No.4 January1978 AESNA,Box l247, N.Y., N.Y.10027 FIERCEBATTLES RAGING IN MASSAWA 1O,OOOAGGRESSOR TROOPS WIPED OUT 20 SOYIET E-54 TANKS CAPTIJRED

In rheport cilyolMassawa.Erifea's third larcestcity, the sunis victories.As of Dccenber 24, rhe EPLA has killed over 1,500, risineon thc sideol the Eribeanliberarion struggl€ and it is serling iounJc-o.rr 2.500drJ.dpure, l,020ol hcJcerc or .r ,op.in on ihe sideof ELhiopia'swar ol asgression.The EritreanPeople\ Nlassawa.ln addition it has caplured l0 brand new Solier tanks L-iberationArniy is annjhilaling!he more than 10,000Ethiopian and othef lafee quaDtitiesof eeaponsand deslroyedtlrree more aggressortroops who a.e rrappedin the aggressor'snaval basein Iheharborarea. The EPLA haslakeD oler ihe city excep!ils island pafi lnd ihe penin$rlaof Girar *here rhe Ethiorian aegresof\ navalbase is located,The batilesare ragingat thc Dalal baseand

Thcraeingbarll€s in Ma$awa afc thc culDrinaLionof theseries of battlcsthai werefought betwcen the EPI-A and the Ethiopianoc cunalionlroops on thc Asmara-Massawaroad bctwcenNovembe. 2l aDdDecembe. 1, l9tt in whi.h the EPLA killed 1.500an.l ca!- tured ?50of the 15.000aggressor lfoops ral we.einvolved in lhe batrlcs.desrroyed 3 SovietT 54lanks andcapiured huge quantities of hcavyand lighr {eapons. The EPLA pursuedaficr ih€ reireatingaegre$or tfoops and on D...n1." 0 o...c. d Io .e ot {,ryM-'i,l})o19e .\'o .roof :n Dogaliand took conLrolof tbe only watcr suplly ol Massawa.ln the bdlliant vicrory in Doeali thc EPLA catlured l0 brand !ei! SovietT-5,1 tanks and large quanliti€sof other larec and small {eapons.The EPLA coniinuedits forward march rnlo i\laslalla and bt Decenber12 il had taken contfoi of ihe ai.Po.!. Lhefuel depotaDd mosr lections oftbe cily. Later on, TLrwalei,the section lhich is adjacentto lhe islandpaft ofthe city,lvasadded to the list oflib-ated secrioDsofihe city, Th€ batLlesconlinxe Io libcraielhe renaininerwo scciionsofthe citt, the islandpart and1he penin!ula of Girar andio coftplelelysnash the aggrcssorlroops. ln lhe bal- rlcsto libe.atelilasai!a thehcroicE PLA hasscored ur pr€cedented 'the hllnd pa.t ofMssara: It rillsoon be liberal€dDy EPLA EPLF CENTRAL COMMITTEE HOLDS SECONDREGULAR MEETING

The Cenrral Colrmittee of dre lritfcan Pcople's l.iberation Sressof the EPLF. li affifmcd that th€ unprecedentedviclorics /- I-o ,ed nreei.- b. $.ei \J.e, 'F lh-20 achievedin thc polidcai.milita.y, socialand ecoDonicficlds we'e 1977 ln thc liberated a.eas. The Ceniral Conlnittee meelins dre outcomeof the concrereimplemenlation of rhenational demo- b.oadlydis.rsed and summedup lhe prescntsituation oftbe Eri craiic program.the resolutioDsoi the Fir( Coneressol EPLF and Irear revolulionaDd the silultion in the Horn of Africa. The Cen' theeLidelinesolllined by its ii.( .eeula.neeLing. tral Committeedi\cus!ed and analyred the Lasksaccomplisbed The EI,LF CentralCommitiee discussed and resolredthc loUow sinceirs fir\t regularmeeting which took placeir earlyFebruary, 1nglmponanr querrons: 1977jusi aftcr lhc successtulconclusion of the hisloric Firn C'on- Contihuedoh Pdee3 1978 2/Eritreain Struggle January

X Ciriesliberated by the EPLF

.r ri !r "2, }5rr! .6. tl{,

Contihued.frctn Pdse l c€nterand a baseoi lhe Navy ol theEthiopian aggresso.s. largestporl, is the si|e of a numberof small In another front the EPLA aho alracked tlre Ethiopian Massawa,Eritrea\ ceDtcrol saltproduction and rhc iish industryin aecressoF' al AdiKeih in the southernpari otEriirea- on facioriesand lhe earison wcll knosn forits pcarl. Decenbef 12. i! annihilated1,800 aggrcssor troops an'l cap[ueo Eritrea.liis also of Masawa *ill be a sevcreblo$ to imperialist th.eearmor€d cars in Addi Wegeraole nile to lhe north of Addi The libe.atioD and econodicinter€srs in the Efjf€an seacoast rn pafircu_ Keih. At lhe same lime the EPLA aho pounded the Dongolo militarv reejonin general.Vr'ith the liberarionof thc onlv garrisonofthe asgressortroops sbich is localedhall sav between lar ali thevhole poa .ir). A+ao l rcc vill \ ed A smaraand Marsara inflicline heavvlosses on tnem orf.r e.'cm)o'.Jp.eJ 'rir' o rpe alira|Je\p"n'o'iJ nrru or' lhe bed The EPLA\ unprecedentedvictorv in Masala will eo down m JoorL o'ed port sill mean that our strategic1,000 mite sea annals of o; peopic's mililan! histo.v Thc heroism and lion of onr cities the our te(itorial wateb willbe underlhe di.plare.bi rhc I Pl A | perlecrlire srtf r\e Ie \P t coas1,ourmarinevealth and .oufrse 'n the serviceof our masses.Ou scashore manJssldnr'rol ou rr\er'and o(ldrrer'The rLe contol of the EPLF lor DdIo: RasDumerain lhe soulhwillbe in ihar our faih€rsand fotelalheN shedtheir blood for in the last500 f.om RasKasd in th€ north ro peor'le\ to liberateour port city and drile the variousaggressos oui otrr hands. vears viclorl in odr port cltv blngs our peopres ;f the iaiherlandis beins realizcdbv the EPLF ald our masses The EPLA'| sreat . ro \.. o-r. \4d*dia\.oaper.libetu rod,\. r\- ercalvi. o j ol r\e LPI A rrrDotdli o| Decerberl0 i nr rse .lr.er '(ontlere or\ehoe alionolo-r.ot1l^ Jorlslr:rr' o,, orelaler' 1e o'- .rcro^ '1 l88q \n'n r\e) r.or'-r.'lt'".prc.rA' . r.ot.'t goineto happenn the no oo d6ranr ..,.n"a "i.otr." u t00 In\roirg ldli.n colur'a'Fr'roop lr Asdara, shich h definilely " Dogali,our heroicgran.lfathe6 pxl up stiff rcsistancebv cliting all in Masawa fills our fighiinC massesand all op' thesuDDlv lines oflhe Italianaggfcssors The victory {ir1rol. On ll'eollc, hd d,r ia\Jm aire he iiberarionof our pon citv will eDd500 vea's of succ€sivc Dre),edDconh er!miF.,tl e la' .. j Inta. npcru T. anJ . edc colonialistaggiesion Our straiegiccounlrv and especiallvits srra- .tea-ro ou: ' The EPLA\ gr€a!victorv in Massasafunher lestifics10 rrrc .1.13ii";.1-1ul".-"da r\e.r1re ,d dr$aJ dr'r'( edrre rionaries, no matterhoe many sophisticatedrveapons the Soviet erieo. e'er of t\pan"'onFt'ano rnne-idlrr!olonidr" : the tact thal ',riou givesthe Ethiopianlascist jxnta and no nalter how manv ireo.orrr ru n l5r_ rfcTc\p Union ""roo..upieoou'Dor'cir) iL arr-z oni l. aa rr" n ror h( la""Jnra oLr ocople iian exnansionisls.the llalian colonialistswho coloniz€doui coun Lroop ba l-Pl I $rllrer'' on heroadofp'or'acredpeonleia and try ty nrt tat

