Solomon, I think you must have been in the navy to know all these details. I also think that Yemane must have mistaken names because Eskindir was no more existent at the refered time. As you guessed it, Commodore Tassew Desta sounds more probable because he was the successor of Iskindir Desta as the Commander in Chief of the Ethiopian navy. It makes it even more probable if he really was the founder of EPDA & EDU, as you said it. There is anyway a mistake somewhere and I hope Yemane spares a few words on it in his next interview and get doubts cleared.
Dear Araya,
Thank you for reminding Yemane the name Commodore Tasew Desta and your positive input in this historical discussion.
I was not a member of Ethiopian Navy.
Similar to others who lived in Somalia in the 80s, I was fortunate to know some of the stories, because I was following all political events during that time. This has led to many interesting things in my life: learning Somalia language and culture, repatriation Ethiopian war prisoners working as coordinator with international Red Cross and UNHCR and registered as EPLF member etc.
Also, for no reason I was held by the Somalian national security in the harshest refugee concentration camp called Shelmobed for 13 months. But despite all this, I still keep on coming back to my memories of Somalia. The respected Yemane is one of them, he helped many Eritreans and Ethiopian refuges to be free from Somalia prisons.
There are many more memories like this .Yet these memories have been coloured by time and our over-active imagination. Memories have become stories and, after many years, we are not always 100% sure to remember the first or the second name unless we help each other.
We are where we are today because of Isaias the butcher of Eritrea.
Thank you Yemane for sharing with the people of Eritrea the dark side of our history and now we have the true story to tell to our children.
I have heard this story from a person who personally witnessed the slapping of Abraham Afwerki by Semere Russom, but I am sure it was not 1999.”
I don’t disagree on the year Alem as a friend who was in the thick of it told me about it after Abraham’s death when we were discussing Abraham’s death. But, my point wasn’t the year. My point was Abraham fully knowing that he wasn’t in sync with PFDJ’s mode-of-operandi even before the slap shouldn’t have considered travelling to Eritrea at all. In fact PFDJ using its 03 painted Abraham’s name that he always demands to be paid and many Eritreans didn’t say “yes he is right that is how he earns his living!”. In the end, Abraham like so many Eritreans refused to use common sense, logic in underscoring PFDJ’s viciousness. That is my point ! why do Eritreans fail to see the viciousness of PFDJ.
If it savagely kills all these Eritreans before & after independence, how is that Abraham fail to see the warning sign when Semere Russom slapped him at a country that could land Semere Russom jail term. But he got away and we have no slightest doubt that Abraham was long ago marked and purged by PFDJ. It is amazing how EPLF leaders learned & mastered it all in freely travelling around East Africa in particular and became so proficient in the purging,intelligence gathering, blackmailing. One only wonders, whether they were trained by the mafias themselves or trained themselves by watching movies on how the mafias network work.
Even derg the savage didn’t cross borders to purge its opponenets. No wonder EPLF never respected sovreign nations then and now. Poor Sudan. No wonder Isaias in particualr feared TPLF (remeber 2000) as they are as vicious as he is. I wish TPLF wasn’t stopped from marching forward. How a blessing in disguise would have been for the Eritrean people. True eritreans would rather be in hell under Isais than being freed by “agame, weyane” . what a tragic mind my Eritrean people have.
Estifanos on September 19, 2014 at 9:34 am said:
Bizen,
It is easy to mixup the names, places etc. Even Ato Yemane admits that there are some mistakes in his narration. But it is very hard to remember all the details given the situation he was in. ..” …
Estifanos,
What situation was he really in that would make a “Intelligence gathering officer = a spy” to forget dates, events and names? Do you really believe in what your saying?
