February 22, 2025
The Asmara Massacre 50 Years Later
By: Awet Tesfay
In Eritrean history, the crimes and atrocities committed by Ethiopian colonial rulers against the Eritrean people before and throughout the armed struggle for independence are delineated into four escalating phases: 1967, 1970-1973, 1974-1978, and 1978-1991. During the first phase, military aggression was viciously directed at Eritreans, particularly Eritrean Muslims. The Ethiopian rulers attempted to create division by portraying Eritrean Christians as supporters of the union while vilifying Eritrean Muslims as enemies. This strategy aimed to drive a wedge between the close-knit population but ultimately failed to take hold.
