How should the honorable Emperor Haile Selassie be honored?
organization based in Washington DC, has announced that it will honor
five Emperors and one Empress from Ethiopia on May 27, 2018 at the
Marriott Hotel in Maryland.The founders of SEED are like the
generation who were motivated by the communist ideology in the 1960s
and 70s. They were into the movement of anti-Haile Selassie, although
he had helped their education so that they would be able to help
Ethiopia progress to the 21st century, without losing the nation’s
core values. This has led to the end of the established
3,300 year-old Ethiopian monarchy; a monarchy older than many European
monarchies and a monarchy which serves as the pinnacle of African
pride.
Among the honorary list, Emperor Haile Selassie, a victim of that
generation, is one of them. Does Haile Selssie’s name and legacy need
honor or forgiveness from that generation?
The Emperor was coined “Man of the Year” at least twice by Times
Magazine. He was a leader selected as one of twenty-five influential
world leaders. He received honorary doctorate degrees in philosophy,
administration, and law from the greatest universities on five
continents. He was an advocate for collective security; a leader named
Father of Africa, a defender of small nations, and a defender of
faith, a world traveler and was openly welcomed by all. For example:
in 1963 when he visited the United States, New York gave him a hero’s
welcome by throwing ticker tape from skyscrapers. This was never done
for any other foreign leaders. The people of Washington welcomed him
by lining their main streets. He was chosen first from four world
leaders to comfort President John. F. Kennedy’s family following the
president’s assassination. He stood before the coffin of the Kennedy
while one hundred and eleven world leaders were behind him. Above all,
he is a King who is worshiped everyday by millions.
How could such a person as this NEED honor from SEED? Unless, SEED
seeks to honor itself in honoring Haile Selassie. The program, without
asking for forgiveness in advance, will be a non-exemplary because
children and grandchildren, including the children of the founders of
SEED, have already begun honoring Emperor Haile Selassie long time
ago. Too soon, they have become smart; too late they get wise.
If the members of SEED would like to honor Emperor Haile Selassie
without washing away their sins, they ought to give scholarships to
students in the Emperor’s name in either Ethiopia or America, or
assist the institutions that are established to honor him. Some of
these institutions include: Haile Selassie High School in Zanzibar,
Haile Selassie High school in Jamaica, Haile Selassie Memorial
Association in Addis Ababa, a project for ቀኃሥ ወ መዘክር (Haile Selassie
First Library and Museum) in Ejersa-Gora, his birth place.
Additionally, they could help to republish his autobiography and
Selected Speech books (which are out of print).
To honor such an Emperor requires more than simply reading his
countless achievements in a fifty minute reading at a Marriot Hotel.
I leave you with this prophetic statement that the Emperor made while
he was in custody, as told by Ato Assefa, an attendant: “His Majesty
upon hearing the wild propaganda against him on the radio remarked,
‘እንደገና ሲማሩና ሲያውቁ ወደፊት ለድካማችን ምስጋና አይነፍጉንም,’ which means ‘when they
re-educate themselves and become knowledgeable, they will not deny us
the credit we deserve.’ Haile Selassie, The Conquering Lion of Judah,
with broken neck-chains, will prevail on May 27, 2018 in the midst of
admirers and former arch enemies. It is his second nature to rise and
fall and rise again.
Mulugeta Haile
- How should the honorable Emperor Haile Selassie be honored?, Mulugeta Haile, 05/07/2018
https://theblacklist.net/
Replies
We prayed and gave deep thought to your question and recall how King Haile Selassie I did not retaliate against the Italians after the war...instead he asked the people to be kind to them and those who wanted to remain were allowed to do so.
My personal opinion is for SEED to have a one-on-one meeting with the Crown Council and the PM at Entoto to discuss this further...otherwise why launch such a program without including the Crown...after all they are the victims of the Derg. King Haile Selassie I was not only the King of King of Ethiopia, but he was a husband and a father and what happened to the Royal Family and those in Ethiopia that supported them was so horrific the pain is still felt at home and abroad.
They assist with resurrecting and restoring the ancient history of the Throne and advocate for the Throne to return to Ethiopia and remarry the Tewhadeo Church. They should raise funds to publish history books for all schools in Ethiopia, for education is the key to restructuring the thinking of the youth, from an early age..
Ethiopian Holocaust Remembrance Committee
International Office
International Office