Gives voice to the conscripts who are forced to serve indefinitely without remuneration under the ENS in a powerful critical survey of its effect from the Liberation Struggle to today.

Foreword by Christopher Clapham
Introduction
National/Military Service in Africa: Theories and Concepts
The Government and the Structure of the Eritrean Defence Force
The Nature of the ENS and its Effectiveness as a Fighting Force
The ENS as a Mechanism for Preserving and Transmitting the Core Values of the Liberation Struggle
The Eritrean National Service: A Vehicle for National Unity and Cohesion
The Eritrean National Service and Forced Equality
The Overarching Impact of the ENS on the Social Fabric of Eritrean Society
Impact of the Open-Ended ENS on Families and Conscripts
Conclusion