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Avera Mengistu – 10 years in captivity
Today, September 7 2024, it's exactly ten years ago that Avera Mengistu disappeared in Gaza.
Avraham "Avera" Mengistu was born in Ethiopia in 1986 and relocated to Israel with his family when he was five years old. He and his parents and nine siblings lived in Ashkelon, a town near the Gaza Strip. Avera was suffering from mental health issues. After his brother died in 2011 Avera withdrew himself from friends and family. He quit his job and refused social benefits. He once tied a string around his finger so tight that it cut off the blood supply and had to amputated.
On September 7th 2014 Avera asked his mother for money. When she told him that she did not have any, he left home. He went to the beach in Zikim and climbed over a security fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip. When the patrol arrived Avera had already climbed to the top of the fence and he had gone into the Gaza Strip. This was the last time he was seen by any Israeli. He left behind his bag, with slippers, a towel, a Bible and some other books.
Hamas
In Gaza he was interrogated by Hamas. They suspected that he was an IDF soldier, but due to his mental health issues he never served in the army. He has been held captive ever since. Years went by without any sign of Avera. But his family always kept believing he was still alive. After 8 years Hamas released a short video of Avera. In the video Avera says: “I am the prisoner Avera Mengistu. How long will I and my friends be here in captivity? After long years of pain, where is the country and the people of Israel regarding our fate?”
Not everyone is 100 percent sure this is really Avera Mengistu, but his mother is determined. This is her son.
Hostage square
During all the years that Avera is being held hostage by Hamas, the Israeli government made little effort to bring him back. This has led to various campaigns to raise awareness for Avera. One of the people who has been incessantly trying to raise attention is artist Michal Worke. She has been painting Avera and his family and addressing his case since 2017. After October 7th 2023, the Hamas attacks, she’s going to ‘hostage square’ on a regular base to raise awareness that Avera had been an hostage of Hamas for 10 years now.
It’s important that people say his name. Avraham "Avera" Mengistu.
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Missing Black people
The lack of attention for Avera is nothing new. Throughout the world Black people go missing and the authorities and the media hardly seem to care. According to the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) Africa is the continent with the highest missing persons caseload. No wonder, considering cases like the president of Tunesia deporting 2.000 African migrants into the desert, last year. In England and Wales National Crime Agency data shows that black people are four times more likely to be reported missing than their relative population. In the USA black people make up 14% of the population, but according to FBI data they make up 31% of missing persons.
Research in the Netherlands showed that on social media missing persons reports of white people are five times more likely to be shared, than those of people of colour. And the term Missing White Woman Syndrom underlines this inequality. An international example of this Natalee Holloway. The white girl from the USA, who disappeared on Aruba, by the hands of the Dutch Joran van der Sloot.
In Israel it is no different. Avera’s case is overshadowed by the hostages taken on October 7th. 251 people were taken hostage. Shani Louk became the face of the hostages. She was murdered by Hamas and then paraded naked through the streets, with people punching and spitting on her naked body. Horrific.
But have you seen the faces of the two Tanzanian students, who were also taking hostage on October 7th? Do you know their names? Joshua Molell and Clemence Mtenga. Both of them studied agriculture. Clemence Mtenga was murdered in the attack in the Kibbutz Nir Oz. Joshua Molell’s death has been declared on December 13th 2023, but his body is still being held hostage in Gaza.
We will say their names:
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