NEWS

It is to be recalled that the Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA) was one of the first casualties of the TPLF/Woyyane’s bombardment on crashing “Ethiopiawinet”. The attack started right after the TPLF took power under the concealed cover of EPRDF to carry out Mussolini’s blue print of “dividing Ethiopia along ethnic lines and destroying it.” The Independence of Eritrea was part of that grand plan.

The regime’s attempt to reorganize the ETA in its own image along the ethno-linguistic lines was met by a stiff resistance from the teachers, refusing to accept the notion of Oromo Teachers, Wolayita Teachers, Amara Teachers …. so and so Teachers Association, but one professional body, united by their profession as Ethiopian Teachers. This wrecked the entire plan of divide and rule strategy designed in the Dedebit village. The ETA’s resistance defending its member’s rights was seen as the biggest challenge that Woyyane took seriously and crusaded to crash it as a lesson to others. As a result the TPLF/Woyyane dictators stepped up the repression against all teachers indiscriminately. Many teachers were thrown out of their teaching jobs leaving them and their families exposed to starvation and poverty. The harsher the repression, the bitter the struggle for teachers’ rights. The TPLF/Woyyane regime tried to replace the democratically elected executive members of ETA by its own cloned puppet leaders. The ETA successfully contested the TPLF/Woyyane attempts by questioning the legality of such moves in court. Since May 1993, in its continued harassment of ETA, the regime has taken ETA to court 4 times, and the courts have decided in favour of the legally elected ETA leadership every time. However, in the land where “law is nothing but a tool to suppress the regimes opponents”, the TPLF/Woyyane ignored the decision of the judges, sealed ETA office, froze ETA bank accounts and kept on illegally arresting imprisoning and harassing ETA leaders. That did not force the ETA to give into the wills of the dictators. The TPLF/Woyyane detested such consistent challenge from the teachers. Therefore, the only means the dictatorial regime could think of to combat the problem was by implementing the Biblical logic of:

Once the President was heinously accused and jailed, the Deputy Secretary gunned down, they planned their next move. The next target was Mr. Gemoraw Kassa. Fortunately, Mr. Gemoraw Kassa was on a business tour in Europe when Woyyane murderers perpetrated another round of crimes against ETA officials. The surviving executive members of ETA advised Mr. Gemoraw to stay away and serve the Association in exile rather than return home and get killed or jailed. Mr. Gemoraw reluctantly but wisely accepted their advice and remained in Britain until 16 December 2004.

When the shepherds were stricken, the sheep of the flock did not scatter as TPLF/Woyyane wished. The sheep were smarter than the striker. They knew their shepherd’s and refused to follow the thief. The remaining shepherd’s simply reorganised and continued safeguarding the sheep of the flock – the teachers. Ato Shimeles Zewdie (may the Lord bless his soul), Ato Abate Angore, Ato Awoqe Mulugeta, Ato Muhamed Yemer, Ato Teferi Gessesse, Wizero Elfinesh Demissie, Ato Tena Sirahbzu and many others gave up everything and stepped in the shoes of those murdered, jailed and exiled leaders and continued the resistance. The most amazing quality of the substitute leaders was that, they committed themselves to doing the job of the absentees, but leaving the position of the imprisoned and the exiled unoccupied. Every year, when the General Assembly gathered, to the horror of TPLF/Woyyane, the teachers kept on re-electing their tried and tested President, Dr Taye Woldesemiate in jail, and their General Secretary, Ato Gemoraw Kassa, in exile. At every meeting, three chairs remained vacant: The President’s, the General Secretary’s and the Deputy General Secretary’s chairs. They vowed never to replace them until the President was released, the General Secretary returned from the exile and murderers of Ato Assefa Maru brought to justice. No less than the murdered, the jailed and the exiled, these selfless Ethiopians deserve the utmost admiration and respect for their actions. They displayed the empty chairs as a symbol, demonstrating the brutality of the regime in power. Their courage made everyone work day and night to stand by them. In the process, these selfless fighters lost the acting Deputy General Secretary, Shimelis Zewdie, who was indirectly murdered. Though the loss was painful, the surviving ETA leaders stretched to cover the loss for the greater goal. The ETA attracted the attention of the entire Trade Union movement across the world, setting a standard for survival under a repressive regime. Solidarity with the ETA came from all corners of the world. The fact that the remaining Executive members did not aspire for the position of the jailed President or the General Secretary should be a standard that our political leaders should aspire to copy in the struggle to free Ethiopia from tyranny and establish a democratic system. If it worked for ETA, it should work for the rest of the organisations.

