The growth of markets and commercial operations to facilitate economic
activity and as a source of revenue constituted a part of the EPLF's
economic program. This includes the organization and distribution of goods
produced internally for social consumption and export, as well as running
profitable import-export operations. Primacy was given to supplying basic
consumer goods to the population, as the war, the Dergue's embargo on our
liberation and semi-liberated areas and the sky rocketing of prices caused
by the devastation of the economy due to drought had created much
adversity. Public institutions on their part tried to supply basic consumer
items at cost utilizing EPLF provided loans and transport facilities, as
well as public contributions. But as these efforts were not enough to cover
all requirements due to the lack of capital, the EPLF's Commerce Commission
opened shops selling goods at cost and encouraged traders to supply
essential goods at reasonable prices.The policy of setting up and
controlling prices -which went hand in hand with the incentives provided to
traders to engage in profitable commercial activities did not succeed due
to the greed and manipulation of the traders. It was also not possible to
properly administer the levying of taxes and duties due to the difficult
condition of war, the extent of area that had to be covered, the
sophistication contrabandist as well as the EPLF concentration on other
tasks. The EPLF has also embarked on various commercial enterprises both
inside the country and abroad. Their income has solved many problems, but
the enterprises have not grown because management technique has not yet
been mastered and profit made were consumed restricting capital
accumulation. In general the EPLF's main financial source has remained the
dues paid by members and contribution from our people both inside the
country and abroad. But, this important source has been seriously affected
by the weakening of the economy and the lack of employment.
The EPLF relies on its policy of self-reliance to persecute the liberation
struggle and build the national economy. The implementation of this policy
has involved raising the consciousness of the people, upgrading their know
how, skill and participation in production, laying down an infra-structure
foundation; fostering creativity and innovation to increase what can be
locally produced, independence from market forces; protecting the wealth of
the people and the nation; developing a just system of distribution of
wealth and produce, instituting just and cooperative relation based on
common interest; and developing a well-organized and streamlined planning
and implementation system. The experience gained constitutes a precious
national wealth and the tangible result achieved attest to the correctness
of the policy of self-reliance and the EPLF's serious commitment to that
policy.
Education is a decisive weapon on national reconstruction and economic
development. The Eritrean people's cultural level has lagged behind as a
result of successive colonialism. Particularly in the era of Ethiopian
colonialism, and continuous war. An entire generation-educational and
cultural developments came to stop. This has been exploited by colonialists
and internal opportunist forces to promote their political schemes. It's
virtually impossible for an uneducated population to be active in politics,
properly administer its affairs, improve its economic conditions and
achieve development.
The EPLF's educational policy is based on recognition of these facts. It
has broad aims, with eradication of illiteracy as its primary and
fundamental objectives. Literacy and the raising of educational levels are
an integral part of the campaign to politicize, organize and arm the
people. Before the strategic withdrawal, the program was implemented over a
broad area and an intensive literacy campaign had began to bear fruit.
Although the program was impeded, for a time, by the strategic withdrawal,
it was resumed and developed as a regular mass-activity complementing
production and other aspects of social life. Schools were also opened in
various parts of the country. The colonial regime has actively pursued the
policy of destroying the schools and hunting down teachers, while in the
area under its control and especially in the cities, it has diffused a
colonialist culture, lowered the quality of education and attempted to
corrupt the youth, in order to prevent the new generation from gaining the
proper education. The negative impact of this policy has grown with time.
The war and the attendant disruption of life, the existence of many areas
in the county where schooling had never been introduced and the consequent
cultural gap among different sectors of the population have been obstacles
to the balanced development of the society and participation in the
liberation struggle. As a result, the creation of a wide educational
opportunity for Eritrean children and youth was given high priority in the
educational program. To this end, schools, up to middle school level, were
opened in all liberated and semi-liberated areas, and especially in those
areas that had previously been denied this opportunity. The effort made to
expand and upgrade the 'revolution school' is one example. Steps were also
taken to establish and expand the technical school in order to train
personnel in different trades for the purpose of national development and
nation-building.
Received on Fri Feb 01 2013 - 10:48:51 EST
