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Home , Atnafu Abate, Derg

Asayehgn Desta,Int.J.Eco.Res.,2015, v6 i6, 22 - 34 ISSN: 2229-6158

COLONEL FISSEHA DESTA’S REMINISCENCE OF THE ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTION: A CRITICAL REVIEW Asayehgn Desta, Professor of Sustainable Economic Development, Barowsky School of Business, Dominican University of California Considering Meison’s visionary stance, EPRP’s firm convictions, and the ’s commitment to unity and sovereignty, if these were to operate in a conducive socio-political and economic environment, they would have ushered in ’s successful development! (Fisseha Desta, as paraphrased by professor Desta.)

Last year, while we were reviewing Similarly, when there was an informal talk KhasayAbraha Bisrats’ book , entitled “A about the possibility of the author writing a Special Love for Assimba” at the National book, one of the distinguished advisors of Archives and Library in , the Derg, without hesitation, reflected loudly Ethiopia, one of the reviewers, Professor and clearly that if an authentic, and true GebruTareke, brought to the attention of the account of the Derg’s administrative style audience that in addition to the books and military history were to be written, the written by former President Mengistu Haile distinguished advisor of the Derg argued Mariam (hereafter Mengistu) and former that this should be Fisseha’s book. Prime Minister Fikre Selassie Wegderase In short, the prominent but anonymous (hereafter Fikre Selassie), the former Vice member of the Derg asserted that Fisseha’s President, Fisseha Desta (hereafter Fisseha, account is likely to be more reliable than or the author) has written an account of his what was recorded by Mengistu and Fikre memories of the Ethiopian Revolution Selassie because Fisseha was not only a during the Derg’s (an word for prolific writer but also Fisseha was in charge committee) era. During a private of the Derg’s administrative apparatus and conversation, Professor GebruTareke told Fisseha had unstrained access to all the me that Fisseha’s book would be favorably documents that pertained to the Derg’s era. received by the public compared with the fictitious and incomplete account of the After many months of delay, now Fisseha’s Derg’s era written by Mengistu and Fikre (hereafter the author’s) book has been Selassie respectively. In addition, as released and is in the open market for the Professor Gebru told me, which is now general public. Though it might sound like a acknowledged by the author on page 4, marketing gimmick, the publisher claims Professor Gebru had advised the author to that the author’s book is more original and be truthful and profoundly search his stands out as more authentic than those memory to reconstruct the so-called “ previously published by contemporaries of bloodless revolution” that was usurped or the author. Though many prospective snatched by the Derg from the genuine readers have received the author’s book with Ethiopian revolutionaries. some skepticism, the publisher wholeheartedly endorses the author’s book

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as truthful because the author genuinely Paris, by the Derg, the advice of the Nobel extends a deep and heartfelt apology to 1) Laureate, Desmond Tutu, that there can be the parents who not only lost their children “No Future Without Forgiveness,” I forgive but were also forced to pay for the bullets the author and congratulate him for having used to kill their innocent sons and the stamina and the courage to reveal to the daughters, and 2) other who were public part of the story that occurred during humiliated, offended, victimized, terrorized, the Derg’s era. I am also sure that the assaulted, and injured for their ideological author’s motives to write the book didn’t differences during the Derg’s military rule in emerge for further aggrandizement or to Ethiopia. Also, the author’s book is rekindle his personal ambitions, but it is my regarded by the publisher as unique because belief that the book is based on a sincere it reveals for the first time, the hideous death desire to bring closure to his personal role of the well-known Ethiopian creative writer, during the military regime that extended Ba’lu Girma, about whom a large number of from February, 1974 to April, 1991. Ethiopians were left clueless concerning his disappearance. Keeping the above statements in mind, I had no trouble constructively reviewing Contrary to the command and control policy Fisseha’s book considering the questions that prevailed during the communist period given below: of the Derg’s era, in which the author served as a faithful and very important functionary, 1) Does the book have a clear purpose? the author claims that he had a special love 2) Is the book rigorous and objective? for his country. It is exciting to read the 3) Is the book parsimonious and glaring author’s book because the author feels that enough to explain the pros and cons of the he can’t undo the numerous inhuman Derg’s period? atrocities committed by the Derg but can 4) What lessons can we learn from the apologize for them. As a reborn advocate of author’s book? democracy and the rule of law, the author openly advocates for human rights and To answer the above questions as citizen participation, sovereignty, control of objectively as possible, within the fifteen the abuse of power, and political tolerance. chapters of the book five major sections of He is very much interested to get the book are briefly explored. constructive feedback from the readers of his book. In Section One of the book, the author documents historically in 3 chapters the pre- Despite having lost a number of my friends 1974 upheavals that occurred in Ethiopia and family members, including my younger and outlines the emergence of the Derg to brother, and that I was pulled from my job at power. At the outset, the author humbly the Educational, Scientific, states that he has a very limited background and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in for carrying out historical analysis. With this

