No.4 January 1978

In rhe port cilyolMassawa. Erifea's third larcest city, the sun isrisine on thc side ol the Eribean liberarion struggl€ and it is serlingon ihe side of ELhiopia's war ol asgression. The Eritrean People\L-iberation Arniy is annjhilaling !he more than 10,000 Ethiopianaggressor troops who a.e rrapped in the aggressor's naval base inIhe harborarea. The EPLA has lakeD oler ihe city excep! ils islandpafi lnd ihe penin$rla of Girar *here rhe Ethiorian aegresof\naval base is located, The batiles are raging at thc Dalal base and

Thcraeing barll€s in Ma$awa afc thc culDrinaLion of the series ofbattlcs thai were fought betwcen the EPI-A and the Ethiopian occunalion lroops on thc Asmara-Massawa road bctwcen Novembe.2l aDd Decembe. 1, l9tt in whi.h the EPLA killed 1.500 an.l ca!-tured ?50 of the 15.000 aggressor lfoops ral we.e involved in lhebatrlcs. desrroyed 3 Soviet T 54lanks and capiured huge quantitiesof hcavy and lighr {eapons.

The EPLA pursued aficr ih€ reireating aegre$or tfoops and onD.. .n1." 0 o. . .c. d Io .e ot { , ryM-' i , l } )o 19e . \ 'o . roof :nDogali and took conLrol of tbe only watcr suplly ol Massawa. lnthe bdlliant vicrory in Doeali thc EPLA catlured l0 brand !ei!Soviet T-5,1 tanks and large quanliti€s of other larec and small{eapons. The EPLA coniinued its forward march rnlo i\laslallaand bt Decenber 12 il had taken contfoi of ihe ai.Po.!. Lhe fueldepot aDd mosr lections oftbe cily. Later on, TLrwalei, the sectionlhich is adjacent to lhe island paft ofthe city,lvas added to the listoflib-ated secrioDs ofihe city, Th€ batLles conlinxe Io libcraie lherenainine rwo scciions ofthe citt, the island part and 1he penin!ulaof Girar and io coftplelely snash the aggrcssor lroops. ln lhe bal-rlcs to libe.ate lilasai!a thehcroic E PLA has scored ur pr€cedented

AESNA, Box l247, N.Y., N.Y.10027

FIERCE BATTLES RAGING IN MASSAWA1O,OOO AGGRESSOR TROOPS WIPED OUT

20 SOYIET E-54 TANKS CAPTIJRED

EPLF CENTRAL COMMITTEE HOLDSSECOND REGULAR MEETING

The Cenrral Colrmittee of dre lritfcan Pcople's l.iberation/- I -o ,ed nreei . - b. $.ei \J.e, 'F lh-20

1977 ln thc liberated a.eas. The Ceniral Conlnittee meelinsb.oadly dis.rsed and summed up lhe prescnt situation oftbe EriIrear revolulion aDd the silultion in the Horn of Africa. The Cen'tral Committee di\cus!ed and analyred the Lasks accomplisbedsince irs fir\t regular meeting which took place ir early February,1977 jusi aftcr lhc successtul conclusion of the hisloric Firn C'on-

victories. As of Dccenber 24, rhe EPLA has killed over 1,500,iounJc-o.rr 2.500drJ.dp ure, l ,020ol hcJcerc or . r ,op. inNlassawa. ln addition it has caplured l0 brand new Solier tanksand othef lafee quaDtities of eeapons and deslroyed tlrree more

Sress of the EPLF. li affifmcd that th€ unprecedented vicloricsachieved in thc polidcai. milita.y, social and ecoDonic ficlds we'edre outcome of the concrere implemenlation of rhe national demo-craiic program. the resolutioDs oi the Fir( Coneress ol EPLF andtheeLidelines olllined by its ii.( .eeula. neeLing.

The EI,LF Central Commitiee discussed and resolred thc loUow1ng lmponanr querrons:

Contihued oh Pdee 3

'the hllnd pa.t ofMssara: It rillsoon be liberal€d Dy EPLA

2/Eritrea in Struggle January 1978

Cont ihued.frctn Pd se l

In another front the EPLA aho alracked tlre EthiopianaecressoF' earison al AdiKeih in the southern pari otEriirea- on

Decenbef 12. i! annihilated 1,800 aggrcssor troops an'l cap[ueoth.ee armor€d cars in Addi Wegera ole nile to lhe north of Addi

Keih. At lhe same lime the EPLA aho pounded the Dongologarrison ofthe asgressor troops sbich is localed hall sav betweenA smara and Marsara inflicline heavv losses on tnem

The EPLA\ unprecedented victorv in Masala will eo down m

the annals of o; peopic's mililan! histo.v Thc heroism and

.oufrse di .p lare. b i rhc I Pl A | 'n

per lecr l i re sr t f r \e Ie \P t

Dd Io: manJssldnr ' ro l ou rr \er 'and o( ldrrer 'The rLeihar our faih€rs and fotelalheN shed their blood for in the last 500vears to liberate our port city and drile the various aggressos oui;f the iaiherland is beins realizcd bv the EPLF ald our massesrod,\ . r \ - ercal v i . o j o l r \e LPI A rrr Dotdl i o| Decerber l0 i

. r .ot . ' t " i

o, , orela ler ' 1e o ' - . rcro^ '1 l88q \n 'n r \e)

. . , .n"a " .otr . " u t00 In\roirg ld l i .n colur 'a 'Fr ' roop l r

Dogali, our heroic gran.lfathe6 pxl up stiff rcsistance bv cliting all

the suDDlv lines oflhe Italian aggfcssorshe iiberarion of our pon citv will eDd 500 vea's of succ€sivc

colonialist aggiesion Our straiegic counlrv and especiallv its srra-

rrrc .1.13i i " ; .1-1ul" . -"da r \e.r1re ,d dr$aJ dr ' r ' ( edrreer ieo. e 'er of ' , r iou

t \pan" 'onFt ' ano rnne- id l r r !o lonidr" :

i reo.orrr ru ""roo..upieoou'Dor 'c i r )

n l5r_ r fcTc\piian exnansionisls. the llalian colonialists who coloniz€d oui coun

try ty nrt tat<ing controt oi our port city n the eadv 1880\' the

B;id;h imp€rialjsts and the Elhiopian etpansion;ts. under

Ethiopian ;ccupadon our por! citv bas be€n used as a cente' of

U.S. imD€rlalist counter relolxtionarv naval acttvrtresi as alralnmg

c€nter and a base oi lhe Navy ol the Ethiopian aggresso.s.Massawa, Eritrea\ largest porl, is the si|e of a number of small

faciories and lhe ceDtcr ol salt production and rhc iish industry in

Eritrea.liis also wcll knosn forits pcarl.The libe.atioD of Masawa *ill be a sevcre blo$ to imperialist

militarv and econodic inter€srs in the Efjf€an sea coast rn pafircu_

lar ali the vhole reejon in general. Vr'ith the liberarion of thc onlvorf . r e. 'cm) o ' .Jp.eJ poa . i r ) . A+ao l rcc v i l l ' r i r ' \ ed

JoorL o 'ed o rpe al i ra|Je\p"n'o ' iJ nrru or ' lhe bed

lion of onr port cities sill mean that our strategic 1,000 mite seacoas1, ourmarinevealth and our te(itorial wateb willbe under lhecontol of the EPLF lor the service of our masses. Ou sca shoref.om Ras Kasd in th€ north ro Ras Dumerain lhe soulh willbe in

otrr peor'le\ hands.The EPLA'| sreat viclorl in odr port cltv blngs our peopre s

nr rse . . l r .er ro ' (ont lere \ . . o-r . \4d*dia\ .oaper. l ibetu

r.or ' - r . ' l t ' " .prc.rA' or \ehoe al ionolo-r .ot1l^ Jor ls l r : r r 'Asdara, shich h definilely goine to happen n the no oo d6ranr

The victory in Masawa fills our fighiinC masses and all op'Dre),ed Dconh { i r1rol . On l l 'eol lc, hd d,r ia\Jm aire. tea- ro ou: er!miF., t l e la ' . . j Inta. npcru

' T. anJ . edc

rionaries, The EPLA\ gr€a! victorv in Massasa funher lestifics 10the tact thal no matter hoe many sophisticated rveapons the SovietUnion gives the Ethiopian lascist jxnta and no nalter how manv

