IN MEMORY OF PRISONERS EXECUTED BY THE EPLF ( 1970s & 1980s)

EPLF is the Same as the PFDJ/Government

This webpage is dedicated for the imprisoned EPLF fighters who were executed in Halewa Sewra "Gestapo" section of the EPLF prison, and for those who were killed or mysteriously disappeared in the 1970s and 1980s

[Interview with Tesfay Temnewo [Part 31]]

ጭካኔ ኢሳያስ ኣብ ቅድሚ ህዝቢ ኣብ ኣሰመራ ጊሂዱ’ምበር፡ ኣብ ሳሕል ኢዩ ተጀሚሩ AdhanomFitew

Researched and compiled by Resoum Kidane
September 2010 (revised and expanded version Dec 2010).

Negussay Ayele( p.6 also states that over the years some University faculty members had been observing certain disturbing and unchanging patterns in the results of the exams. He adds that the highest numbers of University entrants for much of this period were Eritreans. Virtually 90% or more of those who took the exams and eventually qualified for higher education came from Eritrea and some large towns like Harer, Dessie and especially Addis Ababa. Evidence of this can also be seen from a table below.

Source: A historical survey of state Education in Eritrea (Taye, Adane 1991: p.106)Read more)

During these years many Eritrean students who studied at the university in Addis Ababa were influenced by Che Guevara's revolutionary internationalism[video], the Paris student revolts of May 1968[video], the Ethiopian progressive student’s movement etc. Markakis has noted that Eritreans at Addis Ababa university distinguished themselves by their political activism, and their immersion in the radical ideological currents that began to emerge in Ethiopian student circles in the mid 1960s(National and class Conflict in the Horn-1985, p119).   

Before looking at the main theme of this document it is worth mentioning briefly the crimes committed against innocent fighters by the ELF in the late 1960s which became a legacy to the ELF and EPLF leaders in the 1970s and 1980s. The ELF leaders' crimes against innocent fighters did not cease after the killing of Haraka fighters in 1965, in fact they got worse from 1967 onwards. For example, there was a report that twenty-seven fighters from Zone 5 were executed, in 1967, by their own leader, Osman Hishal, deputy comander of the fifth zonal division. Furthermore Usman Saleh Sabbea in his interview mentioned Osman Hishkal from the Beit Juk was appointed after Weldai left. He had 27 Christians and Jabartis killed in 1967 as they left a store unprotected and the Ethiopians took the arms.

As a consequence of the ELF leaders use religious prejudge and regionalism large numbers of ELF fighters  captured or gave themselves up to the Ethiopia government during 1967-1968.This crime and the severe mistreatment of the fighters by their commanders caused many fighters mostly from Zone 5 to defect to Ethiopia. Among them was Haile Duru who pursued his studies at Haile Selassie I University and became one of the organizers of  a student group in the early 1970s. Consequently Kidane Kiflu sent a letter to the Eritrean students studying at the university in Addis Ababa to explain to them the circumstances of ELF fighter and advised them against  joining the ELF.

Source kab riqe -hefeneti Tekie Beyne (2009: p.123)

Ibrahim Berhan (2001) also states that Kidane is one of those gallant and brilliant fighters,TeGaDeLTi,who was assasinated in Kassala,Sudan in the late 60s.He was not only a heroic fighter who relentlessly opposed the sectarian and backwarded political outlooks of the then Jebha,he was a decent person with exceedingly pleasant personality.Those who were incarcerated with him in Sudan's jail in the late 60s attest to those facts.Once he was released the butchers of the then Jebha killed him and put his body in a trunk of a taxi.So was the barbaric acts of QiYaDa ALaMa that left no options for the true and patriotic fighters that they have to emabark upon seeking a different path of pursuing the nationalist agendas.

Kidane Kiflu was killed shortly after 39 members of the new leadership (Kiada al Ama leadership) were elected at the Adobha Conference because of his dissenting opinion   (Read how he was brutally murdered in Kassala).

After Tuku left the ELF, he sent a letter to the Eritrean students and other former members of Haraka in the Diaspora to inform them about the unstable political situation in the ELF and the Kiada Al Ama conspiracy to kill Kidane Kiflue and other fighters. His letter might have contributed for the split among the Eritrean students in the diaspora at the meeting of General Union of Eritrean Students (GUES) in Munich in the summer of 1970.  One group was, which had Dr Fitsum Ghebreselassie, Aregai Habtu, Habte Tesfamariam etc condemned the Kiada al Ama action and the other group, which had, Herui Tedla Bairu who didn't condemn the killing of Kidane Kiflue and Wlday Giday. In 1971 when Dr Fitsum Ghebreselassie was killed in the ELF, Herui Tedla Bairu was a vice-chairman in 1971. The killing of Dr Fitsum Ghebreselassie might have a connection with the summer meeting which was held in Munich . [Herui was also participated in the decision to liquidate the EPLF in1972 which caused for the death of 3, 000 fighters from both side between 1972 and 1974. This was another crime which committed when he was in the ELF leadership between 1971 and 1975.]

