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BBC on Ethiopian teacher who burned himself in protest

BBC World Service reports about Yenesew Gebre, the Ethiopian teacher who burned himself to protest violations of his civil rights by Meles Zenawi’s regime in Ethiopia. Listen below:

6 thoughts on “BBC on Ethiopian teacher who burned himself in protest

  1. Not only TPLF people we all are in nightmare. How could we live without freedom after Yensew Gebre showed us what freedom meant. TPLF believes it or not we are at your door steps. Those who stand with woynes believe or not million Yensews are at your door steps.

  2. Ras Bitweded Mekonen Endalkachew, the first Prime Minister of Ethiopia immediately after the occupation of the Italian Fascists, wrote his famous book in early 40’s about an Ethiopia patriot, Ato Temachu. Ato Temachu, after being severely burned by the Italian Fascists’ Nepal bomb came back to his town of Debre Berhan. He was extremely sick, weak, disfigured, and deformed such that even his wife and child were unable to recognize him. He went to his own home and begged for piece of bread and no one recognized him. He had nothing to live for. He was extremely sick, physically weak, and lost hope. He had nothing except his last breadth. But he had pride of a hero, love of country, respect of family, and strength of steel. Ato Temachu chose to die than seeing the destruction of his country, the enslavement of his people, and the defilement of his nation. Yes, he hang himself after writing a long letter to his family were in he described his experiences and his decision. He concluded his letter with the famous battle cry of Ethiopians “Almotkum biye alwashim”. He said “I can’t lie saying I did not die”. Because of this battle cry tens of thousands of Ethiopians first in northern Shoa and the rest of the country started the formidable patriots’ war of resistance and liberation. It took only four and half years for Ethiopians to destroy the murderer fascist army and restore their dignity and independence.

    The irony to this story is Mellesse Zenawi’s uncle Dejazmatch Haile Sellasie Gugsa was one of the primary officials of Ethiopia who defected to the Italian fascists and served them as slave. He helped, led, and coordinated Italian Fascists occupation, destruction, and genocides of Ethiopians and Ethiopia. Sure enough, Mellesse, the nephew of treasonous Haile Sellassie Gugsa is bent on continuing what his worthless uncle and his criminal Fascist masters started seventy five years ago. Mellesse started his destructive and treasonous enterprising in support of Eritrea’s secession from Ethiopia in mid 70s by fighting the Ethiopian army, that was fighting for the integrity of the country. Mellesse went further in his treacherous projects coordinating and begged the UN to make Ethiopia a land locked country. He then went on dividing Ethiopians into races and ethnic groups and planned, coordinated, and executed ethnic infightings and violence. Who can forget what Mellesse and his Woyane/TPLF thugs did in planning and executing ethnic clashes and genocides in Sidama, Southern Shoa, Harrar, Gonder, Gambela, and in many parts of the Country. He continued his destructive programs of making the people and the country weak, poor, and divided including giving and selling Ethiopian territories to foreign countries. We now have ninety five percent of Ethiopians, seventy millions of us, live in abject poverty, rampant diseases, and constant fear. Ethiopians are murdered, tortured, imprisoned, kidnapped, and raped daily. He has continued to commit the most horrendous of crimes against the people and the country. Yes, he has continued to commit treasons and treachery against Ethiopian and Ethiopians every day.

    Currently, Ethiopians have lost all hope and have become extremely hopeless. It has come to the point that there is no point to live. Life has lost its luster and meaning. Yes, things have come to the point of no return. That is why we have our newest and greatest hero, Yenesew. We now have the second Ato Temachu in Yenesew Gebre. He is the first Ethiopian hero that rejected Mellesse’s state sponsored terror, oppression, tortures, murders, and genocides in a unique and different way. He fought and died for the right of Ethiopians. He fought with his precious life, the ultimate weapon of freedom. He paid his share of the sacrifice. Ethiopians will remember and celebrate this hero’s sacrifice for hundreds of years. Indeed he is the second Ato Temachu and Ethiopian’s latest and greatest hero. His is an honorable and heroic death. He has ignited the fire of freedom and the light of liberty. Yenesew’s cry is Ato Temachu’s battle cry and the famous battle cry of all Ethiopians “Almotkum biye alwashim”. Yenesew is telling us “I can’t lie saying I did not die”. Ethiopia and Ethiopians will never be the same again.

  3. if this tragic accident not triger uprissing against woyane and liberate the country i would not understand what one should do to make us awaking?
    or are we behaving like bulls? so we have to wait till they finish us one by one let choose now before its too late.

    viva ethiopia down woyane.

  4. RIP Yenesew. You just showed us we have to pay price to win freedom from this apathaid ethinic gov. we have in Addis. How on earth can a minority ethinic group TPLF rule the majority of the country with out any support from 95% of the people by force in the twentyfirst century.
    Rise up my people.

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