Thousands of mourners gathered at the Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa on June 25 to pay tribute for the Chief of Staff of Ethiopian Defense Forces, General Seare Mekonnen and his associate retired Major General Gezae Abera.
The memorial ceremony was conducted at a federal level at Millennium Hall in the presence of President Sahlework Zewdie, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Speakers of the Houses of Peoples’ and Federation, religious leaders, Ministers and senior civil and military officials and the public.
Prayer and benediction were held at the hall by Abuna Matthias, Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
On June 22, three top officials of the Amhara Regional State were killed when they were on a meeting in the city of Bahir Dar in an assault allegedly conspired and orchestrated by the former Head of Peace and Security of the region, Brigadier General Asaminew Tsige.
General Seare and Major General Gezae were assassinated at the home of the Chief of Staff by his guard in Addis Ababa, after a few hours of the attack in Bahir Dar.
Asaminew Tsige, who was suspected of orchestrating the failed “coup attempt” on Amhara Regional State, and killing of regional and federal officials, was shot dead on Monday in the vicinity of Bahir Dar City.
Asaminew had been jailed for seven years for alleged coup plot and was among thousands of prisoners who set free on amnesty following the sweeping reforms led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently.
General Seare Mokonen was born in 1962 in North Western Zone of Tigray Regional State and survived by a son and daughter.
The funeral ceremony for officials of the Amhara regional state and senior army generals was held at St. Gabriel churches in the cities of Bahir Dar and Mekelle respectively on June 26 in the afternoon.
The burial ceremony in the city of Bahir Dar was held in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen, Ministers, higher officials, members of the families of the deceased and government representatives from Eritrea and Sudan.
On the funeral ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonnen said the heinous killing of the leaders is a barbaric act that is incompatible with the stature of the peoples in Amhara Region and that of entire Ethiopia.
He called upon the peoples in the region to stand together and work towards the fulfillment of the vision upheld by the martyrs.
The funeral service for the slain Chief of Staff, General Seare and his associate retired General Gezaie was held in the city of Mekelle, the capital of Tigrai Regional State on June 25.
Deputy Chief Administrator of Tigrai Regional State, Debretsion Gebremichael, on the burial ceremony said that the death of the heroes does not hamper the development and democratic journey in the country.
He called upon the public to sustain the vision upheld by the deceased heroes.
