Author: Crown Council

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

On the 125th Anniversary of the Victory of Adwa

It is 125 years since the People of Ethiopia gathered in unity under the rallying call of Emperor Menelik II to repel the foreign army which had invaded our homeland.

The Victory of the Battle of Adwa on 23 የካቲት 1888 (March 1, 1896, in the Western calendar) by the combined Ethiopian forces — who volunteered from around the Empire — lit a beacon of freedom and dignity which has inspired Africa and commanded the respect of the world ever since.

Adwa reflected the selfless courage of peoples from across the Empire who saw the cause of their collective Ethiopianness as something which enhanced their ability to defend their sovereignty and ability to forge their own destiny. Petty rivalries were put aside; there was mutual respect for the abilities and contributions among all the participants. And we saw what we could achieve when we acted together. Each Ethi-opian honoured the other.

Ethiopians are clearly pleased that the Government of Ethiopia has formally instituted recognition of this historic event.

The Crown Council marks this as the beginning of a full year of its celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Victory of Adwa, until 22 የካቲት 2014 (March 1, 2021), dur-ing which — as COVID-19 restrictions on travel and gathering permit — it will cele-brate the Victory and the cause of the unity of all members of the Ethiopian family.

God Bless Ethiopia. God Bless the Memory of Emperors Menelik II and Haile Selassie I.

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

On behalf of the Crown Council of Ethiopia, I extend my deepest and heartfelt condolences to all the families who, because of the violence of recent days in our homeland, have had to bury their relatives and loved ones. We grieve with those who must continue mourning as the brutal murderers have yet to be arrested. We are disheartened to know so many innocent lives are being taken and our beloved country has now declared war with itself.

We have read, seen, and heard the cries of our people who have been targeted for their ethnic identity and religion; for being Amhara, Oromo, Tigrayan, Wolayta, Afar, or any other ethnic group has been Ethiopia’s cultural magnificence. Identifying as Christian Orthodox, Catholic, Pentecostal, Muslim, or Animist is what makes Ethiopia’s historical majesty. Many seem to have forgotten our history, as Ethiopia was the country which preserved Islam with pride and dignity. The First Hijrah was the first migration of Prophet Muhammed followers as they fled from the persecution and took refuge in the Christian Kingdom of Aksum, today’s Ethiopia and Eritrea.

It is important to remember that Ethiopia was also formed on the communal harmony of nations striving together to protect their combined territory and peoples, all the while toiling to develop a diverse society, greater with each generation of Ethiopians.

We often refer to the great Battle of Adwa as the African Victory. This is because history was never gracious to Africa, and Ethiopia was the only country able to fight its enemies and gain victory. Adwa was a reminder of the power of solidarity and unity. Remembering Atse Menelik’s vision to bring warriors such as Ras Alula, Ras Darge Sahle Selassie, Ras Tekle Haymanot, Ras Mikael, Fitawrari Habte Giorgis Dinagde, Ras Yohannas Mengesha; with Dejeazmach Balcha Aba Nefso by his side to win a war. It was a war which was a testimony to the leadership by all in this noble endeavor. These dignified leaders from the many great Peoples of Ethiopia saw the importance of unity. They did not dwell on their separate ethnicities or religious beliefs. The vision of each was one of a collective freedom and the agreement to have one overarching government body to preserve territorial diversity, dignity, and union.

On behalf of the Crown Council, it is with deep sadness that we learnt of the passing of Sultan Hafareh (Humphrey) Ali Mira. We join his family and all the Afar people, as well as all those who love the Afar people in Ethiopia and worldwide, in mourning his passing. May God rest his soul and comfort his people and family in these difficult times.

The Sultan, who was enthroned in 2011, was a quiet man whose courage, intelligence, and foresight won him many admirers around the world. His courageous fight alongside his father against the Derg in Ethiopia is much admired, and proved to be on the correct side of history. It was against all odds that he chose to fight the Derg, but his principled stand, along with his father, will always be remembered in Ethiopian history.

