wenchifEthiopia.com ወንጭፍ ኢትዮጵያ

September 19, 2025

ክቡር ፕሮፌሰር ግርማ ብርሀኑ

Eurasia Review
A Journal of Analysis and News
Ato Eshete Moges: A Lion Among Men, Whose Courage Blazed Like Fire Across Fano – OpEd
September 19, 2025 0 Comments
By Girma Berhanu
Introduction
I pledge to stand for freedom.
I promise to guard liberty.
I vow to keep independence alive.
No tyranny shall break my resolve.
I have three aims in this paper. The first is to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the untimely passing of Ato Eshete Moges and his son, Ytagessu Eshete—fearless warriors of Fano, whose courage in both life and battle became the very embodiment of heroism. Their strength and honor continue to inspire all who dare to stand against adversity. Their lives, woven into a tapestry of valor and unwavering spirit, echo through time, whispering to future generations of warriors.
In the annals of Fano, Ato Eshete’s name is etched in courage. Through the storms of battle and the trials of life, he stood unbroken—a sentinel of bravery whose legacy will endure beyond the passage of time.
This paper is not an attempt to glorify war, violence, or bloodshed. It is not a tally of casualties, nor does it fall prey to the dangerous notion that war or killing brings harmony, change, or peace. Rather, it is a tribute to a man who sacrificed everything—his family, property, and ultimately his own life—for others. He did so in the spirit of altruism and unparalleled bravery, in defense of his family, his community, and his nation.
I firmly believe that this genuine Fano spirit can serve as a powerful example. It is an ideology rooted not in aggression, but in a deep-seated commitment to justice, sacrifice, and collective liberation—an inspiration for individuals and communities alike to rise against suffering and strive for freedom.
The second aim of this paper is to critically examine and revitalize the ethos of Fano as more than a reactionary force—it is a socio-political consciousness rooted in the principles of self-determination, communal responsibility, and resistance against oppression. In recent times, the term “Fano” has been oversimplified, politicized, and at times mischaracterized. However, at its core, Fano represents an enduring spirit of resilience—a grassroots movement that emerges wherever justice is denied, freedom is threatened, and dignity is trampled.
Through the life and sacrifice of individuals like Ato Eshete Moges and Ytagessu Eshete, we are reminded that Fano is not merely a group or a moment in time; it is a mentality, a moral compass guided by the conviction that silence in the face of injustice is complicity. This paper aims to rekindle that original spirit, to explore how this philosophy can be reclaimed and adapted in contemporary struggles for human rights, local sovereignty, and national unity.
It also seeks to challenge narratives that reduce armed resistance to senseless violence, by situating Fano within a broader historical and philosophical context—one where resistance is seen as a legitimate, even necessary, response to systemic injustice. By doing so, I hope to offer a framework that encourages critical reflection and constructive engagement with the ideals Fano represents, urging future generations to uphold the values of courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the common good.
The third aim, closely related to the above, is to explore how Ato Eshetu’s final words—spoken during his last telephone conversation—can be brought to life and given enduring meaning. His voice should be transformed into a covenant, a sacred promise or set of guiding principles for new members of Fano to live by, expressed in the form of commandments. As we all remember, his final message embodied profound and all-encompassing love for the Ethiopian nation. It reflected spiritual strength, reverence for God, courage, discipline, altruism, deep paternal love (choosing death rather than abandoning his son’s body—he could have fled and saved himself), unwavering trust in the community, and commitment to the spirit of the Ethiopian state.
The Remarkable Valor of Ato Eshete Moges
The highlands trembled under the shadow of war. Foreign forces advanced with calculated precision, aiming to seize the fertile lands and break the will of a proud people. Villages were burned, trade routes severed, and the cries of the innocent echoed through the valleys. Yet amid the despair, hope rose in the form of a man of humble birth: Ato Eshete Moges.
Eshete, the son of a farmer, was raised among the rolling hills where he learned that a man’s worth is measured not by wealth but by courage, loyalty, and conviction. When news arrived that enemy forces had crossed the northern passes, he could not remain idle. Rallying a band of villagers—blacksmiths, shepherds, and townsfolk untrained in war—he vowed to defend his homeland, no matter the cost.
The heroic story of Eshete Moges and his son, Yitagesu Moges, perfectly embodies the indomitable Fano spirit. Their courage and sacrifice are etched into the collective memory of a people who have long fought for their survival and dignity.
No Surrender: A Father and Son’s Last Stand
Ato Eshete Moges was born in the Qewot district near Shewa Robit. A 56-year-old father of seven and a respected businessman, he was also a resident of Shewa Robit—a place he would soon defend with his life.
In late November 2021, as the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) forces advanced toward Ataye, near Shewa Robit, Eshete took it upon himself to mobilize local fighters. He made his stand clear:
“If we don’t defend Shewa Robit, who will? I will not leave Shewa Robit and go.”
Initially, he fought from within Shewa Robit. His defiance was so resolute that even his mother had to intervene, as tradition allows, to persuade him to evacuate the city. Eventually, he relocated with his son to a nearby area called Salaysh, just 15 kilometers away. But the TPLF advanced quickly and reached Salaysh as well.
Despite repeated warnings to withdraw, Eshete once again refused. He chose instead to make his final stand—with his son at his side.
