Eritrea kills 26 civilians by chemical weapons – Ex-intelligence agent
by Tesfa-alem Tekle
October 21, 2008 (MEKELLE) –A former member of the Eritrean intelligence unit for the first time accused the Eritrean authorities of killing 26 Kunama-ethnic civilians last year as part of what he described as Kunama targeted ethnic cleanse.
“26 Eritrean Kunama prisoners were poisoned together in a single day in April 2007 as government agents packed them into 2 containers, each containing 20 liters of fatal chemical, zed poison” The ex-Eritrean agent Mengsteab Girmay revealed.
“The massacre was carried out by selected 6 loyal military leaders under the order of major Teklebirhan Hagos, near a prison site of “Maydima” local area, where the intelligence unit of the 25th regiment was responsible,” he said.
‘The victims were first told to dig 4by 4 hole with 5 meters depth for toilet purposes which unfortunately they were digging their own burial grave without their knowledge” Mengsteab recalls.
Mengsteab admits filing the reports of the mass-execution to Eritrean Authorities.
“As usual, when I was preparing reports of 3, 6 month and of year to the third operational zone and ministry of Defense, I have reported that the 26 prisoners were executed” he admits adding “30 others were also reported to have been executed including two who died during harsh interrogation”
According to Mengsteab the objectives of the counter-intelligence section where he was assigned as an investigator and served for three years, were, to follow up, control and foil any conspiracy by external or internal dissidents against the military and governmental institutions.
On top of that, surveying the over all counter offensive movements be it public or military and curbing such activities is also another duty of this section. These are those authenticated principles of any counter-intelligence institution. He explains
“Contrary to the reality, on the base of the self-created problems and instead of solving them in a comprehensive way, as a lack of confidence and skill, the government is always at throats with those innocent and down-to-earth oppressed nationals of the state.”
“It has developed an extreme mistrust with its subjects. Time and again, it creates unnecessary excuses and exploits them to the maximum level. Those helpless and genuine nationals, now and again are becoming targets of such pretexts.”
In Eritrea, there are several sites selected for such hidden and criminal activities. Ala 17 is among the several cells owned by the intelligence branch of the Third Operational Zone situated at Sasah Ala near the logistics section of the ministry of defense.
To accomplish the project of atrocity, the Eritrean government has come up with a new dramatized fiction. The prime motive was to look for Kunama individuals who are well articulated in Tigrinya language so that they can easily deceive Eritreans through mass media or propaganda,” he said and continues to brief the story as follows
They were forced to confess and blame themselves that they were those who planted anti- vehicle mines in Shambako, Geze, Erab, Bimbilna, Sinshale, and Adi Teklehimanot at the beginning of 2001, the former intelligence member said.
Underlining the shortage of propaganda materials at hand, Ali Abdu was so grateful and once things are arranged well by the commanders of the third operational zone, he agreed to send the best camera man and journalist.
He thought it to could be a great opportunity to blackmail the Ethiopian government in the eyes all Eritreans.
In order to make the mission successful, those prisoners were treated well in all conditions by stuffing them with food, clothing, cigarettes etc. Hereafter, they were taken to the sites where mines were blasted to rehearse and took lessons on how to plant a mine though they were all soldiers. They were told by the mission organizers that they will be free once they accomplished the given task.
Later, completing the first phase of the fictitious operation, Ali Abdu sent Girmay Debesay as a Journalist, Mohamed as a camera man and Alem as a driver with all the needed media equipments to report and record the drama in Boshoka.
To decorate the drama in utmost level and color, the prisoners were well advised, taught and trained to say –they were stooges sponsored by the government of Ethiopia and planted mines ….etc. On the other hand they were also told to praise.
(ST)