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| Mengistu Hailemariam announcing the “Red Terror” with a bottle of blood, 1977 |
The Derg, and the forces behind it, waged an open campaign against its civilian left opponents. Initially, the pro-Derg POMOA (Provisional Office of Mass Organization Affairs) seems to have handled not only the propaganda war against the EPRP, but also some of the initial repression. This meant that Meison and Waz League, for instance, were not only arguing in public with the EPRP during the period of relative press freedom in 1975-1976, and were shaping the arguments on behalf of the initially much-less-ideologically-astute Derg, but through their role in the Derg's mass organizations were active participants, indeed leaders, of armed action against EPRP.
Indeed it was this muddying of the difference between certain groups and the state that set off the violent, if defensive, urban guerrilla campaign of the EPRP. Sadly for the Derg's initial allies, the military regime eventually treated groups like Meison and Waz League just like the EPRP, rounding up and imprisoning or shooting their membership. In any case, given the fact that the Derg officers largely lacked leftwing bonafides before seizing power, it’s pretty clear that the Derg’s ideological assault originated with its leftist advisors.
Let me repeat a crucially insightful quote from Kiflu Tadesse: “Because of POMOA/MEISON's involvement [in the Derg government—ish], the main differences that separated radicals themselves became the concern of the state power and apparatus.” (The Generation, vol. 1) The founders of EPRP, Meison, and Waz League had a long history together in the Ethiopian student movement; differences that seemed abstract in the diaspora or on university campuses exploded into matters of life-or-death importance after the 1974 revolution.
The Derg’s running propaganda war had several patterns. The first was to paint its opposition as “anarchist,” “Maoist” or “Trotskyite.” It was an unoriginal line of argument commonly used by pro-Soviet socialists against opponents deemed to be to their left. The second line of argument was to blur the distinction between the regime’s left and right oppositions, thus suggesting that the EPRP was aligned, objectively if not actually, to the monarchist Ethiopian Democratic Union (EDU). The final line of argument was that its opponents were engaged in subversion of the nation of Ethiopia to the benefit, if not at the agency of, reactionary separatists, western imperialism, or imperialism’s local allies like the suddenly US-backed regime of Mohammad Siad Barre in neighboring Somalia. This included the occasional accusation that the civilian left groups were creatures of the CIA. The war with Somalia that exploded in 1977–78 was in fact quite successfully exploited to consolidate political authority around the Derg. The military seems to have done so without the aid of left surrogates as the civilian left became tenuous and the presence of Soviet (and Cuban) advisors more ubiquitous.
So with that as context, here are some extended passages from English-language Derg propaganda about its efforts to extinguish domestic opposition to its rule. (By way of contrast, I have previously posted an example of an EPRP polemic against Meison.) Although I’m going to refrain from editorializing, or a point-by-point refutation of the Derg’s attacks, let me just say up front that I find the arguments here self-serving, remarkably hypocritical and cynical, generally unconvincing based on my research, and full of outright lies and distortions. When you consider that these arguments were being used to physically eliminate thousands of leftwing activists—many many of them teenagers—it becomes hard not to see the rhetorical flourishes as obscene rationalizations for murder.
(A note on the first entry below, Dr. Senay Likke was a significant figure in the student diaspora who returned to Ethiopia to become an advisor to the Derg. He founded the Waz League, and died the same day as Mengistu’s February 1977 coup against Teferi Bente. I'm preparing a much more detailed article on Dr. Senay's fascinating and troubling role to be published at a later date. The final two entries below, while not from official Derg publication, are from an official Soviet publication and a Cuban publication respectively, and can safely be presumed to be something approaching the official “party line.”)
by Comrade Senay Likke
no date or publisher noted, probably 1976 Addis Ababa
“When there is revolution, there is counter-revolution. Where there is success, there is failure and where there are achievements, there are problems. This is the inexorable law of Dialectics. The Ethiopian revolution is no exception ad it has its problems....
