The death of Abrham Towelde is still shrouded in secret. Alem Tesfay 2003 explained the cause which led to the death of Abrha Twelde in the following way. "After Issays came back to the Ala groups from the meeting he held with members of the CIA, Issayas decided to split from the ELF. As a result of this there was an argument with Abraham Twelde who was against such move and also disagrred over the talks with the Americans and the Ethiopians. After a month of arguments between them Abraham Twelde died suddenly on 17 May 1970, which is still a secret for most of us.” Concerning this Erlich (1988: 97), states that one of Issays's main rivals in the rebel movement was poisoned to death. After Abraham Twolde death, Issays succeeded to the leadership of the group and took steps to split from the ELF.

The Supreme Council of the ELF leadership instead of working for the unity of the Eritrean Liberation Army deliberately divided it by region and ethnicity through establishing five military zones based on a territorial division in 1965.  The regional-based military structure had created mutual suspicion and hatred among the fighters and its consequence can be seen  in 1967 when Osman Hishal, deputy commander of the fifth zonal division, summarily executed 27 Christian fighters alleging poor performance or for the military setback from which they suffered(Paice 1994; Markakis, 2987; Sherman, 1980, Human Rights Watch 1990) Amar (1997:82) also mentioned that Ghilai who was a political cadre in the 5th Zone was also killed by an ELF unit leaders,in 1967. Probably he was one of those 27 victims who were excuted by Osman Hisha. Abdalla Idris was the head commander of the fifth zone who is responsible for the massacre of these fighters. As a result of the ELF leaders use relgious prejdue and regionalism large numbers of ELF fighters were captured or gave themselves up to the Ethiopia government during 1967-1968. This gave an opprtunity for Ethiopia to publicize that the Eritrean nationalist struggle was as a religious and tribal insurgency led by Islamic fanatic.

In the early 1970s there was a question about the death of Dr Fistum in the ELF. Dr Fitsum could be one of of the Addis Ababa University students who was recruited by Kidane Kiflue in the mid 1960. In 1970 Dr Fitsum and other members of GUES accused Kiyada Ama (ELF leadership) of murdering Kidane and Giday. This was at the meeting of Eritrean students in Munich in the summer which Dr Fistum chaired. After this meeting member of GUES split into two group. However, Dr Fistum joined the ELF which was the probable cause of his mysterious death in 1971. Huri Tedla who was one of the supporters of the ELF at the Munich meeting in 1970, and in 1971 who became vice chair man of the ELF was probably  behind the conspiracy which lead to Dr Fistum killing by the ELF fighter(Abrahale) in 1971. He was a member of the ‘other’ 19-person Executive Committee  Elected by 1st ELF Congress in 1971.

 

Mahmoud Ibrahim Muhammad Saeed (Chekini)
He was the political envoy of zone two (during the period (end 1965 when the ELF divided the Eritrean forces into 4 military administrative zones and then 5). He went to China for training with the first group who went there.

Regarding his death according to the ELF " he was killed (martyred) during the first Eritrean civil war. So, Eritrean lost a brave, intelligent and nationalist hero, in a useless civil war. He had the qualities of promising leadership.". However, according to a reliable sourceMahmoud ibrahim -chekini was murdered in the Sahel, 1971. He was a member of the ‘other’ 19-person Executive Committee  Elected by 1st ELF Congress in 1971.

Habte Selassie was executed for having allegedly “spied” for the Ethiopian Government and the CIA in 1975. Regarding this Ammar (2004) states that Habte-Selassie was killed for having  know to much about the meetings at Kagnew Station and the differences that emerged among the leaders of the faction. Indeed Habte Selassie played an active role in organizing the meetings at Kagnew Station with Tesfa Michael Georgo. Tesfa Michael Georgo was killed by the EPLF in Addis Abeba in 1993 also for having know the secret talk which was held between Issays and Richard Copeland, from the CIA .(According to some source his true name is Miles Copeland who reruited Abdel Nasser) Find more about the story of Issayas secret meeting with the CIA representative in the early 1970.

