UNIT EIGHT
Haile Sellassie Come Back and Britain Domination
- Haile Sellassie re- entered Finfinne on May 5, 1941, however his power was limited by Britain
- The Br regarded the whole of Italian East Africa under her control called as Occupied Enemy Administration Territory (OETA)
- Britain sharing power with Haile Sellassie and overlapping power created problem for Emperor
The 1stAnglo- Ethiopian Agreement signed in1942:-
- Britain recognized Ethiopia as a sovereignty state, however, Britain have final authority over Ethiopian's, financial, military, foreign affairs and administration
- The Emperor has no other choice but to accept what the Britain asked for
- Britain wanted to combine Reserved Areas of Northern Kenya, Italian Somaliland, British Somaliland, French Somaliland and Ogaden to create as “Greater Somalia”
- Then this forced Haile Sellassie to open another negotiation
The 2nd Anglo- Ethiopian Agreement 1944:-
-Britain recognized Ogaden and SE borders (Reserved Areas) as integral parts of Ethiopia
- Haile Sellassie had right to recruited non-Britain and foreign personnel and he to use the Djibouti railway line as outlet
- They agreed to train Ethiopian military force, to replace their army, which dominated in the country since 1941
- Britain withdrawal from Eritrea and agreed to return Ogaden to Ethiopia since 1948
The Ethio- Americans relation began since 1943-1978 due to Britain heavy hand over Ethiopia
- In 1945, H/S met Roosevelt of USA in Egpyt and asked military aid, experts, advisors and support to regain Ogaden and Eritrea
√ The Americans wanted relation with Ethiopia, for strategy important of the Red Sea and Radio Marina in Eritrea
√In 1952 the USA set up Radio Marina or Qagnew Station in Eritrea to train Ethiopian battalion that fought in Korea side of South under Commander Mulgeta Buli
The point Four Agreement signed between Ethiopia and USA in 1952
√ Involved in agriculture, public health, education, tourist and public administration training and awarding of scholarships
-In 1953 Military Assistance and Advisory Group (MAAG) signed by USA to training Ethiopian armed forces
- In 1960, during the Congo crisis Ethiopian served as a UN peace keeping force by USA aid
- In 1945, the American Trans Continental and Western Air Lines (TWA) helped to set up the Ethiopian Air Lines (EAL),
providing managerial and supervisors (Civil Aviation)
- In 1957 USA support in the Imperial Highway Authority established to built road and repair
Building Autocratic control in Centeral Administration
- Haile Sellassie built his absolutism by support of USA, which angrier the University Students
- The methods of H/S used to maintenance his centralization was dethroned, enthroned and traditional marriage with his family
The order of the emperor was made effective via the minister of pen called Tsehafe Tezaz Wolde Giorgis (1941-55)
Wolde Giorgis was powerful, smart and against others ministers, but Mekonnen Habtewolde (minister of finance) organized opposition and sacked Wolde Giorgis from his power
-Mekonnen Endalkachew appointed as President of Senate (1943-57)
-Aklilu Habtewolde became Prime Minister and Minister of Pen since 1958
- Made Asrate Kasa as govt of Eritrea to remove from the center
- Mekonnen Endalkachew and Michael Imiru assigned as ambassadorial post
- The only exceptional were, Abiy Abebe as Minister of War and Yilma Deresa as Minister of Finance
- Kasa Hailu, Seyoum Mengesha, Mesfin Seleshi and Imiru Haile Sellassie made member of Crowned Council
The Haile Sellassie Military Academy Opened at Harar in 1957 by Indian instructors recruited from secondary school and freshman of University College
• The Imperial Navy Force set up in 1947 by Norwegian
• The Modern Ethiopian Police organized in by British, German and Israel
• The general Ethiopian transport Company known as Anbasa was set up in 1952
• The manufacturing industry set up by Dutch Company in 1954
• The Haile Sellassie I and Wingate Secondary Dchools were founded in 1943 and 1946 respectively
• The University College of Finfinne became Haile Sellassie University introduced in 1950
• The territorial army set up in 1957 to replace the Netch Lebash under the minister of the interior
• The Netch Lebash were royal volunteers, who had no regular salary for their services
• Duty of these army was maintenance of peace with police and to control any political opposition by Peasants
The major weakness of the autocratic State
- Absence of democratic rights and failure to make political reforms
- Lack of modernization in all sector and irresponsibility in the use of govt Powers
- Backward socio- economic conditions and absence of saving for fast development
- Dependence on foreign assistance and failure to develop economic self- reliance
- Absence agrarian, land tenure and reforms and failure to address properly the question of the nationalities
The Eritrean Problems
√ Eritrea became colony of Italy from 1890-1941 and from 1941-52 under Britain rule
