Author: Crown Council

The historical bonds between Jamaica and Ethiopia were profoundly strengthened by a Formal — but private — Visit to Jamaica by His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie between April 21 and 30, 2016, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the State Visit to Jamaica by His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I in April 1966.

Prince Ermias, after completing the visit, said that he warmly thanked Prime Minister the Honorable Andrew Holness; Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport the Hon. Olivia “Babsy” Grange; the Government, the Leader of the Opposition, and the People and media of Jamaica for the overwhelming kindness and hospitality he and HIH Princess Saba Kebede were shown during the visit.

Prince Ermias and Princess Saba were met on arrival by Minister Grange, Minister of Transport and Mining the Hon. Michael Henry, and the Ethiopian Consul to Jamaica. Minister Grange, the Consul, and the Chief of Protocol, Her Excellency Ambassador Elinor (Phillips) Felix of the Jamaican Government, kindly supported the visit throughout. Prince Ermias said that his visit to Jamaica was, like the visit of his late Grandfather, the Emperor, in no way political, but was to strengthen the cultural and human bonds between the two nations.

The Prince thanked the Jamaican People for their unstinting support for the Ethiopian People over the generations, and particularly thanked the Jamaican educators who have volunteered over the years to serve as teachers in Ethiopia. He and Princess Saba visited the Haile Selassie School, in the marginalized and economically challenged St. Andrew area of Kingston, for the annual Founders’ Day celebrations, and was there presented the Keys to the City of Kingston by Mayor Dr Angela Brown Burke. The Emperor had broken the ground for the school during his visit in 1966.

As a gesture in remembrance of the founding of the school, and the continued bonds between Ethiopia and Jamaica which the school represents, His Imperial Highness presented a donation of US$5,000 (Jamaican $600,000) to the school. He said later: “This small gesture was in part thanks for the great donations the Jamaican People have made in financial and human terms to their adopted cousins in Ethiopia. I put my countrymen at home in Ethiopia above all other priorities, and it was because of the unstinting loyalty of the Jamaicans to Ethiopia that we must show thanks and respect.”

Since his return from Jamaica, Prince Ermias was also working toward the provision of a bust or statue of His Imperial Majesty for the Haile Selassie High School, which was graciously being created and bestowed by an Ethiopian sculptor to commemorate the 50th anniversary visit

Education, in fact, was one of the key points of the visit, and Prince Ermias and Princess Saba visited a number of academic institutions, apart from the Haile Selassie High School, including the University of the West Indies and Jamaica College. Former Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding had been Head Boy of Jamaica College in 1966 when the Emperor visited, and met the Emperor. Mr Golding noted: “Your visit at this time is something that we regard very highly, something that we cherish and we welcome you in the same spirit and in the same generosity of heart and the same warmth that we welcomed your grandfather 50 years ago.” Acting Principal of Jamaica College, Mr Rohan Wong, said the institution was honored to host the Prince, in what he described as “a milestone event”.

The visiting couple were greeted by large crowds on arrival at Norman Manley International Airport, and throughout their visit to Jamaica. Prince Ermias said that he was grateful for the enthusiasm shown for the visit by Jamaica’s large Rastafari community which has, over the decades since the Emperor’s visit, shown increasing support for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Prince Ermias noted: “There is no doubt that the veneration shown to His Imperial Majesty by the Rastafari community conflicted with his strict devotion to the Ethiopian Church, and he was anxious that the Rastafari People — as much as he loved them — should come together with our Holy Mother Church. The Emperor would, I believe, have been proud to have seen the progress of the Rastafari People of Jamaica today, and the fact that they have honored him by their respect for the Ethiopian Church.”

He also noted how much he had learned from his visit to the Maroon community of Jamaica.

His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia, has made the following statement:

Ethiopians have witnessed the start of a new era in their relationship with Egypt, with the courageous efforts this month of the Egyptian Government to save 27 Ethiopian Christians who had been working in Libya and who had been at risk from the so-called “Islamic State” extremist group.