Lroop iL ba arr- z oni l . aa rr" n ror h( la""Jnra oLr ocople

ledb) l -Pl I $r l l rer ' ' on heroadofp'or 'acredpeonle ia and

siil soon emerge victo.ious No counterrevolutronarv lorce can

cnsb the Eritrean people\ just, popular and 'evoluhoiarv

struggle. -

X Ciries liberated by the EPLF

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

a Eritrea in Struggle/3January 1978

./-\ PEOPLE'S ASSWIBLY PROCT-AIMED IN AFABETSince ils libcraiion on April 4, l9r7 by the hcroic Ernrean

l,eople\ Liberalion Army (EPLA), Afabel, ihc largesi toiln iDSahel province and an imponant agricuhural cenler, has seeD tundamental social and polilical ch.necs. The EPLF's Iide scalepolilical rork aDd rigorous political st.uegle has broughl teften-dous social and political upheavaL. Except for a handful of diehards, ihe E.ilrean People's l.iberation Fronl (EPL!') hls succecded in orsanizing fie 6,000 residcnis ol the iowD NIas!organizatioDs oi workers. women, pealanls. youlh and a people\nilitia have been eslablished. Women aho have bccn subjected 1othe most crude iludal-patriarchal olpresio! arc winning theilrights in a1L aspects of life. The leudal and backward elemenls afeIosinsin ev€ry battle front. The nases havccstablished their dictator\hip over theireDemies.

The most impo.lant polirical victory openine a new chaplef nthe hisroryofAfabet is lhe enablishmeDt ofapeople\ a$enbl! onNov€mber9, 1977. The People\ Ascmbl!, deleCaled to administerLhe atfairs of Afab€!, was established by rhe ma$ orgamzaLlonsComposed of sixteen slarding and six altcrnate nedbers, ihcPcople\ Assembly has sel out ro undefiakc the lollowing concrcte

l) administration of ihe schools in the town nos op€ra1ed byEPLF

2) buildine of a reservoir in coopcration with EPLF fighlen inorder to satisfy rhe towD's *at€. needs,

3) formation oia r€liel association in orderto providesrain andothcr hcl! to !he needy and lhe orphans,

4) consiruction ofroads irom Afabel to bolh Einn and Gulbtrb,

5) building an asembly hall io. use for ma$ neetniss and oth*

h ordcr to solve $e .onlradictions thai may arise anong thepeople ihroueh criticism aDd scll criiicisn as wellas to give a rishlful ver.lict on the conflicts thal nay arise and to eire properpunisbment to thc antipeople elements a people's cour| has alsobeen set up and has already begun carrying out its tasks prope.ly.The Pcople\ Alseftbly is corectly handling the affans of lhe residcnB oi Alabel ard safesuardjne the inleresls of the oppre$ed

The esrablishmcni oflhe people s asembly in Afabct is a nricro-cosni of whar h takine place in the villaees. cities and tolvnsrlrroughou! lhe liberated arcas of Eriirea, The setting up otpeople\ poBer is tire corrcrstone ol the lasks confrontiDg lhcErikean revolrtion and the EPLF. Having liberated thc countryside and mosl of ihc cilies lhe EPLF has laid the e.ound for ih€establishmcnt oi ihe people: deniocratic slatc in Eri1.ea, TheErit.ean masses are establishtus lhci. power. The People\ A$em-blies in Afab€t and othc. folns, liUages and cities are the solidfoundatjoD ofthc!eo!le's denocratic eovernment iD E.itrea which$illbe cstablidied in the not roo distant futurc.

Continuedfton pase I

l) h nade dn ukdentandinE that ahhaugh the secord regalarneetins oJ the Cetttal Colnnittce shoul.! hdre heen held atthe beginkins o.f the month af Au8t6t it was inposible becvusea:f the hot situation that prereile.l und the inlentite ||ork re"quned and because the CehIra! Conhittee hlenbers wres.attered in dilfereht places perjormine inlpottdnt .1unes.

2) It rcsolred that the basic expahsioh dncl consolidation d Iheba\e area\ an.1 the rcorsdnizdtian oJ the People\ Arnt on ahilher lerel hdre been .ompleted; lhat great tictories harebeen scored in extemal po!iticdl acliNities.

3) h lbtened to, nudied ah.l anaU.e.lrepotts afthe.foreign klissi.tn aad the ratiors depattnents o:f the paliticdl, niliturr, socid I alfdirs xnd ecanani. canmittees.

4) Aftet a thoroueh stud!, it adopred the internal rcsulationsand the ptirciptes oI s.lninistration fot the political burenu,the adninistrativ ptinciples of dtetnal olfices, nilitatt rcsubtbns, suidelihes.far .lepdrtnen^, and na idge tules, ||hichthefi& rcErldr neetins resolred to be drcfted.

5) tvilh rcsutd b the question oJunitt oJthe Iwo oryani.ations,that is, EPLF dn.! ELF, it rati|ied the Nowmber 24, 1977asrcenent and in accordance nupped the plan for puttinE il

6) h chatted aut the Juture tatks uad prcsrcn o.f vork in the

Thc Central Committe€ rneeti.g ourlined rhe iollo*ins tasks to

l) Ta properu rcelre social mdtterc that keerl kew salutians,especio r so.ial and e.ononic tdsks that haw rcsulted JTonlhe rerolutianary expansian in the liberuted cities and areas.

2) On areohizing the tflasses::for the nasses to gain politicolpaver and be able ta estublish people s goyemm4. at thisstaee dtu|| in the ntas:te\ ihta the ndss oryani.ations in erert

.one sa as to establish people's lssenlblies thlt will be theJbundittions al the people't p.teer inluttte Etitrcd.

3) on nationalunit!: taking rhequestion o.f nathhd I unilr ds thennin and Juhddnentul ane to JiEht aEainst the politi.alcanjllsion created bf wrious reactionaries and oppartunists andbtinE dbout a unid that satis/ies the interens ard aspiratians

4) Rdise the tested struteg! oJ 'liberating the Iar.I and thepeople nep b!step" to a higher lewlih ordet to deal the ehc-n! the.finalahd cletkire blo||.

5) Ta ftuttlate the ndchinations an.l emplj sbgdhs af the Jdscist Detsue (Ethiopian:fas.ist junta): \|ase an intensire politi.dl campdign abroad and penetrate throuqh ond ilhtminatethe palitical ovtcast c.eate..l in the H.tn o.f A.ftica un.lel theguLte af "oht i-inpetidlish. "

Upon ending its deliberations the Cenlral Comnitlee issued aconcluding declaration in which it reaffirmed lo the flghters andrhe masses that as iD the past rhe EPL| will courascoudy and uD$ve.vingly lrustraiethe machinalions oi lhe Elhiopian fascisljuniaand rhe conspiracies of the internal reaciionaries and lead the revo-htion 1o rictory and, call€d trpon them to cafry lhe strugele to ahiehd levcl. ll ciprcsscd its support to the democ.atic forces inEthiopia, and called on them !o fo.rn a uniled lront againsl the

Thes€cond regular fteeting ofthe Cen!ral Conmi!t€e oi EPLF ishistoric. lt was held on tbe ere of the liberation of our coxnlryfrom Elhiopian fascist occupatlon and imperiliasm. lts resolLrtionsand euidclincs will undoubledly accelerate the victory ol ou.peotlet re!olutionary !!ruggle.

AESNA haih tbe se.oDd regular meeling oftbe CentralConnir-tee of lhe EPLF vanguard and will st.uggle rjtb all its mighttowafds the implcmenlation of its resolutions ard suidelines. Weare conlidenl thar the inpo4ant guidelines of the ceni.al conniltee neeting rillbe fully implemenied by the heroic fighler!, thema$ orcanizations and our fightins mases.

4/Eri irea in Struggle January 1978

MASS RALLIES IN DEKEMHARE, SEGEL{On Octobe. 13, ihe residen$ of ihc city hcld yct another mas

rau] ro celebrare the brillianr rictorr scored b! rhc EPLA over rheEthiopian aegre$or rroops on Octobe. l2 on the Asmara l\l!$awaroad. Sineils revolxlionary songs and shouting relolutionar,rslogans such as "Victorr to thc ma$esl" and "Ou ricto.y !\ ce.-tainl" the huge c'o*d marched through thc *idc avenues of theciiy. A bfard new T 64 Sovie! rank Bhich Bat capturcd by theFPLA iiom the Ethiopian assressortroors durine lhe lie.ce batilesof Septenber 18 20, 19?7 on ihc Asmara Dekemhare road accon-- : , ' 'd ' \e rd, .5( ; n;ddJ(. c ' lor o lc 1l lJ.

