Mr. Seyoum Ogbamichael, chairman of Eritrean Liberation Front-Revolutionary Council (ELF-RC), died yesterday in a hospital in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia after complaining of chest pains.   

A veteran fighter, Mr. Seyoum Ogbamichael�s membership and leadership of Eritrea�s struggle for independence and democracy dates back to Eritrea�s student movement of the 1960s which produced many of Eritrea�s political leadership including Isaias Afwerki, Haile �Deru� Weldensae, Gerezgheir Tewelde, Weldedawit Temesgen, Abdela Hasen, Tesfai Gebreselase, Weldeyesus Ammar and many others. 

In the early 1970s, Seyoum and others were arrested in Asmara and given a ten year sentence by the Haile Selase regime.  The activists, who were imprisoned in Adi Quala and Asmara, were freed in an ELF raid.   After his freedom was secured, Seyoum served in the ELF in various capacities, most prominently as the chairman of Eritrea�s Peasant Association (known as Mahber Harestot in Tigrigna) which earned him his nom-de-guerre, Seyoum �Harestai.�

When the ELF was pushed out of the Eritrean field and subsequently splintered, Seyoum retained his membership with the ELF-RC arguing that ELF-RC was the true continuation of the ELF as it was the only organization that retained the democratically elected leadership in its legislative and executive councils.   After serving as a member of the executive committee for nearly two decades, he was elected as the chair of the ELF-RC in 2002.

Subsequent to his election, the ELF-RC splintered in mutual recriminations.  What is notable is that in all the bitterness, hardly anyone pointed an accusatory finger at the late Seyoum Harestai.  

A charismatic leader and a gifted public speaker, Seyoum did not live long enough to realize his one dream, visit a peaceful and democratic homeland.  His death is a huge loss for the opposition and, in fact, for Eritrea.

Publisher�s Note:  Awate.com will soon publish a tribute to this remarkable leader whose untimely death is a shock to all who struggle for a democratic Eritrea, including our organization.  For now, please refer to an interview we conducted with Seyoum on June 21, 2001 which provides detailed information of this remarkable man and his extensive service to Eritrea.