Massacre of the Sixty

The Massacre of the Sixty, or Black Saturday (Amharic: ጥቁሩ ቅዳሜ, tikuru kidami), was an execution that took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia commissioned by the Derg government against 60 imprisoned former government officials at Kerchele Prison on the morning of 23 November 1974.[1] [2] The prison was commonly called Alem Bekagn – "I've had enough of this world".

"The Sixty" redirects here. For other uses, see 60 (disambiguation).
Massacre of the Sixty
Part of the Ethiopian Civil War
Victims of the massacre in photo
Native name ጥቁር ቅዳሜ
Date23 November 1974 (1974-11-23)
LocationKerchele Prison, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Also known asthe Sixty
Black Saturday
TypeExecution by firing squad
Target60 officials of the imperial government of Haile Selassie
OutcomeExecuted

The Ethiopian Revolution started about ten weeks before the massacre. Before this point, the Derg was able to instill hope among the people that the revolution could remain bloodless.[3] Epitomised by the slogan "Ityopiya tikdem, yala mimin dem” – “Ethiopia first, without any bloodshed”.[3]

The massacre presaged the Red Terror and Ethiopian Civil War that would follow in years after.[3]

List of people executed

The 54 below were executed on the orders of Mengistu Haile Mariam. Their names were read the following morning on Ethiopian Radio.

Executed
  1. Prime Minister Tsehafi Taezaz Aklilu Habte-Wold
  2. Prime Minister Lilj Endalkachew Makonnen
  3. Lt. General Abiye Abebe
  4. H.H. Prince (Leul Ras) Asrate Kassa
  5. Rear Admiral Leul Iskinder Desta
  6. Ras Mesfin Sileshi
  7. Ato Abebe Retta
  8. Ato Akalework Habte-Wold
  9. Lt. Colonel Tamirat Yigezu
  10. Dejazmatch Kifle Irgetu
  11. Lt. General Kebede Gebre
  12. Lt. General Issayas Gebre-Sellasie
  13. Lt. General Assefa Ayana
  14. Lt. General Debebe HaileMariam
  15. Lt. General Belete Abebe
  16. Lt. General Deresae Dubale
  17. Lt. General Haile Baikedagn
  18. Lt. General Assefa Demisse
  19. Lt. General Abebe Gemeda
  20. Lt. General Yilma Shibeshi
  21. Ato Mulatu Debebe
  22. Dr. Tesfaye Gebre Igzi
  23. Dejazmatch Workineh Wolde Amanuel
  24. Dejazmatch Aemero Selassie Abebe
  25. Dejazmatch Solomon Abreha
  26. Dejazmatch Sahelu Difeye
  27. Dejazmatch Worku Enko Selassie
  28. Dejazmatch Legese Bezu
  29. Colonel Solomon Kedir
  30. Blata Admasu Retta
  31. Ato Nebiye Leul Kifle
  32. Ato Solomon Gebre Mariam
  33. Ato Tegegn Yetashework
  34. Afe Nigus (Lord Chief Justice) Abeje Debalke
  35. Dejazmatch Kebede Aliwele Asfaw
  36. Major General Gashaw Kebede
  37. Major General Seyoum Gedle Giorgis
  38. Major General Tafesse Lemma
  39. Lij Hailu Desta
  40. Fitawrari Amde Abera
  41. Fitawrari Tadesse Enko Selassie
  42. Fitawrari Demisse Alamirew
  43. Kegnyazmatch Yilma Aboye
  44. Brigadier General Wondemu Abebe
  45. Brigadier General Girma Yohannes
  46. Brigadier General Mulugeta Wolde Yohannes
  47. Colonel Yegazu Yemane
  48. Colonel Alem Zewde Tessema
  49. Colonel Tassew Mojo
  50. Major Berhane Mecha
  51. Captain Mola Wakene
  52. Captain Wolde-Yohannes Zergaw
  53. Lieutenant Belai Tsegaye

Killed in shootout

The remaining six were killed in a shootout at the home of General Aman Andom

  1. Lieutenant Demisse Shiferaw
  2. Lance Corporal Bekele Wolde Giorgis
  3. Sub-Corporal Tekle Haile
  4. Lt. General Aman Mikael Andom
  5. Lance Corporal Tesfaye Tekle
  6. Junior Aircraftsman Yohannes Fetoui

References
  1. Andargachew Tiruneh; ʼAndārgāčaw Ṭerunah; Thomas Leiper Kane Collection – Library O (1993). The Ethiopian Revolution 1974–1987: A Transformation from an Aristocratic to a Totalitarian Autocracy. Cambridge University Press. p. 327. ISBN 978-0521430821.
  2. John H. Spencer (2006). Ethiopia at Bay: A Personal Account of the Haile Selassie Years. Tsehai Publishers. pp. 342–. ISBN 978-1599070001.
  3. "1974: Black Saturday in Ethiopia". Executed Today. Retrieved 3 October 2013.

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