Thanks Assenna for a historically valuable series of interviews. Yemane is bringing to light incredibly important episodes and behaviours of leading EPLF personalities. The past provides a window for understanding our present challenges as a nation.
It would be great if Assenna runs an interview with Yemane based on few key questions from listeners.
The killing of the Ethiopian radio operator is very sad. Thanks for remembering him!
1. What do you think the fate of Issaias will be?
2. How do you see change happening in Eritrea?
3. Given the secretive nature of EPLF and now PFDJ, do you know of or think vast amount of money is hidden in foreign banks in the name of individuals?
WOW, amazing interview again Yemane Anbessa. Kubur Haw Yemane ajokha, haqi tezaribka ab menghedi babur dekis.
Indeed, the koborta (blanket) cover of ghedli has always been “the hidri siwuAtna dream”. You have said it all, I think they were smart enough to inject it into our blood successfully. They poisoned our mind with such ugly dream, at least to remain with us for decades. If one has to question them to explain the truth, they have to come up always with that kind of “shtara”……. “Emberdo Eritreawi iKa” and “Hidri siwtatna segirka tizareb”?????? But at the end the truth is coming out loud and clear for everyone to see and and judge. Thanks again brother Yemane, and keep exposing them until they can no longer inject their customery poison into our blood. No more “twgah imo”, “twgah imo” meriyet, everything has to come out right NOW nothing should be left for TOMORROW. Peace be upon you jigina haw Mr Yemane.
Thank you for exposing in technicolor the true nature of the dictator and his henchmen. Not that we did not know he is a farce, but it helps when you hear it from someone like you in concrete terms.
I was particularly touched by your admission of guilt for trusting your then leaders and agreeing to send the Ethiopian officer to meda believing that they will keep their word of helping him resettle after getting the information that they need. I hope you find peace in knowing listeners of the interview find your sadness at the cruel fate the officer was dealt with by those animals comes as very genuine and sincere. This reminded me of a story one of my tegadalay cousin who was arrested in September 2001 and presumed dead in Ira-Iro told me once.
I do not recall the place, but around the time the destruction of Nadew iz, they had a few Ethiopian prisoners of war in their unit of which my cousin was a commander at the time. As time went by he became close friends with some of the POWs and particularly with one youngster who hailed from Addis. My cousin have never been to Addis before he went to meida, but through the Addis boy he was able to picture Addis Ababa (the different neigbourhoods, the enormity of the size of the city, the city life, they guy’s Keira neighbourhood, etc.). As life went on like this for days and they became friends, Ethiopian units were closing in to their area. My cousin gets a radio communication from his superior telling him that the Ethiopians have managed to break a strategic area and that it was a matter of hours before they reached where they are, and that they should immediately make a “tactical withdrawal”. And horror of horrors, the commander tells him to eliminate the POWs, as they “may become liabilities during the withdrawal”. My cousin protested and told the commander that this is not right, that he trusts them the POWs to also run with them etc. The commander’s answer was “you do as I say, or else you will get the same fate as them for disobedience”. While this back and forth communication was taking place, the unit members and the POWs were listening. According to him, “mesakin aini ainey iyom zitimituni neirom”. He felt at the time he had no choice but to carry on the order, but he could not bring himself to do it himself. So, he ordered one of the tegadelti to do it. (I will call my cousin’s name Yosief, not his real name) The young Ethiopian soldier looks at my cousin and says “Yosiefye, inien, litigedilegn. Yosiefye, inien letigedilegn…” Within seconds, they were gone. My cousin’s guilty feelings however stayed with him forever. He was tearing up when he was telling me this. He says, “cousin, I have buried so many of my tegadelti comrades who fell during battles, but the one that haunts me to this day and I believe I will carry this feeling to my grave is the fact that I listened to my superiors and ordered the unnecessary killing of these poor guys. I regret listening to the order, and should have been brave enough to confront him and take a chance at whatever comes as a result of not obeying”.
While he was telling me this, I can see tears in his eyes. It was a very touching, sad, and genuine regret. I always had great respect for my cousin, but hearing this story and observing his remorse at what happened made me respect him even more.
So Yemane, I have no doubt people who listen to this story will respect you for being human to acknowledge your honest mistake in trusting the untrustworthy leaders that they would keep their word and help the Ethiopian and instead they eliminated the poor guy. May his soul rest in peace.
