Throughout its existence, the ELF strongly discouraged any regional or sectarian tendencies while Ethiopia and EPLF openly and shamelessly focused on differences between the two major groups in Eritrea to thwart ELF's attempts to bridge the gap between the two communities.

With a professional victim mentality, the EPLF won the heart of its targeted audience to build an ethnic state on a multi-ethnic space. Faced with that, instead of devising plan to counter what was clearly dangerous and divisive EPLF policy, the inept ELF leadership persuaded its members to focus on the so-called primary enemy. They naively thought that they would impress the new arrivals from the Highlands, whom they chose to accommodate rather than assimilate, with leftist slogans. Because of breakdown of discipline, many reliable veterans left the field for Sudan. Gradually, EPLF sent death squads who carried out assassinations of ELF leaders with help of its falool sympathizers within the ELF. By the time the political leadership took notice of the reality, it was too late. Irreversible damage has been done. The Labor Party was caught with its pants down. There was at least one guy who was never fooled by all these theatrics.

That man ladies and gentlemen was Abdalla Idris.

I was compelled to write today by what I saw to be clearly one-sided sectarian and regionalist attempts to tarnish the image of this man of extraordinary heroism. But who is he? 

How Abdalla Joined The ELF

He joined the ELF in the late sixties as a lieutenant after graduating from a military academy in Syria. He was assigned to the 5th Division as a regiment commander. He was elevated around 1968 to the command of the Division after Woldai Kahsai and his Christian fighters including Haile Drue surrendered to the enemy. As a commander of what was left of the Division, Abdalla became strong advocate of creation of single army led by political leadership based in the field. His views concurred with that of Mahammad Ahmad Abdu, then a political officer in the Third Division. The activities of these officers alarmed Osman Sabbe and his partners in theft of what was donated by our Arab allies. He and Issias at the time preferred a decentralized organization so that they could pursue their sectarian and regionalist policies. And that is exactly what happened after Adobha Congress.  

Did Abdalla commit war crimes?

There are those, all of whom are from Highlands, that would like us to believe that Abdalla Idris is a monster. After rigorous scrutiny of the allegations, however, one can safely conclude that those are rehearsed and recycled garbage.  For instance, there is frequent talk among Tigrinya speakers about Abdalla's alleged massacre of hundred educated Christian fighters known as Addis group. Were there hundred university graduates in Ethiopia at the time? If so what were they doing together? Is this what is called myth? May be some one can enlighten this primitive nomad (me)!

Recently, a gentleman posted an article on Asmarino in which he had audacity to claim that Abdalla massacred what he termed lightly armed militias in Kohain and Dembelas region of Seraye. Could the writer be alluding to Embaye Hadera's militias that terrorized Muslim civilians in the region?

In the 1960s, Embaye Hadera, who was fond of referring to Emperor Haile Selasie as God sent ruler, armed thousands of villagers in Seraye with WW1 rifles supposedly to stymie spread of ELF into the Highlands. Unable to shadow trained guerillas, the militias took on their unarmed Muslim neighbors who in the past had routed them. They wrecked havoc by raping massacring and looting their neighbors. These actions were coordinated with the sweeps and campaigns of pacifications the Israeli trained counter insurgency forces were carrying out. The operations were meant to starve, expose and defeat the young revolution. Subsequently, the emboldened militias started searching for the exposed guerillas because capturing or killing them involved financial rewards.

Consequently, to defend itself and its bases, the reorganized ELF waged campaigns in Seraye and part of AkeleGuzai to subdue and tame the wild venomous militias. It also mounted major military operations of the era in which Ethiopian army was defeated in the battle of Embasoira, the Commandos were massacred in Muduhlotgade and the commander of Ethiopian Army in northern Ethiopia, General Teshome Irghetu and his convoy were decimated in a battle near Ela-beried.

So, if Abdalla is being accused of heavy handedness in his dealing with the murderous militias, then we can only say that his accuser must be Embaye Hadera (reincarnated?). Embaye Hadera himself was gunned down by the fedayeen led by Abdalla Daud who also gunned down Lt. Ashabir Abraha earlier. Furthermore, his detractors need to keep in mind the commander in the area during most of that period was Said Salih not Abdalla but looking at their claims the accusers seem to be unable to differentiate between the two Muslim names.

Did Abdalla single out Christian villages?

If somehow Abdalla is implicated in the alleged "massacre" of the armed pro Ethiopian militias and his detractors think he was motivated by religion, I have another bad news for them. Around 1973, a group of villages around Ad-Arde including his own village in Upper Barka switched sides and aligned themselves with Ethiopia and became its militias. His reaction? He ordered burning of crops and commandeered livestock to feed the ELF fighters. Many of the militias were killed in gun battles with his men. Some of their leaders were captured and executed until the villagers finally abandoned Ethiopia.

Is Abdalla Regionalist?

