Ten Fighters Executed in Dankalia ELF 1978
The title
of the book is Shuhuda al teshih (in Arabic). From the files of the Eritrean
Revolution
Next page:
This is a present for all the families of the fallen martyrs. Those who tried
to amend the revolution
Third page:
For all Eritrean countrymen, for those betrayed by their own and sinfully
killed in Dankalia, this a humble narration. They were
killed in 22 May 1978 in a place called Ibbi.
The booklet
is in memory for the orphans of the martyrs and for the freedom of
Also for
the two-year celebration of the independence of
This is aimed to amend the wrong way the
ELF-RC took and that the communist party was misleading the front and these
fighters took responsibility to correct it. Because of the coming of this
party, the Labour Party, the ELF was disintegrating.
Their reason to split from ELF that time was
the wrong administration of the leadership importing a workers union and
communist ideology that was not in accordance to our people and these splitting
fighters aim was to correct it.
The leadership of ELF was once against EPLF
and other times in friendly terms. The ELF leadership have forgotten the masses
that should have a say in the matters
Those not following the orders of the
leadership were imprisoned, tortured and killed. Some were degraded from their
ranks and incompatible persons were leading them. Those who had served loyally
for many years and fought bravely was not regarded and new ones were placed
above them.
While a third of
To deviate the
forces from their problems, they started unnecessary internal battles that took
all the focus of the people in it. This was demoralizing the people and
gladdening the enemy.
The leadership looked to the Derg as
democratic, nationalist, and progressive government and praised it. They sent a
press release in
The leadership eliminated worthy, experienced
fighters and replaced them with yes men of their own who had no ideology or
knowledge. They were showing false hooray in the mass media and defamed those
they opposed. This led to the people becoming reluctant from the front. They
were reshuffling the administrators of the 12 regions.
Because of all this, the brave fighter Said
Hussien upon being freed from prison saw the alarming situation and was
compelled to react. They started campaigning to eradicate corruption etc.
Comrade Said Hussien was one of the first members
of 1961 and participated in the struggle with Idris Awate. And because the
people blessed this struggle and because he was fedayeen, he was caught trying
an operation at the Asmera airport. He was sentenced for 18 years of
imprisonment.
In 1975 when ELF freed the prisoners in
Omer Suba was training some fighters in a
place called Debra in Amba Soira. The military and political admininstrators
came to agreement with Omer Suba to provide the 80 trainees with what they
needed. The Labour Party came to know about this secret training camp and sent
their members Ali Ishaq and Ahmed Haw who tried to infiltrate Said Hussien and
group’s movement to find out their secrets. The military chief had met with
Said’s group in SalaE DaEro, that the training was to
be stopped, as the Labour party knew about it.
When this training was discovered, the
administrators of region 10, Akele Guzai, Mahmoud Beshir and Osman Ezaz went
directly to
The group
then decided to move from Amba Soira to a suitable place for them in Dankalia.
The military head (Abdella Idris) had agreed to this group’s movement because
he had disagreement with the security chief (Melake Tekle). That the head of
political office (Herui Tedla) tried to take the position of becoming military
head as he was in conflict with the military head. To fulfil his goal, Herui
gathered thousands of Kebessa fighters who were later known as the Falool.
The number of men who acted were 10. But those with the aim and sympathizing were many.
These 10 men were to select a suitable place for their base and thus travelled
first. They started their journey from
The place the provisions disembarked was
called Barentua 21.5.1978. From there they proceeded to the mountains and waterless
desert called Idd and received there by other fighters. The reason they chose
this harsh place was that was suitable for them. There they filled barrels with
water.
The two traitors among them slaughtered
meat for them and fed them. These traitors were from ELF who belonged to the
communist and Labour party and told to spy on the group pretending they were
with the group and travelled to Dankalia with them. These two knew the area
well. They ate well and slept pleasant the first night.
The next
day, just like the traitors were told to mix sedative tablets on their food and
tea it was done, because they could not confront the group militarily. These
men were veteran fighters with many deeds and known for their bravery. As all
traitors do, they had to lure these brave fighters to weakness by the pills on
the remaining meat and tea. The narcotic did its effect and the group began
sleeping.
Then
another group of armed fighters with their leader were brought who without
inquiring or hesitating were ordered to stand one on the head of each sleeping
fighter and aimed their weapons on them. Still not asking why, they shot the
sleeping fighters one on the forehead and one on the belly. This way, these 10
fighters were murdered in a primitive and un-nationalistic, non-revolutionary
and non-religious manner.
The 10 were not even questioned what their
aim was and not examined but were summarily executed. There was no detail or
names mentioned of the traitors, only that they were two amongst the 10.
The reason they chose Dankalia by its being
suitable to live undetected and defend themselves
better. It was far from the power mongering, tribalist and religionist faction
areas and was secluded from all these and peaceful.
The ELF was not revolutionary as supposed
with many backward tendencies, which were making the struggle fall, and these
men were unduly silenced before they could inform the other fighters of the
tendencies.
