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ISKIRNA TALYAN
An Eritrean Askari in Italian
Rule
1977, 1ST Part, Asmera 104 Pages,
Tigrina Book.
Author’s name not stated at
front page. Though the printing date is 1977, the book looks much older
probably of the 50s it looked old when I bought it in 1987. In the
Introduction it tells that the author while a prisoner in Egypt had
received a letter from his mother. Being illiterate others were busy to
read this precious letter that he vowed to educate himself and
eventually succeeded to write his true story.
The author was talking in a
group and a journalist called Grazmach Tesfay Abraha said he regretted
that no Eritreans had written on their experiences of the World War II.
This made him interested to narrate his own experiences.
He calls himself Gezae in this
book and Gezae grew up in a village in Tekela county, Serae province
with his divorced mother. She remarried and moved to Asmera where Gezae
followed her and he started working hard and faithfully from age ten. He
was nearly to become a truck driver for a Mr. Rosso where the World War
II broke and in 1940 he was enforced to be a soldier though he was not
of age.
On 17 July 1940 Gezae was 17
years of age and stationed in a Campo in Asmera did his few weeks
military training and became stationed in the newly formed Battalion 12
as a medic. In the months the British were bombing Asmera and sirens –
serena - sounded that people hid in shelters – Rufijo. Because it was
rainy season the British bombers were camouflaged by the mists and
successfully bombed at targets as the airport, railway station, military
areas, warehouses and less often at the Italian quarter – Comishtato or
Campo Stato.
The native areas as Aba Shawel,
Geza Birhanu, Geza Banda Habesha, Hadish Adi, Edaga Arbi etc were not
bombed at all.
Two pilots were renown for
their bravery in bombing. One was the Italian Vizentini who crashed with
the clouded mountain of Debre Bizen monastery which demoralized the
Italians, and the British known as the Black Eagle.
Gezae’s Battalion under the
command of Major Bersini started to travel by train to Keren. The day
before, Gezae went to say farewell to his mother and siblings and took a
last photo with them. His good friend Gebre Selassie was with him. That
evening at 6 p.m. soldiers were given 6 cartons bullets and six hand
grenades and food supplies.
Their trip started at midnight
from the railway station – Ferrovio – and people on the road some
clapped to them and some with clasped hands with sadness, and the
soldiers started singing
“Mengedi Mai Bela
Kin-miles ina nsmera.”
Road of Mai Bela
We shall return to Asmera.
They entered Keren at 10 A. M.
next day. Entering Keren the siren sounded and they covered themselves
under bridges and trees. The siren sounded again and they came out of
their hideouts. Then the Major told them to prepare rations for five
days to travel towards Nakfa.
The trip to Nakfa was through
Mariam Daarit, Tsebab, river Anseba, Afabet and Kub Kub then entering
Nakfa. Before starting their trip all soldiers Christians, Muslims and
Italians assembled around Mariam Daarit church and prayed. There, a
pious and highly religiously respected woman called Sitina Halewya came
by car and prayed for their safety and escorted them to the river Anseba.
They were tired walking all
the way and up the Nakfa mountain pass, carrying heavy load. There they
danced Guyala. There were several askaris who were charged of being
late, not shouting slogans etc that they were whipped 20 to 50 lashes
lying on the ground. The whippings were called “Ancora altro venti (20)”
and “Altro Cinquanta (50)”
Since the Habeshas were
forbidden from travelling by trucks and to eat ready made food, Gezae
felt they were refugees fleeing than soldiers marching to battle. They
were mostly tired from carrying the loads and fetching water etc that
their performance in battles were not as good as the Italians who had
very little work
The battalion were in Nakfa
and its surroundings for several months. Once near Kub Kub near Nakfa
the askaris were very thirsty and seeing a river where monkeys splashed
the askaris wanted to drink. They were forbidden and the horses and
mules had to drink first who made the water muddy and urinated on it.
Still the askaris too thirsty to complain drank of the foul water.
Their food rations were
finishing that they were getting hungry. Anyone going to the nearby
village of Adi Sheik was whipped that Gezae collected some blankets and
impersonating as a Tigre civilian managed to bring food to his group.
