Watch, Video by Ethiopian television & press in 1990
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMtb7zPMZcA
Published on Dec 22, 2012
The country of Ethiopia remembered the Late Congressman Mickey Leland and those Ethiopians and Americans who passed away in a plane crash that took place on August 7, 1989 in Western Ethiopia while traveling on a humanitarian mission to visit Sudanese refugees. The service took place at the Holy Trinity Cathedral (Kidist Selassie), the highest ranking orthodox cathedral in Ethiopia's capital city of Addis Ababa.
The memorial service was a result of campaigning by the first Ethiopian international model, actress, and human rights activist Yeharerwerk Gashaw in her residing city of Dallas, Texas (U.S). Gashaw appealed to the City of Dallas in order to honor Congressman Leland, but despite the backing of the Mayor many city officials; still nothing was approved after almost year of her effort. Gashaw then turned to the Ethiopian government instead. Gashaw traveled to Ethiopia and requested that the government name a road in honor of Congressman Leland, and worked with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Relief Commission in order to organize the prayer service for Leland and the other fallen heroes. Her campaign also led her to found the Mickey Leland Orphan Children's Home, and indeed led to the naming of Mickey Leland road in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Former President Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam (1987-1991), Abuna Zena Markos, Mired Bekele (Vice Minister of Information at the time), Dr. Ashagre Yegletu, Shimeles Mazengya , Teklu Tabor, Mulugetta Lulae and Getachew Hailemariam also played critical roles in helping to honor Leland in Ethiopia.
This event sparked many firsts in Ethiopian history. The main gates (Wana Yefit Ber) of the cathedral were kept closed prior to the event due to religious tensions brought about by the socialist government at the time, forcing Parishioners to enter through the back of the church. Thus, the prayer service marked the first time in sixteen years that the cathedral gates had been opened for an official service, especially one where the Ethiopian and the International media were permitted. The memorial service was also the first time that the socialist government worked alongside the Ethiopian Orthodox church, working hand in hand in order to pay respect to Congressman Leland and other Americans and Ethiopians who died for humanitarian efforts in Africa. Gashaw, also a pan-Africanist, brought together diplomats and leaders from foreign backgrounds and religions in order to honor the fallen heroes. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Abuna Zena Markos, the acting Patriarch at the time, recognized Gashaw for her efforts to organize the prayer service and for uniting the diplomats and the international community in Addis Ababa.
Gashaw was the first Ethiopian ever to bring the U.S and Ethiopia (as well as other nations) together on Ethiopian soil in order to honor those serving humanitarian efforts, and as a result of her campaign to honor Leland the Ethiopian government deemed August 7th, 1990 Mickey Leland day. This triggered U.S President at the time George H.W Bush to do the same, as well as close all the U.S embassies in Africa in honor of Leland. This historical event is recorded in the U.S Department of State as well as in the Howard University (Washington D.C) 2003 "A Tale of Two Nations" program in honor of Ethiopian-U.S relations.
Yeharerwerk Gashaw currently lives in Plano, Texas (USA) and continues to contribute to humanitarian and civil rights efforts
Video by Ethiopian Television & Press (1990).
The memorial service was a result of campaigning by the first Ethiopian international model, actress, and human rights activist Yeharerwerk Gashaw in her residing city of Dallas, Texas (U.S). Gashaw appealed to the City of Dallas in order to honor Congressman Leland, but despite the backing of the Mayor many city officials; still nothing was approved after almost year of her effort. Gashaw then turned to the Ethiopian government instead. Gashaw traveled to Ethiopia and requested that the government name a road in honor of Congressman Leland, and worked with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Relief Commission in order to organize the prayer service for Leland and the other fallen heroes. Her campaign also led her to found the Mickey Leland Orphan Children's Home, and indeed led to the naming of Mickey Leland road in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Former President Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam (1987-1991), Abuna Zena Markos, Mired Bekele (Vice Minister of Information at the time), Dr. Ashagre Yegletu, Shimeles Mazengya , Teklu Tabor, Mulugetta Lulae and Getachew Hailemariam also played critical roles in helping to honor Leland in Ethiopia.
This event sparked many firsts in Ethiopian history. The main gates (Wana Yefit Ber) of the cathedral were kept closed prior to the event due to religious tensions brought about by the socialist government at the time, forcing Parishioners to enter through the back of the church. Thus, the prayer service marked the first time in sixteen years that the cathedral gates had been opened for an official service, especially one where the Ethiopian and the International media were permitted. The memorial service was also the first time that the socialist government worked alongside the Ethiopian Orthodox church, working hand in hand in order to pay respect to Congressman Leland and other Americans and Ethiopians who died for humanitarian efforts in Africa. Gashaw, also a pan-Africanist, brought together diplomats and leaders from foreign backgrounds and religions in order to honor the fallen heroes. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Abuna Zena Markos, the acting Patriarch at the time, recognized Gashaw for her efforts to organize the prayer service and for uniting the diplomats and the international community in Addis Ababa.
Gashaw was the first Ethiopian ever to bring the U.S and Ethiopia (as well as other nations) together on Ethiopian soil in order to honor those serving humanitarian efforts, and as a result of her campaign to honor Leland the Ethiopian government deemed August 7th, 1990 Mickey Leland day. This triggered U.S President at the time George H.W Bush to do the same, as well as close all the U.S embassies in Africa in honor of Leland. This historical event is recorded in the U.S Department of State as well as in the Howard University (Washington D.C) 2003 "A Tale of Two Nations" program in honor of Ethiopian-U.S relations.
Yeharerwerk Gashaw currently lives in Plano, Texas (USA) and continues to contribute to humanitarian and civil rights efforts
Video by Ethiopian Television & Press (1990).
