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Tamrat Layne visits Alcatraz Prison, San Francisco

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

Tamrat Layne and family the notorious Alcatraz Prison in California – March 2009

It is interesting to see that former {www:Woyanne} Prime Minister Tamrat Layne has now joined the ranks of some of the people he chased out of their country. Tamrat, who threw distinguished Ethiopian surgeon Prof. Asrat Woldeyes in jail and eventual death, is back as new person — as a Pentecostal minster — right here in the U.S. among us. It is ironic that the guy who denied freedom to millions of Ethiopians and took away the lives of so many of our compatriots is here amongst us visiting American cities and historical places such as the notorious Alcatraz Prison in northern California.

Many of our brothers and sisters under Tamrat’s orders were thrown out into the Alcatrazs of Ethiopia, or their bodies thrown to the sides of the road. Amhara peasants were massacred by angry mobs who were agitated by his ‘Tut Koreta’ (breast-cutting) Memorial Day celebrations in such places as Bedeno. The memorials were imaginary celebrations that were held to enrage the local Oromo Ethiopians and rise up against the Amara peasants who were identified as perpetrators of the imagined crime that alleged to have had occurred over 100 years ago. The agitation had worked and resulted in the slayings of hundreds of Amharas in Arsi and Harrar regions. It is these massacres that forced Prof. Asrat Woldeyes to establish an organization that would speak out against the killings and sufferings of Amhara Ethiopians.

Tamrat Layne and family at Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco – March 2009

Now, as a “family-man,” Tamrat is walking happily on Fisherman Wharf in San Francisco, visiting the famous Golden Gate Bridge, as if he has not denied the happiness of many families and violently took away the lives of many innocent loved ones.

Although Tamrat himself may have been thrown in jail after disagreement with his puppet-master Meles Zenawi, he had equally participated with other Woyane officials in ordering killings and unleashing sufferings against countless innocent Ethiopians. He remains a criminal at large that many Ethiopians would like bring to justice — no matter how religious he looks and sounds now.

70 thoughts on “Tamrat Layne visits Alcatraz Prison, San Francisco”

  4. This is alarming!
    He was thrown in jail because of the feud with his friends and not for the harm he has caused to Ethiopia. Therefore he must be held accountable for the oppression caused during his rule like all the TPLFs who destroyed and are distroying Ethiopia.
    He just used the religion as cover-up!!
    And what if next time Meles, Sebhat, Azeb, Bereket.. will tell us they are becoming religious (Pente, Muslim or Orthodox..)? Does this should spare them from all the atrocities they have inflected and are inflecting on us?
    Doro’n siataleluat…

  6. The guy is power thirst…after stealing money and enriching his family …and causing incalculable damage to many…now he is a new man and trying to hide behind religion. now he is using the church. the funny thing is Meles will punish one by one until his days are finished. next one will be anyone who dares to challenge his leadership:-) who would that be? God punishes wrong doers indirectly. Tamarat paid price for what he did to Ethiopian people. Meles might have arrested him for political reasons but I am sure that was God’s design to make him suffer for his crimes.

  9. Former crime minister Tamrat has inflicted so much pain among several families who lost their loved ones in the Bedeno and Arsi massacre. These people live with never ending grief. Yet Tamirat when asked on VOA if he regrets what he did, he answered he does not want to live in regret stating that he has already regretted in front of Jesus. He seems to have started trying to enjoy his family as seen on the pictures. How about those who has lost lives and loved ones? Where should they get justice?

    He needs to answer series questions by series media. He needs to be brought to justice. I think those who have lost loved ones should step up and bring their cases and Ethiopians in Diaspora should work to bring such cases.

    By the way the interview he got on ETN on 3/29/09 is an insult to the many who have suffered from the injustices Tamrat and Co perpetrated in Ethiopia. He was not asked a single series question at all. Elisabet Fekade was shameful if she claims to be a journalist. She was purposefully trying to give Tamrat a positive media image. Hasn’t she seen, in America, how journalists are daring to ask series questions? That was a favor to Tamirat but a shameful injustice for those who have lost their lives and loved ones !