On 15 February 1941 they met
the British in their first battle. The British side were French officers
and Senegalese soldiers. The battle raged from 4 A. M. through the whole
night. On the second day the French officer designed a daring plan. Two
soldiers were to run to the Italian force waving white flag shouting
that their officer was wounded. As Italians were known to give up when
their commander was down, the two men ran with the white flag towards
the Italians. Seeing them to be Africans (Senegalese), they took them
and without searching them gave them tea and food. The Italian commander
was Tenante Testi Peitro.
Gezae and his friend Gebre
Medhin brought the supposedly wounded French officer with a stretcher.
While cleaning his wound they discovered that it was skin deep only.
Because the Italians were alienating them and they expected the British
victories might grant them their independence, both men decided to keep
quiet. The 2 Senegalese soldiers disappeared and then shooting started
that their commander Tenante Testi died instantly when hit.
Gezae and Gebre Medhin
replaced the faked sick French officer with the dead body of Tenenti
Testi on the stretcher and took and buried him near Kub Kub by the
military hospital. The French attacked the Italians who fled dispersing.
Some fled to Ginda and some to Debre Sina finally reaching Asmera.
Gezae’s force with Major Bersini carried the safe – Cassa forto – of
their insignia or Gal Yardeto and hiding from the main road finally
entered Keren tired and extremely thirsty.
The might of the 12th
Battalion – Battalioni di ferro – iron battalion, was famous in Keren
and when they returned, they were made to rest near Mariam Daarit. Major
Bersini’s wife came from Asmera and drove him to back to Asmera.
Gezae’s force were given much
propaganda of being strong and transferred to another commander, they
were sent to Tenqul-Has, near Keren to hold fort. Having not heard from
his close friend Gebre Selassie, (an old friend) he feared that he was
killed.
There all kinds of modern and
fast and big weapons were used that Gezae felt this was the worst battle
of all the war. Even snakes and other dangerous animals were hiding
together with the soldiers in caves all scared.
The British dropped leaflets
from planes and Gezae took one. His friend Gebre Medhin read it in
hiding. It stated than to be enslaved by the Italians, the emperor is
nearby and people should come to his side. It did not need any
conviction for these two from planning to desert.
The two spent the whole night
of 19 April 1949 how to flee and on the next day the 20th, at
4:30 a. m. they slipped from the Italian army and following a river some
ways and careful not to be seen by the strong night light – bawza – they
at last entered Hagaz village, (about 25 kms) near Keren, where the
British held front. At first they were put together with other
deserters.
Of the many defectors that
day, about 15 soldiers had come with intelligence documents and weapons
that they were given special papers with stamps and placed in a
different tent. And Gezae was one of them. But he was very saddened to
be separated from his “older brother” Gebre Medhin and sat dazed hands
folded. Gebre Medhin in his way was also saddened that when returning to
Asmera, how could he face Gezae’s mother.
Gebre Medhin’s group were put
in cars and started driving towards Akordet. The remaining soldiers
waved them goodbye and for their safety. Gebre Medhin’s group were taken
to Gedaref, Sudan and after a year and a half imprisonment, he returned
to Asmera and narrated all to Gezae’s mother who feared her son was
dead.
While Gezae was in Hagaz an
Ethiopian officer, Shaleka Kasa came to them from Kessela. He told them
not to despair and that they were soon to be taken to Addis Abeba to the
Emperor. In the meantime, they were to guard prisoners in Akordet town.
In Akordet Gezae’s group were
receiving Italian prisoners and then forwarded them to Sudan. There he
witness cruelty. On 27 April 1941 the Italian General Lorenzini was
killed in Keren battle and what was happening to the fleeing Italian
soldiers.
The tired and thirsty Italian
soldiers were marched to the prison and while entering the fence, the
British hit them with gummy batons and iron sticks that some fell down
dead from the hitting like cattle. Rice, mostly not well cooked was
spread in mats – tenkobet - for the Italian prisoners who charged and
did not get more than one swallow. Two liter water was given for ten
prisoners. They were made to see water pumping nearby, with their mouths
gaping, but not allowed to drink from it.
When the Italian prisoners
were found standing, they were beaten why they stood up, and the same if
found sitting. They were forced to stand on their knees and stare at the
sun. They were made to dig holes and fill it up. They were forced to
carry sacks of sand and run and back for 100 to 150 meters. They were
made to suffer similar tiring chores until they just fell of exhaustion.
