Let's remember the first EPLF women fighters Aida Kidane, 02 March 2005 March 8 is celebrated in Eritrea as International Women's Day as well. Women of Eritrea have played a major role in the liberation struggle of our country, making up one-third of the military force. They endured difficult and sometimes unbearable obstacles but persevered strong and defiant. They transformed our cultural perceptions and served as examples for men and women alike that women too can fight like a man and at times, better than a man. They were able to cut loose from old and repressive traditional customs that denigrate women and forcibly won their rights to equality. Women flocked in to meda; city as well as rural women of all class levels. Many died defending their country; many others were maimed but remain to tell about their horrific experiences. The first female fighters who joined the liberations struggle are, sadly, not remembered and hardly mentioned. Though International Women's Day has been celebrated for decades in Eritrea, it was impossible to find any mention of the three giant heroines who were the first to join the struggle. Time and again, history writers remember Hamid Awate as the first fighter to lead the struggle for independence, but none mention the women who were the first. The three women are: Dehab Tesfatsion, Aberash Melke and Werku Zerai. In 1973, they were students at Haile Selassie University (currently Addis Abeba University) who chose to leave their comfortable lives to join their brothers in the armed struggle to liberate their country and themselves. These amazing women were intellectuals who soon became involved in the policy debates over the nature and direction of the armed struggle known as "MenkE". Along with their mates, they suffered the consequences of their democratic and open actions by being put in prison; in separate cells from their male comrades. The women were never charged in an official capacity but were treated with suspicion and were accused of being spoilt on upbringings and of unknown origins according to "Destructive Movement of 73", Tigrina. Some of the students survived the "MenkE" accusations by recanting their testimonies while, while six of the others were executed, two of whom were women. The numbers of the MenkaE who perished are larger than the said 6. What one male fighter wrote in ?
"Menkaay" in 1975 documents the humiliation the women fighters suffered by being jeered at and accused of coming to meda looking for husbands! Not only did they have to endure harsh climate, difficult living conditions and risk their lives, but had to put up with accusations from their chauvinist counterparts who did not give them the respect they deserved. As far as records show, at least one of them, Dehab Tesfatsion, was not honored with a Martyr's Certificate, which she and all the others deserved for their duty and sacrifice to their country. And the same to their male compatriots. Giving them no recognition is like treating them like they never existed. One of them, Werku, still lives. On International Women's Day, let us take the time to remember and thank them. It is high time they are honored alongside all other Eritrean martyrs.
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Previous Articles by notable Eri24 story contributor, Aida Kidane
General congress of Eritrean students' union in Europe Contributed by Aida Kidane, 05 Dec 2004
Book: The memories of Francesco Crispi . Contributed by Aida Kidane, posted on 26 Nov 2004
Report from a Swedish professor, 1971 Contributed by Aida Kidane, 12 Nov 2004
Eritrea: Arms against Oppression-1969 Contributed by Aida Kidane, 04 Nov 2004
The hidden war in Ethiopia 1969,attachment, Contributed by Aida Kidane, posted on 27 Oct 2004
Letemariam from last century Contributed by Aida Kidane, posted on 01 Aug 2004
Gallows in Eritrea Contributed by Aida Kidane (A dramatic grab of a bloody reality) narrated by a Swedish Journalist Part one, 1965
The stars that have names, Contributed by Aida Kidane, 18 July 2004
Final report of the United Nations Commissioner in Eritrea Contributed by Aida Kidane, 09 July 2004
Statement by the Chairman of the delegation of the Moslem League of Eritrea at the 49th meeting of the Ad Hoc Political Committee on 21 November 1950. Contributed by Aida Kidane, 03 July 2004
Book : The federal case of Eritrea with Ethiopia part 2 Contributed by Aida Kidane, 18 June 2004
The federal case of Eritrea with Ethiopia Contributed by Aida Kidane, 09 June 2004
Memorandum submitted by the delegations of Guatemala and Pakistan (75) (undated)-1950 Contributed by Aida Kidane, 02 June 2004
Memories of a fighter 1970-74 Part 2 By Aida Kidane, posted on 18 May 2004
Memories of a fighter 1969-70 Part 1 By Aida Kidane, posted on 13 May 2004
The Zaul people By Aida Kidane, posted on 19 Mar 2004
Book History of the Beja tribes of the Sudan, Contributed by Aida Kidane, 03 Mar 2004
Segeneiti town Contributed by Aida Kidane, 22 Feb 2004
Count Du Bisson's Expedition 1863-Eritrea Contributed by Aida Kidane, 15 Feb 2004
The Habab and Hedareb Contributed by Aida Kidane
Tigri folk tales (Digam) Contributed by Aida Kidane, 16 Jan 2004
The Kunama people, by a Swedish missionary Contributed by Aida Kidane, posted on 02 Jan 2004
The Hawya tribe started ca 600 years ago Contributed by Aida Kidane, 30 Oct 2003
Adei Akberet of Deki Shehai, Contributed by Aida Kidane, 24 Oct 2003
Oral history in Begu, near Keren, and Keren Contributed by Aida Kidane, 16 Oct 2003
Bad men of the Borders: Shum and Shifta in North Ethiopia in the 19th century, Contributed by Aida Kidane, 02 Oct 2003 Part 2 | Part 3
The migration of the Tarke to Megareh; how they came, and who were already there; the story. Contributed by Aida Kidane, 26 Sep 2003
About the Marya Tsellim, Contributed by Aida Kidane, 19 Sep 2003
Episode of a woman´s life after 1894, Contributed by 12 Sep 2003
Sir'at Adkeme Milga'-A native law code Eritrea, contributed by Aida Kidane, 06 Sep 2003
The Tribes that know the Tigre language and their way of living Contributed by Aida Kidane, posted on 30 Aug 2003
Publications of the Princeton Expedition to Abyssinia., contributed by Aida Kidane, 22 Aug 2003
The witty Shum Frehannes, Contributed by Aida Kidane, 16 Aug 2003
Letters of Swedish missionaries 1870-73., Contributed by Aida Kidane, 07 Aug 2003
The origin and start of the Belew, where they came from and where they spread to... Contributed by Aida Kidane, 02 Aug 2003
Eritrea self-governing 1954, contributed by Aida Kidane, posted on May 12, 2003
Eritrea: Human rights in 1955, Contributed by Aida Kidane, Posted on May 05, 2003
Note on prostitution of old times, by Aida Kidane, Dec 15, 2002
The defenseless Jehovah's Witnesses Aida Kidane, 10 June 2003
Where has my hero Isaias gone? Aida kidane, 2 may 2003
Aida Kidane, who is solely responsible for the contents of this page, contributes the above article. For any comments, the writer can be contacted by e-mail: aikisw@hotmail.com