The 10 worked too hurriedly though they were
veteran fighters it’s being their fault and thus failed. They were against the
tribalist, religionist and sub nationalistic divisions and power hunger. They
had many followers. After these men were killed, the aim was broken and it
disappeared with out leadership. They had followers in the field,
But those who were corrupting the struggle
for their power’s sake did not stay long after the 10. And as they had feared
for, the whole ELF front was broken and scattered. The 21 thousand fighters who
had modern heavy and small weapons were dispersed. Some were disarmed by the
Sudanese at the border and some of the weapons turned into the Derg’s hands and
some sold in the black market.
Many
individual fighters who questioned the leadership’s corruption and division
were placed into the security’s hand and interrogated, imprisoned, tortured and
killed. What the 10 men had feared happened, the downfall of their front, they
being executed as a group.
(A fighter
there in that time, wishing to be anonymous told me his group was given water
canteens and the Ethiopian forces soon took uniforms of the group’s and that
one of the land rover. They had different weapons also anti aircraft missiles.
That the man who told on them was called A Shum)
1. Martyr Saed Hussien Mohammed.
He was born
in 1935 in the
Being a
mindful and brave man, he recruited many fighters to join the front. To make
the Eritrean cause publicized in the world, he became one of the first
fedayeens while fighters struggled in the front.
He was
successful in many deeds and once while trying to hijack an airplane in Asmera,
with his comrade Mohammed Birhan they were discovered and caught. High
officials like Abey Abebe asked him to work with them and he would be given
high position but he refused. He was then sentenced for fifteen years
imprisonment and taken to Alem Bekagn prison and was there for 12 years.
Then in 1975
he was transferred to
2. Omer
Mohammed Suba
He was born
in 1948 in Sanako. His education level was elementary school. He joined the
front in 1962. Because of his tender age, he was not allowed to fight but worked
in towns like spreading pamphlets and errands of the front. The Ethiopians soon
discovered him and in 1964 he entered Kessela.
Soon he and
other comrades requested to join the front and were allowed to do so. He later
was placed under the division of Omer Azaz and in 1965 transferred to another
place. He was in the mortar section and became a haili leader.
The brave
Omer Suba participated in many battles and the fiercest battle he was in was
Derabush front. There the renowned Ethiopian spy called Girmai was killed
there. Girmai was head of the militia. He was known to have mishandled,
suppressed, tortured and killed Eritreans.
Girmai had
earlier participated in a battle where he killed the brave Omer Yahya. Because
Omer Yahya was huge in posture, Girmai claimed he was a fighter leader and
beheading him, he took the head to the Ethiopians.
Omer Suba
got the opportunity to revenge for Omer Yahya. He killed Girmai and beheaded
him taking the head back to the front. This was in 31 October 1965. And in 1966
he was in another battle of Kara-kom, and in 21.11.1966 he was in a battle of
Adi Shiekh where Ethiopian officers were killed in.
In mid 70s, he was transferred to
Qaid-al-katiba administration, went to
In 1962 (or
72?) he went to Om Hager and then met with Said Hussien.
3. Omer Mohammed Omer.
It does not
state when or where he was born. As a student he joined the students group and
did activities in towns. He went to Bahr Dar to the Technical school and
continued with his activities in
He was
discovered by the Ethiopian security and returned to
Because the
general’s bodyguards had new and automatic weapons, Omer Mohammed was wounded
and his comrade could not save him. He was caught by the horrible security. He
was beaten and tortured and yet he gave out nothing and was sentenced to hang.
He, Ahmed
Saleh Mohammed Omer and Abdul Kadir Burhan were to be hanged that Sunday when ELF
freed all prisoners on the eve, the Saturday.
4. Ahmed
Ibrahim Mohammed
He was born
in 1950 in Asala Nebegedi. He studied to high school and in 1964 became
involved with the revolution. Ahmed Ibrahim grew up with his parents in
Mendefera until he finished high school in 1964. He was a good football player
as a goalkeeper and was well known in Mendefera.
He started
spreading pamphlets and collected contributions from the people but he was soon
discovered by the Ethiopian government and with his mate called Burhan, was
caught. They were imprisoned as anti nationalists in a juvenile section for 4
months but were not harshly treated because of their young age.
In November
(what year? 64) he went to
In 1978 he
returned to the front and saw what others had already observed the front
leadership being corrupted.
He had
three children but he did not raise them. His daughter living in
5. Mohammed
Yassin Haji Saleh
He was born
in 1944 in Asmera, with high school education. He joined the front in 1964. His
father was a guard at the Massawa airport. He started school in 1951 and lived
in Twalet area of Massawa until he finished high school there.
He took a 6
months course of ‘financa’ in 1960 and started working as an fnansa soldier. He
was posted in a village called Adebra near the Sudanese border for 6 months. He
was then transferred to Tesenei and then to Tokombia.
In 1964
with 4 others they took their weapons 10 ‘Abu Ashera’ with 100-200 bullets and
went to the field. They participated in many battles and were put in the
communications section of the front.
