Ethiopians mourn as prime minister's coffin arrives
Reuters
2012-08-22
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Thousands of mourners gathered in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Tuesday (August 21), as the body of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was flown home after his death in Brussels.
Meles's relatives wept as the coffin was unloaded from the aircraft.
Outside the airport terminal, well-wishers huddled in the rain and carried placards to pay their respects.
The prime minister's death ended months of rumour that he was gravely ill.
Supporters mourned him as the saviour of a long-suffering nation, but opponents hailed the death of an autocrat one group described as a "genocidal tyrant".
Meles seized power 21 years ago from a military junta.
He formed part of a generation of ex-guerrillas that came to power in the 1980s and 1990s after ethnic civil wars and brought economic improvements and relative peace.
Details of the state funeral are expected to be announced later.
Thousands of mourners gathered in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Tuesday (August 21), as the body of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was flown home after his death in Brussels.
Meles's relatives wept as the coffin was unloaded from the aircraft.
Outside the airport terminal, well-wishers huddled in the rain and carried placards to pay their respects.
The prime minister's death ended months of rumour that he was gravely ill.
Supporters mourned him as the saviour of a long-suffering nation, but opponents hailed the death of an autocrat one group described as a "genocidal tyrant".
Meles seized power 21 years ago from a military junta.
He formed part of a generation of ex-guerrillas that came to power in the 1980s and 1990s after ethnic civil wars and brought economic improvements and relative peace.
Details of the state funeral are expected to be announced later.
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