Gezae found this treatment as inhumane.
Whereas Gezae’s group ate and
drank as they wished that they washed their cloths as they wished. The
Ethiopian Sheleka Kasa used to visit them by and by from Kessela to
check on their situation. He told them one day that the British were
obstacles that Gezae’s group could not travel to Addis Abeba to meet the
emperor.
They expected to be moved soon
by the Shaleka that one soldier amongst them called Beyene suddenly
departed and disappeared. What was happening to the Italian prisoners
was happening to them now. The British told them angrily that all
should spread out with the Indian soldiers and find out Beyene or they
will be executed.
Not finding Beyene, their
special papers were snatched from them and no food or water given for 24
hours. They carried sand sacks for an hour and a half. They were forced
to move by their elbows and knees that they bled a good deal. Numerous
sadistic punishments befall them that they wished they died in battle.
Because of the disappearance
of Beyene, all the rest were driven to Tesenai where there were
thousands of prisoners already. After making them suffer like before and
with little food and water, they were put in train to a large war prison
in the Sudanese town of Ashendi (Shendi).
Ashendi is situated between
Khartoum and Atbara. It is in the bank of the large Nile and on the
opposite is a vast land of sand. The prison there was heavily barbed and
fenced. There were thousands of prisoners from different religions,
cultures and races. They were soldiers of the Italians and were severely
whipped and malnourished. Many were stricken by the diarrhoea and buried
in the sand.
There were many brutal
treatments that it would fill a book that it is sufficient to recount a
few. The heat was extreme with sandstorms and prisoners were forced to
dig holes and cover them again. They carried sacks of sand to and fro
and numerous other cruelties.
At five o’clock evening, the
Sudanese prison guards used to call out about 200 prisoners to fetch
water and wood. Separated from other prisoners, they were severely
beaten until blood gushed from their mouths. They were first ordered to
march in four men with the guards on right and left of them shouting
“Arbaa – Arbaa” four –four and anyone halting from line was beaten.
Friday was rest day for the
guards and being drunk, they came to the prison at five o’clock and
shouting “Dugu – Dugu – Al-abed” – abed meaning slave or black. They
beat the prisoners with anything like iron sticks, rifle butts and their
feet.
The food was horrible. Bread
was made of Wedi Aker flour and uneatable sauce. Once a British general
came to visit and prisoners pleaded to him about the food. He said if
his dog ate of it then it was good. His dog would not touch it. He then
wanted to try it himself and was served in plate. He ate it and said it
was so tasty he wanted more.
As the general’s visit was
expected, prisoners were told they could write of their opinions and
write or draw historic events. Although Gezae was then illiterate, he
was ready to tell. A comrade prisoner called Berhane Kafel from Keren
literate in Italian wrote for him “A Free Jerusalem” which Gezae copied
the alphabets in large. When the British general came to Gezae’s line,
he read the words in Italian – GERUSALEMME LIBERA . This made the
general stand long contemplating and thinking.
The reason Gezae chose the
words was not that he knew religion but having learnt that Jesus was
born to save mankind in Jerusalem, and that the Arabs were cruel to
them. It was from Prophesy of Ermias 51 – 50.
There were bad habits among
the prisoners like stealing, bartering, tribalism and religion.
Cigarettes were given in ration but many were tricked or stolen from.
The religious amongst them separated and prayed in their cultures.
Gezae one night had a dream
and a fellow prisoner told him they were soon to be freed. That same day
three British and two Sudanese drove to the prison in a Jeep. They told
the warden to gather all prisoners and told them if there are prisoners
who want to work and send money to their country. Almost all waved their
hands in agreement. Able men young and elderly were selected, to 1,500
men from both Asendi and Atbara prisoners. Gezae and his comrades were
put on the train with them to Khartoum.
After reaching Khartoum they
were given their quarters and British military uniforms. They were in
military training for some weeks and then about a thousand of them were
collected and taken to Port Sudan. From there they sailed in the Red Sea
and reached Suez port. From there they travelled long by land to near a
place called Kasasin in Egypt. In this prison – Campo Concentramento -
were thousands of prisoners from Germany, Italy, Libya and other
countries.