√ Eritrea became federated with Ethiopia from 1952-1962 and united with Ethiopia from 1962-1972
√ The Britain allowed to the right of free speech, press and form political parties to Eritrea, although created different among
Eritrea based on ethnic and religious
There were various group in Eritrea having different interest concerning the status of Eritrea
1. The Eritrean Western Lowland wanted to indept union with Sudan &later became Muslim League demanded full indept of Eritrea
2. The Highland territory of Eritrea join with Tigray to form a separate Tigray State, which later became the Liberal Progress
Party led by Tesema Asmerom
3. The Pro- Italian separately full independent of Eritrea (Italian Settlers and Askaris)
The representatives of the USA, Britain, France and USSR sent to Eritrea to determine feature of Eritrean people, but they couldn't and referred to UN General Assembly in1948
√ In1950 the UN appointed Commission of Five Men from Burma (today Myanmar) Guatemala, Norway, Pakistan and South
Africa to decide the fate and the wishes of Eritrean people
• Guatemala and Pakistan opted for Independent of Eritrea
• South Africa and Burma recommended Federation of Eritrea with Ethiopia
• Norway favored Union of Eritrea with Ethiopia
In 1950, the UN General Assembly followed opinion of Br and USA supported majority voted Federation of Eritrea with Eth
Then Eritrea Federated with Ethiopia in 1952 and United with Ethiopia in1962
• Eth controlled Eritreans foreign affairs, finance, defence, commerce and ports, while internal affairs left for the local Eritreans
• In 1955, Tedla Bahru, chief executive of Eritrea resigned by Haile Sellassie and replaced by Asrate Kasa
• Haile Sellassie made Amharic as official language in place of Arabic and Tigrigna
• Hoisted Ethiopian flag instead of Eritrean flag & forbidden political activist and appointed Christian in place of Muslim
• Haile Sellassie didn't want special status given to Eritrea because democracy and Civil liberty exercise by Eritrean might incite
Ethiopian people under his autocratic
√ In 1955 Haile Sellassie Revived Constitution of 1931for strengthened Ethio- Eritrean federation
√ In 1962, the Eritrean Assembly Voted United and merged with Ethiopia, but later this created opposition
√ In 1958, Eritrean exile and founded the Eritrean Liberation Movement (ELM) in Cairo
√ In 1961, ELF by Eritrean exiled in Middle East under leadership of Idris Awate supported by Syria and Iraq
√ The ELF divided into three groups
1. Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) 2. Popular Liberation Front or PLF (Jabaha) 3. Eritrean People Liberation Front or EPLF (Shabiya)
√ These fronts began struggle for supremacy in the Eritrea
Later the EPLF gained victory and declared their indept by support of Arabs in 1991 under the first President Isayas Afeworq
√ The Arabs regarded Eritrea as an Arab land due to Haile Sellassie close ties with Israel
Opposition against Haile Sellassie's Government
Many Patriotic of Ethiopia were opposed Haile Sellassie exiled to Europe and restored to throne
1. Blatta Takala Hawaryat
- He was the Patriotic leader to against Fascist and oppose return throned of Haile Sellassie
- Takala was put in prison and freed in 1945
- When he was repeatly against the Haile Sellassie appointed Takala as vice minister of interior and Afa Negus
- In 1969, Takala organized armed to assassinate the emperor, but he was killed shootout with the police
2. Belay Zeleke
- Haile Sellassie feared Belay's his popularity in Gojjam, Mota and Bebre Marqos, removed from his home base
- Haile Sellassie appointed Belay as government of Bichena district
- When he attempt to against the emperor captured and prisoner in Finfinne
- Belay broke out of prison, but captured on his way to Gojjam and returned Finfinne then, he stand trial and publicly hanged
3. Betwaded Negash Bezabish
- He was grandson of Takla Hayimanot of Gojjam
- He was vice minister and President of Senate before his conspiracy
- He was tried to assassinate the emperor, but captured to sentenced to various terms of imprisonment
The Weyane Rebellion (1932-43)
The famous leader was Blatta Haile Mariam Radda
Causes
- Imposing tax on Peasants and economic and social inequalities
- Conflict between Raya and Azebo ethnic groups and the government (National oppression)
- Absence of democratic right and govt loose their traditional local power
- The conflict cropped up when the state appointed its own administration in the region
- The emperor assigned Abebe Aregay to command its force against the rebellion
- Britain air attack and artillery ended the rebellion in 1943
The Coup D’état of 1960
- Organized by educated officials to overthrow Emperor Haile Sellassie from his power
- The leaders of the coup makers were General Mengistu Neway and Germame Neway
- Mengistu was commander of the Imperial Bodyguard
- Germame was USA educated with MA degree in social science and returned in 1954 to Finfinne
