UPDATE 6-Ethiopian strongman and Western ally, Meles, dies
Tue Aug 21, 2012 6:12pm GMT
* Meles was being treated for illness in Brussels
* Western ally in war against militant Islam
* Spurred economic growth but intolerant of dissent
* Deputy PM takes over as acting prime minister
By Aaron Maasho
ADDIS ABABA, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Ethiopian Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi, an economic reformer condemned at home as an
autocrat but hailed in the West as a bulwark against militant
Islam, has died after a long illness, aged 57.
Twenty-one years after he seized power from a military
junta, Meles died in a Brussels hospital late on Monday, ending
months of rumour that he was gravely ill and prompting sharply
contrasting reactions; the White House mourned his "untimely
loss", while opponents rejoiced at the death of a "tyrant".
Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn will be sworn in
as acting prime minister by parliament and the ruling party will
meet to choose a successor but no date has been set.
Secretive to the end, it was left to officials of the
European Union to disclose that Meles was being treated in the
Belgian capital when he succumbed to an unspecified illness.
Government spokesman Bereket Simon said only that he had been
ailing for a year and died after being rushed to intensive care.
Meles had seized power in 1991 from Mengistu Haile Mariam's
military junta and went on to become a towering political figure
on the continent. Widely credited for steering one of the
world's poorest countries to fast economic growth, he made his
predominantly Christian country a close ally of Washington and
twice sent troops into neighbouring Somalia to fight Islamists.
"The death of Prime Minister Meles has robbed Africa of one
of its greatest sons," the African Union, which is headquartered
in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, said in a statement.
Rights groups criticised him for cracking down hard on
dissent but the West generally turned a blind eye to the
repression, reluctant to pick a fight with a partner in the
fight against al Qaeda-linked groups in Africa.
U.S. President Barack Obama offered condolences, praising
Meles's commitment to the poor and calling it an "untimely loss"
for Ethiopia; British Prime Minister David Cameron described
Meles as an "inspirational spokesman for Africa".
In Addis Ababa, Ethiopians crowded into cafes to watch
television coverage after a special news broadcast announced
Meles's death. An EU source said he had been a patient at the
Saint-Luc University Hospital in Brussels.
His deputy Hailemariam said they had spoken only recently:
"He was recovering well, even taking part in light sporting
activities. We were often in touch while he was recovering and
we were optimistic that he would go on towards a full recovery,"
he said. "Meles was one of a kind. It is very difficult to
replace a man of his stature."
A cortege accompanied by police outriders left a hotel next
to the hospital, and took a casket, believed to hold Meles's
body, to a private Belgian airstrip near the city's main
airport. Belgian military officials and police were at the
airport as the casket was loaded onto an Ethiopian Airlines jet.
CONFLICTS
Somalia's al Shabaab militants, who encountered Ethiopian
troops twice under Meles' tenure, once in 2006-2009 and again
from December last year, were jubilant: "He led the African
leaders who had fingers in Somalia for two decades, but all in
vain," said al Shabaab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage.
Government spokesman Bereket said Africa's second most
populous nation was stable and would continue on the path
charted by Meles. The ruling party, the Ethiopian People's
Revolutionary Democratic Front, will select his successor.
Negasso Gidada, who was president during Meles' tenure and
now chairman of the opposition movement Unity for Democracy and
Justice, said he hoped the transition would be peaceful: "We
urge the EPRDF to change for the good the political, democratic
and human rights situation in the country," he said.
David Shinn, a former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia, said he
expected many of Meles' defence policies to remain the same:
"For internal security reasons, there will be a continuing focus
on Somalia and I do not foresee any significant change towards
Eritrea," said Shinn, referring to Ethiopia's arch-foe.
A long-running conflict has fuelled tensions along their
disputed border and both governments accuse each other of
supporting the others' rebel groups.
"What will happen to this problem, we leave to the incoming
government of Ethiopia," Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Salih
Mohammed said in South Africa, describing Meles as having been
"instrumental" in the crisis.
Meles presided over a seven-year run of double-digit
economic growth, advocating a mixture of heavy state spending
and private investment.
He was widely applauded for ploughing money into
infrastructure but criticised by some for selling off swathes of
land to foreigners. Many Ethiopians complain that his close
business ties with China did not translate into more jobs.
RIGHTS RECORD
International rights groups criticised Meles's handling of
dissent. He rounded up numerous opposition leaders after the
disputed 2005 polls and several opponents and journalists have
been arrested under a 2009 anti-terrorism law. Late last year,
two Swedish journalists were jailed for 11 years for promoting
the activities of a rebel group and entering Ethiopia illegally.
"Today is a day of joy for most Ethiopians and all freedom
loving people around the world," opposition website Ethiopian
Review said, describing Meles as a "genocidal tyrant".
Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said Meles's death
heralded a challenging time for Ethiopia.
"I ardently hope that the transition period will be smooth
and peaceful and that Ethiopia sees leadership that reflects the
aspirations of its people and realises the potential of this
extraordinary country," Annan said in a statement.
State television said details of Meles's state funeral would
be announced soon.
Acting Prime Minister Hailemariam, 47, was an adviser to
Meles in 2006 before being picked as his deputy in 2010. He had
also replaced Meles as chair of a number of parliamentary
committees in the past few years, a sign that he was being
groomed for the post, diplomats say.
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