20 Facts About Tadesse Birru

Tadesse Birru was an Ethiopian military officer and civil rights activist.

Tadesse Birru's advocacy turned into repeated attempts to overthrow the government through a coup and later through a military rebellion.

Tadesse Birru was eventually captured and executed by the Derg regime.

Tadesse Birru is considered to be the father of modern Oromo nationalism.

Tadesse Birru was born in Salele, in the Shewa province of the Ethiopian Empire during Emperor Haile Selassie's reign.

Tadesse Birru was eventually captured and sentenced to life in prison with hard labor in Mogadishu, Somalia where he remained until the British captured Mogadishu in 1940.

Tadesse Birru was freed and given military training in Kenya and returned to Ethiopia in 1941.

In 1942, Tadesse Birru was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant and enrolled into the national military academy at Holota, where he served for years as an instructor.

Tadesse Birru was made a commander of the "Fetno-Derash" and was instrumental in crushing the 1960 coup attempt by proving the conspirators wrong through his loyalty to the Emperor.

Tadesse Birru was promoted to Brigadier General by which time he was commander of the Fetno-Derash, the deputy commissioner of the National Police Force, the commander of the Territorial Army and the chairman of the National Literacy Campaign.

Tadesse Birru escaped the worst of repercussions but was put under house arrest from which he escaped after three years.

Tadesse Birru then plotted and attempted an unsuccessful coup in 1966 along with other high ranking Oromo soldiers during which they planned to assassinate the Emperor.

Tadesse Birru was arrested and severely tortured despite his old age.

Tadesse Birru was eventually released from prison and put into house arrest in Gelemso.

Tadesse Birru took this chance and escaped from Gelemso and returned to Addis Ababa.

The Derg, which was the military regime that took over the government, asked Tadesse Birru to become Minister of the Interior which he refused.

Tadesse Birru was joined by Colonel Haile Regassa, Major Abebe Gebre Mariam and eventually General Jagama Kello, former military comrades of his.

In respect to the defunct Oromo army of the late Elemo Qiltu, Tadesse Birru's forces operated under the name of the Oromo Liberation Army.

Tadesse Birru led the rebels until he was captured along with Hailu Regassa.

Tadesse Birru is considered by many of Oromos to be the father of modern Oromo nationalism.