The five hundred rest were
taken by train to Wadi Halfa in Egypt border. They were told to leave
their cereals to be buried and after medical examination and vaccined,
they proceeded by train exclaiming what big bridges, large harvested
lands and modern buildings finally reaching the prison near Kasasin and
mixed with the thousand prisoners.
Here they were treated equal
with the British soldiers. They were training regularly not to become
fat.
These 1,500 ex Italian
soldiers were divided into five groups each comprising of 300 men. They
were equally treated with new British chiefs and paid three piasters
Egyptian daily for their work. They were placed in the Port Matruh and
surrounding to prepare logistics and other jobs to the army.
After several months of
working, some more conscious prisoners were discontented and wrote
leaflets and copied and spread them by the warehouses. It stated saying
even though they were well fed and clothed, they were promised to work
and then go home. Why should they work indefinitely in a foreign land
and demanded to be sent home to their families.
Although not all prisoners
agreed to this appeal, there was no opposition that some men rewrote
their appeal and gave it to a British Major. He read the paper and
gathered them. He said he just came from their country. There is
hardship and famine there and the prisoners were lucky to live here.
The men disagreed saying
better in hunger and misery with their people than here and shouted
their wish. Some men suspecting of leading this uprising were taken into
custody. They were like Arsem (leader of 300 men) Khasai of the fourth
company and others were secretly taken to the Kasasin prison amongst
Fascist and Nazis prisoners. Also Arsem Abera head of the fifth company
was imprisoned.
The other prisoners demanded
to know where their mates were taken and insisted to be sent to prison
with them. The British took out Arsem Abera and executed and coming to
take Arsem Khasai, his fellow prisoners refused to hand him over that
riots broke.
The British officers armed
themselves with rifles, machine-guns and tanks surrounding the
protesters and beating them with rifle butts. The prisoners did not
budge but screamed louder to be sent back to their country.
The British took away those
suspected to lead the revolt putting them in the prison near Port
Matruh. The protesters went to the officers in charge of imprisoning
their comrades and shouted to either all be freed or all imprisoned. The
British replied firmly that none will be freed.
The protesters grew more and
more in number and shouted more that the British were forced to let the
prisoners free but as punishment were sent to the hot desert areas of
Sedi-barani and Ber Selomon to pave roads.
While some agreed to be
punished others including Gezae refused to submit but to be sent home
that they were locked up in a temporary barbed wire prison. Those
supporting the latter continued to oppose and the British became
suspicious.
At that time propaganda by the
Nazist and Fascists were broadcasted that they would defeat the British
and fearing the worst, the British opened fire on the prisoners killing
about 20 men. A Shambel (British), not among the shooters came running
and stopped the killing.
Gezae lifted the dead body of
one of his prison mates to his lap and with blood still gushing from the
body in his hands. And raising his bloodied hands upwards shouted at the
officer who stopped the shooting in desperation. He shouted “You
promised us to work here and send money home. You brought us to this
foreign land and kill us. You have spilled innocent blood and God will
reward you for this!”
The clash was fought was
bullets against throwing stones. Some prisoners anticipating death had
thrown stones at the officers making some bleed. There was a British
sergeant nicknamed “Aboutain” who was against the prisoners. He received
a blow at the back of his neck that he fell down dead. His comrades
quickly took his body away.
A victim here was a man
called Tesfay. He was carried to a truck for the wounded and shouted
until his last breath saying “I was expecting to see my beloved country.
Instead I am to be buried in a foreign land…..” Tesfay was a young man
who enjoyed playing the krar with his good voice playing sentimental
songs making the others long for their country.
This was the time where the
British were forced to retreat from Alamien and they gathered all
Italian prisoners who worked in the fields placing them together with
the prisoners from Sudan.
While in prison, a religious
man called Aleka Ymer started teaching his mates. He divided them into
morning and afternoon classes and he used a writing board to teach the
Geez alphabets. Gezae was paying attention to learn after he had
received a letter from his beloved mother. The other prisoners did not
have time to read it for him and this made him determined to be able to
read her longed letters by himself.
The letter from his mother
was dated 11 Sene, 1934, Ethiopian Calendar. She wrote her greetings to
her beloved son and that she received his letter from Signora Maria on
10 Gunbot 1934 and his description of his missing his family and the
country he lived in. A learned person had read it out for her. She was
so relieved that Gezae was alive that the family was kissing the letter.
