The 1974 Mutiny
The following informations are a summary from Wilhelm Lockot's "The Mission" and other sources.
First of all one has to know, that the revolutionary preparations come from two directions.
First, from the Capital itself. In the early 70s the whole Sahel Zone was in big problems, erosion, de-forestation, famine... all that cost much money and broght the Inflation also to Ethiopia. The foreign powers who waited for a long time to make Ethiopia to their instrument in the cold war, now saw that as their chance. They spread anti-Government Propaganda to bring up the people against their King. It is proofed, that many of the University-demonstration-leader were paid by foreign Embassies from the east and the west. And the students who took part in such demonstration got meals or other things for free. So there one can see the big interest of the foreign Powers to create a anti-Selassie I mood in the Capitle, from where they wanted a Revolution to start.
But although the population was angry because of the Inflation, and that all those who had official-positions couldn't be paid... what created a dangerous mood among the teacher, police and army, which just waited to be stirred up by foreign propaganda... HIM succeeded again and again through his Speeches to cool down the people, and make them clear, that this was not only the problem of the people but also of the Government and the whole country(for example even the highest Minister weren't paid more than a head-teacher in a school). The western and eastern world saw, that they could create an anti-government feeling among the urban people, but that those people wouldn't start a revolution.
That brings us to the second direction from where the Revolution came: Eritrea. In that province were the most foreign government activities of the western as well the eastern powers. The armed Rebellion started with the Second Division which was in Eritrea to keep down eritrean rebels. In this Second Division revolutionaries were able, with foreign support, to prepare for a armed government overthrow. When the right time arrived at the end of '63, everything happened very fast. They arrested all government officials in Eritrea and moved down to take the strategic military points of Diredawa and Debre Zeit by surprise. This was the time when HIM had to act, but he did not. His advisors told him to send his trops agains the mutiners before more and more Army divisions join the mutiny. But HIM told them clearly, that he will never again cause a single ethiopian blood drop to be shed, and instead he ordered negotiations.
Due to HIMs refuse to wage a civil war, by the end of February 1974 all military power was in the Hands of the mutiners.
But they didn't overthrow HIM, but officially everything remained as before... HIM reigned and gave orders to his ministries... only the army didn't follow his orders anymore. The Army was not able to govern a country, so they would have lead it into a destructive disaster... that is why HIM remained on the throne. Like Yeshuah when his time hadn't arived yet and nobody was able to touch him.
In the time after February the military organisation of the Derg was formed, and in Summer they felt able to overtake the government. But before they wanted to make shure to have the population not against them, and they decided to take the Famine in Wollow as help. Although all the power had been since February in the hands of the mutiners, they blamed HIM and the Government for the Wollo Famine. They created a faked film which went around the world, on it they showed terrible pictures from Wollo and in between the luxury life of the Imperial Government, which was taken on film long before in very good times of the country. This Film was broadcasted in Addis on 10 Sept, and on the next day, Ethiopian NewYear, a well armed group of soldiers was sent to the Palace to overthrown HIM officially. About this there exists a film, it shows how this armed group walks through the empty palace to HIMs office, where this heavy armed men faced the lonely old short man. One of them then read the official proclamation, you can see how he is shaking and stammering because of fear. The group of soldiers armed with pistols, uzis, grenates, machine guns and so on was frightened to death by a lonely short 83yo man?! HIM was then brought to the Fourth Army Division Camp near the rail road where he stayed until his disappearing in August 1975.
The Famine and Inflation of the early 70s and the Mengistu take-over was the breaking of the third and fourth seals!
"And one of his followers took a sword and choped of the ear of the servant of the Highpriest, but Yeshuah told them, 'Stopp, don't you think my father would send me emmediatly thousands of angels to deliver me from the enemy's hand? But how would then the scriptures be fulfilled?'" Prophecies got fulfilled with the Mutiny of 1974!
Selah
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