Woldeab Woldemariam, (1908 – 1995), was born in the village of Adi Zarna on 27.07.1908. He finished his studies at Swedish Evangelical Missionary Teachers Institute in 1931. He taught at the school from 1931 – 1942. He was the director of the school from 1935 – 1942. He later became the Tigrinya editor of the Eritrean weekly News. He was one of those who were behind the Walaa Bet Ghirghis that took place between 6 – 22 November, 1946. When it split he took side of the Independence Bloc. In 1949 he established the newspaper ‘Hanti Eretra’ He contributed a lot to the independence movement through his articles. He authored a number of books that included ‘Fidel Tigrinya’ in 1932 and ‘Figre Meriet’-soils erosion in 1948. He was one of those who translated the ‘Eritrean Constitution’ to Tigrinya.. After several assassination attempts which caused him several injuries, he had to stay inside a hotel for 14 months and worked from there and when the unionist thugs could not find him, they bribed his guards to poison him. After the 7th attempt, he left his country in 1953 first to Sudan and later to Egypt where he started a radio broadcast ‘Voice of Eritrea’.
It is interesting to note that the Ethiopian Government gave him a passport and allowed to leave the country through Asmara Airport and he left through an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Sudan on 19.07.1953 as Zewdie Retta recalls in his book on Eritrea 1941 -1963. He notes that Tedla Bairu sent his secretary, Gebre Meskel Haile to the airport. He wanted to deny him travel but he was told that the airport is under the Ethiopian Goverment's responsibility. Zewde describes him as the 'dignified refugee' - Yetekeberu Sedetgna
The broadcast was closed in 1956 when Haile Sellasie supported Egypt during the Suez Invasion. Besides Sudan and Egypt he lived in several Arab countries, Europe and the USA. When the ELF split he joined the PLF and later ended up fully embracing the EPLF.
As someone who grew up in Agordat during the early years of the armed struggle and who felt almost the daily brutality, not only of the Ethiopian army 'Tor Serawit' , but also the brutality of Eritrean collaborators who were even crueler, Woldeab was my idol. As one of the few Christians who stood for Eritrean independence during the 40s and 50s, I admired him, but I have to admit I was disappointed by some remarks he made in the late 1980s, in support of the EPLF exclusionary policies. Dr. Habte Tesfamariam recalls that Woldeab called for the formation of a Christian based organization. Irrespective of that he remains one of icons of Eritrea’s independence.
Source: Italian records as translated by Jelal Yassin and other various sources
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http://www.ehrea.org/habt.php
Dr. Habte recalls in anterview with Awate.com in 2003 . I met him ( Woldeab). And in one of those sessions, he said to me:
“My son Habte, what is called ‘Jebha’ is a Moslem organization; it is not our organization. If we as Christians are to participate in this struggle, first we must form a Christian organization. And when we build an army equal to their army, we say to them, here, you have this much army and we have this much army; therefore, let’s combine them together and lead them equally.”
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To the Danish Newspaper, 'Berlingske Tidende' of 17 November 1987, he claims he was one of the founding members of both ELF and EPLF (which is not true). He said EPLF became necessary because the ELF was dominated by Muslims and their viewpoints. To another Danish Newspaper, 'Politken' 18.11.1987 he stated that Eritrea is a Christian land and that free Eritrea is the one that is to be based on peoples values and Christian values.But to the Norwegian Newspaper, 'Morgenbladet' 13th October 1987, he stated that the ELF did not want to have him with them, because he was a Christian and they wanted to reserve the liberation movement just for Muslims. He stated, "I asked them many times to recruit other Christians, even if they did not want me, but was rejected. The liberation movement was not for a specific religion, so EPLF was formed"
Source: Italian records as translated by Jelal Yassin and other various sources
------------------
http://www.ehrea.org/habt.php
Dr. Habte recalls in anterview with Awate.com in 2003 . I met him ( Woldeab). And in one of those sessions, he said to me:
“My son Habte, what is called ‘Jebha’ is a Moslem organization; it is not our organization. If we as Christians are to participate in this struggle, first we must form a Christian organization. And when we build an army equal to their army, we say to them, here, you have this much army and we have this much army; therefore, let’s combine them together and lead them equally.”
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To the Danish Newspaper, 'Berlingske Tidende' of 17 November 1987, he claims he was one of the founding members of both ELF and EPLF (which is not true). He said EPLF became necessary because the ELF was dominated by Muslims and their viewpoints. To another Danish Newspaper, 'Politken' 18.11.1987 he stated that Eritrea is a Christian land and that free Eritrea is the one that is to be based on peoples values and Christian values.But to the Norwegian Newspaper, 'Morgenbladet' 13th October 1987, he stated that the ELF did not want to have him with them, because he was a Christian and they wanted to reserve the liberation movement just for Muslims. He stated, "I asked them many times to recruit other Christians, even if they did not want me, but was rejected. The liberation movement was not for a specific religion, so EPLF was formed"
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