In Tribute to Ghirmay Shibeshi Yeibio
From Hidmona Eritrean-Canadian Human Rights Groups of Manitoba.
“My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.”—Edward Kennedy eulogy on his brother, Robert Kennedy.
Ghirmay was a leading voice of justice and human rights. He advocated and sponsored vulnerable refugees. He was in instrumental in rescuing hundreds of Eritrean lives from Malta and Libya who were at the risk of deportation to Eritrea and resettled them to Canada. Though that episode remained his possibly best achievement, he continued to sponsor refugees through his organization, the Community of Eritrean-Canadians in Manitoba. He was an early voice for cessation of 2% illegal taxation in Canada and expulsion of the Eritrean consul; in both regards he won. When the cap system affected refugee applications from African visa posts, he led and organized campaign highlighting African refugee plight. He wanted the betterment of his community; the brotherhood of all refugees, especially African refugees.
We at Eritrean-Canadian HR Group greatly benefitted from his friendship, solidarity, and his humanity. Now the Eritrean regime is known for its crimes against humanity, the most serious of all crimes. It was people like Ghrimay who pioneered the human rights movements that finally garnered world attention. He was fearless; outspoken when silence and fear clouded the Eritrean community in Winnipeg. He was exceedingly intelligent, lively and passionate.
The outpouring of messages of condolences and grief really is testament to how many lives he touched and changed-for the better. Eritrean mainstream and social media reported on his passing as well as local Canadian media, such as Winnipeg Free Press.
We indeed lost a voice, an articulate one at that; but we take comfort in knowing the path he chose that of activism is live and well; that he is in better place with the One He Loved most, the Lord.
“My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.”-Ed Kennedy on Bob Kennedy.
Nebari hiyet yelen. Hawna nHaqi n’fithi tetew mbalu nkuluna abnet kikwen yigbae. Abnetu tekteltina dmxi wuuxat; dmxi wish’tawi hlinana; Dmxi etom ebusat knkewn tiBeAt yihabena.
Mengeste Semay nehawna! n’beteseb xineeat yihab!
Hidmona Eritrean-Canadian Human Rights Group of Manitoba-02/05/2017.
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