OPEN LETTER TO HARARI YOUTH
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) said, “The best among you
are those who have the best manners and characters.” – Bukhari
Aselam Aleykum Harari youth,
The youngest, the millennials and the youth at large, wherever you are. Today, I want to share with you stories about inspirational Harari women, the importance of Harari identity and Harar’s expectations from us since our mother land is calling out loud for help!
My name is Amana, I am directly writing to you, inspired by emerging iconic Harari lady politicians and the youth in Harar. I have noticed that the youth in Harar and these ladies have one thing in common, ‘Giving is their living.” Giving themselves to Harar is their destiny. Among these inspiring and emerging iconic Harari givers are: Gesti Mulki Zekaria from Harar, Ethiopia, and Gesti Manal Abdullahi from Toronto, Canada. Both had been featured on IHMS programs and conveyed their inspirational and courageous messages to all of us. They have given themselves to save all aspects of humanity and Harari values – be it social, cultural and political. We need to galvanize ourselves around such generational linking personalities to uphold human rights, as well as, minimize discriminations and identity crisis we experience day-in day-out wherever we are.
Who is Gesti Mulki Zekaria? Regardless of her political affiliation, Gesti Mulki Zekaria is impassionate, fearless, determined and outspoken Harari woman, who is always there to defend the rights of Hararis. She tirelessly advocates for the needs of the youth, and always brings forward issues touching the youth – be it social, political, educational and cultural. She always points out how the youth must be empowered and sustained. She is energetic and the agent for change. She treasures the youth to carry over ancestral mantles. She encourages the youth to fill the landscapes of Harar, and become future dynamic leaders. She warns all Hararis of all walks of life to wake up and work as a team. She warns all Hararis that if we are absent in Ethiopia’s political seen, arenas and stages, then we are in the wrong! Our absence signals self-defeating. Our absence and silence imply surrendering to our enemies.
To me these are insightful messages! With the understanding that if we are not there to defend Harar and our values, then we will be the ones to be blamed for. If we are not there to educate and defend ourselves, then we are the ones who will be labelled fearful and fruitless. We should stop self-victimizing habits, and come out united; speak out loud and clear when it comes to Harar and Harari issues, wherever we are.
Likewise, who is Gesti Manal Abdullahi? Like many of us, Gesti Manal Abdullahi is first generation Harari who grew up and educated in North America. Gesti Manal is inspirational and promising politician and activist from Toronto. Manal is the candidate for the Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament (Scarborough Rouge-Park, Ontario, Canada). She represents multiple faces and backgrounds – Canadians, Hararis, Ethiopians, women, Mothers, Muslims, Blacks and the youth at large. She is the trademark of diversity, and hallmark of multiculturalism. Her involvement in Canadian politics has already resonated in Harar, Ethiopia and Africa at large. She is such a bright star moving upward!
Taking this opportunity, we, the youth, would like to congratulate this dynamic young mother for being elected as Liberal candidate for her constituency. We must support and vote for her in the upcoming Ontario provincial election! If she wins, we will all make history and become winners!
One or two things, I have already learned from these two brave mothers, is that ‘courage is not the lack of fear, absence of fear, but it a mastery of fear, and control of fear.’ They also taught me how mothers can handle internal and external chores and become heroes for others. Indeed, in their own ways, each symbolizes Harari lioness! They both carry our ancestral mantles, the likes of Queen Dil Wenbara, Kabirit Enay Amatullah and the 70+ Queens and Royals of Harar who stood side by side with the Amirs and the People of Harar from 969 to 1887 AD. Of course, from these extraordinary ancestral mothers, we collectively learn – Spirituality, Courage, Determination, Perseverance, Resilient, Leadership and Unity.
Before I go deep into identity issues, I would like to remind some of you, and inform others that in addition to the open letter I wrote to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, I had also written an open letter to Harari Regional State Leadership reminding them the importance of working with, and empowering the youth at large. However, today, my mission is also to you, the Harari youth, who are scattered with assorted backgrounds globally. I call upon you all, to do at least small things with love for Harar.
