Calling themselves the tigray peoples liberation front tplf they built close relations with tigrays poverty stricken peasants and on this basis liberated the province in 1989 and formed an ethnic based coalition of opposition forces that assumed state power in 1991. Peasant revolution in ethiopia the tigray peoples liberation front 1975 1991 by john young cambridge cambridge university press 1997 pp xiv 270 5995 revolutions are rare occurrences but john young believes that ethiopia has experi enced two of them in one generation erupting in 1974 and spearheaded by soldiers. Peasant revolution in ethiopia the tigray peoples liberation front 1975 1991 african studies author john young editor john young publisher cambridge university press 2006 isbn 0521026067 9780521026062 length 292 pages subjects. But only one movement the tigray peoples liberation front tplf triumphed liberating tigray in 1989 and in an ethnic based coalition which it dominated assuming state power in 1991 this is the first chronicle of the history of that struggle and it is based largely on interviews with peasants who formed the core of the tigrayan revolution and the tplf leadership it provides the necessary background to understanding post 1991 political developments in ethiopia it also offers an . Peasant revolution in ethiopia the tigray peoples liberation front 1975 1991 by john young 450 rating details 6 ratings 1 review almost unnoticed in the wake of the overthrow of emperor haile selassie the coming to power of the military and the ongoing independence struggle in eritrea a band of students launched an insurrection