Africa’s Top Twelve Worst Dictators

1. Africa’s Top Twelve Worst Dictators

2. Choose the Worst Dictator! It’s time to play “Africa’s Worst Dictator”! Number your paper 1-12 and rank these African Dictators in order of cruelty Write their name and country #1 is the worst Answer the 2 summary questions at the end

3. 1. Mengistu Haile Mariam (1937 - ) • Ethiopia • Know as “The Red Terror” for his links with the USSR. • Executed 1.5 million of his own people in 4 years. • (Top ten genocides of the century) • Stole international food aid during Ethiopia’s famine. • Ousted in 1991 and fled to Zimbabwe.

4. 2. Omar Al-bashir (1947 – ) • Sudan • Seized power by military coup in 1989 over the democracy. • 1 million people killed in Sudanese Civil War. • 9 million have fled the country or been place in “internal exile” • Dissolved Sudan’s parliament, banned political parties, closed down all independent media. • Imposed strict Islamic Law (Shariah) and brutally repressed non-Muslims.

5. 3. Idi Amin Dada (1925 - ) • Uganda • President from 1971-1979 • A former boxer, rose through the ranks of the Army. Seized power through military coup. • Reigned with brutal torture and violence. Bodies were found with genitals, noses, livers, and eyes missing. • Prison camps were filled with common citizens and prisoners were forced to kill each other. • 300,000 people were killed under Amin, with 60,000 Kenyans being expelled from the country. • 1976 – declared himself president for life. • Heavy Military – soldiers held government positions • Invaded Tanzania in 1978, but was defeated • Has been called “Africa’s Adolph Hitler”

6. 4. Charles Taylor (1931 - ) • Liberia • Elected as president in 1997 • Has been accused of using rape, mutilation, and torture as instruments of terror • Is accused of using civilians as slave labor • Personal wealth is greater than Liberia’s Gross National Product • Gained wealth by looting Liberia’s natural resources: gold, diamonds, rubber, and timber • Supports rebels in Sierra Leone by smuggling illegal diamonds

7. 5. Robert Mugabe (1924 - ) • Zimbabwe • In 1980 became first president after independence from Britain • Became more dictatorial and lost popularity • Physically removed white farmers from their land in “land redistribution program” • Any opposition to Mugabe’s regime is not tolerated • Accused of stashing large amounts of money in foreign bank accounts

8. 6. Issayas Afeworki (1945 - ) • Eritrea • Became president in 1991 with independence from Ethiopia • His party split and brutally repressed opponents • Shut down all of Eritrea’s free media and arrested high-ranked officials of his own government • Cracked down on young dissidents at Eritrea’s only university • Over 2000 university students were sent to “community work camps” • The student union leader “disappeared”

9. 7. Siad Barre (1919-1995) • Somalia • Seized power in 1969 military coup • Divided up Somalia’s clans against each other • Accused of killing thousands of innocent civilians and their livestock and poisoning their water supplies • Estimated that 50,000 to 60,000 people were killed between 1988-1990 • Overthrown in 1991 and fled to Nigeria

10. 8. Muammar Al-Gaddafi (1942 -) • Libya • Overthrew monarchy in 1969 coup • ‘Anti-western’ attitudes have brought conflict with U.S. • Accused of being associated with terrorist organizations • Controls all media in Libya and criticism is not tolerated • Ordered assassination of Libyan dissidents in the 1980’s • Political trials are held in private and offenders regularly tortured • Believed to be more moderate in recent times

11. 9. Laurent Kabila (1939-2001) • Democratic Republic of Congo\ • Overthrew Joseph Mobutu in 1997 to become president • 3.3 million people were killed under his rule • Removed officials from different tribes than his own • Sent political opponents into exile • Shot by his own bodyguard in 2001

12. 10. Hissene Habre • Chad • President from 1982 until 1990 • Widespread genocide against ethnic minorities during his rule • Personal secret police believed to have assassinated tens of thousands of political opponents • Systematic use of torture was common practice • Currently in exile in Senegal • Facing charges of crimes against humanity in Belgium

13. 11. Jean-Bedel Bokassa (1921-1996) • Central African Republic • Became president from 1966 until 1979 in a military coup • Helped establish the new army of independent C.A.R. • Abolished the country’s constitution and declared himself president for life • Adopted the title of ‘emperor’ after a $30 million coronation ceremony • Made himself rich while brutally exploited his people • Personally involved in torture, executions, and even cannibalism • Ousted by a French-backed coup in 1979 • Returned in 1986, but was arrested, convicted and sentenced to death for crimes against humanity • His sentence was changed to life in prison, but was released in 1993 • Had 17 wives and 50 children • Died of a heart attack in 1996

14. 12. Sekou Toure (1922-1984) • Guinea • Became first president after independence in 1958 • Brought poverty and slavery to Guinea • Established ‘death camps’ in the 1960’s that lasted 20 years • Tortured and executed many of Guinea’s elite class • One million Guineans fled the country for political and economic reasons • Died during surgery in the U.S. in 1984

15. Who’s your #1? • Add up the votes for each dictator to find out… Africa’s Worst Dictator! http://abesha.wordpress.com/2008/01/31/top-12-africas-worst-dictators/

16. Summary • Why have there been so many dictators in Africa? • What impact have corrupt leaders had on African countries?