The centerpiece of what we might call the meles zenawi doctrine of national security was promoting and defending national economic development. He loved ethiopia and was proud of its long history, a western academic who had regular email. Both sides accuse each other of human rights abuses. Prime minister meles zenawi was born on 8th may 1955 in adwa, tigray, in northern ethiopia, to an ethiopian father from adwa and a mother from adi quala, eritrea. Meles zenawi, the late prime minister of ethiopia, was a critical ally to the united states who nonetheless undermined the american stance that africa needs strong institutions, not strongmen. Meles zenawi is a strong judging j type, according to the ambassador. Meles zenawi was married to azeb mesfin and was the father of three children. Utterly inadequate number when one compares it with the 50,000 nato. Our partners, african arguments, have posted peter gills insightful tribute to meles zenawi, the late ethiopian leader. Assessing the legacy of ethiopian prime minister meles zenawi. Meles zenawi and e tr hi i t or pe ia by negussay ayele this commentary on pm meles zenawi and ethiopia is prefaced by three citations below that will put what pm meles zenawi has done and is doing to ethiopia and ethiopians in some historical perspective. Early life 19551974 meles zenawi was born legesse zenawi on may 8, 1955 in adwa, ethiopia. Secondly, i am still wondering what this has to do in meles zenawi s biographical article. His unparalleled understanding of ethiopian history and geopolitics.
Meles was born to an ethopian father, zenawi asres and his mother alemash guebreluel hailed from eritrea. But it is doubtful whether africas oldest nation will be as successful in achieving them without meles zenawi and his outstanding intelligence, shrewd. Jun 26, 2016 meles zenawi, with a touch of overstatement, is the most important person who has ever lived in the history of the tplf and the post1991 political order in ethiopia. Meles zenawi, the ethiopian prime minister, has been in power since 1991, thats longer than the man he helped to overthrow, the communist leader colonel mengistu, who was last year convicted in. Meles zenawis administration, along with first lady azeb mesfin, have strongly advocated for more equal rights and opportunities for women in ethiopia. The december,2003 civil disturbance in gambella were not instigated by meles zenawi. Jenny hammond vaguely indicated meles as founder tplf in their books.
It is still unclear how far the transition to a new, younger leadership has progressed. Meles zenawi simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Once in office, he led the efforts to democratize the nation and ensure equality and prosperity for the ethiopian people. Meles zenawis own little war of rape, looting, and senseless. I once asked ethiopias prime minister meles zenawi, who died on aug. A glance at the history books would tell us that in any conflict the two sides have to. Meles speaking to american intellectuals about ethiopia and its history. He attended the queen of sheba elementary school in adwa and went on to attend the prestigious general wingate highschool in. Monarchy, revolution and the legacy of meles zenawi 1st edition. North atlantic treaty organization nato, military alliance established by the north atlantic treaty also called the washington treaty of april 4, 1949, which sought to create a counterweight to soviet armies stationed in central and eastern europe after world war ii. The death of meles zenawi in a belgian hospital was announced on 21 august 2012. This is the first installment in a threepart series looking at the memoir written by the ethiopian intellectual, freedom fighter and opposition politician, andargachew tsige. The secret behind the death of meles zenawi ethiopian. Throughout our scores of meetings with the prime minister, in which he consistently operates without notes, meles delivers points on any range of issues that can be precisely diagrammed into an outline.
Aug 22, 2012 meles zenawi, the late prime minister of ethiopia, was a critical ally to the united states who nonetheless undermined the american stance that africa needs strong institutions, not strongmen. Aug 20, 20 he defined the first objective of ethiopias national security, not as having a strong national defence forcehowever important that may bebut as human security for ethiopians. Ethiopia and the meles doctrine of national security. Meles zenawi, the ethiopian prime minister who was once hailed as a major u. Meles zenawi, ethiopian politician born may 8, 1955, adwa, eth. He became president in 1991, as a former leader of the. He attended the queen of sheba elementary school in adwa and went on to attend the prestigious general wingate highschool in addis ababa. Meles zenawis interview with paul henze 1990 ethiopia. Meles died on august 20, 2012 in a hospital in brussels, belgium after having a brain tumor removed. This writer remembers how, as meles zenawi spoke, the video zoomed towards. Posted by walelgne mekonnen in news around tplf, political opinoins and tagged 21 years tyranny end up, ethiopian life presedant meles zenawi, horn africa instability and meles zenawi, meles zenawi and united state, the secret behind the death of meles zenawi.
