Ethiopia has lost one of its best sons, Sultan Ali Mirah Hanfere, yesterday. Sultan Ali Mirah, 95, is a great Ethiopian patriot, a staunch advocate of Ethiopia’s unity, and a leader of the Afar ethnic community in eastern Ethiopia.
The Sultan is remembered and honored among patriotic Ethiopians for his famous quote: “Even our camels salute the Ethiopian flag.” He reportedly made that comment in response to Meles Zenawi’s description of Ethiopia’s flag as “just a piece of rag.”
In a 1992 interview with Dr Fikre Tolossa, Ali Mirah said:
The people of Afar like other Ethiopians are proud of their heritage and history. We are one with all Ethiopians. No one can make excuses and take this identity from the Afar people. Only the forces who are anti-Afar people will make claims of separation. We will not hesitate to expose them for what they are. This must be done for the unity of our Ethiopian people.”
Sultan Ali Mirah’s political activities have been brutally suppressed for that past 20 years by the anti-Ethiopia ethnic apartheid junta that is currently ruling the country.
Ali Mirah will be buried in the town of Assaita tomorrow.
45 thoughts on “Sultan Ali Mirah Hanfere passed away”
It is a very sad News.
May God rest his soul in peace.
Ali Mirah was a proud Ethiopian patriot who loved his country and his compatriots.
He vociferously defended Ethiopia’s legitimate right for access to the sea, exposing the blackmail and bogus referendum between the Tigrai People Libertion Front(woyane) and Eritrean People Liberation Front (shabia) that handed over Assab to the shabia.
May his soul rest in peace.
ALWAYS THE REAL ETHIOPIAN DIE EARLIER I DON’T NO WHY? I WISH OUR FATHE SULTAN ALI REST IN PEACE AND HOPE HIS CHILDERN IS FOLLOW HIS FOOT STAPE TO OUR COULOURFULL COUNTRY
What a great loss for Ethiopia. My deepest sympathy to his family and friends. He was truly a patriotic Ethiopian. Farewell our hero we salute you. You will be missed very badly. How unfortunate that he died without seeing Meles out of office and being charged by the International Court of Justice.
He was a great leader and a great spiritual leader, let his soul rest in peace and endurance for his family, friends, love once, Afar and Ethiopian people.
let his soul rest in peace.
RIP to Sultan Ali Mirah Hanfere,& many many respect for his as he was one of the best person that has made many of us to be proud of ethiopian. And let his oppressors the criminal group of tplf members be hunged in public for thier crimes against humanity.
RIP death is inevitable he lived and died as a respected leader. It is better to die like him than to live like MELES as the most hated anti-Ethiopian leader/looter/killer. We all die at last and please let us stand for truth, justice and always think of the millions of our people who are languishing under Meles/Woyane state terrorism
Mr Sultan Ali Mirah,
He will always be remember by me and my family. My deepest sympathy goes out to him and his family. He was a great man and a great spiritual leader with a warm heart. May Allah bless his soul and may he enter Paradise.
we eritrean are sad by his death.
weyane/tplf will pay big time.
end of weyane is comming
long-live ethiopian-eritrean cooperation
Yes ended, he was a great son of Ethiopia. I am proud of him. May God let him rest in peace.
Anonymous replies:
December 24th, 2011 at 3:03 AM
I am not sure if he was great person but somehow he has developed a self of respect among significant Afar population. However he was cooperating and taking salary from the current government. I am not quiet sure his work for the benefit of the Afar people.
RIP Sultan Ali Mirah, he was not only the symbol of Ethiopian Unity but mainly of a very remarkable example of Ethiopian Christian-Islam friendship and peaceful co-existence. Many people from both religions should have people like him to create a fertile ground for peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims.
May God rest your soul in peace.
I am one of the luckiest one who lived with Afar people in 1980s. The Afar people who revolutinized communications way before fiber optics. What happened in one area of Afar is communicated to far regions by way of mouth when group or groups of people meet in opposition directions. Information is exchanged and passed this way.
The passing away of Bitweded Ali Mirah has reached to the ears of the Afar people in this traditional way and now to the Diaspora using fiber optics. We are all sad to lose him before he sees the proud people of Ethiopia remove TPLF. TPLF and Shabia waged war on Afar people in the 1990s to destroy the unity of Ethiopia. The Afars has never put the unity of Ethiopia for bargain. Ethiopian flag is recognized even by the Dankalia camels let alone by the proud people of Afar. TPLF Article 39 was rejected by Afars the moment it was introduced because of what it is, division and looting./
I have no doubt we have many who will follow the example of Bitweded Ali Mirah in the Afar region who will say No to Anti-Ethiopian forces. My condolence to his children and the Afar people. Let him rest in peace.
When Ethiopia should be led by father Sultan Ali Mirah she failed for a Banda like Melse. We are all at fault for all the crises we brought on ourselves.
The least we could do is to make sure the history of our father Ali Mirah is not going to be gutted by Woyane. It is our responsibility to keep his legacy intact for our children.