Genuine humans ask someone like Ato Yemane a simple fact as his profession was gatheirng intelligence, exchanging intelligence, how is that
a) an IO (Intelligence Officer) with the caliber of Ato YT doesn’t present himself well prepared with facts of accurate dates, time, events and names? That was his profession and he proficiently with due diligence did it for years. The cadres in the likes of Ato Antonio Tesfay spilt the beans at Asmarino.com in a very well documented way with dates & places. And if a cadre does it that way, how is that an IO who was a university student fail to do so? Could it be that there is a reason behind it?
b) Even if Ato YT didn’t kill or never killed, his profession of Intelligence Gatheiring (IG) means that the information he gathered was used to purge innocent/non innocent humans. Wouldn’t that make him accountable to the crimes EPLF committed? he personally, let us give him the benefit of the doubt, didn’t kill but the information he gathered was used to assasinate a human being. Should he be exonerated from the crimes his bosses ordered, his comrades executed? Now if he had spoken out in 1994/5/6/7, you could call this man a brave soul who has shown remorse of all that killing/purging by EPLF. he is speaking out when PFDJ absolutely has made Eritreans to lick its boots. No other people at this era are tasting human degrdation as eritreans are.
so Ato Yemane owes it, more than anyone else, to himself as he is a human being that could have faced the same fate as those humans and remember them with a very sensitive conscience of humanity and speak out without leavng any trace of detail? This is NOT a soccer game that needs to be told in an entertainment fashion. Whoever listened to Dejen, one witnessed there was true sensititivty of a human soul in his narration of the pain he went thru, the pains are still going thru. many of us do not feel this from Ato Yemane or those who were part of the EPLF leadership. They sound and are as cold as icicle!
So Ato Yemane warm up your soul and speak as if you are compensating the ordinary Tegadelti who paid the ultimate prices!
Here is the list of ex-officials of the Imperial government that were murdered in November 23, 1974
I suspect the MEison leader Haile Fida was part of them but not listed
PM Taezaz Aklilu Habtewold
PM Lij Endalkatchew Makonnen
Lt. General Abiye Abebe
H.H. Prince (Leul Ras) Asrate Kassa
Prince Rear Admiral Iskinder Desta
Ras Mesfin Sileshi
Ato Abebe Retta
Ato Akale Work Haptewold
Lt. Colonel Tamirat Yigezu
Dejazmatch Kifle Irgetu
Lt. General Kebede Gebre
Lt. General Issayas Gebre Igziabiher
Lt. General Asefa Ayana
Ato Mulatu Debebe
Dr. Tesfaye Gebre Igzi
Dejazmatch Workineh Wolde Amanuel
Lt. General Debebe Haile Mariam
Brigadier General Deresse Dubale
Lt. General Asefa Demisse
Dejazmatch Aemero Selassie Abebe
Dejazmatch Solomon Abreha
Dejazmatch Sahelu Difeye
Dejazmatch Worku Inqu Selassie
Dejazmatch Legese Bezu
Colonel Solomon Kedir
Blata Admasu Retta
Ato Nebiye Leul Kifle
Ato Solomon Gebre Mariam
Ato Tegegn Yetashework
Afe Nigus (Lord Chief Justice) Abeje Debalke
Lt. General Haile Baikedagn
Lt. General Abebe Gemeda
Lt. General Yilma Shibeshi
Lt. General Belete Abebe
Dejazmatch Kebede Ali Wele
Major General Gashaw Kebede
Major General Seyoum Gedle Giorgis
Major General Tafesse Lemma
Lij Hailu Desta
Fitawrari Amde Abera
Fitawrari Tadesse Inqu Selassie
Fitawrari Demisse Alamirew
Kegnyazmatch Yilma Aboye
Brigadier General Wendimu Abebe
Brigadier General Girma Yohannes
Brigadier General Mulugeta Wolde Yohannes
Colonel Yigezu Yimene
Colonel Alem Zewd Tessema
Colonel Tassew Mojo
Major Berhane Mecha
—–Aman Andom & his groupie who joined the purged..
it is amazing how dictators blackmail to purge. Mengistu’s method were the same as all other dictators in purging.
Lt. General Aman Mikael Andom
Leutenant Belai Tsegaye
Leutenant Demisse Shiferaw Goshiye
Lance Corporal Bekele Wolde Giorgis
Sub-Corporal Tekle Haile
Lance Corporal Tesfaye Tekle
Junior Aircraftsman Yohannes Fitiwi
Haile Fida was killed in 1979, not with those you listed (who were executed in Nov 1974). His political group, Meison, actually collaborated with the Dergue to liquidate many of the EPRP leaders. He’s also credited with significantly influencing the Dergue’s socialist policies on land, assuming Marxism-Lennism, etc.