AfteNafds the marchers gath€.ed in lhe .ily s squares anddanccd alllight long. Seleralspeeches were read, one of$hich wasdelivered by a retresenrative of rhe AssocialioD of EriireanSt!denLs Dekemhare Branch. Thc spcakerslated, "we wi l lsLrug-gl€ side by side with our \areuard organiration, Lhe EPLF.Without sayine 'Now that Dekedhare is free we do not cafc'wcoughr 10 struggle unlil lhe rest of otrr cities are libcrarcd lnd Ethiopian fascisl o.cupation of ouf counrr,! is deslroled wilhour arrace. St i l lmore *e $i l lcoDt inucour l iberai ion srruggle to eslabl ishapcoplc\ gorcrDmcnr. ap€ople 'sposer in ourcoxntry, Er i t rea. '

'The rillr bcgan al 5:10 l'.Nl. and lasled fof lhe wholc night. Thc. i r j rhr . (nan.dl , h o,re\o . ,

'e . is , r tor l , . o. . . ur

SEGENEITIOn Septembef24, 1977, ovcr 7.000 relidents of Segeneniand rhe

strrounding arca took to thc s!.e€ls !o ext.e$ lheir unflin.hinerupporr of and thei' lull conlidence in theif

'anguard. thc [PL]:,

and to celebrare its all round riclodes as wcll as lo condemn the --$reaclionary a.d opportunisr lorcesiD rhe F.itrean st.uegle,

Ihe cfo\ld paradcd in ihe streei\ oi Segeneiti daicnrg ralriolicd!nccs, silging revoluliona.y songs..afyine placards rith revolulionar] sloCans and raisine high lhe IPLF\ flag and emblcm.Molhers aho lonled in ulL'lation. Scleral speeches a! weil a! par.i'oric and rcvolutionar! poens $e.e r€ad at lhe rally. The spee.hprescDtcd in thc nane of all eight of rhe farticiranl rillages andSesenejti slated, "The .eason that led us ro oreanize diis railr is lo€rr'rers our joy o!er ihe military and polilical ricloics bcine scorcdby onr vanguard ofganization agajnsr thc D.jmary enem! ol lheErirrean people as wcllas againn the iniernal reaclionary and ot-porluDist forccs, Moreorer, $e ll'e residents of Seeeneili and thesfroundinS area as organized nembes of the IPLF aho hoid this

The spirit of freedom and liberation fills thc aif in the liberaiedEritrean cilies and iowls todaJ. Having .id lhenrelves ofEthiopian fascist occupation the Eribean ma$es ljrine in lheliberared cities and Iowns are ftrU] enjoyine their democratic rights.The liberat€d to\lns and cities of Kcrcn. Dckcmhare. Segeneiti.Nacfa. Allbcl, etc. havc bccomc cenlers wherc the E.irrean lrats€sa.e stagins huge rallies and denonslrarions to asserl theirdemocratic rights, to roi.e lheir opinions and to express thel willito asset thcir popxlar and .evolutiona.y poscr, and iheir dictalorship over their encmies. Thc masses are takjng to ihe slreets in tensof thouland! to erpress thcir unbendine sutpo.L lor Lheirvanguard, the Eritrean People\ Liberarion Front (EPLF), lnd roe{pre$ thel deep halred of tbeir enemies. Mas .allics arc hcld nl\ '

"9c. in hc.o\r ' "ndir L-c ic roc. lebc.( \ . \ ' . .1Jr\vJnbl thc EPLF. eve.t viciory scorcd by the EPLA ove. th€ Erhiopianage.essor L.oops. wirh the unsserving strpnort and leadenhip ol, e IPI f . he - orro ni /ed b ' l .e n 1 ' . orsani /a-tions ofsofker, p€asanls, ilomen, youlh and studeDts $ho are themain forces cstablishing the people's democratic administrarion.On irs parr, thc EPLF, in accordan.e $ith its national dcmocraticprogram, has declared to thc masscs that to denronstrale. to assem-bl€, Lo speak lreely is !he inalienabl€ right oi the Erilrean mas*and lhat it istheverysame reason IhaI it has been and is struggling.

In the past five monihs scvcfai mass rallics and demonsirationsha!€ been held in K€ren, Segeneili, Dekenhare, Nacfa, etc. in su!-porL of the EPLF, celebrar ing the l icLor ies aon by rhe EPI-F.Below are deniptions of some of the ma$ aclions lhat took tlacein Det.nhare and Seeeneili.

DEKEMHARESince its tibcration on Juiy 6, l9?? Lry EPLI, Dek.mharc.

Eritrea's iifth largesL ciry, hat become Lhe center oi ma$ a.Irons onIhe soulhern fidx. The residenrs of Dekerthare have held seleralnus rallics to hailth€ EPLF vansuard and to ceiebrarc thebdllianlrictories il has bcen {inDine. In lhe nrollls olAueust and Scplcmber Bhenlhe Ethiopian aggrcssor lroops madc.c!ea1ed ailemltt torecaplu.e Dek€mha.€ lhe resid€nts of rhe cirr besid€s sellle\slysur'porting the EPLA fronlline fighl€rs by pro!iding food andwaler. caing for rhe wounded and buildine feeder roads, demon'slraled in the streels ofthe cily rejoicing over erefy victory won bythc FPLA,

A vier olth€ somen \ d ehonslralion in Xeren

January 1978Eritrea in Struggte/s

FITI AND KEREN IN SUPPORT OF EPLFoccupation of our country, irnperialism, feudalisnr and internal

Thc rally beean ai 10:00 A.M. and went wellintothe evening.Tbere ha!e also beeD sinitar nas! rallies a!.1 oEuo.{.arons D

K-?r mDF\er l . ,eoi{ t iJ te tcrp- r {c.e in . rppo o r .er \ ober 20. ' r - -dg"ee n\n ,e,ed o) FDt I andELFand the EPLF,S principlcd stand on narionai uniry. I

Cohtirued.ftoh ?aqe I

rarry to express our lull coniidcnce in rhe co(ect and clear princi-ples or ouf vanguard organization a! well as to voice ouf hat.ed ofdrd

^foo r , ^r o h. re. . r^r dr \ drJ Jopo rnr. , b. .c qfo

" ,etJnee.t) nr gto d(( . redir .ur r .J mped.. t re. i . .u|e b. ine, .o ( ! r b\ r l ( b looJ , l ! * . , '

" he !oL asF.r . , , .u,1 ro. . i , )

gnrr ' . o I pt L rrr r i i . o. io\ ion sc ior t_ t r , - .o !e. t" . dg. .nthat_as part of ihe Eritrcan nasses, ted and organized by;urie\ lu l_ nd) or lon /dr o, . Fpt L drd . . .p.

- t f - .o c. .1!

.e, .n drulog l ,b los, . . \eare.cdo. LotJ, ou. Drofe. roe.ce . r j . ro j ic . . 1 h( .uutc acd.n.r he r" . . iJ

ASSOCIATION OF ERITREAN WOMENFORMED IN KEREN

, \o\ mbe I ta-- ^ l

: . . , . .To \ n . t .u, re.oI . ra,o.r t . te

: : : : l : l ' " g l | . , , .cd, . \ \ . t re, , . \ ( ,p r , rar( . ,A, $ K) \ . , .: .9 j : l _,

. b ' ed.a\ecr ^\cr4.0cor|r . -nr{orc. \orrcJrootc. ton nt .one o t l rcr . dcr

^. . t ra e"rrr ,c r .<, . . . t re

o, arr-on oLh.rro.rr /J, or . On r . r . i , fo.J9. . . ' " . . . , . r r 20.0,)0p-ooL.,u. , . r ter r .erocr. o- .he. 'c j r d. . , , ,or i r .oro \o lc. . ._(a.Jr . . . .u.cn,arolo i ,) r (ccr .Jt .ond.hed r ' fc.re, . i r opo ot { r ! \KJrdlh-worneD s demonstratron. The demonstration was organized by thee- l 'uI ed Al ! \ h . . lh h" u ,Lopoa o I re l -pt F.

wortr 19 o.o heFpIt -drncna.. t . . .anr , reo <o,.elaou.. r r r . r . , l dr norca.dr ,o cd n i^ . I .c {oneno:-o r"ro ' dne tr . t

" .on8. T.dr.e o t pt I rn. . " , coDar'd q ' r l F olJ io lo

^t hF . toe3n ,-dJ,' ' \ r r l

^L t r , , rpdr,r 'naio, o. s.rner, " , , .F.rd ! , rogr. rF

.^\ . J .dr i r bp . crre-, . | ( I .c A, ,c i . , r Jr . . . I

. t ,cdr

Jt o\ . , f ,L- . , . . . t qr . t i , h.oue,. , |eLtc.cqua l j h iJue oa' ic orr on , pro. ( ror . . . . r ;

""n; .( ._n o dr\ ro rb!hr dt f - t pt l \ - ,eLdrc. . . \ 'onen. ,e. t .r runs dc r 'op p. . i \ . rdr .ona' uelo.r . . i ( to(e. , . . ( , . . ln . t (" r .

