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Eulogy for Dr. Beyene Kidane 
By: Ismail Ali Ahmad 
Eritrea had lost again one of its brightest sons. At the age of 68, at 9:20 p.m. on  
Friday 5 April 2013 , Dr.Byene  Kidane had peacefully passed away at his home in 
Cologne, Germany, after fighting an illness with high spirit and great will to live on but 
nevertheless rendered him bedridden for some months. Dr. Beyene was  one of the  
selfless and gallant patriots Eritrea possessed, who never hesitated to sacrifice  their 
lives and brilliant professional careers for the sake of their people’s cause. 
Born on 27 September 1945 in Adi-Keih, Eritrea, Dr.Beyene grew up in a humble and 
respected family environment with several siblings. His much liked and soft -spoken 
father made a living as a vet erinarian in the veterinary service of the province of 
Akkele-Guzai – a status it had at the time in accordance with the administrative 
divisions the Italian colonial ruler s introduced and the British upheld after the  defeat 
and departure of the former in 1942. 
As a child, Dr. Bey ene enrolled in the elementary school of Adi -Keih, which opened 
the initial years of the British Military Administration. Thus, he belonged to one of the 
first generations of students that attended that primary school. 
He began his school years as high achiever. The grades he scored and the top ranks 
he ended up with in the first successive school years had quickly mirrored his stature 
as a sharp, talented and diligent child among the residents of the town. Parents of his 
peers saw him as  a model pupil they wished, and advised, their  sons and daughters 
to emulate. 
Through all levels of his education, up to and including his candidacy  for his 
doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at the University of Pennsylvania, 
USA, Dr. Beyene  finished at the top of his class. He earned his Ph.D.  with great 
distinction, and the grade point average he had obtained remained for many years a 
record score at his university. It is worth mentioning in passing, moreover, that his 
choice of veterinary medicine as profession was greatly influenced by his love of, and 
attachment to, his late father who preceded him as veterinarian. 
Upon his return back to Ethiopia  from the USA with Ph.D. in 1971 , he began his 
professional career as chief manager of the veterinary service of the province of 
Hararge, Ethiopia. Later on, he shifted to Eritrea and continued his job in the same 
capacity and with the same title. His wish to be transferred to Eritrea had to do with 
his commitment to the struggle, and need to do more for his people by being closer to 
home and the Eritrean Liberation Front in the country side. 
Dr. Beyene was born when WW II had just come to a close. His childhood years and 
adolescence passed  by as the question of post -colonial future of his country was 
debated, and became a bone of contention  on the national and the international 
stage of post WW II politics. His own town, Adi -Keih, as Keren and several others in 
the country became hotbed of patriotic activism  in which antagonistic political 
stakeholders pitted against one another , and among which, domestically, the major 
ones were  pro-Ethiopia unionists and nationalists who  demanded independence.  
This led him to be involved from an early age, as many youth of his generation did , 
on the side of the latter. From that time up to the day when he succumbed to death , 

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he never  showed any  fatigue to engage in his pursuit of freedom, liberation and 
happiness of his people.  
Thus, with the launching and expansion of the organized political campaign under the 
banner of the Eritrean Liberation Movement, he took part in one of the many 
underground seven-member cells that were active in his home town. Later on, when 
the political agitation gained momentum and transformed to  an armed struggle  
phase, Dr. Beyene joined the Eritrean Liberation Front as an urban clandestine 
activist both as a student and  later as  a professional. When the Ethiopian Military 
Council (Derg) that toppled the imperial order in Ethiopia began to uncover ELF cells, 
Dr. Beyene left town for the liberated zone  and enlisted as full time fighter in the 
ranks of the organization.  
Having done the required military training, he set up the veterinary service 
department of the ELF. He trained and oriented personnel who were deployed as 
mobile teams to enlighten and help peasants in the liberated zones. This service 
rapidly made an impact on the inhabitants, and became one of the successful service 
programs that the E LF introduced and which citizens who benefited from them  still 
nostalgically recall when they reflect on the harsh conditions they are suffering under 
the current regime. 
On the political side, Dr. Beyene  also assumed various leadership functions in his 
organization at different periods. In 1989 he was elected to the highest decision -
making body of the  then ELF-RC, and thereafter , h e headed several executive 
departments, including in the capacity of chair manship of his organization . The last 
responsibility he held before he fell sick was leadership of the economic and social 
services office of the Eritrean National Salvation Front, which he had also led before 
as its chairman.   When due to his illness he was not able to attend the congress of 
his organization in  November of last year, his colleague s could not miss his 
competence and knowledge and had to consult with him to be nominated as 
candidate for the leadership. But he selflessly declined the offer thi nking that he was 
sick and may not be able to shoulder responsibility as he used to do when he  
enjoyed full health. 
Thus, the painful loss of Dr. Beyene is  deeply felt beyond his immediate family 
members and close friends . He will be missed for his knowledge, diligence, humility 
and commitment , and many of us who had closely worked with  him for so many 
years will be missing his gift for clear thinking and imagination in both good and bad 
times. 
Beloved Dr. Beyene, m ay your soul rest in peace, and your beloved family and 
friends be blessed with the power to dealt with the deep grief.   
Ismail Ali Ahmad (Holland)