Ethiopia’s Red Terror (1977–1978): A Marxist Regime’s Descent into Brutality

In the mid-1970s, Ethiopia stood at a crossroads. The overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974 by the Marxist-Leninist military junta known as the Derg promised a new era of equality and progress under a "people’s revolution." Instead, the regime unleashed one of the darkest chapters in Ethiopian history: the Red Terror, a ruthless campaign of violence that left tens of thousands dead and a nation scarred.

From 1977 to 1978, the Derg targeted anyone perceived as a threat—political rivals, students, intellectuals, and even ordinary citizens suspected of disloyalty. The campaign was systematic and brutal. Security forces conducted mass arrests, subjected prisoners to horrific torture, and carried out summary executions. In Addis Ababa, the capital, bodies were deliberately left in the streets as a gruesome warning to others. Mass graves hid countless victims, with estimates of the death toll ranging from 30,000 to 50,000, though the true number may never be known.

One of the most chilling aspects of the Red Terror was the Derg’s demand that grieving families pay for the bullets used to kill their relatives before their bodies could be released for burial. This cruel policy turned mourning into a transaction, deepening the anguish of those already devastated by loss. Neighborhood committees, known as *kebeles*, were enlisted to enforce the regime’s will, turning neighbors into informants and fracturing communities with fear and mistrust.

The Red Terror was not just a purge of political enemies but a calculated effort to crush dissent and consolidate the Derg’s power. It targeted groups like the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP) and other leftist factions, but its reach extended far beyond, ensnaring anyone who dared question the regime. The violence left a lasting trauma on Ethiopia, with scars that continue to shape the nation’s collective memory.