Dr Taye from jail, Ato Gemoraw from the exile, but one may not believe this but the spirit of Ato Assefa Maru, Shimelis Zewdie and Kebede Desta from their graves, co-ordinated their effort with the remaining at large ETA leaders in the fight for survival and safeguarding of the professional integrity of the Association. The struggle was such a powerful one that the Meles regime had to realise that it was draining their financial resources. The protest the Professional Associations and Human Rights Groups across the international community was bringing constantly to the attention of donor nations and the pressure became too much to bear. The contribution of Education International, with NUT of Britain and ABOP of Netherlands was and has been decisive in preventing Woyyane from continuing their persecution against the ETA. The ILO finally run out of patience with the Meles’s regime and gave them the last ultimatum to stop persecuting the Trade Unions. Ethiopia was put on a Special Paragraph until improvements were seen. The Ethiopian Teachers Association and the people of Ethiopia acknowledge the role Mr Steve Sinnott, the current General Secretary of NUT played in the struggle to get Dr Taye out of jail and Ato Gemoraw’s return from the exile. Steve once vowed never to rest until he had lunch in Addis Ababa with Free Dr Taye on his right and a returned-from-exile Gemoraw Kassa on his left. His prophecy held on 18 December 2004. The TPLF/Woyyane regime has started backing off some of its barbaric attacks on the ETA.

On 10 May 2002, after serving 6 of the 15 years term, Dr Taye came out of that dreadful jail. That was just one step towards the achieving of ETA’s hundreds of goals. The freedom of Dr Taye was a victory not just for ETA but also for all Ethiopians and the international community that stood by the ETA. However, that was not the entire agenda of ETA for Ethiopia.

On 16 December 2004, many Ethiopians in London saw their hero, Gemoraw Kassa, the General Secretary of ETA at Heathrow Airport, on his way home. Mr Steve Sinnot of NUT and André Du Mont of ABOP accompanied Gemoraw to Addis. Upon saying goodbye to Gemoraw, the notable London Ethiopians approached André Du Mont and wished him luck that time. André clinched his fist and vowed to get his man this time through gates Bole Airport safely.

As per the news from Addis, Steve Sinnot and André Du Mont placed Gemoraw in between them and walked straight towards the Diplomatic Gate. Upon arrival at the gate, the three colleagues were allowed to pass through without any hitch. When the three came out to the open, they were surprised to be greeted by a very large crowed with loud ululation of the women and sparking lights everywhere. Teachers of Addis Ababa, journalists a good number notable individuals greeted Ato Gemoraw like a champion returning with a trophy.

On 18th December 2004, there was a public meeting held in Addis Ababa, where teachers, journalists, and almost all political party leaders attended. The packed hall listened to Ato Gemoraw speech explaining why he decided to return at this time particular time. Ato Gemoraw’s speech inspired so many people with a promise to double their effort to get rid of dictatorship and tyranny.

Ato Gemoraw’s return has nothing to do with the so-called improvement in the human rights situation in Ethiopia. Nothing has changed. Teachers are still persecuted. The murderers of Ato Assefa Maru are still at large. The ETA offices remain sealed. The ETA bank account remains frozen. The ETA is not free to carry out its professional obligation without being distracted by the regime cadres. The ETA has duties to the teachers and students in advancing the teaching learning process. The ETA has an obligation to the teachers in protecting the rights of the teachers. The ETA has a professional duty in combating AIDS epidemic. The ETA has its citizenship obligation in fighting for a fair and a democratic system of governance. The return of Ato Gemoraw is an integral part of the struggle for freedom, democracy and human and trade union rights that started eroding since 1991 and still continuing. Ato Gemoraw took this step because he believed that the General Secretary of ETA should not remain in exile, isolated from his colleagues at this crucial time but join the comrades to strengthen the struggle for the freedom of the Association and the democratisation process in Ethiopia. It is just another step taken to consolidate the achievements ETA had already secured so far and to face the challenge with its full executive members to achieve what is remaining. Ato Gemoraw did not just abandon the international solidarity with ETA job that he started and achieved while he was in exile. He entrusted such a task to ex ETA members and the ETA Support Committee in Europe.

The court case against Ato Gemoraw and other ETA Executive members that was started in May 1993 still continues. Every time the court decided in favour of ETA, the regime kept on coming up with some lame excuses resurrecting the case afresh and keeping ETA engaged with court instead of carrying out its obligation to the teachers, students and to the nation. So far, the Lawyer, Ato Abebe Worke has been appearing before the court representing Ato Gemoraw. This time, Ato Gemoraw, himself will be there. We cannot wait to see the faces of the judges when they meet face to face this brave man.

Ato Gemoraw’s decision to return to Ethiopia has been seen by many Ethiopians in exile as one courageous and heroic decision that would spiral and speed up the struggle to protect the ETA’s defined professional, national and social goals. Leaving 3 children and a loving wife behind and joining colleagues in uncertain Addis Ababa is a very difficult decision for any ordinary person. For Gemoraw Kassa, however, this was something to be done. The ETA is a fortunate organisation to have leaders like, Dr Taye Woldesemiate, Ato Gemoraw Kassa, Ato Abate Angore, Awoqe Mulugeta, Ato Muhamed Yemer and colleagues, who should be credited for defying the Meles gang’s onslaught and defending “Ethiopiawinet” within ETA. The house is now full. We all should wish them success in consolidating what has been won and continuing to win back what has been taken away from the Association.