NEWAY, MANGESTU

Mangestu Neway (1919-March 30, 1961) was the Imperial Guard commandant who, together with his younger brother, Garmame Neway, led the 1960 attempt to overthrow the Imperial Ethiopian Government of Emperor Haile Selassie.

A member of the important Moja family from Manz, Shawa, he was able to attend school and then escape into exile during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia from 1936-41. Considerably affected by the defeat of Ethiopia’s feudal armies by Italy, he accepted training in what was then the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (now the Republic of the Sudan) at the Sobar Academy, Khartoum. He served as a subaltern with the British Commonwealth and Ethiopian Patriot armies in the reoccupation of Ethiopia.

Emperor Haile Selassie first became interested in him in Khartoum in 1940. On his return from exile, he cultivated his friendship, and made him his confidant. Mangestu was soon promoted colonel, and, in 1951, helped to suppress a revolt against the emperor. He was the commander of the Ethiopian contingent in the Korean War (1950-53). In 1955 he was appointed commander of the Imperial Body Guard, which he trained to be an efficient modern army. He was appointed brigadier-general in 1956.

While Mangestu was strikingly handsome and able, he was a man without many ideas. He was nevertheless greatly influenced by the radical persuasions of Garmame, his brother, who attended and dominated the weekly luncheon meetings held at Mangestu’s house. Together they planned a coup d’etat, but, fearing exposure, staged it prematurely on December 13, 1960, while the emperor was visiting Brazil.

With the Crown Prince, Asfa Wassan, and many traditionalists in custody, and Addis Ababa secured, Mangestu vacillated, hoping to avoid bloodshed. Meantime, a successful counter-revolution was organised. The decisive battle of Addis Ababa (December 15-16, 1960) followed, and Mangestu fled into the mountains. Finally he and his brother, Garmame, were surrounded, and on December 24 Garmame shot and seriously wounded Mangestu before committing suicide. Almost blind, the general recovered to stand trial, which he did with a dignity that was universally acknowledged.

Charged with “killing dignitaries,” “outrages against the constitutional authorities,” and “armed uprising,” he was sentenced to death. He replied that only God could judge “deeper motives and aspirations,” and that he had “done all for the sake of the Ethiopian people.'” He was hanged in Addis Ababa marketplace on March 30, 1961.

RICHARD GREENFIELD