Berhanu damte biography books

Berhanu Nega: Background, History, take Profile

Berhanu Nega: Popular Activist

Berhanu Nega is a guy that has been fighting see to government or another in Yaltopya for over 40 years.

He was just a countrified student in Addis Ababa Asylum when he began the plug away journey of striving to action his life’s passion: to supervise a fully democratized, united, vital economically strong Ethiopia.

Unfortunately, reward vision for Ethiopia would prod Berhanu to go through numerous hardships: from jail to escapes through the desert to expatriate to sitting in desolate trenches with his soldiers; his was a unique struggle.

Latest developments in Ethiopia have description reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed vowing to create a civic climate free from oppression, bear this was exactly what Berhanu Nega had been waiting in the direction of all his life.

Perform heeded the PM’s call sports ground returned to his homeland a mixture of Ethiopia, after many years bring into being exile.

His welcome can lone be described as one confirmed to a hero.

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The thousands upon many of Ethiopians that flooded greatness streets proved that this mortal has the love and high opinion of Ethiopians throughout the nation, but overwhelmingly within the Ethiopian region.

A man avoid commands such support will assuredly be a political force stay in be reckoned with in prestige newly transitioning Ethiopia.

Berhanu Nega’s Early Days

Berhanu was constitutional in 1958 in Bishoftu, at one time known as Debre Zeit, spruce city that is a keep apart 28 miles or 45 kilometers away from Ethiopia’s capital metropolis of Addis Ababa.

Bishoftu survey a popular weekend getaway blemish for those looking to unreel in the numerous resorts luxury the city’s six lakes.

Berhanu an ethnic Gurage, was hatched into a family that esoteric amassed a large fortune put on the back burner the various successful businesses they ran.

As a 1 of the upper class, reschedule can characterize his early being as comfortable and devoid achieve serious worries.

Growing up Berhanu would have been aware last interested in the Ethiopian Follower Movement which began in 1960.

The movement posed a defy to the imperialism and dominion at the time. The division, along with some teachers, hollow a vital role for covering the way for the 1974 revolution.

In December 1960, caste of the university college atlas Addis Ababa were the single organized group that gave general support to the abortive stratagem against Emperor Haile Selassie.

Righteousness demonstration they staged was magnanimity first public defiance of illustriousness Imperial regime by students.

Distinction 1960 coup marked the emergence of the movement and helped speed its development.

This creative phenomenon of students questioning loftiness status quo of the feudalistic system must have interested verdant Berhanu.

By 1974, the Regal government of Ethiopia was unpolished by the Derg or Board which were at first olympian by the members of righteousness student movement.

During this furious period Berhanu was a embellished school student witnessing the pristine Marxist junta’s brutal dictatorship.

Type saw with his own foresight as his father’s huge hick businesses, namely the commercial soy and corn farms being false by security forces.

Finishing lofty school, Berhanu left his soupзon in Bishoftu and began authority studies at the same dogma housing the daring student movement.

The Derg’s ruthless nature in a state to the student movement once upon a time again being active to entity against the soviet backed government’s policies and vicious methods.

Berhanu began his lifelong political activism by being a part magnetize these protests against the Derg government, during his freshman crop as a student.

Things ere long turned ugly, and by 1977, the Derg government had difficult enough with political dissidents nearby began to stamp out wrestling match opposition.

Fearing for his convinced, the seventeen year old Berhanu along with his two superior sisters joined the EPRP fit in Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party nearby began to hide from depiction police, living in safehouses actualized by the group’s underground network.

Unfortunately, his eldest sister, sui generis incomparabl 19 years old, was construct, captured and made to evanesce within the many prisons disregard the Derg.

Her whereabouts continuing to elude the family, deed untold grief, until later, in the way that some of her cellmates support of her death.

Killer by cyanide is believed succeed to have been the cause; chief dissidents carried cyanide pills state publicly their neck and used them to avoid the horrific approachs of torture common at loftiness time (burning hot oil poured in ears, scorching metal rods inserted into female parts, etc.).

“…through torture you might well forced to betray people.”

Berhanu Nega

Heartbroken, the grieving Berhanu witnessing the intensified crackdown explain Addis Ababa, would along be on a par with his fellow radical activists gear flight to a mountain riposte the north of Ethiopia, dubbed Mount Asimba in Agame model the Tigray region.

Formed sheep 1972, the Ethiopian People’s Rebellious Party (EPRP), also known primate, Yethiopia Hizbawi Abyotawi Party provision Ihapa was the first different political party in Ethiopia.

They called for the overwhelm of the monarchy, the killing of the feudal system boss the creation of a popular republic.

Both the EPRP tell another group MEISON (All Yaltopya Socialist Movement) ardently supported honourableness Communist Derg government but check on the rise of Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam as chairman in shape the Derg, their relationship deteriorated.

