Mengistu Haile Mariam, in December 2006 convicted of genocide in absentia for his role the Red Terror

The Ethiopian Red Terror (1977-1978) was a violent political campaign in Ethiopia undertaken during the leadership of the Derg, a socialist military junta. In December 2006, Mengistu Haile Mariam was convicted in absentia for his role in the Red Terror while leader of Ethiopia. Image File history File links Mengistu_Haile_Mariam. ... Image File history File links Mengistu_Haile_Mariam. ... Mengistu Haile Mariam Mengistu Haile Mariam (born 1937[1] [2]) is a Communist politician who was the President of Ethiopia from 1977 to 1991. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Derg party badge, c1979. ... Socialism is a social and economic system (or the political philosophy advocating such a system) in which the economic means of production are owned and controlled collectively by the people. ... In modern usage, junta (pronounced as in Spanish HUN-ta or HOON-ta) typically refers to a military dictatorship, especially in Latin America, which is officially run by a committee of high-ranking military officers. ... December 2006 is the twelfth and final month of the year and will begin in 2 day(s). ... Mengistu Haile Mariam Mengistu Haile Mariam (born 1937[1] [2]) is a Communist politician who was the President of Ethiopia from 1977 to 1991. ... In Absentia is the eighth studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released in September 24, 2002. ...

From 1977 through early 1978, a rebellion against the new government ensued and was suppressed, resulting in many casualties. In response to guerrilla attacks from the anti-Mengistu Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party (EPRP), Mengistu declared that the EPRP had begun a campaign of "White Terror." Anti-Mengistu forces, however, accused Mengistu's Workers Party of waging a campaign of "Red Terror." Distinguish from the type of ape called a gorilla. ... The Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Party (EPRP) was a prominent Marxist organization in Ethiopia during the 1970s. ... It has been suggested that The White Terror (France) be merged into this article or section. ... Combatants Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front Tigray Peoples Liberation Front Peoples Democratic Republic of Ethiopia The Ethiopian Civil War was a 17 year long civil war in Ethiopia. ...

Mengistu's campaign against anti-government guerrillas was launched with a speech delivered in Revolution (formerly Maskal or "Holy Cross") Square in the heart of Addis Ababa. He included the Eritrean secessionists Shabia or Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF), Jebha or the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF), the monarchist Ethiopian Democratic Union (EDU), the Woyane or Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Western Somali Liberation Front (WSLF) in this hunt along with the EPRP. Map of Ethiopia highlighting Addis Ababa (in red). ... The Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front (EPLF) was an armed organization that fought for the independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia. ... Wikipedia does not yet have a page called Eritrean Liberation Front. ... The Ethiopian Democratic Union or EDU was the oldest of the political parites that formed in opposition to the Derg regime of Ethiopia. ... The Tigrayan Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) is a political party in Ethiopia. ... Somali guerrilla activity in the Ogaden and in the Haud area east of Harer flared sporadically after Somalia gained its independence in 1960, but the guerrilla activity remained essentially a police concern until a border war erupted in 1964. ...

Another factor to the Red Terror were the famines that were kept secret from the international community. Millions of people died, especially in Wollo and Tigrai areas. In addition, there were frustrated peasant men and farmers who revolted against the government along side the guerrilla fighters. In response, Mengistu designed the relocation project that caused one of the worst humaniatarian crisis of the decade. From 1975-1978, Mengistu was responsible for the 7th worst genocide in world history. Around 1,500,000 Ethiopians were the victims of the Derg genocide.^[1] Wollo was a province in the north-eastern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Dessye. ... Tigray is the northern-most of the nine ethnic regions (kililoch) of Ethiopia. ... Look up Genocide in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In response to guerrilla attacks from the EPRP, Mengistu gave counter-insurgency forces the authority to arrest, detain, and execute insurgents. From 1977-78, counter-insurgency forces pursued countless suspected insurgents. Military gains made by the monarchist EDU in Begemder were rolled back when that party split just as it was on the verge of capturing the old capital of Gondar. The army of the Republic of Somalia stepped in to aid the WSLF in the Ogaden region, and was on the verge of capturing Harrar and Dire Dawa, when Somalia's erstwhile allies, the Soviets and the Cubans, launched an unprecedented arms and personnel airlift to come to Ethiopia's rescue. The Derg regime turned back the Somali invasion, and made deep strides against the Eritrean secessionists and the TPLF as well. By the end of the seventies, Mengistu presided over the second largest army in all of sub-Saharan Africa, and a formidable airforce and navy as well. Begemder was a province in the north-eastern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Gondar. ... Gondar (less commonly spelled Gonder) was the old imperial capital of Ethiopia and the historic Begemder province, now part of the Amhara region. ... Ogaden (pronounced and often spelled Ogadēn) is a part of the Somali Region in Ethiopia. ... Harar, also spelled Harrar, is a city in Ethiopia, situated in the eastern extension of the Ethiopian highlands, about five hundred km from Addis Ababa. ... Map of Ethiopia showing Dire Dawa (in red). ...

After out-maneuvering his rivals inside the Derg and his foes in the EPRP, Mengistu had a rift with the other major Marxist group that had originally supported him, the All-Ethiopia Socialist Movement (MEISON). He feared that its members had more loyalty to their party and to Marxist ideology than to the ruling Derg government and himself. By 1978, he had effectively eliminated all potential opposition from the EPRP and MEISON through three phases of bloody purges; the first targeting the EPRP, the second targeting MEISON, and the third eliminating remnants of both groups. Meanwhile, He was still fighting against various opposition groups all around the nation. In an attempt to destroy the will of northern oppositions, one of the famous and tragic attacks was unleashed on the Hawzen town of Tigray where thousands of people were killed. His fighter planes dropped cluster bombs on the whole town in broad daylight while most people & civilians were outside, especially in the market places.^[2] The All-Ethiopia Socialist Movement (MEISON) was a Marxist organization that played an active role in Ethiopian politics during the late 1970s. ... Marxism is the political practice and social theory based on the works of Karl Marx, a 19th century philosopher, economist, journalist, and revolutionary, along with Friedrich Engels. ...

In 1984, Mengistu denied that famine was ravaging the north of the country. United Nations aid workers said Mengistu flew in planes filled with "loads of whisky" to celebrate the anniversary of his revolution. Meanwhile in Ethiopia, around one million more people died of starvation. ^[3] The killings continued throughout the decade and no one was spared from them as thousands of students, around 10,000 uneducated peasants and thousands of opposition group members (even inside Addis Ababa) were murdered until Mengistu's last days in Ethiopia.^[2] 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ...

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