NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Sudan’s president made his sixth foreign trip since his indictment on charges of war crimes in Darfur, traveling Tuesday to Ethiopia despite the international warrant for his arrest.

An Ethiopian foreign ministry spokesman said President Omar al-Bashir would not face arrest.

He will discuss “political, economic and security matters” issues with Ethiopian officials during a daylong visit and will meet with Prime Minister dictator Meles Zenawi, spokesman Wahide Belay said.

“He is welcome as a guest to Ethiopia,” he said. “As you know, we have opposed the arrest warrant as a country, as a government, within (regional groups) and within the African Union. There is no reason to take any action on the president.” […read more].

By Yilma Bekele

We are all aware that the global economy is in not in good shape. Both rich industrialized countries and dirt-poor subsistence economies are in a free fall. No one knows where the bottom is. Governments that are democratic, autocratic, military dictatorship or royal kingdoms are all trying different medicine to heal the ailing economy. Let us look at two doctors that have written prescriptions to make the sick economy better.

The two doctors are President Barack Obama of the US on one side and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia on the other. Both their countries have been suffering from recession for quite a while now. The unemployment figure in the US is about 7% average, inflation is about 4%, and the budget deficit is in the trillions while in Ethiopia the unemployment is about 60%, inflation 65% and no budget so to speak of since the country relies on welfare.

President Obama who has been in office for less than three months started of by saying ‘To understand how we get there, we first need to understand how we got here.’ Thus he gathered elected official, experts in various fields and ordinary citizens trying to identify the root cause of the problem and recommend different options to fix it.

He had his treasury secretary work with the banks to ease the credit crunch, defense department devise a way to cut the bloated budget and recommend a safe and honorable exit from Iraq, congress pass a stimulus package to put people back to work on government projects, his secretary of state go to major capitals to hold hands and soothe nerves while he himself went to all parts of the country to get support for his plan of attack and rally the people so that they have confidence in his leadership.

It is a multifaceted approach to one of the biggest problems encountered by his nation. There was no silver bullet here. The main focus was to try different medicines but with the emphasis being the involvement of the people in the treatment. Without the cooperation and good will of the patient the medicine will not work. All his speeches and actions made it clear that the citizen was part of the solution. Even when most felt depressed and helpless the president was acting like a national cheerleader exalting the population to rise up and devise new ways and new methods to slay the double dragon of recession and unemployment.

He did not try to shift the blame on others. The previous administration was not made a scapegoat nor bankers and industry heads targeted to deflect the issue. The president said all are responsible and there was no need to point fingers. The banks were seen by many as the primary culprits in this fiasco and some shouted ‘off with their heads! Sacking a few and prosecuting some would have been a populist move. Mr. Obama did none and said ‘we believe that preemptive government takeovers are likely to end up costing taxpayers even more in the end, and because it is more likely to undermine than to create confidence. Governments should practice the same principle as doctors: first do no harm.’

The US economy is showing signs of life. It is not out of the woods yet, but many believe the patient is recovering. The people are impressed by the rational approach of the commander in chief. His ‘no hysteria’ calm disposition and cheery attitude is seen as the best medicine. His supporters are proud and the skeptics are slowly being drawn to believe that the doctor is knowledgeable and may be he deserves some respect.

How is our other doctor doing? The patient is in dire straits. Unlike the US Ethiopia’s economic situation is a little bit simpler. Due to the primitive state of industrialization the economy is not integrated to the wider world. Farming which accounts for all economic activity is subsistence level and export of raw unprocessed coffee is the mainstay. So the question is how did the doctor approach the problem?

First please note that ‘this’ doctor has been treating the patient for the last eighteen years. The patient has been denied the right to consult other experts and get a second opinion. The patient has been on life support with intensive care nurses (security forces) on stand by 24/7. The patient is dying.

The PM’s initial reaction was complete denial of the problem. He told his parliament “In general, we don’t expect drastic effects on our economy, our financial structure is not as liberalized as those of affected countries and the economy is not intertwined to Western economies to face a crisis” This was August of 2008.

When asked by Time magazine regarding the problem of famine Ato Meles said “ It’s a mixed bag. When you have an emergency, there is the urge to do whatever it takes to see people get assistance. [But that can mean] the name of the game is [to] include a bit of hyperbole, and that can convey the message that the situation is hopeless when in fact it is not, and that might do some lasting damage, given the fact that all investors take their information and make their assessments on the basis of the 24-hour news cycle. Famine has wreaked havoc in Ethiopia for so long; it would be stupid not to be sensitive to the risk of such things occurring. But there has not been a famine on our watch – emergencies, but no famines.

