A Comparison between the Mengistu Haile Mariam and Abiy Ahmed Governments
By Zeyohannes Moges
August 20, 2021
The purpose of this article is to compare the Mengistu Haile Mariam government, which was overthrown by the Tigray Freedom Fighters 30 years ago, with the current Abiy Ahmed government. While there are similarities between the two governments, there are also notable differences:
Mengistu Haile Mariam Government:
The Mengistu Haile Mariam government was a communist military regime that persecuted the church and attempted to exterminate Christians. It was known for its brutality and straightforwardness, although it did not have a history of treason.
Abiy Ahmed Government:
The Abiy Ahmed government can be described as a pseudo-Christian government that has exploited the church to advance its own agenda, including the Tigray Genocide and the destruction of Ethiopia as a whole. Its deceptive behavior has gained international attention.
One key difference between the two governments is that the Abiy Ahmed government has committed treason by inviting foreign enemies to attack its own citizens, specifically targeting the people of Tigray, in order to fulfill Abiy’s personal ambitions of power.
Regarding the Tigray Genocide, the Abiy Ahmed government is planning to execute innocent high-ranking military officers of Tigray origin who have served their country, including in African peacekeeping missions. In contrast, when the Mengistu Haile Mariam government fell to the Tigray Freedom Fighters in 1991, none of its criminal officials were executed. Instead, most of them faced justice, while others were released. However, some of these individuals, instead of appreciating the mercy shown to them, immediately turned against the people of Tigray.
They employed various strategies to undermine the people of Tigray within different aspects of Ethiopian society:
a) Many joined the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and posed as priests, monks, and deacons to gain political influence over the people.
b) Others joined the Evangelical Church of Ethiopia and acted as pastors, evangelists, and deacons to promote their political agendas.
c) Some entered the media and spread false information through various channels, including journals, radio, television, and social media platforms. A notable example is the satellite television station called “ESAT,” based in the United States, which has advocated for the genocide of the Tigrayan people.
d) Some individuals joined the governing Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, a coalition of political parties representing Tigray, Amhara, Oromo, and Southern Ethiopian people, with the intention of creating chaos within the justice system and other branches of the government. They encouraged corruption to fuel resentment towards the Tigray-led government and leaked sensitive government information to hostile states such as Eritrea. Abiy Ahmed himself is cited as an example, admitting to working as an informant for opposition groups coached by the Eritrean dictator while serving as a senior intelligence officer within the Ethiopian government.
Ultimately, in 2018, they succeeded in coming to power without engaging in armed conflict and disregarded the country’s constitution. Abiy Ahmed manipulated religious institutions by producing documentaries on Christian preaching and prayers and delivering religious speeches to create an image of a spiritual leader. He established organizations like the “Peace Commission” and the “Council of Evangelicals of Ethiopia” to exert control over the churches. Religion was used as a tool to perpetrate atrocities and cause division in Tigray and throughout Ethiopia.
Abiy Ahmed is portrayed as a fascist and an incompetent leader who managed to deceive the Ethiopian people, religious organizations, the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize Committee, and the international community until his true nature was revealed. While it is too late to prevent the immense human losses and destruction caused by him, his illegal Prosperity Party must be removed from power as soon as possible to prevent further harm to the country.
Unlike the Mengistu Haile Mariam government, which did not deceive people, dealing with the deceptive nature of the current Abiy Ahmed government poses greater challenges.
It should be noted that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Dedebit Media, unless explicitly stated. Constructive comments can be directed to dedebitmedia2020@gmail.com.
