On this day 49 years ago, Derg was officially announced

June 28, 1959: The Ethiopian Orthodox Church was created as a separate entity from Egypt's Coptic Christian church. Egypt's Pope Cyril VI appointed Bishop Abuna Basilios as the patriarch of the church, with authority to consecrate his bishops within the Ethiopian church

June 28, 1974: The official formation and launching of the Derg. The committee elected Major Mengistu Haile Mariam as its chairman and Major Atnafu Abate as its vice-chairman.