Some of you calling Petros Solomon hero, intelligent it was wrong pls refrain from saying these foolish praises he does not deserve them.
He petros Solomon was not intelligent since intelligence accumulated through learning and experiences that finally he become victim of the MuSH’Mush esayas afewerki. His intelligence would not let him fall victim if he was intelligent – he learned nothing.so he was stooge.
He petros got credit from the work of ordinary Tegadelti
He Petros Solomon was murderer even after independence from 1991 – 1997. He deserve death through Lynching. Only his wife was pure victim.
the bloodshed of innocent people never shed in vain God always watch who did wrong thus Petros Solomon got his price.
Look esayas Afewerki is hallucinating/HwTuT/ including his face is vacated and empty the reason the innocent blood never let free but he is paying it while he is alive and very soon he will be Lynched by the Victims Family.
Well Petros Solomon know issias, and he discussed with others of the G15 members, to kill isias or not.petros came up with an idea and belive his mistakes and to burn as a candle and to be the light of a darkness, to be the path for the reconcilation.he knew eritrean people are not ready to understand isias.petros is intelligent and smart he new change do sent come in a night. During the liberation time Petros did the Ness esa re things for the freedom of eritrean people. Petros admitted that he made a mistake and he was willing to get his panshiment in front of the court . so please do not even say a word before you read the previous history’s. Petros is one of the smartest person. Remember he sacrifice him self for the change for the end of ruling EPLF. Know it make sense why the G15 choose that path.
“He petros Solomon was not intelligent since intelligence accumulated through learning and experiences that finally he become victim of the MuSH’Mush esayas afewerki”
Ma’E’Kobay
All those who served Iseyas with the exception a few like Mesfin Hagos, Muhyedin Shengheb, Abdella Adem and many less known tegadelti sent abroad to infiltrate the opposition (who are most probably still working for him) or managed to escape like the notorious Ali, ended being his victims.
A good example of this are people like Solomon Weldemariam, Petros Solomon, Haile Duru, Mahmud Sherifo, Abdall Jabir, Mustafa Nurhusein and hundreds like them. No body can for sure tell they are alive. Petros Solomon was not less intelligent than Iseyas, but there is no doubt that he was a mass murderer like his boss.
At list Petros admitted his mistakes. Also,during the struggle it could be necessary to do whay he was doing for to free eritrea and he manged well and sucesided. petros did the right thing to accomplish the work to free eritrea. History is a witnessed any government any freedom fighters did kill people in the process. Petros didn’t continue the killing after the indepence, instade he realize to bring the country to a democratic country.He knows and he could kill isias but at that time who do u think trust the eritrean people? Petros knew the way and petros decide to do it peacefuly he cares that much for his people.now look , now we know who is isias, think what would be the situation in eritrea if they killed isias? But now time is speaking by it self.so please don’t even insult petros, Petros is a hero and I respect him.
Who killed a group of elderly police pensioners who had gone to Asmara to collect their pension many ?
Is it a crime to collect pension many from the government ?. Do they deserve to be summarily executed because of that ?
Iseyas and Petros Solomon have to answer the question.
A lot of people were secretly kidnapped from Sudan and made to disappear. One of them is Ghebrehiwet Keleta.
He is a hero and disabled veteran. He was member of an ELF commando that killed an Ethiopian general near 35th Division Head Quarters in Asmara.
He was kidnapped from Kesela (Sudan) and taken to Sahel in 1984. He was in jail in Sahel till the so-called border war with Ethiopia started.
He was released from jail in Asmara, probably by people who did not know his real identity, because in a short time after that he was made to disappear.
“Enda 72” of Petros Solom are responsible for his kidnapping.
Alem September 19, 2014
Good job Ato Yemane!
Araya September 19, 2014
Solomon, I think you must have been in the navy to know all these details. I also think that Yemane must have mistaken names because Eskindir was no more existent at the refered time. As you guessed it, Commodore Tassew Desta sounds more probable because he was the successor of Iskindir Desta as the Commander in Chief of the Ethiopian navy. It makes it even more probable if he really was the founder of EPDA & EDU, as you said it. There is anyway a mistake somewhere and I hope Yemane spares a few words on it in his next interview and get doubts cleared.
