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Mengistu Hailemariam writes a memoir

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

0000159391-001Former president of Ethiopia Mengistu Hailemariam writes a new book — a memoir — that is expected to be released in a few weeks.

Woyanne journalist and publisher Amare Aregawi is also releasing a new book soon, according to Tesfaye Gebreab. It would be interesting to read what he says about his arch nemesis Al Amoudi.

Mengistu’s books is a tell-all account of his 17 years of bloody rule, Ethiopian Review has learned. However, Tesfaye, in his report below, expresses doubt as to how much Mengistu will reveal. We will find out soon.

No matter what, it is a good thing that books and memoirs are being written by Ethiopians who have played a role in shaping the country’s history — whether their role was good or bad.

Aregawi Berhe’s recently released book, A Political History of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, is one such book.

I recently met with Tesfaye Gebreab in Asmara where he is currently doing research for his new book. It happens that Woyanne has a lot of secrets burried in Eritrea.  Tesfaye hopes to release his book, “Ye Derasiw Mastawesha,” in January 2010. If you think “Ye Gazetegnaw Mastawesha” was a shocker, wait until you read the new book. It lays bare some of Woyanne’s most closely guarded secrets. – Elias Kifle

ዜና መፃህፍት – ከተስፋዬ ገብረአብ

ሁለት ዜናዎች ሰማሁ።

መንግስቱ ሃይለማርያምና እና አማረ አረጋዊ መፃህፍት ፅፈዋል። እንደሰማሁት የሁለቱም መፃህፍት ማተሚያ ቤት ገብተዋል። ድንቅ ነው!

ምን ፅፈው ይሆን?

ኮሎኔል መንግስቱ እንዲያው የአበሻ ነገር ካለሆነበት፤ ያበጠው ይፈንዳ፤ ያላበጠው ይበጥ! ብሎ ሁሉን እንደወረደ ቢነግረን አዲስ የግልፅነት አብዮት ማፈንዳት ይችል ነበር። እንደሰማሁት ከሆነ ግን መንጌ ቴክሱ አሁንም በጥቁር አንሶላ ራሱን ለመሸፋፈን ሞክሮአል። ረቂቅ ፅሁፉን ያነበቡ ሰዎች እንደሚሉት ኮሎኔሉ ከበፊቱ በተሻለ ሁኔታ ግልፅ ለመሆን ቢሞክርም ገና ልቡን ከፍቶ ሁሉን ሊነግረን ዝግጁ አይደለም። የሆነው ሆኖ መፅሃፉ ታትሞ እሳከነበው ቸኩያለሁ።

የቀድሞ ወዳጄ አማረ አረጋዊም እንዲሁ፤ “አደገኛ መፅሃፍ ፅፌያለሁ” ብሎ ለጋራ ወዳጃችን ነግሮታል። አማረ እንደተናገረው ሁሉን ፍርጥርጥ አድርጎ ፅፎ ከሆነ፣ ሊደብቀን ካልፈለገ በቀር፤ ብዙ ምስጢርና አዲስ ነገር ሊነግረን እንደሚችል ተስፋ አለኝ። ምክንያቱም አማረ ከህወሃት ነባር ታጋዮች አንዱ የነበረ፤ በፕሮፓጋንዳው ክፍል ከመለስ ዜናዊና ከአለምሰገድ ገብረአምላክ ጋር በተመጣጣኝ አቅምና ስልጣን ላይ የነበረ፤ አሁንም ከህወሃት ያሻውን መረጃ ማግኘት የሚችል በመሆኑ ብዙ ያውቃል ብቻ ሳይሆን ሁሉን ያውቃል! ጥሩ የስነፅሁፍ ችሎታ እንዳለውም አውቃለሁ። በአናቱ ደግሞ ፈሪ አይደለም።

የሆነው ሆኖ በቅርቡ ሁለት መፃህፍት የምናገኝ ከሆነ ጠቃሚ ነው። መልካም ንባብ ለሁላችን!

37 thoughts on “Mengistu Hailemariam writes a memoir”

  1. Mengistu writing a book! What is it about? I killed, and killed and killed Ethiopian people for 17 years or is it gonna be I did not kill more than you know who I am talking about? I can not finish a paragraph of his book before my eyes are filled with red tears remembering the intelligentsia Mengistu swallowed. I am not politically affiliated but I am looking for a day we in the dispora rally in front of the white house for the hand over of him not to Wayne but to The Hague.

