In 1978, with the help of oppositional party
members within Ethiopia,the Somali forces entered
the cities of Dire-dewa and Harer in Ethiopia.
Yeharerwerk, only a teenager and newly discovered
international model at the time, played a grand role
by organizing a multicultural event at UNSCO
in Paris, France, working with the Embassy
of Ethiopia to raise money to support the
civilians in the two cities that were victimized
by the forces. She also appealed to and united
all ambassadors that were serving their
countries in Paris, France to support and
participate in the fundraiser.In 1990,
when the TPLF, EPLF and OLF rebel groups,
in addition to the Somalia military powers,
were at the brink of overthrowing the
Ethiopian militaryand government, and
dividing and conquering the country,
Yeharerwerk left her comfortable life,
her husband, and her glamorous
job to travel back to Ethiopia to stand in
support of the Ethiopian people
and military, who were attempting to protect
the citizens and keep the country
unified. She was the first Ethiopian in diaspora
to return to her country in those
harsh times. She was also the first Ethiopian
concerned citizen that met and
discussed the situation with Col. Meningitis
Hailemariam, the President of
Ethiopia.While in Addis Abeba, she founded
Congressman Mickey Leland
Orphan Children Home, in honor of the Late
Congressman Mickey Leland,
which, sadly, has now been abolished by the
TPLF leader Meles Zenawi.
For her acts of patriotism, in 1990 the Ethiopian
people named
her "YeEthiopiawerk" (Gold Of Ethiopia.)
Rescuing the Former Ethiopians
Solders:
On 12-18-04, the following was stated by
military commander
Matthew Mckonnen, an Ethiopian naval hero
of the battle betweenthe Ethiopian naval
forces and the TPLF and EPLF groups at
Massawa (the Red Sea), in regard to
Yeharerwerk efforts and initiative
to liberate and bring the former
Ethiopian Navy members from
the Yemen Republic to the United
States through negotiation
with the U.S. Government,
which secured their
resettlement in the U.S.
“From the very onset I would like to reiterate
on the great admiration and respect I have
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 nationalpreservation. Her
courage, commitments, motherly sincere
concernsfor 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 accomodative policies
where it really counts.”
In 1999. Yeharerwerk is the first and
only Ethiopian humanitarian
to have traveled to the war fields of
Eritrea to advocate the freedom
of Ethiopian forgotten soldiers, as well
as the children soldiers ,ranging
from age 12-17, and rescue them from
POW's prison. Yeharerwerk also
met and appealed to Eritreans leader
Isaias Afewerki in Asmara,
Eritrea. Yeharerwerk's efforts were a
success, and after twenty
two years of being denied by
the Eritrean People Liberation Front,
the Red Cross International
was, for the first time,aloud to visit and
assist the POWs. While in
Eritrea, she was honored by the POWs
for being the only Ethiopian
to visit them as family and humanitarian
and wearing the Ethiopian
flag during meeting with them and the
Eritrean leader Isaias Afewerki.
Honored
Yeharerwerk is the first Ethiopian ever
to be honored by former
Ethiopian POWs and the former Ethiopian
military and Navy withmilitary protocol as the
“Mother and Father of Ethiopians in uniform”
in 1999. In 2009, she was honored by the navy
association in Dallas Texas for her “diligent
efforts and unmatched contributions” in
liberating the naval members from Yemeni
prison and their families,who were political
refugees in Yemen, as well as the civilians that
worked under the them, negotiating their
resettlement withthe United States government
in order for them to permanently
resettlement within the U.S.
Yeharerwerk Gashaw escaped assassination
in Dallas in 2008.
Attempted defamation of the good
name of Yeharerwerk Gashaw
In 2008, in backlash against her exposing of
undercover agents under the direction of the so called
prime minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, and exposing their
ethnic apartheid system as well as their mission to eliminate
all oppositional parties in opposition of Meles Zenawi,
in diaspora, the prime minister's undercover agents
and supporters came together in a hotel in Dallas,
Texas to sentence Yeharerwerk
(without her presence or knowledge) with charges
against her for exposing the true nature of their
actions and occupations and presence within
the Ethiopian community. Yeharerwerk had
to stay strong as she underwent many threats
and much name defamation in the DFW area,
as well as other cities where similar
agents are working, for her exposure and
confronting of their work
in the United States under the direction of
the Ethiopian government with a mission to
penetrate Ethiopian community in the diaspora,
oppositional political parties, and non-profit
organizations in order to dismantle and
sabotage these groups which were
created by the Ethiopian people in attempt
to bring unity and democracy to Ethiopia. Today,
these agents working under Meles Zenawi continue
to attempt to defame the name of Yeharerwerk Gashaw
as well as other oppositioinal political parties,
leaders and activists in the
the diaspora in every opportunity given.
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