(Written by a former resident of Eritrea)

As punishment of prisoners was usually done during the day, the prison was quiet at night except for moans from prisoners who had been tortured.  But one night there was an exception.  Some of the prisoners heard the creaking of the main gate as it was opened, and then the door to each prisoner’s cell were suddenly opened.  Saba was awakened by all the noise and told they were waiting for her. 

She wasn’t frightened because she knew that prisoners removed at night were invariably killed and she was beyond the point of caring, as she knew that her body wouldn’t hold on much longer.  When she left her cell, she was led through the main gate and was forced to get in a minibus with the other prisoners.    

As the bus started, and the prisoners started talking, she learned that the others felt much the same way; they all knew their immediate future was in doubt but pleased that the daily punishments were at an end. 

The driver drove at twice the speed limit, left the city and headed toward the countryside.  The road became bumpy after they had traveled about 30 miles, and it was painful as the prisoners were jolted up and down.  It didn’t seem to be a regular road, but the driver continued until there was no longer a surface to drive on. 

The four armed guards that had been with them in the minibus jumped out when the bus stopped, and they turned to the prisoners and announced that they were free. 

It was unbelievable!  The words didn't seem to make sense at first, but then the guards told them that they weren't government guards; they were freedom fighters.        

It was explained that they'd been transported as far as was possible, but were still in a dangerous place and would have to leave on foot to get to one of the freedom fighter camps before the sun rose. 

Saba and the other prisoners jumped up and down and hugged the freedom fighters and each other, and when they calmed down, they began the long walk, supported by the freedom fighters. 

Upon arrival at last - in a safe place - each of them was admitted to the freedom fighter’s hospital.  Physical problems were treated and as they regained their strength, each of them was given a choice as to what they wanted to do next with their lives.  They were very grateful for being saved, but none of them would ever forget the days of torture in the prison.   

It was about that time that the people in Eritrean learned that most of the Ethiopian fighters had been defeated and that many of the  towns was now under the control of the freedom fighters.  Only a few members of the former Ethiopian government remained, and they were restricted to a few cities.

During the war, the Ethiopian government had received help from all over the world but especially from the Soviet Union, Cuba and Yemen.  They’d received sophisticated guns, war plans, chemical weapons, tanks, money and other necessities.

The ratio of government soldiers to freedom fighters had been 10 to 1, but food had attracted citizens to the freedom fight, and that tactic had been successful.

When Saba was healthy once more, she and many of the other ex-prisoners decided to join the freedom fighters.     

It took another year of bloody battles before the Ethiopian army was finally defeated, and before they left Eritrea, they bombed and burned many villages and towns.  Killed and murdered at that time were women, men, young children, the aged, and infants.  People were left without shelter or food, but they’d learned the lesson that you can continue to exist even when tragedy strikes. 

The freedom fighter movement gave Saba full political and military training and then assigned her to work in their headquarters.  It’s in a dry mountainous area, and at the bottom of one of the mountains the freedom fighters have constructed underground buildings including a hospital, clinics, garages, various factories, academic schools, and large conference rooms.  At nighttime it's like a city, but during the daytime there isn't much activity, as everything is  camouflaged and quiet to avoid detection by Ethiopian fighter jets that might loom on the horizon.

Saba was happy to be serving as a freedom fighter, but it was difficult to accept the thought that one day she might be required to carry a gun and attack the enemy.  She had been interested in saving lives before, and the idea that she might now be involved in shooting them caused her great difficulty.  While she thought through that problem, they involved her in training exercises, she toured many places where freedom fighter resources were kept.  It was enjoyable to be in the mountains, and she was fascinated by their devotion to work, their skills, and willingness to be assigned to any place or activity.  It was amazing how many different kinds of people were involved: men, women, doctors, engineers, high school and university students, farmers – all of them worked together voluntarily despite their different backgrounds.  They all wanted to end the bloody war that had lasted for a century.              She was attracted by the friendly feeling of love that emanated from all the freedom fighters, and she committed herself to work for the country in the same way they did.  She  enjoyed the training and the tours, but started to feel that she wanted to be actively engaged in bringing about change, and the freedom fighters met tht need by having her serve on committees that her education had prepared her for.  They also used her to teach not only first aid to the freedom fighters in her area but also academic subjects.           After thirty years of warfare, the freedom fighters were  succeeding in thwarting the Ethiopian government’s attempt to take over Eritrea.  Many towns and cities had already been liberated.              Saba got to participate in one of the final battles and though she was very courageous, it gave her the scare of her life.  During the conflict she was wounded twice while providing care to wounded and captured Ethiopian war prisoners, but she was delighted when the war ended, as freedom had been restored in Eritrea.             The war had been one of the worst in history, as countless thousands of soldiers from both countries had died.  Deaths among the civilian population of Eritrea had also been high and the suffering they had endured during all the years of the war will be told for years to come.