Asrat Woldeyes
Encyclopedia
Asrat Woldeyes was an Ethiopia
n surgeon
, a Professor of Medicine at Addis Ababa University
, and the founder and leader of the All-Amhara People's Organization
(AAPO), as well as a political figure who was jailed by the Derg
and later by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
(EPRDF).
Professor Asrat was the founding member of the Ethiopian Medical Association (EMA), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
(FRCS Edinburgh) and FRCS (England)
, member of the British Medical Association
(BMA), the East African Surgical Association (EASA) and International College of Surgeons (USA).
, Asrat Woldeyes was about three years old when his family moved to the eastern Ethiopian town of Dire Dawa
. He was eight years old at the time of the Italian invasion
. His father, Ato Weldeyes Altaye, was captured and murdered along with thousands of other civilians following the attempted assassination of the Italian General Graziani
on February 19, 1937 in Addis Ababa. His mother died shortly afterwards.
His grandfather, Kegnazmach Tsige Werede Werk, was one of the Ethiopian patriots who was deported to Italy and interned there for three and half years. (Kegnazmach is a title of nobility in Ethiopian monarchial society equivalent to a baron
).
Following the liberation of Ethiopia, Asrat Woldeyes moved to Addis Ababa and enrolled at Teferi Mekonnen School, where in 1943 he was awarded a camera for his studies. He was sent to Egypt
to continue his education at Victoria College
, then to the UK
where he studied medicine at Edinburgh University. Completing his training, in 1956 he returned to Ethiopia to work as a general practitioner
at the Princess Tsehai hospital (now known as the Armed Forces General Hospital) in the capital, then went back to Edinburgh
to specialize in surgery.
He returned to Ethiopia to help in the creation of the first medical school in the country, which came into existence as a part of then Haile Selassie University (now Addis Ababa University) in 1965.
Professor Asrat was the personal physician to Emperor Haile Selassie. Following the overthrow of the Emperor in 1974, Professor Asrat performed prostate surgery on the Emperor and cared for him during his recovery. When the Emperor died suddenly in August 1975, the Derg
regime announced that the death was caused by complications of this surgery and old age. The statement also alleged that Professor Asrat could not be located at the time the Emperor's condition was deteriorating. Professor Asrat promptly issued a statement denying that the Emperor had suffered any complications from his surgery which had taken place months earlier, and that he had been available at his home, but that no attempt had been made to reach him.
Years later, although he himself had been imprisoned by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
(EPRDF) which deposed the Derg, he willingly testified against the members of the Derg in open court about the death of the Emperor under suspicious circumstances. He was brought from his prison cell to the courthouse by the EPRDF government in order to do so.
, then part of Ethiopia, where he treated the injured from both sides of the raging war. Upon his return to Addis Ababa in the late 1970s, Professor Asrat was assigned as chief surgeon at the Black Lion (formerly Prince Makonnen) Hospital in the capital.
However, his first purely political act was participating in the July 1, 1991 conference convened by the EPRDF to form a Transitional Government
at the end of the Ethiopian Civil War
after the fall of the Derg regime, where he was one of two representatives for Addis Ababa University. His was the sole voice that objected to the manner in which this conference endorsed the separation and eventual liberation of Eritrea from Ethiopia, questioning the mandate of the Transitional Government and the conference to do so. At this conference the Amhara people
of Ethiopia believed they were excluded from the new government, and later formed the All-Amhara People's Organization
(AAPO) to defend their rights. The government then initiated a campaign against the AAPO, and ironically labelled Professor Asrat Woldeyes a collaborator of the Derg by the EPRDF for his medical work in Massawa, and subjected him to a smear campaign in the national press. This in spite of the rather well documented record of the Professor as a vocal opponent of communism.
Professor Asrat Woldeyes was arrested in 1992 following an AAPO rally speech in Debre Berhan
on the charges of inciting inter-communal violence. That same year Amnesty International
declared him a prisoner of conscience
, and he was released on bail. Asrat Woldeyes was arrested again in 1993, with four other men, on charges of planning violent attacks against the government. All five were tried and sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Professor Asrat Woldeyes was then sentenced on December 18, 1995 to a three-year imprisonment.