  2. We have to stop saying anything good about woyane and its army of cadres. Case in point Amare Arogawi. Tesfaye tells us Arogawi feri aydelem. My suspicion is Arogawi is feri, if not that he is senef. We shouldn’t have an ounce of respect for any woyane functionary

  3. I suppose he is going to say “I didn’t even kill a fly”! Hiding in a tank when it comes to his own life! The big coward and lier that he is.

    I agree with Mezo above that Mengistu should be handed over to The Hague. He can’t get away free after murdering hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians.

  4. elias?where did you get this info about mengestus new book? you forgot to mention, even if its a hearsay. Well.. we have heard Mengistu talking one to many times he is still not taking responsibility for what he did. If his book is just a repeatition of what he has been saying so far….I feel sorry for the paper to be wasted.Lets not have a short memory, evnthough woyane is the one dismantling the country, it wouldnt have been possible for them to grab power if mengistu was a little bit human, if he really believed in the people he should have given up power after the temp phase…alas I can go on and on…

  5. Dead Man Walking! Its time for him to pay for what he did!
    Isnot this guy sentenced to death? What is woyanne doing to bring him to justis? any deplomatic efforts to execute the justice with zembabwe? or are they just shading their corocodile tears

  6. There is a mob mentality around the governerance of Mengistu era. EPRP, understandably, released all sorts of propaganda and later on aided by EPLF and TPLF propagandists to paint the country in a very negative image. The western media went along because of their resoective governements hat of the Ethiopian government at the time. Mengistu’s regime has had carried out a lot of human rights violations and the same or more is going on right now. I just hate about Mengistu’s human rights violations leaving out what Woyane has done for the last 20 years. We should have everything in perspective.

  7. So mengistu is writting a book…BIG DEAL!?
    I dont agreee with you for saying “No matter what, it is a good thing that books and memoirs are being written by Ethiopians who have played a role in shaping the country’s history — whether their role was good or bad.” This guy will write history only,and only from his perspective and it will not have any historical value. It shoild be time for him to pay for what he did to the country and the people. I conclude by quoting my grandmather..” Yekefu sew edmew rejim new” I agree with her based on this guy

  8. bekdmiya selam wegenoch endemin senbtachiwal?

    mengstu yestafew mesthaf ywuta ena enanibew kedmen kemefredachin befit, keza yerasachin wusane ynorenal bye ew yemaminew slezih negern ayten dasen sanimeremir endiyaw bedefenaw weym beyhonal mewesenu melkam aymeslegnim. ke ykrta gar. mesthafu be-cher ywutalin ena enwekew,

  9. I hope that Ethiopian review will indicate us details how to buy these books online when the books are ready for sale.

    Please don’t wait to inform us till some guys put it in pdf freely on the internet

  10. It is good that Mengistu writes a memoir. Mengistu is for sure a killer but Meison and EPRP and others should also share the blame not only Mengistu.
    Mengistu was undoubtedly an Ethiopian who wanted to do good for his people and country unfortunately did not succeed due to one reason or another.

    Meles is equally a killer and does everything possible to disintegerate the country.

    We should all struggle to build an Ethiopia free from tyrany and poverty. I hope Meles will be the last tyrant in Ethiopian history.

  11. WAW, Mengistu writing his memoir! I lost many family members during his time in power, but I still want him to live a healthy life so that he can write. I desperately want to know more about Eritrea from him- the games played, the battles fought, the personlities involoved, mistakes made, opporunities lost, foreign influence, any regrets…? Eye for an eye leaves us all blind. If Mengistu dies or suffers from age related memory loss, we’ll lose valuable information that he has. However skewed it maybe, it is only good such people write, as Elias Kifle mentioned. I hope Isaias and Meles also follow Mengistu in writing their memoirs before alzheimer’s sets in.

  12. It is good to hear that Mengistu is writing a book covering his 17 years of rule. I hope we will gain a lot of concrete and contraversial information as he will be remembered as the guy who dismantled the ugly reactionery faudalist system. He made history by making Ethiopia a repbulic at a price.
    His time is characterised as a period of blood shed which was the consequence of the class struggle – he has no choice but to eradicate the sponsors of the feudal system who were fighting to death to keep the abhorant system.

    I don’t subscribe to the demonisation of Mengistue and Mele because they are the vanguards of objective change in Ethiopia. Mangistu created centralised an overdue Ethiopian Republic and by extention federalrepublic is the next objectice step no matter who is the leader.

    If this federal system fails then we should not doubt that Ethiopia will disentigrate.