^ t l , .p,ndr.h. \o rr f .a rol . . ps.r !a- t , ?o br Ipt I

-^n rr I rop. n o. .L\dr o| iooT.o .h. c.mdra \ la. ,cqJ

^oid o er

^ t ,e. i r r o. \erer "ddinr ro.c j . ,b tdr .on o .h-wofren \ demonst.dr.n

.-1, : l l l ' , '^ $en ne | . dF ,o. . r dror

- . .e i oted ,r .he c i r )qad'rn r tc? ni l . ran, rd l , \ .d. hetr . <FF..he . I .h- r . ,e o, , ,h"n" io.dt den.o, arh re.o,L. i r1 ar. or l ,e

le dld. ' , re !ome1 . \e . r , \F o, . r 1r . nhel' I J/ B IeJI dnd . . - r . en d, i \ . o \ l U l \ . t h-1i : ,* i " .

rc, n: r . ipoed \pororJr b) \ea\ i r r r r . r ) . , dT 1, . ' r ronl5r oD!e. i .no. qunendrdrhen"r l ro.r .d) , .e

i l1. 'p" . . r '1! o i r fp

^onq deron . .dro . pre,F. .p i .ervrc\rs 1n a poein staled,

we the ||oneh of Ke/enAs pdtt dn.t pdrcelaf Etnrean wanenFro h Tu I k is h t o E I h io p ia n cob, id I ienHare I i wd I h rc u s h Io re i ga a esress io h an d d o uu t e op preseo n

T.he Jist, .otoniatisn, ve ta.e with our people.he secoku, eprcna.| ofour btothen

Rise, ryotnen AlEtitteawe'/lbe liberatedfran oppression ar.t hiserl\at h.arpk, la"a+ bL wp t , p! .p, , t r ^ . r . t i , rLten ro.1s!, we can see theloun.tatiahsfar oo !iherutioa

W.,a b. L, Jr , t . t?t . t tar t -ct l . o. , t a,a2.Le<t te he lour.t \eokct thda rpnOnlr aftet this, wil tt.a betiere ihaure.ruaury.

On rhis sjsnificant occasion, the masses of won,en conrrrbured:-: '"1l: ' l :t l ttr:- ' ,, 'o o rlc 1\ .fuo , ,,...r.,., ,;. .1: , l ' . " "" ,* dcnor.r? o- prcoeeo ro . ru . , re ! !eb. id;.om.ad+ o, ,e, r . . i corn,-J i ron , r bpal, ; :

1: : i : i " , drdro,a-d rcb, , .d i r rorai . . . ocre. \

i : ' . ' ** o o, !dnr. ne r \c r i edn ma..c. and i . p. , , r . , r ta.

The formarion of rhe AEWK and rhe Nomen\j : lg i . l ,a

ro ,cb, , r ro e ro| e. , .uferpof l, * i i ' . .1. f . eJ$ord. h. . r 's t ,u oo.r .or .n. ieL. i . r ,d,a\orur or. L I edr \one . \h. t r . \e o, tone.r , t . .cd.u.or id." , d f ldcl m rb.hct . fore. !o.r a,c rodo\ I t , : i9. te,r hea, l . drd: '1 ' re ar a.r .e ,Jte 1 r l e .e,ot ,on. c, h. .me nno nbroJ_

r.e b| t , j .ne Jnd .or o. .dd. inp . te okr n"s: :g:^, , : : - l : i t

h. A. .ocr ;on o | , . ,e"n $on .n. " . o. , , . . " i "n, .i , ' l l : , i ; ' . ; ' re ' "" ' I horar r . . '

\r om"n riehr".s,,4-iii-in-denonsl.a!o6 in I(€.en

6/Eritrea in Siruggle January 1978

Th€ EPLA in prep.ralion to alla.k the Ethiopirn agg.€ssorr'oops

Sovir( larks crptur€d t.om the Elhiopian

1977: A HISIl9l? $irners€d a revolrtiolarJ upsu.ge in the struggle ot !t!e

$orkine and oppresed pcoplcs lhrouehour lhe world. On the orhelhaDd ii Nirnesed selbacks and railures on ILc side of inle.ialismand all.eacrionafies. Imlerialisn and allreaction ne.e dealt hearyblo$s b-! the combi!ed force of lhe national !iberarion (rueeles inAftica, Asie and Lntin America. thc *o.king cla$ strugsle in Lhecapitalist coLnbies and thc socialisL .oMtries.

In EriLrea. uldcr the leadeship ol lhe E.ilrean Peoplc'tI-iberaLio! FroDi .rnd its amy, Ihe hcroic Eritrean Pcolle\l-iberarion Arm,I, ihe E.itreaD revolLrtion Non unpfecedcDtcd andearrhshakine vicro.ies in 197?. Evcr! dat, every i!€ek lnd e\ervmonth of the yetu, rhe EPLI recorded creat milhar', polirical,social and economi. achicvement!, brirging thc E.ilrean neople'ssrruggle closer to its goal of naLional indcpcndence and libefation.The )ear 197? will ahvats be remembcrcd as a hlstorlc year ot un-nrecedentcd vicio.ies in Ihe loDe ald hililanr historJ of ou. heroicpeoplc and especially dre sloriout l6 y€a6 orafmcd struggle.

The nany sxccescs and victories of the Erirrean .erotutroD rnthe lasL year are iD Iurn aslecls of greal dcliats. disapFoirlncntsand failxres for the Elhiopian occulatio.isrs, inp€rialism and in_terlal icaction, 197? Nas a ,!ear ol devastatile dcltals lor theEthiopianlascins'warof acgrest ion inEr i t rea.

The lpectacular viciories in I97r eere lhc Drecedenls of thinssthat began with thc scttjDg on fire of a fud delot in N'lasawa thatconrained 45,001,000lites of fucl bt EPI-F fiehleN on DeccnberI l. the last dar oi l9t6 which thc EPLF called "a flamins torch oi

Ihc EPLF\ polilical, militar!, social ald cconomic achlevencnt5 ol l917 areasloundinr. The non sjsni i icart Nl i r icalr iaofyin I 9rr is rhe hisroric Fir\t Congre$ of thc EPI F {hich sas hcld inrhe liberated arcas ir .lan!ar-\' 197?. Thc EPLF Congress is thc li*tdemocratic coneress ir lhe hislory of the Eritrean rcvolulion ftadoptcd the revolurioDafy nltional democratic p.ogran and nassedimportanl resolutions. As the EI']LF put it. the historic FirstCong.ess has "ushcred in a nes, naec of ereat delelopment udb.illiant achicvements and bronght forth lhe finest days ot ourrevolutionary organi2atio!- "

In rhe ideological and !ol i t ical sbueele bctween therevolLrrionary aod reactionar! forces of the E.itrcan slruggle, thetho.ougheoing revolutionart lorces led b) the EPLF have \!oDdecisive victo.ies oler lhe reactionary elemenrs. The feaciionar!elements have b€en funhef isolated and exposed. The pro U S in-pcrialist Sabbe diqxe has bcen ltlly exposed aDd ;olated on lhequestjon of national uDiry. through the felentless struggle by lheErikean ma$es and all parrioiic fichlcrs and the EPLF's cofrcctline positne stcls fonvard have bee! rcgitte.ed.