The efforts of Egyptian President Abdul Fatah Saeed Hussein Khalil al-Sisi to ensure the safe rescue and return of our Ethiopian brothers was something which the Ethiopian People will not forget. Neither will they forget the fact that President al-Sisi personally welcomed the rescued Ethiopians onto Egyptian soil when the mission was accomplished.

At the same time, we mourn the loss of some 30 of our Ethiopian Christian brethren, all workers in Libya, who had earlier been murdered by the perverted religious extremists of the so-called “Islamic State”, and for the 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians who had been brutally killed by IS before that. The Egyptian and Ethiopian churches have been closely related for more than 1,500 years.

It is clear that Ethiopia can now have a great and supportive ally in Egypt. The nature of the strategic position on the Red Sea and Nile has changed toward stability, cooperation, and prosperity with the election of Pres. al-Sisi in 2014. We are aware that there have been many issues, particularly with regard to the Nile waters and the Red Sea, which for some time divided the two great popu-lations of the region, Egypt and Ethiopia. However, we now see that Pres. al-Sisi has begun to view these things, which once divided our two nations, as things which, in fact, can unite us.

There will always be issues to resolve between two neighboring states, but, with goodwill, the chance to achieve greater things through friendship and co-operation must always be the preferred route. Pres. al-Sisi has demonstrated that he can work with Ethiopia on a range of issues, from the Red Sea and Nile to the security and stability of the region.

Ethiopia is poised once again to begin its economic rise as a state with rights and influence in the Red Sea, and we hold great hope that the governments of Ethiopia and Egypt can work together in increasing harmony.

In the meantime, we must express our gratitude and debt of honor which we owe to the Egyptian President and the Egyptian People for their humanitarian and brotherly act in saving our brothers who had been working in Libya.

The President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia, His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, today expressed his and the Council’s sorrow and anger at the unlawful killing of 21 Egyptian workers on February 15, 2015, by a group claiming to represent the Islamic State in Libya.

Prince Ermias noted: “It is difficult to adequately express the concern we have for the rise in violence in our region in the name of religion, but we wish at this time to express our great sense of grief, and our sympathy to the families of the 21 murdered men, and to the Coptic community in Egypt, as well as to the Government and People of Egypt. This was a crime of hatred against innocent people, solely on the basis of their Christianity.”

“We are greatly encouraged that the Government and the Church in Egypt, as well as People of all faiths in Egypt, have come together to condemn this barbarity. We hope that, through the pain, this episode has at least one benefit in building even stronger bonds between the Muslim and Christian communities of Egypt.”

“As well, we are highly conscious of the fact that Ethiopia, too, represents a society in which Christians and Muslims live together, and have done so, for the most part harmoniously, for centuries. Libya, the scene of this barbarity, has itself historically displayed great moderation in its society, particularly with the Senussiyah branch of Islam welcoming guests into the country. It is sad to record that this tolerance was put aside with the removal of the reign of King Idris I in 1969. We pray, as do most Libyans, for a return to that sense of tolerance and harmony in the country, and for the removal of alien forces there.”

“It is time for the People of the Nile, and their neighbors, to stand together for peace and cooperation.”

Our heartfelt wish for the well-being and development of Ethiopia compelled us to realistically assess the progress which has been made by the Government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, and to compare it to the conditions he inherited after 17 years rule under the Military Government of the Dergue. This led us to recognize, appreciate, and give credit for the contributions made to promote the healing of our traumatized people; for rebuilding the broken name of our historic nation; for reinstating Ethiopia as a leader in African affairs; and for enabling our people to regain their place amongst respectable nations.   

Having said so, the Crown Council of Ethiopia would like to first extend its sincere condolences to the family of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, and to all the people of Ethiopia. As already testified by many world leaders and as history will later prove, Ethiopia, Africa, and the World have lost a gallant servant of the people.

Secondly, we are duty bound to put on record our recognition and sincere appreciation for the love of his country that had led the young Meles Zenawi to take arms at the age of 19, and to fight for 16 years against the atrocities which our nation suffered under the Dergue. At a time when there was no help in sight for Ethiopians to overcome the power of a well backed Military Government, Meles Zenawi and his fellow fighters sacrificed their youth and talent, in their determination to alleviate the suffering of our people. As a leader, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s courage, tenacity, and above all his “can do” spirit, was like that of our forefathers who fought and won two wars against overwhelming odds.   