Kubur Haw Ato Yemane,
Thank you for sharing your vast wisdom and the incredible ghedli story. It is not just power that corrupts people but fear as well. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it. The exact and all the details of what happened in ghedli is something that will perhaps take an astute historian to piece together later on. However, the struggle for all of us now is a struggle to stay totally free from fear, and particularly free from the fear placed by those with the audacity to oppress us and others…… we need to learn the new language of freedom, for it is when all of us are free from fear that a free Eritrea becomes an actuality. Thanks again dear brother Yemane, let’s please have more of the same brilliant interviews soon. Thanks brother Amanuel and Assenna staff as well.
Great job and well done highly respected brother Yemane. What has remained consistent is that the so called ghedli
or Revolution keeps eating its own children. And the damage is just so colossal it is very scary indeed.
If the Cambodians had “The Killing Fields”, we obviously have “The Killing Ghedli”. Let’s pray hard if we know how……
Thank you Mr Yemane, you have done/delivered your best contribution towards the struggle and now have a free mind/conscious.
Gobo,
I know your were expecting me to respond to your garbage comment in Part -11.
Let me advice you today:Why don’t you reveal your real name, make a time with Asena Radio for interview and discuss your issue in civil manner.
There is no time to conceal the truth.Yemane is exposing the criminals.I’m afraid maybe you have been part of the crime.
If you are brave and honest like Yemane, reveal your real name and put your argument to the audience or “Put up or shut up”.
“In truth, there is no pain but comfort, no fear but courage, no chaos but order, no betrayal but trust and no dishonor but the highest of accolades.”
Simon G. October 9, 2014
ወርቃዊት ቃል ኢሳያስ ኣፈወርቂ: “ነጻነት ምሰምጻእና ንዓደይ ትሰጉኒ”
ኣቱም ከብትታት ሰዓብቲ ህግደፍ አዚ ቃል ኣብ ሓንጎልኩም ምእታው ክኣቢ? ከማኹም ወዲ ከማኹም ተቖጺሩ ‘ዩ, ኤርትራ ሓሙሽተ ሚልዮን ህዝቢ ኣለዋ ዝበሃል? ብላሽ!
Berhe Domenico October 9, 2014
Thanks Assenna for a historically valuable series of interviews. Yemane is bringing to light incredibly important episodes and behaviours of leading EPLF personalities. The past provides a window for understanding our present challenges as a nation.
It would be great if Assenna runs an interview with Yemane based on few key questions from listeners.
The killing of the Ethiopian radio operator is very sad. Thanks for remembering him!
Berhe Domenico October 9, 2014
Questions for Yemane:
1. What do you think the fate of Issaias will be?
2. How do you see change happening in Eritrea?
3. Given the secretive nature of EPLF and now PFDJ, do you know of or think vast amount of money is hidden in foreign banks in the name of individuals?
Ephrem.S October 9, 2014
WOW, amazing interview again Yemane Anbessa. Kubur Haw Yemane ajokha, haqi tezaribka ab menghedi babur dekis.
Indeed, the koborta (blanket) cover of ghedli has always been “the hidri siwuAtna dream”. You have said it all, I think they were smart enough to inject it into our blood successfully. They poisoned our mind with such ugly dream, at least to remain with us for decades. If one has to question them to explain the truth, they have to come up always with that kind of “shtara”……. “Emberdo Eritreawi iKa” and “Hidri siwtatna segirka tizareb”?????? But at the end the truth is coming out loud and clear for everyone to see and and judge. Thanks again brother Yemane, and keep exposing them until they can no longer inject their customery poison into our blood. No more “twgah imo”, “twgah imo” meriyet, everything has to come out right NOW nothing should be left for TOMORROW. Peace be upon you jigina haw Mr Yemane.
wedi Forto October 9, 2014
Dear Yemane,
Thank you for exposing in technicolor the true nature of the dictator and his henchmen. Not that we did not know he is a farce, but it helps when you hear it from someone like you in concrete terms.
I was particularly touched by your admission of guilt for trusting your then leaders and agreeing to send the Ethiopian officer to meda believing that they will keep their word of helping him resettle after getting the information that they need. I hope you find peace in knowing listeners of the interview find your sadness at the cruel fate the officer was dealt with by those animals comes as very genuine and sincere. This reminded me of a story one of my tegadalay cousin who was arrested in September 2001 and presumed dead in Ira-Iro told me once.
