South Sudan: Remembering the legacy of Mengistu Haile Mariam
Written by Agereb Leek Chol,
Thursday, 28 July 2011
(Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S) – Mengistu Haile Mariam, a former president of Ethiopia who came to power in 1974 to 1991 after over throwing Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, was a prominent officer of Dergue Communist military junta, which governed Ethiopia from 1974 to 1991. His services deserve many thanks for helping the SPLA/SPLAM during Sudan’s civil war. Under his leadership, Ethiopia became the first country to support the liberation of South Sudan while many countries in Africa were not too concerned about the war in the Sudan.
Former Ethiopian President, Mengistu Haile Mariam, who midwifed the birth of the SPLM/A in 1983-1991.
To remind all Southerners, Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam wasn’t supported by many citizens in Ethiopia and Eritrean people due to his harsh rules, and failed economic policies during his Presidency. Under his rules, many Ethiopians and Eritreans citizens were murdered, killed, and kidnapped. In 1991, Mengistu fled to Zimbabwe after losing power. He was later found guilty in absentia of genocide in Ethiopia. These aforementioned crimes did not make Colonel Mengistu a great leader in the eyes of Ethiopians, Eritreans, and the international community.
In my perspective as a Southern Sudanese citizen, we should acknowledge him for supporting us during the civil war, which began in May 16, 1983 until 2005. To all Eritreans and Ethiopians, the South Sudan was not supportive of Mengistu’s actions during his leadership. Never less, both countries have gone through similar atrocities, and no doubt innocent people pay the price in blood.
The early days of the SPLA/ SPLM under the leadership of Samuel Gai Tut, Akuot Atem and Joseph Oduho began in Ethiopia. The SPLA/SPLM later gained more support from Colonel Mengistu under the leadership of Dr. John Garang de Mabior. He allowed the SPLA/SPLM to operate militarily, and also hosting refugees from the South. The SPLA was a government in Itang, Panyindu, Gamabla, Pachala, Bonga, and Dimo. “By 1989 over 70, 000 SPLA troops graduated from training camps in Ethiopia. In August of 1986, Dima refugee camp topped 100,000 people, and by May to June 1991 refugee population reached 100,000 to 250,000 in Itang, Ethiopia”. (Relief and Rehabilitation Commission RRC).
Like any other army that needs food, the SPLA always found their ways to feed their soldiers. Interviewing an ex-soldier, he added that “the SPLA/SPLM benefited from food aid”. The Ethiopian government often restricts the access and monitoring of food aid by the international agencies. It is believed that in the refugee camps, the SPLA was a government. The power to operate in refugee camps would have not been possible if was not for Mengistu. The Government of South Sudan (G.O.S.S )should work hard to make Ethiopian their number one ally despite the history. The failed attack on Khartoum’s government by the Darfur rebels because they lacked a strong ally. Fortunately South Sudan did have an ally that supported them.
Not to undermine the support we received from Kenya and Uganda, Ethiopia was the life line for the South until the fall of Mengistu in 1991. Inviting him to celebrate the independence of South Sudan on July 9, 2011 would have been a great way to honor his service. His invitation would have been controversial for the Republic of South Sudan to attend, but President Omar Bashir was invited even though he supported atrocities committed in Darfur. Did President Bashir really deserve that invitation and not Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam? South Sudan did appreciate Bashir for recognizing referendum’s results, but does that alone should not have him the right to be there at the celebration.
Experts on African politics may argue that there was a ‘cold war’ between Sudan and Ethiopia because both countries were supporting opposite rebels. Despite all that, the South and Eretria benefited from a proxy war. Recently, some Ethiopians news reports accuse the Republic of South Sudan that they built Mengistu a house in the South. The news report wasn’t correct. However, the way the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) Liaison office in Addis Ababa responded to this news is what angered me the most when the spokeman says “they are outraged by the news report”.
Even if the news report was a lie, should the (GOSS) be “outraged” by this news given the invaluable support he gave to the South during the war? Mengistu is no longer visible, but he’s someone the Republic of South Sudan should never forget in the history of the South Sudan. Ethiopians deserve invaluable praise and thanks for helping an emerging birth of a new nation.
Agereb leek Chol is a gradate student at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. He can be Kushrepublic
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