Woldie Yenehun: The Hero

Woldie Yenehun was born in Kebtya, Wolqait in a small village of Ayessa Kidanemeheret. Woldie was a farmer and a business man and he was widely known for taking care and standing up for the cause of his family and community. He was a likeable individual and admired by many for his involvement in conflict resolution.

In early 1970s, when TPLF first entered Wolqait, Woldie was one of the first and few who embraced them as liberators from the Derg dictatorial regime. However, the murder of his nephew Asamerew Melese by TPLF cadres allegedly for hunting and killing a baboon broke his heart and could not continue to work for the TPLF. Later he was kept under strict surveillance by TPLF cadres that further forced him to rebel against the Woyane.

Eventually, Woldie organized the local use and started armed resistance against the Woyane, which became a catalyst for more uprisings throughout Wolqait-Tegede. The TPLF cadres were continually under attack and could not fully operate. Many TPLF soldiers were killed particularly near Kabtya, Woldie's hometown.

TPLF could not capture Woldie and often they were loosing every combat operation they conducted against Woldie's rebel forces. They even arrested and tortured his family members in order to force him to disarm. To the dismay of TPLF, this action energized his moral and motivation to fight the TPLF not just for avenging his brother or his family, but rather for the freedom of his community and Wolqait-Tegede at large.

In the later stages of the Ethiopian civil war, the TPLF strengthened its foothold in Wolqait-Tegede and there was no room for the rebel groups such as of that of Woldie Yenehun to operate in guerrilla warfare. Hence, Woldie and his compatriots fled to neighboring Eritrea and started to re-establish their life through trade with the Sudan. Meanwhile, the TPLF continued its search of Woldie and was able to conspire with corrupt Sudanese authorities who arrested Woldie and gave him up to Woyane.

In the process of transferring him to a prison facility, hundreds of residents were cheering Woldie for his bravery and his was emotionally carried away by the support he was receiving. Woldie was heard saying "Fukera" that he doesn't care if he dies and that he has done his fare share to the freedom of his land by killing many Woyane's in the valleys, jungles, and throughout Wolqait-Tegede. The TPLF cadres who were intimidated by this could not handle what he was saying that they brutally shot him right in front of the population. Furthermore, they dragged his body in the streets by a car without any respect to the dead or sense of humanity to further intimidate the local residents.

The death of Woldie may have had silenced the armed movements for a period as the TPLF wished however, hundreds and even thousands of brave young men and women have been born since then that many Wolqait-Tegede Ethiopians have joined the Ethiopian People's Patriotic front (EPPF) in the struggle to free, democratize and maintain Ethiopia's territorial integrity.

As indicated in the previous post titled "Be Ware of the 'Referendum on Wolqait-Tegede' Propaganda," it is this mass movement of the youth to armed groups and the support of the Diaspora that have forced the TPLF to begin a false propaganda of giving the Wolqait-Tegede Ethiopians a referendum on whether to achieve a self governing autonomous region or to join Gonder.

We should not fall for any of TPLF's deceptions and instead we should strengthen our unity and fight this dictatorial regime on all aspects and at all times until its demise. We should continue the fight and the spirit of our hero brother Woldie Yenehun until we achieve our freedom and the freedom our beloved country. Woldie has paved the way to our freedom through his life it is our responsibility that we make sure that all of the sacrifices made for the cause of our people and our land are realized.

***May Woldie Yenehun's Life and the Life of all Martyrs Rest in Peace***

Dil leEthiopia Hizb