When it came to foreign currency shortage he decided to solve the problem by confiscating his citizens property. In March of 2008 by order of the Prime Minister Federal police confiscated over 2 million US dollars and thirteen million Ethiopian bir from traders. They were declared illegal and forfeited their right.

A year later he went after coffee exporters and traders. His government confiscated seventeen thousand tons of coffee and suspended the licenses of over eighty traders. He also said six will be prosecuted.

Do you see a pattern here? It is never about looking at the cause. It is all about finding someone to blame for a failed policy. Ato Meles still blames the Derge for current problems. You would think after seventeen years Mengistu is history. Actually his government goes as far back as Menelik to shift responsibility. Does it makes sense when today those fourteen years or under are 46% of the population?

Mr. Obama looked at the cause and he is in the process of writing a new playbook. He is not about looking back. He is focused on the future. He said ‘There is a parable at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that tells the story of two men. The first built his house on a pile of sand, and it was destroyed as soon as the storm hit. But the second is known as the wise man, for when “…the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house…it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” How true.

Unfortunate for us our leaders are not interested in constructing on solid foundation. They get drunk with their own lies and propaganda. Because they thought it and said it they think it has happened. Thus there is no chance that the medicine they are prescribing to cure the illness will work. It is more likely to put the patient in a coma. One problem two solutions, which doctor would you trust with your life?

In this week of Easter we should remember our dear sister Judge Birtukan Mediksa. We should admire her courage. Deeply be impressed by her determination to sacrifice for our cause. She is a learned person with a law degree. She was a municipal judge. By any standard she is an achiever. But most important our sister is a person of principle. She is a rare individual at this juncture in our ancient history. We have encountered so many fake usurpers that we get disoriented when we meet people like judge Birtukan. She is in solitary confinement like a common criminal. She has been in confinement for 108 days. We hear that she is in good spirits and is very much inspired by the effort her country folks are putting to gain her release. We will not rest till she is free. We love you Birtukan. Happy Easter.

Further information:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1829842,00.html
http://www.galbeed.com/2009/03/26/ethiopia-revokes-coffee-licences/
http://www.demconwatchblog.com/diary/1334/full-text-of-president-obamas-economic-speech
http://nazret.com/blog/index.php?c=1&more=1&pb=1&tb=1&title=financial_crisis_to_have_little_effect_oand

By Thomas C. Mountain | Online Journal

One of the best kept secrets in the international media these days is the link between the USA, Ethiopia and the Somali pirates. First, a little reliable background from someone on the ground in the Horn of Africa.

The Somali pirates operate out of the Ethiopian and USA created enclaves in Somalia calling themselves Somaliland and Puntland. These Ethiopian and USA backed warlord controlled territories have for many years hosted Ethiopian military bases, which have been greatly expanded recently by the addition of thousands of Ethiopian troops who were driven out of southern and central Somali by the Somali resistance to the Ethiopian invasion.

After securing their ransom for the hijacked ships the Somali pirates head directly to their local safe havens, in this case, the Ethiopian military bases, where they make a sizeable contribution to the retirement accounts of the Ethiopian regime headed by Meles Zenawi.

Of course, the international naval forces who are patrolling the Horn of Africa know all too well what is going on for they have at their disposal all sorts of high tech observation platforms, ranging from satellites to unmanned drones with high resolution video cameras that report back in real time.

The French commandos started to pursue the Somali pirates into their lairs last year until the pirates got the word that for the right amount of cash they were more than welcome in the Ethiopian military bases in their local neighborhoods. Ethiopia being the western, mainly USA, Cop on the Beat in East Africa put these bases off limits to the frustrated navies of the world, who are no doubt growling in anger to their USA counterparts about why this is all going on.

Now that the pirates have started attacking USA flagged shipping, something that was until now off limits, it remains to be seen what the Obama administration will do. One thing we in the Horn of Africa have learned all too well, when it comes to Ethiopia, don’t expect anything resembling accurate coverage by the media, especially those who operate under the cloak of ‘freedom of the press.’

Stay tuned for more on this from the Onlinejournal.com, the only site willing to expose the truth on matters no one else will touch.