I do not recall the place, but around the time the destruction of Nadew iz, they had a few Ethiopian prisoners of war in their unit of which my cousin was a commander at the time. As time went by he became close friends with some of the POWs and particularly with one youngster who hailed from Addis. My cousin have never been to Addis before he went to meida, but through the Addis boy he was able to picture Addis Ababa (the different neigbourhoods, the enormity of the size of the city, the city life, they guy’s Keira neighbourhood, etc.). As life went on like this for days and they became friends, Ethiopian units were closing in to their area. My cousin gets a radio communication from his superior telling him that the Ethiopians have managed to break a strategic area and that it was a matter of hours before they reached where they are, and that they should immediately make a “tactical withdrawal”. And horror of horrors, the commander tells him to eliminate the POWs, as they “may become liabilities during the withdrawal”. My cousin protested and told the commander that this is not right, that he trusts them the POWs to also run with them etc. The commander’s answer was “you do as I say, or else you will get the same fate as them for disobedience”. While this back and forth communication was taking place, the unit members and the POWs were listening. According to him, “mesakin aini ainey iyom zitimituni neirom”. He felt at the time he had no choice but to carry on the order, but he could not bring himself to do it himself. So, he ordered one of the tegadelti to do it. (I will call my cousin’s name Yosief, not his real name) The young Ethiopian soldier looks at my cousin and says “Yosiefye, inien, litigedilegn. Yosiefye, inien letigedilegn…” Within seconds, they were gone. My cousin’s guilty feelings however stayed with him forever. He was tearing up when he was telling me this. He says, “cousin, I have buried so many of my tegadelti comrades who fell during battles, but the one that haunts me to this day and I believe I will carry this feeling to my grave is the fact that I listened to my superiors and ordered the unnecessary killing of these poor guys. I regret listening to the order, and should have been brave enough to confront him and take a chance at whatever comes as a result of not obeying”.
While he was telling me this, I can see tears in his eyes. It was a very touching, sad, and genuine regret. I always had great respect for my cousin, but hearing this story and observing his remorse at what happened made me respect him even more.
So Yemane, I have no doubt people who listen to this story will respect you for being human to acknowledge your honest mistake in trusting the untrustworthy leaders that they would keep their word and help the Ethiopian and instead they eliminated the poor guy. May his soul rest in peace.
So, Yeman
sMRET October 11, 2014
Good story wedi Forto. Unfortunately the well writing English will not be understood by the average assenna readers, you should translate to tigrina.
keren October 9, 2014
yemane, ms hLnaka teArika aloka. Selam /peace malet nSU IYU. QULNA SGA SLEZLEBESNA NShAKA AB KEBDNA ATYU ALO. QUNUE SLEZQONKA AB NSHA ABTZIHUKA ALO. AJOKA. MSAKA ALONA.
mehamed October 10, 2014
ambesa yemane wedi komands zbelkayo nay handesa neber hji ab addis alo ab somal nabti metqaeti zebegeskumo krekbeka ydeli alo
Yoditta T. October 10, 2014
Kubur Haw Ato Yemane,
Thank you for sharing your vast wisdom and the incredible ghedli story. It is not just power that corrupts people but fear as well. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it. The exact and all the details of what happened in ghedli is something that will perhaps take an astute historian to piece together later on. However, the struggle for all of us now is a struggle to stay totally free from fear, and particularly free from the fear placed by those with the audacity to oppress us and others…… we need to learn the new language of freedom, for it is when all of us are free from fear that a free Eritrea becomes an actuality. Thanks again dear brother Yemane, let’s please have more of the same brilliant interviews soon. Thanks brother Amanuel and Assenna staff as well.
Daniel Kibraeb October 10, 2014
Great job and well done highly respected brother Yemane. What has remained consistent is that the so called ghedli
or Revolution keeps eating its own children. And the damage is just so colossal it is very scary indeed.
