The Eritrean war of Secession (Independence) – causes, success and failures

The Eritrean War of Independence was an armed conflict and Insurgency aimed at achieving self-determination and independence for Eritrea from Ethiopian rule. Starting in 1961, Eritrean insurgents engaged in guerrilla warfare to liberate Eritrea Province from the control of the Ethiopian Empire under Haile Selassie and later the Derg under Mengistu. Their efforts ultimately succeeded in 1991 with the fall of the Derg regime. The war was initially led by the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF), however, In the 1970s; the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) emerged as a dominant force.

Causes of Eritrean war of succession 1961 to 1993

The Eritrean War of Independence (1961-1991) was driven by several key factors:

1. Annexation by Ethiopia: In 1962, Ethiopia annexed Eritrea, violating the terms of the 1952 UN resolution that granted Eritrea self-government. This move was deeply unpopular among Eritreans.
2. Autocratic Rule: Emperor Haile Selassie’s autocratic rule, including the suppression of Eritrean media, trade unions, and political dissent, fueled resentment.
3. Cultural and Religious Differences: Ethiopia was predominantly Christian, while Eritrea had a significant Muslim population. The imposition of Christianity as the state religion and marginalization of Muslims exacerbated tensions.
4. Economic Exploitation: Eritrea’s valuable resources, such as minerals, were exploited by the Ethiopian government, leading to economic grievances.
5. Famine and Neglect: The Ethiopian government’s neglect during famines in the 1970s and 1980s, which disproportionately affected Eritrea, further alienated the Eritrean population.
6. Desire for Self-Determination: Eritreans had a long history of self-governance and democratic traditions, which they sought to reclaim.
7. Influence of the cold war: The secession was fueled by USA that supported Haile Selassie and USSR that supported Mengestu during the 1974 revolution in Ethiopia. After 1974 USA embarked on supporting Eritrea while USSR supported Ethiopia.
8. Failure of Mengestu government to fulfill its promises. Mengestu during the struggle to overthrow Haile Selassie had promised ELF. EPLF and TPLF to form a coalition government which he failed to achieve.

These factors collectively contributed to the prolonged struggle for Eritrean independence.

Factors that contributed to success of Eritrean war of Succession 1961-1993

Several factors contributed to the success of the Eritrean War of Independence (1961-1993):

1. Formation of Liberation Movements: The establishment of the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) in 1961 and the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) in 1972 played a crucial role. These movements mobilized and united Eritreans of diverse backgrounds.
2. External Support: Eritrea received financial and military support from Arab countries, which helped sustain the war effort.
3. Weakness of Ethiopian Government: Severe famines in Ethiopia (1972-1974 and 1984) weakened the Ethiopian military and government, reducing their ability to effectively combat the Eritrean forces.
4. End of the Cold War: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to the withdrawal of Soviet support for Ethiopia, significantly weakening the Ethiopian military.
5. Discontent within Ethiopia: Authoritarian rule by Emperor Haile Selassie and his successor Mengistu Haile Mariam led to widespread discontent and loss of support for the Ethiopian government.
6. Charismatic Leadership: Leaders like Isaias Afewerki played a pivotal role in uniting and inspiring Eritrean revolutionaries.
7. Unity of Eritrean Forces: The eventual merger of the ELF and EPLF strengthened the resistance against the Ethiopian government.
8. International Diplomacy: The election of Boutros Boutros-Ghali as UN Secretary-General in 1992 and the end of the Cold War facilitated international recognition and support for Eritrea’s independence.
9. The role of Eritrean Nationalism: Eritrea was inspired by other African countries that had gained independence.
10. Rise of Ethiopian radicals: The government of Mengestu faced serious oppositions from radical Ethiopians like Meles Zenawi and diverted its attention from the Eritrean war.

These factors collectively contributed to the success of the Eritrean struggle for independence.

Factors that delayed the independence of Eritrea

Several factors contributed to the delay in Eritrea’s independence:

1. Ideological Differences: The two main liberation movements, the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) and the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF), often conflicted with each other, which hindered their efforts.
2. Superpower Interests: The Cold War saw both the USSR and the USA using Eritrea as a battleground for their ideological conflicts, which complicated the struggle.
3. Ethiopian Military Strength: Ethiopia’s strong military, backed by Soviet support, posed a significant challenge to the Eritrean forces.
4. Internal Collaboration: Some Eritreans collaborated with the Ethiopian government, which slowed down the independence movement.
5. UN and OAU Stances: The United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) were initially reluctant to support Eritrea’s independence.
6. Peace Talks Failures: Negotiations with Mengistu’s government often failed, prolonging the conflict.
7. Economic Interests: Ethiopia wanted to retain control over Eritrea’s valuable resources and ports, which led to prolonged resistance.
8. Geography: The challenging geography of the region made military operations difficult and prolonged the conflict.
9. Natural Disasters: Severe droughts and famines in the region also hindered the progress of the independence movement.
10. Religious conflicts: Eritrean nationalists were divided along religious and ethnic lines which hampered a unified course of action.

These factors collectively contributed to the delay in Eritrea’s path to independence.

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Thanks

Dr. Bbosa Science