./-\ PEOPLE'SASSWIBLY PROCT-AIMEDIN AFABET

providesrain Since ils libcraiion on April 4, l9r7 by the hcroic Ernrean 3) formationoia r€liel associationin orderto and l,eople\ Liberalion Army (EPLA), Afabel, ihc largesitoiln iD othcrhcl! to !heneedy and lhe orphans, Sahelprovince and an imponant agricuhuralcenler, has seeD tun 4) consiructionofroads irom Afabel to bolh Einn and Gulbtrb, damentalsocial and polilical ch.necs. The EPLF's Iide scale polilical rork aDdrigorous political st.uegle has broughl teften- 5) buildingan asembly hall io. usefor ma$ neetnissand oth* dous socialand political upheavaL.Except for a handful of die hards, ihe E.ilrean People'sl.iberation Fronl (EPL!') hls suc h ordcr to solve$e .onlradictionsthai may ariseanong the give cecdedin orsanizing fie 6,000 residcnis ol the iowD NIas! peopleihroueh criticism aDd scll criiicisn as wellasto a rishl proper organizatioDsoi workers.women, pealanls. youlh and a people\ ful ver.lict on the conflicts thal nay arise and to eire nilitia havebeen eslablished. Women aho havebccn subjected1o punisbmentto thc antipeople elementsa people'scour| has also the most crude iludal-patriarchal olpresio! arc winning theil beenset up and hasalready begun carrying out its tasksprope.ly. rightsin a1Laspects of life. The leudaland backwardelemenls afe The Pcople\ Alseftbly is corectly handlingthe affansof lhe resi Iosinsinev€ry battle front. The nases havccstablishedtheir dicta dcnB oi Alabel ard safesuardjnethe inlereslsof the oppre$ed tor\hip overtheireDemies. The most impo.lant polirical victory openinea new chaplefn The esrablishmcnioflhe peoples asembly in Afabct is a nricro- place the hisroryofAfabet is lhe enablishmeDtofapeople\ a$enbl! on cosni of whar h takine in the villaees.cities and tolvns Nov€mber9,1977. The People\ Ascmbl!, deleCaledto administer rlrroughou! lhe liberated arcas of Eriirea, The setting up ot Lheatfairs of Afab€!, was establishedby rhe ma$ orgamzaLlons people\ poBer is tire corrcrstone ol the lasks confrontiDglhc Composedof sixteenslarding and six altcrnate nedbers, ihc Erikean revolrtion and the EPLF. Having liberatedthc country Pcople\ Assemblyhas sel out ro undefiakcthe lollowingconcrcte sideand mosl of ihc cilies lhe EPLF has laid the e.ound for ih€ establishmcntoi ihe people: deniocraticslatc in Eri1.ea,The Erit.eanmasses are establishtus lhci. power.The People\ A$em- in the town nos op€ra1edby l) administrationof ihe schools blies in Afab€t and othc. folns, liUagesand citiesare the solid EPLF foundatjoDofthc!eo!le's denocratic iD E.itreawhich with EPLF fighlen in eovernment 2) buildineof a reservoirin coopcration $illbe cstablidiedin thenot roo distantfuturc. orderto satisfyrhe towD's *at€. needs,

Continuedfton paseI

.one sa as to establish people's lssenlblies thlt will be the l) h nade dn ukdentandinE that ahhaugh the secord regalar Jbundittionsal thepeople't p.teer inluttte Etitrcd. hdre held at neetins oJ the Cetttal Colnnittce shoul.! heen 3) on nationalunit!: takingrhequestion o.f nathhd I unilr ds the o.f the month Au8t6t it wasinposible becvuse the beginkins af nnin and ane to aEainstthe politi.alcan prereile.l ||ork re" Juhddnentul JiEht a:fthe hot situationthat und the inlentite jllsion created bf wrious reactionaries and oppartunists and quned hlenbers wre and becausethe CehIra! Conhittee btinE dbout a unid that satis/ies the interens ard aspiratians s.attered in dilfereht placesperjormine inlpottdnt .1unes. dncl Ihe 2) It rcsolred that the basic expahsioh consolidation d 4) Rdise the tested struteg! oJ 'liberating the Iar.I and the the rcorsdnizdtianoJ thePeople\ Arnt on a ba\earea\ an.1 peoplenep b!step" to a higherlewlih ordet to dealthe ehc- hilher lerel hdre been .ompleted; lhat great tictories hare n! the.finalahdcletkire blo||. beenscored in extemalpo!iticdl acliNities. 5) Ta the ndchinationsan.l emplj sbgdhs af the anaU.e.lrepotts klis ftuttlate Jds 3) h lbtenedto, nudied ah.l afthe.foreign cist Detsue (Ethiopian:fas.ist junta): \|ase an intensire politi ratiors depattnents o:f the paliticdl, niliturr, so si.tn aad the .dl campdign abroad and penetrate throuqh ond ilhtminate cidI alfdirsxnd ecanani. canmittees. the palitical ovtcast c.eate..lin the H.tn o.f A.ftica un.lel the 4) Aftet a thoroueh stud!, it adopred the internal rcsulations guLteaf "oht i-inpetidlish. " and the ptirciptes oI s.lninistration the political burenu, fot Upon endingits deliberationsthe Cenlral Comnitlee issueda the adninistrativ ptinciples of dtetnal olfices, nilitatt rcsu concludingdeclaration in which it reaffirmedlo the flghtersand .lepdrtnen^, and na idgetules, ||hich btbns, suidelihes.far rhe massesthat as iD the pastrhe EPL| will courascoudyand uD neetins resolred to be drcfted. thefi& rcErldr $ve.vinglylrustraiethe machinalions oi lhe Elhiopianfascisljunia 5) tvilh rcsutdb the questionoJunitt oJthe Iwo oryani.ations, and rheconspiracies of the internalreaciionaries and leadthe revo- that is, EPLF dn.! ELF, it rati|ied the Nowmber 24, 1977 htion 1o rictory and, call€dtrpon them to cafry lhe strugeleto a asrcenent and in accordance nupped the plan for puttinE il hiehd levcl. ll ciprcsscdits support to the democ.aticforces in Ethiopia, and called on them !o fo.rn a uniled lront againslthe 6) h chattedaut theJuture tatks uad prcsrcn o.f vork in the Thes€condregular fteeting ofthe Cen!ralConmi!t€e oi EPLF is historic. lt was held on tbe ere of the liberationof our coxnlry Thc CentralCommitte€ rneeti.g ourlined rhe iollo*ins tasksto from Elhiopianfascist occupatlon and imperiliasm.lts resolLrtions and euidclincswill undoubledly acceleratethe victory ol ou. l) Ta properu rcelre social mdtterc that keerl kew salutians, peotlet re!olutionary!!ruggle. especio r so.ial and e.ononic tdsks that haw rcsulted JTon AESNA haih tbese.oDd regular meeling oftbe CentralConnir- lhe rerolutianary expansian in the liberuted cities and areas. tee of lhe EPLF vanguardand will st.ugglerjtb all its might towafdsthe implcmenlationof its resolutionsard suidelines.We 2) On areohizingthe tflasses::forthe nassesto gain politicol are conlidenl thar the inpo4ant guidelinesof the ceni.al con paver and be able ta estublish people s goyemm4. at this niltee neetingrillbe fully implemeniedby the heroicfighler!, the staeedtu|| in the ntas:te\ihta the ndss oryani.ationsin erert ma$ orcanizationsand our fightinsmases. 4/Eriireain Struggle January1978

