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Liberator to Oppressor - 30 Years of Eritrean President Afwerki

In 1991, Isaias Afwerki was celebrated as a national hero in his country after he had led the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) into victory, gaining independence from Ethiopia after 30 years of civil war.

Afwerki was Eritrea's first president, a position he has held since 1993 when the United Nations supervised the country's referendum on independence.

But just a few years later, in 1998, war broke out between Ethiopia and Eritrea over the small border village of Badme. The war over who got to control Badme only ended in 2018 with the signing of a joint statement at the Eritrea-Ethiopia summit. Ethiopia's prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, decided to end the war and restore peace after coming to power.

Milena Mikael-Debass

File photo: Liberation Avenue (downtown Asmara) at midday.

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