  10. No place for traitors, the pentecostal church is not going to save Tamerat from the wrath of angry Ethiopians. No place for turncoat murderer is safe from justice.

  12. I think he has paid the price for what he did and he repeatedly repented, that is it. If we are advocating that we have to reconcile and move forward, with whom are you going to reconcile. It starts with individuals. Meles the head is right now dining with President Barak, so tell the president to apprehend him.
    Please the man in peace and church is surely a place for the lost ones. Jesus loved us while we were sinners.

  13. We have to start to petition that Tamirat should be brought to justice. Nothing should justify his hiding behind a seemingly religious curtain. It goes without saying that the pastor who concecrated him has been playing an undercover role for Weyane. He is running a multimillion dollar progect in Ethiopia. Now in his personally owned church in Silver Spring, Maryland, the pastor(Tagay Hamfrey) has been discouraging his followers from opposing Weyane. We have to make this public too.

  14. So far Tamirat has repented only to God to get the peace of mind for his troubled soul in heaven. Yes, he needs to be judged for all forms of cruelty and injustice t he has done to the millions of Ethiopians. Yes, he needs to be tried on earth for the crimes he has committed regardless of the outcome his religious repent.
    It is only then, that the current and future politicians and their egotistic puppets in Ethiopia upheld the rule of law.
    Does he feel the slightest shame when enjoying himself in the cities of USA after directly or indirectly destroying the lives of millions of Ethiopians?

  15. Is there anyway we can sign up a petition for his expulsion from this free nation or if possible his detention? Or at least follow him wherever he goes and make his visit as uncomfortable as possible.

    We owe this to Prof. Asrat Woldeyes and to all Amharas, Oromos, Tigres, Gurages, —who suffered and died in the hands of the EPRDF government. The damage Tamrat Layne and his entourage did to Ethiopia could probably never be reversed even though I have high hopes for Ethiopians to come together and reconcile their differences.

    Tamrat was one of those people who wined and dined as if there is no tomorrow while other Ethiopians were/are still suffering from poverty, persecution and all the social and economic evils one can think of – all the very creations of the government he was very much part of.

    It was undeniable that he was very instrumental in fomenting hate and terror among Ethiopians. Though long time ago (i was in high school) I remember him visiting Eastern Ethiopia and saying “they “neftegnoch” call you gimel gefiwoch egna gin arso aderoch enilachuhalen” something like that. How on earth can a person of high political stature talk like that? Do you have any idea how many lives were lost and the animosity that such statement stirred b/n harmonious people who shared all the ups and downs.

    He should not be allowed to roam in a free nation as if nothing happened. I have respect for all people of faith and expect them to step up when they see wrong doing and also be careful not to be used as escape goat. We are not setting a good precedence for our political leaders – they should know that every action has its own consequences. They should be hold accountable no matter what.

    of course Ato Tamrat told us he is a new convert to Christianity. Being a “born again Christian” doesn’t make him clean from all the innocent blood he spilled. I know God is a forgiving God but he is also JUST. In his own time, he judges and punishes. Probably it is that time.

  16. do you know Guantanamo in Mekelle? Qiha is found in the eastern Mekelle. The area is surrounded by school and 4th Mechanized regiment. 3500 prisoners are found inside this place. the head of the jail is major Aber from Agew and major Girmai from Tigry. all the prisoners crime is asking to go back to home after the 7 years service in the military.

  17. What really amazed me is where Elias got this personal familly trip pictures? you are amazing. anyways fellow Ethiiopians, Tamrat went to jail because of his another personal failures which is the sugar case, but we he has not served for the other crime he has comitted. The 12 years imprisonment has nothing to do with other crime so we have to gather more concrete data and we should take him to the court. Church and America are not the place where you can commit crimes and hide. He shouldn’t feel or act like he is a free man now. even if he says sorry for the people that is not enough.

  18. many are still crying due to his hate politics. Now he is enjoying life in US. Tamrat is criminal. He become christian just to get some support from the protestant group. But we don’t accept that. Our church is not a refuge for a criminal.

