20 June. Eritrean martyrs day: women fighters and broken promesies

The June 20 -2015 is the Day of Remembrance of the dead during the war years of Independence Eritrea, that ended in '91.



Since the 60s, the Eritrean "tegadelti" - guerrillas Tigrinya - hundreds participated in a struggle for independence that lasted more than 30 years, one of the longest in Africa. This year I want to commemorate Eritrean women: they were about 30% of the guerrillas. The story of Eritrean women in the last 50 years is littered with war, military service and violations of their human rights.

training of soldier women in the '60

We speak of brave women, strong, who sacrificed their youth alongside their brothers to give the next generations a peaceful existence. They fought for Eritrea where they could be free to study, graduate, dream and live in dignity.

They believed in the cause. Profoundly felt that the fight for a free State from the totalitarian regime Ethiopian DERG was also their task, not only of their husbands and brothers.