Eritrean–Ethiopian War
In 1991, when the Haile Selassie dictatorship was overthrown, Seyoum became head of Eri-TV, the Eritrean state television broadcaster. During the initial few years of independence, some independent journalism existed in Eritrea, and Seyoum participated in independent film and journalism, including the newspaper Setit, which criticised the government. Seyoum was refused funding for film equipment when he wished to film the Eritrean–Ethiopian War during 1998–2000, and was not allowed to travel to the war front. Seyoum became critical of the war.