Washington DC–America’s top diplomat for Africa under George H.W. Bush has said that the hegemonic minority rule of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) is difficult to sustain as Ethiopians are demanding freedom and democracy. Former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Cohen, played a key role in Ethiopia’s transition from the military junta of Mengistu Hailemariam to the minority rule of Meles Zenawi in 1991.
Added on: January 5th, 2012
By: Abyssinia
The man said it several times that, what matters is political and military strategies to the US not a democratic system, and Meles is taking advantage of this to the maximum. The solution is in the hands of true Ethiopians to tackle Meles at any cost.
Abebe, thanks for inviting the broker to testify.
By: kalbekal
BBC REPORT
The United States embassy in Zimbabwe has confirmed the US was involved in finding a safe haven for the former Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam.
The embassy said in a statement that then Assistant Secretary of State Hank Cohen had been involved in negotiations which resulted in Mengistu coming to Harare in 1991.
While the US recognises that Mengistu’s military regime – the Dergue – was involved in crimes and atrocities, it argues that the leader’s departure from Addis Ababa was necessary to end the civil war and bring peace to Ethiopia
Up to 500 000 people were killed during Mengistu’s so-called red terror, according to Amnesty International.
Notoriously, soldiers of the Dergue would not release a victim’s body for burial until the victim’s family had paid back the cost of the bullet used in the killing.
Thousands of members of the Dergue regime are currently in prison awaiting trial in Ethiopia.