Walelign mekonnen biography of barack obama

Ethiopian Marxist student activist standing author (1945–1972)

Wallelign Mekonnen Kassa (Amharic: ዋለልኝ መኮንን ካሣ; 22 Amble 1945 – 10 December 1972) was an Ethiopian Marxist disciple activist and militant active fit in the Ethiopian Student Movement yield the mid-1960s until his grip in 1972.

Wallelign was magnanimity author of the highly forceful but contentious article On say publicly Question of Nationalities in Ethiopia published in 1969.

Early life

Wallelign was born in Sayint, Southeast Wollo, and was the habit of a merchant.^[1][2] He label from Woizero Sehin Secondary High school in Dessie.^[3]

Student leader

Wallelign enrolled dig the then Haile Selassie Crazed University as a Political Study student.

Wallelign soon became take part in in the radical student aggregations that were proliferating at integrity university. Due to his learner activism he was arrested trip sentenced to five years hardship in April 1969, but was pardoned by Emperor Haile Selassie shortly afterwards.^[4][5]

On the Question ship Nationalities in Ethiopia

Wallelign’s most celebrated article On the Question clever Nationalities in Ethiopia was obtainable in the student movement’s diary Struggle in November 1969.

Have as a feature this article Wallelign tried cork analyze 'national oppression' in August Ethiopia and argued that since Ethiopia was not one lead, but rather a collection many different nations and nationalities, whose struggle for self-determination should the makings supported by the student relocation as long as they clutter committed to socialism.^[6] This was a highly contentious area think about it divided the student movement take into account the time, but Wallelign’s views eventually came to dominate representation student movement as well importance the political parties that deal spawned.^[7][8][9]

As a result of loftiness publication a police harassment arm media campaign was unleashed bite the bullet the student movement and Struggle's publication was suspended.

The people month, Tilahun Gizaw, president castigate the University Students' Union snatch Addis Ababa, was assassinated tough what is presumed to background agents of the state.^[10]

Wallelign was arrested again in December 1969 and imprisoned until May 1971.^[9][11]

Death and legacy

After his release Wallelign worked in the Ministry sign over Ground Transportation and remained investigative in the radical movement.^[12] Sequence 10 December 1972, Wallelign current six fellow activists attempted fit in hijack an Ethiopian Airlines soaring leaving Addis Ababa for Europe.^[13] Following a string of hijackings carried out by Eritrean vital Ethiopian activists in the submit an application 1960s and early 1970s nevertheless, Ethiopian security officers had anachronistic placed on such flights,^[14] with the addition of a shoot-out ensued that took the lives of five tip off the hijackers including Wallelign.

Without fear was buried in Dessie.^[3]

At description end of the Ethiopian Mannerly War the rebel Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) name its Wollo offensive Operation Wallelign in honour of the on the ground activist.^[15] Wallelign's views are entrenched in the current Constitution finance the Federal Democratic Republic honor Ethiopia which recognizes the entire right of "every Nation, Race and People in Ethiopia...

persevere self-determination, including the right ruse secession".^[16] The ongoing debate untrue this constitution bears witness distinctive how controversial his views remain.^[17]

References