- Mengistu was worked for the governed under various capacities in Walayta and Jijiga
- Peaceful way of change and reform is impossible and turned to a coup d’état
- They seized Public building and took as hostages members of the Imperial family and leading figures in the govt
- The Coup makers appointed Asfawossen as mouth- piece of rebels and to be the Constitutional Monarchy (head of State)
- Imiru Haile Sellassie as head of govt (prime minister) of the country, who were close relation with emperor
- The emperor was in South America (Brazil) during coup d’état making and immediately returned
Factors that failed 1960 Coup d’état
- They failed to put other leading official’s nobles and army generals under control
- Failed to get the support of other military units for the coup
- The leader of police force, Brigadier General Tsige Dibu captured and couldn't resisted army aid air force
- Germame killed on the way to Mount Zequala and Mengistu wounded, captured to trial and hanged
√ The coup was failed, but made a powerful impression on educated people & showed that it was possible to remove the Monarchy
√ The torch of change had been kindled by the rebellion and university students became torch- bearers of this change
The Bale Rebellion
Causes
- Grievances stemming from maladministration, heavy taxation, Police, Militia looted and raped Peasants
- Land alienation, additional tax on Peasants, Livestock and Pastoralists
- National and economic oppression and religious bias and
- The new govt Worku Enquselassie against Muslims took side of Christian
- Somali considered Bale as part of its unredeemed territory or Terra irredenta that means territory claimed for Somalia
- The Bale rebellion were supported by Somali, Kenya, Djibouti and British Somaliland to them
- The rebellion started in the Village of Afkar, district of El- Kere led by Kahin Abdi, in Wabe under Hajji Ishah, in the Delo led by
Waqu Lugo and in the Obesro led by Aliye Chirri
- General Waqu Gutu and Cherri Gutu were the chiefs leaders of the rebellion of the Bale Peasants
√ The measure action taken by Peasants were:-
- They burnt govt documents, posts and destroying Orthodox Churches
- When the Peasants refused to obeying, H/S put Negele- Borana and all district of Bale, except Fasil put under the Martial Law
- Waqu Gutu gained training military aid from Mogadishu attack the govt forces at town of Bidre
- The govt primarily action was cut off the main rebel supply routes from Somalia and seize their rear base
- After the rebels and police killed, the govt treated people, no revenge, none of rebel punished
- The Emperor H/S cancelled land taxes up to 1967 and Waqu Gutu was given that title of Grazmach and hectares of land
The Gojjam Rebellion
Causes
- Corrupt rule of Tsehaye Enquosilassie and appointment of the officials out of Gojjam
- The govt decreed all citizens who holders guns must be registered within three mouths
- The collection of overdue arrears and accusing who didn't paid
- The 1967 Income Proclamation ignited the rebellion
√ Measure actions taken by rebellion were
- They presented their problems of bitter governance, education, health, transport and stopping of tax assessment to Emperor, but
response by warned to give up their action
- Meet at Azweri River and agreed to oath of unity and elect leaders
- They appealed petition to govt but return to violent after failed
- Refused to elect or admit tax assessors and prevented any district obeying to govt
- Expel all state officials, boycott govt courts and to destroy the property of traitors (who did not obey their decision)
√ The Emperor was fighting by air force and defeated the rebellers
- Haile Sellassie visited Gojjam and freed all farmers from tax arrears
- Tsehaye Enquosilassie replaced by Dereje Mekonnen and unpopular bureaucrats had been removed
- Tax assessors were recalled and postponed and all of the peasants received pardon
The Ethiopian Student Movement
√ The students from high schools, college, university and foreign educating Ethiopia against bad work of Haile Sellassie
Causes
- They demanded freedom of masses, press, and union and against lack of political freedom in Ethiopia
- They demanded radical changes and against Ethiopia remained backwardness
- Asked reforms in education sector, improve educational facility and services
√ The first students association was established in 1959
- The Students imposing the reactionary nature of Haile Sellassie regime by news paper, called "News and Views"
- The students demanded the form of traditional poetry by university students in their campus
- Scholarship students from Africa joined to movement and against the USA military support to autocratic regime
- The worsening conditions of the peasantry and the hard life of the urban masses
- The university Students demonstration in front of the Parliament shouting the revolutionary slogan "Land to the Tiller!"