MASS RALLIES IN DEKEMHARE, SEGEL{

The spirit of freedomand liberationfills thc aif in the liberaied On Octobe. 13, ihe residen$of ihc city hcld yct anothermas Eritrean cilies and iowls todaJ. Having .id lhenrelves of rau] ro celebrarethe brillianrrictorr scoredb! rhc EPLA over rhe Ethiopian fascistoccupation the Eribean ma$es ljrine in lhe Ethiopianaegre$or rroops on Octobe. l2 on the Asmaral\l!$awa liberaredcities and Iowns are ftrU] enjoyinetheir democraticrights. road. Sineils revolxlionary songs and shouting relolutionar,r The liberat€dto\lns and cities of Kcrcn. Dckcmhare.Segeneiti. sloganssuch as "Victorr to thc ma$esl" and "Ou ricto.y !\ ce.- Nacfa.Allbcl, etc.havc bccomc cenlers wherc the E.irreanlrats€s tainl" the hugec'o*d marchedthrough thc *idc avenuesof the a.e stagins huge rallies and denonslrarions to asserl their ciiy. A bfard new T 64 Sovie!rank Bhich Bat capturcdby the democraticrights, to roi.e lheir opinionsand to expressthel willi FPLA iiom theEthiopian assressortroors durine lhe lie.cebatiles to assetthcir popxlar and .evolutiona.yposcr, and iheir dictalor of Septenber18 20, 19?7on ihc AsmaraDekemhare road accon- shipover their encmies.Thc massesare takjng to ihe slreetsin tens -:,''d'\e rd,.5( ; n;ddJ(. c'lor o lc 1llJ. of thouland! to erpress thcir unbendine sutpo.L lor Lheir AfteNafds the marchersgath€.ed in lhe .ily s squaresand vanguard,the EritreanPeople\ LiberarionFront (EPLF), lnd ro danccdalllight long. Seleralspeecheswere read, one of$hich was e{pre$ thel deephalred of tbeir enemies.Mas .allicsarc hcld nl delivered by a retresenrativeof rhe AssocialioDof Eriirean \' in hc.o\r'"ndir L-c ic roc.lebc.(\. \'..1Jr\vJn "9c. St!denLs DekemhareBranch. Thc spcakerslated, "we willsLrug- bl thc EPLF. eve.t vicioryscorcd by the EPLA ove. th€ Erhiopian gl€ side by side with our \areuard organiration, Lhe EPLF. age.essorL.oops. wirh the unsservingstrpnort and leadenhipol Without sayine'Now that Dekedhareis free we do not cafc'wc , e IPI f. he - orroni/ed b' l.e n 1'. orsani/a- oughr10 struggleunlil lhe restof otrr citiesare libcrarcdlnd Ethi tionsofsofker, p€asanls,ilomen, youlh and studeDts$ho arethe opian fascislo.cupation of ouf counrr,!is deslroled wilhour a main forcescstablishing the people'sdemocratic administrarion. rrace.Stillmore *e $illcoDtinucourliberaiion srruggle to eslablish On irs parr, thc EPLF, in accordan.e$ith its nationaldcmocratic apcoplc\gorcrDmcnr. ap€ople'sposerin ourcoxntry, Eritrea.' program,has declared to thc masscsthat to denronstrale.to assem- 'Therillr bcganal 5:10l'.Nl. and lasledfof lhe wholc night. Thc bl€, Lo speaklreely is !he inalienabl€right oi the Erilrean mas* .irj rhr. (nan.dl, h o,re\o. , .is ,r tor l,. o.. . ur andlhat it istheverysamereason IhaI it hasbeen and is struggling. 'e In the past five monihs scvcfaimass rallics and demonsirations SEGENEITI ha!€ beenheld in K€ren,Segeneili, Dekenhare, Nacfa, etc. in su!- On Septembef24,1977, ovcr 7.000relidents of Segeneniandrhe porL of the EPLF, celebraringthe licLoriesaon by rhe EPI-F. strrounding arca took to thc s!.e€ls!o ext.e$ lheir unflin.hine Beloware deniptions of someof the ma$ aclionslhat took tlace rupporr of and thei' lull conlidencein theif thc [PL]:, in Det.nhare andSeeeneili. 'anguard. and to celebrareits all round riclodes as wcll as lo condemnthe --$ reaclionarya.d opportunisrlorcesiD rhe F.itrean st.uegle, DEKEMHARE Ihe cfo\ld paradcdin ihe streei\oi Segeneitidaicnrg ralriolic Since its tibcration on Juiy 6, l9?? Lry EPLI, Dek.mharc. d!nccs,silging revoluliona.ysongs..afyine placardsrith revolu Eritrea'siifth largesLciry, hat becomeLhe center oi ma$ a.Ironson lionar] sloCansand raisinehigh lhe IPLF\ flag and emblcm. Ihe soulhernfidx. The residenrsof Dekertharehave held seleral Molhersaho lonled in ulL'lation.Scleral speeches a! weil a! par.i' nus rallicsto hailth€ EPLF vansuardand to ceiebrarcthebdllianl oric and rcvolutionar! poens $e.e r€ad at lhe rally. The spee.h rictoriesil hasbcen {inDine. In lhe nrollls olAueust and Scplcm prescDtcdin thc nane of all eight of rhe farticiranl rillagesand berBhenlhe Ethiopian aggrcssor lroops madc.c!ea1ed ailemltt to Sesenejtislated, "The .easonthat led us ro oreanizediis railr is lo recaplu.eDek€mha.€ lhe resid€ntsof rhe cirr besid€ssellle\sly €rr'rersour joy o!er ihe militaryand polilicalricloics bcinescorcd sur'portingthe EPLA fronlline fighl€rs by pro!iding food and by onr vanguardofganization agajnsr thc D.jmaryenem! ol lhe waler.caing for rhe woundedand buildine feederroads, demon' Erirreanpeople as wcllas againnthe iniernalreaclionary and ot- slraledin the streelsofthe cily rejoicingover erefy victory won by porluDistforccs, Moreorer, $e ll'e residentsof Seeeneiliand the thcFPLA, sfroundinS areaas organizednembes of the IPLF aho hoid this

A vier olth€ somen \ d ehonslralion in Xeren January1978 Eritreain Struggte/s FITI AND KEREN IN SUPPORTOF EPLF Cohtirued.ftoh ?aqe I rarry to expressour lull coniidcnce in rhe co(ect and clear princi- ples occupationof our country, irnperialism,feudalisnr and or ouf vanguard organization a! well as to voice ouf hat.ed of internal drd r, o h. re..r^r dr\ drJ Jopo rnr., qfo ^foo ^r b..c Thc rally beeanai 10:00A.M. tJnee.t) nr gto d((.redir .ur r.J ",e and wentwellintothe evening. mped..tre.i..u|e b.ine Tbereha!e alsobeeD ,.o (!r b\ rl( blooJ ,l! *.,' sinitar nas! ralliesa!.1 oEuo.{.arons D he !oL asF.r. ,,.u,1 ro..i,) K-?r mDF\erl.,eoi{t iJ gnrr'. o I pt L rrr rii. o.io\ion" sc iort_ te tcrp-r {c.e in . rppo o r.e tr,-.o !e.t". dg..n r\ ober20. n\n ,e,ed that_as part of ihe Eritrcan nasses, ted and organized by;ur 'r--dg"ee o) FDt I and ie\ ELFand theEPLF,S principlcd stand on narionaiuniry. lul_ nd) orlon /dr o,. Fpt L drd ...p. tf-.o c. .1! I .e, .n drulog l,blos,..\eare.cdo. LotJ,- ou. Drofe. roe jic.. .ce .r j .ro 1 h( .uutc acd.n.r he r". .iJ ASSOCIATIONOF ERITREAN WOMEN FORMED IN KEREN \o\ mbe I ta-- :.., ..To .te , ^l \ n .t .u, re.oI.ra,o.rt On | .,,.cd,.\\.tre,, .\(,p rhis sjsnificantoccasion, the massesof won,enconrrrbured ::::l:l'" gl r,rar(. ,A, $ K) \.,. . b' ed.a\ecr :-:'"1l:'l:tlttr:-',,'o o rlc 1\ .fuo , ,,...r.,., ,; :.9j:l _, dcnor.r? o- prcoeeo . .,re Jrootc. ton nt .one o tlrcr ^\cr4.0cor|r.-nr{orc.\orrc. dcr .trae"rrr,c r.<,.. ..1:, l'. """,* ro ru !!eb. id; ^. .tre .om.ad+ o,,e, r..i ,r o,arr-on oLh.rro.rr /J, or. On r.r. i, corn,-J iron bpal fo.J ,;: drdro,a-d rcb,,.dirrorai... 9...'"..., .rr 20.0,)0p-ooL.,u.,. rter r.erocr. o-.he 1:: i:i", ocre.\ .'c j r d..,,,or ir.oro \olc..._(a.Jr....u.cn,arolo i, ** o o,!dnr. )r(ccr .Jt.ond.hed r'fc.re,.ir i:'.' ne r\c r i edn ma..c.and i. p.,,r.,rta. opo ot {r !\KJrdlh- The worneDs demonstratron.The demonstration formarion of rhe AEWK and rhe Nomen\ wasorganized by the ro ,cb, ,rro e-l 'uI edAl !\ h .. lh h" u ,Lopoa I j:lgi.l ,a e ro| e.,.uferpofl o rel-pt F. , *ii'..1.f. eJ$ord. .n.ieL.i.r,d, wortr 19 o.o heFpIt ,reo h..r'st ,u oo.r.or -drncna..t ...anr

