Response to Law Professor regarding Haile Selassie and Eritrea

SelassieStandUp.org response to an International Law Professor (Greg Fox)

SelassieStandUp.org wanted to share with you the exchange below with an International Law Professor who refused to sign the SelassieStandUp.Org petition, claiming that HIM Emperor Haile Selassie unjustly annexed Eritrea against the UN’s final decision. His response was prompted by SelassieStandUp.org call for action for a statue of HIM Emperor Haile Selassie to be erected in front of the AU building.

Much as I dislike being negative in response to a project that you obviously value, I need to decline.  I am perhaps too familiar with Haile Selassie’s undermining of the Ethiopian federation with Eritrea, culminating in his annexation of Eritrea in the early 1960s.  This resulted directly in an awful 30 year civil war that killed far too many on both sides.  This was an unforgiveable act and undermined, in my view, much of his other accomplishments.  For someone who professed great faith in international organizations when he pleaded his case to the League of Nations after the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the Emperor had surprisingly little regard for the federation, which was the result of a long and scrupulously fair United Nations process.

Sorry but you’ll need to get your support from others.

Greg Fox

Dear Fox,

I appreciate your response. I think there is a lot of confusion when it comes to Eritrea. It maybe surprising to you, given your position regarding the Emperor and Eritrea, that internally (within Ethiopia) HIM Emperor Haile Selassie was viewed as someone who sympathized with Eritreans. Many Eritreans were promoted to high positions of power by the Emperor despite betraying Ethiopia during the Italian invasion at the expense of loyal Ethiopian patriots who fought beginning to end for Ethiopian freedom and independence.

The Eritrean separatist movement was also supported by countries such as Libya and Egypt, both which had their own strategic interests for doing so when it came to use of the Nile river and Islamic expansionism. As an American (assuming you are), I am sure you can appreciate President Lincoln’s statement that “a house divided against itself cannot stand,” in reference to slavery and Texas’ demand to secede from the Union. President Lincoln’s firm position led to a Civil War in which hundreds of thousands were killed (this was way more casualties over the thirty years of bandit rebel skirmishes you refer to). In the end, slavery was abolished and the Union remained in tact. I would think or at least hope you believe President Lincoln made the right decision. It would only be fair to judge HIM Emperor Haile Selassie in a similar context. HIM did not conform to everything the UN or US supported when it was in violation of international law and his philosophical beliefs (i.e., the Vietnam War which HIM did not support and spoke out against and Fascist aggression that the US and League of Nations condoned by their complacency).

By the way, HIM was a head of state, not a puppet of the UN or any other country. HIM came from the longest ruling dynasty. More importantly, Ethiopia’s territory included Ertirea which was colonized by Italy prior to HIM Emperor Haile Selassie arising to power. Therefore, HIM Emperor Haile Selassie only reclaimed what was Ethiopian territory. There are numerous historical facts that prove Ethiopia always had access to the sea and that present day Eritrea (actually beyond that) was part of Ethiopia. Unlike European colonialists, Ethiopia was not an aggressor. This is proven in the case of Somalia, post-independence. It was the Ethiopians that fought for their right to be free and independent in the UN.

The Ethiopians could have made historical claims to annex Somalia and could have easily done so, but they didn’t. In the case of Eritrea, there was a referendum and the Eritrean people voted to be reunified with Ethiopia. It was the so called Eritrean intellectuals backed by powers that always sought the disintegration of Africa and African peoples that created the perception that Ethiopia unjustly annexed Eritrea. I can go on and on. Anyhow, thank you for your response and input. I hope you are able to benefit from more balanced exposure to such sensitive issues. Thanks again and GO BLUE!!