By 1998, Professor Asrat Woldeyes had been reported to suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, and to have suffered a stroke
. He had suffered a massive heart attack in 1980, and his heart now weakened due to his poor health. After international pressure, the professor was released from prison in December 1998, and allowed to travel to the United States
for medical treatment, where he was placed in intensive care in January 1999. He died in a Philadelphia hospital, and buried in Addis Ababa on May 26 in a ceremony attended by tens of thousands of Ethiopians. His funeral was conducted by the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abune Paulos
, at Holy Trinity Cathedral, and he was buried at the neighboring Bale Wold ("Church of the Feast of the Son of God") Church. His funeral was attended by leaders of the opposition parties in Ethiopia, members of the diplomatic community, the hierarchs of the Orthodox Church, and members of the former Imperial family.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
, a Professor of Medicine at Addis Ababa University
Addis Ababa University
Addis Ababa University is a university in Ethiopia. It was originally named "University College of Addis Ababa" at its founding, then renamed for the former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I in 1962, receiving its current name in 1975.Although the university has six of its seven campuses within...
, and the founder and leader of the All-Amhara People's Organization
All-Amhara People's Organization
The All-Amhara People's Organization is an ethnic based political party in Ethiopia, whose leader was the late Asrat Woldeyes.At the last legislative elections, 15 May 2005, the party was part of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces, that won 52 out of 527 seats in the Council of People's...
(AAPO), as well as a political figure who was jailed by the Derg
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
and later by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front is the ruling political coalition in Ethiopia. It is an alliance of four other groups: the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization , the Amhara National Democratic Movement , the South Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Front The Ethiopian People's...
(EPRDF).
Professor Asrat was the founding member of the Ethiopian Medical Association (EMA), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is an organisation dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and advancement in surgical practice, through its interest in education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical workforce...
(FRCS Edinburgh) and FRCS (England)
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
, member of the British Medical Association
British Medical Association
The British Medical Association is the professional association and registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association’s headquarters are located in BMA House,...
(BMA), the East African Surgical Association (EASA) and International College of Surgeons (USA).
Early life and medical career
Born in the capital city of Addis AbabaAddis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, Asrat Woldeyes was about three years old when his family moved to the eastern Ethiopian town of Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa is one of two chartered cities in Ethiopia . This chartered city is divided administratively into two woredas, the city proper and the non-urban woreda of Gurgura....
. He was eight years old at the time of the Italian invasion
Second Italo-Abyssinian War
The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
. His father, Ato Weldeyes Altaye, was captured and murdered along with thousands of other civilians following the attempted assassination of the Italian General Graziani
Rodolfo Graziani
Rodolfo Graziani, 1st Marquis of Neghelli , was an officer in the Italian Regio Esercito who led military expeditions in Africa before and during World War II.-Rise to prominence:...
on February 19, 1937 in Addis Ababa. His mother died shortly afterwards.
His grandfather, Kegnazmach Tsige Werede Werk, was one of the Ethiopian patriots who was deported to Italy and interned there for three and half years. (Kegnazmach is a title of nobility in Ethiopian monarchial society equivalent to a baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
).
Following the liberation of Ethiopia, Asrat Woldeyes moved to Addis Ababa and enrolled at Teferi Mekonnen School, where in 1943 he was awarded a camera for his studies. He was sent to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
to continue his education at Victoria College
Victoria College, Alexandria
Victoria College, Alexandria, was founded in 1902 under the impetus of the recently ennobled Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of Cromer of the Barings Bank, that was heavily invested in Egyptian stability. For years the British Consul-General was ex officio on the board of Victoria College...
, then to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
where he studied medicine at Edinburgh University. Completing his training, in 1956 he returned to Ethiopia to work as a general practitioner
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
at the Princess Tsehai hospital (now known as the Armed Forces General Hospital) in the capital, then went back to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
to specialize in surgery.
He returned to Ethiopia to help in the creation of the first medical school in the country, which came into existence as a part of then Haile Selassie University (now Addis Ababa University) in 1965.
Professor Asrat was the personal physician to Emperor Haile Selassie. Following the overthrow of the Emperor in 1974, Professor Asrat performed prostate surgery on the Emperor and cared for him during his recovery. When the Emperor died suddenly in August 1975, the Derg
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
regime announced that the death was caused by complications of this surgery and old age. The statement also alleged that Professor Asrat could not be located at the time the Emperor's condition was deteriorating. Professor Asrat promptly issued a statement denying that the Emperor had suffered any complications from his surgery which had taken place months earlier, and that he had been available at his home, but that no attempt had been made to reach him.
Years later, although he himself had been imprisoned by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front is the ruling political coalition in Ethiopia. It is an alliance of four other groups: the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization , the Amhara National Democratic Movement , the South Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Front The Ethiopian People's...
(EPRDF) which deposed the Derg, he willingly testified against the members of the Derg in open court about the death of the Emperor under suspicious circumstances. He was brought from his prison cell to the courthouse by the EPRDF government in order to do so.
