Commentary: ‘Neber’, (So It Was)

By: Zenebe Feleke, Member of Information and Propaganda Committee during the ‘Derg’
Published: August, 2004
Publisher: Befikadu Moreda, (Owner and Editor in Chief of ‘Tomar’, Private Amharic Weekly)
Pages: 406
Price: 30 Birr

Reviewed by Fitsum G.

January 4th , 2005

Mengistu was just one of us with perhaps a vision of his own. His excesses were definitely a curse, but who knows, we all had our own responsibilities, our contribution, perhaps involuntary, perhaps modest, in letting grow such a person from a humble background to the highest post in the country. May be the dictum that ‘every people have the government they deserve’ or deserve the government they have’...does work. In this context, it is difficult to escape the judgement of history for what we did or failed to do, within our capacity. Mengistu and his cohorts came out from our bosom, and as such concern each one of us, (as long as we opt to remain Ethiopians).

And without knowing the whole truth, there could be no way of not falling prey to past mistakes, again. A people who do not know their own past, can hardly conceive any vision for the future. And without vision, hope fades away, and life would be reduced to signify nothing: miserable and not worth its name. That is why we need to know every thing, every step, every motivation, every cause and every result that characterized the story of those days, the days that were. “Neber” is a modest response to such ouverture and should be evaluated from that perspective.

‘Neber’ (in English roughly, ‘So it was’, or ‘The way it was’, ‘The way we were’, or ‘That was what happened or used to be’ is the title of the book, 406 pages of a narration of what took place in Ethiopia during the ‘derg’ years. It is an ‘eye-witness account’ of an insider, (a person in the internal elite, hierarchy of the military establishment, with access to vital information, oral accounts, minutes and notes of events that determined, influenced or motivated the moves, the policies, the decisions. The language is captivating. As the story unfolds, the reader is excited or thrilled by the ghastly facts. ‘Where was I when these things happened?’ one might wonder in silence. Certain episodes seem miraculous, others challenge one’s emotions. Meanwhile, Zenebe shows his command of both the language as well as the logical sequence in the narration. The book is never dull even when details abounded.

The author’s introduction clarifies that he did not have the intention, nor the capacity, nor even the necessary documentary evidence, that would enable him cover the entire 17 infamous years of the iron fisted rule of Mengistu. His intention is hence to cover the major events to which he was party, or witness. As member of the Ethiopian Airborne with the task of an information officer, (member of Information and Propaganda Committee), his mansions brought him to drafting statements, releases, notes and minutes at meetings. Hence, either he was directly participant in most of the events related (the early days, the pre-Revolution, formation of the Derg, up to the one-man take over, passing through acts of power struggle, popular insurrection, tension, suspicion, friction, disputes, rivalries, clashes at derg’s assemblies, shootouts, murders and summary executions, when things were to slip out of hand), or was immediately recounted about them from a primary source, (a colleague, a peer or superior, when not confidential). Hence, the information he acquired could be taken as reliable.

The idea of writing ‘Neber’ emerged from a conversation between the author and the publisher, when the former contributed to ‘Tomar’ the weekly newspaper, some interesting documents related to the trials of the famous party leader Haile Fida. It was a series of minutes and other documents that could fascinate readers in that they constituted a revelation. Haile Fida was leading a party, (Meison) first supportive of the derg, but later contrary, and ‘disgraced’.

Seeing the notes, Befikadu suggested to Zenebe to think of compiling the whole story, and develop it into a full fledged book. And so ‘Neber’ was conceived. Later, it turned out that the talent and resources of Zenebe, (who had gathered his recollections, supported by the papers he had safeguarded, during his prison years), helped him materialize ‘Neber’.

Up to now, many have attempted to write the history of the Derg, or that of Mengistu, or the various students movement, from various perspectives. Books have also been written by participants in the struggle to depose the Derg. EPRDF, EPRP, OLF, ANDM, TPLF and other parties’ members and associates have published their own accounts, their truths. Many might also be in the making, by those who lived those years in acute and thorough observation. They may have notes, documents, memories. Certainly, a plethora of articles did inundate private newspapers’ pages with revelations on the epoch. People devoured them with avidity. Programs have been produced on ETV, including documentaries, in conformity with the needs of the incumbent government. We have read interviews of people, officials, hierarchies and even journalists of those years. The events sometimes contradicted amongst themselves. The students movement, the teachers-workers insurrection, the atrocities of Red or White Terror, the ideological discrepancies, parties, the mass rallies, the campaign in the North, or the East, with the integrity of the country at stake, the various battles, the detentions, the exiles. All part of a tragic but vibrant chapter of the country’s history. All these stories pile up to constitute the hectic and dangerous days of the ‘derg’. And the derg was master in appealing to and mobilizing masses, effecting an unprecedented impulse on the mind and emotions of Ethiopians. Could all this be comprised in one book? Hardly!

Nevertheless, ‘Neber’ tries to deal with the ‘derg’s first intense and eventful years, with success. Every day seemed destined to accommodate new events, new facts, new decisions, new moves and ‘Neber’ describes them meticulously. Ethiopians lived under constant tension, if not terror. ‘The Revolution devours its children’ was accepted as a norm. It inevitably affected every one. Even those who lived outside the boundaries of the country were impacted. Actually, a new socio-political system, a radically different order from what used to reign in the land of centuries-old civilisation, was in the making. And it somehow appealed to every one, except for the few who saw their privileges thaw away like snow under scorching sun.

