The story of the little freedom fighters in Ethiopia

By Fekade Shewakena

January 25, 2006

Ethiopian women cry when security forces killed over 46 protesters in June 2005 in Addis. (Photo: BBC)

It is the story of Mimi, an elementary school student, an 11-year-old daughter of a friend of my friend. I am told that she has been incensed recently by the cruelty of the killing that goes on daily in Ethiopia. She has seen people crying and has done her crying too. But finally she decided to do something about it. The day before, there was such a widespread student protest and attack by the police that her father told her she wouldn’t go to school because it was too dangerous. She told dad that she would take care of herself and that it is even okay if they beat her.

“Dad, I have heard that a lot of people who are very old are suffering in prison and many are killed. I can take some beating and live with that,” she said. Dad was finally forced to take her to school, warning her on the way what she needed to do in case of any disturbances in the school and how to take precautions. Soon after she got to the school compound, she joined others in organizing her schoolmates to protest the crimes of the government and the beating of some fellow students in her school the previous day. In a few minutes Mimi’s school erupted in a “Meles Zenawi Leba Leba” shout and “Atnesam woy” freedom songs. Soon the police broke into the compound, herded the students and began punishing them by whipping them and making them crawl on gravel on their knees and chests. In the end, school was closed and Mimi went home with a bruised face and bleeding ankles. But for some reason she appeared to be unusually happy that evening that dad was wondering what went wrong. After dinner Mimi went to her table and began writing her diary which she usually does. Wondering what she would write, dad was trying to snick pick what she was writing standing behind her. He read the following on her diary:

“Today I stood up for freedom and shouted loud against injustice and sang freedom songs. I sang in praise of the prisoners and the dead who fought for our freedom. Of course, I was beaten savagely by a cruel man who doesn’t seem to have any humanity in him. I was made to crawl on my knees and chest until I almost fainted. My clothes were full of dirt. It is OK. I did not suffer as much as the many who are suffering and dying. But today is an important day in my life - I just joined the struggle.”

The story was tough for me to read. It must have been extremely tough for her father who must naturally be proud of such a daughter but at the same time scared of losing her to the criminal gangs who consider human life not very much difficult from that of a chicken. For her age, Mimi should have been on the playgrounds having fun. What a curse it is this.

How many of us adults, by the way, have not made Mimi’s choice and joined the struggle yet! Friends in Diaspora! How many of us are watching this tragedy sitting on the fence? This tragedy is taking place in our country because we allow it to continue. Friends organize, organize, organize and organize. There is no one to come to do the job for us and make Ethiopia a better country for our children. We have to be ashamed to leave the fight to Mimi.