Returning to the main point of this document,  the letters mentioned above one was sent by Kidane Kiflu to Eritrean students in Ethiopia and the other by Tuku to Eritrean students and  former members of Haraka in the Diaspora. They were seeking to convince Eritrean students and former members of Haraka to become supporters of the EPLF in the 1970s. For example,  former members of GESU supported the split of PLF from the ELF at the meeting held in Nuremberg in August 1971; it was also the Eritrean students in the North America who became supporters of the PFL by condemning the ELF leaders for their role in killing democratic fighters; furthermore  the Eritrean students inside Ethiopia formed a clandestine Eritrean Marxist Group and became supporters of the PLF.   This new clandestine Eritrean Marxist Groups also had a magazine called Teihsha which was prepared by Temsegen Haile and Petros Yohannes, editor and co –editors of the student journal, respectively. Petros  Tesfa Giorgis (2007) described Temesgen Haile as a brilliant, articulate, extremely bold and a man of action. He was also involved in the underground Eritrean nationalist newspaper named “Tihisha”.”.

Interview with Tesfay Temnewo - Part 36

Temsegen Haile

Petros Yohannes

Tekai Beyne(2009:124) wrote in his book

 

Although from the early 1970s many Eritrean students joined the EPLF from the Haile Selassie I University, Addis Ababa University and abroad, many of them became victims of imprisonment torture or execution in the 1970s and 1980s. Those studentswho joined the EPLF from Haile Selassie I University or abroad like Mussie Tesfai Mikael  or Tewolde Tesfamariam were genuine revolutionaries like Wallelign Mekonnen. They participated in the struggle with the purpose to educate and politicize the fighters. They were prepared to die for their principles in the battlefield, but did not expect to be killed by the bullets of the EPLF .In the 1970s many students particularly those who joined the EPLF from Haile Selassie I University, the University of Addis Ababa or abroad were killed on the orders of the EPLF leaders because they were too internationalist in their outlook.. Isaias and his collaborators used regionalism as a card against progressive fighters in the 1970s.

Mengsteab (2005:51) states that Isaias was never comfortable with the new arrivals from Addis Ababa, especially with Mussie and Yohannes,   He succeeded to brainwash  a large number of his political operatives that the opposition was an Akele Guzai undertaking.  In fact, Mussie and Yohannes Sebhatu were too internationalist in their outlook to fall for regionalist appeals.   Using ultra-leftists and spies many progressive fighters were physically eliminated on the orders of the EPLF leaders between 1973 and 1980.  Among the first fighters to become the victim of this accusation was Melese who joined the EPLF in 1972.  The Menka group also became victims.  From then on many new recruits, particularly university students,  became victims to witch-hunts.  In 1975 and 1976 a large  number of the recruits who had joined the EPLF from high schools and university,  became disillusioned by the imprisonment of Menka leaders and at the EPLF’s  mistrustful  attitude towards educated fighters. For example Adhanom Fitwi who joined the EPLF from the Addis Ababa University in 1974, in his interview with Aida Kidane mentioned that he and other students who came from Addis Ababa University were suspected without justification of sympathizing with the Menkae movement - because they were students from Addis Ababa University. Sherman( 1980:64) also states that in 1976 perhaps as many as 200 young EPLF intellectuals were arrested. Solomon Woldemariam,who was in the EPLF leadership from 1971-1977, also suggested that the number of people killed was much larger. Solomon added that around one thousand fighters who participated in the Menka movement were rehabilitated after undergoing serious political indoctrination and self-criticism( Mengiseab,49:2005). Furthermore Teklay Aden, an EPLF security chief who defected to the Ethiopian regime in 1981, revealed that three thousand fighters were physically liquidated by the Front between 1973 and the time of his defection in 1980..

Through the 1970s,  many educated fighters became victims of imprisonment, torture and execution, others among them who were  not imprisoned, were psychologically intimidated by commands which are listed below along their names

● Mister Akib= Keep secret
● Mister Ketfelet Herdig Aeytebel= Don't attempt to find out secrets
● Kunentat Aefkiden Iyu = Circumstance is not convenient
● NeyHeluf Aetzeker or Herfan Halafinet Aleka,=Do not remember what happen in the past
● Ne Muhur HemamAleka, =Sickness of Intellectualism
● Neus Bourgia tebai Aleka =Petty bourgeois thinking/behavior
● Nay Halefinet Himam Aleka= Ambition /sickness /looking for leadership
● Nebsu Zienekif Nbisthu Zenekif=First criticise yourself(confess) then criticise others
● Muhur Tebelasi=Opportunistic intelligetsia
● Gbuika Fetsm Kedmi Meselka Mehetat= Do your duty first then you have a right to ask questions
● Derbika Ketel=Class suicide
● Anenet=Egoism etc

The above phrases were used by the EPLF leaders to repress freedom of expression and to foster an antidemocratic culture in the liberation struggle.  This culture still affects most exiled  former EPLF fighters and members of mass organization /Hahash wedebat Most of them have feared the consequences of revealing to the public  what they knew or suspected during the liberation struggle.

The purpose of this document is manily to highlight the imprisonment and execution of prisoners during the liberation struggle, and to commemorate on the 18th September their historic contribution. It is also a document to recall the  injustice and inhuman treatment of the imprisoned EPLF fighters who were executed in the 1970s and 1980s. It is a bitter legacy which lives on after the liberation 1991. Regarding  the information source  for this document, the compiler gathered  together all relevant  documents   from  testimony, memory  and articles  which were written by  former EPLF fighters some of whom were imprisoned when the Menka group were arrested in 1974.  Other  were in the  EPLF security section, such Teklay Aden and Solomon Woldemariam. Main Source of information which was used during preparing this document

