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Greetings Prof. Mammo & all,
( PSe, someone share this to
the rest, I always have difficulty sending to all.) Thank
I knew Dr. Bereketeab as an old Wingate Boy. We also worked together
in The Old Wingate Boys Association.
Two things shined out of
those days. One was the prevention of The Wingate changed into a comprehensive
school. The Labour Govt. of the day wanted it and we,
the Old Boys stood against it and we succeeded. Years after when I was in exile
at an end of an Anglo Ethiopian Society meeting, a disheveled elderly man came
and accused me of ruining his career. I protested saying, I didn't know him
from Adam and how can he accuse me of such deed. He then explained that he was
the Consul General ordered to implement the Goverment's
decision of changing the Wingate and there I was opposing it. Despite my
protestations that it was a unanimous Association decision, I could not move
him. In fact Bereket played a key role too.
Secondly we introduced a
worthwhile project whereby we, the Old Boys, contributed to educate a certain
number of Elemenatary best students to be educated at
the Wingate at our expense. Examinations were conducted by Wingate staff.. Now it is scrapped at the Wingate but fully blossoming in
Tigray.
His father, Qeshi Habte Selassie, was a die hard member of Mother
Ethiopia or Death Party.. Lt. Gen. Nega
Haile Selassie, who was the Liasion Officer to
Eritrea during the British Trusteeship spoke very very
highly of the father's dedication and integrity. In fact just before he died,
the General told me,there
was a paper that was being prepared and the father slept on a camp bed at
the general's house not to miss the signing of this important document. Soon
after the signature he died..
Because of such
dedication, the Gen. told HIM and all his children were brought to Addis Abeba for education; and they were given special treatment.
One was working at the Naval HQs.
To say that he joined
ELF in 1962 it means he was a spy in our midst. Worse of all he was married to
an Amhara woman from Harar. I think they are still
together.
To say that HIM
unilaterally abolished the federation is a blatant lie. It was the Eritrean Assembly
in toto that voted to unite. May be some persuasion
may have been exerted. Where on earth is not such a thing exercised?.
I think it was early 1700 when the Scotish Assembly
voted to unite wit England, thus forming The United Kingdom. If I remember
correctly it was about 68o/o of the Assembly members only that gave the Aye!
In our case, it was, as I said above 100 o/o So to