He had
observed the bad leadership of the front and started to communicate with the
dissidents and was thus killed with them at last.
6. Mohammed
Suliman Ibrahim Mahder.
He was born
in the 1950s in Soira village. He went in elementary school and in 1974 joined
the front in 24.4.1974. He fought whole-heartedly, participated in different
battles, and was known for his bravery.
He observed
the corruption of the leadership and how it retarded the pace and the
tribalist, religion and clan divisions. He became one of the dissidents and at
last was met with their fate of being executed.
7 Mohammed Mansur.
He was born
in 1952 in GindAe town. With high school education joined the front in the 70s
and was in the ranks.
As the
others, he too observed the corruption of the leadership of the revolution. He
became one of the reforming group to better the front found out there were
dissidents. He joined them and was also one of the victims of the executions.
8. Mohammed
Shedeli Ismail
He was born
in 1956 in Adi Keyeh. He finished high school and joined the front in 1971. He
contributed to the struggle, worked as fedayeen in Adi Keyeh and surroundings,
and was a brave fighter.
In 1973 he
was captured by the enemy and taken to Asmera. There the Israeli trained
security soldiers tortured him and he suffered a lot but leaked out nothing. He
stayed in prison until 1975 until he was freed with other prisoners from
Asmera.
Seeing the
corrupted form of leadership, he was one of those wishing to reform the
leadership and joined the dissident group. They were cut short from fulfilling
their aim. They were sedated with poison and killed.
9. Abdu
Idris Abdu
He was born
in 1949 and grew up in Geredef – Nebegedi After elementary school and read the
Koran, joined the front in 1967. The Ethiopian soldiers were massacring and
harassing his birth area, which led him to fight for his people’s liberation.
In 1970 he was wounded in a battle
He too
found the front disagreeable and with his confidents tried to reform it.
10. Adem
Ibrahim Al Haj
He was born
in 1949 in the
He was
wounded in a battle and moving away for medication to
He saw the
destruction of the front and like his mates tried to reform it.
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COMMENTS OF DIFFERENT PERSONS
It states
in the book that it was written 2 years after the liberation of
In 1978 a
high official from the front came to Jedda and held a meeting to the people.
The representative said in the seminar that they had destroyed a dangerous
group, and with fek-era (boasting). It was later all in the leadership started
denying he or the other was not present in the case. That was when they saw
they had no support from the people. They did not name the persons or details
but that the dangerous force was destroyed.
Their
supporters in
Mohammed Mansur’s brother was a good singer with the song “Simbil –
Simbil”, Ahmed Mansur, from Ginda.
Omer Suba’s wife and daughter were living in Kessela. She was
told there.
These brave
fighters who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of their people and
being one of the first fighters should have been known what their aim or wish
was. Instead they were killed in unjust way and silenced forever. They have the
right to be remembered for the sacrifice they did.
These and
many others who were bravely fighting should be remembered in history. We all
learn from history of our past. A front tells of the hardships, actions,
events, experiences etc and these and others should be part of the history.
The secret
was buried with them. And ELF did not proceed long after them. Their supporters
were dispersed.
These
same leadership are now in relationship with
(These men
knew what the stakes were that they could lose their lives and yet they were
determined to advance with their plan. They could have lived abroad and built
good lives for themselves.
Many brave
fighters have sacrificed their lives for the sake of their beloved people and
save their comrades. Stories have been told verbally and not much in writing.
There were also stories of fighters being killed by their own front and since
then considered as traitors or sectarians.
The story
of these men was part of the struggle history and it can be an example of one
part of our history. )
* * *
Mohammed
Omer was never afraid. He was wounded while shooting at a general in middle of
Asmera.
The
leadership of still now are again splitting the oppositions.
The Jebha
leaders were wooing Sabbe so as to finish EPLF. They were black naming Sabbe
and when Sabbe split with EPLF, Jebha gave him place
inside Jebha administrated areas to hit EPLF. This was the main reason for the
Falul movement.
When we
started fighting the Sabbe group and we drove them to
Dugul Falul means
leftovers from Falul who were not at that time discovered. Dugul means hot coal
covered in ashes. Same to the Yemin, the remaints were labelled as Dugul Yemin.
* *
*
All the 10
were known and brave fighters of ELF. They were leaders of Battalions, brigades
or heads of security. Said Hussien was member of the Revolutionary Council.
There were
naturally disagreements in ELF but these made direct contact with Osman Sabbe.
Their movement started in
Because
they were known fighters they had expected to campaign in that area and get
supporters, also to spread inside the fighters of ELF. These were their aims.
The problem was that they came as another front.
The member
who leaked on them told all the details that they were with Sabbe and when and
where they were to enter Dankalia. When they crossed the
Said
Hussien was known for having tried to hijack a plane in 1963 and member of the
leadership, in short a known fighter. He had finished his education in
These 10
men were not the Yemin. The Yemin were trying to make a Jihad action inside the
front, like Hamed Turki and Said Hussien himself one of the 10. The 10 were not
given any name.
The Yemin
were not killed but were imprisoned until ELF split.
* * *