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Mengistu Haile Mariam

Former General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Ethiopia · Italy · Politicians · Born 1937 · age 89

Mengistu Haile Mariam is read about 1,400 times a day, in 66 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 15 October 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 390 days, one point a day.

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He led Ethiopia for fourteen years through purges, famine, and civil war. The Red Terror of 1977-1978 alone killed tens of thousands - perhaps hundreds of thousands - in his consolidation of power. An Ethiopian court convicted him of genocide in absentia, but he lives freely in Zimbabwe still.

PoliticiansPoliticianPolitics20th Century

A life in dates

2003“[Haile Selassie] died a natural death, as far as I know.”In their wordsAs quoted in Riccardo Orizio, Talk of the Devil: Encounters with Seven Dictators, (Walker and Company, 2003), p. 145

“I'm a military man, I did what I did only because my country had to be saved from tribalism and feudalism. If I failed, it was only because I was betrayed.”In their wordsAs quoted in Riccardo Orizio, Talk of the Devil: Encounters with Seven Dictators, (Walker and Company, 2003), p. 150

1999“[Haile Selassie] was 80 years old and a very weak man. We tried our best to save him but we could not keep him.”In their words28 December 1999As quoted in "Mengistu defends 'Red Terror'", in BBC News (28 December 1999)

1990“what is important to me as it is for the Ethiopian people, is the unity of the country, the sovereignty of the country and I'm not ready to compromise on that.”In their words1990 interview to news maker.

1987“When we planned our country's economic development, we had the strategic objective of our Revolution in mind.”In their wordsAs quoted in John M. Cohen (1987) Integrated Rural Development: The Ethiopian Experience and the Debate, p. 213

1980Order of the October RevolutionAward1977“Henceforth we will tackle our enemies that come face to face with us and we will not be stabbed in from behind by internal foes...”In their wordsFebruary 5 (1977), as quoted by Dawit Wolde Giorgis (1989) Red Tears: War, Famine and Revolution in Ethiopia, The Red Sea Press Inc., p. 31

1937Born21 May 1937

Also in Deutsch

Photos 8

Mengistu Haile Mariam 4Mengistu Haile Mariam 4Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0505-329, Berlin, XI.Parteitag der SED, FDJ-ManifestationBundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0505-329, Berlin, XI.Parteitag der SED, FDJ-ManifestationAli Nasir Muhammad meets with Mengistu Haile Mariam, 1980Ali Nasir Muhammad meets with Mengistu Haile Mariam, 1980Ali Nasir Muhammad with Mengistu Haile MariamAli Nasir Muhammad with Mengistu Haile MariamAnti-Mengistu poster in Somalia, 1977Anti-Mengistu poster in Somalia, 1977Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0417-012, Berlin, XI. SED-ParteitagBundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0417-012, Berlin, XI. SED-ParteitagBundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0417-017, Berlin, XI. SED-Parteitag, Rede SindermannBundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0417-017, Berlin, XI. SED-Parteitag, Rede SindermannBundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0417-018, Berlin, XI. SED-ParteitagBundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0417-018, Berlin, XI. SED-Parteitag

In their own words 10

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Mengistu Haile Mariam
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10 statements, newest first

  1. [Haile Selassie] died a natural death, as far as I know.

    2003, As quoted in Riccardo Orizio, Talk of the Devil: Encounters with Seven Dictators, (Walker and Company, 2003), p. 145, Own words

  2. When [Nelson Mandela] was in prison I admired him for his moral strength...Of his period in power I can see few results.

    2003, As quoted in Riccardo Orizio, Talk of the Devil: Encounters with Seven Dictators, (Walker and Company, 2003), p. 148, Own words

  3. I'm a military man, I did what I did only because my country had to be saved from tribalism and feudalism. If I failed, it was only because I was betrayed.

    2003, As quoted in Riccardo Orizio, Talk of the Devil: Encounters with Seven Dictators, (Walker and Company, 2003), p. 150, Own words

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Awards

Order of the October Revolution1980
Order of José Martí
Order of the White Lion
Order of Playa Girón

About this person

Mengistu Haile Mariam came to power after the Derg - the Marxist-Leninist junta he eventually chaired - overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, ending a dynasty that had ruled since the 13th century. He purged rivals within the Derg and declared himself dictator, attempting to modernize Ethiopia's feudal economy through nationalization and land redistribution. His government fought the Ogaden War against Somalia in 1977-1978, relying heavily on Soviet and Cuban allies to secure victory, while simultaneously battling the Eritrean independence movement and crushing internal opposition. The catastrophic famine of 1983-1985 drew international attention as his government's policies and mismanagement contributed to deaths estimated between 500,000 and 2,000,000. He fled to Zimbabwe in May 1991 when his government dissolved, ending the Ethiopian Civil War, and remains in Harare today despite the genocide conviction.

Country
Italy
Category
Politicians
Type
Politician
Status
living
Dates
Born 1937 · age 89

Politicians from Italy 6

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