Gash Eshetu, as most of us use to call him, had an illustrious career, working for over 30 years for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In his last assignment, he was FAO’s country representative of Angola. He settled in Harare, apparently because of the trouble in his native Ethiopia .

Following his retirement,
Gash Eshetu opened the Angolela Farm on the outskirts of Harare as a symbol of his origin and profession despite a long illeness taking its toll on his health.

Many Ethiopians, including the internet community, misses Gashe Eshetu dearly. He was a friend of the Ethiopian refugee community in Southern Africa and an activist in his own right.

He was a signatory to the several petitions and campaigns that were launched to avert the 1998-2000 Ethiopia-Eritrea War which consumed the lives of tens of thousands of brothers on both sides of the “border.” If health problems had not restricted him, Gash Eshetu’s plan was to mediate between the jailed leaders of Kinijit and the EPRDF Government.

He is survived by five children and his lovely, kind and gentle wife, Woizero Azeb Kinfu, the daughter of another renowned Ethiopian, Dejazmatch Kinfu whose name is legendary to millions of people in Asmara and Axum . I just heard that his funeral service will be held in Harare on Monday 25 June 2007 at 10:00 am.

(I thought I should share this sad news from Harare to the readers of Ethiomedia. Minga Negash, professor)

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The staff of Ethiomedia express our condolences to the family of Gash Eshetu Tekle-Tsadik through an esteemed friend of Ethiomedia, Prof. Minga Negash.-Ed.