ABSTRACT
This chapter examines Eritrea before independence and Tamil Eelam (LTTE)-controlled areas of Sri Lanka. Eritrea first became a political-legal jurisdiction in 1890 when it was proclaimed an Italian colony. The Italians ruled Eritrea from 1890 until 1941, when they were militarily defeated in Africa during World War II. The Eritrean-Ethiopian federation formally lasted a decade until 1962 when the Eritrean assembly voted to dissolve itself and Eritrea was annexed to Ethiopia as its fourteenth province, subject to direct rule under Ethiopia’s 1955 constitution. Ethiopia’s repressive actions against Eritrea’s press, opposition parties, and trade-unions, along with its suspension of the Eritrean assembly in 1956 and its attempts to impose Amharic as the sole national language helped produce a growing backlash against the federation. The LTTE’s military capabilities are also quite well-developed. LTTE cadres are renowned for their dedication and motivation.
