29 years ago today Eritrea became independent, it brought so much mixed up feelings and made me think of all the sacrifices paid to be independent and all the sacrifices paid post independence. It made me think of the sacrifices of my own family, let me share it.

My great grandfather Andegergish (mum's side) was forcibly conscripted as an Italian askari and was stationed in Tripoli, later he fought against the Italians. He was working at an Italian fruits farm in Shiketi raising his 10 children.

His Italian boss asked for the hand of his 15 years old daughter, he had to force his 15 years old daughter Tiblets to marry Vergini who was 50+ (the story of Vergini's background for another time)

Vergini's oldest daughter is my mother Lidia.

Two of Lidia's children later joined EPLF.

My father Estefanos Abraha proud Wedi Akhria was recruited by EPLF and was underground activist, around the same time his brother was recruited by ELF and was storing ELF weapons and assisting the ELF assassins (Fedayin)

My 2 uncles were martyred fighting for EPLF and my uncle Gurja was DIA's proffesor at Addis Abeba University and then joined EPLF and was lucky to see endependence. He was first minister of housing/construction. He died exactly 1 year after endependence, I met DIA in his funeral

My uncle Girmay aka Castro who was EPLF fighter came home paralyzed, my cousin Jambo was martyred in Gidayif one day before endependence.

My aunt Nebiyat was recruited to help kill Cornell Bushu, she set up Bushu and got him killed for independence

My brother Mussie and Etore for EPLF, and post endependence my brother Alex ask to fight during the war in 2000 even though he was 15. Alex spent 19 years in Sawa as a prison guard and now a 35 years old refugee in Ethiopia.

This is a story of every Eritrean family, let's remember the price every family paid and keep paying. As hard as it is to celebrate Eritrea's endependence when Eritreans are not free, I dare to say happy endependence Eritrea and hopefully your children will be free soon.

I left a lot on my father's activism, @KidaneAida and @KibreabGaim know more about his work. Feel free to add