SYNOPSIS“Liberated Area in the Desert”
A Japanese Documentary Film in1978
1. Prologue
After difficult negotiations for more than half a year in various parts of the Middle East, the NHKcrew received an information that the contact point of the EPLF (Eritrean People's Liberation Front)
is located in Port Sudan. The crew visited the secret branch inside the warehouse town of Port
Sudan's port where the crew was greeted by the head of the branch and obtained pass to the liberatedarea.

2. To the Desert
The crew departs for the liberation zone with an EPLF vehicle from Port Sudan without being told
about the destination. The vehicle with the crew heads south of Sudan's desert towards Eritrea, andtwo days later arrives at Merafit, a post town in the desert.
Sudan ended the diplomatic ties with Ethiopia in favor of EPLF, and allowed the passage of its
transportation troops through their territory.

3. History of Struggle
After 300km south from Port Sudan through the hilly country, the crew finally crosses the border toenter Eritrea.
File Footage : July 1977 Keren*
World War II ended the long period of Italian rule and Eritrea was put under the rule of Ethiopia by theUN resolution. In September 1961, armed struggle broke out. The intensified fight against Ethiopia byEritreans, who had different manners, customs, and languages, were escalated. This is described as “tribalconflict” but what the NHK crew found there is much fiercer war aiming for ethnic independence.

4. The Cave Base
The crew goes through the desert area and enters into the mountain area. Climbing up the rocky
mountain, the interview team heads for the secret cave base that is the heart of the liberation front.
The base is considered as an important place that launched the liberation struggle, and it is called
Fah as a spine of fan.
In the base there were factories that restored and repaired weapons, aluminum plants that made daily
necessities from an enemy aircraft wreckage, power plants and sewing factories for militaryuniform, all in operation.

5. Frontline Coverage
The crew joins the vehicle of Estifanos*, the Eastern Military District Commander, to the forefrontof the besieging liberation front in the vicinity of Asmara, the capital city of Eritrea. Last year,
following the fall of Keren, the third city of Eritrea, EPLF launched an attack on Asmara, however,the Ethiopian government forces gained a new strong support from the Soviet and rescued thebesieged Asmara and began a protracted warfare. Under a tense situation of a likely counter attackby the Ethiopian government army, the crew visits various places in the front line such as trenches
around Asmara, field hospital at Fah, and POW camp.
*Current ambassador of the State of Eritrea to Japan. It should be noted that although described as Commander of theEastern Military District in Japanese narration, the correct title is Commander of the Northern Front.

6. Interview with SG of EPLF
The crew interviews Secretary General Ramadan, the chief executive officer of the EPLF, about theaim and the prospect of ending the struggle. The Secretary General Ramadan describes that the pathfor peaceful resolution has been broken and that arms struggle is now necessary. However, he saysthat ending the struggle by military power would not be possible and that both peaceful negotiations
and military struggle would be necessary.

7. At the Farm Village
The crew heads to Adi Tekelezan village near the front line. Over 1,000 militiamen hold an outdoor
monthly meeting and receive a battle report from Commander Estifanos of the Eastern MilitaryDistrict who has returned from the front line. In the village of Zagre near Asmara, the crew reports
the situation of the farmers who have obtained land through the agricultural land reform by EPLF.
One of the reasons to the EPLF’s success in liberating two-thirds of the Eritrean population was bygaining support from the farmers who had been suffered by high rent to their landlords underEthiopian rule.

8. Keren, Liberated City
Next, the crew visits Keren which is one of the three major cities in Eritrea. After gaining control
over most of the rural areas, last year EPLF recaptured Keren from the Ethiopian government army
after a fierce battle. Having being recently liberated, the citizens of Karen still seems to be worriedand confused.
Several scenes are introduced in the documentary such as citizens being taught how to use a gun byEPLF and the political education for the citizens, where life in the liberated city is depicted througha woman called Elfnesh and her family.

9. Youth Training
The crew heads to the youth training center in the cave base of Fah. About 1,000 young boys andgirls between the age of 15 to 18 volunteered from all over Eritrea have gathered and receives
training aiming for the day of liberation. There are scenes of training and amusement of liberation
songs and dances.

10. Epilogue
It is reported that the Soviet’s support to Ethiopia has increased sharply this year. On the other hand,
despite the situation being far from optimistic for the EPFL who are relying on scarce aid coming
through the desert of Sudan, the people of Eritrea are becoming more enthusiastic about theirindependence. A group of young soldiers advance to the Asmara front, a critical point in theLiberation War.
Note: This synopsis is based on the script by NHK and the description and views expressed here do notnecessarily represent the views of the Embassy of the State of Eritrea to Japan.