Following its defeat of Ethiopian government forces in 1991 to establish national independence, Eritrea instituted an official holiday to pay tribute to those who died for the country’s liberation. The struggle, which lasted from 1961 to 1991, claimed the lives of an estimated 65,000 freedom fighters and tens of thousands of civilians. Many Eritreans observe Martyrs’ Day by filing into mass mourning processions that conclude at the “Martyrs’ Graveyards” located throughout the country. In 1997, the government opened the National Martyrs’ Park outside the capital city, Asmara. Discuss