Meles zenawi the father of ethiopian modern military doctrine. As the rebel leader of the tirgrayan peoples liberation front, he was instrumental in helping bring an end to colonel mengistu haile mariams feared derg regime. Under meles, ethiopia achieved notable economic growth as the government spent heavily on. Discover librarianselected research resources on nato north atlantic treaty organization from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and. Since 1985, he was the chairman of the tigrayan peoples liberation front, and the head of the ruling ethiopian peoples revolutionary democratic front. Addis ababa meles zenawi leadership academy just another. Zenawis health was in question for weeks until his death. Originally published in the britannica book of the year. Ethiopia gives prime minister meles zenawi a state funeral.
Distorted rhetoric and commemorative acts seek to obfuscate the true dictatorial legacy of ethiopia. How meles zenawi went from medical school dropout to prime. Focussing on the nature of power in ethiopian state and society, the contributors provide powerful and provocative accounts that chart the process of rapid societal change as ethiopia assumes its place as a rising regional power. A new book on meles zenawi and tplf struggle youtube. Meles zenawi asres 8 may 1955 20 august 2012 was the prime minister of ethiopia since 1995 till his death on 20 august 2012. The article first appeared in 2006, as part of our world beater series by richard swift throughout his life, meles zenawi has been a versatile fellow. Its original members were belgium, canada, denmark, france, iceland, italy.
Discover librarianselected research resources on nato north atlantic treaty organization from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. Meles zenawi s government has allegedly carried out brutal counterinsurgency techniques against the ogaden national liberation front onlf, particularly after the onlf killed more than 70 ethiopic and ethiopian oil facility workers in the region in april, 2007. How meles zenawi went from medical school dropout to prime minister ethiopian politician rose to become one of africas most visible statesman but criticism and controversy were never far. Ethiopias renaissance under meles zenawi tainted by authoritarianism. Meles zenawis interview with paul henze 1990 introduction this memorandum constitutes a record of two extensive conversations totalling approximately five hours, on 3 and 5 april 1990 at tplf headquarters, 5611 14th street nw, washington d. Whatever achievement there might have been, it does not exist independent of that party. To trace his history is to engage with all the crucial questions that have vexed modern ethiopia.
The book will be released on march 1, 2012, according to. Andargachew tsigie and meles zenawi became friends or more precisely, cardplaying partners one christmas break. In any case, the economic story is not quite as rosy as mr meles suggests. Is meles zenawi one of the worst dictators in the world.
Ethiopias resilient prime minister the two sides of meles zenawi. S counterterrorism ally, died of an undisclosed illness. As the 2018 world cup championship in russia draws to a close, president trump scores a hattrick of diplomatic faux pas first at the nato summit, then on a uk visit, and finally with a spectacular own goal in helsinki, thereby handing vladimir putin a golden propaganda trophy. Congo, the rwandan genocide, and the making of a continental catastrophe, the rwanda crisis. Born on 9th may 1955 in adwa in northern ethiopia, he was the third child out of the six children. Meles zenawi is a wellknown name all over the world. Prime minister meles zenawi s quotations i cannot separate my achievements from what can be considered as the achievements of the ruling party. His first name at birth was legesse thus legesse zenawi, geez. Nov 28, 2009 climate change will hit africa a continent that has contributed virtually nothing to bring it about first and hardest aside from antarctica, africa is the only continent that has not. Meles zenawi, who has died at the age of 57, presided over a tumultuous period in ethiopian history. It need also be appreciated that meles has effectively become, or merged with, the state and hence his absence or death is in effect a mortal. Prime minister meles zenawis quotations meles zenawi.