According to many of your request, here is the English translation of the Tigringa/Amharic version interview of Fitawrari Gezai Reda, a resident of Tigray region, northern Ethiopia.

Let me start my view by quoting from an article I read a few years back from Ethiopian Register magazine, under the topic: “Understanding the Machine of {www:Woyanne} Politics and How It Works.” In that commentary, the writer tried to show how the Ethiopian people were trying to identify the regime of Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) [or commonly known as Woyanne] and the nature of it.

The writer says, “As critics and opponents of Meles Zenawi’s regime, we often look like those fabled individuals who try to identify a large animal blindfolded. One character touches the animal’s head, another its back, still another its legs, each one giving an account of the whole beast by the part of the beast it has felt.”

Similarly, opposition parties and groups describe the Woyanne political creature in various limited ways. Some say TPLF rules are similar to an Apartheid-like ethnic tyranny. Others draw parallels with a Marxist-Leninist clique. Still others equate TPLF with a shifta (banditry), two-faced par communist, par capitalist, political entity. We also mark the regime as a worari (occupying) force, clever at operating behind tribal lines, reminiscent of colonialism, yet quick to resort to frontal assault on dissidents, citizens, and communities to bolster its monopoly of power.”

Each of these outlines of TPLF rules is right, but only partially. Each depiction highlights a particular feature or element of the Meles dictatorship in Ethiopia.

Indeed, as the writer above tried to show the different features of TPLF, each one of these taken separately, or as a mere sum, the depictions do not, however, yield an adequate picture of the gangsters of Woyane Tigray. Even as mercenary as it is, stating Meles and his groups as group of “Banda”, still we can’t describe the nature of the political beast! The nature of the gangs should be interpreted in ways worse than what has been said for years. Can I simply say, “These are beasts dispatched from hell?

Many of us may not have the detail understanding and information how Tigrian farmers and citizens were the subject of these beasts for solid seventeen years. Because of our frustration, many of us blame the Tigrians for harboring the beasts for seventeen years, but in reality the Tigrian farmers and people have suffered more than all of us can imagine.

Leaving the weakness and the failure of the flamboyant members and sympathizers of the beasts, and leaving aside for a moment, the ugly record of the Tigrian intellectuals and all walks of Tigrians who defended and supported the cruel nature of TPLF leaders and their Bado Shidushte (06) (the notorious security apparatus of TPLF) for many years, without any doubt, the majority of the Tigrian people, particularly “farmers,” were the direct victims of TPLF savagery more than any society in Ethiopia.

In this report you will read a very shocking history from an elderly man from Tigray. Ato Gezai Reda was tortured and released after paying Birr 15,000 ($7,500.00), after he was captured by TPLF guerrilla fighters in 1969 EC (about 1976/1978), and recently exposed the cruelty and injustice done to the Tigrian farmers and citizens by the so called leaders of Woyane Tigray in his interview with Dejen radio, produced by my friend, Hailemariam Abebe. I am working on the full translation of the interview in Amharic, to be published in one of the national papers. Till then, take the idea home, weigh the gruesome and utterly despicable nature of TPLF, the mass murders and tortures it inflicted on thousands of Tigrians. As usual, please bear with me when it comes to my “proficiency” of the English language.

Here is the short summary of the interview:

Ato Gezai Reda is originally from Enderta (around {www:Mekelle}), but worked and spent most of his life in Shire Awraja (Enda-Selassie). He was an employee of the Ministry of Interior before his ordeal. Ato Gezai expresses his thanks to Dejen radio for having him as a guest, and for getting the opportunity to expose the crimes of TPLF to the Ethiopian people, after keeping them with him for many years for lack of a free forum.

Ato Gezai Reda, after briefly explaining about his life history, directly goes to his narration. In the mid-’70s, he was a member of “Teranafit” (a group established in shire district before it merged with Prince Mengesha Seyoum’s armed rebel group – the Ethiopian Democratic Union – EDU). He said TERANAFIT at first had no intention of fighting against TPLF. Teranafit was established to fight against then military Junta in power – the “Derg.” But TPLF accused members of Teranafit of being “rivals” in recruiting the Tigrian youth. Because of this, he said he and other Teranafit members came under the focus of TPLF hostility.

Ato Gezai Reda was captured in March 1969 (1977/78) when he and others were traveling by bus to Axum to celebrate the religious holiday of Hidar Tsion. TPLF fighters threw hand grenades and ambushed the bus in the vicinity of “Af Gah-gah”. Held at gunpoint, the rebels ordered three passengers to get down, and those were: Ato Gezai, Ato Feseha, and Ato GebreTsadik Woldu.

