Mengistu Haile Mariam is an Ethiopian military officer and politician who served as the head of state of Ethiopia from 1977 to 1991. Born on May 27, 1937, in Adwa, Ethiopia, Mengistu rose to prominence in the Ethiopian military and became a key figure during the country's communist regime under the Derg, a military junta that seized power in 1974.
During his time in power, Mengistu implemented a series of radical socialist policies, nationalizing industries and redistributing land to peasants. He also pursued aggressive campaigns against opposition groups and initiated a violent and controversial "Red Terror" against perceived political opponents, resulting in the death and imprisonment of thousands of people.
Mengistu's rule was marked by a centralized and repressive regime, characterized by human rights abuses, censorship, and the suppression of political dissent. Furthermore, his policies led to severe economic decline and famine, most notably during the devastating Ethiopian famine in the mid-1980s.
In 1991, Mengistu was overthrown by rebel forces, and he fled to Zimbabwe, where he has since lived in exile. He has been accused of various crimes, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, with multiple trials being held in absentia. Mengistu remains a controversial figure in Ethiopian history, and his legacy is still a subject of debate and discussion among scholars and citizens alike.