Solomon September 23, 2014
Dear Araya,
Thank you for reminding Yemane the name Commodore Tasew Desta and your positive input in this historical discussion.
I was not a member of Ethiopian Navy.
Similar to others who lived in Somalia in the 80s, I was fortunate to know some of the stories, because I was following all political events during that time. This has led to many interesting things in my life: learning Somalia language and culture, repatriation Ethiopian war prisoners working as coordinator with international Red Cross and UNHCR and registered as EPLF member etc.
Also, for no reason I was held by the Somalian national security in the harshest refugee concentration camp called Shelmobed for 13 months. But despite all this, I still keep on coming back to my memories of Somalia. The respected Yemane is one of them, he helped many Eritreans and Ethiopian refuges to be free from Somalia prisons.
There are many more memories like this .Yet these memories have been coloured by time and our over-active imagination. Memories have become stories and, after many years, we are not always 100% sure to remember the first or the second name unless we help each other.
We are where we are today because of Isaias the butcher of Eritrea.
Thank you Yemane for sharing with the people of Eritrea the dark side of our history and now we have the true story to tell to our children.
Fact-is-Fact September 19, 2014
Alem,
“Alem on September 19, 2014 at 1:03 pm said
Fact-is-Fact,
I have heard this story from a person who personally witnessed the slapping of Abraham Afwerki by Semere Russom, but I am sure it was not 1999.”
I don’t disagree on the year Alem as a friend who was in the thick of it told me about it after Abraham’s death when we were discussing Abraham’s death. But, my point wasn’t the year. My point was Abraham fully knowing that he wasn’t in sync with PFDJ’s mode-of-operandi even before the slap shouldn’t have considered travelling to Eritrea at all. In fact PFDJ using its 03 painted Abraham’s name that he always demands to be paid and many Eritreans didn’t say “yes he is right that is how he earns his living!”. In the end, Abraham like so many Eritreans refused to use common sense, logic in underscoring PFDJ’s viciousness. That is my point ! why do Eritreans fail to see the viciousness of PFDJ.
If it savagely kills all these Eritreans before & after independence, how is that Abraham fail to see the warning sign when Semere Russom slapped him at a country that could land Semere Russom jail term. But he got away and we have no slightest doubt that Abraham was long ago marked and purged by PFDJ. It is amazing how EPLF leaders learned & mastered it all in freely travelling around East Africa in particular and became so proficient in the purging,intelligence gathering, blackmailing. One only wonders, whether they were trained by the mafias themselves or trained themselves by watching movies on how the mafias network work.
Even derg the savage didn’t cross borders to purge its opponenets. No wonder EPLF never respected sovreign nations then and now. Poor Sudan. No wonder Isaias in particualr feared TPLF (remeber 2000) as they are as vicious as he is. I wish TPLF wasn’t stopped from marching forward. How a blessing in disguise would have been for the Eritrean people. True eritreans would rather be in hell under Isais than being freed by “agame, weyane” . what a tragic mind my Eritrean people have.
Alem September 20, 2014
Fact-is-Fact,
I don’t disagree with your analysis brother, I just want to add my 2 cents there. You have said it all eloquently.
Fact-is-Fact September 19, 2014
Estifanos on September 19, 2014 at 9:34 am said:
Bizen,
It is easy to mixup the names, places etc. Even Ato Yemane admits that there are some mistakes in his narration. But it is very hard to remember all the details given the situation he was in. ..” …
Estifanos,
What situation was he really in that would make a “Intelligence gathering officer = a spy” to forget dates, events and names? Do you really believe in what your saying?