Some people in the past alleged that Abdalla declared war on PLF because he hated Tigres from the east and Christian Highlanders. This is another misconception as we will see her. After Adobha Congress, some Beni-Amir fighters known as Obelites led by Adam Salih and Osman Ajib resisted integration of the army because like Isayas and Sabbe they had their separate agenda. They entertained the illusion that they were Arabs who had nothing to do with the Ajams. So, the group tried to secede from the main body of ELF in Barka region. Abdalla launched devastating attacks that decimated the group as a fighting force. Remnants of this group made it through Sudan to Sahel to join Selfinaznet and Sabbe's what was left of 4th Division. There are those who point to the tribal makeup of ELF military council which Abdalla chaired as BeniAmir dominated. I don't see why that should be the problem. Timsah and Mahmoud Hasabo were very brave and competent military minds. Did anybody ask why 99% of EPLF's generals are Tigrinya speaking Christians while half of the army is made up of Muslim conscripts??????..

Is Abdalla Baathist/Jihadist?

Those who are unfamiliar with the Arab world are unable or less than inclined to differentiate between these two very different groups. The jihadists are supposedly Muslim fundamentalists who are waging campaign of terror against western interests and foreign troops they see as forces of occupation. The Baathists are secular Arab nationalists that include Christian Arabs.

In fact, Hizb al Baath (Arab Renaissance) al Arabi al Ishtraki was founded in the 1930's by Michel Aflek, an Orthodox from Syria. Its aim is to unify all Arab territories from Morocco to Oman. In the 70's the ruling Baath Party in Iraq divided itself to two parts. Al Qiyada al Qutriyya or regional command was in charge of Iraq's domestic affairs and all of its members were drawn from Iraq. The more prestigious Al Qiyada al Qawmiyya or National Command was made up of Iraqis and other Arabs. It was in charge of relations with the outside world. Among its members was Jaafar Ali Asad (brother of Hasan Asad of Alliance.) His cronies caused considerable hardships for non-Beni Amir Eritreans in Iraq after 1977.

They were young men who were lured with scholarships but since most of them had very little formal education, they could not compete. So they usually dropped out and with that they lost their scholarships. Faced with financial hardships, they accepted memberships in Baath Party. These men were fed heavy dose of Baathist  propaganda. The indoctrination was so intensive that these people just parroted what they were fed. Just like Shaebia's wahio, they ceased to think for themselves as individuals. They were also equally rude and crude. To his credit, Abdalla Idris rebuffed all Baathist attempts to recruit him. Unable to influence Abdalla, the Iraqis by 1980 started giving the ELF cold shoulder. So, those who brand Abdalla Baathist or Jihadist are parroting Isayas' line.

So, What are Abdalla's Crimes?

According to those he led in different parts of Eritrea, Abdalla is extremely brave commander who unlike EPLF's generals who are wasted in alcohol, spearheaded attacks on the Israeli trained Commandos.  He is considered to be among elite military strategists. Abdalla refused to accept defeat of his side. He reminds me of Colonel (later president) Charles DeGaul who refused to accept German victory over France in 1940. So, while Marshal Henri Petain accepted the post of prime minister in Vichy government and many other French generals succumbed to German pressures, DeGaul led the French units based in Britain and joined the D-Day invasion. Many of our brothers have tendencies to underestimate their foes especially those from the western lowlands.  Here is a case in point. An affable man from Barka has succeeded in keeping arrogant Asmarinos at bay.  For years, he has eluded Isayas' death squads. The ever-smiling Abdalla is also considered to be very shrewd person and politician who hardly raises his voice.

Mr. Hirui Tedla Bairu who was invited from nowhere to join the ELF leadership in 1971 was never endowed with common sense to realize that he was there at Abdalla's largesse. He was there as a symbol to attract Christians from Hamasien and if he could get some of his "educated" members of privileged, minor Christian denomination from Upsala that would have been a bonus. But no!!! To his disappointment, they chose to remain house niggers in foreign land rather than collaborating with "Haggi" Hirui who tried to double cross the battle-hardened guerilla commander by secretly communicating with his adversary (Isayas).  He tried to take credit for Sembel operation and tried to use that as a springboard for a showdown with Abdalla. He failed to realize that he had no support or base.

In 1974, buoyed by arrival of thousands of Christian fighters, Hirui felt emboldened enough to topple the predominantly Muslim leadership. He had reputedly made some derogatory remarks to the new recruits about the lowlander dominated leadership and their lack of proper "education". There were even allegations that Hirui openly and defiantly broke the organization's rules concerning sexual conducts of its members on active duty. He is said to have helped himself with the new little sweeties from Asmara.

By the time ELF held its 2nd national Congress, Hirui had turned a pariah. The attack dogs were Abdalla and Melake Tekle who also happened to be from Hamasien. Unlike Hirui, Melake himself was a highly respected military commander who won respect and admiration of fighters from beyond his tribal area. Naturally, the naïve Hirui became a dispensable figure. Plainly put, he was cast aside. Hirui cried foul!!!!!! He blamed Muslims for his demise. He branded Abdalla sectarian. He embarked on retribution by forming sectarian groups popularly known as falool. Details about this group and the havoc they caused inside ELF will be covered in the next article but now the readers know when and who started the present stampede of vilification of Abdalla Idris.