The three “captives” were taken to a locality called Mai Demas, where they were thrown into a closure, and spent a bitter cold night along with livestock.

The next day, says Ato Gezai, “we were taken to Badme. Along the way, every village we passed by, there were many young farmers and elders who were being rounded up by TPLF as Teranafit accomplices.”

Ato Gezai and other 50 prisoners were taken to a place called Ginbot (near Badme). Ginbot was lush green, and had several springs that watered the site. “Upon our arrival,” says Ato Gezai, “all of us were ordered to roll over a field covered with ash which was so thick and over a feet or two high. We did as ordered, but fell to severe coughing, sneezing, itching. Once our introductory lesson was over, we were thrown into a tiny cell, joining other prisoners who had lost their hairs due to inhuman conditions. Those who were imprisoned before us were seriously emaciated, like they have been starving for a long time. Parts of their bodies were burned with fire, and their skins had turned yellow. With their sunken eyes, they looked like skeletons. Their legs were swollen, and their voices coarse.”

Some of the young men whom Ato Gezai saw in that prison cell were students from Adi-Awala, Adi Dairo in Shirre. The other victims included individuals who suffered from “manic depression,” and had already lost their minds, understandably from the complication of constant exposure to cruel torture and loss of hope in life.

The next morning Ato Gezai was interrogated as an accomplice of the Teranafit rebel group which TPLF saw as a sworn enemy. On the second day, they woke Ato Gezai up, took him out, and tied his hands behind his back against a tree, and set a pile of firewood between his legs. He was fixed to a tree trunk as the TPLF guys used tight ropes and wires to wrap him by.

They started the fire between his legs, and Gezai Reda’s long journey into the world of hell controlled by TPLF starts in earnest. As a thick smoke chokes Ato Gezai, the fire has already created blisters all over his body. Out of desperation, he shouted “Kidus Michael! Kidus Michael…” His torturers heard what he said, and started to make fun of him. The torturers picked up two small rocks and rubbed the stones against each other and, mockingly, asked their victim: “Can you see your St. Michael in these stones?”

(At this moment on the Radio, Ato Gezai is overwhelmed with emotions of grief, and slips into silence)

He comes back on air, and continues his narration. “The fire was too much painful,” and I cried out: “The fire Is Hell!”, and said, “My brothers and sisters! I can’t move left or right. I am being eaten up by the fire. You bet Hell is better than enduring this cruelty!”

My hands were tied behind me to a tree; there is no way one can escape from the chocking smoke and the flames of the burning wood. My body started to swell like a balloon. My body was covered with blisters, containing water under the swollen skin. And at one time, my skin burst and gushed out water from my entire body. Then my torturers ordered a break, using the military code “erefti!” (Recess/ break!).

After this unbelievable torture of burning and roasting my body with fire, they took me away from the fire, and untied my hands. I was lying on the ground, from where I slipped into unconsciousness. I can’t remember how long I was in a state of shock. I only knew when they woke me up again, and ordered me to stand, walk, and sit back to the burning fire. I couldn’t move my body! I was burned, numb, and roasted; my throat and lungs were coarse like burned; I couldn’t talk either. Practically, my body was turned into the size of a monster; my eyes were hanging out of their sockets. My tormentors also knew I that I couldn’t move. They looked for other means. They burned a bunch of figs, and threw the fire onto my body.

After a few days, I woke up, and tried to make sense of where I was (mind you I was still in severe pain and mentally devastated). But once more, they took me out in that bad shape, when I was looking just like an invalid. I was asked if I’d learned anything from my being tortured. The interrogator asked me if there was something I could make as a confession. I said: “Other than being a member of Teranafit, I have nothing to confess; I did nothing wrong that harmed TPLF; if there is anything, please show me any evidence of wrongdoing than torturing me for a crime I know nothing about.” I begged them to tell me if I’d done anything wrong to them.

Ato Gezai went on to say, “The interrogator didn’t whet his thirst of cruelty, and told me, ‘You still didn’t learn a lesson after all that?!” He then ordered the torturers to take me back to the torture chamber, where I was hung upside down, and the interrogators started to beat my bare feet with a rubber stick. My body started to burn like I caught fire: I shivered, vomited, moaned with unbearable pain. By the way, I still have difficulty walking, and I often feel pain in my feet.”

