Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama

{{More citations needed|date=January 2017}}

{{infobox war faction

|name = Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama

|native_name =

|native_name_lang =

|war = the Second Afar insurgency

|image = File:Flag of the Kunama people.png

|caption = Flag of the Kunama people, used by the DMLEK

|active =

|leaders =

|ideology = Kunama self-determination

|clans =

|headquarters = Afar Region, Ethiopia

|area = Southern Red Sea Region, Eritrea

|size =

|partof = Eritrean Democratic Alliance{{cite web|title=The Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Eritrean Kunama (DMLEK) supports the military operation of RSADO|url=http://erit-alliance.com/erit/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=247:the-democratic|website=erit-alliance.com|publisher=Eritrean Democratic Alliance|accessdate=14 January 2017|archive-date=16 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116182311/http://erit-alliance.com/erit/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=247:the-democratic|url-status=dead}}

|allies = {{flagicon image|Flag of RSADO.png}} RSADO

|opponents = {{flag|Eritrea}}

|battles = Second Afar insurgency

|website =

}}

The Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama (abbreviated DMLEK) is a Kunama political and armed organization active in Eritrea. That advocates for the rights and autonomy of the Kunama people, one of the nine ethnic groups in the country. The group is mainly funded by Eritrean diaspora and is allied with the Red Sea Afar Democratic Organisation.{{cite journal|last1=McGregor|first1=Andrew|title=Opposition Group Promises Attacks Following Sanctions on Eritrea for Support of Terrorism |journal=Jamestown|date=7 January 2010|volume=8|issue=1|url=https://jamestown.org/program/opposition-group-promises-attacks-following-sanctions-on-eritrea-for-support-of-terrorism/|accessdate=14 January 2017}}

The DMLEK was founded in April 1, 1995, after Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia. The organization emerged in response to the marginalization and discrimination faced by the Kunama people under the Eritrean government. The DMLEK has been involved in armed conflict with the Eritrean government, with the aim of securing greater autonomy, independence and representation for the Kunama people.{{Cite web |last=Negash |first=Beyan |date=2015-03-15 |title="Pre-figurative Politics" Of The Eritrean Lowland League |url=https://awate.com/pre-figurative-politics-of-the-eritrean-lowland-league/ |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Awate.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |last=Gilkes |first=Patrick |date=2002-06-01 |title=Wars in the Horn of Africa and the dismantling of the Somali State |url=https://journals.openedition.org/cea/1280?lang=es |journal=Cadernos de Estudos Africanos |language=en |issue=2 |pages=89–102 |doi=10.4000/cea.1280 |issn=1645-3794|doi-access=free |hdl=10071/3126 |hdl-access=free }} However the DMLEK's stance on separatism is somewhat ambiguous,{{Cite web |title=Peace Talks in Focus 2021. Report on Trends and Scenarios |url=https://escolapau.uab.cat/img/programas/alerta/negociaciones/22/negociaciones21i.pdf}}{{Cite book |last1=Mehler |first1=Andreas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-a7fOs19r9IC&dq=DMLEK%27s+stance+on+separatism&pg=PA324 |title=Africa Yearbook Volume 7: Politics, Economy and Society South of the Sahara in 2010 |last2=Melber |first2=Henning |last3=Walraven |first3=Klaas |date=2011-10-06 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-20556-7 |language=en}} with some members advocating for independence for the Kunama region through conflict.{{Cite web |last=SudanTribune |date=2009-12-30 |title=Eritrean opposition says ready to attack government army |url=https://sudantribune.com/article33434/ |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Sudan Tribune |language=en-US}}

The Kunama people have a distinct culture and language, and have historically faced discrimination and marginalization under successive Eritrean governments.{{Cite journal |last=Plaut |first=Martin |date=2005 |title=The Eritrea Opposition Moves Towards Unity |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20059117 |journal=Review of African Political Economy |volume=32 |issue=106 |pages=638–643 |jstor=20059117 |issn=0305-6244}}{{Cite journal |last=Connell |first=Dan |date=2011 |title=From resistance to governance: Eritrea's trouble with transition |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23055364 |journal=Review of African Political Economy |volume=38 |issue=129 |pages=419–433 |doi=10.1080/03056244.2011.598343 |jstor=23055364 |s2cid=144380803 |issn=0305-6244|hdl=10.1080/03056244.2011.598343 |hdl-access=free }}{{Cite web |title=Supporting statement of the Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama (DMLEK) to the 40th Anniversary celebration of the Tigray's People Liberation Front (TPLF) |url=http://aigaforum.com/articles/Komaldabbu-kossuma-40th-TPLF.pdf}} The DMLEK has been critical of the Eritrean government's policies towards minority groups, and has called for greater respect for the rights of the Kunama people and other marginalized communities in the country.{{Cite web |title=trackingterrorism.org/group/kunama-democratic-liberation-movement- |url=https://trackingterrorism.org/group/kunama-democratic-liberation-movement-ekdlm/}}{{Cite web |last=Refugees |first=United Nations High Commissioner for |title=Refworld {{!}} Eritrea: Eritrean Revolutionary Democratic Front (ERDF); party status; relations with the Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Eritrea (DMLE); government response to ERDF activism or its perceived affiliations; whether the ERDF has a Canadian representative |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4d917.html |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Refworld |language=en}}

The DMLEK has been involved in various armed conflicts with the Eritrean government, and has been accused of committing human rights abuses. The organization has been designated a terrorist group by the Eritrean government, and has been subject to repression and crackdowns.{{Cite web |title=Eritrean opposition parties and civic organisations |url=https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/187262/9f9d5d39afa27ee550f5632f9b6d03e4.pdf}}{{Cite web |title=ARTICLES |url=http://www.baden-kunama.com/articles-08%20NOvember%202013%20The%20Democratic%20Movement.html |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=www.baden-kunama.com}}