Aida Kidane (2010) adds that Meles studied at the Haile Selassie University and passed with distinction and honours in economy 1972. He was a known activist and the security disliked him and some other students. So, when he went all dressed to receive his degree from the emperor, relatives and friends were present at the university. His name was deliberately secluded from the reception. This was a big embarrassment and to make it worse, his father scolded him in front of everyone. They were never good friends with his father, and besides, his father was a security Colonel. Meles along with Petros Selomon slipped away to Somalia. There they were imprisoned and finally let free and they joined EPLF. Soon, a 'quarma' or suspected spy called Stifanos was caught and interrogated. He said that there is another spy with him, someone who came through Somalia. Petros was not suspected as he grew in Asmera, and besides, Meles father was security officer. Meles was tortured to death and died claiming he was innocent. What a tragedy and trice tragady and a year later, his brother Tekeste was gunned down in the US and his brave sister Emnet was investigating the case that she too was killed. He is survived by two brothers. A friend of Meles told Aida Kidane he was tortured and killed by being beaten by thorns, thus bleeding to death.
(Contributed by Aida Kidane Oct.2010)

Haile Garza studied Social Work at Haile Selassie University in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He joined the EPLF from Addis Abeba in 1975. Soon he was put in one of the prisons of Halewa Sewra. Miraculously, Haile escaped and took a couple of his prison guards and joined the ELF. Haile soon played a key role in the land distribution projects of the ELF. Haile was an exceptionally intelligent person who not only played the guitar but also spoke Tigre, Tigriyna, Amharic, Arabic and English fluently. He wrote equally well in the three scripts (Geez, Roman and Arabic). Among other things. Haile represented the ELF as the head of its humanitarian wing, the Eritrean Red Cross & Crescent Society (ERCCS). Haile’s untimely death in Khartoum in 1984 by the EPLF security was linked to his position of the ERCCS. Haile united the then ERCCS of the three factions of the ELF (Ahmed Nasir, Abdela Idris and Osman Buruj) and became their first and last chair man.

At that time, THE Scandinavian international NGOs which had been assisting the humanitarian wings of the ELF, EPLF, OLF and TPLF (namely ERCCs, ERA, ORA and REST) were mostly convinced that in Eritrea they had to help ERA only. They knew that the ELF was expelled by the joint force of the EPLF and TPLF. Norwegians Church Aid was the key among the NGOs. Haile realized that the conference in OSLO, Norway would determine the fate of his organisation ERCCS as well. Haile tried, but thanks to the then head of ERA, Paulos Tesfagiorgis was unable to get an entry visa to Norway to attend that crucial conference. However, Haile was so resourceful that secured a visa to Sweden and rented a boat to entry Norway. Thus, Haile attended the conference. He illustrated to the Norwegian NGO’s that his organization, the ERCCS was still responsible for the lives of thousands of Eritreans who had escaped from Eritrea and were in vulnerable circumstances in Sudan.

The donors responded positively to Haile’s demands and consequently ERA,despite the lion’s share that is secured, was deeply frustrated by the missionary zeal of Haile that they couldn’t stop. Haile returned to Khartoum victorious, but was soon assassinated. He won the war but lost the battle. [Note from wekipedia Paulos established the only PFDJ licensed Regional Centre for Human Rights and Development in Eritrea and was a co-founder and subsequently head of the Eritrean Relief Association during the Eritrean independence war]

Gidey
Gidey was another victim of the EPLF leaders.  He was a third year university student before he joined the EPLF. Below is some information regarding his mysterious death from [ወፊሮም ገዝኦም ዘይተመልሱ (ካልኣይ ክፋል)መስፍንሓጎስመን’ዩ?
መስፍን ተግባራቱ በዚ አይውዳእን ሓደ ግደይ ዝተባህለ ኣዲስ ኣበባ ዩኒቨርሲቲ ሳልሳይ ዓመት ዝወደአ ‘ኢንትሃብ’ ዝበሃል ናይ ቆላ ሕማም ምስ ሓመመ ወረቐት ጽሒፉ ኣነ ጥዕና ስለ ዘይረኸብኩ ንወጻኢ ከይደ እናተሓከምኩ ምስ ሰውራይ ክተሓባበር ምስ በለ መስፍን ሓጎስ፡ ‘ እንጀራ ህዝባዊ ሓይልታት ሓንቲ ኩላሶ ዝበልዐ ወይ ይስዋእ ወይ ይሕረድ’ ክብል መልሲ ሃቦ። ከም ኣጋጣሚ ምሳይ ተራኺቡ ምስ ሓተትኩዎ ነጊሩኒ። ኣነ ‘ውን ስቕ በል ከይሓርዱኻ ኢለዮ ከይደ። ደሓር ግን ክሃድም ፈቲኑ ተባሂሉ ተቐትለቲኑ ተባሂሉ[ read more [ወፊሮም ገዝኦም ዘይተመልሱ (ካልኣይ ክፋል)መስፍን ሓጎስ መን’ዩ? ]

Petros

Meharena Hadgu in Menkae memory wrote that fighters were taken away from front lines and disappeared. Some fighters who came from Addis and abroad heard of the Menkae killings and asked about it. They were met with suspicion and some disappeared. One of those victims was Petros.  In late 1977  Petros Yohannes joined the EPLF together with Yemane Monkey and Girma Asmerom from the USA. When Petros was member of ENASA in the USA, he had started inquiring about the injustice of the Menka group's arrest.  Why were fighters imprisoned? The educated ones asked only for democracy.  And what more have the ELF done? So what was the reason Shabia split from ELF then? Because of this he became a target of the EPLF which eventually caused to his mysterious death in 1978. Petros probably came to the field to work with Andebrehan who was the head of the English editorial board at the EPLF's Department of information in the field. Shortly after he arrived to the field he went for tour with Yemane Monkey and Grima. While they were on their journey came the tragic news that Petros had been killed in a road accident somewhere between Ginda and Decemhara. This was the EPLF’s version. There remains a suspicion about how if in such a serious accident had occurred Yemane and Girma survived unharmed?.Beyan Negash (2007)states that though I did not meet him, he was said to be a brilliant person. We heard that a man called Petros Yohannes had entered Meda (field)  from the US and was killed

