Ethiopia's Prime Minister mysteriously disappeared

Two months have passed since Ethiopia's prime minister last appeared in public. Now, rumors abound.
PHOTO: REUTERS / Noor Khamis

Rumors swirl about the health of Ethiopia's sole Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who has shown no signs of life in two months. - If he disappears, there will be a power vacuum, says Norwegian expert.
Christopher Rønneberg
Published: Aug 16. 2012 9:26 Updated: Aug 16. 2012 11:47
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The 57-year-old Meles has been in power in Ethiopia for 21 years and virtually eliminated the opposition in the country. The usually highly visible prime minister has not been seen in public in two months - last time was during the G20 meeting in Mexico in June.


The absence has led to a reputation floods, both in and outside of Ethiopia, about what has happened to Meles. Power Tool Google Trends shows a huge increase in the number of searches on "Meles Zenawi", especially from computers in Ethiopia.

Diplomatic sources said the news agency AFP that Meles is seriously ill and is in a hospital in Belgium, which the government has denied.

- We are confused
Wednesday tried spokesman Bereket Simon to calm the floods reputation by saying that everything was fine with the Prime Minister.

- He is becoming healthier, resting and exercising his duties as prime minister and head of state, said the spokesman, the country's former information minister.

He did not tell what disease suffering from Meles, his whereabouts or any exact date for when he will appear in public again. The government has stated that he will be back in place before Christmas, which in no way stopped the speculation about what might have happened.

- We are confused, says 30-year Endalk Haile Michael in the capital Addis Ababa to the site CNN.com.

And adds:

- In Ethiopia, we have a tradition of secrecy surrounding our leaders and not to tell where they are located. People are afraid, there is much uncertainty right now. There are many rumors and much that is unclear.

Power Vacuum
One of the main questions now raised is what will happen if Meles does not return to work. After 21 years in power, which he coup in 1991, he has built up a position as sole ruler without significant political rivals.

- If Meles disappears, there is a huge power vacuum in a period. He has been a prominent figure. He is more or less alone on the top, says Stig Jarle Hansen, an associate professor at the University of Life Sciences.

Hansen, who is an expert on the situation in the Horn of Africa, points out that he does not know what rumors Meles that is true or false.

- But it is the incredible number of rumors. Much is about who will eventually take over. Rumour has it that there are many who are positioning themselves now. As far as I can judge, is the army together. The Army is a very important force. As long as it is collected, it means that there will be a civil war if Meles should not return, he said.



                                                                       - Zenawi laughing at the Norwegian authorities
                                                                             Conservatives and the Progress Party believes that                                            Norway should cut aid to Ethiopia.

He points out that Meles has built up a strictly hierarchical system, and that Ethiopia has become more authoritarian during his reign.
- However, things are much better than they were under the previous regime, and there is no doubt that Ethiopia has experienced tremendous economic growth during Meles' government, says Hansen.
                       
- In many ways, a dictatorship
This combination of economic growth and a stable political system has allowed Meles to a popular ally for many Western countries. Assistance funds have poured in from countries like the United States and Norway - Norwegian authorities have recently tripled its aid to Meles' rule, including the Conservative politician Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide have reacted sharply.

Human rights have in fact been very poor under Meles. Freedom of expression is brutally gagged, opposition politicians likewise.

- It is puzzling that Norway has such an extensive collaboration with a regime that in many ways is a dictatorship, said Jan Egeland, the European Director of Human Rights Watch in an interview with Aftenposten in July.

http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/Etiopias-statsminister-mystisk-forsvunnet-6966679.html