A Life Dedicated to Service and Freedom

Eng. Tesfahun Camada Gurmeessa was born in 1976 in Harbuu village, Guduru district, East Welega, Oromia, to his father, Mr. Camada Gurmeessa, and his mother, Mrs. Giddinesh Beyene. He was one of the few Oromo children of his generation who seized the rare opportunity for an education despite the oppressive conditions of the time.

He completed his primary and junior education in Looyyaa and Finca’a, and his secondary education in Shamboo, graduating in 1996. A high-achieving student, he then attended Addis Ababa University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Civil Engineering in August 2001.

Professional Service to His Community

Following his graduation, Eng. Tesfahun dedicated his skills to developing his homeland, serving in various engineering and managerial roles on critical infrastructure projects:

• September 2004 – May 2005: Unit Manager for the Arsi-Bale Feeder Road project, the Abbaa Taayitaa Oromiya Rural Road project, and the Arsi-Bale Rural Electricity Community project, all funded by the Italian government.
• Site Engineer for the Siree-Nuunnuu-Arjoo RR50 road project in Wallagga zone.
• Project Manager for the Dagalee-Birbirsaa RR50 road project and the construction of the Cawwaaqaa district office in Ilu-Harar.
• Management of four concurrent quarry access road projects: Kone-Cawwaaqaa, Baddallee-Kolosirri, Gachii-Catee, and Yaanfaa-Ballattii.

Exile, Betrayal, and Abduction

Due to the systemic suspicion and persecution of educated Oromos by the EPRDF regime, Tesfahun was forced to flee to Kenya in 2005 for his safety. In Nairobi, facing immense hardship, he sought protection from the UNHCR and was recognized as a refugee fleeing persecution.

However, in a grave miscarriage of justice, he was illegally apprehended on April 27, 2007, through a collaborative operation between Kenyan and Ethiopian security forces. Along with fellow engineer Mesfin Abbabaa, he was labeled a “terrorist” under the pretext of the U.S.-backed Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT). Despite a Kenyan court ruling that found no evidence of terrorism and ordered their release, a corrupt police officer sabotaged their freedom. On May 12, 2007, they were renditioned back to Ethiopia in shackles.

Imprisonment, Torture, and Martyrdom

Upon his forced return, Tesfahun was subjected to a year and three months of brutal torture and interrogation in the infamous Maekelawi prison. He was then charged with membership in the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF).

After a closed trial, on March 31, 2010, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Denied any chance of appeal, the regime orchestrated a final, brutal act. On April 4, 2011, under the false pretense of a “prerel ease,” Tesfahun and Mesfin were taken from their cells and subjected to intensified torture under the direct command of Tigrayan interrogators. This systematic physical and psychological destruction broke his health irreparably.

Eng. Tesfahun Camada, a brilliant mind who built roads for his people, died under torture on August 24, 2013, becoming a martyr for the Oromo cause.

His Legacy

Tesfahun Camada is remembered for his unwavering courage and his famous declaration:

“I was born free, and though I am prevented from living free, no power can stop me from dying for my freedom!”

His life stands as a testament to the unyielding pursuit of freedom and justice. Though his journey was cut short by tyranny and brutality, his story is etched into the history of the Oromo struggle as a powerful and enduring symbol of resistance.