News Update : Bewketu Seyoum's attackers apprehended

Bewketu Seyoum

Dispute solved via 'restorative justice'

09/04/2011

A day ago this Blogger had reported that Bewketu was violently attacked by unidentified gangs.Reports from Addis Abeba state that one of the suspects (a Deacon),that attacked Bewketu Seyoum a day ago, has been apprehended by Addis Abeba Police. Tadias Addis Radio Program on Sheger FM reported that the issue was resolved via ''restorative justice'' system. "The attacker (unnamed for legal reasons), solicited an apology from Beweketu.Bewketu accepted the apology". The attacker ,who is said to have written two religious books , testified that 'emotions' were behind his acts.

By Anko Zuta,De Birhan Blogspot

08-04-2011

The young Ethiopian poet,author, journalist and comedian Bewketu Seyoum, has been attacked by a gang in Addis Abeba due to an article he wrote on Addis Gudaye Newspaper titled '' Eger Albaw Balekinfe'' (The winged legless).Beweketu suffered major injuries in his lips and teeth.

The article he wrote on Addis Guadye revolved around '' prosperity'' and the attackers allegedly used one of the terms he used in his article '''teklahamnotawi'' as a pretext of attacking him.The attackers approched him as '''religious conservatives'' who didn't like the Saint's representation in the article. Saint Teklahaymanot was an Ethiopian Orthodox Saint remembered for his miracles and saintly life.

The young psychology graduate,Bewketu has been winning the hearts and minds of his audience for his humorous poems and essays that were critical of the Ethiopian government's policies and bad governance.

Although,he had gone to the nearest police Station to report the incident , the police requested that he bring the name of his attackers so that he can file charges. "How would i be able to know the names of my attackers who have beaten me fast and run.They have also warned me that they know my address and will attack me again"he lamented.

In a repressive Ethiopia,a growing number of gangs and mafia are attacking journalists and dissenters in an attempt to quell their voice.The government, one of these attackers,has neglected/failed to protect journalists.

The following response has been given to Bewketu's article by Priest Wendemsesha Ayele (http://www.dejeselam.org/2011/04/blog-post_09.html).

Bewketu has published two much-acclaimed collections of poems in Amharic, Nwari Alba Gojowoch (Unmanned houses, 2001) and Yesat Dar Hasaboch (Fireside Meditations, 2009), also a book of short stories, two novels and a collection of humorous stories on CD.

Below is one of his nicest poems as was translated by Chris Beckett

Elegy

The fall of every leaf diminishes me,

so when I hear a rustle

I send my eyes out of the window

to look at the trees in the yard.

Alas! where there were woods,

now I see flag-poles standing.

Men have swept nature’s nest away

to build their cities.

The melody of the nightingale

has lost its immortality

and I am sitting on a dead land,

writing my elegy in the sand.