  20. Dear Elias,

    Unlike many others you are not biased against the ethnicity of the person to make your own judgement and to speak out your mind clearly and honestly. Keep on the good jobs. Regrettably, some racially blinded individuals like Abraha of Ethiomedia tried to tell us the criminal Siye Abraha as the true son of Ethiopian. Imagine what a shamful and disgusting person they are. Despite all his cunning behavior and personality, he was fighting for his own ethnic Tigre. Abrah keeps telling us he is a “professional journalist” who speaks up the truth. Regrettably, for ethiomedia editor, what Siye did against the people of that country was nothing more than a silly and innocent mistake, just like his support for EPRDF at the beginning.

    Well done Elias. This in a real professionalism. Unlike others, you showed us your professional maturity not in words but in actions. You could stand and speak for Tarmrat because he is Amhara, but you didn’t do that because you have professional ethics and moral to do so. Let the others learn something from this before they just telling us or trying to convince about the honesty and patriotism of Siye. Siye has blood on his hand. The story of Siye should be written and said the way you said it about Tarmrat. Shame on those narrow minded website editors.

    aron, replies:
    December 19th, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    you are so wrong about tamrat’s racial identity. the man is from eritrea and even was born in eritrea. he migrated to gondar when he was young with his mother after his father passed. dejazmach layne was his stepfather. tamrat was not his given name.

  21. You have said it right. Tamrat is responsible for the death of Professor Asrat Woldeyes and has to be accountable for death of millions of ethiopians when he was in power.
    He has to be charged because he is a criminal.
    Justices for the people of Ethiopia.

  22. Well, it is not over yet for the criminal. This days it is fashonable for killers to hide religion. His familes should abondon him for spilling innocent blood.

    There has to be a way to intiate charges for genocide here in the usa. Legal minds have to start working on it. It is a bad example for other killers to get away with murder.

  23. Yes indeed, he can not take the advantage of church to cover his barbarous actions against the innocent people. I hope he will be facing justice in the near future.

  26. Tamrat Layne should be arrested and tried.We must all write protest letters to his so called church to oppose their being refuge for criminals like him.

  27. it is not easy to say i am free. he must tell as everything that he kill, even by name, and why he did this for the public. it does not mean that no body know his crime, but if he want to repaint it must be in public .

  28. I think I should join EPRDF make some money and commit what ever kind of crime in the process so long as I satisfy the Mafia bosses. Why should I worry, I can always find a shelter like Mr. Tamrat Aye-aine. But atleast he may not escape judgement day.

  29. Dear Tamrat, would you return the money you stole from our people, even if you can’t give us the life of those innocent people who lost their life under your command ? May be then we will forgive you.

  30. Did Tamirat Layne manage to collect his asset in millions from Swiss banks? Tamirat is responsible for the death of thousands of Amharas in Arba Gugu and Arussi and for the death of Professor Asrat Woldeyes. His recent crying as man of God is a cover up to his crime and a way to have a visa to LEAVE Ethiopia. “asra hulet amet subae wust kermew kewisky kesqwaar rasin agililew bik alu beTamir yeEyesus negn bilew”‘

    Egiziabher firdun yasay!!!!

  31. Thank U ELias for the news. This is a tyrant who was killing innocents together with Zenaw. We better complain to the international court to try him for the genocide he has committed in Bedeno and Hare.

  32. This argument is extremely convincing and timely. If this guy is not going to accountable for the crime he has his hands in, why do we condemn Melese Zenawi? We need to organize petitions for his arrest?

  36. Elias, thank you for the information. This murderer, criminal, should be arrested for the crime he committed on the innocent poor people and the money he stole from the country. Please do something about it.

  37. i think you all just talk nonsense, there is nothing you can do at all….so he is her why don’t just arrest him? what’s the problem holding you ppl? always talk and talk no action.

