Remembering the Ethiopian Martyrs’ Day

By Wondimu Mekonnen

May 4, 2006

The month of May brought TPLF gangsters to power and epidemic of malaria as curse upon Ethiopians. Since 1991, every year, it appears that the demon that propelled the murderers to the throne demands from its worshipers the blood of innocent Ethiopians as a return for favours. Therefore, they butcher mercilessly the innocent to please their gods with the blood of sacrificial lambs. The number of the martyrs is increasing day by day.

The murder that started in 1992 massacre of civilians in Bedeno and Arba Gugu, Weter, Asebot Monastery brought them to the outrageous broad day light murder of Ato Assefa Maru, the Deputy General Secretary of Ethiopian Teachers Association and an Executive Member of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council on 08 May 1997. Weizero Shewaye Gebeyehu, the widow of Assefa Maru, remembers the event with grief to this day. Her life and living have been destroyed. Her world collapsed around her on this day. She has not yet recovered from the loss. Her tears have not yet dried up. The mother of two orphans could not explain to the kids, Alexander (10) and Bruktait (9), why their father was gunned down by the TPLF killing squad. Alexander is developing a strange habit. He was just 1 when his dad was murdered. Every time he saw a uniformed police or military, he would point at him and would ask: “Is that the guy who killed my dad?” These things worried, Dr Taye Woldesemiate, the president of ETA so much that he decided to do something about it. He started taking Alexander and introducing him to uniformed police to convince hime that not all uniformed men were killers. That way he was trying to reduce the trauma of the child from growing with grudges. The 8 children of the literally murdered Shimelis Zewdie of ETA are undergoing through the same trauma. Kebede Desta and hundreds of other teachers have been sacrificed their lives for democracy and justice in Ethiopia. In 1999, Ethiopian Register, Montreal Editorial office named May 8, as Ethiopian Human and Trade Union Right Martyrs Day”. Since then we have been documenting the names of our martyrs and going out on the street of every city Ethiopians live in and remembering the sacrificed.

There are a good number of martyr journalists as well. Gizachew Mengistu, of the weekly Moged, was shot dead in broad daylight in the provincial town of Debre Berhan. Tesfaye Tadesse, founder, publisher and editor of the monthly, Mestawet, and the weekly, Lubar, was hacked down on his doorstep in Addis Ababa. Worku Mekonnen of the weekly Maebel committed suicide in his home in Addis Ababa after enduring long police investigations. Abay Hailu of the newspapers Wolafen and Agere died in prison after 24 months without any court decision. Kumsa Burayu of Wolafen, and Bekele Mekonnen Rabo of Urji without trace. On 08 May, we remember Tesfaye Kumsisa, Terefe Qumbi and other innocent people shot in the street for no reason.

The month of May and misery did not leave Ethiopia alone. Prof. Asrat Woldeyes, an Ethiopian hero was kept in detention by Woyyane for several years, where his health deteriorated to no return and was let to die out of jail, without dripping the charge. 14 May 1999 took away our hero from us. He is our martyr Will we able to forget him? Never. Youth Alemante Melisew wouldn’t swallow the death of his hero and chose confront the killers of Prof. Asrat on his burial day and sacrificed his life..

It was in May 2001 that the Woyyane security men mowed down 42 peaceful demonstrators. May 8 is their remembrance day too. The murder that started before and after May 2005 Election is still mounting on. In June 2006 they killed another 36. In November 2006 they murdered more than 40 people. They are still murdering day by day. How about those leaders that still languish in jail denied justice?

Those of us in London have decided to carry as many pictures of four martyrs and go on the street to demand justice for the murdered, freedom of the detained leaders, return of the stolen ballots, democracy for the people, in the name of the martyrs. We will fight on for the cause that the heroes sacrificed their lives. Martyrs would never die. They perish only if we forget them. We will not let them down. We will not give up the struggle.

Psalm 137 reads:

If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither;
let my tongue stick to my palate
if I cease to think of you,
if I do not keep Jerusalem in memory
even at my happiest hour.

This year’s May 8 Martyrs Day is going to be special. We will remember the murdered to renew our vows to fight on for the sake of the leaving. Those of you in London and surrounding areas are invited to join us to renew your vow:

Date: 08 May 200
Time 4:00 – 7:00
Place 17 Princes Gate, London, SW7 1PZ

Wondimu Mekonnen
On behalf of the Co-coordinating Committee