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modest beginning, in Chapter 1 the author peasantry, urban proletariat, and the rank uses primary and secondary sources of and file of the army. As a result, the country information to document the history of was sent into turmoil. Ethiopia starting from the era of Emperor Tewdros, Yohannes IV, and Menelik II. In Chapter 2, the author documents how the Furthermore, the author illustrates some of uprising that was started by the armed forces the conspicuous pre-1974 political of Nageli in February 1974 for financial upheavals that were supported by the gain culminated with the emergence of the Wayane group, the Oromo group, the 109 Derg members who maintained their Eritrean Liberation Movements, and the center of operations at the Army uprising that occurred in Gojjam and Balie. Headquarters at Mashiloka, Addis Ababa. Later, the disgruntled group composed of Despite the attempt of Emperor Haile the Armed Forces, the Police, Air Force, Selassie to partially modernize, and Navy, Imperial Body Guard, and the institutionalize his semi-feudal authoritarian Territorial Army formed the Provincial regime, the author argues that the socialist- Military Administration Council (PMAC). oriented Ethiopian university and high school students were not prepared to accept Using “Ethiopia First” as a slogan and the autocratic nature of ’s emphasizing the various forms injustice, government. More particularly, the corrupt behavior, and the divide and rule university students didn’t accept sitting policy that characterized the Haile Selassie quietly when a large part of the rural land regime, the Derg started arousing the was owned and controlled by absentee country against the Haile Selassie regime. landlords. In 1965, for example, university Eventually, the PMAC embarked on students demanded land reform and spread structurally dismantling the existing their passionate slogan “land to the tiller” to institutions and finally overthrew the capture the hearts of the Ethiopian masses. decaying system of Haile Selassie’s regime More seriously, the author states that as in August, 1974. As the PMAC was in students became more radicalized, vocal power, with little knowledge of , students like Waleligne Makonen, the Derg not only acquired great political demanded that as Ethiopia was a mosaic of clout but also borrowed from socialist states nationalities, national groups should be like the , , and Tanzania allowed to entertain their rights to self- to embark on the of the determination up to and including . commanding heights of the Ethiopian economy. As Ethiopia’s economic condition deteriorated, the author argues that the In Chapter 3, the author brings to the militant university and high school student attention of his readers that as the Derg demonstrations were accompanied by a gradually rose to power, serious types of mass movement that embraced the irreconcilable differences developed

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between the then Chairman General Aman Mengistu started intercepting the various Andom (hereafter Aman) and Vice appeals and discussions that Chairman Chairman, Mengistu. As stated by the Aman had with his friends and supporters on author, Chairman Aman made it crystal issues related to the re-structuring of clear to Mengistu that instead of working Ethiopia’s political scene to put an end to with 109 mumbo-jumbo types of Derg leading the country by semi-literate and members, he would like to manage the irresponsible military gangs. Ignoring the country with about 14 highly trained and due process of law and following the advice manageable committee members. Also, of Dr. Berket Habte Selassie (by the way, Chairman Aman emphasized his strong Professor Berket never anticipated that belief that the Eritrean issue could be Mengistu would ever attempt to kill General peacefully resolved through an open Aman) and also as is widely known dialogue with the Eritrean fighters. throughout Ethiopia, that Mengistu was Following his convictions, Chairman Aman getting indirect signals from Professor started giving clear instructions to the 2nd MesfinWolde Mariam, for example, “It is Division of the Ethiopian Army Unit not us but you who have the weapons,” the headquartered in to refrain from brutal, blood thirsty, power monger, using unnecessary force against the Eritrean Mengistu and his cliques, without consulting guerrilla fighters. the other Derg members, summarily executed Chairman Aman and 60 former As stated by the author, Vice Chairman senior dignitaries of the Haile Selassie Mengistu had a hidden agenda to be the regime in November 23, 1974. As a result, head of state. Therefore, not only did the radical action by Mengistu and his Mengistu start defaming the most respected cliques not only ended the so called Chairman as an Eritrean but also rallied “bloodless Revolution in Ethiopia” but also against his strategies. Mengistu chose to ended the peaceful way of solving the operate in the interest of national security Eritrean problem as outlined by General and sovereignty and he decided to wipe out Aman, the most charismatic visionary, and completely the Eritrean guerrilla fighters by strategic leader that the Derg had ever seen. military force. In chapter 3, the author documents the The rivalry between Aman and Mengistu underlying reasons the Derg and its cliques was prolonged because they could not come designed the “Development through to terms on how the imprisoned former Cooperation (Zemecha) Campaign,” a Haile Selassie officials would be treated. program that dispatched about 60,000 Aman’s position was that the imprisoned university and junior and senior high school Haile Selassie officials be treated with the students and their teachers to the due process of law. Realizing that Chairman countryside. In short, the author claims that Aman was moving in a different direction, the program participants were sent to the and in collaboration with his cliques, rural part of Ethiopia in order to mobilize