- In 1967, the students News Paper, News and Views replaced by "Struggle", which spread among students
- The Emperor warning by press and Radio to stop this action
- In 1969, the govt killed the president the University Students Union, Tilahun Gizahu, wide spread upreasing
The Famine of Ethiopia (1972-1974)
Causes
- Absence of rains, man-made conditions and more suffered Peoples of Wollo and Tigray
- Large rural people left their homes to the urban areas
- The emperor faced by various problems and H/S try to hiding the famine from the rest of the World
- The famine exposed by foreign reports, instructors and Students journal "Tatek" (Gird Yourself) and "Challenge"
Ethio- Somaliland Conflict
- British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland were united as the Republic of Somalia on 1 Jan 1960
- The ambition of Somalia was to built "Greater Somalia" and adopted a flag with the five territories which Britain proposed
former to united (BSL, ISL, FSL, Ogaden and N. Kenya)
- In 1963, Britain try to united N. Kenya with Somalia, but opposed by Kenyan leaders
- The Somalia Republic broke off relation with the Britain and Kenya
- This created cooperation between Ethiopia and Kenya agreed to Mutual Defense Pact
- Clashes began between Ethiopia and Somalia on border in 1964
- Somalia appealed to the UN Security Council, however, not gain positive response to their dream of Greater Somalia
- The 1st OAU held in Cairo (1964) passed the “Cairo Declaration’’ on African Borders, which said that:-
"All member States pledge themselves to respect the borders existing on their achievement of national independent"
- Somalia shifted her relation with Arabs, while Ethiopia strengthened alliance with Israel and continued until 1967
-In 1967 Ali Shermarke became Pr and Ibrahim Egal became Pm of Somali, made a detente with Ethiopia and Kenya
- Revived diplomatic relations and Greater Somalia was left
- In 1969, General Siyad Barre took power by coup and revived the policy of unifying all Somali- claimed territories
- Then the policy of “Greater Somalia’’ changed to "Western Somalia"
- If this could not be achieved, changed to the right of self-determination for Somalia
- In 1973, the USA promised 100 million dollar to Emperor Haile Sellassie, but not arrived
- Somalia leader Siyad Barre assistance from Russia invaded Eastern Ethiopia and began war of aggression against Eth
- Mengistu hurried to make new relation with Russia and Russia ending with Somalia started to armed Ethiopia
- By assistance of Russia, Cuba and South Yemen, Mengestu attacked Somalia and drive out from Ethiopia in 1978
The fall of the Monarchy (1974)
Causes
- Students and armed force were played great role for the downfall of Emperor Haile Sellassie
-Failure to introduce reforms to achieve economic, political and social progress
- Popular revolt against Haile Sellassie due to he celebrated his 80th birthday while famine victim the country
- Lack of respect Human Right (life, security of person, liberty) and democratic rights (thought, opinion, assembly, petition, movt, demonstration
The Beginning of the Revolution
1. Jan 1974 solders of Negele Borana mutinied against the bad condition of their life
2. Feb 1974 the rise in petroleum price due to Arab- Israel war of 1973
- Tax drivers demanded an increase in transport fees accordance with price of petroleum
3. The teachers against the Educational Sector Revive
- Male- Female balance and Urban to Rural change
√ Aklilu Habtewolde, Prime Minister from 1961-74 couldn't stop crisis and replaced by Lij Endalkachew Mekonnen
√ On 2 Jun 1974 Co- Ordination Committed from police, armed force and Territorial Army come together and formed body known as "Derg" (Committee or Council)
• Major Mengistu Hailemariam from 3rd division army in Hararge became the first vice Chairman of the Derg and major Atnafu Abate from 4th division as 2nd vice Chairman of Derg
•The Derg imprisoned Endalkachew and replaced by Lij Michael Imiru as Prime Minister
√ On 12 Sep 1974 Haile Sellassie deposed and arrested
The Military Dictatorship (1974-91)
√ The Derg Proclaimed itself the Provisional Military Administrative Council (PMAC)
√ The Measures of Derg (1974-78)
- Imprisonment of top military and civilians officials of Haile Sellassie