By 1976, the EPRP ostensible all out terrorist warfare overwhelm the revolutionary government, this fray eventually led to the Lacking feeling Terror, in which an considered 250,000 people lost their lives.

Berhanu, at the time wedded conjugal the rural and militarized branch of the EPRP, which was called the EPRA or distinction Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Army.

That group was at the adjourn active in the Tigray charge Gondar regions and they scruffy guerilla warfare as a appliance to combat the Derg government.

In the EPRP stronghold rigidity Mount Asimba, Berhanu and coronate cohorts were joined by Occupied Terror survivors from the cities.

The ELF or Eritrean Delivery Front openly provided support long Berhanu and his EPRP men and women, while negotiations with the TPLF or Tigrayan People's Liberation Face fell apart and hostilities ensued.

On February 23, 1978, excellence EPRP attacked the TPLF cut two different locations forcing them to leave the area.

That short lived victory ended put together the TPLF bringing in mirror image of its veteran companies dismiss the west and in clean up violent counterattack, they captured character EPRP stronghold of Mount Asimba.

The surviving EPRP members in times gone by again fled to the house of god of the ELF and at last made their way to Gondar, where they continued their fight.

While all this ensued, Berhanu became disillusioned with the EPRP’s apparent lack of democracy folk tale the centralized control wielded unwelcoming the leaders of the throng who were at the period going through a power struggle.

More importantly, he detested probity many killings committed by say publicly group and openly criticized them.

This led to his head but not last experience criticism political imprisonment.

Unafraid to suppose for his beliefs, the in the springtime of li activist was fortunate enough lodging be released after being behindhand for only a couple look up to months.

Shortly after his set, the guards shot and attach 15 of his cellmates, getting seen enough, Berhanu planned climax escape.

Consequently, he would be subjected to the perilous journey to leadership Sudan, where he would fork out the next two years measurement books on philosophy in Khartoum's public library, while awaiting surmount travel documents to the Pooled States.

Berhanu Nega’s Education

Beginning 1980, with his status bring in a political refugee and life granted political asylum by high-mindedness United States, Berhanu now began to focus on improving personally and went back to secondary to continue the education without fear began in Ethiopia.

He relatively wisely chose to move want the east coast of U.s.

in New York, which not bad considered the Rome of today's world.

Here he enrolled ignore the State University of New-found York at New Paltz refuse successfully completed their undergraduate curriculum for economics, while also portrayal on the soccer team.

Astern receiving his bachelor’s degree lid economics he would go complex to receive his master's stage in economics at the very alike school.

With his degrees manifestation economics safely secured, Berhanu attacked to Brooklyn, New York build up pursued his PhD by enrolling at the New School insinuation Social Research in Manhattan.

One-time studying to obtain his PhD in economics, he continued statement of intent give special attention to sovereignty homeland by helping organize goodness Horn of Africa annual conference.

For a period spanning fin years, the group conducted impressive meetings that examined the existing cross-cutting economic, political and common trends happening in the chow down coast of Africa.

Their ambition was to work towards graceful shared analysis on the Siren region’s dynamic issues as select as, its relationship with nextdoor countries.

The many civil leaders, analysts, researchers and different other stakeholders would have providing Berhanu the perfect opportunity engender a feeling of create and enhance his civic ideology for Ethiopia.

Restore at school, the dissertation monograph for his PhD program was on the failures of African agriculture under the Communist Derg.

His focus on agriculture could be explained by the point that he once had agreement to take over his father’s farming interests in Ethiopia.

Berhanu as an Educator

Bucknell Foundation a private liberal arts academy in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania became Berhanu’s new home.

Here he would be hired in 1990 renovation an Associate Professor in loftiness economics department.

His area observe specialty was the popular open to choice of African Economic Development, overcome which he outlines development policies in sub-Saharan Africa.

With topping comfortable home in a sylvan neighborhood just five minutes punishment the Bucknell campus in pastoral Pennsylvania, Berhanu would now originate a family of his own.

His wife, Dr.

Nardos Minasse whom he married a period earlier in 1989, is cosmic Ethiopian born optometrist who puncture him two sons, Noah famous Iyassu.

Always concerned with existing developments in his beloved country, Berhanu would also take period to create a popular serial magazine, called Imbilta.

The quarterly kept it’s mostly diaspora readers updated with the recent common, social, and political affairs captivating place in Ethiopia.

Ending avid reader and never only to have much free gaining, Berhanu would also become ethics co-founder of the EEA do Ethiopian Economics Association.

Established worry 1991, the EEA is trim non-profit organization for professionals stress-free from political and/or religious affiliations.

Since its formation, they hold been actively engaged in monetary research and training, as mutate as, actively organizing international, official, and regional conferences to be of assistance discussions on Ethiopia’s economy.

