see why later. After a couple of hours on the ferry, we arrived in Calais. It was way past midnight and the town was sound asleep.

We pulled our map and decided on the best route for what would be a 7-8 hour drive to Strasbourg, the capital of the French province of Alsace. We got some coffee and snacks and then we were off. We spent the next few hours chatting about everything and anything. I watched all of them and felt a sense of pride. They must have been pretty confident with their preparations, because the conversations and discussions during the entire 12-hour car/ferry ride did not center on the work ahead, instead, there was a lot of story telling, debates, and of course a lot of laughter. Although the cause was a serious one, the ride up to Strasbourg was anything but serious!

We arrived in Strasbourg at about 3:00pm on Sunday afternoon and headed straight for the hostel. The lobby filled up with Eritreans from various cities and in the lounge we sat in large circles and talked while we waited for our rooms. Still trying to perfect the song, Berhane started singing and of course we helped with the chorus. After a few repeats, everyone in the lounge was singing the song, it had a catchy sound and if you didn't know it, you would think it was an old song that everybody had already known. "Alena, kem kedemna ab metkelna" and soon everyone was singing... Everyone in the room was caught up in the mood and joined in on the chorus. The spontaneous chorale surprised strangers in the lounge. When asked, we told them it was a song about a country and a people. I don't know if they really understood...we did.

The next day, we got up very early because breakfast was being served at 7:00am. I was too excited to sleep and didn't mind waking up so early. I got dressed and headed for the breakfast lounge. All sorts of activities were taking place. There were people testing walkie-talkies, cell phones, speakers, megaphones etc. etc. Everything seemed to work just fine. Outside, in the parking area the cars and vans were being decorated with flags and banners. Soon we would all head for the park to meet the buses that would arrive that morning and get ready for the rally. I cannot write about the Strasbourg rally without mentioning Team Alenalki and their extraordinary coordination and preparation. They were in Strasbourg holding their own, and holding nicely and gracefully.

Since I was not assigned to any group or work, I was free to roam around and enjoy the sights and sounds, and they were many and I don't mean just languages. As I walked around and talked to the young and old, I had the feeling that regardless of the response from the Parliamentarians, the participants were absolutely resolute and completely ready and comfortable to handle whatever else might be thrown their way. They told me that they were not coming back to Strasbourg again, at least not on the issue of demarcation; they were here to have their final say on the matter, and the onus was on the European Parliament. I met a lot of people who had communicated with me via email and I was happy to meet them all in person. We took a lot of pictures and exchanged addresses.

From hundreds of cities across Europe, the participants marched, chanted and unfurled some very clever banners. As I think back and remember the posters we used during peace rallies in the past (before independence and during the 1998-2000 war), I have to say that the youth of today are better equipped, better at it than we ever were. Their posters reflected their incredible artistic abilities as well as their desire to present Eritrea in the best of style, design and color.  I certainly was impressed by their creativity. In front of the crowd was an interesting effigy on justice and the rule of law. The passion and determination emanating from the crowd was very palpable; their voices were loud, their calls were resolute.

Looking back from the front of the rally it looked like a wave of people snaking through intersections and around circles and buildings, it was an amazing sight. The entire lane was packed with people carrying placards and flags and walking 10-12 abreast. I watched as a little boy, probably about 9-10 year old, determined to keep his flag high, fighting the wind and trying hard to carry the flag which was at least three times his size. It was the children and the very old that stand out the most in my memory of that day. Nothing, not old age and not illness was going to prevent them from being there, in person, to voice their concerns and to call for justice for Eritrea.