“Those are not Tigrians, those are not Ethiopians; those are some evil creatures from hell! They have no respect for even the old. They were educated by us, by the Tigrian parents; they were schooled by the farmers’ and tax-payers’ money, they were armed by Tigrians but turned their back on us, and humiliated us in a way difficult to express in words.”

Dejen radio – Other victims?

Ato Gezai – There were many of them. At least eight people were being executed every day. Every morning, many young ones from among the prisoners would be called out by their names. The prisoners knew they were being taken to be murdered. The young ones would cry, scream, saying, “tell my parents and families that I am executed…goodbye Tigray! Good bye folks!”

Mass murder was routine. I can tell you a few more agonizing stories as to what extent TPLF’s cruelty stretches. The crimes of TPLF that I saw with my own eyes are chilling.”

“There was this elder who was highly respected in Shirre Endaselassie. His name was Gebrelibanos Mezgebo. He was a chief accountant employee of the Ministry of Internal revenue. He and a few other respected individuals like him were selected by the people of Shire and surroundings to go to TPLF bases, and meet with TPLF officials over how to peacefully resolve the war with the Derg. The idea was proposed by the Derg officials. The Derg explained to the elders of Shirre that war was killing the nation, and such peaceful plan was also being executed in Eritrea. Eritrean elders were also elected by residents to go to the mountains to meet the rebels over a possible dialogue with the Derg. The Derg proposed they can solve their differences with EPLF-ELF for the sake of peace to the war-torn country. Likewise, the elders from around Shirre went to TPLF-held areas so as to meet and discuss the issue with them.

“Mind you!” says Ato Gezai Reda “…these are respected elders, who know nothing about politics, or who have never been members of any political group. But since the Derg officials ordered them to do something to resolve the conflict, they went out as peace envoys, shouldering responsibilities both by the people and the Derg. The residents also gladly agreed to try the strategy if that would work out for the sake of peace. The elders met TPLF leaders, but they were unlucky: they were thrown into prison immediately.”

Dejen radio – And then?

Ato Gebrelibanos and the other elders were murdered.

Dejen radio : How come?

Ato Gezai – Well, it is a very sad and shocking scene to witness such tragedy taking place in ones presence. One night EDU rebels came to the vicinity with their full military might. Subsequently, TPLF “firing squads” rushed to where we were being held. And we heard the interrogators saying loudly, “Let us Kill them! Let us finish them!” Immediately, they opened the door and ordered us to line up. They wanted to carry out the execution there and then but they changed their mind, and rushed us to a gorge covered with thick forest. However, they delayed the execution for reasons we did not know.

“Let me take you back for a second, to the question of what happened to Ato Gebrelibnos Mezgebos. As I said earlier, we were told EDU rebels were encircling the area. At that moment they tried to kill all prisoners. But later on, they decided to rush us somewhere else. However, Ato Gebrelibanos was badly burned and tortured like myself. He was a sad sight to the eye. He had open wounds on his back and his legs. He was almost crippled from torture. The TPLF decided he should be put to death. THEY FIRED THREE SHOTS INTO HIS BODY AND MURDERED HIM where he was lying!”

“With him, there was also a very handsome young man who was their member, a “guerilla fighter,” who fell sick with severe malaria. He was shivering with high fever, was unable to walk. He was lying under a shade from the outside of the prison cell that housed us. He was there just to rest and get some medication. He too was shot to death by the firing squad in his sleep. They executed him on the spot because he was unable to walk with the rest of us. This young fighter was from a village called Enticho (Adwa). They pumped three shots into each of the two victims in a cold-blooded murder.

Dejen radio – Why did they do that?

Ato Gezai – They didn’t want to carry them.

Dejen radio – They shot and killed their own fighter too?

Ato Gezai – Yes, they were cold-blooded murderers who had no value for human life. I have no idea how such youngsters came out from the womb of Tigrians and turned into some despicable monsters!

Dejen radio – And then?