Imperialism and reactionary feudo-bourgeois states have not only limited themselves to help organize this union of Aristocrats —the E.D.U. They also serve as the mainstay of other reactionary feudo-bourgeois forces like the so-called Eritrean Liberation Front, so-called Tigrain Liberation Front, the so-called Oromo liberation front and the so-called Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Party (E.P.R.P.). The main difference between the E.P.R.P. and the other forces of counter-revolution is that the E.P.R.P. has tried to wear a Marxist garb. It is notoriously known for its revolutionary phrase flaunting — a basic characteristic of Trotskyites. The E.P.R.P. engaged in individual assassinations and lumpen-type gangster terrorism — a characteristic of Anarchists.”
by the Ethiopian Revolution Information Center, Addis Ababa, 1977
“As the history of all revolutions, particularly that of the Russian, Chinese, Albanian, Korean, Vietnamese and Cuban peoples revolutions amply show that whenever oppressed classes attempt to overthrow an oppressive and exploitative socio-economic order, and begin to build a new, dynamic and revolutionary social system, representatives of the overthrown oppressive and exploitative system, attempt to place political, economic and military barriers on the path of the new social system. The Ethiopian peoples revolution has not been an exception to this dialectical law of revolutionary history....
Ever since the beginning phase of the Ethiopian peoples’ revolution, elements of the overthrown feudo-bourgeois order, agents of imperialism, particularly U.S. imperialism, such as the comprador and the bureaucratic bourgeoisie, the reactionary ruling classes of neighbouring countries, (like that of the Sudan, reactionary Arab states, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, North Yemen, etc) seccessionists in the northern region of Ethiopia and the so-called Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Party, EPRP the right wing section of the Ethiopian pettybourgeoisie, have been engaged in numerous counterrevolutionary political, economic and military sabotages in order to foil the oppressed masses revolution. All these counter-revolutionary forces, controlled and guided by their patron, U.S. imperialism, ever since, February, 1974 have been making frantic attempts in every corner of the country with the aim of destroying the revolutionary gains of the oppressed masses of Ethiopia and restoring the defunct feudo-bourgeois order in the country.”
From FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ETHIOPIAN REVOLUTIONSpeech delivered by Lt. Colonel Mengistu Haile-Mariam, Chairman of the PMAC (Derg)
September 12, 1978, Addis Ababa [with Fidel Castro in attendance]
Published by the Ministry of Information and National Guidance
“It can be recalled that imperialism for its anti-revolutionary activities recruited and organized feudalists, the petty-bourgeoisie and the lumpen elements. It deployed the so-called Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Party (EPRP), a Trotskyite group, carrying an apparently radical slogan. In unity with the feudalists, this organization established a network of country-revolutionary bases throughout the country. Using the youth and the lumpen, as murderers and assassins, it destroyed the lives of radical intellectuals, many workers, peasants and leaders of urban dwellers associations.... The activities of EPRP such as the burning of crops, the sabotaging of factories, the campaign among workers to decrease production and among peasants not to bring their crops to the urvab areas and the preventing of students from going to school can never be forgotten. On several occasions, it has tried to deprive the mass movement of revolutionary leadership by trying to hatch a right-wing coup d’etat. It has openly supported the Somali invaders and the secessionists in Eritrea.....
This was a time when the country was in a great difficulty and when counter-revolution seemed certain. It also was during this time that the right-roader, the All Ethiopia Socialist Movement (MEISON) betrayed the revolution and fled away from the revolutionary camp. This was also a time when imperialism and other reactionary forces made a major propaganda campaign to distort the image of the Ethiopian revolution....
In this connection we have been observing patiently and calmly...the Chinese situation, whose reactionary stance has become more and more evident. The Communist Party of China which has been degenerating from time to time.... has been a matter of concern among the progressives of the world. Revolutionary Ethiopia has been expressing her concern on this daily worsening reactionary tendency to members of China's Communist Party and to Chinese diplomats who have been to our country on different occasions.... If we consider China's stand regarding the Ethiopian Revolution, when she posed as a supporter at the initial stage and wanted to give some petty assistance, we expressed our goodwill and friendly feelings believe that it was done in a revolutionary spirit. True to the adage, with a handful of grain, approach the full sack, China continued to undermine us internally and divide Ethiopian revolutionaries. Nor did she stop there. By arming the so-called EPRP and separatists in collusion with the CIA, China had also become instrumental for the massacre of any oppressed Ethiopians.”
by the Propaganda and Information Committee, Addis Ababa, 1978
“Ethiopia’s men in uniform....have waged a sustained political, ideological and military struggle against the so-called Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Party (EPRP), which conducted an all-out campaign to subvert the Ethiopian Revolution. During the white terror launched by the reactionary EPRP, the men-in-uniform have sacrificed a great many lives. By smashing the white terror of EPRP, they have been able to free Ethiopia's youth who were victimized by the EPRP and have enabled it to join the camp of the revolution.... In collaboration with Ethiopia's progressive forces, the men-in-uniform have played an important role in disseminating the ideas of scientific socialism among the laboring masses of Ethiopia, within their own ranks, and with the peoples militia. They are still continuing to do this. They have foiled EPRP's plan of capturing state power via a short cut before the masses were politically conscious, organized and armed....
