A nation born of hope-trapped in darkness-and the unwavering fight for its return On May 24, 1993, Eritrea rejoiced. After three decades of a bloody struggle for liberation, independence had finally been achieved. The world looked with hope at this young nation on the Red Sea, which had committed itself to democracy, human rights, and social justice. A constitution was drafted that ranked among the most progressive in Africa. The future seemed limitless. But the dream shattered from within. In this moving and unflinchingly honest book, the journey of Eritrea is traced-from the euphoria of liberation and the gradual descent into dictatorship to the current struggle for survival of a people who refuse to lose their voice. "Journey to Justice" is more than a history book. It is a journey: Through history: From the ancient kingdoms of Aksum and the Italian colonial era to the thirty-year war of independence. Through the collapse: How the former liberation movement (EPLF) transformed into an authoritarian ruling party (PFDJ), suspended the constitution, and extinguished press freedom. Through the suffering: The horrors of endless national service, the secret prisons, the torture, and the despair of a generation that sees flight as its only option. Through the resistance: The courageous journalists in dungeons, the activists in exile, the mothers hiding their sons, and the diaspora that became the voice of the displaced worldwide. "Journey to Justice" is an essential work for anyone wishing to understand how one of Africa's most promising young nations became one of the most isolated and repressive countries in the world-and why the hope for democracy there has never died. It is a book for historians and political scientists, for human rights activists and journalists, for Eritreans in the diaspora, and for anyone who believes in the indomitable power of the human spirit. The journey is not yet over. This book is its compass.