Mebrhatu Woldu (Wodi Woldu). Just 2 years after the mystrous death of Petros a smilar story was repeated by EPLF. This was in connection with the death of Mebrhatu Woldu. As was mentioned earlier Dehab Tesfatsion& Aberash Melke refused political indoctrination and self-criticism consequently   executed  at Gerger (Belekat) in 1979. This was when Wodi Woldu, Worku Zerai, Alazar T/Michael and other who participated in the Menka movement were released from Halewa Sewra[ EPLF’s prison ] following their self-criticism in 1979. After their release they came to Nakfa for temporary stay at the Department of Poltics(School of Cader). When the Derg launched the fourth military offensive to capture Nakfa, this school was moved to Arag. During the fifth military offensive in July 1979 Wodi Woldu was sent to Hailitat (Platoon) not far from Arag. In 1980 we heard the tragic story that Wodi Woldu with his wife while on honeymoon had been killed in a road accident somewhere around Arag. For more details here is some brief information which is excerpted from Alena part 11 ኣብ መርዓ ወዲ ወልዱ ተጋዳላይ መስፍን ሓጎስ ቀንዲ ኣቦ ዳስ ከም ዝነበረ ርግጸኛ እየ። እንተኾነ እቲ ጅግና፣ ብዙሕ ምስጢራት ዝፈልጥን ንኢሳይያስ ድማ ከም ኢብራሂም ዓፋ “ስሱዕ” ኢሉ ጸሪፉዎ ዝነበረን ‘ገስጋሲ ሓረስታይ’ መብራህቱ ወልዱ፤ ናይ ግድን ክጠፍእ ስለዝነበሮ፤ ብድሕሪ መርዕኡ ኣይሰሙን ኣይሳልስቲ ምስ ሰበይቱ ተሰወረ። ኣብ ግዜ ሕጽኖቱ ምስ መርዓቱ ተረሺኑ ኣብ ሓደ ጋህሲ ተቐቢሮም ዝብል ትሒም-ትሒም ሰሚዕና ኔርና። ምኽንያት ንመስዋእቱ ዝተባህለ ከኣ ከምቲ ኩሉ ግዜ ዝግበር ጥበብ ተማህዘ። Read more

መኮነን ተኽለ /ጉብጣን

ኣብ ኣሶሳ ዝነበረ ፍሉይ ተርእዮ መስዋእቲ ገዲምን ሓላፊ ኣሃዱ ኮማንዶን ዝነበረ ተጋዳላይ መኮነን ተኽለ /ጉብጣን/ ኢዩ። ኣብ ኣሶሳ ናብ ግድን ክቕንጸል ዝነበሮ መኮነን /ጉብጣን/ ድማ ብመደብ ኢሳይያስን ብትእዛዝ ፊሊጶስ ተቐንጸለ። ኣገባብ ቅንጸላ መኮነን ተኽለ ኣብ ዝቕጽል ግዜ ክቐርብ ኢዩኢዩ።sourceትልሚ፣ ንዘርኢ ክርዳድ ዓስራይ

Here is a piece of information regarding Mekonnen which is exerepted from መደባትና፡ ነቲ ኪንዮ ጸሊም ራEዲ ዘሎ ደበና፡ ምቕንጣጥ Iዩ
Eቲ ብህዝባዊ ሰራዊት ዝፍለጥ ሰራዊት ህዝባዊ ግንባር ሓርነት ኤርትራ፡ ብኣላይነት ኣዛዚ ኣሃዱ ኮማንዶ ስዉE ተጋዳላይ መኮነን ተኽለ /ጉብጣን/፡ "ስዉE ተጋዳላይ መኮነን ተኽለ /ጉብጣን/፡ ሓደ ካብቶም ብስሪሒት ቅያ 18 ደቓይቅ ዝፍለጥ መጥቃEቲ መEርፎ ነፈርቲ ኣስመራ ዓቢ ተራ ዝነበሮ Eሞ፡ "ኣብ'ታ ብትEዛዝ ግዝያዊ ፕረዚደንት ሃገረ ኤርትራ ኣቶ Iሰያስ ኣፈወርቂ፡ ንተጋዳላይ ሰሎሞን ድራር ዝተዋህበ መምርሒ መሰረት ዝተደርሰት መጽሓፍ፡ /ቅያ 18 ደቓይቕ ስሪሒት ኮማንዶ/ ህላዌU ዝሃሰሰ ምኩር ሓርበኛ Iዩ''። ንኩነታት መስዋEቱን ታሪኹን ኣመልኪተ ፍሉይ ዝበሃል ስለ ዘለኒ፡ ኣብ ካልE ኣርEስቲ ገለ ክብል ክፍትን Iየ። ህዝባዊ ግንባር ሓርነት ኤርትራ ብውሕሉል ኣላይነት መኮነን ተኽለ /ጉብጣን/ ስሪሒት መጥቃEቲ ኣሶሳ ዓቢ ወትሃደራዊ ስሪሒት ከተካይድ Eንከላ፡ ንመንግስቲ ካርቱም ዘዘናግE መደናገሪ ጎጣዩ ስርሒት፡ ኣብ ልEሊ ውድብ S.P.L.A. ብጆን ጋርንግ ዝምራሕ ወትሃደራዊ ክንፊ ጸንፋፊ ዝኾነ ወትሃደራዊ ስሪሒት ብምክያድ Iያ ንኣሶሳ ከተጥቅE ዝኸኣለት፡፡ Eዚ ኸኣ፡ ነቲ ኣብ ልEሊ ዝባን መንግስቲ ካርቱም ተሳሒሉ ዝዋደድ ዝነበረ ናይ Eልዋ መስርሕ ስለያ፡ ንመንግስቲ ካርቱም ካብ ድቃሱ ንኸየበራብሮ ኣዳህሊሉዎ Iዩ።

