Five Hundred Years of Struggle
Posted: 24 May 2020, 18:29
For over five hundred years, Abyssinia has struggled for access to the sea, Today, we Abysinians are trapped in a landlocked country dominated by a determined Oromo's, I think it's payback time!
Menelik.
Haile Sellassie Memorandum.
Menelik.
- My country is far distant from your country. My road to the coast, to Zeila, Tajura and Aden is at present closed by the Muslims. They prevent my receiving into my country provisions, arms, agricultural implements, artisans or even messengers of the Gospel. Will you kindly raise your powerful voice in order that I may have this way opened to me, for I desire to inaugurate in my country European civilisation, intelligence and arts.
- I am about to die from anger because I have remained without bringing one (new) skill, imprisoned (as I am) I am a man who has been sentenced to imprisonment for life and prevented from bringing into this country rifles, cannon and workers.
- If I cannot take Tajura by sea, it is not difficult for me to seize the port from this side (overland). However, without coming to blows, I hope that civilised Europe will render me justice and give satisfaction.
- A little later in the same letter: “we hope that our crown which honours Jesus Christ will never be trampled to the ground by the children of Mohammed.” And yet a little more: “If truly you are the protectors of Christians, it is today that you must give us proof.
- At present, we do not intend to regain our sea frontiers by force but we trust that the Christian powers guided by our Saviour, will restore to us our sea coast-line . .. at any rate, certain parts of it.
- I do not wish (to open) a counsel in Massawa –I wish Massawa itself.
Haile Sellassie Memorandum.
- Haile Sellassie would prove himself a more able manipulator of political events, a manipulator of the ouiji-board of international diplomacy. And when we encounter him in 1948, we listen to him present a Memorandum to the United Nations in which he says.
Prior to the race of European powers to divide up the continent of Africa, Ethiopia included an extensive coastline along the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. It was only the last 15 years of the 19th century that Ethiopia had been deprived of access to the sea by the loss of Somaliland and Eritrea.
Eritrean people and the people of Benadir! You were separated from your mother Ethiopia and were put under the yoke of the enemy and under the yoke of the enemy, you still remain.I have come to restore the independence of my country, including Eritrea and the Benadir whose people will henceforth dwell under the shade of the Ethiopian flag.