  38. How in the world was this guy allowed to wonder and mingle with us here? My niece’s husband and the father of her only daughter was one of the victims who was bayoneted and thrown off a cliff in Bedenoo. Still alive!!!! He was not even a ‘pure’ Amhara. He was an Oromo from Shewa. He was in his late 70’s or early 80’s. He had a small farm he used to perpetuate his subsistent living. His daughter who lives abroad went there to mourn his death after 4 or 5 years after his murder. His former neighbors who were ‘farming’ Oromos mourned with her. They told her the details of what happened and who did it. The perpetrators were members of the Jara (OLF) militias who were then working hand in gloves with the new rulers, Tamrat Layne and his friends. Some of those killers may be residing among us right in Minneapolis or somewhere in the USA. Their barbaric actions on harmless, poor and innocent individuals are embarrassing and shameful spot on my Proud Oromo and therefore equally Ethiopian heritage. His shameless ass must be brought to justice in a court of law. I don’t care if he goes down on the floor and does a holy dance. I don’t give a flying tickling if he speaks and mumbles in ‘tongue’ now!!! Someone in the US justice department should throw his pente ass to eternity. Murderer!!!!!!

  39. Have you noticed that those who committed the worst crime while in power are born again Christians? I think Christianity should not be a hiding place for these wolves in a sheep’s cloth. Unless Tamirat give back millions of dollars he stole from the people and start out poor like everybody there will be no salvation for him.

  40. U ARE THE MAN,elias,thank u. why no body wanted to tell us about this former crime minister tamirat. yeah, he think that everything is forgotten. he was the cause of the death of many innocent ethiopians. let me share u a story, after professor asirat has been jailed and died because of him and ofcourse meles,i will never forget what happened at the professor funeral at st trinty cathedral church.

    there were thousands of people at asrat funeral. after the service his body was being taken to his resting place,when suddenly people start to express their anger and frustraion by words. “asrat almotem”..means the spirit of asrat do not die,,and just words like that.,all the mourners, thousands of them were just ordinary ethiopians and did not know asrat by person.but, they knew him because he was a true ethiopian hero. he was among the first who dare to tell woyane they are wrong.

    To make my long story short,among the people singing “asrat almotem” song most were youngsters. they did not do anythning wrong they just were mourning for their leader. suddenly the woyane murderers opened a fire on to the people. most people run away and dipersed, the unlucky one got woyannes bullet and wounded. among all those i will never forget that kid. he was just 14 or 15 years old and for his living, he shined shoes,a shoe shiner. that kid like every one of us probably had a dream. he would never thought the so called government,,woyanne thugs,would murder him in broad day light.

    he was one of the millions of ethiopians harrassed, detained, arresed, killed or murdered by the woyanee regime. Whatever it takes God is not like man and all those criminals like tamirat will recieve their judgment when the time comes. the time when ethiopia is free again.

  41. Sanjaw, I fully agree with you. All woyane criminals and their diplomats who stayed here in America after they finished their term also criminals. They supported all woyane killings and defended woyane for his actions should not be tolerated. We should give them a lesson.

  42. this man needs to be reporetd to the world tribunals in HOLLAND for the the crime he commited just like NATZI butchers, who are responsible for the bloodbath.I am not surprised that he found JESUS in jail after so many years he never heard of GOD but now when things get rough after all places he has to found JESUS in jail? come on cut the joke TAMIRAT

  43. You guys are insane. I have not seen any matured commentator here. You do not even know the reason why Tamirat went into jail. Do n’t think every one in Meles’s cabinet agree with Meles. You just talk none sense beacuse your security is garanteed because you live in a free world.Tamirat is a guy who was hit on the face in a meeting in asmara by Isayas because he was against the policy of Meles. He was then arrested for defying Meles. The sugar issue is cosmotics. Who in Meles cabinet did not leak sugar? Now I know that we ethiopians will never be free because of the imature diaspora politicians like Elias, EPRP and the like.

  44. I remember a film I watched years ago about some south american brother and sister who lost their parents by brutal dictators and fled to the US only to find the perpetrators of those crimes with millions and immunity form the US goivernment, that drove them crazy and they were opeting about atifto metfat.

