Asaminew Tsige

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This is an
Ethiopian name. The last name is a patronymic, not a family name
; this person is referred to by the given name Asaminew.

Asaminew Tsige
አሳምነው ጽጌ
Chief of the Amhara Region security
In office
2018–2019
Personal details
Born1958/1959
Gunshot wounds to the head
Political partyAmhara Democratic Party
Other political
affiliations		Ginbot 7
Military service
Allegiance Ethiopia
Branch/service Ethiopian Ground Forces
Battles/warsEritrean–Ethiopian War

Amharic: አሳምነው ጽጌ; 1958/1959 – 24 June 2019) was an Ethiopian general who served as chief of the Amhara Region security forces during part of 2019. He had previously been serving a life sentence in relation to an alleged coup attempt staged by Ginbot 7. During his imprisonment, he was allegedly tortured and lost sight in one eye.[1] He was released in 2018 and restored to his prior rank and pension.[2]

Asaminew was part of the Amhara ethnic group, which is Ethiopia's second largest ethnic group. He had been known for his hard line ethnic nationalism and was particularly popular among a segment of the Amhara youth.[3] After his release from prison and appointment to a government post, he advocated for more autonomy for Amhara and went as far as calling members of his ethnic group to arm themselves and join local militias.[4] Though the International Crisis Group said that his activities helped the rise of the National Movement of Amhara (NaMA), which emerged as a challenger to the Amhara Democratic Party (ADP). NaMA was established before the coming of Gen. Asaminew to the government power.[5]

Asaminew was accused of being behind an alleged

attempted coup in the Amhara Region in 2019. The President of Amhara region Ambachew Mekonnen was killed during the alleged attempt. In a related event, the Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Force, Gen. Se'are Mekonnen, and his aide, Maj. Gen. Gizae Aberra, were assassinated by a bodyguard, the office of Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed said.[6] Se'are and Ambachew were close allies of the prime minister.[3] Following the alleged attempted coup, he was on the run, with his whereabouts unknown,[7] until he was shot dead by police on 24 June, after 36 hours at large, Ethiopian state television announced.[8]

See also

  • Assassination of Girma Yeshitila

References

  1. American University, Washington College of Law
    . Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Ethiopia: Army and Intelligence Chiefs Replaced". Tesfa News. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Ethiopia 'coup ringleader killed'". 25 June 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  4. ^ Solomon, Salem (25 June 2019). "Analysts Unsure Why General Killed Amhara Region President". Voice of America. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  5. ^ AFP (30 June 2019). "Ethiopia on edge in ethnic heartland of 'coup leader'". The Chronicle. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Ethiopia's Amhara state chief killed amid regional coup attempt". Al Jazeera News. Al Jazeera Media Network. 23 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Ethiopia Amhara 'coup ringleader on the run'". BBC News Online. BBC Online. BBC. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  8. i24 News
    . Retrieved 24 June 2019.
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