Genuine humans ask someone like Ato Yemane a simple fact as his profession was gatheirng intelligence, exchanging intelligence, how is that
a) an IO (Intelligence Officer) with the caliber of Ato YT doesn’t present himself well prepared with facts of accurate dates, time, events and names? That was his profession and he proficiently with due diligence did it for years. The cadres in the likes of Ato Antonio Tesfay spilt the beans at Asmarino.com in a very well documented way with dates & places. And if a cadre does it that way, how is that an IO who was a university student fail to do so? Could it be that there is a reason behind it?
b) Even if Ato YT didn’t kill or never killed, his profession of Intelligence Gatheiring (IG) means that the information he gathered was used to purge innocent/non innocent humans. Wouldn’t that make him accountable to the crimes EPLF committed? he personally, let us give him the benefit of the doubt, didn’t kill but the information he gathered was used to assasinate a human being. Should he be exonerated from the crimes his bosses ordered, his comrades executed? Now if he had spoken out in 1994/5/6/7, you could call this man a brave soul who has shown remorse of all that killing/purging by EPLF. he is speaking out when PFDJ absolutely has made Eritreans to lick its boots. No other people at this era are tasting human degrdation as eritreans are.
so Ato Yemane owes it, more than anyone else, to himself as he is a human being that could have faced the same fate as those humans and remember them with a very sensitive conscience of humanity and speak out without leavng any trace of detail? This is NOT a soccer game that needs to be told in an entertainment fashion. Whoever listened to Dejen, one witnessed there was true sensititivty of a human soul in his narration of the pain he went thru, the pains are still going thru. many of us do not feel this from Ato Yemane or those who were part of the EPLF leadership. They sound and are as cold as icicle!
So Ato Yemane warm up your soul and speak as if you are compensating the ordinary Tegadelti who paid the ultimate prices!
Fact-is-Fact September 19, 2014
Here is the list of ex-officials of the Imperial government that were murdered in November 23, 1974
I suspect the MEison leader Haile Fida was part of them but not listed
PM Taezaz Aklilu Habtewold
PM Lij Endalkatchew Makonnen
Lt. General Abiye Abebe
H.H. Prince (Leul Ras) Asrate Kassa
Prince Rear Admiral Iskinder Desta
Ras Mesfin Sileshi
Ato Abebe Retta
Ato Akale Work Haptewold
Lt. Colonel Tamirat Yigezu
Dejazmatch Kifle Irgetu
Lt. General Kebede Gebre
Lt. General Issayas Gebre Igziabiher
Lt. General Asefa Ayana
Ato Mulatu Debebe
Dr. Tesfaye Gebre Igzi
Dejazmatch Workineh Wolde Amanuel
Lt. General Debebe Haile Mariam
Brigadier General Deresse Dubale
Lt. General Asefa Demisse
Dejazmatch Aemero Selassie Abebe
Dejazmatch Solomon Abreha
Dejazmatch Sahelu Difeye
Dejazmatch Worku Inqu Selassie
Dejazmatch Legese Bezu
Colonel Solomon Kedir
Blata Admasu Retta
Ato Nebiye Leul Kifle
Ato Solomon Gebre Mariam
Ato Tegegn Yetashework
Afe Nigus (Lord Chief Justice) Abeje Debalke
Lt. General Haile Baikedagn
Lt. General Abebe Gemeda
Lt. General Yilma Shibeshi
Lt. General Belete Abebe
Dejazmatch Kebede Ali Wele
Major General Gashaw Kebede
Major General Seyoum Gedle Giorgis
Major General Tafesse Lemma
Lij Hailu Desta
Fitawrari Amde Abera
Fitawrari Tadesse Inqu Selassie
Fitawrari Demisse Alamirew
Kegnyazmatch Yilma Aboye
Brigadier General Wendimu Abebe
Brigadier General Girma Yohannes
Brigadier General Mulugeta Wolde Yohannes
Colonel Yigezu Yimene
Colonel Alem Zewd Tessema
Colonel Tassew Mojo
Major Berhane Mecha
—–Aman Andom & his groupie who joined the purged..
it is amazing how dictators blackmail to purge. Mengistu’s method were the same as all other dictators in purging.
Lt. General Aman Mikael Andom
Leutenant Belai Tsegaye
Leutenant Demisse Shiferaw Goshiye
Lance Corporal Bekele Wolde Giorgis
Sub-Corporal Tekle Haile
Lance Corporal Tesfaye Tekle
Junior Aircraftsman Yohannes Fitiwi
Berhe Domenico September 20, 2014
Haile Fida was killed in 1979, not with those you listed (who were executed in Nov 1974). His political group, Meison, actually collaborated with the Dergue to liquidate many of the EPRP leaders. He’s also credited with significantly influencing the Dergue’s socialist policies on land, assuming Marxism-Lennism, etc.