When the TPLF reached their residence, Eshete engaged the attackers, killing five soldiers. Yitagesu, armed only with a handgun, shot two more as they attempted to storm the house. In the heat of battle, the young man ran out to retrieve a rifle from a fallen enemy. Together, father and son repositioned to the back of the house, seeking cover in a nearby sorghum field.
Tragically, Yitagesu was shot and killed during this maneuver.
Realizing the gravity of the moment, Eshete called his brother-in-law to deliver what would become his final words:
“Listen to me. Yitagesu has been killed. Can you hear me? Pay attention. He has been killed by the sorghum farm near Assefa Taye’s house. I am near his body. I have been surrounded and I will die here too. Our bodies will lie here… I’ll pay you in heaven.”
Though urged to flee, Eshete refused to abandon his son’s body. Instead, he fought on until his last breath. The exact number of enemy soldiers he killed after the call remains unknown, but records confirm he took down at least two more in the moments that followed.
The transcript of that phone call has since been published, offering Ethiopians of all backgrounds a raw and moving testament of duty, love, and extraordinary sacrifice.
The Spirit of Fano: A Legacy of Resistance
Though unpaid, poorly resourced, and often self-armed, Fano fighters have emerged as a pivotal force in defending the Amhara people from existential threats. Initially fighting against the TPLF, and now facing assaults from federal forces loyal to the Abiy administration, Fano continues its resistance with unwavering resolve.
Through strategic offensives and grassroots support, Fano has defied the odds. They are not feared for their firepower, but for their cause: to protect their people from annihilation. They are the living embodiment of Amhara resilience and defenders of Ethiopia’s unity.
Despite sabotage, state-sponsored suppression, and betrayal by local administrations, Fano has only grown in strength and confidence. What began as a community-based defense force has become a formidable symbol of resistance—an unyielding answer to the oppression and targeted violence against the Amhara people.
And at the heart of this movement lies the story of Eshete and Yitagesu Moges—a father and son who chose honor over safety, sacrifice over surrender. Their legacy will live on, not just in memory, but in the soul of a nation still fighting for justice, survival, and sovereignty.
Despite being an unpaid, under-resourced, and self-armed volunteer defense group, Fano has proven to be a decisive game-changer in the ongoing war that aims to dismantle Ethiopia and exterminate the Amhara population. Through perseverance and courage, Fano has continued its resistance—relentlessly engaging enemy forces until the safety and dignity of the Amhara people are secured, and until both the TPLF and the government army are no longer able to inflict suffering on Ethiopians.
Fano has executed a series of swift and strategic offensives against forces deployed in the Amhara region under the state of emergency. These lightning strikes have demonstrated not only tactical skill but also deep-rooted commitment to defending their people. Fano remains determined to pursue further offensives and secure victory—regardless of whether the threat lies in Addis Ababa, Mekelle, or elsewhere, and no matter how fortified the enemy positions may be. This growing strength and moral clarity have been made possible, in part, by the unparalleled valor of Ato Eshete Moges—a man whose final stand continues to inspire a nation and ignite the spirit of resistance.
Tribute to Ato Eshete Moges: A Legacy of Valor and Resistance
In the long and unyielding history of Ethiopian resistance, few names shine as brightly as that of Ato Eshete Moges. His bravery, self-sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to his people have become a rallying cry for a new generation of freedom fighters. In a time when the very survival of the Amhara people was under threat, he stood firm—not for personal glory, but for duty, dignity, and love of country.
Eshete Moges was not a general, not a politician, nor a soldier trained in the art of war. He was a father, a businessman, a son of the soil—an ordinary man who performed an extraordinary act of courage. Alongside his beloved son, Yitagesu Moges, he chose to face overwhelming odds rather than abandon his homeland or the body of his fallen child. In his final hours, Eshete fought not just with bullets but with a message: that love of country, family, and justice is stronger than fear, and greater than death.
His sacrifice was not in vain. It lit a fire in the hearts of many and became part of the living legacy of Fano—the volunteer defense force that has risen as the last line of protection for the Amhara people. Feared by their enemies not because they seek conquest, but because of their steadfast resolve to defend their people from annihilation, Fano represents the unbroken spirit of a wounded but unbowed nation.
Their rise has unsettled those who wish to see Ethiopia divided and the Amhara people erased. Anti-Ethiopian elements view Fano with fear, not for their weapons, but for their unifying vision and moral clarity. Despite facing betrayal, sabotage, and hostility from the very institutions meant to protect the people, Fano has endured—and grown stronger. They fight on, inspired by the example of heroes like Eshete Moges.
Today, Fano is not just a force of arms, but a force of spirit. And Eshete Moges is not just a martyr, but a symbol—of resistance, of resilience, and of the enduring hope that Ethiopia will rise from the ashes of conflict, forged anew by the sacrifices of its bravest sons and daughters. May the memory of Ato Eshete Moges and his son Yitagesu live on in the hearts of all Ethiopians. Their story is no longer just theirs—it belongs to a nation that refuses to be broken. “If we yield today, tomorrow our children will kneel as slaves. Better to fall with dignity than live in chains.” (Ato Eshete Moges)
Binding Pledge: Covenant in the Ann*****to be continued*****