Woyane is making sure we forget our great fathers and remember none Ethiopians bandas.
I pray God give him the comfort for his greatness if it was not for him our people in Afar would have been forced to be cut off from their mother land.
he is true ethiopian hero
weyane/tplf worst fear is for ethiopian & eritrean to work together.
# 1 enemy of ethiopian & eritrean people is weyane/tplf.
long live ethiopian-eritrean cooperation
end of weyane/tplf is comming
RIP. One should celebrate the life of this great man and there will be few of us to be blessed to get to his age;therefore, one should not be saddened by his passing for he is in the hands of his creator.
Really it is a sad and heart-breaking news for all Ethiopians who are advocating to have a unified and strong Ethiopia! It would have been joyful if his excellency Sultan Ali Mirha saw a last fruit of his struggle. It is natural to die and may God rest his soul in peace. Unity lovers should write a letter of condolence to his family, relatives, friends and of course to the whole Afar people in the names of pro-democracy Ethiopians!
It is bad news to hear that Ali mirah is dead.He was patriotic his army was fought along side with malelit until addis ababa captured. and he was also a good friend of a former minster of Eritrea Ahmed shorifo.Death to malelit Tigrai
Bekka meles
long live united ETHIOPIA
God bless .allah yerham to mr sultan Ali, all of us should lern that when thinking othwres allways better serve the country and people than one that is why all africans need unity than new flage every week or evrey ten kilomiter he wiil be ethiopian affar gandi he always will be remember.
I am deeply sadend to hear the passing of one of the ICONS of Ethiopian unity Sultan Ali Mirah.Father Ali Mirah message of love of country, love of unity should be our guiding light in our country’s trying time.His love of contry,love of unity should be inscrbe on the hard rocks of Denkelia and through out Ethiopia.May God rest him in peace.
Honerable Ali Mirah was a very respected and a beloved son of Ethiopia.
We should all cherish his legacy, love for the people of all Ethiopians
Iselam and Christians. Rest in peace.
As Shewandagn:
I personally am indebted by this always rightful person’s life-saving assistance I got from his fighters in 1976. I narrowly escaped capture by the dreaded security forces of that sob Mengistu and sought refuge in the area controlled by ALF in the 1970’s. His fighters arrangement by safe journey up to the Djibouti (At that time it was called French Territory of the Afars and Issas). We were two of us who spoke no Afar, Somali, French or Arabic languages. The sad thing about it was that after we gave ourselves up to the French border police at the border town named Galafi we were detained by the French. And then the French territorial government in Djibouti decided to repatriate us back to Ethiopia. You just imagine that. This is French. At that time the French were trying to cozy up with the ruthless Mengistu. But the border officer who was in charge on the day we were to be handed over to the Ethiopian border police was an Afar and he decided to dump us just across the border. We ended up back in the territory controlled by this Gentleman’s guerillas. But the 2nd time they arranged another route for us that took us farther North where we were able to reach the city of Djibouti safely. There we stayed with very kind Ethiopian expatriates for a day until the Catholic mission gave us protection. I am sorry to say this but I will never trust the French government when it is crunch time. But this Sheik and Amir was my hero and will remain so until I die. May Our Creator Bless His Soul. R.I.P!!!!!
Sultan Ali Mirah will never die, his sprit and courage will forever leave with us, I am sure in the near future we will erect a statue of him at Asseb, so that, the next generation of Ethiopians will remember this remarkable patriot.
This is really a sad news for Ethiopian unity loving people. Sultan Ali Mirah is a true son of Ethiopia. He is a symbol of muslim and christian harmony in Ethiopia. His sons are like thier father and they will go on the path of thier father. My deepest sympathy goes out to him and his sons and family. God bless his soul and rest in peace.
RIP!! Ethiopia lost a very great man Sultan Ali Mirha.i will like to offer my deepest sypathy for his family and love once.it will be a sad day for all true Ethiopians.
enna lilahi weinna eleyhi rajiun ! May Allah accept his Good did Ameen !
IT is so sad and heart breaking news.
Sultan ali mirah such aspecial and great leader that no words are adequate. he was such a special person and it must be so difficult to come to terms with the fact he died.
There are no words to express our heartfelt sympathy to you and your family, while there is nothing we can say that will ease your loss, we will remember you forever and we will pray you forever.
and so many people will miss you not only ethiopia but the whole world.
ALAH yerham our great father ali mirah.
RIP and it is a sad day for Ethiopia.
Best Ethiopians pass away like Prof Asrat,Alemu,Dr Zewdie G.Sillasie,Tilahun Geses,Tsegai G.Medhin and others bcs of Woyane.Life is short but their works is always with us.
i would like to express my deep sorrow.he was a father for all ethiopians.one of the top ethiopian patriots is lost.we will not forget u forever,history too.allah nesiwen yimar
His Highness Sultan (negus) Ali mirah a real Ethiopian Patriot has passed away what a sad history at least before seeing his beloved motherland free from dedebit occupier who is now in his last season
May his respected soul rest in peace.
bismillah ar rahmaan ar rahim
The great Ethiopian patriot Sultan Alimira will be always remebered.