Ato Gezai – We left the two murdered gentlemen behind us as we were rushed to a place called Maay Lam (Mereb). It was very hot, humid, and sand. Many of the prisoners had a difficult time dragging themselves along a very hostile terrain. Many of us never had any exercise, let alone overcome long journeys atop our tortured bodies. We had no power at all. Many of us had headaches, dizziness, and were thirsty and exhausted. Those who were limping and had fallen behind, the rebels pulled them like they were animal carcasses to be disposed of. Rebel harassments were rampant against those who staggered on the way. Among the weak prisoners, I remember there was a respected elder, Balambaras Tilahun. He was from Deki Awuaala. They wanted to riddle his body with bullets. Fortunately, when they were ready to do just that, some higher official of the organization came to the scene, and the firing squad asked the official if they could kill the man whom they saw as a burden. The official asked them if his interrogation was finalized. They said “no.” He told them to first get over the investigation. The old man was spared, and was suggested they somewhat carry him. However, they tied him tight to a single long stick (It was supposed to be a stretcher). They went away rocking the old man left and right his body tied/hooked with that single stick. Finally we reached a place called “La’e-Lai Barka (may be close to Eritrea border), and it was time to spend the night there. On the same night, they told us there would be assignments, and they split us in two: Group A and Group B (the reason was one of the groups would go to the Red Cross for check-ups, while the other would take other assignments. That was what they said). We formed long columns, but we were worn out. Immediately everyone was asleep. But again in the same night, they woke us up, and called the names of 25 individuals. They took them to a nearby ravine, and in an outburst of gunfire, the 25 were murdered en masse. That day was Ethiopian Easter holiday.

The way how the gentlemen were killed was really frightening to human mind. They told the victims to line up like soldiers but they machine-gunned them down all at once. The killers didn’t even bother to bury the victims. Their bodies were later found by Eritrean cattle herders. When the cattle came closer to the sight, they began to retreat as if they had seen predators. This alerted the herders who became curious why their cattle were frightened, and suddenly saw the bodies of 25 Ethiopians murdered at one go. “It is really heart-wrenching to recall such tragedies despite the passage of a long time,” says Ato Gezai.

He mentioned some of the executed individuals by name. Among them:
Ato Tewolde Gebresilassie (a town council official from Endaselassie – Shire)
Ato Abebe Gebre-Mariam (an old man from Adi Beiray, Deki-Awala)
Wodi Goshim, a 16-year-old from Endaselassie.
Mohammed, a 12-year-old boy from Adua who came to the Selekleka to visit his aunt. In prison, the boy always cried, saying he wanted to go to his mother and his Aunt and would often ask them “what am I doing here? I want to go to mom”. Altogether with the kid, 25 people were slaughtered.

By the way, after the herders discovered the mass murder, they immediately notified ELF fighters. The ELF men were shocked, and held an official meeting, and expressed their disappointments by the gruesome murders TPLF committed. ELF told TPLF to move out of their territory. TPLF fighters who were guarding us shared the secret with us. Some of the fighters were very close to us and sympathized with our condition. It was their closeness and sympathy that helped us to get the information that TPLF had differences with ELF with that incident. Unfortunately, many of the prisoners were murdered, (even after the ELF ordered TPLF, move out itself and its prisoners from their area). Those murdered, were murdered in the same fashion: “summary execution!”

After they relocated us, there were killings as well. There were prisoners like Haleka Tilahun (Adi Hagerai?) , Yigzaw Hailu (I think if I am not mistaken he was the son of Kegnazmach or Dejach Hailu Aduwa). Yigzaw was unique than the rest. He was a strong man. He killed one of the executioners, and stabbed another with the executioner’s own knife, and fled on foot. They pursued him with a barrage of machinegun fire. They shot him, but could not find him, dead or alive. After a week, however, his death was confirmed when vultures were spotted, and they were scavenging on the corpse.

Dejen radio – What happened to you finally?

Ato Gezai – I was told I could bail myself out by paying them Birr 15,000 (then the equivalent of $7,500 U.S. dollars). They ordered me to write a letter to my wife to make the payment. I pleaded for lesser settlement. They told me “TPLF is not a market place for bargaining.” Finally, I wrote a letter to my wife and they took the letter to her, and she sold our hotel (the only source of income we had to support my children and my wife at that time while I was under TPLF custody). My wife had no other choice, and she sold our property, met one of the agents, and paid him 15,000 Birr. I was released but there was a string to it: If I talked about TPLF brutality, I would be hunted down. No mercy. And they had these so-called fedayeen, (disguised TPLF snipers who infiltrate towns either to kidnap victims, or else, murder them.)

Dejen radio – We have heard many people lost their finger-nails, and fingers and limps were being pulled off the bodies of victims during torture. And we heard TPLF was forcing its victims to dig their own graves before they were shot dead. It that true?

