How did King Haile Selassie die?

Question

How did King Haile Selassie die?

Answer 1

He was murdered by the rebels.

Answer 2

From natural causes I think.

Answer 3

On 28 August 1975, the state media reported that the "ex-monarch" Haile Selassie I had died on 27 August of "respiratory failure" following complications from a prostate operation. [13]

His doctor, Professor Asrat Woldeyes denied that complications had occurred and rejected the government version of his death. Some believe that he was suffocated in his sleep. One western correspondent in Ethiopia at the time commented not long afterwards, "While it is not known what actually happened, there are strong indications that no efforts were made to save him. It is unlikely that he was actually killed. Such rumors were bound to arise no matter what happened, given the atmosphere of suspicion and distrust prevailing in Addis Ababa at the time."[14]

After the fall of the Derg in 1991, witnesses came forward to reveal that the Emperor's remains had been buried beneath the floor of a palace lavatory. On 5 November 2000 Emperor Haile Selassie I was given an Imperial funeral by the Ethiopian Orthodox church. The current post-communist government refused to give it the status of a state funeral. Although such prominent Rastafari figures such as Rita Marley and others participated in the grand funeral, most Rastafari rejected the event and refused to accept that the bones were the remains of the Emperor.

There remains some debate, particularly within the Rastafari movement, as to whether Haile Selassie I actually died at this time.