Page 51 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 18

History

her body brought back and buried in to extend their colonial hold over
Addis Ababa relations became icy. Ethiopia and had plotted to create
a new “Agazian” state made up of
It was still a stunning shock to Eritrea and Tigray separated from
everyone when Dejazmatch Haile Ethiopia. They are said to have se-
Selassie crossed the battle lines cretly approached Leul Ras Seyoum
and joined forces with fascist Italy, to become King of this new state
becoming the first Ethiopian senior under British protection, but the
noble to submit to Italy. The then Prince would not consider anything
Italian commander on the northern that compromised Ethiopian unity,
front, Marshal de Bono wasted no and icily refused. So instead, they
time in releasing photographs of approached Dejazmatch Haile Selas-
Dejazmatch Haile Selassie among sie Gugsa who was much warmer to
Italian officers. The shock and out- the idea. However, as we previously
rage that the great-grandson of an stated, a leopard keeps his spots
Ethiopian Emperor would submit unchanged, and the British were
to a foreign occupier was intense. furious to discover that Haile Selas- Ras Getachew Abate during the war against the
Indeed, angry patriots in Mekele set sie Gugsa had secretly been corre- Fascist Italian invasion.
fire to the Dejazmatch’s house when sponding with Italian fascists eagerly contacts with the Italians. Ras Ge-
the news spread. When Marshal begging them to come take back the tachew shocked his fellow exiles by
Badoglio entered Addis Ababa on Horn of Africa. The British bun- returning to Ethiopia and submit-
May 5, 1936 it was to Dejazmatch dled him off to the Seychelles, but ting to the Fascist authorities. He
Haile Selassie Gugsa that he gave eventually returned him to Ethiopia visited Rome and paid homage to
the honor of raising the Italian after receiving assurances he would Mussolini in person. When Emper-
flag over the Menelik Palace. Later not be executed for treason. Sen- or Haile Selassie returned in 1941,
under the Duke of Aosta’s admin- tenced to life in prison, he was kept he is said to have said to this man he
istration Dejazmatch Haile Selassie under house arrest in Ambo and had known closely since they were
was elevated to the rank of Ras by was released by the Derg in 1974, both young, “I forgive you, but I
the King of Italy and given prece- only to die not long after. don’t know if God will.” He spent
dence over Leul Ras Seyoum whom the rest of his days under house
the Italians had under house arrest. Ras Getachew Abate was the son arrest and shunned by his peers.
To Haile Selassie Gugsa it must have of Liqe-Mekwas Abate Bwayalew a Sultan Abba Jobir Abba Jiffar of
been the culmination of his dreams hero of Adwa and a loyalist of Me- Jimma, Archbishops Abune Abra-
to exceed his cousin finally, but it nelik II. Lij Getachew had grown ham and Abune Yohannes, Ethi-
was a short-lived victory. up in Menelik II’s Palace alongside opian envoy to France Blatangeta
Lij Iyasu. He was sent on diplomat- Wolde Mariam Ayele, and many
In 1941 Ethiopia was liberated and ic missions abroad, including a stint others, can be sited as examples of
Emperor Haile Selassie returned as Ethiopian representative to the people who betrayed their country
to his throne. Haile Selassie Gug- League of Nations in Geneva. He to support a foreign agenda. How-
sa fled, ending up in British ruled served in the powerful role of Min- ever, what they all have uncommon
Asmara. One of several irritants ister of the Interior, and as governor is that they are held in contempt and
that emerged between the Emper- of Kaffa. He commanded troops have been reduced to being mere
or and the British was their refusal against the fascist invasion, fight- footnotes in history. They are cau-
to hand over Haile Selassie Gugsa ing at Maichew and covering the tionary tales. It seems that the latest
to face charges of treason. The Emperor’s retreat back to the capital prominent people who have become
Emperor generally allowed nobles following the defeat there. the focus of our scrutiny these days
from Eritrea to use the titles granted should have been forewarned by
to them by the king of Italy, but He even accompanied the Emperor their example. Sadly for them, they
not those outside of Eritrea and so into exile going with him to Jerusa- were not.
Haile Selassie Gugsa was once more lem. However once there his heart
referred to as Dejazmatch. Iron- faltered. Fear of being cut off from May we be delivered from further
ically, certain elements of British his wealth and property in Ethiopia acts of treachery.
colonial administration had wanted is said to have motivated his secret

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