we the ||oneh of Ke/en As pdtt dn.t pdrcelaf Etnrean wanen Fro h Tu I k ish t o E I h io p ia n cob, id I ien Hare I i wd I h rc u s h Io re i ga a esressio h an d d o uu t e op preseo n T.heJist, .otoniatisn, ve ta.e with our people .he secoku, eprcna.| ofour btothen Rise, ryotnen AlEtittea we'/lbe liberatedfran oppression ar.t hiserl \at h.arpk,la"a+ wp bL t, p!.p,, tr ^.r. ti,r Lten ro.1s!, we can see theloun.tatiahsfar oo !iherutioa W.,a b. L, Jr,t. t?t .ttart-ctl. o.,t a,a2. Le

1977:A HISI

l9l? $irners€da revolrtiolarJ upsu.gein the struggleot !t!e $orkine andoppresed pcoplcs lhrouehour lhe world. On the orhel haDdii Nirnesedselbacks and railureson ILc sideof inle.ialism and all.eacrionafies.Imlerialisn and allreactionne.e dealtheary blo$s b-!the combi!ed forceof lhe national!iberarion (rueeles in Aftica, Asie and Lntin America.thc *o.king cla$ strugslein Lhe capitalistcoLnbies and thc socialisL.oMtries. In EriLrea. uldcr the leadeship ol lhe E.ilrean Peoplc't I-iberaLio! FroDi .rnd its amy, Ihe hcroic Eritrean Pcolle\ l-iberarionArm,I, ihe E.itreaDrevolLrtion Non unpfecedcDtcdand earrhshakinevicro.ies in 197?.Evcr! dat, everyi!€ek lnd e\erv month of the yetu, rhe EPLI recordedcreat milhar', polirical, socialand economi.achicvement!, brirging thc E.ilrean neople's srrugglecloser to its goal of naLionalindcpcndence and libefation. The )ear 197?will ahvatsbe remembcrcdas a hlstorlcyear ot un- nrecedentcdvicio.ies in Ihe loDeald hililanr historJof ou. heroic peoplcand especially dre sloriout l6 y€a6 orafmcd struggle. Th€ EPLA in prep.ralionto alla.k the Ethiopirn agg.€ssorr'oops The nany sxccescsand victoriesof the Erirrean.erotutroD rn the lasLyear are iD Iurn asleclsof greal dcliats. disapFoirlncnts and failxresfor the Elhiopianocculatio.isrs, inp€rialismand in_ terlal icaction, 197?Nas a ,!ear ol devastatile dcltals lor the Ethiopianlascins'warofacgrestion inEritrea. The lpectacularviciories in I97r eere lhc Drecedenlsof thinss that beganwith thc scttjDgon fire of a fud delot in N'lasawathat conrained45,001,000lites of fucl bt EPI-F fiehleN on Deccnber I l. the lastdar oi l9t6 whichthc EPLF called"a flamins torch oi

Ihc EPLF\ polilical, militar!, social ald cconomicachleve ncnt5ol l917areasloundinr. The non sjsniiicartNliricalriaofy in I 9rr is rhehisroric Fir\t Congre$of thc EPI F {hich sas hcldin rheliberated arcas ir .lan!ar-\'197?. Thc EPLF Congressis thc li*t democraticconeress ir lhe hislory of the Eritrean rcvolulion ft adoptcdthe revolurioDafynltional democraticp.ogran and nassed importanl resolutions.As the EI']LF put it. the historic First Cong.esshas "ushcredin a nes, naec of ereat delelopmentud b.illiant achicvementsand bronght forth lhe finest days ot our revolutionaryorgani2atio!- " In rhe ideological and !olitical sbueele bctween the Sovir( larks crptur€d t.om the Elhiopian revolLrrionaryaod reactionar! forcesof the E.itrcan slruggle,the tho.ougheoingrevolutionart lorces led b) the EPLF have \!oD decisivevicto.ies oler lhe reactionaryelemenrs. The feaciionar! elementshave b€en funhef isolatedand exposed.The pro U S in- pcrialistSabbe diqxe has bcen ltlly exposedaDd ;olated on lhe questjonof nationaluDiry. through the felentlessstruggle by lhe Erikean ma$esand all parrioiic fichlcrs and the EPLF's cofrcct linepositne stcls fonvardhave bee! rcgitte.ed. The IPLF has furrher devclopedand (rengthenedits wo'k of politicizing,oreanizine and arninCrhe mases. Strong ma\s organts zation\ ol eorkers, pcasanl!,rlomeni yonth and sludenls hare blossoniedlhroughout Eritrea. Abroad. the Associationsof Erirrean worken, STudells and women in lhe Nliddle East. Europe and Nortb Anerica hale inlensifiedlheir struggleand strcDethenedlheir trnitJ wjfi the massorganizations al hof,e. ln the lib€raledvillaecs. towlt and citiesthe masscshave sel trp their Deotle'sasenblics and are manaeinsthcir daily alfairs. The solid ioundatioDof lonorrow\ democralicE.irr€a has taken dcfiDilc

In ihe military ftoDt. rvith th€ liberationof Karora on January6 and with the seigeof Nacla since Septcmbe.1916, rhe EPLF openeda gencralolfensile to liberatcthe iowns and the cities.The rhingsthalwereto come followcd. The EPLA implemcntinethe arl of pcople'swar liberatedcily after citt in an xDp.cccdeni€dsav. Cniesand to$ns ot najor s1.a1egicard ecoromiciftlortance, the and cities oi Nacfa. Afabet, Ela Bered, Debanva, "seltrelianccislheLt] loou.!iclor' EPLF iowns bekemhare,Keren and Segeleiti,fell to the EPLF one ate. the January1978 Erilreain Struggle/7

f}RIC YEAR

od'€rlile ripc fruits. \r|ors' .u.,d.^ , he/Jg-.or ,^o-. ndd\.cp-dr.od,r.lrp .a..,oaJ. t-, Jr,e.t re.,hr thettt \.,.t Ia..<.rour.d rr.dee Jr r^oo.i ,Jc.,so..re '/ :1,'"o'. L I.r 1g .p.er.hLaJ-. J L. t^ c or lhc.. -'r AL re momentthc Ept_A js annihilatingthe fas.ist oc.uparion , q ,Jon n \r.r..!$/ L .1. .ou,.j . ."oi... r.,, i . .d ". . "t.o . 1r .'. N h:lt r e.o"d. .r. ,. o ..ho ut b) ,.- EPI A wirh rhe couni.lside an{:lhosr of ttre ciiics liberare.lnoi! rhc f \ioj'Jr .r.r-e o|oof . rF oir rued i. Ai piJ J J A..Jo J d .TplFreJc pdr 1 ,.,.L dp,J oe.on.. .ibrto rd- rJ e .r, iunJr, r. .."1, l rl.po.er.,.r I e roe 'rl errl .or. D\ oire'\c5..r. Ur u. I 1r...FdItrt . qearcns or oft i cared ro ihe ErhjopiaDfascisrs rhe trtLrea! ljbe;arion o,.e. hJ\F mo d lcd he.,dh ' u, tt ( elo,r.o,l r trr.l -drdreh. orFd o I oj h.

