The 1958 Tigray famine was a provincial famine in the Ethiopian Empire during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie.
| 1958 Tigray famine | |
|---|---|
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Location | Tigray and Wollo provinces |
| Period | 1957–1958 |
| Total deaths | 100,000 |
| Succeeded by | 1972–1975 Wollo famine |
After the end of World War II, Tigray, adorned with historical landmarks and churches scattered throughout its territory, was marred by the ravages of wars and the neglect of successive administrations. The region had been deeply affected by local rebellions and major wars against external aggressors, resulting in severe destruction to its agricultural infrastructure—the primary source of sustenance for 98% of its inhabitants.[1][2]
By late 1957, following increasing pressures faced by rural communities, coupled with disasters such as droughts and locust raids, famine broke out in Tigray and parts of nearby Wollo. Haile Selassie's response to the famine was characterized by bureaucratic inertia and efforts to cover up the famine, in the end no significant government relief was given and up to 100,000 peasants starved to death.[3][4]
References
edit- ^ Tegegn, Dagm Alemayehu. "The trigger of Ethiopian famine and its impacts from 1950 to 1991". Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ Berhe, Aregawi (2008). A Political History of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (1975-1991): Revolt, Ideology and Mobilisation in Ethiopia (PDF). p. 53.
- ^ Zewde, Bahru. 1991, A History of Modern Ethiopia: 1855–1974. London: James Currey. p. 196.
- ^ Mesfin Wolde Mariam, "Rural Vulnerability to Famine in Ethiopia: 1958-77". ISBN 0946688036.