News / National
Mengistu out of the woods
21 Feb 2014 at 09:25hrs | Views
COLOGNE- Ethiopia's fallen military autocrat, Mengistu Haile Mariam, is now all but a free laughing man who is unlikely to be extradited back to his native land, nor be hauled before the Hague for his hand in the horrific killings of Ethiopian citizens opposed to his rule in the 70s, amid reports that the former army colonel has struck agreements with the governments of North Korea and China to provide him and his family with a safe haven, should President Robert Mugabe be toppled from power.
The Telescope News also has it on good account from foreign affairs ministry officials in Harare, that Mengistu who fled to Zimbabwe in 1991 following his ouster by rebel forces in a country he ruled with an iron grip for 17 years after the 1974 assassination of Emperor Haile Sellassie, has also been issued with a Zimbabwean diplomatic passport with full citizenship by Mugabe since 2002. All of Mengistu's family members have also been granted citizenship, after their father successfully sought Mugabe asylum following a civil war defeat in 1991.
Mengistu was tried and found guilty of genocide in absentia and was sentenced to life in prison in January 2007.
Some of the known family members are: Andenet (son), who has been studying abroad on a Zimbabwean passport for years, and is believed to be now fronting family business interests in the country; Tegiste (daugther) a qualified doctor, who has been employed by the ministry of health since 1998, in the paediatrics department in the capital. She is also registered with the Health Professions Council.
The Mengistu family are also fabulously rich, as they own two mansions in Harare, one in Gunhill and the other one in the opulent residence of Borrowdale Brooke, close to Mugabe's own Chinese-style 44 acre landscaped mansion which has 24-bedrooms. The Borrowdale mansion is reportedly a present from Mugabe to Mengistu. Other assets includes 2 farms (one in Mazowe and Vumba area where the former Ethiopian ruler is currently staying); unknown real estate properties and significant amounts of cash earned as Mugabe and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) "National Security Consultant/Advisor".
Below: Typical mansion in Borrowdale
"Mengistu is not bothered, and is here to stay," said a senior officer with foreign affairs. "The problem with you journalists is that, you do not research your stories properly and rush to print without taking the patience to pursue credible detail. Did you even know that Washington played a pivotal part, in organising his escape from Ethiopia to Zimbabwe? Did you know that George W.Bush (Senior) in consultation with his advisors, courted President Robert Mugabe on this Mengistu asylum issue? They also offered financial assistance, which our President told Bush was not necessary. If America is with you nobody can touch you, so Mengistu is very safe now. During the coalition government days with Morgan Tsvangirai, some excited MDC-T officials tought it was that easy to extradite him, but realised that the game had powerful players involved."
Other high level sources said, Mengistu had reached out to China and North Korea for protection respectively, through their political attaches stationed at their various embassies. China has an embassy in Harare, while North Korea, a very secretive and isolated nation has a diplomatic mission in South Africa.
"He has that China or North Korea option, but I suppose it is a worst case scenario calculation on Mengistu's part, since politics is a dirty game."
"The Red Terror" is a horrendous bloodbath episode between 1976 and 1978, whereby Mengistu's government killed as many as 500 000 citizens. The terror grew out of a relatively peaceful movement to end the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. Mengistu's military junta, known as "Derg" then took over the country, following a political vacuum that had been created when the emperor was deposed.
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Mengistu Haile Mariam (R) oversaw the repressions
The Ex- Ethiopian ruler then abolished parliament, suspended the constitution and arrested the emperor, followed by nationalisation of all land.
In 1976, the Derg began rounding up and killing those suspected of being members of a resistance movement. According to alembekagn.org , a website that memorializes victims of Africa's human rights atrocities, arbitrary arrests, torture and sexual assault became the norm. Prisoners were burned, while some people had their fingernails ripped out, and men had their testicles crushed.
A recently declassified White House document, brings to light U.S involvement in Mengistu's passage to Zimbabwe exile. The document contains a memo, detailing an Oval Office meeting memorandum dated 24 July 1991. The meeting was held in Washington between Mugabe and President George H. W. Bush (Bush Sr.). Others in attendence were Brent Scowcroft, and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, Robert C. Frasure.
According to the document, one of the two major discussion points on that meeting was Mugabe's attempt to intercede on behalf of Mengistu, the deposed Ethiopian leader.
Here is what Mugabe is reported to have said in the meeting: "Mengistu is now in Zimbabwe. It is a real shocker for us," Mugabe said. " I talked to him, and he gave me the whole history of Ethiopia, of the Arabs trying to take over. He [Mengistu] asked if it is still the view of the U.S. that Ethiopia is one country"?
In August 1989, a top American official then Assistant Secretary of State Hank Cohen the declassified document says, he assured Mengistu of America's commitment to preserve Ethiopia's "territorial integrity" and keep Ethiopia intact. President Bush after musing on Mengistu's characterization of events, requested Robert C. Frasure, (then Africa Director at the National Security Council), to respond to Mugabe's inquiry.
Frasure reply to Mugabe is as thus: "With respect, President Mugabe, Mengistu is not being straight with you. We did try to arrange a provisional government. We were trying to do that in London after Mengistu fled the country. We were on the verge of an agreement when things fell apart in Addis."