Ato Gezai – Many despicable things have befallen too many innocent people. One day, they decided to kill me. My hands were tied, and I was watching when they were digging my grave. They dug it themselves because I was too weak to do anything. I was tied very tight, and asked them: “My hands are tied and it is hurting me badly. Can you please loosen the rope?” One of my guards got upset and said: “This is your grave; in our law, you were supposed to dig your own grave. But because you have no muscle to do that, we are doing you a favor. Therefore, you better shut up and get ready to enter your warm grave!”

I was put down in the grave. Then, the firing squad gathered and started to lower down their heads to the ground with their formal whispers (prayers par communist zealots), called “zikri sema’atat” (in memory of our martyrs). When they prayed their version, I was also praying loudly: “ABUNE ZEBESEMAYAT… (Oh, our Heavenly Father…) at that moment, one of them by the name “Mesele” asked me, “what are you chanting for?”

When he was asking me this very question, another messenger called Alemseged came running and screaming so loud towards us. They said, “who is that guy?” He screamed so loud from a distance, and told them, “wait, wait! Don’t do anything! Don’t kill him!” Alemseged told them higher officials were saying that the prisoner had more interrogations and should be spared of the execution. The amazing thing was a member of the firing squad was my neighbor’s son by the name “Nuguse Lilai”. This young man was a promising soccer player in Shire Enda-Selassie, back in the good old days. At that time, I used to encourage him and his friends to pursue their sports. Occasionally, I used to support them financially. I also used to take their pictures, extending some form of fatherly help. He was the first one who jumped into the grave, and pulled me out, by cutting the rope that had tied my hands. I saw him and his friends beaming with joy in the presence of the executioners who were suddenly ordered to delay my death.

However, I felt like they were playing with me like a toy. I begged them to finish me off. I asked them why they were playing with my soul, and asked them to fire a single shot, and get over with me, instead of taking me back and forth to the same hellish life. They replied, “We have orders that you have more interrogations.” So to answer your question, “Yes, they used to make us dig our graves before they killed us. Indeed, they were evil, anti-Tigray, anti humanity, anti their own family, anti Ethiopia, generally they were demons from devil knows where.”

Dejen radio – Ato Gezai, you have seen and witnessed all these nightmares, and the unbelievable evilness of TPLF. I think to my understanding hearing this shocking story, do you think you considered them as Tigrians? This is barbaric. Their action is even worse than Fascist Mussolini’s atrocities. How were you judging them at that time?

Ato Gezai — Oh! We took them as the disciples of Satan. Given their lack of humanity, I could only say I was saved by the power of God! They were cruel. They fed us very salty food so that we would feel thirsty, and they would punish us by denying us water. They added gasoline to the injera and soup so that we would suffer with hunger. It is hard to explain their cruelty. They kept prisoners in dungeons; there were dungeons in Kalema (Jihanem) near Gondar, another one in one of the Tekeze River hills, and another in Tembien. Those underground prisons were dug beneath the hills. I heard it was very hard for strangers to tell if there were underground prison chambers or not.

Dejen radio – Have you had children at the time? Did they ever know where you were?

Ato Gezai – I had young children, all of them under seven. They didn’t know where I was till my release.

Dejen radio – After your wife sold the hotel and paid TPLF the money they had asked, how did you end up going back to EDU? What forced you to leave town?

Ato Gezai – Let me tell you, whether I like it or not, they could have taken the money anyway.

Dejen radio – How is that?

Ato Gezai – What they did to many innocent families, they could have done to my wife too. There are more and more sad stories. For instance, they execute their victim. By the way, they cover the heads of their victims with some sort of garment. Then they execute them. After that, the TPLF prepares a letter as if it were written and signed by the victim. TPLF would write as though the victim was alive, and was a dedicated fighter. In the letter, they would write as if their victim would tell his family that he would never abandon TPLF, and for his cause, he was dedicating the family property to his organization – TPLF. So when the family gets the letter, given the reign of TPLF terror in the area, would be forced to hand over the property. Don’t forget TPLF has already killed the individual. Many families were robbed of their children and property by such sordid TPLF crimes. They never cared that their victimized family had kids, and would perish to hunger.

