All-Ethiopia Socialist Movement

The All-Ethiopia Socialist Movement (in Amharic: "Mela Ethiopia Sosialist Niqinaqē", መላ የኢትዮጵያ ሶሲያሊስት ንቅናቄ, MEISON ) was a Marxist organization that played an active role in Ethiopian politics during the late 1970s. Both it and the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party (EPRP) were enthusiastic supporters of the Communist revolution that toppled Emperor Haile Selassie I. However, as Mengistu Haile Mariam rose to power as chairman of the ruling Derg government, conflict began to develop between the two groups, with MEISON aligning itself with Mengistu.

MEISON was organized early in 1976 by Haile Fida, an Oromo from Welega; as a result, MEISON had a strong base in that area. When the Derg turned against MEISON, Haile Fida attempted to flee Addis Ababa to Welega with a group of his followers in August 1977, but was arrested. [Marina and David Ottaway, "Ethiopia: Empire in Revolution" (New York: Africana, 1978), p. 187]

Ideology

Limited free expression was permitted following the 1974 revolution that installed the Derg as the state's authority, and politics became dominated by members of the radical Left who had previously opposed Haile Selassie. MEISON and the EPRP quickly grew to be the two dominant Marxist parties.

With the common cause of removing Haile Selassie gone, ideological friction emerged between members of the EPRP and MEISON. The EPRP opposed the Derg, claiming it was standing in the way of a genuine "people's democracy" and later accusing Mengistu of fascism. MEISON, on the other hand, was willing to allow the Derg authority in restructuring Ethiopian society along Marxist-Leninist principles, at least for the time being, and favored a more "controlled democracy." Because of this, MEISON won the Derg's favor, and gained key posts in the new government.

Violent conflict and the Red Terror

Ideological differences eventually erupted into violent conflict that peaked in 1976, with clashes between EPRP and MEISON supporters and EPRP attacks against public buildings and high-ranking Derg officials. In response to this instability, Mengistu implemented a program of Red Terror (1977-78), designed to eliminate all EPRP opposition.

During the first stages of the Red Terror, MEISON remained closely allied with the Derg and assisted in combatting suspected EPRP supporters. But later in 1978, the Derg turned on MEISON, fearing its membership was more loyal to the party than it was to the government. All high-ranking MEISON Derg officials were removed from their post, and the Derg launched a bloody campaign against rural MEISON supporters.

Like the EPRP, MEISON is now a member of the UEDF coalition.

Notes

External links

* [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]