At the samcrime thc EPLF hascatiurcd eno.rnousquantiries ot. Sovietard U.S. miliraryhardware lion rheoccupatjoDrroops. The scveralLr.S. M-41 and M 60 and SovietT-54 and T 6:l ra;ks, rhe thouse.dsof Lr.S.11 14 and M-16 and SovietKalachjnkoys and 7. othcr largequanrities of heav),and lighr weaponscafiured in lhe batrtdieldsare in thc handsof rhe EpLA, the EpaF\ people\ \ll_ia.'a.r IraJere.\^..

ot our peoplc,sliberaiion srrueste. In the libcraredareas rhe EPLF has launch€dcrrensiyc edu.a lional, nredicalan.l economi.Frosranrs and trasopcned €xiclsive bus lincs to serve e masses.Ttre nunbcf of lchools has been sreall! rncreased.The EpLF is dailj engagedt! e.adicatingi|ircr acyanonsrhe workcr andpeasants through ma$ educatjo;and is carDglor andeducaring rhe children of our he.oicmart!.6 an.l rhc childrenoi ouffighLersand Lhe ma$e!. Equallyii thc lredicat field, rhc EpLF has buik more hospjrals in drelibc.ared arcas aDd rranrd norc ..bareiboldoctor,.re;dils to lhe ned'cal needsof th€ mases. It hasnadc ar ertensive Rlising the t€chnicat can tevel of the m.sses-ryping class ir the ta'gn Io educltethe masses in pfs,enrivemedicinc and to clinrinate connn'n'cableaDd othe. diseasesthrough ino.utation and \accina

Tle EPLF hasatso achicved gr€ar succels i,, u,e,mpoirani rask of leadingthe teasarr malscsi! arrarian revotxrion. js ..land tr imple neDringrhe slogan to dre ti €r,,, and, br potilicjzing;nd dr.ins h\ p^., .|. I ir.tc ^ 'd-t. D-d_nr 1,, pe..r I. pad1! rle , 1 dLou. ..rr;g.- 're " .1a. n their noliricalandecononic rjehrs. Once orsanired and poliicized, rhc peasanishave themelves iniriated taDd .eibrns thal are of hrstorrcproporrions in the E.itrcan couDrrtsid€.Th€ EPLF has arned peasaDts rhe by ionning peopie\ nitiiias ro dcfendr1r eains

In aU lls f€ro]urionar!work anong rhe masscsano rn execulne Ilretall,s of the .evohrion the EI,t F hascourageously imtlemen- redure revolurio.arr pfinciptcot setf reliarce.Ii hasestabiished a numbe. of sorkshops and smalt induslriesan.1 rectained .argetracts ol land -large for aefjculturalproduce Lo oorn carerro rhe dailr needsof Lhemasses and rhe revotulioD.rn doi.g so rhe liberatedareas havc becomesetffetianr in nrary respecrsand a rr;cr p-.enr-agco Rrbrildine d.molhhed ' ctoodnlco or .teti!1.c.d Jr,Fpeop.e hou\es in Dct emhlrc na(neEn mer rrom In\ derhc Lourr.]. t 6tE itiea ifl Struggle January1978

HAIL TIIE FORMATION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ERITREANSTI.IDENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Underthe slogan"Struggle lor a democraticstudetrt movement, theirsholehearled suppofl for the Eril.eanpeople\ arded slrugsle strueslerowards fie eslablishmenrof a singlelaiional demofalic cvcrsince i!s inceplion.However.lheir revolulionary poteDtiaL was front in the Erifean field tbroxghthe road of ihe unitedfront" th€ Lctluntapped unril the fonnarion of the EPLF in l9r0- The reac' lohding congres ol the A$ociation of Eritean SludenEtu the tjonary EritreanLiberation Froni (ELF) leadersinsread of poliii Nliddl€East (AESME) was held in Ktr$ail ftom Octobcr 23 29, cizineand orsaDizinethe lludena did everythnieIo coDfL6c,divide 197?.Dclegates liom !he srudygroups that wereformed i! !he past and userhe sludenlnovemenl as a tool for fu.thcriDglheir reac- tso ycarsin Kusail, Iraq, Cairo and Libya larticipated in rhe tionaryinteresls. The so-calledG€neral Union ofFritrean StudenLs congress.Represenratiyes of thc EPLF\ Depa.lment of Ma$ (cUES) Bhich wasformed in 1968urd€r lh€ leadershitof a reac' Organizalionsas \rell as delcga|esfron both the Asociation of tionarypro'ELF diqxe hasbcen a nrerelool or theELF leadeB.In Erilrean WomcD and lhe AssociaLionof Eritfean Wo.kers in 1970,$he! thc Erirean People\ LiberatioDFront was formcd Kuwait also artendedihe congres. The selcn day long congrels GUES srlit inro two grotrps.CUtS (Cairo)which pporled lhe broadly disctrsedthe presentsiluarion of the Erikean revolution EPLF and CUES (Baedad)shi.h coDlinuedsxpportins lhe ELF andthe historical delclopment of the Erilreansludent movement nr Although CUES (Cairo)sopponcd the EPLF and condemnedlhc the Middle Easr. It pass€dinportant resolrtions oD Daiional, Liqnidiationislcivil war which was declaredbv the reachona.v o.ganizational,as well as internationalqucstions and electeda ILF l€adeB, it was donirated bv a reaclionarv pro Sabbe provisionalgeneral secretarial with scvenm€mbers ro Lakeup lhe clique. In Jaluary, 1976, followine rhe infamous "Khartoum leadershipof theorcaDization. Agreemcni" betwecn the ELF leaden and lhe Sabbe clique The first Congre$ of AESME .esolvedto adhereto thc rcrolu the txo CUES groxpsmcrged and decla.cdthen suppofi for the tionafy politicalline ol the EPLF, praisedthc EPLA fo. the bril- f€actionaryKhafioum Ag.eement. Thc democrari.stxdcnrs wilhin liani ricto.ies il is winline over lhe Elhiopian Iascisroccupalion GUFS (Cairo)whohad beenopposineih€ Sabbe cliqnc an.l it! rep- t.oops and expresedits pride of the EPLF\ remarkableachicvc resenrativesin the studentorganiTalion condemned,the Januafv.. nents in tbe political,miliiary, socialand economicliclds. On ihe 1976mcrger ol lhe GUESeroups and deDounccdihe holv alliance- queslionof national unjly lhe Congres resolvcdlo work hard betwecnihe Sabbeclique and the ELF leadersand their Khartoum toNardsfofcine unity bel8eenEPLF and ELF, supportedthe Oc- Acrccrnent.The democraticsludents sided with lhe EPLI and tober 20, 1977agreeoenl on nationalunity ligned by EPLF ald oc( Jed,o \oii .lu elys l'rnc.(ro.ar'.lrr'ea1mo'orcani_ ELF and a! the sametime condemnedthe activitiesol thc iDtcrnal Tarionsabroadr rhe lhe Ernfean lbr I-iberationjn lLtrole (EF'LE) reactionarieswho a.e trying to impede the advarce ol the and Eritreansfor Liberationin Nonh America (EFLNA)- Since rerolurion. o! rhc organizaLionalfroit thc congressresolved to tlren the democraticstudenls hav€ becn saging militait strugele form thc AESME with the sludy groupsin I.aq, Libya, Cairo and cxposinglhe reactionar!Iine of thc ELF and lhe coxnicr revoiu_ Kuwair as its chapters.Thc Congr€ssresolved to slrugelclor the lionary Sabbc cljque and thcir r€presentariresiD the student unity of the ErilreaDstudent norement on a coff€ct democratic movemeDt.Thet set up stud,veroLrp! in Kxwait, kaq, Libva and basisand Ioxnjteand work clolelywith theAssociationol E.ilrean Cairomobilizing the studcDtmassesbehind thc EPI-F. StudenlsinNonh Am€rica,Europe and Eritrca. Thus the formationof the AESME is a culminalior of lhc Dro Thesucccssfulfoundlng congress of thc AESME is an important iract€d strugglebet$ccn the reactjoDaryand deftocratic lincs victory lo. lhe revolutioDaryand dernocralicforces of thc E|iircan wiLhin rhe lritrcan sludent mov€nenl in Ih€ Nliddle East. The strlggleat homeand ab.oadin generaland lor the dcmocratican.l democraticstudents have won the bartle.They havenow lormed a progre$iveEritrean sludenl movementin parlicula., IL is a big new o.ganizationfeprcsenting dre dcnrocraticard patriotic sru blow to thc reaclionaryelemerls who had for long dominateddie dents and shatteringthe reactionaryelements- Thc.eaciionarv Eritreanstudeni novemeni in the Middle East lhroueh backsard €lementsarc exposedand isolated.The EritrcaDsludent! io the seniiment!and by creatjngdivisions among the Eitrcan student Middle Easthave lounded lheir democratrcmass organratron trn asse!in the Middlc East. The AESME $ill rally patriotic and def thc corect leadeNhipoi lhe EPLF and a.e plavingan actle democraticEritrcan sludents in the Middlc Eastbehind ihe EPLF folc in our people\ heroic revoluliona.ysbusgle fof natioral in- and will elablc them !o play an activerole in the EriLreanrevolu dc!endenceand people'! democrac!. AESNAhailsrhe formalion ol the AESME as an impo.tanrv( Thc iornalion of the AESME has beenachieved lhrough yea.s iory fof the denoqaLic Eritrcan sttrdenrmovemcnt in lhe Middle of!.otacted slruggle*ithin the Eritreansiudent holemenl in dre Easr-The Jb'nation of lhe AESME is a concreterefleclion of lhc Mjddle Eastbct*ee! the demouaiic and reactionaryelements; and solid uniry oftbe latriotic and revolutiona.yforces ofthc Eril.ean the EPLF\ clfofis in organizingthc Eriir€an reiugees,studcDls. relolurion aroundthe EPLF aDdol theconscious, orsanired pani ro.ke6and von€n in theMiddlc Easi. citation ofthe Eritean nassesjn lhe strugslclbr nationalsalvalion Thc Erit.ean studentmasses in the Middle East haveex!.essed