Meles zenawi the father of ethiopian modern military doctrine february 10, 20 by meles in meles zenawi ethiopian modern military was born from tplfs early days of bitter struggle. He was always at the forefront of the perilous journey undertaken to uproot the repressive regime of the past on the battlefield. Pm meles zenawi was a panafricanist who worked day and. He received elementary education at the queen of sheba junior secondary school and completed his high school in 1968. The death on monday of ethiopian prime minister meles zenawi has been the occasion for fulsome tributes from world leaders, including president barack obama, secretary of state hillary clinton, european heads of government, and a number of african dignitaries. A profile of the former guerilla leader turned tyrant, ethiopian prime minister meles zenawi, who died today after 21 years in power.
Despite the country having a rich history of respected queens and empresses, meles inherited a national situation in which ethiopian women did not have equality or basic rights. This is late pm of ethiopia meles zenawis short story. Some meles zenawi related videos sept 2, 2012 ethiopias prime minister meles zenawi remembered as a leader able to see the bigger picture and the long game at his funeral in addis ababa. The first statement in 1887 is by tigrayan emperor of ethiopia, yohannes iv, on ethiopian. Meles zenawi was born on may 8, 1955 in adwa, ethiopia as legesse zenawi. Climate change will hit africa hardest meles zenawi. Meles zenawi, with a touch of overstatement, is the most important person who has ever lived in the history of the tplf and the post1991 political order in ethiopia. It can be mentioned it happened on his watch, but in its present form in the meles article, is very misleading.
Zenawi exemplified conflict between american interests and. Meles zenawis government has allegedly carried out brutal counterinsurgency techniques against the ogaden national liberation front onlf, particularly after the onlf killed more than 70 ethiopic and ethiopian oil facility workers in the region in april, 2007. Meles was born in adwa in northern ethiopia, to zenawi asres and alemash guebreluel. Eloi ficquet is an anthropologist and historian, professor at the ehess, and director of the french center for ethiopian studies in. Zenawis daughter unveiled acrimony within tigray peoples liberation front abinet october 23, 2016 at 4. Ethiopia since live aid, quotes extensively from his interview with zenawi, ending with this comment meles work was not quite done. Ethiopians opened up their heart to remember the late pm meles zenawi on his first anniversary. Minister meles zenawi of ethiopia and president goodluck jonathan of. Now we have a formally structured state, there is a school and a clinic in every village and roads.
Jul 20, 2012 this is the paradox of zenawi s legacy. Latest news and commentary on meles zenawi including photos, videos, quotations, and a biography. Meles zenawi was born legesse zenawi on may 8, 1955 in adwa, ethiopia. That has never happened in the history of ethiopia. Monarchy, revolution and the legacy of meles zenawi edited by gerard prunier and eloi ficquet. Timeline the key dates in the life and times of meles zenawi who died on monday night.
Gerard prunier is a renowned historian of contemporary africa and author of the acclaimed africas world war. Under meles, ethiopia achieved notable economic growth as the government spent heavily on infrastructure and rural development and actively sought foreign private investment, but he. Aug 21, 2012 assessing the legacy of ethiopian prime minister meles zenawi. Ethiopias renaissance under meles zenawi tainted by. Nov 28, 2009 meles zenawi is prime minister of ethiopia and heads the african delegation to the negotiations on climate change in copenhagen, denmark. Ethiopia may have only a few weeks of foreign reserves left. Born in a family of six kids, meles was the third child. He has done much to simultaneously help and hurt his people, with just the kind of quiet skill that you hope to see in a benign leader and dread in a. Meles zenawi asres was an ethiopian politician who was president of ethiopia and. You paid tribute from time to time and if you didnt like it you rebelled.