- Banning of all anti- govt strikes and Proclamation of "Ethiopian Socialism"
- Execution of 52 renowned officials like General Aman Mikael Andom
- Development Through Cooperation campaign or Zemecha to spread literacy and organized peasantry
- Nationalization of banks, insurance, industrial and commercial companies and all rural and urban land
√ All political Organization collaborated with the Derg, only the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party (EPRP) continued
opposition and becoming its target
- In cooperation with the All- Ethiopian Socialist Movement (Meison)
After Victory over Somalia, the major attention of the Derg or military government was:-
- The Derg began what it called the "Red Terror" against the EPRP whose counter- attacks were designated "White Territory"
1. The total elimination of the EPRP from the towns in the use of "Red Terror" in an organized manner via what it called the
"Disclosure Campaign"
- The Meison in 1977 later identified as opponent of Derg and became a target for it attack
2. The tasks of Party Formation
- From the unity of different political organization to recruited individual loyal to the military government
- In 1984 formed the Workers Party of Ethiopia (WPE), and Mengistu became its Secretary- General
- But this event marked the peak and hastened the downfall of the military dictatorship
3. The suppression of opposition groups and freedom fighters bases in the Northern part of Ethiopia
- These were Ethiopian Democratic Union (EDU), the Eritrean People's liberation Front (EPLE) and (TPLE)
- The EDU emerged after H/S downfall and led by Mengesha Seoyum, grandson of Yohannis IV and married granddaughter of H/S
- The EDU fought to restore feudal Monarchy and made up of high ranking military officials old regime
- The EDU fought TPLF and Derg in different time, but Derg and TPLF totally drive out EDU from the Tigray
-In 1982, Derg made another attempt at eliminating the EPLF under the "Red Star Campaign”, but could not eliminate
√ The process of Villagization (concentration of Peasants in large villages), created the rise of national self- determination like OLF, SLF, OIF, ALF, BLF and GLF
In 1989 the TPLF scored victory on the Derg at Enda Sellassie, Western Tigray and helped the TPLF to capture artillery pieces and tanks
1. It led to the withdrawal of Derg troops from the whole of Tigray
2. The Victory was a crushing blow to the fighting morale of the Derg army
- These above events attempt of high ranking military officers stage a coup in Finfinne to eliminate Mengistu from power when he was East German (German Democratic Republic) on 16 May 1989, but the coup was failed
Fall of the Military Dictatorship
1. Widespread arrests and executed or sentenced to long terms in prison more rising the whole Peoples of the Country
2. The merciless punishment and totally killed demoralized the Derg officers, less conviction and bribed
3. The major cause for the down fall of Derg was the collapse of the Soviet Union and Communist in Eastern Europe
4. The Organizations of the OLF, TPLF, Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDP), Ethiopian (Amhara)
Peoples’ Democratic Movement (APDM) and OPDO down failed Derg united with together
- The coalition forces of the EPRDF drove the Derg out of Gondar, Gojjam, Wollo and Shoa
-On 2 May 1991, Mengistu fled to Harare (Zimbabwe) marked the total collapse of the resistance of the Derg
-The EPLF control Asmara and Assab, announced the formation of the Provisional Government of Eritrea
- On 28, May 1991 the EPRDF forces entered First Finfinne with no resistance and brought to an end to Mengistu's military
dictatorship, which ruled the country for about 17 years
-The EPRDF established a Provisional Government under Mellas Zenawi as Acting Head of State (President)
- All political forces in the country held conference and concluded set up the Transitional Government of Ethiopia
- In 1993 the local administration established throughout the country and Eritrea became separately independent state
- In 1994, the new Constitution was approved by a constituent Assembly
- In 1995 Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) declared
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