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rural masses, explain how the land reform The author indicates that the land reform program could be implemented, to spread policy, Women’s Organization, Debating to the rural masses, and to raise the Societies, Ethiopian Labor movement, and political consciousness of the rural mass Teacher’s Union, initiated by the PMAC, (p.136). were supported by the All-Ethiopia Socialist Movement (MEISON). But, as the author On the other hand, to calm the mass stated it, the Ethiopian People’s upheaval of the militant groups, the author Revolutionary Party (EPRP) which was mentions that the Derg established an founded in 1972 in West Berlin, Germany, Advisory Board. Being part of the drafting only supported the land reform policy. The Advisory Board, the author tells his readers EPRP stood against the vague patriotic that a document was drafted as a directive slogan of “Ethiopia First” designed by the for the PMAC to establish a democratic military and showed its irreconcilable civilian government that called for the ideological conflicts with MEIOSON. establishment of unity to bring about equity Claiming itself to be a vanguard party, the among the various multi-cultural and EPRP used various types of clashes and religious groups in Ethiopia. conflicts in Addis Ababa and finally, called loudly for the abolishment of the Derg and In Chapter 4, as an introduction to the land its program for the establishing of a reform policy initiated by the Derg, the “Democratic Government in Ethiopia”. author discusses briefly the landholding system during feudal times and goes on to In Chapter 5 of Section 2, the author describe how remnants of the former narrates the establishment of the National landowners attempted to destabilize the Democratic Revolutionary Program. To system after they evacuated and started calm the controversies that erupted within settling in various urban areas and the the PMAC, a few of the Derg members were capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. sent for ten months to the Soviet Union to Though it is subject to further investigation study and observe in practice the application and without giving credible evidence to of scientific socialism (Marxism). Though support his claim, the author states that the they were not meant to last long, about five most well-known militants during the in-formal political parties (MEIOSON, Ethiopian Student Movement, Meles Tekle, EPRP, SADED (Revolutionary Flame), Waz senior, Giday Gebrewhed, and Rezan Kidan, League (Labor), and the Ethiopian Marxist- collaborated with the Eritrean Liberation Leninist Communist Party were formed. Fighters and attempted bombing and burning the Wabi Sheble Hotel, the Addis In Chapter 6, the author eloquently narrates Ababa Municipality Office, and the Bole the skirmishes and intrigues that occurred Shell Oil Distribution Center. within Menelik’s Royal Palace against Vice Chairman Mengistu for allegations that Mengistu was being too despotic, had

