A Marriage of Equals and the Role Eritreans Played
Engineer Ghirma
March 10, 2007
Dejazmach Afewerk W.S. General Aman M. Andom Ras Alula Aba Nega
Ethiopian History depends on who wrote it; and when it was written. I am not a
Historian; however I have read enough of Ethiopian history, as they say, to attempt
some damage! I have read for starters, that Queen Saba gave birth to her son Menelik I,
the son of the biblical King Solomon of Israel, in Asmara specifically on the banks of Mai
Bela River. Without venturing into the slippery slopes of Ethiopian History again, I can
point cautiously, to archeological findings within present day Eritrea which predate
Axum; or at least match it. One theory which may support the flight of Ethiopian
Monarchy from Medri Bahri (present day Eritrea) to Axum was the alleged constant
threat of incursions into Ethiopia from across the Erythrean Sea / Bahre Ertra / Red
Sea. The preferred Ethiopian sea port back then was Adulis/Zula.
If some Ferenj stranger half way around the world, asks you whether you are an
Ethiopian, trust me, you are an Ethiopian; regardless of which part of Ethiopia (Eritrea
included) you originate from! How many a time have we in the Diaspora, gazed at a
stranger in a foreign land, and said among ourselves: “yegnan ager sew ymeslal or
tmeslalech”? Often times the stranger(s) would acknowledge by smiling and nodding in
the affirmative, as if we read each other’s mind. What a feeling!
By far more battles in the defense of the Ethiopian Empire were launched from within
Eritrea than any other region. Be it against Egypt at Gundet and Gurae or against Italia
at Dogali, most of Ethiopia’s enemies met their fate inside Eritrea. Guess who fought in
those battles in most predominant numbers? Eritreans of course: By virtue of their
proximity, the local people knew the terrain of the battleground better than any other
group. Moreover, intelligence information about the invaders, made Eritrean contribution
towards victorious outcomes inevitable. The dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam had erected
a landmark depicting Ras Alula’s victory at Dogali; which was ironically, later demolished
by Isaias Afwerki.
Marriage among the different Ethnic groups had various objectives. One such objective
was for long distance traveling convenience. The idea was to provide accommodation
for family members during extended trips away from home; be it for business or for
pleasure. Significant population movements from one region to another were common. It
is recorded in Ethiopian History, for example, that the Gurage Nationality has its origins
in Gurae, in Akeleguzay (Eritrea). The Bilien people in Keren originated from Gojam.
The Adere Nationality in Harar originated from Seraye (Eritrea). The ancestors of the
people living in many areas of Asmara are from Tigrai; who accompanied Ras Alula
when he was Emperor Yohanes’ representative in Eritrea. One such area in Asmara is a
place called Tselot. The significance of Tselot is that it is common knowledge among
Eritreans, for being the ancestral home of Isaias Afwerki. Yes, Isaias Afwerki is Tigrawai!
Technically Isaias can be court-martialed for being a traitor (a joke)! Last but not least,
Somalis are said to have migrated from Hamasien. There is sufficient evidence of that,
which is reflected in the names of cities like Kebri Dehar within Somali State.
It is only befitting for the “Eritrean Nation” to rejoin the rest of Ethiopia’s “Nations
and Nationalities”. Eritrea gave us Zer’ay Deres; the man who went to battle on behalf
of Ethiopia single handedly; with only a sword as a weapon against the Fascist army in
Roma! Imagine that! Then there were Abraha Deboch and Moges Asgedom; young
men who challenged Italia’s Rodolfo Graziani and made a daring attempt to kill him in
Addis Ababa in 1937. Their gallant attempt rekindled the support of the League of
Nations for Ethiopia, which eventually led to the defeat of Italia. I am happy to hear that
plans are underway to build a monument in Addis Ababa in honor of the two Ethiopian
super-heroes.
In the field of diplomacy, few can rival Dr. Lorenzo Taezaz. Simply stated he was a
genius in all walks of life. He was Ethiopia’s Permanent Representative to the League of
Nations in Geneva during World War II. The following is a quote from Dr. Daniel
Kindie’s paper titled “Dr. Lorenzo Taezaz And The Italo-Ethiopian War (1935-1941)”:
“Lorenzo, who lacked neither ideals nor insight, successfully played several roles
as a pressman, diplomat, intelligence officer, agitator, and counselor, and
discharged his responsibilities with great distinction. In the process, he displayed
great fortitude and endurance. For no one can dispute the key role he played in
Ethiopia’s liberation. But more than most, Lorenzo’s commitment to duty must
have strengthened Haile Selassie’s faith in education.” To read the complete report
please go to [http://www.zikkir.com/ethiopianreview/?p=138].
A special mention is warranted for the great General Aman Michael Andom, the
darling of the Ethiopian Army; also known as the Desert Lion. General Aman Andom led
Ethiopian forces to the Korean war. He was the recipient of the highest honor, from the
UN for his accomplishments; and thereby brought honor to Ethiopia in the process.
General Aman is perhaps best remembered for his heroics in Ogadien in the early
sixties; much like the gallant Dejazmach Afewerk Wolde Semayat who led the
Ethiopian resistance army in the Ogadien during the Italian invasion in1935. General
Aman was elected by the Derg regime as its Chairman in 1974, primarily because of his
immense popularity within the then Third Army Division stationed in Harar. He was well
known for his fair mindedness; which was why he was opposed to the proposed
wholesale executions of the detained ex-Ministers and other dignitaries, belonging to
Emperor Haile Selassie’s regime; fifty-nine in all. The unwarranted executions took place
immediately after General Aman was killed.
General Aman was also opposed to escalating the conflict against the guerilla forces in
Eritrea; opting for a diplomatic solution to the problem. He was very popular among the
Eritrean people to the extent that he was perceived as a threat to ELF and EPLF on a
personal level. My Eritrean sources tell me that the people were beginning to turn
against the ELF and EPLF after General Aman’s elevation to Chaiman of the Derg. He
was a uniting force among all Ethiopians including Eritreans. For the record, if the
cowardly Mengistu Haile Mariam had not murdered General Aman Andom on November
23, 1974, after the latter’s brave last stand against Mengistu’s tanks, Eritrea’s “war of
liberation” would have been early on, nipped in the bud by Eritreans themselves!
In the context of Ethiopian Nations and Nationalities, Eritrean role has been significant
since the beginning of time. One without the other is unrealistic. The nationalities on
either side of the fictitious border must demand rectification of this egregious error in
our history. The idea that a border line drawn at Badme, Tserona, Zala’nbesa, Bure,
along Irob Land, or any other spot along the common border will separate Ethiopians on
either side permanently is a farce! It will never work! The time is now, to resolve this
nonsense, once and for all peacefully. The Eritrean people will do very well under
the Ethiopian Constitution
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