Cantinued.frcm Page 7 aroun.l lhe EPLF. 197?was thc year of gr€a1nass rallies an.l demonstrarionsnr thc liberatedcities unprecedentedin Efitrean The policiesofseltueliancc and politicizing, oreanizine ald afm inplemenrednr the newly ing the masesarc alsobeing effeclively IDtcrDationally,!he Erirreanrevolution in ecncraland the EPLF liberatcd cjries, Th€ EPLF has taken appropriatemeasures to vaneuardin f'arlicula. havegained efeat prcstigcand admiration .ebuild the liberatedto$ns and citiesand io meci the food and among lhe revolutionaryald p.ogressivepeotles ol lhe world. orhe.needs of tbemases- Fundamcntal chaneesin city adrJlinislra- Nlore and more proercssivciorces Lhrouehotrlthe $orld are tion and in ecolomic life are iakins plac€and city serviceshale comirg iD suplort of the E.ilrean revolution.By forccfuli,I at be€n fullJ rcstorcd. The nass€sof urban dwelles hav€ ralli€d January1978 Erilreain Struggle/9

WESTERNSAHARA-POLISARIO CLOSETO VICTORY

Today,tlvo yearsafter thejoint annexarionof theSaharan Arab shakenby lh€ growingvicro.ies ofthe PoLlsARIo, the Frcnch jniperi DcmocralicRclublic by the two neiehboriDg,rcactionary, imperialkis have promlsedthe reaciionafy\'loroccan reeine 50 alist Duplei. exFnsionistrceimes of NloroccoaDd Maudtania on Nliragefiehler planes and !4 bonbers.To pfcparefor freshaggr€n imperialislinstisation. the Saha.anFeople, l€d by thc couraeeout sio!, Francehassent troops ro irs milita.y basencarDakar. POLISARIO are dealinghealy blo$s Lo the aggressorsnililarily POLISARIO scofeda! important polirlcaland diplomaticvic polirically. andha\e isohedIhen tory in lhe U,N, durineth€ Noremberl, 1977tresentaiion of l\'lo.occolnd MauritaDia,claimins drat thcrc doc$l existan in POLISARIO'S case ro the DccolonizationConmi[ee. At this dependentSaha.an A.ab DemocraticRepublic, bul an arearhat mcctine it sas resolv€d that ihc Sahafan Arab Democratic bistoricallybelonged io rhen invadedthe counfy with nilitary Retublc n a nation thal was annexedbr thc xvo e\pansioDsr mieht. Claiming lhat rhere doesnl exist a Sahouri peoplethey neighborirs(atcs oi Morocco and Mauritania.11 was aho reiter lablcd thc lcgitimatcoreanization leading th€ Saliouri peopleas aled IhaI iI is only POLISARIO thar has the lesilimaleriehr to "bandi1s." wilh thc latcslsar machine.y$rpllicd by the French spcakfof the Sahourileopl€. For thc Nloroccanald ltlaurilanian inp€rialiststo the annexationiststhc pcopleof westernSahara arc cxpansjonistsand their backe6 $ho ahvals manrraiDedrhat facedwith a savagegenocidal canDaien. \!estern Saharais '1he inlernal affair of iheir couDtfy" ald rhat Howerer,despite the lwo-pronged aLtacks by theinvader regines POLISARIOis nothnrcbul "a bnnchof bandiLs",POLISARIO\ ihe peopleofwesterD Saham under the leadc6hip ofPOLISARIO diplomaticvicrory\!as a biuer!illto swallo*. ar€successfully defeating thcir cncmicswiih daunllesscouraec and The struggleof the SahotrriFoplc aeainsranDexation and io. determinaLion.Presently POI-lSARlO torces have virLual conLrol national ljbcralion is a just stugele lhxr dese.vesthe srpporr of of ihe ilhole country having for.ed lle inrading troops to a few proercssivcand dcmocratic forces ol lhe wo.ld. Thc Lrirrean la.ecSaharan rowns. Followine rbe octobd l:1,19?7 POLISARIo peotle led by EPL| and ihc Sahoufi peopleled by POLISARIO atrackon Morocca! paralroopcFi! dre mainland146 i\'Ioroccln arefightine aeajnst !inilar enemies,lheirnperialisi pupl)et rraies oi t.oopswere killed. Thc rccentbat e in Nlaurilaniaoccupied west ldriopia, ltlorocco and,}1atrrilaDja.Thc tso peoplesare derer ern Saharahas caused hear! casualtieson rheagCressor troops. The Drincd10 persiston the road of proL.actedDeoplc's waf and their POLISARIO has mobilizedthe stole populationin the fieht for