Why is Harar calling upon Harari youth?
Harar has become like Prophet Nuh’s boat, rocked by political storm for last century, but more so recently. You might have heard about the hegemonic and egoistic chairwoman of the National Election Board of Ethiopia, who repeatedly tried to illegally and unconstitutionally wipe out Harar from political map of Ethiopia. This is a wakeup call to all of us. Regardless of where we live, we must defend our identity, homeland (Harar) and diversity in Ethiopia.
Specially, the Harari youth who live in Canada, the US and Australia do understand what it means to be wiped out, because we know what happened to the indigenous Native Americans and Aborigines in these countries. We do not want to see this happening in our own homeland to ourselves! Harar is aptly calling to hear our voices, support and contributions to stop the existential threats hoovering over its head!
What is it about us and Harari identity? Some young Hararis might say, why should we care and be concerned about Harar while we live comfortably outside of Harar? You might say, oh, I am Canadian, I am American, I am Australian, I am German, I am South African, I am British, and/or I live in the Middle East, I live in Dire Dawa, I live in Addis Ababa, I live in Jijiga or other parts of Ethiopia outside of Harar. Yes, we are all of that, and scattered everywhere; but we all have one thing in common. The source of our identity is Islam and the root of our identity is Harar, Ethiopia. Let’s count ourselves in, and remember what the Late Kabir Abdusamad Idriss said, “We have one common political soul. That political soul is Harar, and to save Harar.” If political Harar does not exist, then we are bound to extinction.
Both internal and external colonialists, invaders and political criminals use similar tactics and methods to conquer any society. Not exhaustive, but the main methods are: (1) genocide – systematic ethnic cleansing, (2) Assimilation and marginalization – such us replacing and limiting native languages and cultural values, (3) Indigenous and minority rights violations – in the name of 1 to 1 democratic voting, abusing and absorbing indigenous entities, (4) Divide and Rule – creating religious, political and social divisions and many more systemic discriminations to dismantle a society or a country. Our Harari identity and roots are being attacked using all these and other methods by hegemonic politicians. Let’s not fall into such traps.
Our rights are being abused. The rights of our mothers, fathers, aunties, uncles, grandparents, relatives and Hararis in Ethiopia are in danger. Harar’s social, economic and political fabrics have been attacked by heartless and inhumane individuals and political entities. The very existence of our homeland, Harar, is at a crossroads. Our continuity as Hararis is compromised by determined enemies of Hararis and Muslims. Rampant imperial agents want to wipe out political Harar since Harar is the center of Harari identity, hallmark for the Muslims and icon of indigenous minorities in Ethiopia.
Harar defines us, and why is self-identity important? Because it increases self-esteem, self-awareness, awareness of the world and political existence. Our Harari ethnicity ties into self-identity because it is part of who we are. Self-identity is the definition of who we are; we are Allah’s (SWT) gift in his diverse populations. In the real sense that can be, our identity is our story. It tells our distinctiveness and, in turn, the world what, when, why, who and how we are.
Our Harari identity provides a story. It’s a story of not just our lives, but the lives of those who came before us. It defines how our lives came to be. It tells how our love came and flourished in our homeland. Similar to others, our ethnicity is tied not only to our skin colour; but also to our roots. Our family. Our culture. Our religion. What hobbies we might have happened to like. The foods we enjoy such as Hulbut Maarakh, Waqalim, Mulawah, Sambusa, Faatira, Mutaabaq, Kahkah, and many more. The clothes we wear, the folk dances we perform, the music we ululate, the venerated religious sites we have, iconic personalities we celebrate, integrity we emulate, honesty we reflect, sharing what we have, love we show, peace we practice, and many more. These are some of our quality characteristics. They all constitute our identity.