Similar to the 11 former government ministers and EPLF leaders (G15) who were  arrested 2001, Tewolde Eyob was arrested, in 1975 without having committed any crime.   Tewelde was arrested as a result of a conspiracy by Mesfin Hagos and Solomon W/Mariam after he disagreed with them and other members of the EPLF leadership over the arrest of the ringleaders of Menka . Tewolde who split from the ELF
in 1969  said that in terms of respect for justice he could not see any difference between the ELF and EPLF leaderships. Consequently  he, too, was  arrested in 1975 and   was executed in 1980.

Meharena Hadgu who was a former   prisoner  described Tewelde Iyob and  the circumstance how was he arrested  in the following  words

He said let us democratically solve the situation. When it was said this movement was destructive, Tewelde said no, this is a conflict only not a destructive one and we can lead them to the right way, it is not a criminal charge, but was said he
too was against Shabia and eliminated.
The Menka movement started in September and Isayas talked of it in January. A paper is lost written by Tewelde Eyob "at Adobha meeting we claimed our youth were killed and we condemned the ELF. This will be our everlasting condemnation, the case must met democratically changed." He was charged to becoming Menka and secretly demoted from top leadership post. He was imprisoned in June or July of 1974 and killed like the Menka. We all knew he was killed. Nothing is kept secret forever. Some secrets are known from leaders.

Mengisteab  with  other  members of EFLNA participated in the EPLF Organisation’s first congress in the beginning of 1977.  In 1979 the EPLF attituted toward the Soviet was raised. The  undemocratic culture of the EPLF was criticised by member of ENASA.  This protest movement is known in the history of the EPLF's   Na  Semien America Menkiskase.( North America Movement) . Mengisteab Yisaq, the chair of EFLNA/ENASA was also strongly critical of the EPLF foreign policy for not denouncing the Soviet Union. For this reason Megisteab became a target and was murdered by the pro EPLF group in ENASA. Hagos kisha who was a member of this group  continued his destructive role by splitting the ENASA and condemning the Mengisteab Yisaq's group. He was also involved  in collaboration with the EPLF leaders  in asking  Tewdros Hadgebes who was from the Mengisteab Yisaq's group  to visit the field(Meda) where he was   executed on 21/2/80 at the EPLF's prison Halewa Sewra. Read full story of this

Azieb  a former member of the ENASA  described   the EPLF in the following  words  
"Shabia has a long history of killing its own people. Had  the ELF-NA (6) been in the field in Eritrea, they, too would have been  Shabia victims, just like Menka"
.               Afwork, Azieb  (  2002)

 

Many of  the university  graduates or students who newly joined the EPLF  in 1975 became victims of the EPLF leaders because   either they were educated or had links with the leader of the Bitsay Menkiskas,   Goitom Berhe. Goitom Berhe  a law graduate of Addis Ababa  joined  the EPLF  in 1972
and translated a number of Marxist works to Tigrigna in 1975 .
According to Fitwi (2004) Goitom  wrote an article 'Who is the revolutionary?' handwritten in 30 pages. I and Alem Abraha read it at night with kerosene lamp, though it was forbidden to read the article. About two weeks from then, Goitom was taken away and never seen again. Alem Abraha was soon taken and killed. As Fitwi stated,   in 1976 Goitom Berhe with his group were arrested  on allegation of forming an
underground movement called 'the Eritrean Revolutionary Party’and  for his opposition to the arrest of   Menka leaders,. Following  his arresting  all  the  literatures he translated were collected and burnt in 1976 ,
Goitom and other  suspected ring-leaders were executed in 1980.     Regarding this, Sherman( 1980:64) stated that in 1976 perhaps as many as 200 young EPLF   intellectuals were arrested. Many were executed for “radicalism” for
following an alleged Maoist line or sometime known as Bitsay Menkiskas. Some of the victims included: Goitom Berhe, executed in 1978 at Gerger; 2)Mesih Russom, executed in 1980 at Arag ;3) Tewolde Eyob, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 4)Teclai Ghebre-Kristos, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 5)Michael Bereketeab,executed in 1980 at Arag ; 6) Haile Yohannesom, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 7) Samuel Ghebre-Dingil, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 8)Bereket Haile, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 9) Memhir Tecle Habte-Tsion, executed in 1980 at Arag ;10 Alem Abraha, executed in 1980 at Arag and others.