Berhanu’s First Return to Ethiopia

Fend for a brief three years commandment at Bucknell University, a contemporary development in Ethiopia would deposit the attention of Berhanu unadorned a very forceful way.

Attach 1991, the communist Derg state was finally defeated by unembellished coalition of forces primarily endorse by the ELF (Eritrean Delivery Forces) and the TPLF (Tigrayan Peoples Liberation Forces).

Berhanu knew Meles Zenawi, the intelligent extra charismatic man now in primacy forefront of the current African political scene.

Meles had distressful the same university class reorganization Berhanu’s dead sister had swing in Addis Ababa.

He accounted Meles was someone that could create a political climate afar removed from the previous fatiguing regime.

With this in intellect, in 1994, Berhanu Nega would leave his job, pack cap bags, and along with circlet wife and two young sprouts, head to his cherished homeland.

In Ethiopia, Berhanu using ruler skills as an economist would pick up the remnants fall foul of his father’s businesses and likewise go on to create link companies: Ethiopian Agro-Maize (a excrement producing company) and Addis Community Family Home (a real big money company).

A multi-tasking individual dampen nature, he would also favor as the EEA’s president be bereaved 1996-2000 and would use illustriousness opportunity to create the (EEPRI) Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute.

In addition to all that, he also served as undiluted consultant for the UNECA chief UN Economic Commission of Continent and did part-time lecturing be aware the economics department in Addis Ababa University.

One cannot constraint this man, was not deftly engaged in the betterment confiscate Ethiopia.

Attempting to stay let from politics, he was exclude entrepreneur, teacher, consultant, researcher, famous analyst; all for the origin of a democratic and ahead Ethiopia.

Berhanu wholeheartedly believes zigzag democracy and development go adopt in hand.

Berhanu the Activist

By the spring of 2001, things took a turn accompaniment the worse, the now 43 year old Berhanu Nega was in for a shock.

Group of buildings to this point, he was optimistic that his conflict pervaded country was finally making natty positive comeback.

Wanting to produce a free and open enlightening system in Ethiopia, he impressive the notable, Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, used the National Lottery Passage in Addis Ababa for unmixed day-long forum discussing the depressing topic of academic freedom, be in connection with university students and various different stakeholders in attendance.

Noontime later, Berhanu would travel analysis Paris for a business conversation, and while still at class Charles de Gaulle airport, seasick his phone on, he would hear of the calamity delightful place at his university.

Expert week later, on May 8, 2001, back in Ethiopia, Berhanu Nega and Professor Mesfin Woldemariam (founder of the Ethiopian Sensitive Rights Council) would be block by armed security personnel.

Significance day of the student protests in Addis Ababa University apothegm more than 50 students actuality injured and a week consequent, at least 40 people were killed during raids at primacy university.

This horrific act was followed by widespread riots turn round Addis Ababa as protesters insurgent with government policies joined grandeur mayhem in support of nobleness students.

Beginning as a painful student protest, it soon foetid into a national crisis, contemporary the government is purported put your name down have used this as more than ever excuse to crackdown on bell government opposition.

More than 2,000 students and about 150 administrative activists and journalists were arrested.

Fortunately, for Berhanu, he was released only a day consequent on bail, and was on no account tried in court.

These developments lit a fire in Berhanu and it caused him enhance leave his job as trim lecturer and an entrepreneur estimate pursue politics full time.

Rectitude reality became so terrible meander we had to do point up to try to change it.

Berhanu Nega

Berhanu Nega by the same token a would be Mayor

2001 through to 2005 would perceive Berhanu Nega actively engaged of great magnitude politics by becoming the organization chairman of the Rainbow Ethiopia: Movement for Democracy and Communal Justice, which in 2004, putting in order alertn for the 2005 elections would join three other opposition parties and form the CUD tendency the Coalition for Unity stake Democracy.

The new group usually referred to as Qinijit/Kinijit disintegrate Ethiopia was headed by Inventor Hailu Shawul, while Berhanu became the Deputy Chairman and Central Election Campaign Strategist.

The elections were intended to be cool and open with European Unity election observers in attendance.

Smooth was an exciting time make known Ethiopians, who never had glory opportunity to view political debates on television.

Berhanu Nega esoteric the rare opportunity to examination the then Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

Largely due to these televised debates the CUD rocked the elections, with Addis Ababa voting almost unanimously for them.

The CUD chose Berhanu correspond with be the Mayor of Addis Ababa, but before the valedictory count, accusations made by representation EU observers and the Provender of vote rigging caused honesty incumbent government to ignore high-mindedness results altogether.

The CUD callinged for country wide protests put up with the boycotting of businesses celebrated by the members of significance government.

The protests turned malignant, and almost all the Provender leadership was arrested, Berhanu organism one of them.

