The Massacre of the Sixty, or Black Saturday (Amharic: ጥቁሩ ቅዳሜ, tikuru kidami), was an execution that took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia commissioned by the Derg government against 60 imprisoned former government officials at Kerchele Prison on the morning of 23 November 1974.[1] [2] The prison was commonly called Alem Bekagn – "I've had enough of this world".
| Part of the Ethiopian Civil War | |
 Victims of the massacre in photo | |
| Native name | ጥቁር ቅዳሜ |
|---|---|
| Date | 23 November 1974 |
| Location | Kerchele Prison, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Also known as | the Sixty Black Saturday |
| Type | Execution by firing squad |
| Target | 60 officials of the imperial government of Haile Selassie |
| Outcome | Executed |
The Ethiopian Revolution started about ten weeks before the massacre. Before this point, the Derg was able to instill hope among the people that the revolution could remain bloodless.[3] Epitomised by the slogan "Ityopiya tikdem, yala mimin dem” – “Ethiopia first, without any bloodshed”.[3]
The massacre presaged the Red Terror and Ethiopian Civil War that would follow in years after.[3]
List of people executed
editThe 54 below were executed on the orders of Mengistu Haile Mariam. Their names were read the following morning on Ethiopian Radio.
Executed
edit- Prime Minister Tsehafi Taezaz Aklilu Habte-Wold
- Prime Minister Lilj Endalkachew Makonnen
- Lt. General Abiye Abebe
- H.H. Prince (Leul Ras) Asrate Kassa
- Rear Admiral Leul Iskinder Desta
- Ras Mesfin Sileshi
- Ato Abebe Retta
- Ato Akalework Habte-Wold
- Lt. Colonel Tamirat Yigezu
- Dejazmatch Kifle Irgetu
- Lt. General Kebede Gebre
- Lt. General Issayas Gebre-Sellasie
- Lt. General Assefa Ayana
- Lt. General Debebe HaileMariam
- Lt. General Belete Abebe
- Lt. General Deresae Dubale
- Lt. General Haile Baikedagn
- Lt. General Assefa Demisse
- Lt. General Abebe Gemeda
- Lt. General Yilma Shibeshi
- Ato Mulatu Debebe
- Dr. Tesfaye Gebre Igzi
- Dejazmatch Workineh Wolde Amanuel
- Dejazmatch Aemero Selassie Abebe
- Dejazmatch Solomon Abreha
- Dejazmatch Sahelu Difeye
- Dejazmatch Worku Enko Selassie
- Dejazmatch Legese Bezu
- Colonel Solomon Kedir
- Blata Admasu Retta
- Ato Nebiye Leul Kifle
- Ato Solomon Gebre Mariam
- Ato Tegegn Yetashework
- Afe Negus (Lord Chief Justice) Abeje Debalke
- Dejazmatch Kebede Aliwele Asfaw
- Major General Gashaw Kebede
- Major General Seyoum Gedle Giorgis
- Major General Tafesse Lemma
- Lij Hailu Desta
- Fitawrari Amde Abera
- Fitawrari Tadesse Enko Selassie
- Fitawrari Demisse Alamirew
- Kegnazmatch Yilma Aboye
- Brigadier General Wondemu Abebe
- Brigadier General Girma Yohannes
- Brigadier General Mulugeta Wolde Yohannes
- Colonel Yegazu Yemane
- Colonel Alem Zewde Tessema
- Colonel Tassew Mojo
- Major Berhane Mecha
- Captain Mola Wakene
- Captain Wolde-Yohannes Zergaw
- Lieutenant Belai Tsegaye
Killed in shootout
editThe remaining six were killed in a shootout at the home of General Aman Andom
- Lieutenant Demisse Shiferaw
- Lance Corporal Bekele Wolde Giorgis
- Sub-Corporal Tekle Haile
- Lt. General Aman Mikael Andom
- Lance Corporal Tesfaye Tekle
- Junior Aircraftsman Yohannes Fetoui
References
edit- ^ Andargachew Tiruneh; ʼAndārgāčaw Ṭerunah; Thomas Leiper Kane Collection – Library O (1993). The Ethiopian Revolution 1974–1987: A Transformation from an Aristocratic to a Totalitarian Autocracy. Cambridge University Press. p. 327. ISBN 978-0521430821.
- ^ John H. Spencer (2006). Ethiopia at Bay: A Personal Account of the Haile Selassie Years. Tsehai Publishers. pp. 342–. ISBN 978-1599070001.
- ^ a b c "1974: Black Saturday in Ethiopia". Executed Today. 23 November 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2013.