Since a class shift occurs in all revolutions, the Ethiopian revolution has also witnessed the emergence of rightist tendencies. There is for example the case of the right opportunist All Ethiopia Socialist Movement, (MEISONE), which deserted the revolution at a very critical moment. Ethiopia's men-in-uniform are currently waging a struggle against this rightists MEISONE, just as they struggled against the EPRP....
While the broad masses of Ethiopia were this preparing for the defense of their country, the feudal remnants and the right wing petty-bourgeois groups such as EPRP, EDU the Eritrean secessionists and the right-roader MEISONE infiltrated the Tatek Military Camp and carried out a systematic sabotage to obstruct the training of the militia. They left no stone unturned in their attempt to hinder the recruitment and raising of the militia and to render its rank and rile nonchalant to the call of the motherland....
The struggle against the counterrevolutionaries and all enemies of the revolution started right at the training centre. By exposing each and every one who was engaged in anti-revolutionary activities, the militia soon cleared its own training center of reactionary elements.”
by Valentin Korovikov [Pravda correspondent]
Novosti Press Agency, Moscow, 1979
“Facts have come to light showing that certain diplomatic and some other representatives of the imperialist powers financed terrorist bands and supported the enemies of the Ethiopian revolution. Nor was the CIA idle.
But the forces of reaction pinned their greatest hopes on the petty-bourgeois anarchist leftist group that called itself The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party (EPRP). It had been formed before the revolution from various student groups and led by Ethiopians who had returned from abroad, also for the most part students. The Eritrean separatists who had a wide network of agents in Addis Ababa also played an important part of this subversive organisation. They believed that their plans for separation could be furthered if the central authorities were weakened and disorganised, and if there was chaos, constant conflict and strife in the country. It was no accident that the EPRP practically always supported the demand for Eritrea's separation from Ethiopia.
The absence of political revolutionary party in the country, ideological and practical inexperience of the Ethiopian youth, the dizzy successes of the first stages of the revolution, the leftist slogans of rebellion and anarchy, youthful impatience, under the impact of Maoist literature, to achieve socialism at one fell swoop and certain other factors were responsible for the EPRP acquiring some influence in the capital and other towns. This was also promoted by the fact that the EPRP used Marxist terminology which it applied very arbitrarily to Ethiopian realities.
For instance, the EPRP insisted that, since the army was the product of the Ethiopian monarchy, it could not lead the revolution and, consequently, power should be handed over to some sort of people’s government. This demand was put forward practically on the very next day after the overthrow of Haile Selassie. Ultra-revolutionary popular slogans were also used as a smokescreen for attacks on the Dergue and the army, which in the Ethiopian conditions was the sole force capable of completely wiping out feudalism, breaking the old state machinery, defending the country’s territorial integrity and crushing the armed resistance of the reactionaries.”
by Raúl Valdés Vivó, International Publishers (CPUSA), 1978
translated from the Cuban original, Etiopia, la revolución desconocida, 1977
“It should also be noted that a great many students have adopted an entrenched antimilitarist stance, one that could only be justified if the armed forces had taken the side of the oppressors: in effect, because of this, many students have themselves ended up on the side of the oppressors, whether or not they want to admit it. The so-called Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP), that engages in counterrevolutionary terrorism in the cities, originally drew its ranks from the students. As was only to be expected, they had a source of inspiration in Maoism. For fear of joining the military, who only yesterday were at the service of reaction, and failing to understand that the army today serves the Revolution, these former students have fallen into the hands of the ousted landowners and into the network of plots engineered against the Ethiopian Revolution by international imperialism and Arab reaction. Of course, also present is the petty bourgeoisie's loathing of discipline, organization and giving way to the masses—even though it invokes their name at all times as the principal driving force in history.”
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FURTHER READING: For an excellent account of how Meison and the Derg fell out with each other, see Dawit Shifaw's memoir, The Diary of Terror. For accounts of how the Derg's words translated into the terror against EPRP, Babile Tola’s To Kill a Generation is recommended, as is the second volume of Kiflu Tadesse's The Generation.