The IPLF has furrher devcloped and (rengthened its wo'k ofpoliticizing, oreanizine and arninC rhe mases. Strong ma\s organtszation\ ol eorkers, pcasanl!, rlomeni yonth and sludenls hareblossonied lhroughout Eritrea. Abroad. the Associations ofErirrean worken, STudells and women in lhe Nliddle East.Europe and Nortb Anerica hale inlensified lheir struggle andstrcDethened lheir trnitJ wjfi the mass organizations al hof,e. lnthe lib€raled villaecs. towlt and cities the masscs have sel trp theirDeotle's asenblics and are manaeins thcir daily alfairs. The solidioundatioD of lonorrow\ democralic E.irr€a has taken dcfiDilc

In ihe military ftoDt. rvith th€ liberation of Karora on January 6and with the seige of Nacla since Septcmbe. 1916, rhe EPLFopened a gencral olfensile to liberatc the iowns and the cities. Therhingsthal wereto come followcd. The EPLA implemcntine the arlof pcople's war liberated cily after citt in an xDp.cccdeni€d sav.Cnies and to$ns ot najor s1.a1egic ard ecoromic iftlortance, theiowns and cities oi Nacfa. Afabet, Ela Bered, Debanva,bekemhare, Keren and Segeleiti, fell to the EPLF one ate. the"sel t re l ianccis lheLt] loou.! ic lor ' EPLF

January 1978Eri lrea in Struggle/7

f}RIC YEARod'€r lile ripc fruits.

, \ r |ors ' he/Jg-.or ,^o-. ndd\.cp-dr.od,r . l rp .u. ,d.^

.a. . ,oaJ. t - , Jr ,e. t re. ,hr thet t t \ . , . t/ :1, ' "o ' . Ia. .<.rour.d rr .dee Jr r^oo. i ,Jc. ,so. . re L' I . r 1g .p.er. hLaJ-. J L.

- ' r t^ c or lhc. .

, AL re moment thc Ept_A js annihilating the fas.ist oc.uparion

,Jon n \ r . r . . !$/ q L " .

.1. .ou, . j . . "o i . . . r . , , i " t .o

. 1r . ' . . .d N h: l t r e.o"d. . r . , . o . . .ho ut b) , . -EPI A

wirh rhe couni.lside an{:l hosr of ttre ciiics liberare.l noi! rhcf \ io j 'Jr . r . r -e o|oof . rF oir rued i . Ai p iJ J J A..JoJ d .TplFre Jc pdr 1 , . , . L dp,J oe.on.. rd-

rJ . ibr to e . r , iunJr, r . . . "1, l r l .po.er. , . r I e roe'r l err l .or . D\ oire ' \c5. . r . Ur u. I 1r . . .FdItr t or of t . i

cared qearcns ro ihe ErhjopiaD fascisrs rhe trtLrea! ljbe;ariono,.e. hJ\F mo

' d lcd he., dh u, t t ( e lo,r .o, l

r t r r . l -drdreh. orFd o I o j h.<o\ i . In.r J lc l"( bF ,gd. ) t r .c(cadornt i .e ol . i .p,q. . r . l

r r | . 'd |ou . t -e. , \ , u.er; . - . . , uDon,,r . I .p( , . r .3:n.do-.dl .d oco r tF- | d co. I t r . d l j ,c .^r roof .

were.oured iD bal l lc afLe. barLle, thousands of them ki l ted a;d

At the samc rime thc EPLF has catiurcd eno.rnous quantiries ot.Soviet ard U.S. milirary hardware lion rheoccupatjoD rroops. Thescveral Lr.S. M-41 and M 60 and Soviet T-54 and T 6:l ra;ks, rhethouse.ds of Lr.S. 11 14 and M-16 and Soviet Kalachjnkoys and

7. othcr large quanrities of heav), and lighr weapons cafiured in lhebatrtdields are in thc hands of rhe EpLA, the EpaF\ people\\ l l_ ia. 'a.r I raJere. \^. .

ot our peoplc,s liberaiion srrueste.In the libcrared areas rhe EPLF has launch€d crrensiyc edu.a

lional, nredical an.l economi. Frosranrs and tras opcned €xiclsivebus lincs to serve e masses. Ttre nunbcf of lchools has beensreall! rncreased. The EpLF is dailj engaged t! e.adicating i|ircracyanonsrhe workcr and peasants through ma$ educatjo; and iscarDg lor and educaring rhe children of our he.oic mart!.6 an.l rhcchi ldren oi ouf f ighLers and Lhe ma$e!.

Equally ii thc lredicat field, rhc EpLF has buik more hospjralsin dre libc.ared arcas aDd rranrd norc ..bareibol doctor,.re;dilsto lhe ned'cal needs of th€ mases. It has nadc ar ertensive canta'gn Io educlte the masses in pfs,enrive medicinc and to clinrinateconnn'n'cable aDd othe. diseases through ino.utation and \accina

Tle EPLF has atso achicved gr€ar succels i,, u,e,mpoirani raskof leading the teasarr malscs i! arrarian revotxrion. tr js impleneDring rhe slogan ..land to dre ti €r,,, and, br potilicjzing;nd^ dr. ins h\

'd- t . p^. , . | . I i r . tc D-d_nr 1, , pe. . r

I . pad 1! r le , 1 ' re " dLou. .1a. . . r r ;g.- ntheir noliricaland econonic rjehrs. Once orsanired and poliicized,rhc peasanis have themelves iniriated taDd .eibrns thal are ofhrstorrc proporrions in the E.itrcan couDrrtsid€. Th€ EPLF hasarned rhe peasaDts by ionning peopie\ nitiiias ro dcfend r1r eains

In aU lls f€ro]urionar! work anong rhe masscs ano rn execulneIlre tall,s of the .evohrion the EI,t F has courageously imtlemen-red ure revolurio.arr pfinciptc ot setf reliarce. Ii has estabiished a

-large

numbe. of sorkshops and smalt induslries an.1 rectained.arge tracts ol land for aefjcultural produce Lo oorn carer ro rhedailr needs of Lhe masses and rhe revotulioD. rn doi.g so rheliberated areas havc become setffetianr in nrary respecrs and arr ;cr p- .enr-agc o ' ctoodnlco or . tet i !1.c.d Jr ,Fpeop.ena( neEn mer rrom In\ de rhc Lourr . ] .

Politicized, organizedtheir popular power:

and a.med the Eritrean mnsses arc ass.rtitrsFonen's demonsr.lrion hetd in Xer€n on

Rlising the t€chnicat tevel of the m.sses-ryping class ir the

Rrbrildine d.molhhed hou\es in Dct emhlrc

t 6tE itiea ifl Struggle January 1978

HAIL TIIE FORMATION OF THE ASSOCIATIONOF ERITREAN STI.IDENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Under the slogan "Struggle lor a democratic studetrt movement,struesle rowards fie eslablishmenr of a single laiional demofalicfront in the Erifean field tbroxgh the road of ihe united front" th€lohding congres ol the A$ociation of Eritean SludenE tu theNliddl€ East (AESME) was held in Ktr$ail ftom Octobcr 23 29,197?. Dclegates liom !he srudy groups that were formed i! !he pasttso ycars in Kusail, Iraq, Cairo and Libya larticipated in rhecongress. Represenratiyes of thc EPLF\ Depa.lment of Ma$Organizalions as \rell as delcga|es fron both the Asociation ofErilrean WomcD and lhe AssociaLion of Eritfean Wo.kers inKuwait also artended ihe congres. The selcn day long congrelsbroadly disctrsed the present siluarion of the Erikean revolutionand the historical delclopment of the Erilrean sludent movement nrthe Middle Easr. It pass€d inportant resolrtions oD Daiional,o.ganizational, as well as international qucstions and elected aprovisional general secretarial with scven m€mbers ro Lake up lheleadership of the orcaDization.