Alah bless his Soul.
My condolences to his family.
walaxawla walquta ilah bilahil adhim
I am so sorry to hear such bad news and I will pray that Allah Give him Janatul Farduus. we lost today a big Father who look after the Ethiopian community specialy Afar and Issa communities in Ethiopia. Sultan Ali Mirix was some one who have ambitious to see one day Ethiopians living with peace and dignity each other and I hope his children will follow the path of their father to make true the dream of our hero Ali Mirix.
May Allah forgive him his sin and give hime the paradise.
Vive All Ethiopia communities
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَبِاللَّهِ وَعَلَى مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
Sultaan Ali Miraah Hanfere the leader of our Ethiopian Afar people will be missed!!!
Sultaan Ali never recognized Eritrea’s map with Afar coast. Assab, Masaawaa and all Afar lands robbed by the new nation of Eritrea will be back with her mother, Ethiopia.
The map created by TPLF and EPLF does not exist in Afar eyes. Eritrea is free, no Afar disputes that. But the map of Dankaalia (Red Sea coasts) is not part of that map. In memory of Sultaan Ali Miraah Hanfere the father of 29 children, the coast will reunite. 20 years separation is enough.
الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبرالله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر
Allaahum magh fir li hayyinaa wa mayyitinaa wa shaa hidinaa wa ghaaibinaa wa sa gheerinaa wa kabeerinaa wa zakarinaa wa unsaanaa, ALLAHumma man ah yaytahoo min naa faah yihee al islaam, wa man ta waf faytahoo min naa fat awaffahoo alal ee maan. ALLAHumma laa tahrim naa aj ra-hoo wa laa tafti-naa bada hoo.
يا الله، أنه إذا كان الفاعل من جيدة، ثم زيادة حسناته، وإذا كان الظالم، ثم التغاضي عن سيئاته. اللهم اغفر له ومنحه القوة ليقول الشيء الصحيح
صلاة الجنازة
تَكْبِير
In the name of Alah The merciful, The beneficient and The Benevolvent.
When the name Sultan Ali Mirah comes to my mind I always remember my friend Mohamed Ahmed currently residing in Dalas, Texas. He had the the highest degree of love and respect for the Sulatn and his family.
He often identified the Sultan as generous, caring, kind man who loved loved his country and his people. Our country has lost a great sultan. He is very lucky to be buried in his country.
My condolences to the Sulatan’s family and to my dear friend Mohamed Ahmed.
Hassan O.
Allaahu yarhamu for the grand Sultan Ali Mirah of Danakeland. He was great,legend and kind leader for many Ethiopians. I remember my father who was among traditional leaders of Hararghe region during H/ Sellasie time talk fondly about the great Sultan. I also heard from him that he was imprisoned by the king during that time and he was later exiled to Saudi Arabia for many years. But hardest thing for the Sultan must have when the TPLF and EPLF double crossed and divided his country without his consultation.
RIP
he was brave since the early times. sad to hear such news. GOD BLESS HIS SOUL
May God be with you. A true SON of ETHIOPIAN.
On the passing of the Ethiopian hero Sultan Ali Mirah Hanfere I want to convey my heart felt condolences to all Ethiopians and particularly his family. God bless.
Gelmo Kurra.
Ethiopia lost sultan Ali Mirah aspecial and great leader.May allh accept his good did Amin.
ALWAYS THE REAL PERSON DIE EARLIER I DON’T NO WHY? I WISH OUR FATHE SULTAN ALI REST IN PEACE AND HOPE HIS CHILDERN IS FOLLOW HIS FOOT STAPE TO OUR AFAR REGION.
INALILAH WAINA ELEIHI RAGIEN
MY God rest your soul in peace.
I Know Bitweded Sultan Ali Mirah, only by name; I just learned from Tedla Asfaw about the Sultan’s nationalist stand and his benevolence. Where ever our people may be we must learn about their contribution to the cause of Ethiopia, and pay due credit where ever credit is due to their service. I know that the Afars of Ethiopia are one of the vanguard forces that stood to protect the N.Eeastern flank of our border for generations. May the Lord comfort his families in these trying times, and may his soul rest in peace.We the peopple of his country men will not forget the love the Sultan Ali Mirah had for his country Ethiopia.
Death to MaLeLit
This response is to ”ZIGNET” who said ”GOOD ETHIOPIANS DIE EARLY” have a reality check please the man is 95 is that early? come on man average ethiopian die in their 6o or fifties and the man lived good 95 years and u said he die soon? i think u are on some thing ethios barely make 90s in my opinion the man over stayed on this earth its life some body have to go, let his soul rest in peace.
I am saddened to hear the death of our father ali mirah, the great spiritual leader of ethiopia.
I extend my deepest sympathy to him and his family. he will be missed, but at least we should not forget his history. the father of peace and unity.
alah yirham