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

Mengistu does not understand the meaning of self-determination, either historically or in the abstract. He cannot conceive of a nation as anything but an absolute centralized authority, totalitarianism, for his rule is nothing less than that now.

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

I am a revolutionary; my life is dedicated to freeing the people.

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.

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.

Mengistu seemed to symbolize the revolution. He was the baria, the slave who overthrew the master, the member of the conquered tribe who got even with the conquerors, the poorly educated son of a servant who rose against the intellectual elite.