By Major. Tadesse Tekalegn/Cap. Bekele Worku
Actress and activist Yeharerwerk Gashaw's mission was to find the Ethiopian POWs in Eritrea that the Ethiopian government was denying the existence of in 1998/1999. She was the first Ethiopian to advocate for the freedom of the POWs, as well as the first to advocate in order for the Red Cross to be allowed to aid the Ethiopian POWs, including Pilot Colonel Bezabeh Petros and the Ethiopian children soldiers (ages 15-18), in Eritrea, which had not been allowed by the Eritrean government for 22 years prior to her visitation in 1999. The government lifted the restrictions after Gashaw traveled to Eritrea, visited and spoke with the Ethiopian POWs in the mid-warfield prison, and met with President Isaias Afewerki to resolve the matter. Her visit also led to the recognition of the Ethiopian POWs by the Geneva convention.
Comments from Commander Matthew Mekonnen of the former Ethiopian Navy:
"From the very onset I would like to reiterate on the great admiration and respect I have for Ms. YEHARERWERK GASHAW. She has been the very great traditional Ethiopian women example who had followed their men in every battle field for national preservation. Her courage, commitments, motherly sincere concerns for the abused Ethiopians who gave their only life for national interest, is to say the least, consistent and endearing characteristics that shaped her person. In this age of information, Ms. YEHARERWERK GASHAW had carried the traditional Ethiopian women challenges to the frontiers of modernized battle fields of reshaping opinions, influencing thoughts and endeavor in the forming accommodative policies WHERE IT REALLY COUNTS."
Below, Ethiopian pows advocate Yeharerwerk Gashaw, wearing proudly Ethiopian flag during the officical meeting with Isaias Afewerki in Asmara 1999 .
pows videos a
http://www.youtube.chttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aoai0SlnUQYom/watch?oai0SlnUQY
