Academic Light Online

“A beautiful story it is not – that which is revealed to us by Eyassu Gayim in his well-written and brilliant doctoral dissertation on the legal, political and historical aspects of Eritrea’s struggle for freedom and self-government. But it is extremely telling of the way in which big powers – supported by compliant small states – bend the principles of international law to serve their own higher causes on the pretext of their patronage of a people or minority …

Gayim’s analyses are thorough and rich in information due to the elaborate notes in the classical continental style …

Probably the most impressive thing about Eyassu Gayim’s book is that – as the excellent academic he has proved to be – he manages to avoid ever giving free rein to his own feelings.”

Nordic Journal of International Law, Vol. 65, 1996, no. 2, pp. 313 and 319

“… this is a significant study which should establish itself as a leading work on Eritrea.”

International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Vol. 43, 1994, p. 964

“Gayim is to be congratulated for his outstanding contribution. Written with admirable clarity, The Eritrean Question gives the reader insight into the legal and policy arguments pertaining to self-determination in the Eritrean context. It provides much revealing information as well as useful interpretive conclusions to be drawn from the Eritrean experience.”

African Journal of International and Comparative Law, Vol. 5, 1993, no. 4, p. 950

“… this book is a revealing study of the slow, and often bitter, struggle by the Eritrean people to exercise their right of self-determination. This will be of much use to international lawyers working in this area.”

The Cambridge Law Journal, Vol. 54, 1995, part I, p. 188

“The Eritrean Question is a well-documented and well-researched book. Gayim’s mode of inquiry is commendable and his book could serve as a valuable introduction to the historiography of Eritrea as well as to the issues surrounding power politics and the principle of the right to self-determination.”

Netherlands International Law Review, 1995, Vol. XLII, nr. 2, p. 318

“This vast and comprehensive study … predicts that the Eritrean people will proclaim their independence soon (p. 647). These words were indeed prophetic, as Eritrea gained its independence on 23 May 1993 … The author clearly sets out the applicable principles of international law and applies them to the situation of his country. Academics, politicians, historians and international jurists will find this work both useful and interesting.”

Journal of Contemporary African Studies, Vol. 14, 1996, no. 2, July, pp. 287–288

“This excellent and informative book encapsulates the sad but captivating history of this (Eritrean) heroic struggle. Gayim deals largely with the legal aspect of the struggle but without ignoring its decisive military and political aspects. Students of international relations, with a bias towards international law, will find this book extremely useful, particularly on the vexed question of the ‘right of self-determination.’”

Africa World Review, May–September 1995, p. 48

“Eyassu Gayim has written a good analysis on Eritrea’s right to self-determination and independence. His argumentation should be taken into account, when the criteria of the right of external and internal self-determination are considered now and in the forthcoming years.”

German Yearbook of International Law, Vol. 38, 1995, p. 433

« L’ouvrage examine la question érythréenne sous l’angle historique, géopolitique et juridique … Complété par diverses annexes, il fournit une information détaillée sur une histoire généralement mal connue en France. »

Revue Générale de Droit International Public, Vol. 98, 1994, no. 4, p. 1027

« L’étude de M. Gayim arrive donc à point nommé et est passionnante à plus d’un titre. Le conflit est en effet replacé dans une perspective ethnique et sociologique en même temps que dans un contexte historique et géographique, ce qui permet d’en appréhender toutes les facettes. …

Particulièrement bien documenté et très dense, l’ouvrage de M. Gayim est indispensable à tous ceux qui s’intéressent, non seulement à la question érythréenne elle-même, mais à l’évolution des idées et des faits au cours de la période post-coloniale. »

Annuaire Français de Droit International, Vol. 34, 1993, p. 1130

« L’auteur nous donne d’abord un aperçu global de l’affaire de l’Érythrée, sans doute le plus complet jusqu’aujourd’hui, combinant les aspects politiques avec les développements du droit international en matière d’autodétermination. Son approche reste cependant fondamentalement juridique. »

Revue Hellénique de Droit International, Vol. 48, 1995, p. 443

« L’auteur nous livre un matériel impressionnant permettant de comprendre l’articulation entre les éléments d’ordre politique et d’ordre juridique qui ont modelé pendant des décennies la réalité de cette région et obéré, jusqu’en 1992, l’exercice du droit à l’autodétermination de ce peuple. »

Revue Belge de Droit International, 1994, no. 1, p. 407

„Deshalb ist es zu begrüßen, dass Gayim mit seinem Buch eine detaillierte und sorgfältig aufbereitete Studie zu diesem Thema vorgelegt hat. Sie erfasst neben den juristischen Aspekten sowohl geschichtliche als auch ethnologische Probleme und muss als grundlegende Informationsquelle über Eritrea angesehen werden … Gayim hat mit seinem Buch eine überzeugende juristische Begründung für die Berechtigung der Schaffung des Staates Eritrea geliefert.“

Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht, Vol. 55, 1995, no. 3, pp. 918–919

« Forse l’a. è fin troppo scrupoloso nel tentativo di inquadrare i fatti secondo schemi giuridici. Egli svolge ampie considerazioni, certo non prive di interesse e di spunti di riflessione, su problemi come gli effetti delle risoluzioni dell’Assemblea generale (in particolare, di quelle relative all’Eritrea), sui requisiti di uno Stato (con particolare riferimento alla situazione dell’Eritrea durante la federazione), sulle condizioni di legittimità delle annessioni, sul diritto di autodeterminazione e sulle modalità per il suo esercizio … »

Rivista di Diritto Internazionale, Vol. LXXVII, 1994, no. 4, p. 1127

“The book under review presents a systematic and a critical study of the vital elements of the concept of minority in international law… a good beginning for broaching the possibilities of a multinational protection mechanism for minorities because the book serves as a guidebook on the fundamental complexities of the minority question.”

Indian Journal of International Law, Vol. 41, no. 3, July–September 2001, pp. 598–599