She wrote that there was
famine in Asmera. But she was lucky that his employers Signor rosetto
with wife Signora Maria were giving them flour, bread, sugar, tea,
sheriya, soap, candles and water in barrels all sent in carriages (arabia)
they were saved. His brother Tesfa Michael was selling newspapers
providing for the family. She prayed for his safe return and signed her
name Mrs. Amlesu W. Giorgis.
Tribalism: It was stated earlier
that there was a revolt by prisoners insisting to be returned home and
some were killed while others were wounded. An initiative arose by
well-meaning persons that all should contribute money to be sent to the
victims’ families. While how it should be collected was in process, some
men opposed sending money collectively. They insisted money sent by way
of tribes (Awraja) than collectively. This misunderstanding and argument
led to the abortion of the plan.
Religion: Both Christians and
Muslim ex- Italian Askari converted for gain. There were some prisoners
who had tendency to drink beer and smoke and needed money for it. Some
Christians went to Muslim leaders and stated that their forefathers were
originally Muslims and they preferred to return to it. They changed
names, were given cloths and books after they converted and feasted with
tea, milk and bread-like lavished at the Mosques. After some time with
the some money (Egyptian piasters) they were given, they indulged in
smoking and drinking.
After some time, they went to
Christian learned men and regretted converting to Islam, that they
converted in want of money. Although the learned men refused to
re-convert them, the prisoners like Gezae contributed money and bought
them cloths and re named them and feasted with barrels of tea and food.
They then sent them to Aleka Ymer for religious education.
After being held at Kasasin
prison for many months, some of the sick and the elderly were returned
to their country Eritrea. The bodily fit with Gezae were sent to
Ismaelia and proceeded to Suez. They crossed over the canal and in the
sand by the east side of Suez they were put in tents to live there.
Even though the prisoners
were fed well, the weather was so harsh that they suffered from fever
and diarrhoea. Some suffered from night blindness, a new sickness they
never heard of. The prisoners, though it was temporary, became anxious
and worried thinking it was permanent damage. Gezae was ill from these
both sicknesses and sent to the military hospital outside Suez town on
the westerly side. He stayed there for a month and three weeks and in
the meantime became friend with a Sudanese youth called Ahmed. The
Sudanese were cruel to the Eritrean prisoners while in Ashendi prison in
Sudan and Gezae did not want to befriend him. They were the only
Africans near each other they had to start communicating. He writes of a
Italian saying “Martelo Incodino masa tuti sono una rasa”.
In the big hospital were many
patients from different races and religions from Europe, Asia and
Africa. Gezae came close to his African people and communicated with the
Arabic he learned. Gezae did not touch the meat fearing it was not
slaughtered by Christians and later was put with the Indian patients who
ate only rice and vegetables.
His friendship with the
Sudanese Ahmed was forming deep that when one felt worse, the other sat
by his bed-side for comfort and became bonded as brothers.
In this large hospital,
doctors visited patients twice a day and it was kept clean daily. Fresh
juices like oranges, lemon papaya were served to the patient that it was
no exaggeration that nobody drank only water there. A van with coffee,
tea and different juices came in the afternoon with fine music for
relaxing. And there was a cinema where Gezae and his friend Ahmed
visited and talked about.
When Gezae was discharged from
the hospital he said farewell to the African patients and his friend
Ahmed carried his luggage to the car where Gezae crossed Suez by boat
and then arrived to his former prison. He was well greeted and he showed
them the way to Suez town where they together were photographed for
memory.
They then sat in a café and were
talking and on leaving the café they asked for the bill. The waiter said
it was already paid for. They looked around but saw only a few Egyptians
and being confused asked the waiter again who had paid for them. The
waiter said “John Afworki” and went on his way.
Background on John Afwork:
Yohannes Afwork was a light skinned and short man who talked fast. He
was quick to get his way and wore a modern priest gown. He was an
Ethiopian exile fleeing from the Italian occupation. He was one of the
men who wrote pamphlets of information and aspiration to the Ethiopian
people dropping the messages by the British airplanes.
In the café the friends looked
again around and saw the man who paid for them. He got up from his chair
and sat amongst them. When he started speaking in Amharic they were
astounded to hear it for the first time in Egypt.
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