What Does Sentencing to Hard Labor Mean in a Military Court? A Historical Account from Kagnew Station in Eritrea

Hard labor as a sentence in military courts has a long and varied history, as we will explore through the first known instance of such a sentence meted out at the newly constructed Kagnew Station Guardhouse Prison in Asmara, Eritrea. This article delves into the experiences of a 20-year-old held there from October 4, 1957, to June 19, 1958, who describes the grueling and sadistic conditions faced in that facility.

Introduction to Kagnew Station Prison

The prison at Kagnew Station, situated in the highlands of Asmara, Eritrea, was founded in 1957. It stands as one of the earliest and perhaps the most notorious of its kind in the region, having been dubbed the "Abu Ghraib" of Eritrea by one of its prisoners. The tragic account of Steve Savage provides insights into the harsh conditions and human rights abuses that were endured by inmates like him.

Conditions and Punishments in Kagnew Station Prison

The guards at Kagnew Station were under the command of a cruel and sadistic warden, with the custody of convicted prisoners Scott and the author, as well as a third unnamed inmate, who worked tirelessly under the most strenuous conditions. These conditions included:

Forced labor: Inmates were made to work up to 20 hours a day, performing tasks such as Breaking rocks with sledgehammers Carrying heavy cement bags up steep ladders Shaft digging with picks and shovels Filling and leveling hills and valleys Carrying cement blocks back and forth for no apparent reason apart from the grueling task itself

These tasks were made significantly more difficult by the high altitude of Asmara, which is located at an elevation over 7,000 feet. The thin air at this height made even basic tasks such as walking a struggle for the inmates.

In addition to the physical labor, the inmates were subjected to rigorous physical endurance tests, such as:

Running long distances until they collapsed Sleep deprivation: they were allowed only 4 hours of sleep at a time, but not consecutively Morbid isolation: after a strike in which they refused to work, the inmates were naked, placed in their cells, and windows and doors were boarded over to ensure complete isolation and endure starvation. They were only provided a meager 1/2 cup of carrots and peas and a single slice of bread each day.

The Tragic Betrayal and Aftermath

The inmates, Scott and the author, attempted to escape the cruel conditions by planning to mutually sacrifice themselves. They decided that one of them would cut their wrists and Timothy, the third inmate, would call for help. However, when it was Scott's turn, Timothy, who had been made a trustee and allowed to move about the facility, betrayed them by not crying for help as planned. Scott was then subjected to another Special Court Martial and sentenced to an additional six months of hard labor.

The testimony given by the Captain, who was revealed to be a closeted homosexual, to a military panel detailed the aftermath. Timothy was discharged and released, with no further consequences. The author's search for Timothy in the late 1970s and early 2000s proved fruitless, as he could not be found. Interestingly, during an Army Security Agency Kagnew Guard reunion in 2008, it was revealed that the Captain and Timothy had been involved in a homosexual affair, further clouding the motives behind the betrayal.

Conclusion

The experience of Steve Savage serves as a stark reminder of the cruel and inhumane measures that have been taken under the guise of military justice in the past. The trivial reasons for punishments, isolation and starvation as tools of coercion, and the betrayal by a supposed fellow inmate all paint a picture of a facility designed for torture rather than rehabilitation. This case sheds light on the darker aspects of military governance and the potential for abuse of power in such contexts.

Keywords

Military hard labor, Eritrea, Kagnew Station prison