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betrayed the Revolution and also for dialogues. Conspiring with other security consolidating his power against the officers (such as Colonel Daniel Asfaw, then formation of the People’s Democracy in Head of the National Security and others), Ethiopia. In the first part of Chapter 7, the Mengistu and his cliques designed an author narrates vividly the nine assassination effective strategy to wipeout GeneralTeferi attempts against Vice Chairman Mengistu. Benti and his associates (such as Capitain The organizers of the plots against Mengistu Moges, Capitain Alemayhou etc). were fully convinced that Mengistu in collaboration with Meison (p.214) had Mengistu achieved his goal, he was become the authority figure and the major unanimously elected to be the Chairman of originator of the Derg’s so called decisions. the PMAC. Eventually, the Ethiopian Marxist-Leninist Revolutionary The second part of chapter 7 gives a Organization was established through the narrative of the atrocities committed by the merger of Meison, Seded, Echaat (the EPRP. It also blames the radical cliques of Ethiopian Oppressed Mass Unity Struggle), the EPRP for throwing its vigorous and Mal Red or Emalerred (Ethiopian Marxist staunch supporters into the jaws of the Red Leninist Revolutionary Organization) and Terror of the PMAC machinery. However, the Waz League (p.234). In retrospect, it needs to be made crystal clear that, since taking a neutral stand, the author reflects Colonel Tesfaye Wolde Selassie, then head that had it not been for the mal- political of National Security, was known for giving climate that prevailed over the Derg era; the conflicting reports to his authorities, the unnecessary atrocities that were committed authenticity of the blame that the author on each other during the Red and White attributes to the EPRP is based on a 95-page Terror period; then collectively pursuing the report given by Berhane Meskel’s Reda, the visionary stance of Meison combined with former chairman of the EPRP. It needs to be the firm convections of the EPRP and the seriously questioned. nationalistic stance of the Derg would have ushered to maximize Ethiopia’s The third part of the chapter vividly development. enumerates how two of the Derg’s officers (Captain Moges and Capain Alemayohu) In Chapter 8 of Section 3, the author played major roles in the restructuring of the addresses the Somali annexation of Ethiopia Derg’s organization, and also in restricting and the reasons the United States betrayed Mengistu from making decisions by himself, its longtime ally, Ethiopia, and instead without consulting the Derg. started supporting the Republic of . To the surprise of Mengistu, Meison, Waz In addition, the author narrates some of the League, etc, the then Chairman, General most important factors that gave birth to the Teferi Benti, openly invited the politically formation of the Ethiopian Workers Party alienated EPRP members to participate with (EWP). Concerning the Ethio-Somali war, the other groups in substantive political the author states that Somalia annexed

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Ogaden, the Somali inhabited region of Colonel Abate was executed because of his Ethiopia, in order to realize its dream of anti-revolutionary stand. forming a unified “Greater Somalia.” (Somalia had a dream of incorporating the While this was fermenting, Somalia had no Somali inhabitants in the , choice but to break its diplomatic relations i.e., Northern Kenya, , , with the Soviet Union and instead depended North and South .) During the on United States’ assistance in exchange for war that lasted from July, 1977 to May, the use of Somali bases. In addition, the 1978, the United States supported Somalia author asserts that the huge turmoil in and withdrew assistance to Ethiopia when and other parts of Ethiopia and the the Derg declared itself to be Socialist. In allegation that the EPRP sabotaged addition, the United States felt that in Ethiopia’s effort to crush the Somali Ethiopia there was a flagrant violation of incursion, gave a major advantage to human rights because the Chairman of the Somalia. Also, since Somalia was a member PMCA was assassinated by Mengistu and of the Arab League, Somalia was able to get his cliques in January, 1977 (p.272). assistance from a number of Arab states. Nonetheless, because it was the However, it was indicated by the author that Period and Ethiopia was regarded a genuine after almost a year of heavy fighting the Marxist-Leninist nation, it was able to get Ethio- army was able to drive the support from the Soviet Union. Using his Somali National Army off Ethiopia’s soil in good office, the author tells his readers that March, 1978. he was able to solicit and get assistance from other socialist countries such as, East Chapter 9, titled “Our win in the East will Germany, Poland, Cuba, Hungary, North continue in the North,” concerns the win that Korea, etc. Ethiopia scored against the Somali incursion that was believed would continue with a win As the Derg was strategizing how to defend in Northern Ethiopia (in Eritrea). The Somalia’s aggression, the author reveals that chapter also talks about the Celebration of to the surprise of many of the Derg Ethiopia’s 4th Revolution that was attended members, Colonel , the Vice by the president of Cuba, Fidel Castro. Chairman of the PMAC, raised his hand and openly told the PAMC that instead of Gaining partial relief from internal pursuing a command type of economy, it upheavals and external aggression, the Derg would be better for Ethiopia to pursue a finally was able to begin designing plans for mixed type of economy. After enduring a development. In October 1978, the Derg, on long diatribe by the cliques of Mengistu, paper, announced the formation of the Colonel Abate was handcuffed and dragged National Revolutionary Development aside by Mengistu’s, henchman, Major Campaign to mobilize and harness the Getachew Shebashi. Not surprisingly, later it country’s national resources and transform was announced to the Ethiopian public that Ethiopia’s economy. To construct the

