Extradite Mengistu
Daniel Gizaw
December 1991
For 17 years Ethiopia has suffered the most inexplicable tragedies this universe had ever witnessed with the advent of the most egregious leadership and policies imposed upon her. Five to six million of her children were ravaged by famine, war and involuntary displacement. An arrogant, malevolent, and obnoxious leader navigated the country to complete disintegration and chaos rallying the country to a stupendous shrine of economic and political paralysis.
Mengistu and his cronies not only destroyed a whole nation; they left this ancient people and land of beauty on the verge of extinction. When I visited Ethiopia three years ago, after 16 years departure, I was left with shock, disbelief and a profound sadness to see my country in an utter disarray, a state of absolute death.
For weeks I walked in the streets of Addis Ababa watching the multitude of crippled children, those sad victims of senseless wars, feebly crawling to live our the long, empty days ahead of them. I watched too, thousands upon thousands of hungry, homeless in almost every corner of the city, waiting for the long, appalling day to die. Oh, what a sight! Depressed and frustrated youths standing aimlessly, their eyes goggled out, myriads of flies buzzing around their faces, with no hopes, no future, nothing to look for, nothing to dream about, all exhausted. Ethiopia was in a nightmare.
No doubt that she was viciously raped, that she was robbed and pillaged. A gang of hoodlums armed to their teeth ravaged the country and plundered the people like there was no tomorrow. Mengistu and his sycophant supporters ruled Ethiopia with terror. Fear reigned the souls and spirits of Ethiopians. That once proud nation, that land of nobles and patriots was made to go down on her knees and abandon the very precious civilization she had sustained for centuries: Her nobility, her pride, her cultures. Ethiopia was no more the land of munificence, magnanimity and magnificent pride. Ethiopia was no more the land of love, beauty and grace.
How so sad and so unfortunate it is that a leader could rise up from our midst, gaining our confidence, playing a melodious tune that suits our ears, and then suddenly turn to a monster! In Ethiopia, 17 years after Mengistu’s regime Ethiopia was drawn 500 years backward to a primitive state, to the days of cave mentality, to extinction. He left behind him anarchy, chaos, tribal disintegration, and that famine with its crushing jaws, even much ferocious than that of the previous one, besetting the country from all fronts. Yes, Mengistu left Ethiopia to suffer, to pulverize, to die.
And after 17 years, the man who sat at the helm of this leadership which is responsible for the death of a nation is now quietly living comfortably in Zimbabwe, spending his stolen millions with his few comrades. We know now what a great nationalist he was.
Upon reflection, it is so unfortunate that the revolution which had gathered momentum in the 1960s and the 1970s also brought a dictator like Mengistu. It is unfortunate too that this brutal and egomaniac dictator who was a reason for his country’s social and political unrest is now comfortable situated in another country after he left behind him a shattered economy, a shattered society, and a future impenetrably dark.
Is it therefore fair for the world to be silent when barbarians like Mengistu, these vicious criminals are left alone, unchallenged? Wasn’t the search for justice that propelled the Persian Gulf Crisis and the campaign of Desert Storm?
Obviously current changes in today’s world order brings the Unites States to the forefront — to a unique role of new leadership. President Bush in his October United Nations speech said, “We have a vision of a new partnership based on consultation, cooperation and collective action especially through international and regional organizations; and partnership united by principle and the rule of law and supported by an equitable sharing of both cost and commitment; a partnership whose goals are to increase democracy, increase prosperity, increase the peace and reduce arms.” The vision of new partnership based on consultation, cooperation and collective action therefore puts the United States under a moral obligation to work collectively with the government of President Mugabe to ask for the extradition of Mengistu to Ethiopia and have him face the criminal charges against his ruthless dictatorship that was responsible for the irreparable damage it caused to Ethiopia.
I don’t want to think that the United States leadership in this emerging new world order is something that may be applied only when America’s interests are at stake. I hope there is a vision here to be met and substance to be applied to make it work. I hope too that the U.S. Secretary of State Jim Baker could use the power of his office to convince President Mugabe of Zimbabwe that Ethiopians deserve justice, to see that the person responsible for the crimes be returned to Ethiopia to face justice for his atrocities.
I challenge President Mugabe to hear the cries of all Ethiopians. And I hope too that the Untied States leaves no doubt in the minds of its supporters and its doubters and the clarity and realism of its international commitment — about its role as global leader. Mengistu must answer the charges against him and the United States must help in getting this man extradited to Ethiopia.
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Daniel Gizaw resides in Los Angeles
A news and opinion journal on Ethiopia