A Message to All Ethiopia
The Crown Council of Ethiopia wishes all Ethiopians, and all supporters of Ethiopia, peace, health and the blessings of unity during this Holy Season of Christmas and Timkat and the Feast of Eid el-Fitr. The closeness of these blessed events of both Ethiopia’s main religions this year should be seen as yet another sign urging Ethiopians to work with renewed vigor for the unity of our beloved country, for tolerance between our various communities, and for a revival of the prosperity and peace of Ethiopia and Ethiopians.
We pray for an end to the differences which have beset the various Ethiopian communities since 1974, and particularly we look forward to an end to hostilities between Ethiopia and its brothers in Eritrea. But at all costs, we pray for, and fight for, the unbreakable unity of Ethiopia and the Ethiopian People.
Christmas, Timkat and Eid el-Fitr are times of optimism, and there is real cause for hope that, in the coming months and year, the great strands of Ethiopian historical culture and society will once again come together in ways which are both totally new and productive. For this to happen, all elements of Ethiopian society must come together in a spirit of reconciliation, of respect for tradition as well as respect for new thoughts.
The Ethiopian Crown Council, as one of the traditional elements of Ethiopian culture and the representative of the Solomonic dynastic line which is the world’s oldest institution, has been reinvigorated during the past year by a constant process of dialogue with many elements in our society. It has benefited also from support from the world community, particularly through increasingly vigorous support from charitable organizations, many of which have seen many non-Ethiopians unite with Ethiopians to help preserve Ethiopia’s culture and to recognize its importance to African, Western and Middle Eastern civilizations. The international community is becoming more familiar with the richness and unique importance of Ethiopia’s culture, history and geopolitical importance to the entire world.
For perhaps the first time in the 26 years since the bloodshed and regicide of the Dergue, we can look toward a future in Ethiopia which shows signs of a great national reconciliation. The Crown Council is, as always, ready to play its role in this process, and calls God’s Blessings and Mercy upon all Ethiopians, all who love Ethiopia, and even upon those who have in the past sought to harm us. Ethiopia will prevail. The Solomonic Crown, which has come to us through an unbroken line from King David, King Solomon and Queen Makeda of Sabae, will also prevail. And the People’s of Ethiopia will once again live in peace and prosperity.
In the meantime, we cannot relax our efforts to build a better, safer and happier society. We must be extremely conscious to avoid the marginalization of some elements of our society: we must work to become an inclusive society in which Ethiopianness is the umbrella which brings us all together. This will in turn help to ensure that Ethiopia as a whole is not marginalized in the international political and economic community; we must not allow regional pressures to obscure the fact that Ethiopia is the key to the stability of the Horn of Africa and the Nile Nations, as well as to the security and stability of the Red Sea shipping lanes. To be able to undertake our historic role, we must therefore ensure that we develop our Armed Forces to the point where they can not only defend Ethiopia’s integrity, but help to ensure the stability of the region. We are only at the beginning of this process. But this important effort will go hand-in-hand with the evolution of our political prestige, through a commitment to free and fair elections, in turn leading to a greater voice for Ethiopia in African, Middle Eastern and world affairs.
We also must commit ourselves to a renewed war against the HIV and AIDS viruses, which are already causing havoc in our society. Ethiopia, for the sake of national stability and the preservation of our way of life, must unite to fight the HIV/AIDS menace. This means a widespread commitment to public education, something which is not only the responsibility of government but also of the Church, the Mosques and all civic organizations.
We know what we must do to make Ethiopia a better, safer haven for us all. And we see signs of optimism. At this conjunction of Holy Days, we can see that God is again ready to smile upon Ethiopia. God Bless our Beloved Country and its People.
ns and Supporters of Ethiopia During This Holy Season