Every person has a story and every community constitutes every person. Thus, every community has a story and so does the Harari Community! Each story has more than one part, as Harar and Hararis have many parts of their story. Harari heritage – The language, the culture, the traditions and the religion are our social anatomy, structures and intrinsic values. Mind you, if we do not preserve such values, we will obviously end up as our brothers and sisters, African-Americans who are made to lose their specific African identity, assimilated, marginalized and disconnected from their origin. They are the lost tribes of Africa across Atlantic! Abused and mistreated for centuries, and so are the natives and aborigines in their own homelands! We must vigorously and rightfully protect ourselves from such inhumane and historical genocides. We must confidently trace back and connect to our origin. Our origin is Harar!
What can we do to connect to our origin? My suggestion is through dynamic youth activism. We have to encourage one another. As Harari youth, we must uphold all aspects of Harari values – cultural, traditional, religious, political, economic and social activities firmly; so that we become a gateway to intergenerational equity, family reconnections, reviving Harari institutions, civic engagements, inter- and intra-community connections, democracy building, and involvements in community decision making wherever we live including back in Harar.
Without the involvement of the youth, Harar and Hararis will not move an inch in all dimensions and layers of Harari affairs worldwide. If we do not engage in all Harar and Hararis affairs, we are to blame in speeding up our extinction! We need to champion Harar wherever we are!
How do we move forward? Yes, the bottom line is, moving forward. We, Hararis, to ease our sufferings, we should preserve and evoke our communal identities and institutions around the globe. Being in state of denials is not socially and politically healthy, even if we live outside of Harar and abroad. Harar must be our main concern and priority. We should strengthen our identity. As indigenous minority and citizens of Ethiopia, we are facing multiple adversity in our homeland. Our unity globally will give us strength, and the Hararis in the homeland a sense of comfort, confidence, togetherness, voice and continuity of sense of self. The Harari youth should be at the center stage as a unifying force to forge into the future!
We, the Harari youth, also hope that all parents will connect, reconnect and support any Harari youth activities; realizing that Harari communities around the globe is youthful (majority are young) and dynamic. Let our elders face the facts, the Harari youth must not be overlooked, disconnected and ignored as was isolated for quite some time. Undeniably, the youth is Harar’s torch bearers, and engine of the society anywhere! We, the Harari youth, must participate and take the lead of our own affairs so that leaders could emerge from such basic youth involvement; by factoring local political system, affairs of our communities and the wider international social, economic and political realities in the world today!
Dear Harari youth, let’s not wait for an invitation, but self-initiate, getting organized and getting involved! We need to work on our political and social software. Let’s take up on ourselves, and mobilize our peers! I have seen such activities over 3 years ago, when Harari Professional Network was the light and hope of young Hararis. I have also heard of various youth organizations, or Mugads around the globe. Are we ready to connect to one another, and ultimately to Harari youth in Harar? Regardless of the many social and political swamps surrounding us, let’s reinvent ourselves, clear our perceptions, mobilize ourselves, reinvigorate our ideals and spark the 21st century Golden age of Harar.
Last but not least, as young Hararis, we have to be riders on social and political storms. We must be in Nabi Nuh’s boat using our good intentions and actions. We have to be more organized and connected to one another to counter any political disturbances, discriminations, and even existential threats wherever we are. We need to remind ourselves to show our best human qualities among ourselves, and to do to others wherever we are. Our devotions to all communities and Harar’s causes must be our undeterred task and legacy. Harar is awaiting for our meaningful actions to become glorious again, Insha’Allah!
Signed
Amana Ahmed Al-Abadir
Copies to:
- The President of Harari National Regional State
- All Harari Youth Organizations and Entities around the globe
- Harari Communities in Canada, the US, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and many more
For more IHMS videos and publications in Harari, Amharic and English, visit our website: www.ihmshararimedia.com
Thank you again for listening and watching IHMS programs. Aselam Aleykum