Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party

The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party (EPRP) was a prominent Marxist organization in Ethiopia during the 1970s. It is also known as "Ihapa" from the acronym in Amharic (yäItyop'ya Həzbawi Abyotawi Party የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝባዊ አብዮታዊ ፓርቲ). Both it and the All-Ethiopia Socialist Movement (MEISON) were enthusiastic supporters of the Communist revolution that toppled Emperor Haile Selassie I and abolished the monarchy in 1974. However, following the ascendance of Mengistu Haile Mariam to power as chairman of the ruling Derg committee, ideological conflict developed between the two groups, with the EPRP accusing Mengistu of possessing a fascist ideology and engaging in assassinations and terrorist attacks against Derg leaders and supporters.

Ideology

With Selassie deposed in 1974, political and ideological conflict began to emerge between the EPRP and its major Marxist rival, MEISON. While MEISON supported the Derg and Mengistu, the EPRP claimed that the Derg stood in the way of a genuine "people's democracy" and had hijacked the revolution. Political conflict ultimately escalated into violent conflict, with increasing amounts of fighting between the two groups. The violence reached its peak in 1976 when the EPRP began to launch attacks on public buildings and assassinate high-ranking Derg officials.

Red Terror and the destruction of the EPRP

In response, Mengistu condemned the EPRP as engaged in a campaign of White Terror and began a systematic and brutal campaign to exterminate supporters of the party, initially with assistance from MEISON and local government officials. He promised that for every revolutionary killed, a thousand counterrevolutionaries would be executed, and unleashed a Red Terror against the EPRP and other political opponents that in the 1977-78 period effectively destroyed his opposition. The party was essentially broken by the end of 1977 but remnants of it were attacked along with other remaining opponents continuing into 1978, including the Derg's erstwhile ally MEISON.

Today, the EPRP is a member of the UEDF.

External links

* [http://www.eprp-ihapa.com EPRP website]
* [http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/asylum/ric/documentation/ETH00003b.htm American source detailing timeline of Red Terror]
* [http://countrystudies.us/ethiopia/31.htm Information on Red Terror]