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necessary base, the Derg initiated a mass literacy campaign in five languages: As discussed in Chapter 10, the Derg Amharic, Oromo, Tigrinya, Wolayta, and established the People’s Democratic Somali and later the number of instructional Republic Ethiopia (PDRE) with little languages were to be expanded to fifteen attention to the consequent economic languages. With the nationalization of the collapse, drought, , and military , the continuous forms of setbacks in the Northern part of Ethiopia. strife that prevailed in the country, and the Also, the Derg focused on establishing the fact that that the Soviet Union was interested Institute for the Study of Nationalization in supplying airplanes and indirectly running (ISN) in 1983, and forced settlement or the Ethiopian Airlines, the Ethiopian airlines schemes without providing faced financial ruin due to poor adequate services to implement it. administration. However, based on the ingenuity of the author and the advice of the In Chapter 11, subject to discourse, the formers managers of the Ethiopian Airline, author claims that it was the Tigrai the administrative structure of the Ethiopian Liberation Front (TLF), and not the Tigrai’s Airlines was reorganized and the Ethiopian People Liberation Front that originated the government extended financial capital to lift Tigrai movement. However, what is certain it out of crisis. Eventually the Ethiopian about the author’s illustration is that he Airlines regained its status as an aviation gives a firsthand narration of the various power. forms of injustice that the people of Tigrai faced while they were under the Haile In Section 4, the author states that starting in Selassie regime. In addition, though the 1976, the Derg embarked a Program for the author, being in power during the Derg’s era National Democratic Revolution had undeniable allegiance to the Derg and (PNDR).The primary objective of the PNDR his country, he narrates the various forms of was to become socialist under the leadership harassment and mistrust that he faced for of workers, peasants, and other anti-feudal being suspected as a “double dealer forces. In order to form a civilian vanguard Tigraian” and informant for the TPLF party, in 1979, with the dismemberment of because he was raised and grew up in Tigrai. the Derg, and electing Mengistu as its chairman, the Derg formed the Commission Concerning the “Eritrean Dilemma” to Organize the Party of the Workers of (Chapter 12), the author outlines three Ethiopia (COPWE). In September, 1984, the different perspectives. The first perspective Worker’s Party of Ethiopia was proclaimed. argues that Eritrea needed the federal status With little or no understanding of Ethiopia’s that it had (the United Nations General culture or how to align it with the Soviet Assembly federated Eritrea with Ethiopia) Union’s modus operandi, in 1987, Ethiopia before it was forcefully dissolved by drafted a new constitution in line with the Ethiopia in 1962. Others claim that like Soviet constitution of 1977. other nationalities in Ethiopia, the Eritrean