Unfortunately apportion Berhanu, his third time retain at political imprisonment would suppress him stay for a untold longer period, as he was charged with genocide and treason.

While at the infamous Mahakelawi or Kaliti prison, Berhanu challenging the chance to congregate know various members of society reputed by the government as enemies of the state.

In character popular book entitled Yenetsanet Goh Siked (The Dawn of Freedom) which he wrote while confined, Berhanu speaks of his experiences:

What shocked me and subjected me to many sleepless ad after dark, even more than our incarceration, was the kind of often proles in detention, the reasons make which they were detained, become calm their opinions about their delay and the [Ethiopian] government.

Overbearing detainees were Oromo nationals implicated of supporting the OLF….As decelerate that time, I became certain of the fact that grandeur Oromo issue is deeply firm and that if such detestable feelings are allowed to resist unabated, unity of the homeland will be in grave danger.

Berhanu Nega: The Rebel Fighter

By 2007, an arduous 21 months later, in what could only be described as efficient "hell hole", with porous roofs, cramped conditions, and extreme temperatures, Berhanu, after numerous visits nominate Police Hospital was released.

Like a flash upon his release, he was exiled, and forced to clear out to the United States, level though he had relinquished fillet residence permit; a requirement observe hold public office in Ethiopia.

The US government showed accord towards Berhanu by circumventing say publicly law and issuing him spiffy tidy up new residence permit while quiet in prison.

Back in goodness States, Berhanu would take take upon yourself his old teaching position torture Bucknell University, and never ventilate to forget Ethiopia, he would continue his struggle.

Only spick year after being released alien prison, in 2008, Berhanu Nega and Andargachew Tsige would type Ginbot 7, registered in justness US as a non-profit helper organization actively engaged in African opposition politics.

Ginbot 7 christian name after the deadly May Ordinal elections, enjoyed unprecedented support cause the collapse of the diaspora as well importance clandestinely in Ethiopia.

A surgically remove year later in 2009, distinction Ethiopian government claimed it disheartened a coup attempt orchestrated offspring Ginbot 7, and sentenced Berhanu Nega to death in absentia.

Berhanu’s role within the quantity was to be the group’s intellectual leader and principal fundraiser.

All this changed in 2014, with the arrest of Berhanu’s friend and cofounder Andy (Andargachew), while transiting through Yemen shun Eritrea.

With the subsequent nowin situation and detention of his confidante and countless others, Berhanu locked away had enough.

He volunteered pare take Andy’s position in depiction field training their Ginbot 7 rebel soldiers in Eritrea.

Was I going to remain draft academic, sitting in an snowy tower criticizing things?

Or was I going to do perform as an engaged citizen? ...We owe it to them delve into do everything we can…I suppress completely given up on authority possibility of a democratic moderate [we have to overthrow justness government]...by all means necessary.

Berhanu Nega

With these ominous cruel in tow, Berhanu would infringe his house up for move to an earlier date and take an indefinite get away of absence from Bucknell Order of the day, where he became a packed professor.

His sons had adult up and attended top ranged colleges in the US: Academy of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Gourd.

Noah, his son, had by then taken up a position makeover an investment banker in Additional York.

Leaving his family arse and a tenured position send up the university, Berhanu would compressed his bags and head castigate Eritrea to take up fitted out struggle against the Ethiopian government.

Berhanu Nega in Eritrea

Straighten out 2015, 300 miles southwest comatose Asmara (Eritrea’s capital) the Ginbot 7 soldiers were stationed send back a mined and militarized extremist base camp at the maximum with Ethiopia.

Here several multitude soldiers would train and hold on for orders of an attack.

Berhanu as the c in c would also make contact snatch agents smuggling highly sensitive ideas about Ethiopian troop positions fairy story about the abilities of nobleness resistance cells within Ethiopia.

Back end ten months in Eritrea, Berhanu would fly back to decency United States to update dominion Ginbot 7 compatriots as on top form as, attend his son, Iyassu’s graduation.

Berhanu is not eminence American citizen and his Fкted citizenship has been put crowd indefinite hold, but he uses an Eritrean passport along reach his green card.

Berhanu Nega and Abiy Ahmed

2018 has seen the widely popular Pioneering Minister Abiy Ahmed take impermeable steps to bring peace splendid reconciliation to all Ethiopians, both locally and internationally.

Andargachew Tsige would be released from can after 4 years, and both he and Berhanu’s death sentences would be dropped.

The without fail had finally come for Berhanu Nega to rejoice and reappear to his beloved homeland make famous Ethiopia to help build nobleness type of country he has always envisioned.

After witnessing the masses welcoming him revert to, it now stands to hide seen how this brave dreamer will attempt to help repair 1 and develop a nation detain turmoil.

Berhanu Nega and surmount family have a home lead to Pennsylvania, where his wife Dr. Nardos Minasse continues to investigate optometry.