Liberal Progressive Party (Eritrea)

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The Eritrea for Eritreans Party (Ertra n'ertrawian), also known as the Liberal Progressive Party (LPP) was a political party in Eritrea. The party was founded on February 18, 1947 in Adi Keyh. [1] [2] It was a secular party dominated by Christians. [1] It opposed union with Ethiopia. [1] [3] The party program accepted the notion of a U.S. trusteeship as intermediary step towards independence. [1] The party gathered a membership of 53,500. [1]

The party emerged from the separatist movement that had been nurtured by the British Military Administration. The name 'Liberal Progressive Party' was a name accorded to the party by the British Military Administration. [3] At times the party was known as the Liberation and Development Party of Eritrea - Eritrea for Eritreans (Mahber harnet 'n limaa't ertra - ertra n'etrawian). [4] The party was allegedly set up by Stephen Hemsley Longrigg. [5] The influence of the party was limited to a small area in Akele Guzai and some circles in Asmara. [3] Its main leaders were Ras Tessema Asberom and Seyoum Maascio. [2] Woldeab Woldemariam was another prominent leader of the party. [3]

According to an estimate made by the Four Powers Commission prior to the election, the party was supported by 9% of the population. The main opponent of LPP was the Unionist Party, which used its religious networks against the LPP. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church threatened LPP supporters with excommunication. [3] The unionists carried out many violent attacks against the LPP, which weakened the party. [2]

In 1949 the party was registered as the Freedom and Development Party of Eritrea (Mahber natznet'n limaa't ertra), sometimes shortened to just Freedom Party of Eritrea. [4] In the same year the party took part in founding the Independence Bloc together with the Moslem League and the Pro-Italy Party. [6]

Following the departure of the Four Powers Commission, the LPP was weakened by internal splits. Woldeab Woldemariam left the party to form a group of his own. [3] The party was dissolved in December 1950. [2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Okbazghi Yohannes (1991). Eritrea: A Pawn in World Politics . University Press of Florida. p.  59. ISBN   978-0-8130-1044-1.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Dan Connell; Tom Killion (14 October 2010). Historical Dictionary of Eritrea. Scarecrow Press. p. 348. ISBN   978-0-8108-7505-0.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tekeste Negash (January 1997). Eritrea and Ethiopia: The Federal Experience. Nordic Africa Institute. pp. 45–48. ISBN   978-91-7106-406-6.
  4. 1 2 Ruth Iyob (13 May 1997). The Eritrean Struggle for Independence: Domination, Resistance, Nationalism, 1941-1993. Cambridge University Press. p. 162. ISBN   978-0-521-59591-9.
  5. ↑ Tekeste Negash (January 1997). Eritrea and Ethiopia: The Federal Experience. Nordic Africa Institute. p. 23. ISBN   978-91-7106-406-6.
  6. ↑ Tekeste Negash (January 1997). Eritrea and Ethiopia: The Federal Experience. Nordic Africa Institute. p. 49. ISBN   978-91-7106-406-6.
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