All these events not being capable of inclusion in one book, ‘Neber’ serves as starter. Myriads of books and accounts will hopefully follow to help find the whole truth. Ethiopian as well as foreign academics will certainly dwell on each aspect of Ethiopian socio-political and economic life under the Derg, even if 17 years in one country’s history could seem just a drop in an ocean, especially in the context of an ancient land such as Ethiopia. All the same, these intense, eventful years saw radical changes in society and impacted the history of Ethiopians perhaps more than any other single period.

‘Neber’ could seem a misleading title. As it wants to deal with ‘some’ of the events that happened in the vicinity of the author, one might expect the entire history of the 17 derg years. That is not the case. The author limits such onerous exploit to the fall of the Emperor Haile Selassie, the formation of the Derg as such (with the hundred and plus members from all the armed forces) continuing with the gradual and cautious moves taken by Major Mengistu to control full and undisputed power.

Those were really very crucial days. A certain Major Mengistu Haile Mariam of the Third Division from Harar, slowly rose to the apex of power, overwhelming rivals, with tricks, tacts and of course, ruthlessness. Just as a cowboy in the Wild West. He annihilated all resistance and grabbed absolute power. The book describes how many had made the fatal error of underestimating him. He had managed to outsmart people with immense popularity and charisma beside culture and intellect. Luck or coincidence we may not know, but it happened! The book describes to the finest of details how such man planned and executed the ascension to power by using every means available, up to crude and ruthless military might, when required.

It depicts the complex (and not so naive) personality of Mengistu, dismissed by many as just a simple demagog that appealed to the public emotion. ‘Neber’ hints Mengistu had a good ‘advisor’ and his intelligence was more than his rivals would admit, and they had to pay dearly for such arrogant attitude. One such illustrious victim was Major General Aman Andom, elected spokesman by the derg, but later sacrificed.

One by one, the book deals with how Mengistu got rid of all his closest rivals, real or imagined: the generals first, those he used as convenient cover, Aman Andom, and Tafari Bante. It describes how and when Mengistu’s friend and second in command, but perfectly capable of ousting him, Colonel Atnafu Abate, was eliminated. And so with other dangerous potential rivals. All threats to his power were done away with. The book contains a ghastly detailed account of many of these long and tragic events.

However, the author notes the book is not intended to glorify the derg, nor its leader. Neither can it afford to condemn any of those protagonists. It was not up to it to judge. He just wanted people to know what he had the privilege to experience in person. Many misunderstandings have been created and disseminated regarding many of the officials who ruled the country, or shaped it. Whatever the current government may portray while dealing with the days of the Derg, there needs to be given true accounts of many facts that remained obscured or subjected to arbitrary interpretations. History should not be manipulated for political or other purposes, and changed according to certain contingencies. The author points: ‘I had access to many inside facts and events, and to the extent possible, I relate them to my compatriots. In so doing, I may touch up on the sensitivity of many, perhaps hurt by the regime. I may look partisan, but that is beyond me. I am neither a judge nor a prosecutor. I am just a participant in the days and activities of the Derg and I did all I had to, but to the best of my abilities, with best intentions. I may have erred, as any human being would, and there were certainly far too many blunders committed during the Derg, especially in connection with the killing of the innocent, with decisions taken in great haste, with policies and ideologies adopted and implemented without sober planning, people finishing as guinea pigs!

In the mean time, a huge task awaits researchers, historians, academics of all disciplines, political science, law, military science, economics, geography etc of generations to come, in terms of probing such period adequately. The history of Ethiopia, during those years, is and will be a vast source of research, even if the history of Ethiopia of centuries past still cries for adequate research and recording. Neber’s author believes that this book could contribute as a sort of stimulus, launching pad for further queries, flashing a clue on where to point one’s pen, one’s attention. ‘Neber’ hence is not a conclusive account about the Derg, nor the ultimate authority on the Derg, but one chapter from the 17-year predicament. Every one who lived under the Derg may have their own account, their own version of those years. The Revolution after all was very near to every one, knocking on every family’s door. Hence, every one has some memory of the Derg, mostly negative, a nightmare, but there could as well be stories of human interest, human sacrifice for others, and some one will tell those tales. One day. In this sense, ‘Neber’ must be seen as an inspiration.

The author says, ‘Neber’ could not go any deeper or vaster in the narration, (even if some commentators found the impression that the book avoided criticism of the derg’s blunders. e.g. it did not relate on the final days of the emperor, or the campaign that was called ‘Red Star’ or how Mengistu came to abandon his country etc. Zenebe responded either he did not have the full information or was materially out of the country when those episodes materialized. Besides, what he actually did relate were stories to which he personally partook or had manner to be well informed of. All the rest hence, is other people’s domain, even without denying he had sympathies for Mengistu. However, this did not prevent him from carrying out his duties with integrity and maximum capacity.

Waiting for Mengistu’s own version of the whole story, one day, (he has declared his intention to write his autobiography) ‘Neber’ will shed some light on certain doubts. Incidentally, a book entitled the ‘Memoirs of Lt. Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam’, a long interview carried out in Harare, by a certain lady, Genet Anbessie, was published some time ago, resulting a best seller. Despite the reservations on many of the former chairman’s version on certain events, the public showed great interest in the subject. This means that both the ‘derg’ and Mengistu as its leader, still fascinate people, and anything written about them is destined to sell like hotcake. Likewise, ‘Neber’ is undergoing the same treatment. By way of foot note, it is regrettable that the book does not have a table of contents nor an index in the end! Finally, what readers hope for the future and recommend is that any work on such critical subject should be very well researched and done with impartiality. (‘Neber’, with its many pictures, maps, lists, names and dates, is a good record). History should not be rewritten/modified based on contingencies or to satisfy one’s sense of revenge or thirst for fame.