Prime Minister Meles, who himself was a Haile-Selassie I Prize Scholar, very much like his benefactor, recognized the importance of education in national development. He became exemplary by making time, despite his overwhelming duties, to complete his University education after he became Prime Minister. He facilitated the establishment of many Universities and the expansion of education throughout the country. In recognition of the benefits of educating women, he donated his well-deserved prize money to extend Secondary Education to girls in rural areas. Furthermore, he was an ardent promoter of women’s rights.

We sincerely believe that it is the recognition of and respect for human dignity, rather than the widely suspected intent to divide the people of Ethiopia that had led the Government of Prime Minister Meles to respect ethnic identity. The elimination of the requirement to conform has enhanced self-confidence, unleashed a great deal of talent, and has manifested in expediting the cultural, social and economic development of our country. Furthermore, unlike the Dergue which stifled economic development in the name of communism, the Government of Prime Minister Meles instituted an open economic policy which enabled the economy of Ethiopia to flourish and accelerate to an unprecedented level.

In the spirit of the well-established belief that was upheld under Emperor Haile Selassie, which stated that “A country is a shared entity, but religion is a private matter”, Prime Minister Meles allowed all religious groups to practice their respective religion freely. Thus, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was able to reclaim Church property which had been confiscated by the Dergue, and to once again use it to continue its well established religious teachings and provide much needed social services.

Above all, the diplomatic skills of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, and his ability to have convinced donor Governments to provide development assistance rather than perpetually be dependent on emergency aid, has enabled Ethiopia to build a firm foundation to set itself free from the chain of eternal dependency. This major contribution and the fact that Ethiopia has once again set an example for others in similar situation, is worthy of recognition. The mammoth task to develop the Nile for regional benefit is also unmatched, and needs the support of all Ethiopians.

Furthermore, we need to put on record the fact that whereas the Dergue would have found all members of the Royal Family, and the children of former officials who had served under Emperor Haile-Selassie, guilty for having been born, and sent them all directly to prison, the Government of Prime Minister Meles allowed them to return home, to live there undisturbed, and to take part in national development. As this kind of consideration is relatively rare in countries previously ruled by Monarchs, it is worthy of recognition and deep appreciation.

In conclusion, we recognize that no human being, and certainly no form of Government, can be said to be totally good or totally bad. Whether it is one or the other has to be judged in the context of the period in which one lived, the material and human resources which were accessible at that time, and the relative weight of the positive and negative contributions which were made.

We are cognizant that there were controversial issues which had transpired while Prime Minister Meles was in power, but this is not the time for such a debate. At this juncture, we should acknowledge with honesty, and praise him for his outstanding contributions, and take the opportunity to identify where we can give support to ensure that Ethiopia continues on the accelerated path of development. This will enable us to prevent our country from reverting to the stage where the Dergue had dismantled the foundation which had previously been built, which almost led to the total disintegration of Ethiopia. In due course, we will have ample time for civilized and open dialogue in the interest of our nation.

Today, we salute the spirit of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi for his outstanding contribution for the development of Ethiopia. We express our deep respect for his stand to always put the interest of our country first. We admire his intellectual honesty, and his exemplary maturity which had compelled him to acknowledge the contributions made by Emperor Haile-Selassie and Colonel Mengistu Haile-Mariam to support African Independence and Unity, despite their political differences. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has amply demonstrated that when we acknowledge and build on the positive achievements of former leaders, we succeed in expanding, and accelerating the development of our nation.

On The Passing Of Our Patriarch His Holiness Abune Paulos, Fifth Patriarch and Catholicos of Ethiopia, Ichege of the See of St. Tekle Haymanot, Archbishop of Axum and serving President of the World Council of Churches

We would like to express our condolences on the sudden and unexpected passing of our father, scholar, internationalist and tireless advocate for peace, Patriarch Abune Paulos.

