Thread by @RemEPOC

▶️Remembering z late Adhanom Gebremariam👇

Remembering #Eritrea|s Conscience Prisoners is also about #Eritrea|s exiled political leaders – alive & dead, people (& their remains) who remain separated from their families, people & nation b/c of their dissenting political views.

Continued, on Biography of Adhanom:

1972 – 1991: Covered with scars - large & small, Adhanom's body bear witness to z many skirmishes, battles & wars that he participated in or directed as rank & file fighter, platoon leader, battalion & brigade commander, all z way up to

heading, in z mid-to-late 1980s, EPLF’s first military divisions. Elected to z central committee at its 2nd congress (1988), in 1989 he was recalled from z frontlines, where he served for almost 26 yrs, & assigned to head z front’s trade department.

1991-2001: After serving as #Eritrea’s 1st Attorney General, playing a major role in establishing z foundation’s for justice & rule of law in z 2 years he stayed at a job, he was elected to z central committee of PFDJ & Eritrea’s National Assembly in 1993, & he went on to serve

as #Seraye’s governor & ambassador to #Scandinavain countries & later to #Nigeria before joining z G-15 in criticizing Mr. Isaias over his autocratic leadership & his incompetent handling of z #BorderWar with #Ethiopia. He only escaped imprisonment during z Sept 2001 political

crackdown b/c he was out of z country at z time.

2001- 2021: Once in exile, he joined z Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP), but he broke with it in 2004 over its refusal to endorse armed resistance to z Isaias regime & formed a new party, z Eritrean People’s Movement (EPM), which

he led into z Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA). In 2009, after another split within z EPM, Adhanom brought his faction into merger talks with z EDP & z Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), but he pulled out in 2011 & joined z newly created #Ethiopia-based

Eritrean National Council for Democratic Change (ENCDC), an umbrella org’n designed to unite z fractured opposition. His group was at 1st called EPDP-Dialogue but changed back to EDP in late 2012.

Adhanom later stepped down from leadership due to health problems & took up residence in z #USA.

Unafraid to look back & critically question z past, but visionary enough not to be bogged-down by its petty squabbles, with courage & honesty to accept his multi human failings,

Adhanom was an example of z consummate life-time liberation fighter. He was among z 1st EPLF fighters who tried to genuinely reach out to his yesteryear foes in z ELF camp while, at z same time, not forgetting Eritrea’s future, & especially z nation's youth, as can be attested to

in his most important philosophical critique of EPLF/PFDJ in his writings, esp his most important paper (written at a time when he was almost bed-ridden from his waning & relapsing chronic ailment), will be his enduring legacy to Eritrea’s young generation.👇

One of Adhanom’s favourite quotes gives an insight into what kind of man he truly was: #MLK’s “March on Washington Speech”: “… like noticing z beauty of z rain, but failing to see that it has enriched z soil. A social movement that only moves people is merely a revolt.

A movement that changes both people & institutions is a revolution.”

Adhanom life-time was about a revolution as a continuous movement, a torch that is passed from one generation to another, a continuous climb up a mountain with no top, a continuous & unceasing activity

of human advancement & institutional perfection … a liberating life-time struggle that can only be realized by those who r ready to liberate themselves first!

Rest in peace, sire.

#WhereAreTheyEritrea? #WhereAreThey?