Regarding the Derg’s occasional accusations that the EPRP was backed by the CIA, there is an interesting account in the Wikileaks cables from the US embassy in Addis Ababa in the aftermath of the EPRP’s 1976 assassination attempt on Mengistu. (Herein, “EPMG” means Ethiopian Provisional Military Government, the PMAC or Derg.) The Embassy is upset that the false charges that the US/CIA is complicit with EPRP will reflect badly on the US, which was still aiding the Ethiopian government.
SUMMARY: EPMG STAGED LARGE RALLY MORNING SEPT 26 OF WORKERS FROM PEASANT AND URBAN DWELLERS ASSOCIATIONS TO DEMONSTRATE SUPPORT FOR PMAC AND CONDEMNATION OF SEPT 23 ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON PMAC FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM. DESPITE LARGE CROWDS, RALLY WAS ORDERLY AND PASSED OFF WITHOUT INCIDENT. NUMEROUS PLACARDS LINKING ANTI-REGIME EPRP WITH CIA WERE EVIDENT. THIS CABLE RECOMMENDS THAT NEW REPRESENTATIONS BE MADE TO EPMG IN THIS LATTER REGARD.... 1. AS MEANS OF COUNTERACTING POSSIBLE HARMFUL EFFECTS ON PUBLIC OPINION OF SEPT 23 AMBUSH AND WOUNDING OF MENGISTU, EPMG MARSHALLED ITS FAITHFUL LEGIONS OF PEASANT ASSOCIATIONS AND URBAN DWELLERS ASSOCIATION WORKERS FROM CITY AND NEIGHBORING AREAS TO CONVERGE ON REVOLUTION SQUARE FOR LARGE SUNDAY MORNING SOLIDARITY RALLY. ALTHOUGH STREETS WERE HEAVILY GUARDED BY ARMED TROOPS, FOUR-HOUR DEMONSTRATION WAS ORDERLY THROUGHOUT, AS MASSES PASSIVELY LISTENED TO HARANGUES OF ORGANIZATION LEADERS TO EFFECT THAT REVOLUTION WOULD GO ON, DESPITE DESPERATION EFFORTS OF ANARCHISTS AND IMPERIALISTS, SUCH AS ATTEMPT ON MENGISTU'S LIFE. 2. LARGE NUMBER OF PLACARDS WERE IN EVIDENCE. MOST OF THESE QUOTED MENGISTU TO EFFECT THAT "REVOLUTIONARIES MAY DIE OR BE KILLED, BUT THE REVOLUTION GOES ON." MORE DISTURBING, HOWEVER, WERE FREQUENT REFERENCES TO ALLEGED CIA INVOLVEMENT IN ETHIOPIAN ANTI-REGIME ACTIVITY. AMONG SUCH PLACARDS, WHICH WERE THEN GIVEN PROMINENT PLAY ON NEWS BROADCASTS THROUGHOUT DAY, WERE THE FOLLOWING: "EPRP IS CIA", "AWAY WITH CIA AGENTS, DESGUISED AS TOURISTS", YANKEES GO HOME", NO MORE CHILES AND CIA", PAID CIA AGENTS", "ANARCHISTS DRUNK WITH CIA MONEY". MENGISTU HIMSELF, TO BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, IN HIS SPEECH ON OCCASION, (OR ANOTHER SEPARATE ADDRESS TO TEACHERS SAME DAY), DID NOT MENTION CIA, MAKING INSTEAD ONLY USUAL REFERENCES TO REACTIONARIES, ANARCHISTS, AND IMPERIALISTS.
3. THIS LATEST OUTBURST OF ANTI-CIA PUBLICITY AFTER WEEK OF QUIET COULD ONLY HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITH EPMG APPROVAL (OR AT LEAST ACQUIESENCE) AND WOULD APPEAR TO NECESSITATE FOLLOW-UP....OUR ARGUMENT SHOULD BE THAT PLACARDS ARE GRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF CHARGE'S CONTENTION TO KIFLE THAT PMAC OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF SEPT 15, WHICH INCORRECTLY LINKED CIA TO ACTIVITIES OF ETHIOPIAN ANTI-REGIME ORGANIZATIONS, CAN ONLY SERVE TO HAVE HARMFUL EFFECT UPON PUBLIC OPINION AND ATTITUDES TOWARD USG AND ITS REPRESENTATIVES IN ETHIOPIA. HENCE, IT ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT THAT SOME MEANS BE FOUND, SUCH AS DISAVOWAL, TO COUNTERACT HARMFUL IMPRESSIONS CREATED BY PMAC STATEMENTS....
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