Ibrahim Afa: It was just after the Bahre Neghash offensive. The enemy had already been defeated in the third front of Halhal and, as a result, changed tactic and tried to penetrate EPLF lines through the Northern Sahel front which it knew were devoid of EPLF troops. In fact, many people claim that, at the time, Ibrahim Afa was a lame duck in Aragh, posted as head of the military training department, instead of directing the war. Some people also claim he also opposed on how the war was being conducted.  He had a very close friendship with Mesfun Hagos and the late Weldenkiel Haile. Ibrahim Afa is then said to have died when enemy troops ambushed him and Shambel Mebrahtom while they were sleeping in their bunker.Source EPLF's History of Mysterious Deaths By Lt. Kidane - Mar 15, 2009 read more [Find more information from  the mysterious death of Ibrahim Afa ]

Lt. Kidane(2009) concluded his report by saying that, these are the ones I precisely know about.  There are many others that I did not know who committed suicide in the Mahberawi Ghudayat in Jelhanti, and in the branch of transport. The usual story is so and so died by committing suicide. It became routine. I am not taking into account the many young ladies who when coerced to marry a cadre they never loved committed suicide by burning themselves, or the ones who were told they could not marry the guy they loved. They became disillusioned and died while trying to cross to the Sudan. Dear readers, without exaggeration this is the tip of the iceberg and it is the obligation of every citizen to add something by searching his memory. Our martyrs who (committed suicide) deserve more than this and we can at least placate ourselves by doing so. Source EPLF's History of Mysterious Deaths By Lt. Kidane - Mar 15, 2009 read more

Saba Gidy

Saba Gidy graduated from Lycee Gibra Mariyam (French School) Addis Ababa and became a secondary school french teacher in Dekemhare. She joined the EPLF from Dekemhare in late 1974 and was working in the Department of Public Adminstration (Jemher) in the Karnishim area of the highlands from 1975- 1977.  Subsequently, she was in the combat force at the Massawa Front line for a short period where she was killed in action. In 1970s and 1980s someone who was suspected of having different views from that of the EPLF leaders was commonly sent deliberately from Kefletat (EPLF departments) to the front line, without appropriate military retraining . This happened to many of the EPLF fighters who were killed at the Massawa front in 1977 and 1978. Many of them became a forced martyr. Saba Gidy was one of them. This also happened to the former ELF democratic fighters (Falul) who perished without enough survivors to tell their story at the Massawa Front. [Interview with Tesfay Temnewo - Part34]

On the selection criteria of squads in organising the process of hujjum wars in the past [ from Negarritt-Gazette 89E (NG89E) January 01 2005]

What is hujjum? Hujjum is originally an Arabic word. It may have a different meaning than this version. However, according the Eritrean EPLF military use, experience and perception of it, it means that a soldier fights the enemy in an open way by giving his / her life to be martyr. In its practice, it was a forced martyr and not voluntary because the soldier was chosen by the leader to act in such a manner to accomplish the military message with great probability of dying. If the chosen soldier did not accept the command of his / her leader, he / she should face a military action. Even today this behaviour is exercised in the battle field. The evidence is the recent border war with Ethiopia. The only difference to the past is that today an individual is not chosen but a unit or units (‘ganta’ in Tigrigna) as a whole. One ‘ganta’ has three units. Each unit has 16-20 members. Three units make up one ‘ganta’ of 40-60 members of fighters. One ‘ganta’ from a company or battalion is chosen respectively, for every necessary occasion to be a martyr, for example, to clear away a mined area to create a loop or a passage for use to run away from or attack an enemy position. Such a circumstance, obviously, presents and demonstrates the occurrence of deliberate death with great probability. Read More

• Ato Fitwi Tesfazghi & Ogbamicahel Asgodom Alem Tesfay (2003) listed name of 16  pensioners from Keren who were executed in late 1978 after taking them to Sahel as prisoners. Among of these prisoners were Ato Fitwi Tesfazghi & Ogbamicahel Asgodom

  • Tewelde Beyne: he was taken for « a short questioning » by the security apparatus of the EPLF in Keren, Eritrea, in August 1978.
  • Fitwi Tesfazghi
  • Woldemariam Kelati
  • Hagos Mana
  • Embāye Ghebru
  • Gebrekal Ghilu'u
  • Tenente ZaidHagos
  • Melake Beraki
  • Ogbamicahel Asgodom [the father of two martyr  Ghidey and Mesgna Ogbamichael]
  • Berhane Hadgu
  • Ghebrehiwet Kinfe
  • Mohamed Omar
  • Negash Sibhat
  • Omar Bekhit

