Nine mass graves have been identified in the disputed Wolkait-Tegede and Telemt zone in northern Ethiopia, a study conducted by a team of researchers of a local university.
The study conducted by Gonder University’s researchers indicate that at least 59,000 ethnic Amhara civilians were massacred and buried together in 12 mass graves, three of which are found in Tigray region.
According to the study, Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) which is fighting the government had killed the over 59,000 ethnic Amharas between 1983 and 1990.
During that time, the TPLF was operating as a conventional armed group fighting the then military rule government which was toppled in 1991.
Wolkait, Tegede, and Telemet are areas where the TPLF carried out the massacre and/or torture of ethnic Amharas who were demanding rather a Gondar identity at the time.
The massacre mostly took place in the locality of “Gehanem” ( it is an Amharic for Hell), where a mass grave was discovered.
The finding from the research established that the years between 1983-and 1990 were times during which individuals with ethnic Amhara identity were killed, and thrown into the Tekeze River.
Dr. Bamlaku Yideg, leader of the research team which has about 12 members, is cited as saying that the findings from the research revealed that people who used to live in the area used to be detained, tortured, and killed to be thrown into the water ( a reference to Tekezze river).
MG/abj/APA