Mengistu Haile Mariam (Vanity)

[Ptarmigan]

The world witnessed Stalin's Purge, Hitler's Holocaust, Mao's Cultural Revolution, Pol Pot's Forced Exodus, and Saddam's brutal mass killings. Africa is no stranger to atrocities to the likes of Idi Amin and Mobutu Sese Sekos. Here is another act of genocide carried out by former Ethiopian leader Mengistu Haile Mariam, who is a Communist leader of the Workers Party. Mengistu was part of the Derg, which was the military junta that came to power by overthrowing Haile Selassie in 1974. He ruled from 1977 to 1991. His first act was "Red Terror", in which he attacked anti-Communist guerillas. He detained, tortured, and executed of suspected guerillas. Their corpses would be tossed into the street to be made into examples. The Red Terror had helps from East German's Stasi, who also carried out mass killings. He also got help from the Soviet Union and Cuba, two Communist powerhouses. Mengistu's embracing of Communist came at a cost of his friends and comrades, who were ordered to be killed to maintain power. During his rule, famine broke out in Ethiopia between 1984 to 1985, which claimed millions of people. It is that famine that caused the world to open their heart and help them in every way possible, including Live Aid. To make matters worse, Mengistu denied that a famine was happening and blocked aide to affected areas because of anti-Communist guerillas. The famine affected northern Ethiopia, mainly Tigray and Eritrea region. It claimed at least a million lives. Then in 1991, Mengistu was overthrown after the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and other opposition guerialls formed a coalition called Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). As the EPRDF marches towards Addis Ababa, Mengistu, Derg, and family members flee to Zimbabwe with the bless of current President Robert Mugabe. Mengistu and the Derg were tried in absentia in Ethiopia from 1994 to 2006. They were found guilty and sentenced to death. However, Zimbabwe refuses to extradite Mengistu, despite the verdict. Mengistu still lives in luxury in Zimbabwe even though he is now a guilty man. Mengistu is responsible for at least 1.7 million death in Ethiopia, which makes it one of the worst act of mass genocide besides Mao, Stalin, Hitler, Saddam, and Pol Pot. Mengistu's regime added to the 100 million people who died because of Communism.

Boston.Com-Boston.Com-Ethiopia's Mengistu faces genocide trial verdict

Front Page-Left-wing Monster: Mengistu

BBC News-Mengistu found guilty of genocide

Hertiage Foundation-A U.S, Strategy to Foster Human Rights in Ethiopia

[Steely Tom]

Funny you should mention this guy. I was just thinking about him earlier in the week. African dictators. What colonialism was ended to make way for. What a joke.

[Ptarmigan]

Funny thing is, some like to blame America for everything, especially imperialism, when it fact it was Europe that did it, especially England. I read the reason why colonialism happened was because Europe was overpopulating and they needed more resources.