  Leteab Tewolde  (1999) states that Teklai Aden, who deserted to Ethiopia in 1979 was  at one point quoted to  have said that about 
  16 police pensioners taken from Keren were hacked to  death while the EPLF was withdrawing to Sahel. She also adds that  in 1993
    authorities in the EPLF (the Eritrean provisional  government) were approached by some members 
  of the affected families only  to be told that « those citizens were released from detention soon after  our withdrawal from Keren, 
  and thereafter, the EPLF knows nothing about  them.  This question should never be raised again, and those who repeat  
  similar queries will face the consequences !» For our family, and the  rest of other families, that cannot be fair response.  
  They were detained  by the front in broad day-light, and then they « disappear ». Their  families have no choice but to keep 
  waiting for their return home or be  told by those who detained   them as to what happened to them.  Read more
  
  Most of their doughters and sons died for Eritrean liberation , to mention some of them..
  
            
  
            Gebrekal Ghilu'u ,,Abo martyr Berhane Gebrekal ELF 1978, martyr Asmerom Gebrekal EPLF
  
            
  
            Negash Sibhat , Abo martyr Semere Negash EPLF
  
            
  
            Ogbamichael , Abo martyr Mesgna Ogbamichael EPLF
            
  
             Find more information on the  Crime committed  against civilians by the ELF  (Jebha) and EPLF(Shaebia ) during the armed struggle 

  
  

• The Main EPLF prison's center was located at Faha, Belekat and Gerger from 1974 to 1978. [[Interview with Tesfay Temnewo [Part 23]]]
• The Main EPLF prison's center was located at Arag from 1979 to 1981.
• After Teclay Aden defected to Ethiopia in 1980, the centre of Halewa Sewra was located at Gea'et and Ietaro this was from 1981 to 1982.
• From 1982 until the liberation 1991 it was located at Hishkib where Solomon W/Mariam was executed

The central prison of the EPLF had 7 units. For example All political prisoners like Menka and Yemine were imprisoned in no 3.

Meharena Hadgu who was one of the prisoner and eyewitness describes how the ringleaders of Menka were imprisioned in 1974 :
The menka ringleaders were surrounded like guerrilla warfare. We were over them in a mountain near by and saw it all, we told this to our haili at night while standing guard and asked for a haili meeting. 3 gantas then were one haili consisting of 35-45 members. 2 gantas were ordered to move and they obeyed, but I wrote them that in my ganta nobody budges. I said that they made all Eritrea Alem Bekagn because they forbade all from movement, we did not come here for it. Habte Kidane "Gorilla" and I said no body will move from here and sat all day. You imprison us today and tomorrow will come execution and we will not stop until this is resolved and we demand to meet the leadership. We were told to leave our weapons to meet the leadership, and we did so. We talked from 11am to 1:30- 2 pm and challenged them in all facts. The leadership were Isayas, Selomon and Romadan. He (Isayas) told us to return to our ganta or be put in jail, and we refused to return to our ganta, and 6 members of that ganta were imprisoned, this was in Arag. This was 2 February 1974, the next day after Musie and Mebrahtu. Then a guard who was not in the movement for months was brought like a prisoner amongst us to spy on us. After a day and a half, he was taken away and gave all accounts of what we talked about. He was then sent to Iraq to learn about heavy armaments. Habte Gorilla and I were released because they needed fighters to battles. Isayas wedi Flansa was not imprisoned with us. He was kept in a correction camp (me-arem Tebay) as we had one and he too was released. Interrogation and beatings are at nights. A prisoner is let out to relieve himself at 5 am before the others got up, no going out allowed other times, so that no body sees there were prisoners. The prison was not underground then but an old half demolished Italian house. We were made to sit by the walls. This is the first imprisonment, and in Arag. Then Vinac of Adi Nefas and then Afwerki Amharay and then Yohannes were brought in, then Habte Selassie. Since beating and interrogation is at night, they come at 1am and without wakening the others, one is taken out carried. The prisoner is still groggy from sleep and 3 or 4 flashlights are lighted on his face. Of the interrogators, Welde Mikel Haile was head, the others being Ash-al wedi Zere, Naizgi Kiflu and Haile Jebha, 4 men. After long interrogation other prisoners were added, namely 'Dottore' Mikel Pharmacist, Dr Rusom also a pharmacist, and the girls Werku, Dehab and Aberash, also in Arag. Others like Ammanuel came from Bahri and started opposing and were brought to us. Read more

Meharena Hadgu added that Musie and the others were imprisoned in Gereger Tebeh. Then our base was changed to Bliquat, and they were imprisoned there. We the army were later told of the death decision on the Menka, but not how. After we were released, others there told us that the prisoners were taken away one by one, when we asked them how they were killed. I have a friend residing in Atlanta now, who was prisoner after my release. He said they were taken tied with handcuffs (Ganshur, chain). Handcuffs could be brought from Sudan or Ethiopia. The prisoners were taken tied and the handcuffs alone were returned. This means the prisoners were killed. Earlier, we thought they were taken to a "court" because we assumed we had one.[Read full story Menkae memory, by Meharena Hadgu]

