I am of the opinion that every one, even the devil should have their say writing their biography, the Colonel included. I also insist that the devil should be given his due. Having lived in Ethiopia during the Colonels’s reign I feel I am entitled to say a sentence or two of what I have lived through. I am sure that I can not go wrong on one account, that the Colonel’s greed on power knew no bound, that he was ready to hand every known town and locality away, from Makele to the gates of Addis, one by one, refusing to consider any alternative other than himself to lead the nation, even when the nature of the Weyane as a sinister force was self-declared. The Colonel’s undeclared motto was so clear and could well be epitomized by the donkey’s saying, “Ene kemotku serdo ayibqel”. Still Mr Tolossa is optimistic and would like to be fair to the Colonel. I would say, good on you!
I commend Mr Tolossa for deigning to look at some “leadership qualities” of the Colonel . Let us be frank. The “leadership qualities” of the Colonel do not measure up to ruling by consensus or by persuasion. They amounted to the predatory stealth that brought on the death of Teferi Banti, Atnafu Abate and hundreds from the Derg’s ranks and thousands from the “enemy”. These “leadership qualities” if they are so to be called, were mustered by Somalia’s Aideed who was able to win the loyalties of clan elders far and wide that emboldened him to take on America. We might also take instance at the “leadership qualities” of Legesse Zenawi. In both cases it is rather the notoriety and ruthlessness of the despots that ultimately succeeded in inspiring fear and submission in the followers than any reason or persuasion.
Colonel Mengistu’s “leadership qualities” owe to his no-better-than-average “gift” of colorful oratory and his vitriolic notoriety- a spark in the visions of the largely dim-witted group of officers that happened to be the Derg.
Once in power, it was about not allowing anyone to wrest the final say over things from him. That did not require skill. That was about doing the obvious.
Whether those alligned with him and vying his authority at the time were more enlightened or not did not matter.
One fact should not be forgotten. Every Ethiopian under his reign knew that the Colonel was a liar, a pathological liar. He lied. He lied so much so that even when he told the truth about the harm EPRDF could do, while in the throes of his downfall, no one could could trust him. I remember a friend then saying, “how could people believe him for once when all he had been saying for the last 17 years was that he witnessed an ox giving birth to a calf?”
Mr Tolossa has realy been fair. I wish many would adopt such a positive attitude of trusting and of “giving a fair go” even to the wolf in the sheeps’ covers.
