8 Ethiopia

Ami Fagin

Beyond Genocide

The Derg Regime of Ethiopia (1974 – 1987) and its campaign of “Red Terror (1977 – 1978) perpetrated violent political repression and systematic execution of thousands of educated young Ethiopians who opposed the regime or were suspected of belonging to political opposition groups. Social engineering, forced resettlement and manipulation of relief supplies in drought districts exacerbated the massive drought cycle of 1984 in the country. The Derg’s policy of withholding international food relief shipments in “rebel” areas and forced resettlement campaigns claimed the lives of and estimated 500 thousand due to famine brought on by these policies. The Derg regime was deposed in 1991 and Mengistu Haile Mariam was found guilty of genocide by the Ethiopian Court of Justice.