Negede Gobeze's Participation in "Red Terror"
abdis...@my-dejanews.com
by the MEISON death squad in Feb 1977, which Negede has a big part,
at the door of Kidane Beyene building near Ambassador theater; instead
of falling in the hands of "butchers" like Negede Gobeze, Tesfaye run
up to sixth floor of the building and jumped down to his heroic death.
Do you know the first person who was called to the scene to identify
Tesfaye Debessai? It was Negede Gobeze; Before he left he made sure
Tesfaye was dead. Can Negede tell us where he buried Tesfaye's body
so that we can pay respect at least?
It doesn't matter what happens to Negede since then - He has to answer
to these atrocities - we will never forget! May be Belete Muturo can
tell us something we don't know - Bele would you?
-Abdissa Aga
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Belete Muturo
abdis...@my-dejanews.com writes:
>Tesfaye Debessai, the hero of my generation, was shot on the head
>by the MEISON death squad in Feb 1977, which Negede has a big part,
"on the head" ? Both individuals were dedicated Ethiopians persuing
what they thought would best serve Ethiopia and Ethiopians from each other's
perspectives. True,Tesfaye was a hero for living upto his principles and
committments. So is/was Dr. Negede. Look at you, "Abdissa Agaa". 'Melke Tifun
Besim Yidegifu!!' So you are Abdissa Aga?? Get out of here!!
Regards,
Belete Muturo
abdis...@my-dejanews.com
Belete Muturo R2...@VM1.CC.UAKRON.EDU wrote:
> In article <7112io$8qe$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>
> abdis...@my-dejanews.com writes:
>
> >Tesfaye Debessai, the hero of my generation, was shot on the head
> >by the MEISON death squad in Feb 1977, which Negede has a big part,
>
> Well, how do we know if you were not that same person who "shot" the guy
> "on the head" ? Both individuals were dedicated Ethiopians persuing
> what they thought would best serve Ethiopia and Ethiopians from each other's
> perspectives. True,Tesfaye was a hero for living upto his principles and
> committments. So is/was Dr. Negede. Look at you, "Abdissa Agaa". 'Melke Tifun
> Besim Yidegifu!!' So you are Abdissa Aga?? Get out of here!!
>
Negede Gobeze's participation in "Red Terror"
Belete, I wish I could shut up as you suggested; unfortunately,
it is an issue that I give so much importance, and I owe to my fallen
heroes that I will speak, at least, the atrocities committed on them. I
am not going to forget my brothers and sisters for sake of political
expediency; people like Negede Gobeze must acknowledge the atrocities:
torture, genocide, and terror - perpetrated by them.
Negede Gobeze, the "Butcher", and his MEISON death squad killed
too many sons and daughters of Ethiopia. For me, these victims
of Negede's "Red Terror" were more than just numbers. They were
real individuals with names like Asfaw Regassa, Feleke Alemu,
Abduselam Hussen, Zewde Biru, Girma Negash, Gezahegn Gelan,
Brothers of [Solomon Gurara and Sebsibe Gurara], Akile,
Brothers of[Mesfine and Dereje] who their Mom raised them baking
Enjera for hire, etc... These were some of the guys in my
neighborhood that I grew up playing soccer. You see Belete,
I did not even mention the school friends I had lost for MEISON's
terror perpetrated by individuals like Negede Gobeze.
I had spent 2 years of my life in various Derg prisons that include
the Derge office[old Menelik palace], 4th Division training ground at
Goffa sefur, central investigation, and Kerchele [Wehni Bete] - at the
age of 17 and had seen and were there when hundreds of children of
Ethiopia sent to their killing fields.
I am sorry to disappoint you Belete, but I can’t and wouldn’t "shut up"
as you suggested since it is my duty to expose the atrocities committed on
fellow brothers and sisters. Belete, may be you understand as you read
more and remember what happened in years 1977-78. I had personally
suffered repeated tortures by members of MEISON. Belete, I will
share with you what a prison used to feel like, in 1977-78.
Twenty years later, I still remembered their faces, names, and the last
words they uttered. Their cry for help, as the "butchers" broke their arms
to tie them behind their back, still reverberated in my ears. It is still
fresh in memory, those who were thrown to prison cell with bullet in their
bodies, legs with holes drilled in them, and a daily round of tortured
individuals - helping them was considered a treason. The 2 by 3 meter cells,
cell #2, at special crime investigation unit in Addis Ababa that I was
confined in with 75 others had felt like a living hell. There was no window,
and no opening for air once the door was closed. The room was so hot that
everything was drenched with our sweat - our clothes, and mattress. Sleeping
condition was horrible - sometimes we slept in shifts shuffled and packed
like a sardine. We used to create reasons to get the guards open the door
for few minutes so that we could sleep fast while the door was open. We were
only allowed to go the rest room once a day - that was at 4:30am. Our skin
was pale and suffering from skin peeling, nose bleeding and all kinds
anomalies due to extended non exposure to sun light. On the top of this,
every now and then, the guards would tell us the most alarming order - "eat
your dinner early" - which meant only that there would be killings tonight;
some did eat, some didn’t, and guards would come and close the doors. The
names of those would be killed were called by the assassins cell by cell and
would be driven to the killing field unsurmoniously. I had felt and
witnessed the human emotions at its last point - near death. Many of the
individuals I had met while incarcerated and kids I grew up with, eventually
had become the victims of 1977-78, in what is known as the “Red Terror”; I
am extremely fortunate and lucky to survive that ordeal.
However,not only I had witnessed helpless victims, but I also witnessed many
brave souls and extraordinary individuals, who gave their life with valor,
and survivors who never asked anything in return.
I had left my beloved country eighteen years ago, unable to face the never
ending pain and sorrow of parents of my fallen heroes. I still share their
idealism, no matter how imperfect the ideas they were advocating; I value
their personal integrity, honor, honesty, trust, friendship, love of the
people, and country, and most of all their ultimate sacrifice. I am
indebted to them - they freed me from the shackles of mental slavery, and
helped me to shape what I am today. Many survivors like me shared these
feelings - their death was not in vain; corrupt politicians, however,
subverted the idealism of the generation who paid in tremendous sacrifice,
to grab power and in rich themselves - what a betrayal - Negede Gobeze
is one of them. Belete, now you understand why I can not "shut up".
Negede Gobeze must account to what happened 1977-78 - and that is the
beginning and must eventually ask forgiveness of the families of the victims
of the "Red Terror".
Finally, the only principle I know is the principle of
"No principle could justfy atrocities of such magnitude".
Abdissa Aga
Teka AbaMacha
abdis...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> I still share their idealism, no matter how imperfect the ideas they were
> advocating; I value their personal integrity, honor, honesty, trust, friendship,
> love of the people, and country, and most of all their ultimate sacrifice. I am
> indebted to them - they freed me from the shackles of mental slavery, and helped
> me to shape what I am today.
Thank you for the memory. Indeed, words can not do justice to express 'their
personal integrity, honour, honesty, trust, friendship, love of the people, and
country, and most of all their ultimate sacrifice'. They were the best and
brightest (by any standard ) of Ethiopia from all walks of life and from EVERY
CORNER of the country (Ethiopia). Again, thank you indeed.
Regards,
~Teka