SWAPOWIPES OUT 80 SOUTH AFRICANAGGRESSORTROOPS AMIDST IMPERIALIST CONSPIRACIES In a rcc€nlstalement the SouthWesL Alrican Pcople'sOrganiza, inpefialistsIo sendan intescnrionist force to Nanibia undcf rhe rion (SWAPO) whjch is leadirs lhe Nanibian people'safmed gui\eof a "U.N. peacekeenine to.ce." Thc plan is to insLalla nco srruggleagainst rhe occupationof their counfy by racist Souih colonialreginrc in Namibia in order ro \ecurcthc iDteresrsol the Africa and irs imperialislbackers reportcd rhar it liped out no.e Soulh Afri.an .acisttand thc irnperialists,and to supprcssthe rrue than E0South African fascistoccupation troops. The bartlesirere aspiralionsof Ihe Namibian leoplc and ro .rush their heroic louehi in th€ lo|theni part of Namibia hom which SW-APO tlrugelcfo.s€Dtrinefreedomandinde!cndence. lighte.shave drivcD out rhe South African racisl agsressors.The But *earecoDfidelt thar SWAPO andthc Namibianmalses wilt S\\APO lighte6 havecapturcdlafse quantilies of*eaponr. courageouslyaDd sleadfastly foillhe imperialislmachinalio!s. The ln lhe mean Line rhr racitt Souih Afican fegim€and iLsim- recenl lictory demonst.atcsrhar rhe NanibiaD people led by pcrialisl backer, Ihe U.S., Brirish, French. Wesr German and SWAPO aredeLernin€d io pcsist ir probactedarmcd slruggle un- Canadian nnpcdalists, are hatchinC a plot io supprcssrhe lil iiDal victofy. The Nanibian pcople wjll cenainly bc vic Nanibian peofle'sst.uggle and crushS\iAPO. Talksare going o! ! b€Neor lhe U.S., French,B.iti!h. west Gcrmanand Canadian

Continuedfron pase 8 andthe iinal victo.y ofour people\strusgle willbe realized. tackinsifrperialism at one ofits weak€stlinks, the EritrcaDrcvohr Todayis the eveof ouf.ountry's conplele liberalion.thc cveof tion hassr.engrhened rhe tosirion ofrhe revoluliona.!io.ces in the rheesrablishnent ofdemocratic Erit.ea. Ll worldandNeakened Ihe posilioD ofimperiatism and allr€actioi. Thc unprcccdcllcdvictorics of 1977arc firsl and foremosl tbe resuksof the polidcalcla.it! and cored leadershipof the IPLF, i!\ succes\in consolidatingrhe unir! oi th€ and patri otic lorcesunde. its leade^hip, irs core.r'evolurionary aptroach to{ardr thc d€mocraticqlestions of rhe ma$es, its policy oi self-relianceand of libc.atinglhc counlr,I.Dd thc pcoplcslcp by step.It is precisely due ro rhisl1olitjcalclariiy and cor€ct leadershirrof rhc !PLF lhar rheErilrean rerolution is enereinctriunphanr. Allhurdlesin lionr of drc nrcccs of die ferohttio! are beincsnrashed \ilh ihe nighLy lorce oj the ijghiing Erirreanmasses, It is only liom this perspec Iive of a.leaf and principledpolirical line and leadebhipof ihc EPLFvansuardand lhe unitroflhe massesthat secan undersland and aplreciatc thc many achievementsof the relolulion in ARelnanai giddinirul 1977-no doubt a rcry inpo ant tear in thehistory of theE.iLrean .evolulioMrysl.uggle. As ile enterl9?8 $e are.onfidentihai our iiehtingna$cs led b,r EPLI wili cvenscore more viclories,that our ciliessrill unde. the occuFlion ol the Ethiopianiascist lbrces sill soon be libe.ated l0rEritreain Struggle January1978

NEWSFROM THE LIBERATED AREAS IN BRIEF- YOUTH OF KEREN EPLFPUBLISHES A NEW JOURNAL IN PRODUCTION ENGAGE The EPLF hasbegun publishing an irnportantnew journalenli- Th€ youlh ol Keren are actjvelytaking pan in lhe political, ded Labor. Laboris a bi-monthlypublisbed by theEPLF\ Deparl' econonicand socialtasks being underraken in the city. Then nals oreanizarion,rhe Association olEriirean Youth KerenBranch. is The fi6tissue of Labor containedarlicles dealing silh the roleof in the foreftonl of the vigorouscampaign to rebuilda prosperous the EPLF and rhc na$es in rhe field ol economicactililv. an in- Keren.In the pastler montlN sinccthe city\ Iiberationthe youth lroduciory note on political economy,lhe eco.onic featuresof of (eren enthtrsiasticallyimplernenting lhe EPLF' caLLand guide- neo-colonialism,a shon summationol the tasksaccomplished by lines to participaic in production have acconplishedva.io'rs aU the branchesof the Departmentof Economy,on modern.oad buildirg from the paeesof Erlfean historyand an irterview sith In the month of Novenber over ,lo0 young men and won€n EPLF fighterson the overallachicvcments aDd tasks ofthe revolu turnedup ro uDderlakelhework ofmowing. weedingan.l anasing tion in ihc economicfield. hay and picking oraneefrtrjts on a 25 heciareorange plantation. Along Nilh theolherjournals, Laborwillplay an importantroLe Ea.lier in lhe month of Ocrober, the youth waeeda livc day in disseminatingrevohiionary theoryand rajsingthe levcl of con cleanirg campaisnin rvhich they .leared the compoundol the sciotrsnesof ihe Efitrean massesin generaland the Erilrean porer elcctricstation of weeds,repaired thc damagedroads of the vorkine cla$ jn particular.It h an imporiant weaponin !h€ hands ciryand cleaned lhe compoundolrhe centralhospilal. of the EPLF lor exposingand iightinglhe ugly facesofidperialism The exemplaryprodrclive acrivitiesof the youth ol Kerenare a and leudalisn.On !he olher hand,lt will present!o the masesthe con$ele manifestatjo!ofthe EPLF'Ssucces in nBilling rhe sDirji concreleachievemenls and practicaloutcome of the implementa ol work tu the Lrirean youlh. The productivcnessol the youLh iion of the revolutionaryprinciple ofseltueliance on thc ccononic reflects thc EPLFS elforts in mobilizine and organizing the Eritreanyou1h. The EPLF is brirgins up the younggenefalion rn a revolulionaryway in ordcr to ca.ry lhe revolulionaryrorch ior ward to gtraranrcetheconlinuiiy ol therevolurion. Ever sinccits inceptionthe EPLF hasgiven special an€ntion !o the youth of Eritea. The most important achievementin the EPLI's work amon8lhe youth is lhe thousandsoilanguards it has broughtup in ihe flamesolthe armedniug8le. The EPLF has$rc a:-\\^ ceededin enthusiasiicallyrallying the youth ofEfitrea. l5* EPLF OPENS NEW BUS LINES The EPLF hastremendously expanded its transportservices for the nassesby openingmore bus linesin the liberateda.eas. The 1500km. "Liberalion Road" constructedby EPLF fiehl€rs in l9?5, rhe additional feederroads linking liberatedvillages and townsconstrxcted sjncethe! and allthe asphaltedroadsjoining ihe citiesshichtheEPLI; nowcompletelycontrols arein fLrllsc.vice of the.evolutionand th€ nasses. By the monrh of Augtrst,l9r? the EPLF had openedbus lines EPLF BRANCH OF CULTURE fromTzoronato Sehartiin lhesouth,f.om Kerento,thesuburbs of TOURSPROYINCE OF BARKA Asmaraand liom Alaber to Nacfa and Karora. Lately additional bu! lines have been open€d: K€ren-Aderade-Mensura,Keren Sincethe conclusionof lLe hjstoricFirs! Congressof the EPLF Alabet, Dekenha.e-Segeneiri-Digsa,Dekenhare-Tzorona, and in .lanuary1977, iLe EPLF Branchol Culturehas been touriDs rhe Dekemhare'Asmarasuburbs. liberatcdareas of Eritreaperforminc revolutioDary songs an.l dat- ces tiom all the Eribean nationalitiesfor the masses.Between Novemb€r8-10, it roufed thc provinceof Barka and preselted vicorouscultiual showsto the residentsof Mensura,Haeaz and Hirakxk. In HaeasELF fighleB joinedjn with lhe massesand !h€ EPLF iishtersand parlicipatedin tlre night lonc cultural eventin the sDiritolcomradeshiD. In its tour ofBarka lhe BranchoiCuliu.e waswarmlywelcomed elerywhereand aroxsedin the massess!.ong supporl for rhc EPLI