In his interview with Aida Kidane Weldemariam Abraham also said that Welde Mikel Haile who was head of interrogation had said that these people made military discipline mistakes but they have not committed crimes and decided to close the case. Isayas was not there but Selomon. Because they did not want to accept this decision, Mesfin Hagos and Selomon and Ali Said said they did not need the present interrogator and put up a new committee. Saleh Tetew then said that the leadership makes a committee to use it and put in action the decision of the committee. But if does not suit them, the leadership should not change committees every time like they are doing and this is not right and workable. Because Saleh said that, Ali Said got up and hit Saleh Tetew, they were both in the leadership. Saleh was then sent to Zager and was martyred there. Welde Mikel was degraded from head of 'TseTeta' now called 'Halewa Sewra' and made haili leader and sent to Zager battle too so he may be martyred. I have already written on these". Weldemariam Abraham added that from Beirut, two wounded fighters Habte Gorilla and Habte Ab Seyum were taken away to Sahel and killed. We wanted to get away from the field and expose them to our people. Gebreamlak Isak was a petro-chemical engineer from Kiev, and one of the outstanding in literature in the front. He was known while in the USSR and used to be called Pushkin, even in Russian language. I heard Haile Selassie gave him a medal. He wrote in long sheets the Eritrean Sem ina Werk in 900 pages. I do not know where the writing has gone. Since he, Habte Gorilla and I, Wedi Flansa (Isayas Tewelde Birhan) were in the same ganta, I used to read it. We do not know what happened to his writings after he was taken to prison. Read full story

Meharena Hadgu states that the Menka were charged of being regionalists. This was not true, but charged by Isayas. (the same for the present situation). Those of us who suggested this be solved peacefully were imprisonment. This was making us to sit under trees. At night we were surrounded taken away separately far away and beaten badly to confess. We had to comply to stop the beatings. They then told the others that we had recanted because we did not know the whole thing. Most of us students were beaten. Some of us are lucky to have survived this long, maybe so that we will tell. Otherwise, survival was difficult, with the constant hunger, thirst etc. As prisoners, we could not move an inch. Even if a snake came to bite us we ask the guard first and we were infested with lice. One having diarrheic has to ask permission to relieve himself and told to wait that he passed it inside his pants. Then he is accused of deliberately passing into his pants to make a bad smell and thus beaten. A dehydrated person unable to control himself is beaten badly, as I have seen it. Those not having seen this cannot believe they are so cruel to their own fighters. Prisoners are put around a tree their backs to the tree and about 3 guards to each group. The others, of Musie group were separated from us. We cannot talk to each other. If a person wants to urinate, he asks the guard for permission who answers wait. Times we are tied in hands are when a fighter is in discomfort and asks another prisoner to lend him his blanket, without permission from the guard. Then he is taken out and asked what this code meant and is beaten to confess. The prisoner tells the truth and the guard says he should have asked first. The guards had all power on us and were cruel. He is tied hands and legs and after beating put in the sun all day. There is a plant called Ubel growing in riverbanks and taking its time to dry, it twists like a whip. One beaten with it is horribly hurt their backs becoming open wounds. Some have died of this beating. Too bad those who could have told have done. If a person wails in the beating, cloth is stuffed into is mouth and only the eyes communicate. The beaten person faints and goes into shock, shaking. It happened to me and I saw it on others. Yet we continue serving the front and did not think of fleeing lest those behind me get all the punishment. When visiting the "toilet" prisoners are taken out in 2-3 lines. The first line take off their pants and kneel down, facing their guards. The next in line face to the opposite. It was a humiliating situation. Read full story

Adhanom Fitew added that when a person is taken to Halewa Sewra, the person disappears. There was a prison guard confessing later, guarding Mussie and Co., - the lice were so many that a bullet was preferred. A prisoner cannot by himself scratch or move himself because he was beaten for that action. It was such a hot weather that the lice should not have survived, but spread more in contrast. The Menkae leaders and members suffered much. Some fighters on their way to bring water saw Mussie and Co., and said they were unrecognizable, living skeletons and eyes bulging out. Though food was scarce all around, the prisoners were full of lice, tortured and least fed. source from Memories of Menkae and After by Adhanom Fitew

ብሰሎሞን ወልደማርያም ዝምራሕ ዝነበረ ኣንጻር መንካዕ ጉጅለ፡ብየማንነት ተኸሰ። ብዙሓት ካድራትን መራሕቲ ሰራዊትን ይእሰሩ። ጉጅለ መንካዕን ኣንጻር መንካዕን ኣብ ሓደ ቤት ማእሰርቲ ይራኸቡ። ሰሎሞን እውን እታ ንመንካዕ ዝረኸበቶም ጽዋዕ ይቕበላ። ከምዚሉ ኣቶ ኢሳያስ ጸጋምን የማንን ወቒዑ ናይ ስልጣን ኮረሻ ኣጽኒዑ ንቕድሚት ይምርሽ። ኢሳያስ ዓላማኡ ንስልጣን እንተዘይነብር እዞም ኩሎም ነብሳት ኣይመጥፈአን። እቲ ናይ መንካዕ ምንቅስቓስ ብ1973 ኢዩ ነይሩ። ኣነ ብ1974 ናብቲ ውድብ ክኣቱ ከሎኹ ተኣሲሮም ጸኒሖሙኒ። ሓደ ግዜ ኣብ ክፍሊ ታዕሊም እንከሎና፡ በጋጣሚ ምስ ሓደ ብጻይ ማይ ከነምጽእ ምስ ወረድና፡ ካብቶም እሱራት ብብረት ተሓሊዮም ማይ ከምጽኡ ረኣናዮም። ኩነታት ኣካላቶም መግለጺ ዘይብሉ ዘስካሕክ ነበረ። ካብ መቓብር ወጺኡ ጠጠው ኢሉ ዝኸይድ ኣስከረን ይመስሉ ነይሮም። እቲ ዝነበረ ማእሰርቲ ዘስካሕክሕ ኢዩ። ቁማል በሊዑካ ክትሓክኽ ዘይፍቀድ ኩነታት ኢዩ ነይሩ። እንደገና ካብ 1975 ስጋብ 1977 ምንቅስቓስ መንካዕ ደጊሱ። ኣብያተ-ማእሰርቲ ስንጭሮታት ሳሕል መሊኡ፡ ኣሃዱታት ጥረሐን ዝተረፋሉ ግዜ ኢዩ ነይሩ። ስለዚ ጭካኔ ኢሳያስ ኣብ ቅድሚ ህዝቢ ኣብ ኣሰመራ ጊሂዱ’ምበር፡ ኣብ ሳሕል ኢዩ ተጀሩ። source from ቃልሲ ኢሳያ ንስልጣን by A dhanomFitew