The Sultan did not rest after this victory. He wanted to serve his people in the post-Derg Ethiopia, and to that end he worked selflessly to bring his people new freedoms and development. The Sultan was a perceptive man who could not stand by and watch as his people as they began to suffer again under a yet another corrupt dictatorship. He was always on the side of his people and the larger Ethiopian family. He was fortunate to witness the beginnings of reform and greater freedoms for the Ethiopian people yet again.

May his memory be an inspiration and continuance guidance for his people and Ethiopia.

God bless his soul.

It is with great sadness that we share the passing in London this month of our be-loved cousin, Her Royal Highness Prin-cess Zuriash Gebre-Egsiabher.

Princess Zuriash was a granddaughter of Empress Menen. She was married for thir-ty eight years to Prince Asrate Kassa. The Princess was a joyful and vivacious per-sonality who had a full life, enjoying both God’s grace and the tests of life. The Prin-cess was a dutiful wife and mother who also served alongside her husband in the various administrative roles he had under the Imperial Government, including as Viceroy of Eritrea.

Princess Zuriash, pictured here with Prince Asrate Kassa, was to suffer impris-onment without charge like most of her relatives for thirteen years under the brutal military dictatorship of the Derg. Her husband, Prince Asrate Kassa, was also exe-cuted without any charge by the military junta, along with sixty high ranking offi-cials of the Imperial Government.

The Princess was devout and resilient. Her difficult journey in life, especially dur-ing the darkest times, did not shadow her faith or love. She was blessed to see many grandchildren.

We pray that God comforts her children and grandchildren, and may the Almighty receive her soul so that she may Rest In Peace.

A Statement from the Crown Council of Ethiopia by its President, His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie

On behalf of the Crown Council, I extend my sincere and deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Hachalu Hundessa, a revered singer in Ethiopia. Mr. Hundessa has graced Ethiopia with his music, demonstrated is love for his Oromo culture and continuously challenged us to evaluate the value of unity. His senseless killing has profoundly affected people in Ethiopia and in the Diaspora.

At a time when the entire world is dealing with turmoil stemming from social dysfunctions in addition to the global health crisis which has shaken economies and developmental efforts for the wellbeing of nations, we now have to mourn the death of another courageous man. Hate crimes have erupted in all societies, benefiting only the forces of destruction and instilling fear as well as instabilities.

It is time for us to reconcile our differences. It is our moment in history for each of us to become a voice of reason to the unreasonable, and work towards fulfilling the hopes of our forefathers and mothers to develop Ethiopia and address the challenges of the youth.

Revisionism is a dangerous approach. Our youth have not benefited from historical education which not only would have highlighted how Ethiopia’s resisted foreign attempts to conquer our society, and how she showed her strength as a unified country to lead Africa and set an example to the world. Ethiopia’s greatness was never based on ethnicity. It has always been about the spirit our family of nations embodies; the culture it embraces and traditions it celebrates.

On June 30, 2020  (23 ሰኔ 2012), the destruction in Cannizaro Park, Wimbledon, in London, of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I’s iconic statue, and the tearing down of the statue of the Emperor’s father — and a great 19th Century Ethiopian leader in his own right — Ras Makonnen, in Harar, confirms the concerns of our ancestors.

Ethiopians at home and in the Diaspora have witnessed an eruption of racism and ideological hatred against our own heritage with the wanton and deliberate destruction of statues of two historical figures who gave hope, prosperity, and unity to all Ethiopians. Have we forgotten that Oromo pioneers such as Taddasaa Biru, Jaagamaa Keello, Waqejira Serda, Dawit Abdi and Major Qadida Guremeysa all stood on the side of the Emperor and remained politically involved with him throughout their life?

When, on June 29, 2020, radical Oromo separatists utilized the tragic murder of the famous Oromo singer, Mr. Hachalu Hundessa, it affirmed the disruptors’ aim of halting our peaceful progress as well as dismantling the Prime Minister Abiy’s Government efforts. The destruction of these statues seeks only the demise of our diversity and demonstrates blind hatred. In pursuit of a divisive political and ethnocentric agenda, our aggressors are working tirelessly to stifle our interwoven strength and break our long-standing foundation.