The first Congre$ of AESME .esolved to adhere to thc rcrolutionafy political line ol the EPLF, praised thc EPLA fo. the bril-liani ricto.ies il is winline over lhe Elhiopian Iascisr occupaliont.oops and expresed its pride of the EPLF\ remarkable achicvcnents in tbe political, miliiary, social and economic liclds. On ihequeslion of national unjly lhe Congres resolvcd lo work hardtoNards fofcine unity bel8een EPLF and ELF, supported the Oc-tober 20, 1977 agreeoenl on national unity ligned by EPLF aldELF and a! the same time condemned the activities ol thc iDtcrnalreactionaries who a.e trying to impede the advarce ol thererolurion. o! rhc organizaLional froit thc congress resolved toform thc AESME with the sludy groups in I.aq, Libya, Cairo andKuwair as its chapters. Thc Congr€ss resolved to slrugelc lor theunity of the ErilreaD student norement on a coff€ct democraticbasis and Ioxnjteand work clolely with theAssociation ol E.ilreanStudenlsin Nonh Am€rica, Europe and Eritrca.

The succcssfulfoundlng congress of thc AESME is an importantvictory lo. lhe revolutioDary and dernocralic forces of thc E|iircanstrlggle at home and ab.oad in general and lor the dcmocratic an.lprogre$ive Eritrean sludenl movement in parlicula., IL is a bigblow to thc reaclionary elemerls who had for long dominated dieEritrean studeni novemeni in the Middle East lhroueh backsardseniiment! and by creatjng divisions among the Eitrcan student

asse! in the Middlc East. The AESME $ill rally patriotic anddemocratic Eritrcan sludents in the Middlc East behind ihe EPLFand will elablc them !o play an active role in the EriLrean revolu

Thc iornalion of the AESME has been achieved lhrough yea.sof!.otacted slruggle *ithin the Eritrean siudent holemenl in dreMjddle East bct*ee! the demouaiic and reactionary elements; andthe EPLF\ clfofis in organizing thc Eriir€an reiugees, studcDls.ro.ke6and von€n in theMiddlc Easi.

Thc Erit.ean student masses in the Middle East have ex!.essed

their sholehearled suppofl for the Eril.ean people\ arded slrugslecvcr since i!s inceplion. However.lheir revolulionary poteDtiaL wasLctl untapped unril the fonnarion of the EPLF in l9r0- The reac'tjonary Eritrean Liberation Froni (ELF) leaders insread of poliiicizine and orsaDizinethe lludena did everythnie Io coDfL6c, divideand use rhe sludenl novemenl as a tool for fu.thcriDg lheir reac-tionary interesls. The so-called G€neral Union ofFritrean StudenLs(cUES) Bhich was formed in 1968 urd€r lh€ leadershit of a reac'tionary pro'ELF diqxe has bcen a nrere lool or the ELF leadeB. In1970, $he! thc Erirean People\ LiberatioD Front was formcdGUES srlit inro two grotrps. CUtS (Cairo) which pporled lheEPLF and CUES (Baedad) shi.h coDlinued sxpportins lhe ELFAlthough CUES (Cairo) sopponcd the EPLF and condemned lhcLiqnidiationisl civil war which was declared bv the reachona.vILF l€adeB, it was donirated bv a reaclionarv pro Sabbeclique. In Jaluary, 1976, followine rhe infamous "KhartoumAgreemcni" betwecn the ELF leaden and lhe Sabbe cliquethe txo CUES groxps mcrged and decla.cd then suppofi for thef€actionary Khafioum Ag.eement. Thc democrari. stxdcnrs wilhinGUFS (Cairo)who had been opposineih€ Sabbe cliqnc an.l it! rep-resenratives in the student organiTalion condemned,the Januafv..1976 mcrger ol lhe GUES eroups and deDounccd ihe holv alliance-betwecn ihe Sabbe clique and the ELF leaders and their KhartoumAcrccrnent. The democratic sludents sided with lhe EPLI andoc( Jed ,o \o i i . lu ely s l ' rnc.(ro.ar ' . l r r 'ea1mo'orcani_Tarions abroadr rhe lhe Ernfean lbr I-iberation jn lLtrole (EF'LE)and Eritreans for Liberation in Nonh America (EFLNA)- Sincetlren the democratic studenls hav€ becn saging militait strugelecxposing lhe reactionar! Iine of thc ELF and lhe coxnicr revoiu_lionary Sabbc cljque and thcir r€presentarires iD the studentmovemeDt. Thet set up stud,v eroLrp! in Kxwait, kaq, Libva andCairo mobilizing the studcDt massesbehind thc EPI-F.

Thus the formation of the AESME is a culminalior of lhc Droiract€d struggle bet$ccn the reactjoDary and deftocratic lincswiLhin rhe lritrcan sludent mov€nenl in Ih€ Nliddle East. Thedemocratic students have won the bartle. They have now lormed anew o.ganization feprcsenting dre dcnrocratic ard patriotic srudents and shattering the reactionary elements- Thc.eaciionarv€lements arc exposed and isolated. The EritrcaD sludent! io theMiddle East have lounded lheir democratrc mass organratron trndef thc corect leadeNhip oi lhe EPLF and a.e plaving an actlefolc in our people\ heroic revoluliona.y sbusgle fof natioral in-dc!endence and people'! democrac!.

AESNAhails rhe formalion ol the AESME as an impo.tanr v(iory fof the denoqaLic Eritrcan sttrdenr movemcnt in lhe MiddleEasr- The Jb'nation of lhe AESME is a concrete refleclion of lhcsolid uniry oftbe latriotic and revolutiona.y forces ofthc Eril.eanrelolurion around the EPLF aDd ol the conscious, orsanired panicitation ofthe Eritean nasses jn lhe strugslc lbr national salvalion

Cantinued.frcm Page 7

The policies ofseltueliancc and politicizing, oreanizine ald afming the mases arc also being effeclively inplemenred nr the newlyliberatcd cjries, Th€ EPLF has taken appropriate measures to.ebuild the liberated to$ns and cities and io meci the food andorhe. needs of tbe mases- Fundamcntal chaneesin city adrJlinislra-tion and in ecolomic life are iakins plac€ and city services halebe€n fullJ rcstorcd. The nass€s of urban dwelles hav€ ralli€d

aroun.l lhe EPLF. 197? was thc year of gr€a1 nass rallies an.ldemonstrarions nr thc liberated cities unprecedented in Efitrean

IDtcrDationally, !he Erirrean revolution in ecncral and the EPLFvaneuard in f'arlicula. have gained efeat prcstigc and admirationamong lhe revolutionary ald p.ogressive peotles ol lhe world.Nlore and more proercssivc iorces Lhrouehotrl the $orld arecomirg iD suplort of the E.ilrean revolution. By forccfuli,I at

January 1978 Eri lrea in Struggle/9

WESTERN SAHARA-POLISARIO CLOSE TO VICTORYToday, tlvo years after thejoint annexarion of the Saharan Arab

Dcmocralic Rclublic by the two neiehboriDg, rcactionary, jniperialist Duplei. exFnsionist rceimes of Nlorocco aDd Maudtania onimperialisl instisation. the Saha.an Feople, l€d by thc couraeeoutPOLISARIO are dealing healy blo$s Lo the aggressors nililarilyand ha\e isohed Ihen polirically.

l\'lo.occo lnd MauritaDia, claimins drat thcrc doc$l exist an independent Saha.an A.ab Democratic Republic, bul an area rhatbistorically belonged io rhen invaded the counfy with nilitarymieht. Claiming lhat rhere doesnl exist a Sahouri people theylablcd thc lcgitimatc oreanization leading th€ Saliouri people as"bandi1s." wilh thc latcsl sar machine.y $rpllicd by the Frenchinp€rialists to the annexationists thc pcople of western Sahara arcfaced with a savage genocidal canDaien.

Howerer, despite the lwo-pronged aLtacks by the invader reginesihe people ofwesterD Saham under the leadc6hip ofPOLISARIOar€ successfully defeating thcir cncmics wiih daunlless couraec anddeterminaLion. Present ly POI- lSARlO torces have virLual conLrolof ihe ilhole country having for.ed lle inrading troops to a fewla.ec Saharan rowns. Followine rbe octobd l:1, 19?7 POLISARIoatrack on Morocca! paralroopcF i! dre mainland 146 i\'Iorocclnt.oops were killed. Thc rccent bat e in Nlaurilania occupied western Sahara has caused hear! casualties on rhe agCressor troops. ThePOLISARIO has mobilized the stole population in the fieht for

shaken by lh€ growing vicro.ies ofthe PoLlsARIo, the Frcnchimperialkis have promlsed the reaciionafy \'loroccan reeine 50Nlirage fiehler planes and !4 bonbers. To pfcpare for fresh aggr€nsio!, Francehas sent troops ro irs milita.y base ncarDakar.