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issue could have been peacefully solved if bitter a medicine for Mengistu to swallow, the Eritrean people were accorded the right he most probably instructed the National to exercise self-determination up to and Security Force to get rid of Ba’lu. including secession. Others groups such as the Tigraian People’s Liberation Front, With the dismantling of the Soviet Union assert that as a former colony of Italy, into numerous republics in 1985, socialist Eritrea needed to be bestowed nothing but Ethiopia could not get war materials and its full independence because it faced supplies. In line with Ba’lu’s projection, the indirect colonialization by the Ethiopian Ethiopian Army was completely wiped off empire. of Eritrea soil. And with the complete defeat As stated by the author, after the Derg came of the Ethiopian army by the Ethiopian to power, with the assistance of East People’s Revolutionary Front ( EPRDF) in Germany and the Soviet Union, it attempted 1991, Mengistu, on the month he was born, to resolve the Ethio-Eritrean war. But made a plan to flee to Kenya. Subsequently, overtime, the Eritrean armed struggle was he ended up as a refugee in . carefully led by the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) and the Eritrean People’s Section 5, includes Chapters 14 and 15. Liberation Front (EPLF). Actually, during What makes Chapter 14 exciting is that in the Ethio-Somali War the Eritrean forces the introductory part, the author chronicles almost drove away the Ethiopian Forces some of the most conspicuous events that from Eritrea. But, after the Ethiopian and happened in Ethiopian history all in the Cuban forces repulsed the Somali incursion, month of May to entice his readers. For the Ethiopian army swiftly handled the example, the author mentions the Weicahle Eritrean guerrilla forces causing them retreat Agreement that was concluded between to their enclaves. Afterwards, the Ethiopian Menelik II and Italy; the attempted coup army launched a number offensives against the tyrannical and dictatorial regime including the famous “the Red Star Offense of Mengistu; the fleeing of Mengistu from in 1982” to dismantle the Eritrean guerrilla Ethiopia to Kenya and Zimbabwe; the fighters, but the Derg forces could not crush overthrow of the Derg’s regime by the the Eritrean forces because the Eritreans EPRDF, etc. In addition, the author, without fighters were supported by the Tigrean hesitation, asserts that the coup that was People’s Liberation fighters (TPLF). As a attempted by senior Military officers against footnote, the author reveals to his readers Mengistu’s regime in May 1989, was that since the Ethiopian forces fighting in indirectly designed by . Eritrea were disorganized, the famous While the General Secretary of the journalist Ba’lu Girma, based on his Communist Party of the Soviet Union, firsthand observation, gave a clear Gorbachev was in the process of reforming prediction to the Ethiopian forces that the () the Soviet Union to be more future of overtaking Eritrea was ended (or transparent (), and destabilizing Ormaye in Italian). This message was too other socialist countries. He found Mengistu

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to be more socialist than Gorbachev himself, and fair distribution provided Ethiopia had thus, Gorbachev had no choice but to deny pursued it rationally by maintaining stability Mengistu the financial and material and restraining Mengistu’s arrogance and supplies that he asked for. obstructionism.

The author also discusses the pivotal role In his conclusion, the author was honest that he played in sabotaging the coup that enough to argue that the revolution that was attempted against the Mengistu regime emancipated Ethiopia in 1974 was not by senior military officers (May,1989) initiated by the Derg but was given to the mainly from Addis Ababa and Asmara. As Derg to administer. However, as said by the stated by the author, the coup d’etat was author, the Ethiopian People’s Party (EPRP) mainly planned not only to oust Mengistu engineered the “White Terror” to force the from power while he was on state visit to Derg, without the military administrating it, but also to negotiate a to establish the Ethiopian People’s peaceful settlement with the Eritrean Democracy. The Meison group on the other Liberation fighters. In addition, the author hand, with critical cooperation with the claims that while being behind the scenes, Derg, preferred to reform the existing he was able to save a number of Tigreans bureaucracy and to expand public education from being slaughtered by the brutality of to raise the political consciousness of the Mengistu’s cliques because irrespective of Ethiopian masses. Given this scenario, the their political opinions, all Tigreans were author argues that the Derg had no other suspected to be supporters of the Tigrian choice but to stay in power to maintain People’s Liberation Force. Ethiopia’s unity and sovereignty through its Ethiopian Socialism agenda. Chapter 15, discusses token peace negotiations that Mengistu attempted to Some skeptics view that the author’s resolve some nagging issues in Ethiopia, and apology for the atrocities committed during indicates how in the final hours Mengistu the Derg era is a distorted plea to the repented and embarked on a plan for country. However, having thoroughly read Ethiopia to have a mixed instead of a his book, I can testify that the author is socialist or command economy that sincere and truthful. Since the author loved precipitated a complete disaster for the his country, he had to survive in a Ethiopian economy as a whole. constrained political space by entertaining and flattering the then Chairman Mengistu. After indicating that a number of socialist In retrospect, however, the author openly countries such as Russia and China, says that Chairman Mengistu was too Tanzania, etc. were abandoning the socialist arrogant and repulsing to accept genuine system, it is interesting that the author still advice from fellow Ethiopians or foreign advocates that there was nothing wrong the advisors. For example, on the Eritrean socialist philosophy as mode of production issue, the author from firsthand experience