The murder of Mr. Hachalu Hundessa, who had the right to speak freely and stand for his rights, has sparked greater violence, with the deaths of more than 100 people in subsequent riots. The radicals who used the excuse of secessionism and extremist ideology to attack the symbols of Ethiopia’s unity did not honor Mr. Hundessa; they defiled him by propagating hatred. In defense of Ethiopia’s sovereignty, we should remember Ras Abebe Aregai, Defense Minster Fitawory HabteGiorgis, General Mulugeta Buli and all the countless Oromo soldiers who stood as one nation in Battles such as the Battle of Adwa as well as the Battle of Machew. Let’s preserve the pride and integrity of our unity. These ethnically-motivated secessionists, supported and financed for many years by foreign governments, have become the enemy of Oromo’s progress, not the champions of Oromo greatness.

Historians know that our great unifiers, Emperor Haile Selassie I and Ras Makonnen along with many other leaders, have been beacons of reconciliation and unity. The radicals who tore down the statues did so knowing that the great motivation of Emperor Haile Selassie was to end ethnic and regional inequality in Ethiopia. Both the Emperor and Ras Makonnen were known for elevating Oromo People as other ethnic people in the territory of Ethiopia, ensuring that they would be a vital and equal part of the greater Ethiopian dream. They brought the Oromo into the heart of the Ethiopian society, and I am living proof, as is the Prime Minister, and so many others. Destroying their legacies and aspirations for Ethiopia will not erase their grandeur.

We must be able to forgive one another for our forefathers’ perceived wrongdoing. We must be able to reconcile our differences, as our shortcomings will be the greatest hurdles for our children. The world is not the same as it was in the time of the Emperor and his Father. Many things are changing and the 21st Century will affect the fundamentals of our existence. We must all overcome this crude belligerence, and this insult to our knowledge and dignity. We are capable of progress with our ability to act as a unified family of proud cultures and peoples.

The death of Mr. Hachalu Hundessa must be addressed transparently through judicial channels, and the murderers brought to justice in open trial. I am pleading to elders, mothers and fathers, and all Ethiopians to extend your reach and to work towards forgiveness. We must march towards hope, prosperity, and dignity.

A country, with its nation at home and abroad, mourns Mr. Hundessa’s untimely death as it has awakened us to the reality of our growing pains. We hope to build forward as one nation recognizing and valuing our culture, history and traditions.

Let us stand for reconciliation and forgiveness. Let us build a foundation of hope, prosperity, and dignity for our children.

God Bless You, and God Bless Ethiopia.

A Statement from the Crown Council of Ethiopia by its President, His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie

Now, as the world is falling victim to a global and indiscriminate virus and has entered into a new era of economic dislocation, the People of Ethiopia are being challenged as never before.

And yet we shall prevail.

It seems as if the Almighty, in His Infinite Wisdom, is giving one more test to the Ethiopian People, who were emerging from almost a half-century of suffering. We were given a moment to breathe, but only so that we could gain strength to face the coming period.

This is our true test. We believed we had thrown off the shackles of communism and tyranny. We believed we were set to resume the path toward true democracy. Then this new crisis beset us, and all the world.

We had been given the past two years to grasp the gift we were given: the freedom to work together as Ethiopians, as true brothers and sisters, regardless of our region, our language, or our beliefs. Yet many of us still had scores to settle after 44 years of communist “divide and rule” tyranny.

Now we need to set aside the bitterness of those years. We must set them aside. We are one great People, made up of many equal clans and tribes and regions. And we will only survive this latest plague of economic and physical hardship, and start again on the road to prosperity, if we focus on the importance of unity and discard the small things.