As the spiritual guide of Ethiopia’s 40 million Orthodox Christians, The Patriarch suffered much spiritual and personal hardship and abuse during the 1970s in the jails of Colonel Mengistu Haile-Mariam and the Derg Communist Junta.  Having watched the Church he was devoted to being persecuted and the then Patriarch Abune Tewflos being executed, the Patriarch was released from prison in 1983.  There followed a period of exile and continuing study in the United States until his election as Patriarch in 1992-the year following the overthrow of the Communist government.

Born in Adwa, Tigray Province, Patriarch Abune Paulos was distinguished as the first member of his ethnic group to become Church Patriarch. Abune Paulos was only the fifth Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church since Emperor Haile-Selassie secured the Church’s independence in 1959 from the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt.

Having personally presided over the re-interment of Emperor Haile-Selassie in 2000 at Addis Ababa and the subsequent burial of other members of the royal family at the Holy Trinity Church, Abune Paulos retained an unabashed and life-long fondness for and attachment to the venerable history of the Ethiopian Empire, its people and its royal family.

The Patriarch’s personal valor, international regard and tireless spiritual diplomacy resulted in his recovering substantial church properties and assets seized previously by Ethiopia’s communist regime.

These scarce and valuable resources were immediately deployed in the service of the Ethiopian people.

The Abune was also a tireless advocate for the preservation of Ethiopia’s spiritual and cultural heritages.

Abune Paulos was also the first Church leader to bravely challenge deep seated social and cultural taboos to draw awareness to our nation’s devastating HIV-AIDS rates-and the immediate and critical need for treatment and preventive education.

Through trying and at times controversial circumstances the Patriarch’s spiritual leadership and prodigious efforts on behalf of peace, pragmatic internationalism and humanitarian leadership have shepherded Our ancient and venerable Church into the 21st century.

“No one loves Africa more than Africans,” said Abune Paulos, and only an “African solution” will solve African problems-two of the Patriarch’s more succinctly profound dicta that Ethiopians and Africans alike should cherish and always remember.

With the passing of Our venerable spiritual leader, we must now humbly seek the divine guidance of Almighty God to secure a wise and steady hand for our precious Church and people.

God bless the Ethiopian people and the Church. The Abune’s unique blend of spirituality, pragmatism, personal humanity, scholarship and international perspective will long be remembered and surely missed.

By His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia

A number of church services, conferences, dinners, and concerts have been organized over the years to commemorate anniversaries of the birthday of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile-Selassie I. But this year was especially important. On July 23, 2012, we celebrated the 120th anniversary of his birth, and thanked God for giving all of us around the world — those who have steadfastly upheld the memory of our late Emperor — another opportunity to reflect on his life and his contributions to his Nation and the World.

One significant and poignant event which took place on the afternoon of July 22, 2012, was a conference at Howard University in Washington, DC, to discuss Ambassador Zewde Retta’s latest book, The Government of Emperor Haile-Selassie I.

Ethiopians of different political persuasions were, in this gathering, able to conduct an extremely civil discourse, outlining the merits and shortcomings of the late Imperial Government. This was a significant transformation in the tenor of discussion, after 40 years of seeing the memory of the late Emperor vilified by some.

Certainly, the demonization of the late Emperor extended beyond him to also those patriotic and able Ethiopians who served in his Government from 1930-1974. The generation of Ethiopians who were born after 1974 were, as a result, denied the comfort and embrace of their true history. It is only now that with the recent publications, interviews, and lectures by a very rare crop of prominent Ethiopians who served in government positions in the Ethiopian Imperial Government, and a similar discourse from foreign academics, that a dispassionate discussion is now taking place in the evaluation of our history during the years of Imperial governance and the decades which followed.

Emperor Haile-Selassie achieved so much during his reign; he brought Ethiopia into the modern age. However, he was able to achieve this with the leadership of talented and self-sacrificing patriots, some with traditional education and others educated at the best Universities around the world. As we commemorate him, we should also commemorate those who worked, fought, and strove with him to bequeath us a proud legacy.