POLISARIO scofed a! important polirlcal and diplomatic victory in lhe U,N, dur ine th€ Norember l , 1977 tresentai ion ofPOLISARIO'S case ro the Dccolonization Conmi[ee. At thismcctine it sas resolv€d that ihc Sahafan Arab DemocraticRetublc n a nation thal was annexed br thc xvo e\pansioDsrneighborirs (atcs oi Morocco and Mauritania. 11 was aho reiteraled IhaI iI is only POLISARIO thar has the lesilimale riehr tospcak fof the Sahouri leopl€. For thc Nloroccan ald ltlaurilaniancxpansjonists and their backe6 $ho ahvals manrraiDed rhat\!estern Sahara is '1he inlernal affair of iheir couDtfy" ald rhatPOLISARIO is nothnrc bul "a bnnch of bandiLs", POLISARIO\diplomat ic v icrory\ !as a biuer! i l l to swal lo*.

The struggle of the Sahotrri Foplc aeainsr anDexation and io.national ljbcralion is a just stugele lhxr dese.ves the srpporr ofproercssivc and dcmocratic forces ol lhe wo.ld. Thc Lrirreanpeotle led by EPL| and ihc Sahoufi people led by POLISARIOare fightine aeajnst !inilar enemies,lhe irnperialisi pupl)et rraies oildriopia, ltlorocco and,}1atrrilaDja. Thc tso peoples are dererDrincd 10 persist on the road of proL.acted Deoplc's waf and their

SWAPO WIPES OUT 80 SOUTH AFRICANAGGRESSORTROOPSAMIDST IMPERIALIST CONSPIRACIES

In a rcc€nl stalement the South WesL Alrican Pcople's Organiza,rion (SWAPO) whjch is leadirs lhe Nanibian people's afmedsrruggle against rhe occupation of their counfy by racist SouihAfrica and irs imperialisl backers reportcd rhar it liped out no.ethan E0 South African fascist occupation troops. The bartles irerelouehi in th€ lo|theni part of Namibia hom which SW-APOlighte.s have drivcD out rhe South African racisl agsressors. TheS\\APO lighte6 havecapturcd lafse quantilies of*eaponr.

ln lhe mean Line rhr racitt Souih Afican fegim€ and iLs im-pcrialisl backer, Ihe U.S., Brirish, French. Wesr German andCanadian nnpcdalists, are hatchinC a plot io supprcss rheNanibian peofle's st.uggle and crush S\iAPO. Talks are going o!b€Neor lhe U.S., French, B. i t i !h. west Gcrman and Canadian

inpefialists Io send an intescnrionist force to Nanibia undcf rhegui \e of a "U.N. peace keenine to.ce." Thc plan is to insLal l a ncocolonial reginrc in Namibia in order ro \ecurc thc iDteresrs ol theSoulh Afri.an .acistt and thc irnperialists, and to supprcss the rrueaspiralions of Ihe Namibian leoplc and ro .rush their heroict l rugelcfo.s€Dtr inefreedomandinde!cndence.

But *earecoDfidelt thar SWAPO and thc Namibian malses wiltcourageously aDd sleadfastly foillhe imperialisl machinalio!s. Therecenl lictory demonst.atcs rhar rhe NanibiaD people led bySWAPO are deLernin€d io pcsist ir probacted armcd slruggle un-lil iiDal victofy. The Nanibian pcople wjll cenainly bc vic

!

Continuedfron pase 8

tackins ifrperialism at one ofits weak€st links, the EritrcaD rcvohrtion has sr.engrhened rhe tosirion ofrhe revoluliona.! io.ces in theworld andNeakened Ihe posi l ioD of imperiat ism and al l r€act io i .

Thc unprcccdcllcd victorics of 1977 arc firsl and foremosl tberesuks of the polidcal cla.it! and cored leadership of the IPLF,i!\ succes\ in consolidating rhe unir! oi th€

'evolurionary and patri

otic lorces unde. its leade^hip, irs core.r aptroach to{ardr thcd€mocratic qlestions of rhe ma$es, its policy oi self-reliance andof libc.ating lhc counlr,I .Dd thc pcoplc slcp by step. It is preciselydue ro rhis l1olitjcalclariiy and cor€ct leadershirr of rhc !PLF lharrhe Erilrean rerolution is enereinc triunphanr. Allhurdles in lionrof drc nrcccs of die ferohttio! are beinc snrashed \ilh ihe nighLylorce oj the ijghiing Erirrean masses, It is only liom this perspecIive of a.leaf and principled polirical line and leadebhip of ihcEPLFvansuard and lhe uni t rof lhe masses that secan underslandand aplreciatc thc many achievements of the relolulion in1977-no doubt a rcry inpo ant tear in the history of theE.iLrean.evolulioMry sl.uggle.

As ile enter l9?8 $e are.onfident ihai our iiehtingna$cs led b,rEPLI wili cven score more viclories, that our cilies srill unde. theoccuFlion ol the Ethiopian iascist lbrces sill soon be libe.ated

and the i inal v icto.y ofour people\ strusgle wi l lbe real ized.Today is the eve of ouf.ountry's conplele liberalion. thc cve of

rhe esrablishnent ofdemocratic Erit.ea. Ll

ARelna nai giddin irul

l0rEritrea in Struggle January 1978

NEWS FROM THE LIBERATED AREAS IN BRIEF-YOUTH OF KEREN

ENGAGE IN PRODUCTIONTh€ youlh ol Keren are actjvely taking pan in lhe political,

econonic and social tasks being underraken in the city. Then nalsoreanizarion, rhe Association olEriirean Youth Keren Branch. isin the foreftonl of the vigorous campaign to rebuild a prosperousKeren. In the past ler montlN sincc the city\ Iiberation the youthof (eren enthtrsiastically implernenting lhe EPLF' caLL and guide-lines to participaic in production have acconplished va.io'rs

In the month of Novenber over ,lo0 young men and won€nturned up ro uDderlakelhe work ofmowing. weeding an.l anasinghay and picking oranee frtrjts on a 25 heciare orange plantation.Ea.lier in lhe month of Ocrober, the youth waeed a livc daycleanirg campaisn in rvhich they .leared the compound ol theporer elcctric station of weeds, repaired thc damaged roads of theciry and cleaned lhe compound olrhe central hospilal.

The exemplary prodrclive acrivities of the youth ol Keren are acon$ele manifestatjo! ofthe EPLF'S succes in nBilling rhe sDirjiol work tu the Lrirean youlh. The productivcness ol the youLhreflects thc EPLFS elforts in mobilizine and organizing theEritrean you1h. The EPLF is brirgins up the young genefalion rn arevolulionary way in ordcr to ca.ry lhe revolulionary rorch iorward to gtraranrce theconlinuiiy ol the revolurion.

Ever sincc its inception the EPLF has given special an€ntion !othe youth of Eritea. The most important achievement in theEPLI's work amon8 lhe youth is lhe thousands oilanguards it hasbrought up in ihe flames olthe armed niug8le. The EPLF has $rcceeded in enthusiasiically rallying the youth ofEfitrea.

EPLF OPENS NEW BUS LINESThe EPLF has tremendously expanded its transport services for

the nasses by opening more bus lines in the liberated a.eas. The1500 km. "Liberalion Road" constructed by EPLF fiehl€rs inl9?5, rhe additional feeder roads linking liberated villages andtowns constrxcted sjncethe! and allthe asphalted roadsjoining ihecities shichtheEPLI; nowcompletely controls arein fLrll sc.vice ofthe.evolution and th€ nasses.

By the monrh of Augtrst, l9r? the EPLF had opened bus linesfromTzorona to Seharti in lhesouth, f.om Kerento,the suburbs ofAsmara and liom Alaber to Nacfa and Karora. Lately additionalbu! lines have been open€d: K€ren-Aderade-Mensura, KerenAlabet, Dekenha.e-Segeneiri-Digsa, Dekenhare-Tzorona, andDekemhare'Asmara suburbs.