We know that we can and will prevail in this new crisis. We can and will conquer not only the temporary scourge of this virus, which has already taken its first Ethiopian lives in Ethiopia itself and in the Diaspora, but we will come together as never before. Those we have lost to this virus, and those we are still yet lose, are indeed martyrs who cause us to pause in humility, to cease our quarreling and come together again; in sorrow for the lost souls and lost time, but united and proud.

Their deaths — and the sacrifices of our healthcare professionals at all levels, and all those who volunteer to help those suffering because of this combined biological and economic virus — will not be in vain if we cease our bickering and rejoice in our ability to make our peoples once again greater than the sum of their parts.

We have been given a great opportunity to set aside our petty differences — indeed, we have been given a wider world view in which our differences as Ethiopians can be celebrated and respected — in order to create a new Ethiopia which shows the world our three and a half millennia of unique strengths.

The Government has wisely attempted to introduce practical measures which will limit the spread of the coronavirus, and to enable our healthcare professionals to show us their skills, valor, and commitment.

But what this period also gives us is time to reflect on the possibility that we can emerge from this period of challenge, restored as a true family of Ethiopians.

This must be a time for us to innovate a new Ethiopia. We must strive to grow our own food in abundance, and feed all Ethiopians. We must seek ways to open our internal trade so that our own food crops and manufactures can be distributed to all corners of Ethiopia. And this must include all the members of our historical family, such as Eritrea and Djibouti.

We must all take heart and joy in the songs and symbols of our neighbors. We must give thanks that no Ethiopian can be set above another. And that no other people can set themselves above Ethiopians, just as we do not wish to set ourselves over others. We must give respect to the differences of faith through which each of us in our separate ways shows service to our Creator. And it is time for us to pray together.

No land has greater opportunity than Ethiopia. No people has a history deeper and richer than Ethiopia. We have each other to share and celebrate our triumphs — and there will be triumphs to come — just as we have each other to strengthen us through our trials.

In all of this, the Crown of Ethiopia is only a symbol of your greatness, your potential, your strength, and your compassion.

It is yours.

God Bless You, and God Bless Ethiopia.

A Statement from the Crown Council of Ethiopia by its President, His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie

The security, stability, and prosperity of much of Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia is presently being challenged, almost as never before, by changes occurring around the world. We must all look beyond the immediate to do what is right for our societies and for the future of them through the next phase of history. And we must mourn for the recent losses of innocent lives in these conflicts which defy historical reason. Our hearts go to the grieving families.

The Crown Council of Ethiopia is not a political entity; nor does it wish to shape the will of the people. It cannot, and would not, venture interference in the governance of Ethiopia, nor of those societies around the world which are home to so many who value the historical role of Ethiopia and have been inspired by the millennia of symbolism of the Solomonic Crown.

But neither would the Crown wish to be seen to be silent out of lack of care for those who look to it as a symbol of hope, unity, and compassion and as repository of all our ethical values.

We have been approached for comment on the great upheavals which the Government has inherited inside Ethiopia, but we can only urge our People to remember the humanity of their Fellow Ethiopians. Unity, courage, and inspiration can solve many things, and we are engaged with you, as we have been these past five decades or so of hardship. We will never abandon the Ethiopian People: Not any one of them, regardless of language, origins, or beliefs.

We have been approached to comment on forthcoming elections in the Caribbean, but we can only urge those there who look to the Solomonic Crown for guidance to act with calmness, in good conscience, and with a will to put the interests of their nation ahead of petty issues and short-term gratification. Like the People of Ethiopia, so many of you in the Caribbean have suffered the indignity of seeing society transform through transactional politics. But voters, too, have their part to play. You must play it. It is more than voting; it lies in preserving dignity.

The Caribbean can be a beacon of democracy. So, too, can Ethiopia. Nobility of spirit can be achieved by us all, and it can transform our societies. Together we can be a beacon of tolerance, and that will lead to true prosperity and a better world.

God Bless Ethiopia, and God Bless our Brothers and Sisters in the Caribbean and around the World. His late Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I, whom God has blessed, bound Ethiopia and the Caribbean — and the Americas — together. Let us honor him with Peace.