Zekere Lebonna who joined Selfi Nasnet in 1972 recounted that, the daily routine was attending endless criticism and self-criticism sessions and indoctrination lectures. the victims of these incessant sessions were summarily executed. Some were driven into madness and the rest were politically silenced. Torture and executions were rampant. I remember a group in Tegih, Sahel who were spared death but were savagely treated. Scalded by hot water and bruised by firewood, their skin showed festering wounds and they suffered ulcers. So much so that they could not wear rough military uniform, and were often strolling wearing loose outfits jalabiya Among this group were Berhane Afro and Tekle Rashaida. Like a leper colony, one often observed them sitting under the shade of acacia and Aday trees. read more

Dr Bereket Habte Selassie is also another witness. Dr Bereket states that  in his book. "On one occasion, while I was walking toward a place where I habitually went to answer nature's call, I heard cries of agony from the bush. Curious to find out, I approached the bush where the cries came from. And there, to my horror, I saw Haile Jebha (Solomon's deputy Chief of Security), beating another man repeatedly on the head with a thin stick. The victim, whose hands and feet were tied and who apparently knew me, called me by name and begged to be rescued" ( Source from Eritrea A Dream Deferred by Gaim Kibreab, 2009 :159)

According to the recent interview of Tesfai Temno part 32 Dr Bereket was imprison during this time. Dr Bereket and Redazgi were the founders  of Eritrea Relief Association (ERA).  Listen Tesfai Temno part 32

Aklilu Zere also describes some torture techniques were used in Halewa Sewra [inthe southern front(Ala)] in 1975: The accused was placed three feet from a blank 6 feet wall for 4-6 hours daily during the hottest periods of the day 10 am – 4 am(sic). He/ she was not to move any part of his body even if he/she was swarmed by mosquitoes or flies and if he/she did, 4 lashes of stick rained on them).
[SourceThe Tears of a sadist By Aklilu Zere - Jun 25, 2007]

Even though former members of the EPLF Central Committee and other former fighters who are in exile tried to keep secret all the crimes committed by the EPLF against innocent fighters in the 1970s and 1980s, Dr.Alazar Gebre-Yesus in his article in 2001"PIA Now face the truth..." states that many Eritreans were victims of your(PIA) political beliefs and slogans during  the last 30 years of struggle . You (PIA) called them Menka-e, 'jasus' (spy agent) of CIA, Israel, West Germany, Ethiopia, Keyada Al-Ama (Jebha) etc. As a result, many Eritrean civilians and Tegadelti were imprisoned and tortured in Halewa Sewra and many paid with their lives. Many of these victims (e.g. Teclemariam Rashaida, Betszai Goite-om Berhe as mentioned before) were used as objects of demonstration for their wrong missions. They were forced to stand and speak out against their wrong doings in front of the new Eritrean Trainees in Bele-Kat, Mah-Mi-met etc. (Military Training Campuses) as well as in front of the gathered battalion (companies, contingents) (Tegadelti of Ganta-tat and Haile-tat of a Battalion), for example at Deg-At Abai, Deg-At Ne-Ush in Sahel in the years of 1975 - 1977. At the end of the speech of their forced confession, the victims were asking the audience for forgiveness, no one knows till this day whether the allegations were true. read more

Meharena Hadgu states that, in 1986 the  fighters and the leaders had very different living standards which provoked the fighters to organize . I have heard that some of those who started a movement expressing their discontent were taken away and killed, or made to disappear. And some knew they would be killed, fled to Sudan. There are imprisoned fighters who are still in prison now(Meharena Hadgu ). Some of them could be among those who were executed in Congo, Zaire, in 1994.

Adhanom Fitwi in his interview on Memories of Menkae and Afterin 2004; Weldemariam Abraham in his paperon Menkae,;  Meharena Hadgu’s  Menkae memory, Teclai Ghebre-Mariam Aden’s  ‘EPLF AN INSIDE STORY’  and other publications have provided us with in-depth information which is different from the story recounted by the EPLF during the liberation struggle. On the other hand Haile Menkorias's interview onThe PLF leadership crisis 1973 provides basic information on Menkaeuprising and what happened after. Why did he keep secret the crimes committed, between 1977 and 1994,  by EPLF's leaders and Central Committee members?

Interview with Tesfay Temnewo - Part 36
• Read more
• [Interview with Tesfay Temnewo Part 35]
• ወፊሮም ገዘኦም ዘይተመልሱ ! ( መስፍን ሓጎስ መን እዩ?) 1ይ ክፋል [pt2] [pt3]
• What is the meaning of silence?
   
• Alem Tesfay (2003) listed some names of victim of the 1970s and 1980s     
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