Ibrahim Sultan Ali

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Ibrahim Sultan Ali(1909-1987) was one of the original proponents of the Eritrean Independence movement. Ibrahim was born in the city of Keren where he was educated in Islamic and Italian schools.[1] He worked closely with Woldeab Woldemariam before the Federation with Ethiopia to secure Eritrean Independence. He was the founder of the Eritrean Moslem League.

Ibrahim Sultan worked as a chief conductor from 1922 to 192.From 1926 to 1941, he was head of Islamic Affairs section under Italian rule. In 1943 he founded a modern cheese and dairy plant in Tesseney which he ran until 1945. The Eritrean Chamber of Commerce was established later in that year and he became one of its senior staff members until September 1946.

At the United Nations, Ibrahim envisioned a violent battle for independence if the UN acted against Eritrean interests,

The Eritrean people's cause is a just cause of the independence of people who refuse and reject any form of annexation, dismemberment or a return to the hated colonialism no matter what type it would be, whatever form it takes, or from which direction it comes. This indisputable right to independence to which our country is attached can not be ignored without creating a new area of strife in East Africa, since the Eritrean people will never accept Ethiopian domination.

– Ibrahim Sultan, (1950-11-21) "Statement by the Chairman of the delegation of the Moslem League of Eritrea". Fifth session Ad Hoc Political Committee, UN. 

He was nominally a member of the Eritrean Liberation Front, he broke away in 1970 and formed the People's Liberation Forces, which was an immediate precursor to the Eritrean People's Liberation Front[2] where he was reunited with his old ally from the pre-federation period, Woldeab Woldemariam.[1]

Ibrahim died on 1987-09-01 (what would become the Eritrean Revolution Day) in Cairo, after having been sick for many years. He was buried on 5 September in Kassala.

[edit] Quotes

  • "My children, make peace amongst yourselves. Be united; Don't be Moslems and Christians. Avoid religious, ethnic and regional differences and confront your foes by forging solid unity."

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Killion, Tom (1998). Historical Dictionary of Eritrea. The Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0810834375. 
  2. ^ Growth of Secessionis threats. Retrieved on 2007-05-04.
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