Meles Zenawi, Ethiopian soldier and politician, Prime Minister of Ethiopia (b. 1955)
Meles Zenawi Asres (Tigrinya and Amharic: መለስ ዜናዊ ኣስረስ; pronounced [mɛllɛs zenawi asrɛs] listen , born Legesse Zenawi Asres; 9 May 1955 – 20 August 2012) was an Ethiopian soldier and politician who ruled Ethiopia as president from 1991 to 1995 and as prime minister from 1995 until his death in 2012.
Born in Adwa to Ethiopian father and Eritrean mother, Meles became actively involved in politics after changing his original first name Legesse to Meles, adopted following an execution of fellow university student Meles Takele by the Derg government in 1975. Shortly that year, he left Haile Selassie I University to join the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and fight against the Derg (the Mengistu Haile Mariam-led military dictatorship in Ethiopia). In 1989, he became the chairman of the TPLF, and the head of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) after its formation in 1988.
After leading the EPRDF to victory in the Ethiopian Civil War, he served as president of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia from 1991 to 1995, then as the 2nd prime minister of Ethiopia from 1995 to his death in 2012. Meles Zenawi's administration brought Ethiopia to ethnic federalism; Meles expressed his populist view that ethnic groups should share their own languages, culture and lands. Despite its criticism, Meles continued reiterating controversial rule throughout his three consecutive terms. Eritrean referendum held during his four-year presidency, which resulted in Eritrean session from Ethiopia in 1993, but the two countries engaged war owing to territorial dispute from 1998 to 2000. 98,217 people killed by this war. In 2005 general election, Meles's party EPRDF landslide won and he remained as prime minister, while opposition parties strongly complained the election is "stolen" and unfair. Shortly during and after the election, a huge disastrous riots and protests sparked across Addis Ababa, 193 people killed by police brutality.
During his tenure, Ethiopia became one of Africa's fastest-growing economies. Meles undertook major reforms to the country, including land reforms attempt to reduce serious droughts, school expansions, and agricultural interests. He died in Brussels on 20 August 2012 from undisclosed illness. Some analysts claim that he died from catecholamine resulted from verbal attack by Ethiopian journalist Abebe Gelaw whilst attending G8 Food Security 2012 in Washington DC regarding food and agricultural conservation three months prior. "Zenawism" refers to his principles and policies of ethnic federalism, especially the TPLF party strongly advocated for it, and is subjected to academic field.