Some Western diplomats in Harare said the U.S could have facilitated Mengistu's escape, with the "good intention" of bringing about "peace and stability" to Ethiopia and quickly ending the civil war.
The Telescope News also has it on good account from foreign affairs ministry officials in Harare, that Mengistu who fled to Zimbabwe in 1991 following his ouster by rebel forces in a country he ruled with an iron grip for 17 years after the 1974 assassination of Emperor Haile Sellassie, has also been issued with a Zimbabwean diplomatic passport with full citizenship by Mugabe since 2002. All of Mengistu's family members have also been granted citizenship, after their father successfully sought Mugabe asylum following a civil war defeat in 1991.
Mengistu was tried and found guilty of genocide in absentia and was sentenced to life in prison in January 2007.
Some of the known family members are: Andenet (son), who has been studying abroad on a Zimbabwean passport for years, and is believed to be now fronting family business interests in the country; Tegiste (daugther) a qualified doctor, who has been employed by the ministry of health since 1998, in the paediatrics department in the capital. She is also registered with the Health Professions Council.
The Mengistu family are also fabulously rich, as they own two mansions in Harare, one in Gunhill and the other one in the opulent residence of Borrowdale Brooke, close to Mugabe's own Chinese-style 44 acre landscaped mansion which has 24-bedrooms. The Borrowdale mansion is reportedly a present from Mugabe to Mengistu. Other assets includes 2 farms (one in Mazowe and Vumba area where the former Ethiopian ruler is currently staying); unknown real estate properties and significant amounts of cash earned as Mugabe and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) "National Security Consultant/Advisor".
Below: Typical mansion in Borrowdale
"Mengistu is not bothered, and is here to stay," said a senior officer with foreign affairs. "The problem with you journalists is that, you do not research your stories properly and rush to print without taking the patience to pursue credible detail. Did you even know that Washington played a pivotal part, in organising his escape from Ethiopia to Zimbabwe? Did you know that George W.Bush (Senior) in consultation with his advisors, courted President Robert Mugabe on this Mengistu asylum issue? They also offered financial assistance, which our President told Bush was not necessary. If America is with you nobody can touch you, so Mengistu is very safe now. During the coalition government days with Morgan Tsvangirai, some excited MDC-T officials tought it was that easy to extradite him, but realised that the game had powerful players involved."
Other high level sources said, Mengistu had reached out to China and North Korea for protection respectively, through their political attaches stationed at their various embassies. China has an embassy in Harare, while North Korea, a very secretive and isolated nation has a diplomatic mission in South Africa.
"He has that China or North Korea option, but I suppose it is a worst case scenario calculation on Mengistu's part, since politics is a dirty game."
"The Red Terror" is a horrendous bloodbath episode between 1976 and 1978, whereby Mengistu's government killed as many as 500 000 citizens. The terror grew out of a relatively peaceful movement to end the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. Mengistu's military junta, known as "Derg" then took over the country, following a political vacuum that had been created when the emperor was deposed.
Mengistu Haile Mariam (R) oversaw the repressions
The Ex- Ethiopian ruler then abolished parliament, suspended the constitution and arrested the emperor, followed by nationalisation of all land.
In 1976, the Derg began rounding up and killing those suspected of being members of a resistance movement. According to alembekagn.org , a website that memorializes victims of Africa's human rights atrocities, arbitrary arrests, torture and sexual assault became the norm. Prisoners were burned, while some people had their fingernails ripped out, and men had their testicles crushed.
A recently declassified White House document, brings to light U.S involvement in Mengistu's passage to Zimbabwe exile. The document contains a memo, detailing an Oval Office meeting memorandum dated 24 July 1991. The meeting was held in Washington between Mugabe and President George H. W. Bush (Bush Sr.). Others in attendence were Brent Scowcroft, and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, Robert C. Frasure.
According to the document, one of the two major discussion points on that meeting was Mugabe's attempt to intercede on behalf of Mengistu, the deposed Ethiopian leader.
Here is what Mugabe is reported to have said in the meeting: "Mengistu is now in Zimbabwe. It is a real shocker for us," Mugabe said. " I talked to him, and he gave me the whole history of Ethiopia, of the Arabs trying to take over. He [Mengistu] asked if it is still the view of the U.S. that Ethiopia is one country"?
In August 1989, a top American official then Assistant Secretary of State Hank Cohen the declassified document says, he assured Mengistu of America's commitment to preserve Ethiopia's "territorial integrity" and keep Ethiopia intact. President Bush after musing on Mengistu's characterization of events, requested Robert C. Frasure, (then Africa Director at the National Security Council), to respond to Mugabe's inquiry.
Frasure reply to Mugabe is as thus: "With respect, President Mugabe, Mengistu is not being straight with you. We did try to arrange a provisional government. We were trying to do that in London after Mengistu fled the country. We were on the verge of an agreement when things fell apart in Addis."
Some Western diplomats in Harare said the U.S could have facilitated Mengistu's escape, with the "good intention" of bringing about "peace and stability" to Ethiopia and quickly ending the civil war.
Source - Itai Gwatidzo Mushekwe