  13. He was a leader of a country for 17 years. So he can write differnt books about his experiences. But the point is we all know what he will tell us in his book.

    Mengistu was a dictator,a layer, and he was not not capabble to speak the truth and he will not tell us something worthy in his book.

    Probable meles will write a book after this next term. And I think he has also written a book before, I am not sure. But every body knows what meles would say if he writes a book. A book is nothing but it is the personal reflaction of the author.

  14. wow. it took him 20 years to write his memoir! Probably he went to school to learn how to write, and that is why it took him this much.

    Dictators are the same, and for me there is no any difference whether meles or mengistu write a book. They are going to distort facts

  17. Thanks Tazabi for your straitening up the stereotype and misconception that some our Ethiopian non Muslim brothers have. Please let us not be eager to throw religions hate. Ideas reflected on this website is read by many and let us not disseminate comments that create more cleavage than bondage, we have enough divide please!!!!!

    If he would write the book sincerely and with regret then I would very much share with what Eritrea said. But I do not think Dictators will learn from their mistakes and may be the book could be about justifying what he did and rationalizing his failure in terms of factors beyond his control. I do not forget the Friday when all offices were closed to hear his speech at the last minutes of his rule. Even at that late time he wasted the time by talking about all nonsense. It was that time most people who viewed or listened his speech realized the hopelessness of the man and the country’s future as it become evident when he fled to save his life (Feri-Dinkem Theowedros!) and the country lost the war to BANDAS

    Any ways let’s wait and see the book release!

  18. Shasho! a nationalist? My ass. He is a power monger who loved his power like the ‘Katikala’ he used to drink in the Mesheta Bets. The other thing, I don’t think this guy knows how to write. The only thing he knew was only how to kill people. He is the worst DENKORO Ethiopia ever had. In case somebody writes his garbage for him, what would be the title of his garbage pile? I guess “Ethiopiana yene Ferteta”

  19. This butcher wiped out a generation and still living freely instead of facing justice for the horrendous crimes he committed against innocent and some of them even naive youths not fully understanding what they were doing. My classmates; neighbors; friends and relatives are among the perished at the hands of this cannibal and his associates. The sad thing is: one butcher is replaced by an other and the cycle of violence continues unabated to this day, albeit in a systematic way.

  21. Here you go again!!!

    “I did not do it…they force me to do it…. I do not know about it…. I never killed anyone…. I have never even killed a bug…..so on.”

    This is a season for all to show off. Gebru, Seye, Negasu and now Mengistu. Who else? I do not trust them all.

    Is Mengistu planning to form his own party? Don’t be surprise. Just wait…we may hear it one day.

  23. As far as I remember, during my brief stay in Addis working as EDU representative I found Amare Aregawi to be one of the very few TPLF cadres who sincerely wanted to bring about democracy and equality to Ethiopia. I am sure whatever he writes would reflect to the most part the interest of Ethiopian people. Talking to some of the other top leaders of TPLF including Meles and Eseye, I was wondering how Amare would servive in such very blindly-hostile environment. Except during the 1997 election his paper to this day seems to be, for most part, fair and balanced. So I am, to certain degree, happy with what he is doing in Ethiopia. I am looking forward to read his book.

  25. I agree with you Arbegnaw. menge was the father of orphans & street children and the true son of Ethiopia. most of comments come from the diaspora left the country disturbing the country on the side of aim less destructive groups and you look give up reading since you left.I am shure you will not also read this comment.

  26. I feel really sorry by most of the above comments. He wrote the book to explain what was going on during his regime .Certainly I have got many new, concrete as well as credible facts that I could cross check them with many other related books like neber volume 1 & 2 and generalochu.But you guys generalize the content of the book on your previous perception about the author with out reading the book.I am sure no body of you read the first volume; that is why your comment revolves around his rule than the book it self.I could definitely understand that he was the true citizen of the country and all bad things happened due to domestic and international opposition and tensions. he could do his best not to see today’s crises. I advice all of you to read all books ,you will understand the battle of the devils (sneaky) and nationalist dicater which ended with the victory of the devils which brings all misery,shame and hummulation to ethiopia. I feel really sorry by most of the above comments. He wrote the book to explain what was going on during his regime .Certainly I have got many new, concrete as well as credible facts that I could cross check them with many other related books like neber volume 1 & 2 and generalochu.But you guys generalize the content of the book on your previous perception about the author with out reading the book.I am sure no body of you read the first volume; that is why your comment revolves around his rule than the book it self.I could definitely understand that he was the true citizen of the country and all bad things h

