Addis Ababa, November 17 (WIC) – Medical record, his families and local communities confirmed Yenesew Gebre, who burned himself to death in Tercha town in Dawro Zone, to have mental illness.
Sources told WIC that his death has no relation with maladministration and injustice as some media propagate; especially VOA Amharic program and ESAT.
His families, General Manager of Tercha Hospital, Dawro Zone Police Commander and Chief Administrator of the Zone confirmed the information being disseminated by some overseas media about Yenesew’s death as fake and groundless.
General Manager of Tercha Hospital, Mebratu Masebo, said that Yenesew had severe mental illness and he had been attending various treatments at the hospital when he was alive.
His medical record at the hospital indicates that he had attended mental treatment at various times and passed away on Monday at the hospital.
Tadelech Bekele, resident of Tercha town and the victim’s elder sister, said Yenesew had served as a teacher in Silte Zone for some time after graduating from Hawassa Teachers College. Due to his mental problem, he quit his job and returned to Tercha town, where he attended medical care at the hospital.
Following improvement in his health condition, he began working as a teacher in Tercha Vocational and Technical School. But after seven months of service, he stopped his work as his health condition began to deteriorate, she said.
“My brother always asked me to give him money for Khat (narcotic plant), cigarette and drinks. After drinking, he always disturbs residents of the area including me and may families. In 2001 E.C, I informed to police my brother to be detained. After that he disappeared from the area for two years,” she said.
“He returned to Tercha early September this year. Beginning from late October, his health continued to deteriorate and he began disturbing my family. He lit himself on fire last week as I was preparing to apply to police for his detention,” she said.
She further expressed her anger over the wrong information disseminated by VOA Amharic service and ESAT about the death of her brother, which according to her utilized him for their hidden political agenda.
According to Tadelech, her brother was buried in accordance with Christian tradition in the presence of his families and friends. The report by VOA and ESAT about his burial ceremony was baseless and it is a shame for these media to mislead the public, she said.
Representative of Dawro Zone Police Commander, Deputy Commander Bako Tina, on his part said that Yenesew is known to have mental illness.
He confirmed being contacted by the victim’s sister for Yenesew’s detention three years ago. He denied earlier media reports surrounding the circumstances of Yenesew’s death and his burial ceremony.
According to Bako, his body was buried in Kale Hiwot Church in the presence of his families and friends.
Chief Administrator of Dawro Zone, Israel Atara, on his part said the report by VOA and ESAT about Yenesew’s death is unfair and called it total fabrications.
Yenesew had no participation in the local community’s request to shift the zonal town from Tercha to Waka, he said.
“The false propaganda being disseminated to incite violence and terror in Ethiopia by these groups, labeled as terrorist organizations, will have no place among Ethiopians,” said the chief administrator.
The administrator and family of the victim urged overseas media, especially ESAT and VOA, to restrain from inciting violence in Ethiopia by propagating unfounded and wrong information.
Their attempt to link Yenesew’s death with Tunisia’s Mohamed Bouazizi clearly indicates their feeling of hopelessness. Ethiopia has already passed the kind of civil war which recently occurred in most Arab countries some 20 years ago.
The fast economic growth Ethiopia is registering amid the current global economic downturn, testifies the government’s commitment for development.