In 1978 there was  another  policy of purge and liquidation  against Solomon and his group within the EPLF which will be mentioned briefly later. By coincident in the
same year, there was also the declaration of war on the alleged Yemanwi kinfi (right wing) in 1978 by the ELF leadership in which many patriots were killed and liquidated by special ELF units in Dankalia. Among them were those 10 veterans ELF fighters who were killed by the ELF force in a place called Ibbi, Dankalia on 22 May 1978 were
1)Saed Hussien co-founder of the ELF in Cairo in 1960, 2)Omer M. Suba, 3)Ahmed Ibrahim 4) Omer M.Omer5)Haji Saleh 6)Ibrahim Mahder
7)M.Mansur 8) M.Shedeli Ismail 9)Abdu Idris A. 10)Adem Ibrahim Al Haj

 

The liquidation of the 10 veterans ELF fighters were confirmed by Ahemed Naser who was the chair man of the ELF at that time in the following
We foiled this reactionary project by resolutely liquidating these elements on May 22, 1978. The Eritrean Liberation Army units assigned this duty executed it perfectly.” One of those martyrs was Hussen the founder of the ELF in Cairo with Taha. Referring the ELF liquidation policy in 1970s there is also a report from other source about individual fighters who questioned the ELF leadership’s corruption and division were placed into the security’s hand and interrogated, imprisoned, tortured and killed

In the EPLF there was also a policy of purge and liquidation  on the alleged Yemanwi kinfi (right wing) in 1978. Yemanawyan Menkiskas was the continuation of the democratisation movement. This movement against corruption in 1977-1978 was when most of the town had been liberated by the EPLF.Among those fighters killed for criticism against corruption of the EPLF leaders 1) Dr Eyob Ghebre-leul, educated in the USSR, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 2) Mehari Ghirma-Tsion, educated in the USSR who joined the EPLF withHaile Menkorias 1972, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 3) Ghebre-Michael Meharizghi; Addis Abeba university graduate, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 4) Hibret Tesfa-Ghaber, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 5) Kidane Abeito, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 6) Fissehaye Kidane (Germen), executed in 1980 at Arag ; 7) Haile Jebha, former EPLF interrogation section chief, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 8) Araya Semere, executed in 1980 at Arag ; 9) Ammanuel Filansa; 10) Solomon Wolde-Mariam, key EPLF leader between 1970-1977,executed in 1988 at Hishkeb and, others. Mogos Fassil, Addis Ababa law graduate, narrowly escaped death by fleeing from gun-point.

In the 1980s Said Saleh, Woldedawit Temesgen, Idris Hangela, Mahmud Hasseb Haile Garz and others were also killed by the EPLF security inside Sudan. Although there is no written information about the ELF crime inside Sudan in the1980s, the ELF wasn’t innocent from committing crimes inside Sudan in the1980s. Haile Garza was killed with the conspiracy of the ERA head by the EPLF security in 1987 just after returining from the Conference which was held in Oslo.read more

ኢሰያስ እቲ ዕሉል ገበነኛ

Some victims of Issayas during 1970s and 1980s listed by Alem Tesfay 2003
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 1980.

Purge and liquidation in the EPLF 1973-1980s

Halewa Sewra Gestapo section of the EPLF ንተጋደልቲ ዘሳቕዩን ዝቕጥቕጡን ካብ ዝነበሩ አባላት ሓለዋ ሰውራ

PFDJ fascistic crimes

Prisons and Torture Methods