If the Cambodians had “The Killing Fields”, we obviously have “The Killing Ghedli”. Let’s pray hard if we know how……
Thank you Mr Yemane, you have done/delivered your best contribution towards the struggle and now have a free mind/conscious.
gobo October 10, 2014
ዘይወግሕ መሲልዋ ኣብ ቦኽራ……………! ከምዝብሃል። እዚ ዘይወግሕ ዝመስለኩም ዘሎ እዋን ክወግሕ ኢዩ። ኣብ ሃገርና ሕጊ ክነግስ ኢዩ፡ ሽዑ ምትሕትታት ክህሉ ኢዩ። ከምድላይካ ሰባት ዘሊፍካን ኣምራሲሕካን ምኻድ የሎን።
ንልቦና ክኾነና ግን ኩሉ ፍጻሜታት ንጊዚኡ ኢዩ ዝመስል፡ ኣብ 40ታት 50ታት ዝሓለፈ ፍጻሜታት አንታይ ኮይኑ ነቲ ኣብ 60ታት 70ታት ዝኸደ ፍጻሜታት ዝይመሰለ ኣይትብልን ኢኻ። እቲ ቅድሚ 91 ዝኸደ ኣብ ተሓኤ ይኹን ኣብ ህግሓኤ ከምኡ’ውን ኩሉ ሽዑ ዝነበረ ኤርትራዊ ህይወት፡ እንታይ ኮይኑ ነዚ ሕጂ ዝድለን ዝሕሰብን ዘሎ ዝይመስል ክትብል ኣይከኣልን ኢዩ። ኩሉ ዝሓለፈ ክኣ ጽቡቕን ሕማቅን ሸነኻት ኣለዎ። ናይ ዝሓለፈ ጽቡቕን ሕማቕን፡ ክትመሃረሉን ክትሙከረሉን እንተኮይንካ ብሓደ ብጽልኢ ልቡ ዝቕርዓነ ሰብ ብዝቕረብ ሕክያ፡ ዝርከብ ትምህርቲን ተሞክሮን የልቦን። ብኣንጻሩ ተራን ግደን ናይ ውልቀሰብ ኣዚኻ ኣጋኒንካ፡ ሕልናን ውኒን ናይ’ዚ እንዳማዕበለ ዝኸይድ ዘሎ ቃልሲ ህዝቢ ብፍላይ ድማ ንቕሓት መንእሰያት ንድሕሪት ዝጎስስን ዘዳኽምን፡ ኣብ ምንጎ ህዝቢ ዘየድሊ ምትፍናን ፈጢሩ፡ ካብቲ ቅንዲ ግዳይና ኣልዩ፡ ኣብ ዝየድሊ ጉዳይ ኣእትዩ ሕልኽልኽ ክንብል ብመደብ ዝግበር ዘሎ ሕክያ ኢዩ።
Amerna October 10, 2014
Gobo,
I know your were expecting me to respond to your garbage comment in Part -11.
Let me advice you today:Why don’t you reveal your real name, make a time with Asena Radio for interview and discuss your issue in civil manner.
There is no time to conceal the truth.Yemane is exposing the criminals.I’m afraid maybe you have been part of the crime.
If you are brave and honest like Yemane, reveal your real name and put your argument to the audience or “Put up or shut up”.
“In truth, there is no pain but comfort, no fear but courage, no chaos but order, no betrayal but trust and no dishonor but the highest of accolades.”
Simon G. October 10, 2014
ጎቦ:
ብራኼ ጽፍሒ መሬት ከይከውን ከምኡ ዝገብረካ ዘለሞ ናብ ትሕት ዝበለ ቦታ’ዶ ውርድ ክትብል?
gobo October 10, 2014
Simon G
ኣብቲ ትብሎ ዘለኻ ቅርጺ መሬት ክይንካ ኢኻ፡ ንኩሉ ትቆጻጸሮ፡ ጎቦ ኣይትጽልእ፡ እንተጽጊሙካ’ውን ካብ ጸላኢኻ ክትከላኸልሉ ትኽእል ኢኻ፡ ጸላኢና ናብ ትሕት ዝበለ ቦታ ይውረድ!!
Simon G. October 10, 2014
ጎቦ:
ዝበዝሕ ርኢቶታት ትህቦ ርዝን ዝበለ’ዩ። ኣብዛ ናይ የማነ ዘላትካ ርኢቶ ግን ጌጋ ኮይና ተሰሚዓትኒ። ዝተገብረ ጌጋታት ብዝርዝር ምውጽኡ ኣይትጽላእ። እዝ ኹሉ እከይ ግብሪ ኢሳያስ ዝፈለጥ ኔሩ ተዝኸውን ሓደ ሰብ ቦጣዕ መበሎ ኔሩ መስለኒ። ኣይመስለካን?