The UN and Ethiopia originally agreed to a fair agreement that would make both parties satisfied.
Eritrea's Fight for Independence
Revolution, Reactions, and Reforms
National History Day 2026
The Removal of Eritrea's Rights
Courtesy of Britannica
“The Eritrean Government shall possess legislative, executive and judicial powers in the field of domestic affairs" ((UN General Assembly Resolution 390 (V), 1950).
Ethiopia imposed Amharic as the sole official language while banning Tigrinya and Arabic in government and schools, undermining Eritrean cultural identity.
Stamped Eritrean archival document written in Tigrinya, courtesy of Cambridge University Library.
Political parties and student newspapers were shut down, eliminating peaceful political expression in Eritrea.
Eritrean Student Protests, Courtesy of Asmarino.com
Historical flag of Ethiopia featuring the Lion of Judah, used during Ethiopian rule over Eritrea (1897–1936; 1941–1974). Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
The Eritrean flag was taken down and replaced with the Ethiopian flag to showcase that Eritrea did not have a presence.
Eritrean revenues were diverted to Addis Ababa, weakening local industries and economic independence.
“The federation lasted from 1952 to 1962 when the Ethiopian monarchy dissolved the arrangement and declared Eritrea an Ethiopian territory" (Law Library of Congress, Legal Research Guide: Eritrea).