  27. He was a dictator and evil man that brought the fate of the country under his fist. However, he too has his supporters, great in numbers. But as a leader he is responsible for the evil deedsd that he committed or let others commit. His books nonetheless reflect facts which he will clutter with his own misconstruted self assertion and excuses and even bend the truth to fit to the jusrification of his barabaric deeds. As the people of his time he was an ideologist of the left so too were other butchers like ehapa meison etc. So mengsitu#s book has some use in refecting some untold truths of the time that was of the political wild animals whose language then was be the first in killing and tell the truth later. Watch out other participants (ehipa, meison, tplf, shabia). you too have blood in your hands. You too were apt to showing street bravado. you too were gangster chauvinists. it was a matter of who will kill who.

  28. I only agree with the above Tedi Brave’s opinion. He is true logicall man.
    But as cases to Mengistu, He is the only man who Love his country dearely.what do you think? only one man perfect to do things properly? no. unlike his officiales are not endulged in corruption when compaered with the woyane ones, they messed up things with conespirecies.
    I still love to say, by no meanse, you can compere him with woyanes! He loves his country.
    ETHIOPIA OWNS TWO PORTS DURING HIS REIGN!!!!! he tried to cover all lands of ETHIOPIA with forests. He tried to eradicate illitrecy from ETIOPIA.and many more……
    I would like to say for those who criticize, or associate him only with KILLING, please think about his times when he was bottellnacked and still struggles only by himself to build ONE GREAT ETHIOPIA!!

  29. There is no way we can compare Mengistu with Melesse; Mengistu emerge as a leadr during revolution time. As a reasult he had to change every thing and start from scratch in the process people lives lost…MIND YOU IT WAS A REVOLUTION NOT SIMPLE GOVERNMENT CHANGE…Where as Melesse come as a replacer unlike Mengistu he had not canged any thing may be modify the system (the policy) here and there. So how in the world we can compare Mengistu and Melsse. Still I don’t hate both of them, because I can imagne how hard it could be to be a leader. As mcuh as we hate to see how tyrant and cruel our leaders are some times we have to start appericating their posetive side too, so that atleast to come up with some kind of forgivness to ease our burden and pain. I am just wondering why most of us love revange, it will never take us any where. Let’s forget the past and move forward for the better of our nation and people. How long it takes us to learn and forget from others; do we realy suffer the way African Americans and South African people? I doubt it, but it is better for us to come together and solve our problems than waitting from others….I don’t know why I am writting this much but who ever write the book it is our history whether we like or now specially from our leaders it might help us to grasp a lot to shape up our future and may be to the next generation to learn from their mistake and become a better society for the sake of the country and its people. And May God help that poor nation!!!

  30. First of all,we shouldn’t forget that Ethiopia was a country formed by injustice and illegally land grasp of other ethnics.We knew the old Abyssinian territory map but also that we are aware of in the 19 century how much new lands they captured and how much peasants Tedreous and King Melink killed,forced to change their culture and religion.Thus such barbaric crimes and inhumanity slavery where contiguously adapted,until son of those enslaved,lost their own cultural values and Ahmarized, Mengustu Haile Mariam took the power and eradicate the fascist feudal class from Ethiopia.Well,there is no doubt that Mengustu to achieve that goal was not became an easy task and we know that he killed many people.I feel sorry for many innocent people who died in that bloody path but it was a necessary task whoever leader that wants to reform Ethiopia in to a modern republic has to be going through.I believe it wasn’t 100% colonel Mengestu faults,although that his hands are not clean for blood.Furthermore,upon the arrival of the woyane,the mass was still there they tried reform Ethiopia in different ways and not to follow the communist road of Mengustu haile mariam which the Derg regime had been ruled the country and of course failed like many other communist countries.However,the woyane regime opted the most difficult task that to rule a country like Ethiopia.Although a country like Ethiopia federalism is the best way that unities her different nationalities as one country but again there is no in doubts that it wouldn’t be an easy implementation,specially for rebels(TPLF) who just were taken the power.Of course it was huge responsibility to eprdf that a country like Ethiopia poor and illiterate people to build a Democratic federation systems and that Ethiopia to be transformed into Democratic federalist state in fact it become to the woyane another tough struggle of liberating nine different African countries.