Ma'E'Kobay September 20, 2014
Some of you calling Petros Solomon hero, intelligent it was wrong pls refrain from saying these foolish praises he does not deserve them.
He petros Solomon was not intelligent since intelligence accumulated through learning and experiences that finally he become victim of the MuSH’Mush esayas afewerki. His intelligence would not let him fall victim if he was intelligent – he learned nothing.so he was stooge.
He petros got credit from the work of ordinary Tegadelti
He Petros Solomon was murderer even after independence from 1991 – 1997. He deserve death through Lynching. Only his wife was pure victim.
the bloodshed of innocent people never shed in vain God always watch who did wrong thus Petros Solomon got his price.
Look esayas Afewerki is hallucinating/HwTuT/ including his face is vacated and empty the reason the innocent blood never let free but he is paying it while he is alive and very soon he will be Lynched by the Victims Family.
mike September 20, 2014
Well Petros Solomon know issias, and he discussed with others of the G15 members, to kill isias or not.petros came up with an idea and belive his mistakes and to burn as a candle and to be the light of a darkness, to be the path for the reconcilation.he knew eritrean people are not ready to understand isias.petros is intelligent and smart he new change do sent come in a night. During the liberation time Petros did the Ness esa re things for the freedom of eritrean people. Petros admitted that he made a mistake and he was willing to get his panshiment in front of the court . so please do not even say a word before you read the previous history’s. Petros is one of the smartest person. Remember he sacrifice him self for the change for the end of ruling EPLF. Know it make sense why the G15 choose that path.
Hagherawi September 20, 2014
“He petros Solomon was not intelligent since intelligence accumulated through learning and experiences that finally he become victim of the MuSH’Mush esayas afewerki”
Ma’E’Kobay
All those who served Iseyas with the exception a few like Mesfin Hagos, Muhyedin Shengheb, Abdella Adem and many less known tegadelti sent abroad to infiltrate the opposition (who are most probably still working for him) or managed to escape like the notorious Ali, ended being his victims.
A good example of this are people like Solomon Weldemariam, Petros Solomon, Haile Duru, Mahmud Sherifo, Abdall Jabir, Mustafa Nurhusein and hundreds like them. No body can for sure tell they are alive. Petros Solomon was not less intelligent than Iseyas, but there is no doubt that he was a mass murderer like his boss.
mike September 20, 2014
At list Petros admitted his mistakes. Also,during the struggle it could be necessary to do whay he was doing for to free eritrea and he manged well and sucesided. petros did the right thing to accomplish the work to free eritrea. History is a witnessed any government any freedom fighters did kill people in the process. Petros didn’t continue the killing after the indepence, instade he realize to bring the country to a democratic country.He knows and he could kill isias but at that time who do u think trust the eritrean people? Petros knew the way and petros decide to do it peacefuly he cares that much for his people.now look , now we know who is isias, think what would be the situation in eritrea if they killed isias? But now time is speaking by it self.so please don’t even insult petros, Petros is a hero and I respect him.
Hagherawi September 20, 2014
Who killed a group of elderly police pensioners who had gone to Asmara to collect their pension many ?
Is it a crime to collect pension many from the government ?. Do they deserve to be summarily executed because of that ?
Iseyas and Petros Solomon have to answer the question.
Hagherawi September 20, 2014
A lot of people were secretly kidnapped from Sudan and made to disappear. One of them is Ghebrehiwet Keleta.
He is a hero and disabled veteran. He was member of an ELF commando that killed an Ethiopian general near 35th Division Head Quarters in Asmara.
He was kidnapped from Kesela (Sudan) and taken to Sahel in 1984. He was in jail in Sahel till the so-called border war with Ethiopia started.
He was released from jail in Asmara, probably by people who did not know his real identity, because in a short time after that he was made to disappear.
“Enda 72” of Petros Solom are responsible for his kidnapping.