We trust and hope that we will continue with this promising start by following the example of the Ambassador and other distinguished individuals to document their experiences and demonstrate their willingness to educate the new generation of Ethiopians about their history.

The Ethiopian youth deserve to know their history. This generation must also be unrelenting in demanding from those who have served in public office and have knowledge about important aspects of our history to share their experiences. It is through education, research, and by examining facts that the start of discernment commences in evaluating and understanding our collective successes and challenges.

We pray that it will not be long before similar conferences can be held in Ethiopia. We also trust that Ambassador Zewde Retta’s book — currently available in Amharic — will be translated into different languages for wider readership. It is through these processes that we can debate, learn, and start healing from a momentous and controversial part of our history.

It is with deep sadness we mourn the passing of a great Christian Leader, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. His Holiness was a humble servant of the Coptic Church, a man of deep faith, firm principles and real love of his fellow man.

His Holiness’s connection to Ethiopia and the Imperial Family blossomed when he first visited Ethiopia as Pope in 1971 for the enthronement of Patriarch Abune Theophilos. The execution of Empeor Haile-Selassie, Defender of the Faith and Abune Theophilos Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church following the coming of the Derg regime in 1974 left a deep scar on His Holiness who was not to return to Ethiopia until 2008. Throughout the darkest days of the Derg rule, His Holiness faithfully visited the Imperial Family in exile.

On his first return to Ethiopia in 2008, when he received a massive welcome Pope Shenouda traveled directly from the airport to the Holy Trinity Church where he proceeded to place wreathes on the tombs of Emperor Haile-Selassie and Empress Menen, and proceeded with prayers for the repose of their souls.

Pope Shenouda was a champion of Non-Violence and a great believer in facilitating dialogue between religions.

We pray that may the Almighty rest the soul of His Holiness in peace and give strength to the people of Egypt, the Coptic Orthodox Church and all those who love the Pope throughout the world.

A statement by His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia, on the subject of the opening of the new African Union Headquarters.

The recent inauguration of the new African Union building in Addis Ababa is one step forward in fulfilling the prophetic words of Emperor Haile-Selassie I, when he said that Africa was looking towards the future, confident in her destiny to achieve unity of pur-pose.

It was Emperor Haile-Selassie who stated in his address to the Conference of Independ-ent African States in Ghana in 1958: “Ethiopia looks with pride to the role which she has played in the history of the development of Africa and looks forward with confidence to the future of this great continent.”

While it is befitting to honor Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, a proponent of Pan-Africanism and Ghana’s first President, with a statue in the forecourt of the new African Union edifice, other African giants, such as Emperor Haile-Selassie and Nelson Mandela, will have to wait to have their legacies honored, through additional statues and monuments.

The Emperor’s contributions to the establishment of the forerunner of the African Union (AU), the Organization of African Unity (OAU), cannot be forgotten. History has rightfully recorded that it was Ethiopia’s and the Emperor’s tireless contributions which established the OAU with its headquarters in Addis Ababa in 1963.

In 2002, when African leaders met in South Africa to charter the newborn AU out of the OAU, Ethiopia again had to defend its legacy of service to the Continent to maintain the Headquarters of the newly found Organization in Addis Ababa. The very fact that the African nations voted to keep the headquarters of the Organization in Addis Ababa is a testament to the accomplishment and vision of our Nation and that of the Emperor.

Emperor Haile-Selassie inspired African leaders of his generation to forge a common sense of unity. Today’s new buildings housing the AU, a generous gift by the Government and People of the People’s Republic of China, will hopefully translate the vision of the forefathers of the Organization into greater works of accomplishment by a new generation of leaders for the years ahead.

Let us look forward confidently that the Emperor’s contributions to the Continent will continue to be rightfully recognized and remembered by coming generations of Africans.

There is room at our beautiful new complex for more statues. Let us honor Emperor Haile-Selassie as the great champion of pan-Africanism and as the great inspiration behind the OAU, and let us remember Nelson Mandela as a great champion of the OAU’s transition to the African Union.