Background:

Eritrea's Preparations for War in March 1998

Saturday, March 27, 1999

In March 1998, two months before the conflict with Ethiopia began, the Eritrean government suddenly announced a compulsory labor campaign. All Eritreans were to be mobilized for this campaign, and it was to begin in late April, only one month after it was announced.

Soviet and Chinese-style forced labor campaigns have never achieved good results. It is not for a lack of labor that countries remain underdeveloped. Rather it is the un-efficient allocation of resources (such as through forced labor campaigns) that hinders economic progress.

But, in any case, this Eritrean forced labor campaign was not really for development. It was a cover story to hide the Eritrean preparations to invade Ethiopia. In May 1998, the first phase of this campaign presented the Eritrean army with an already mobilized pool of recruits that were absorbed into combat and support units, and sent to the front. Some of these 'campaigners' ended up being captured:

"Prisoner of war Mahari Tekesti says many young men in his neighborhood were rounded up for what the government said was a youth service program."

"Mr. Mahari says no one told them where they were going. Then they got to the border and were all given guns. Almost all Eritrean young men have regular military training. Mr. Mahari says they went into battle, got lost and were captured by the Ethiopian." VOA, Erde Mattios, June 15, 1998

Excerpt from the Economist Intelligence Unit, 2nd Quarter, 1998


"The government announced in late March its intention to relaunch its programme for popular mobilization, the National Development Campaign (NDC). The minister for local government, Mahmoud Ahmed Sherifo, interviewed in Eritrea Profile on March 21st, said that the campaign would take place in three phases, with the first lasting one month, ending on May 28th. The second and third phases will start at the end of June and in September. "

"The programme will focus on agricultural projects, construction, and road renovation. Every able-bodied citizen is expected to provide labour and any evaders would face an undefined punishment according to Mr. Sherifo. Regular daytime students and mothers with children are the only people exempted from working under NDC. "

"The overall cost of the programme, will be covered by the participants, who are expected to provide labour, money and food for workers. The exact amount paid will be fixed according to income, with government employees contributing 10% of their salaries."



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