One of the fundamental preconditions of successful socialist construction is to ensure the people's readiness to defend themselves from the ravages of probable regional or global wars on the basis of the balance of forces generating from the basic contradictions of our epoch.

From now on you must pray for your people and yourself three times a day.

After Mengistu consolidated his power in 1978, his personality gradually began to change. His ability to listen and his patience faded away. We could now see these qualities were pretences only; he had been putting on his best behavior in his bid for support.

Ethiopia did not have the same problem [of corruption]. African leaders looked at us with envy.

Everything Mengistu has done since 1977 has been to place himself in a position of uncontestable power. Neither Haile Selassie nor any of the previous emperors had this insatiable thirst for power.

Mengistu is a barbaric and cruel creature who becomes happy with the death of human beings.

We thought that the proletariat would eventually run the world. But it is the Americans who have assumed that position... The American people have changed.