Let me tell you about the fate of one promising businessman in Adi Hagerai, Adiabo. His name was GebreTsadik Tsige, the son of Haneta Tsige. They were of Eritrean origin that lived as good Ethiopians. The young businessman had heavy-duty trucks and over a thousand heads of cattle. They killed him. On top of that, they ordered his wife to pay Birr 12,000. She said she had 6,000 Birr to pay right away, and not the entire sum of money. She asked them to give her more time. They demanded she had better paid the full amount right away. When she could not find the money, they took the trucks, 500 heads of cattle from the family ranch.

Now, let me go back to your question and answer what happened to me after I was released. I gave my hand to Colonel Kale-Kristos Abai, then regional governor of Tigrai province.

I visited the colonel’s office, where I was interviewed by the governor himself and other attending senior officials. Upon hearing my harrowing stories of tortures and mass killings, they were heart-broken, shocked and truly disoriented. On my part, I begged them to keep the stories to themselves. “If the stories leaked and reached TPLF,” I told them, “they will kill me. No doubt about that.” But the officials were overwhelmed with the gruesome murders TPLF was carrying out against innocent people. They immediately called for public meeting with the residents of the town. They began to tell the people the crimes being committed by TPLF. At that moment, they wanted an eye-witness, and called my name to testify. I heard them calling my name, but I kept quiet. I did not want to risk my life for I knew TPLF would murder me. In the first place, I didn’t want to disclose TPLF crimes to the Derg. But the Derg was also another problem, and I had no choice but to tell them what I went through. Immediately on the third day, TPLF sent me a “death warrant.” They sent one old man relative of my family. The letter told me to get prepared for my death any time. I prepared myself in a few days, kissed my kids and my wife good-bye, and after a long trek through the jungle, I joined EDU combatants.

Dejen radio – Dear Ato Gezai: You have seen TPLF in detail. TPLF is anti Tigray, anti Ethiopian culture. They changed everything, even the names of villages and hamlets. They devalued the honor of our mothers, they chopped away our territories, and ports preserved by our forefathers. Would you share your views with us on these points?

“TPLF is insane; they are evil, anti Christian, anti religion and anti our culture. They went against Tigrian culture. They desecrated churches. They smoked cigarettes inside churches. They turned churches into dancing halls. They tore down holy church garments and used them as sacks for stolen goodies. They used Medhani-Alem churches in Sheraro as their dancing floor for their “artistic troupe.” They forced elderly priests to lead their dances. They forced priests to throw their crosses, and made them carry guns and forced them to shoot. This was the most disturbing time in the history of our country. After having been an EDU combatant, I was forced into the world of exile, and I will never be able to visit my country until I make sure TPLF is removed and gone forever.”

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

Who is Ato Gebrelibanos Mezgebo? I am his son in law. Ato Gebrelibnos Mezgebo is from Yeha, near Adwa. His wife, Woizero Yeshi, is from Adwa, Yeha. Woizero Yeshi, an elderly mother is still alive with her 7 children and many grand children. Justice will reveal, murderers who killed elders and young children as old as 12 years would one day face the wrath of justice.

The cold-blooded murderers can fool the fools pretending like they are peaceful individuals and peaceful leaders. Regardless of their camouflage, their blood-soaked life would one day end up in front of the court of justice. I thank Ato Gezai Reda from my heart, and Dejen radio in behalf of the family. The family may not question TPLF currently for fear of persecution. We the family are many and we are everywhere to challenge the thugs and murderers. Justice will prevail! There will no more be a mystery. The curtain that had covered the criminal and murderous nature of TPLF is uncovered for all to see, and for all to add their voices they had up to day kept for themselves for fear of being added to the long list of the thousands of men and women TPLF firing squads murdered in the quiet fields of northern Ethiopia. In Recent interview, Fitawrari Gezaie Reda exposed his torturers and prison chiefs who sent many young kids and elders to their death chamber as Abebe Teklehaymanot (filed name Usman) he was the ETPLF/EPRDF Air force chief. Awalom Weldu (real name Tiku Weldu- the brother of Abay Weldu currently Abay Weldu is TPLF’s CC) – he was the first TPLF/EPRDF Ethiopian Ambassador to Eritrea. (Currently, Ass/chair and CC of Gebru Asrat’s “Arena” party). Mesele was also the x-Derg Lieutenant Officer, who later fled to TPLF and became one of the executioners. The story will be published in book version for history to document it. Any one who is interested or have any question to contact Fitawrary or about our family already executed in the field by TPLF while in his asleep (or about other TPLF victims),- contact me on the following address.

By Getachew Reda