EPLF PUBLISHES A NEW JOURNALThe EPLF has begun publishing an irnportant new journalenli-

ded Labor. Laboris a bi-monthly publisbed by theEPLF\ Deparl'

The fi6tissue of Labor contained arlicles dealing silh the role ofthe EPLF and rhc na$es in rhe field ol economic actililv. an in-lroduciory note on political economy, lhe eco.onic features ofneo-colonialism, a shon summation ol the tasks accomplished byaU the branches of the Department of Economy, on modern .oadbuildirg from the paees of Erlfean history and an irterview sithEPLF fighters on the overall achicvcments aDd tasks ofthe revolution in ihc economic field.

EPLF BRANCH OF CULTURETOURS PROYINCE OF BARKA

Since the conclusion of lLe hjstoric Firs! Congress of the EPLFin .lanuary 1977, iLe EPLF Branch ol Culture has been touriDs rheliberatcd areas of Eritrea performinc revolutioDary songs an.l dat-ces tiom all the Eribean nationalities for the masses. BetweenNovemb€r 8-10, it roufed thc province of Barka and preseltedvicorous cultiual shows to the residents of Mensura, Haeaz andHirakxk. In Haeas ELF fighleB joined jn with lhe masses and !h€EPLF iishters and parlicipated in tlre night lonc cultural event inthe sDirit olcomradeshiD.

In its tour ofBarka lhe Branch oiCuliu.e was warmlywelcomedelerywhere and aroxsed in the masses s!.ong supporl for rhc EPLI

The EPLF Branch of Culture is an importanl concret€ achieve-menr ofthc EPLF in the cultxral field. As rhc EPLF'S main organfor disseminaling revolutiorary cuhure among the masses theBranch of Culture is arousing and raising the cultural level ol the

-mases. The Branch ol Cultxre is effectively popllarizine themjlitart cullur€ and history of our people, their revolxtionarycombadvenels and heroism. lt has becone instrumental insolidilrins the unity ofthe Eritrean masses ofall lalionalities in iheskuegle for lalional salvalion and liberatjon.

Along Nilh the olherjournals, Laborwillplay an important roLein disseminating revohiionary theory and rajsing the levcl of consciotrsnes of ihe Efitrean masses in general and the Erilreanvorkine cla$ jn particular. It h an imporiant weapon in !h€ handsof the EPLF lor exposing and iighting lhe ugly faces ofidperialismand leudalisn. On !he olher hand, lt will present !o the mases theconcrele achievemenls and practical outcome of the implementaiion of the revolutionary principle ofseltueliance on thc ccononic

a:- \ \^

l5*

January 1978 Eritrea in Slruggl6/11

After two and a hali ftonlhs of rece$ thc Revolulion Schoo!began its I977-?8 school yea. on October 9. 1977. The RevolutionS.hool which ivas esrablished b! the EPLF in Janxafy 1976 is aboardine school lor the .hildren of manyrs. nomads and the

R.EYOLUTION SCHOOL RESUMESSECOND SCHOOL YEAR

Dlring the recess the stud€.ts took a touring lrip over all theliberated afeas of thel country b order to learn practj.al lessonsfromthe masscs. Altcrthc tri! they werc assicned to diffcrent afeasor handicratt and produclion acllvities in which they translatedtheir theoretical knowledee jrto pracljce- The studerts wereengaged in such production activitjes as makilg ropes from bafksoftrccs, tannine hides, makine pots 3nd pans hom food cans. candles lrom fa|s, reconst.ucting houses and $orkins on their vegetable ga.den. Some ol then we.e also given practical lessons indrawing skills. The older stndenls also rorked in the macbine shopand 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 which the EPLF plansto adopt all ovc. E.itrca- The youDe sludents who are growine inthc Revolution School ar€ a nes breed, a new generalion, ready iocary th€ revolutionary torch forward. l-l

EPLF & ELF HOLD TALKSON NATIONAL UNITY

Th€ EPLF and Ell met in lhe libcraled area! between Novemb€r27-30, 1977 ro fu.lher discu$ ihc !.inciples they.grced upon inIheirOctober 20th meethc and the nethods ofimplementing themAn uldcrstanding ras feached on a nunber of important pointsbur sone qu€stions still renain to be srudied, Hence the mectingsbehveen thetivo fronts will continue in the lulure.

h br inging up a )oung general iotr r i lh i

-evolulionary

outlook

This year 910 srudenls are enrolled in the lchool ftost of rvhonarc beirecn 615 yea.s old attending grades one lhrough four.Those between 2 5 yea6 old whose parents wefe mufdered by ihePihiopian aggressor t.oops are in rhe kinderearte!.

FASCISTJUNTA NAPALMSLIBERATEDAREAS

The Ethiopian fascist junta\ huniliatins defeats at the hands olthe !PLF, rhe heroic EPLA aDd our mases has driven it ro fienzy.Holeless ro maintain their grip on Eritrea, the Ethiopian lascist occupalionisls, with th€ all out suppon of lhe Sovier Union which is!uptlying then with the sopbisticated weapons they are using intheirwar ofaggressio! iD ox. country, have resorted to out and outfascistic and desperate acts to commit mass eenocidc ofou. pcople-

As ihe EPLA annihilates the iascisl toops in Massawa, the junta's plan€! a.e dropping napaln bombs in the lib€rated ciries andvillaees. On December 31, 1977 ald January l, 1978 the fascisljunta napalned liberaied Keren and scor€s ol villases esDeciallyihose !urounding our counby's capitalAsmara.

The fasist junta's napalmiDc ofthc liberated arcas ofour coun'try is a cosardly act. Ii shows its desperatjon! irs uticr dcfcat andfurrher eiloses its iascist nature and its '\ocialist" demagosy.

No matter horv many bombs it drops Io intimidale our peopleand durder innocenl children and womcn, ihe fascist junta willnever be able to break the iron determination of our lcople to peFshi oD thc rcad ol proLracled people\ war until final lictory. Th€falcist junta\ desperaie artenpt is futile. Our dasses organized.a.fted ard led by EPLF will courageously defend the eain! theyhave won tbrough he.oic struggie hom lhe savage atiacks of tbe

We call on all prosrc$ivc and dcmocratic forces to condemn thefarisl jurta for its war of aesrcssio! in Eritrea and its cosardlyacts-the barbaric napalming ofour counl.y\ cities and villages.

,RITREA t \9

t9CALENDAR

Orde. your copy no* ! r,om AESNA 92.00

t lZEri lrea in Struggle January 1978

RADIO LIBERATION-ERITREAThe Associaiion of Eritrean Students in North America (AESNA) and the Association of EritreanWomen in North America (AEWNA) together have launched a fund-raising campaign towards theestablishment ofa radio station in theliberated areas ofEritrea.

In Eritrea, the war of national liberation led by the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) issurging forward. Ninety-five percent of the country, including major towns and cities have beenliberated. The EPLF is scoring victory after victory-decimating the fascist Ethiopian occupationtroops and encircling them in the few remaining cities.

These new victories .are bringing forth new and greater tasks for the EPLF vanguard. In its s€lf-reliantprotracted struggle ki transform atd consolidate the vast liberated areasj the EPLF ta_kes as its centraltask that of organiziDg, politici:ing and arming the masses. Today, with the number of people in theliberated areas, in villages, to}-ns and cities, in the millions, the EPLF is faced with the most urgenttask of disseminating mass e(tncation on a large scale. To facilitate the acceleration of mass education,the EPLF considers it of prime importance to set up a radio station in the liberated areas.

Moreover, with the lighteninS advance of the EPLF, theEthiopian occupationists, their imperialist masters, andother reactionary elements, are stepping up their slan-derous campaign against the Eritrean people,s just andrevolutionary stauggle and in particular against theEPLF revoluiionary vanguard. Attempts to isolate theEritrean struggle and the EPLF,through news blackout,lies, slanders and distortions by rhe imperialist presshave to be combatted. One of the fundamental ways isto establish a radio station in the liberated areas ofFrirrea from uhere lhe EPI F can preceni therrue roiceof the E trean people and expose the distortidhs by im-perialist and reactionary news media.

It is in light of these central tasks of our revolution, thatwe have decided to launch a fund-raising campaign toassist in the establishment of a radio station. Towardsthe establishment of the radio station in the liberatedareas of Eritrea, we have projected to raise $50,000$i lh in a per iod of I monlh( (December lg" Augusrl9-8). Therefore we call upon al l progre\cive, anri- imperialist and democratic organizations and individualsto support and assist us in any way they can (con-tributions, donations, etc.)

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