Melese Zenawie, the self appointed Prime minister of Ethiopia
Africa's 'New Generation' Likened to Old
Leaders once lauded by the West are accused of adopting the autocratic ways of predecessors.
By Edmund Sanders, Times Staff Writer
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Like the elephants that roam the East African savannas, this region's Big Men once looked like an endangered species.
Some leaders were toppled by coups d'etat, others by democratic revolutions or international pressure. Their replacements — mostly young, former guerrillas who spoke of sweeping reforms — were heralded by then-President Clinton and other Western leaders as the "new generation" of African statesmen. International aid and investment began flooding into the region.
But to the disappointment of many, this new guard is beginning to adopt some of the undemocratic behavior of the dictators it replaced. And resulting tensions with Europe and the U.S. are threatening efforts to combat poverty and build strategic partnerships against terrorism.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, a onetime favorite of the West, was blamed for a bloody postelection crackdown last year in which police shot to death dozens of students and imprisoned thousands more protesters, including elected opposition leaders. Read more
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