Grmay Melkie

Father's name: Melka Maharat

Mother's name: Timratsa Menashe

Year of birth: 1943

Place of birth: Wefergef, Welkait

Region in Ethiopia: Welkait

Main occupation in Ethiopia: Farmer and merchant

The language of the interview: Amharic

Grmay Melkie, nature, agriculture, shepherd, student, merchant, school, ORT network, Yonah Bugala, Hebrew, Amharic, regional council, trade, weapon, ammunition, fighting, rebels, Baruch Tegene, organizations, Farede Yazazao Aklum, Zimna Berhani, guns, wages, slaves, conditions of employment, journeys, transport, wedding, matchmaking, head of family, taxes, baria, virginity, henna, jewelry, customs and tradition, Derg, Emperor Haile Selassie, EPRDF, Ihapa, TPLF, Wefergef, Welkait, Sudan, Gondar, Tigray.

Summary of the testimony:

Grmay talks about the history of his family and describes his village and the local history. As a child, he herded sheep and cattle. At the age of ten, he began to learn Hebrew and Amharic in the Jewish school of the ORT network that was opened in the province by Mr. Yonah Bugala. After the first year of studies, he had to leave to help his father with his farming work. When his father grew old and died, Grmay took his place as the head of the family. He continued to work the land and supported his mother and siblings. He describes the agricultural work, the workers, slaves, wages, taxes, the mutual assistance and the agricultural produce. He farmed in three types of areas: forest, plateau and desert.

Grmay describes the communal and legal aspects of conduct when the head of the family died and the family assets had to be divided up. He describes his role as head of the family: the financial management, matchmaking customs, engagement and how they celebrated the festivals.

In 1974, when the Derg party deposed Emperor Haile Selassie and took power of the country, Grmay, then 30 years old, was appointed as head of the local council. After two years in this position, the EDU rebel group conquered the province from the Derg and enacted a new district rule. The province was cut off from the rest of the country and the many hired workers who came to work for the area’s farmers returned to their own provinces.

Grmay worked in the winter as a farmer and in the summer as a merchant. He sold cattle, weapons and ammunition to rebels in Sudan in exchange for salt, coffee, and clothes, which were then sold in Ethiopia. Grmay talks about the methods of trade, the trips to the markets in Tigray, Welkait, Sudan and other places. He lists the different types of merchandise and weapons he traded in.

In 1980, the possibility of smuggling Ethiopian Jews to Israel via Sudan was raised. Grmay lived in a province adjacent to Sudan and was familiar with the roads due to his trade with the Sudanese. He was sent by Baruch Tegene to check out routes for travel. At that time, fierce battles were raging in the province between the various rebel organizations, such as the Ethiopian Democratic Union (EDU), the EPRDF and the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front.

In 1982, Grmay and his family set out for Sudan and rented a house secretly, until they could complete their mission of immigrating to Israel. Together with various organizations, and alongside Farede Yazazao Aklum, Grmay helped members of the Jewish community find work, handle the bureaucracy, and rent apartments. He helped smuggle them to Israel by airplane. He was eventually caught and spent six months in a Sudanese jail. When he was released, he resumed his activity under Zimna Berhani and Berhani’s replacement until the immigration was stopped and the Jews were stranded in refugee camps. Grmay laments the death of many members of the community in these refugee camps.