The EPLF Branchof Culture is an importanl concret€achieve- menrofthc EPLF in the cultxral field. As rhc EPLF'Smain organ for disseminalingrevolutiorary cuhure among the massesthe Branchof Cultureis arousingand raisingthe culturallevel ol the mases. The Branch ol Cultxre is effectivelypopllarizine the- mjlitart cullur€ and history of our people, their revolxtionary combadvenelsand heroism. lt has becone instrumental in solidilrins theunity ofthe Eritreanmasses ofall lalionalitiesin ihe skueglefor lalional salvalionand liberatjon. January 1978 Eritreain Slruggl6/11

R.EYOLUTION SCHOOL RESUMES SECOND SCHOOL YEAR Dlring the recessthe stud€.ts took a touring lrip over all the After two and a hali ftonlhs of rece$ thc RevolulionSchoo! liberatedafeas of thel country b order to learn practj.al lessons beganits I977-?8school yea. on October9. 1977.The Revolution fromthe masscs.Altcrthc tri! theywerc assicned to diffcrentafeas S.hool which ivasesrablished b! the EPLF in Janxafy 1976is a or handicrattand produclion acllvitiesin which they translated boardine school lor the .hildren of manyrs. nomads and the their theoretical knowledee jrto pracljce- The studerts were engagedin suchproduction activitjes as makilg ropesfrom bafks oftrccs, tanninehides, makine pots 3nd panshom food cans.can dles lrom fa|s, reconst.uctinghouses and $orkins on their vege table ga.den. Someol then we.e also given practicallessons in drawingskills. The olderstndenls also rorked in the macbineshop and carpentry branchis of the EPLF Departmelr of Cotrage

The Revolulion Schocl.is a lignificanl achielen€nt of th€ EPLF in the field ofeducarbn. It is amodel whichthe EPLF plans to adopt all ovc. E.itrca- The youDesludents who are growinein thc RevolutionSchool ar€ a nes breed,a newgeneralion, ready io cary th€revolutionary torch forward. l-l

EPLF & ELF HOLD TALKS ON NATIONAL UNITY Th€ EPLF and Ell met in lhe libcraledarea! between Novemb€r 27-30,1977 ro fu.lher discu$ ihc they.grced upon in generaliotr i !.inciples h bringingup a )oung rilh IheirOctober20th meethc and the nethodsofimplementing them outlook An uldcrstandingras feachedon a nunber of important points This year910 srudenls are enrolledin the lchool ftost of rvhon bur sone qu€stionsstill renain to be srudied,Hence the mectings yea.s grades thetivo fronts will continuein the lulure. -evolulionaryarc beirecn 615 old attending one lhrough four. behveen Thosebetween 2 5 yea6 old whoseparents wefe mufderedby ihe Pihiopianaggressor t.oops are in rhe kinderearte!.

FASCISTJUNTA NAPALMS ,RITREA t\9 LIBERATEDAREAS The Ethiopianfascist junta\ huniliatins defeatsat the handsol the!PLF, rheheroic EPLA aDdour maseshas driven it ro fienzy. CALENDAR t9 Holelessro maintaintheir grip on Eritrea,the Ethiopianlascist oc cupalionisls,with th€ all out suppon of lhe SovierUnion which is !uptlying then with the sopbisticatedweapons they are using in theirwar ofaggressio!iD ox. country,have resorted to out andout fascisticand desperate acts to commitmass eenocidc ofou. pcople- As ihe EPLA annihilatesthe iascisltoops in Massawa,the jun ta's plan€!a.e dropping napaln bombsin the lib€ratedciries and villaees.On December31, 1977ald January l, 1978the fascisl junta napalnedliberaied Kerenand scor€sol villasesesDecially ihose!urounding our counby'scapitalAsmara. The fasist junta's napalmiDcofthc liberatedarcas ofour coun' try is a cosardlyact. Ii showsits desperatjon!irs uticr dcfcatand furrhereiloses its iascistnature and its '\ocialist" demagosy. No matterhorv many bombs it drops Io intimidaleour people and durder innocenlchildren and womcn, ihe fascistjunta will neverbe ableto breakthe iron determinationof our lcople to peF shi oD thc rcad ol proLracledpeople\ war until final lictory. Th€ falcist junta\ desperaieartenpt is futile. Our dassesorganized. a.fted ard led by EPLF will courageouslydefend the eain! they havewon tbrough he.oicstruggie hom lhe savageatiacks of tbe

We callon all prosrc$ivc and dcmocraticforces to condemnthe Orde. your farisl jurta for its war of aesrcssio!in Eritrea and its cosardly copyno* ! r,om AESNA92.00 acts-the barbaricnapalming ofour counl.y\ citiesand villages. t lZErilreain Struggle January1978 RADIO LIBERATION-ERITREA The Associaiionof Eritrean Studentsin North America (AESNA) and the Associationof Eritrean Women in North America (AEWNA) togetherhave launcheda fund-raisingcampaign towards the establishmentofa radio stationin theliberatedareas ofEritrea.

In Eritrea, the war of national liberation led by the Eritrean People'sLiberation Front (EPLF) is surgingforward. Ninety-five percentof the country, including major towns and cities have been liberated.The EPLF is scoring victory after victory-decimating the fascistEthiopian occupation troopsand encircling them in the few remainingcities.

Thesenew victories .are bringing forth newand greatertasks for the EPLF vanguard.In its s€lf-reliant protractedstruggle ki transformatd consolidatethe vastliberated areasj the EPLF ta_kesas its central task that of organiziDg,politici:ing and armingthe masses.Today, with the number of peoplein the liberatedareas, in villages,to}-ns and cities,in the millions, the EPLF is facedwith the most urgent taskof disseminatingmass e(tncation on a largescale. To facilitatethe accelerationof masseducation, the EPLF considersit of primeimportance to setup a radio stationin the liberatedareas.

Moreover,with the lighteninSadvance of the EPLF, the Ethiopian occupationists,their imperialistmasters, and other reactionaryelements, are steppingup their slan- derouscampaign against the Eritrean people,sjust and revolutionary stauggleand in particular against the EPLF revoluiionaryvanguard. Attempts to isolatethe Eritreanstruggle and the EPLF,throughnews blackout, lies, slandersand distortions by rhe imperialist press haveto be combatted.One of the fundamentalways is to establisha radio station in the liberated areas of Frirreafrom uherelhe EPI F canpreceni therrue roice of the E treanpeople and exposethe distortidhsby im- perialistand reactionarynews media.

It is in light of thesecentral tasks of our revolution,that we have decidedto launch a fund-raisingcampaign to assistin the establishmentof a radio station. Towards the establishmentof the radio station in the liberated areas of Eritrea, we have projected to raise $50,000 $ilhin a periodof I monlh( (Decemberlg" Augusr l9-8). Thereforewe call upon all progre\cive,anri-im perialist and democraticorganizations and individuals to support and assistus in any way they can (con- tributions,donations, etc.)

For more information and donationscontact AESNA. P.O.Box f247.\es York. \.1. t0021,(212)-222-5403-