Political career
Following the Derg's rise to power in the mid-1970s, Professor Asrat Woldeyes was an outspoken critic of the regime. His public statement regarding the circumstances of the death of the deposed Emperor, and his general anti-communist attitudes placed him in the bad graces of the Derg regime. In response, the Derg sent the professor to the Eritrean port city of MassawaMassawa
Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa (Ge'ez ምጽዋዕ , formerly ባጽዕ is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Axumite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate,...
, then part of Ethiopia, where he treated the injured from both sides of the raging war. Upon his return to Addis Ababa in the late 1970s, Professor Asrat was assigned as chief surgeon at the Black Lion (formerly Prince Makonnen) Hospital in the capital.
However, his first purely political act was participating in the July 1, 1991 conference convened by the EPRDF to form a Transitional Government
Transitional Government of Ethiopia
The Transitional government of Ethiopia was established immediately after the fall of the Dergue regime. It was led by Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. Zenawi remains the prime minister of Ethiopia to this day....
at the end of the Ethiopian Civil War
Ethiopian Civil War
The Ethiopian Civil War began on September 12, 1974 when the Marxist Derg staged a coup d'état against Emperor Haile Selassie, and lasted until the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front , a coalition of rebel groups, overthrew the government in 1991. The war overlapped other Cold War...
after the fall of the Derg regime, where he was one of two representatives for Addis Ababa University. His was the sole voice that objected to the manner in which this conference endorsed the separation and eventual liberation of Eritrea from Ethiopia, questioning the mandate of the Transitional Government and the conference to do so. At this conference the Amhara people
Amhara people
Amhara are a highland people inhabiting the Northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Numbering about 19.8 million people, they comprise 26% of the country's population, according to the 2007 national census...
of Ethiopia believed they were excluded from the new government, and later formed the All-Amhara People's Organization
All-Amhara People's Organization
The All-Amhara People's Organization is an ethnic based political party in Ethiopia, whose leader was the late Asrat Woldeyes.At the last legislative elections, 15 May 2005, the party was part of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces, that won 52 out of 527 seats in the Council of People's...
(AAPO) to defend their rights. The government then initiated a campaign against the AAPO, and ironically labelled Professor Asrat Woldeyes a collaborator of the Derg by the EPRDF for his medical work in Massawa, and subjected him to a smear campaign in the national press. This in spite of the rather well documented record of the Professor as a vocal opponent of communism.
Professor Asrat Woldeyes was arrested in 1992 following an AAPO rally speech in Debre Berhan
Debre Berhan
Debre Berhan is a city and woreda in central Ethiopia. Located in the Semien Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region, about 120 kilometers north east of Addis Ababa on the paved highway to Dessie, the town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 2,840 meters...
on the charges of inciting inter-communal violence. That same year Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
declared him a prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
, and he was released on bail. Asrat Woldeyes was arrested again in 1993, with four other men, on charges of planning violent attacks against the government. All five were tried and sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Professor Asrat Woldeyes was then sentenced on December 18, 1995 to a three-year imprisonment.
By 1998, Professor Asrat Woldeyes had been reported to suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, and to have suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
. He had suffered a massive heart attack in 1980, and his heart now weakened due to his poor health. After international pressure, the professor was released from prison in December 1998, and allowed to travel to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for medical treatment, where he was placed in intensive care in January 1999. He died in a Philadelphia hospital, and buried in Addis Ababa on May 26 in a ceremony attended by tens of thousands of Ethiopians. His funeral was conducted by the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abune Paulos
Abune Paulos
Abune Paulos is Abuna and Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church . His full title is "His Holiness Abuna Paulos, Fifth Patriarch and Catholicos of Ethiopia, Ichege of the See of St...
, at Holy Trinity Cathedral, and he was buried at the neighboring Bale Wold ("Church of the Feast of the Son of God") Church. His funeral was attended by leaders of the opposition parties in Ethiopia, members of the diplomatic community, the hierarchs of the Orthodox Church, and members of the former Imperial family.
External links
- Google results for Asrat Woldeyes at the Amnesty International website
- A contribution to the Ethiopian Review by Professor Woldeyes
- Obituary by Jonathan Steele, an Assistant Editor of The Guardian
Further reading
- Wendy Laura Belcher, "Ethiopia’s Caged Bird: Political Prisoner Dr. Asrat", LA Weekly (July 3, 1998)
- Index on Censorship (July 1998)
- African News Online (July 29, 1998)
- San Francisco Bay Guardian (September 9, 1998)
- Freedom Forum (October 1998)
- Legacy: Africa’s Leading Magazine on Social Issues (1998-1999).