Any celebration of Eritrean independence stands as a contradictory exercise. One of Africa's newest countries, the recent 17th anniversary of independence serves as an important reminder of the prolonged struggle for statehood. Eritreans first shrugged off a host of distant occupiers, including the Turkish, the Italians and the British. Then the international community, particularly the United States and the United Nations, falsely promised them a chance to vote for independence after spending a decade in a federation with Ethiopia, which saw their country as its own. When Ethiopia annexed Eritrea by force, the desire for freedom led to a 30-year armed conflict, which eventually created the modern state.
The unwillingness to surrender to anyone forms part of the national character. In Tigrinya, the major language, it is known as kalsi weledotat or the "struggle of generations." This irrepressibility is combined with a fierce pride in the national achievement. Though the international community recognizes May 24, 1993, as the date of independence, Eritreans universally hold that liberation occurred two years earlier with the defeat of Ethiopian troops. ...
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