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tells the reader that Mengistu would never contents of the book illuminate Fisseha’s bend from his conviction that ‘it is a mistake memory of the Ethiopian Revolution from to negotiate with the Eritrean separatist the start until he was finally removed from fighters.’ the Derg because he was either “sick” or had to be reshuffled for retirement because his Though candidly put, the author blames the cajoling of Mengistu was not needed United States for abandoning its former ally, anymore. Ethiopia. He argues that the United States began assisting Somalia during the Somali Most importantly, unlike the writings of incursion of Ethiopia in order to access other prominent people of the Derg’s era, Somalia bases in the Red Sea. Finally, the author clearly elucidates not only the negating his previous communistic view, most important contributions of the Derg but now the author whole heartedly stands for also apologizes honestly for the blunders democracy and is an advocate for the rules that were committed during the Derg period of law. which was like hell. Furthermore, the author paints a vivid picture of heretofore Review: unknown, inhuman atrocities committed during the Derg’s era. The author, Colonel Fisseha Desta has written a superb book that is well- Regarding rigor which connotes carefulness documented with detailed references. The and the degree of exactitude in writing a book moves its readers along easily from book, the author as a participant/observer one chapter to the next. In order to entice his demonstrates that he was a good record readers, the author begins each chapter of keeper. All sources of information, except the book with highly relevant quotations and with minor typographic errors with the poems, by well-known writers. Given the footnoting (please refer to footnote, 17-19 author’s sense of humor, he tries to energize on page 42-48), the content of the book was and remind his readers of nostalgic systematically documented. The author has memories by quoting familiar songs, sung consulted the writings of famous fighters, by Ethiopian celebrities. The book is very historians and political scientists. At times, readable and accessible to the non-specialist the writing style of the author seems to because it uses simple words rather than the indicate that rather than being an active heavily loaded political slogans that were participant, he gives the impression that he common during the Derg’s period. was an aloof or third party observer. By and large, the writing style of the author More specifically, the author has made the demonstrates that the author was an purpose of his book clear and convincing by excellent observer. The author’s level of entitling it, “Fisseha’s Reminiscences of the participation in a number of political Ethiopian Revolution.” Using primary and activities within the Dreg, entangled with secondary sources of information, the inefficient bureaucracy is clearly

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demonstrated and presents new information unconsciously forgetting unwanted and evidence. Being the primary source of memories might have influenced his writing information, the author has enabled his style. For example, given the oppressive readers to get new insights into the Derg’s nature of the Derg’s system and his life in hidden activities. By and large, the prison for 20 years, four months and six conclusion he reached at the end of the book days (p.576) during the currently in power, is in line with his purpose for writing the the Ethiopia People’s Revolutionary book. As a result, the author’s level of Democratic Front (PRDF), might have analysis is outstanding. restrained him from fully verbalizing some of the hideous atrocities committed during As the title indicates, the content of book is the Derg’s era. Nonetheless, I am glad to see supposed to be a full documentation of the that the content of the book and the writer’s experience. At times the author conclusions drawn are derived from actual documents other writers’ opinions rather data and not from the author’s subjective or than describing vividly his own. The book is emotional values. In addition, the book is supposed to be an illustration of his inner parsimonious or simple enough because the impression from the Derg’s camp rather than author tries to explain every phenomenon in giving us the opinion of others though they a very easy way to understand. might have been well documented. For example, the “Berhane Meskel Redda’s In the final analysis, it would be fair and interrogative reports” which the author exact to suggest to the author that the book claims to have gotten from the documents could have been more robust if some of the stored in the archive of the Derg’s National chapters were either shortened or further Security Office are likely to be unreliable edited to keep the book more concise and to and fictitious since most of the documents the point. Otherwise, when compared with collected by the then Head of the Derg’s other books that have been written by Derg National Security Office were not true but members that I have read, I fully assert that were mainly written to make Mengistu Fisseha’s book is different from the general happy and the note takers could stay alive understanding that we had about the Derg’s and in power. Thus, it is likely to say that period and has made a vital contribution to some serious errors might have been the study of Ethiopian history, public committed, because the author, without administration and politics. Therefore, the cross checking with other documents or book should be of value to policy makers, interviewing other reliable sources, solely students, and scholars. Given this, I hope the depended on the documents submitted to readers of Fisseha’s book will find it to be him by the then National Security office to inspirational, motivational, and will help us include in his memoir. envision for the future a better democratic Ethiopia. I am sure the author’s organizational commitment or his consciously or

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References: 1. Desta, Fisseha (2015). Abyot Ena Tezetaye. Los Angles, CA: Tsehai Publisher, Loyola Marymount University.

2. Tutu, Desmond (2000). “No Future Without Forgiveness”. London: Penguin Publishers.

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