Abiye Abebe

Abiye Abebe (1918 – 23 November 1974) was an Ethiopian politician and son-in-law of Emperor Haile Selassie. During the 1940s and 1950s he was Minister of War, and later served as Minister of Justice and Minister of the Interior.[1] He chaired the High National Security Commission during the Ethiopian Revolution until his arrest by the Derg 16 July 1974.[2]

According to John Spencer, when Prime Minister Aklilu Habte-Wold sought to resign his post in 1973, he suggested to the Emperor that he be replaced by General Abiye. However Abiye consented to becoming Prime Minister only if his nomination, and those of his cabinet, were approved by the Ethiopian parliament, a condition Emperor Haile Selassie found unacceptable. As a result, Haile Selassie decided to appoint Endelkachew Makonnen Prime Minister instead.[3] Abiye was one of 60 former government officials executed the night of 22-23 November at Akaki Central Prison by the Derg.[4]

References

  1. ^ Bahru Zewde, A History of Modern Ethiopia, second edition (London: James Currey, 2003), p. 205
  2. ^ Andargachew Tiruneh, The Ethiopian revolution, 1974-1987 (Cambridge: University Press, 1993), p. 68
  3. ^ Spencer, Ethiopia at Bay: A personal account of the Haile Selassie years (Algonac: Reference Publications, 1984), p. 337
  4. ^ Marina and David Ottaway, Ethiopia: Empire in Revolution (New York: Africana, 1978), p. 61