    Tamirat was equaly evil as Melese, I have nothing against his family although they are also the big beneficieries while thousands in ethiopia still mourn for their loved ones considered nothing by this f@#$.

    I am God fearing but if our churches become hiding places for criminals like Tamirat, I do not need them to reach God.
    Let us make him pay and say atleast I am truly sorry, not this “Egziabher Yikir Belognale”, it did not reach us. He is a a criminal America should not accept them it was and is because of sick people like him we live in servitude.

  46. This is an astonishing story, thank U Elias. US need not to be a heaven for the tyrants, like Laine, he has a lot to pay let us get united and send him to the right place where he deserves to be and give a lesson to his old friends.

  47. A lot of cadres who killed innocent Ethiopians during the Derg era have used the same strategy to scape justice; that is- they say “I am a changed man; a reborn Christian” and join the Pentecostal church which is fast becoming a hidden place for criminals. Pentecostal leaders have the responsibility to differentiate between the Enkirdad and Sinde. Remember during Jesus’ time on earth, He physically whipped people who disguised their identity and used the temple to trade and make money. We should do everything to bring guy to justice. If we do not do any thing to bring this person to justice, the blood of hundred of Ethiopians which was spilled in Arbagugu, Arsi, as the result of this persons agitation, will be in hour hands. This is a serious matter, we should report him to the authorities in the US or alert the international crime tribunal for a thorough investigation of this persons on our people.

    By releasing this person, Meles may be trying “to taste the water” that is – if nothing happens to Tamrat, then, down the line, nothing will happen to Meles when he decides to leave Ethiopia and try to reside in a western country.

  48. Folks: The man committed crimes and payed for it one way or the other.

    However, the basic underlying political and social problems that the man tried to solve are still there and we folks are not even attempting to address the issues and make corrections once and for all.

    You know what that means? Some one some times in the future may surely also play the same drama in order to solve the same underlying problems whether you like it or not.

    So, please do something better than always stoning some one who have done something in his own way whether good or bad. :)

  49. Anonymous… I think you are Tamrat himself or one of his fanatic entourage. How do you know that he was hit in the face by Isayas? Were you in the office with them when this happened? If that really happened then Isayas had already figured him that this guy was a spineless ass kisser. Why pick on Elias? He never murdered anyone or gave direct or direct orders to kill innocent people just because they were Amharas or Oromos. I heard that Elias was indicted in Meles-made despicable court for just exercising his inalienable right to differ and protest the wrongs and evils perpetuated by a Diablo from Adwa. I hope you burn in hell. You and your cohorts will never be able to put your hands on Elias. We will form a ring fire around him and we know you guys are too coward to cross such a line. It is called the American constitution. You nitwit!!!

  50. It is indeed so sad to see someone, given an equal right, being either killed by the hand of other one or thrown into a jail for the reason unknown or on political grounds. The former prime minister, according to many reports, has been one of the merciless and advocates of chaos in the land of Ethiopia. Well, when he was caught on a wrong side carrying out erroneous deed, he was thrown into the jail and sentenced for 18 years. After serving for 12 years, he was pardoned as a direct result of his good conduct and acknowledgement his lack of accountability during his tenure and lack of good judgment. The main reason that the correctional institution was built, of course, to keep the society safe and to keep the convict from committing another offense. In the mean time, these institutions have been kept as schools of life; to change characters of the convicts, to adjust the behaviors of prisoners, and to modify the views of inmates. Luckily, former prime minister has been among those changed ones. He openly denounced his past deed. He publicly repented and asked forgiveness from those who directly and indirectly have been hurt, damaged, and victimized by him alone. It takes a man to ask forgiveness. And it takes a heart to accept forgiveness. You might say if I were among the victims I would not have said what I said. Truthfully, what could be done for all the wrongs committed by a person and comes back and asks for forgiveness for all of his wrong deeds? I don’t think killing the convict would bring peace or restitution for the victims. If the convict is seeking a real forgiveness from his victims, we all have the responsibility to acknowledge his plea. If we rejoiced when he was convicted of his crime and offense, let us one more time try to join him in celebrating in his knowledge of goodness.

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