    Because,that a country poor like Ethiopia,different ethnic,different languages and different culture & religions.It wasn’t an easy task to Melese regime either. Because,to be implemented in nine or more states the idea of Democratic federalism systems at one time it like dealing nine poor African states.Thus coming to the book and mengust himself,whether that we read it or not read it the book,or that some of dislike it Mengustu while see the thing in different angles,the era of the Derg would be remaining part of our history and that evry era it has it positive and negativity.The good thing though,unlike in the past/old days the technology improved and no one will be twisting and will write the history of Ethiopia as he/she wants.I am from Ogaden Somali state and that Mengustu hailemariam in his book,if he claims that he won the war in Ogaden battle fields of course his lies has no room the google area,where the facts of the war are already in the Google and it shows there everything of the wars and how powerful Somalia defeated demoralized Ethiopian army. However that at end,the course of the war changed and of course the Warsaw pact saved the Derg regime so he can’t lie into his book Mengestu about the war of Ogaden. Similarly,he can’t lie about his naked air bombardment of Tigiray and Eritreans,or that his Red terror of killing many innocent youth on Addis streets. Its good though to buy his book and see what he says about his era!

  31. Comment posted as edited.

    Why are this website’s owners and Tesfaye Gebreab possessed in telling us Meles & Weyane are Eritreans.

    Who is really possessed here with Eritrea? Is this not a strategy so that Ethiopians and Tigrayans hate TPLF and get weaker and pave the way for Isayas Afewerki to lay hands on Ethiopia?

    In any case, owners of this website and Tesfaye Gebreab should know that political ideologies and value systems go beyond blood links. We had seen brothers and members of the same geographic area fighting each other under different Ethiopian political parties in Ethiopia; the same was true in Eritrea (EPLF & ELF, etc).

    So why dwell so much on backward family routes and remote blood links rather than focusing on matured ideas and political philosophy? Please don’t be too cheap. You lose the risk of being ignored in today’s Ethiopia!!! I tell you most Ethiopian in north America are keeping status quo excpet for money; Ethiopians in Ethiopia are nowadays more educated, can read and observe, and give more balanced judgement.

  32. አንዳይታወቅባቸሁ የደርግ ሰርዓት ተቃዋሚ ለመምሰል ትሞከራላቸሁ ። ነገርግን በግልፅ የሰርዓቱ ደጋፍዮች ናቸሁ። የሁላቸሁም ግብ ግን አንድና አንድ ብቻ ነው ዘረኝይነት እና ስልጣን ብቻ ነው ። ለዚች አገር ግን ከቶ የሚመጣ ለውጥ የለም።

  33. he who cast the first stone ??? better be holly.if not,I guss who ever dare undermind his legasy should go back and review mayessaw kassa to king H.SELASEA

  34. he who cast the first stone ??? better be holly.if not,I guss who ever dare to undermind his legassy should go back and review mayessaw kassa to king H.SELASEA.during the 17 years he lead the country. he has done countless good things to millions of ethiopians at the same time it is natural to take the blame by the few who suffer from not being able to continue YECHEWALEG rul.meanwhile YEBALEGALEG to the farm,and factories to feed their bottomless craving for riches of the land and the peoples.he never lost an inch square of land…..

  35. dare to undermind his legassy should go back and review mayessaw kassa to king H.SELASEA.during the 17 years he lead the country. he has done countless good things to millions of ethiopians at the same time it is natural to take the blame by the few who suffer from nothe who cast the first stone ??? better be holly.if not,I guss who ever being able to continue YECHEWALEG rul.meanwhile YEBALEGALEG to the farm,and factories to feed their bottomless craving for riches of the land and the peoples.he never lost an inch square of land…..

  36. dare to undermind his legassy should go back and review MAYESSAW KASSA to king H.SELASEA.during the 17 years he lead the country. he has done countless good things to millions of ethiopians at the same time it is natural to take the blame by the few who suffer from nothe who cast the first stone ??? better be holly.if not,I guss who ever being able to continue YECHEWALEG rul.meanwhile YEBALEGALEG to the farm,and factories to feed their bottomless craving for riches of the land and the peoples.he never lost an inch square of land…..

  37. Good job I am very happy what mingistu wrote a book.Because of his book I understood a lot of things and I changed my mind towords to Mengistu. Mengistu was a Good Nationalist Born leader.One day it is my predict we will put his image on our Birr notes when Honest Ethiopian children will get the pawer of presidency.I juge him on his historical time and place.He was A++++ leader > Thanks God! for your shealter and protection and he didnt fall down by his enamys hands and we got a chance to read the truce of our time history. I am wating his 2nd and 34d books!Let God help him to accomplish his work.

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