The Algiers Agreement which was signed in 2000 in Algeria by H.E. President Isaias Afwerki for Eritrea and by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi for Ethiopia and witnessed and guaranteed by Secretary General Kofi Annan representing the United Nations, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of the Democratic Republic of Algeria, President Obasanjo of Nigeria, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright representing the United States, Secretary General, Salim Ahmed Salim representing the OAU, and Senator Renato Serri representing the European Union, states that the Border Commission alone has the sole authority and mandate to delineate and demarcate the Eritrea Ethiopia border. Article 4.2 of the Algiers Agreement states:     
"The parties agree that a neutral Boundary Commission composed of five members shall be established with a mandate to delimit and demarcate the colonial treaty border based on pertinent colonial treaties (1900, 1902 and 1908) and applicable international law. The Commission shall not have the power to make decisions ex aequo et bono"

The leader of the minority vote rigging regime in Ethiopia has officially and openly violated the Algiers Agreements that he personally willingly signed on 12 December 2000 in Algeria, has rejected the Eritrea Ethiopia Border Commission's (EEBC) final and binding decision, has refused to abide by the Border Commission's demarcation directives, orders and procedures, and has defied international law and numerous UN Security Council resolutions. Today, despite everything that he is doing in Ethiopia and his defiance of international law, the international community is refusing to take appropriate punitive actions against his regime. Eritreans went to Strasbourg to call on the EU to shoulder it's responsibilities under the Algiers Agreement. They highlighted the fact that the EU was one of Ethiopia's biggest donors, to the tune of over a half a billion dollars per year in budgetary support as well as other economic and humanitarian aid.

As we got closer to the parliament, looking back down the road, I felt a lump in my throat; I think I was simply shocked at what I was seeing. I had never seen anything like that in my life, except in Asmara during the independence celebrations on the streets. Wow! What a sight, what an incredible sight! I stood at various angles to catch a glimpse of the crowd and no matter where I stood the picture remained the same. It was bigger than my eyes could see, a lot more than my mind could ever begin to comprehend and it was so emotional...it had to be one of the proudest moments in my life. I consider myself to be truly blessed to have been there, to witness it all with my own two eyes...

Thousands joined in a pre-rally petition initiative and 28,000 signatures were collected and given EU officials by an Eritrean delegation composed of representatives from the various Eritrean communities in Europe. Eritrean communities in Europe are examples of what successful immigrant communities can offer host countries. I call them successful because they are strong communities that have managed to instill pride and confidence in the youth, provide a solid identity, with a secure cultural and traditional base from which to grow.  The over 11000 Eritreans that came to Strasbourg reflected not just the consciousness and political maturity European Eritrean communities, but also the incredible sense of unity amongst them.

Outside the European Parliament, the crowd cheered and clapped when they heard comments presented by Mr Johan Van Hecke, Member of Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly. He told them that he agreed with their call and that it was time to take actions against Ethiopia if it continued to defy international law. Mission accomplished, the music blasted as we danced and cheered. We then walked back to where we started in the morning, got some much needed food and water, said our goodbyes and boarded the vans and headed home. On our way back, the ferry was unable to dock fro about an hour and all the swaying made some of the already weary and tired passengers a little sea sick. We managed to hold on and got back to London safe and sound, but in the middle of a very crowded rush hour. I took the train to the airport, only to discover that I had missed my flight. I got lucky again, and took the very next one out to Atlanta.

Little did we know that the quite streets of Strasbourg, the city that was warmed by the presence of thousands of Eritreans, was about to be engulfed in violent clashes that would pit marginalized immigrant communities against French authorities trying to establish law and order, just about a week after we left France. I hope the situation has calmed down by now and the destruction and rioting is over. Eritrean communities are model immigrant communities, which enhance the society at large and contribute to the much needed understanding on issues relating to identity, diversity, tolerance and equal opportunities in European and American cities. Eritreans, like the thousands that came to Strasbourg present a beautiful image of Eritrea and represent Eritrea quite nicely.

I went to Strasbourg on a whim, it was a last minute decision, but one that I am glad I made. It is an experience I will not soon forget. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organizers of the 2005 Strasbourg rally for their hard work, and congratulate all the participants on their success. I'd like to send a warm shout-out to "Ganta Shewate", thank them for their hospitality and tell them ... Aleku, kemkedemey ab metkeley...