HAILE SELASSIE DEPOSED

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29389, 16 December 1960, Page 17

HAILE SELASSIE DEPOSED

Eldest Son Backs Reformers’ Coup (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) SAO PAULO (Brazil), December 15. Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was heading for home today within hours of his Government being overthrown by a military social reform regime backed by his eldest son.

The 66-year-old Emperor was on a state visit to Brazil when he heard that his Government had been overthrown and his son, Crown Prince Asfa Wassen, installed in his place. The American Associated Press reported from Cairo that Addis Ababa Radio said that Ethiopia’s new revolutionary Government had today banned the flight of all aircraft into the country in an apparent bid to prevent the return of the Emperor.

Reports also said that Ethiopian troops were standing guard over Addis Ababa Airport. Flights were banned either into or out of the country, Addis Ababa radio said. No reference was made to the Emperor, whose feudal throne has been rocked by an apparently bloodless coup. Radio reports from Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, said a dusk-to-dawn curfew had been imposed in the city, reported Reuter. An amateur radio broadcast said machine-guns had been set up on public buildings and troops were guarding foreign embassies. An Ethiopian broadcast today announced that Ras Imru, the former Ethiopian Ambassador to India, was appointed Prime Minister of Ethiopia.

Other broadcasts from Addis Ababa repeated an announcement by the Emperor’s 44-year-old son, Crown Prince Asfa Wassen, that a new Army-backed Government had been set up. In a broadcast last night, Crown Prince Wassen said the new regime was backed by the Army and police and intended to end “3000 years of injustice. Today the will of the Ethiopian people has been realised.” he said.

“I have made my decision to serve Ethiopia and the Ethiopian people, seeking no personal preference or advantage, only the legitimate salary determined by law,” the Prince said.

“The newly-established Government has the support of myself, the armed forces, educated youngsters and the whole people of Ethiopia. Decisions given by this government will be strictly adhered to

“The laws and regulations of the country have been abused to deprive the common people of their rights and privileges in order to boost up the rights of the favoured few,” be said. The Crown Prince pledged the Government to raise the country’s standard of living, adding: “Tlte people of Ethiopia have waited a long time with patience in the hope that they will be free some day of oppression, poverty and ignorance.” The Prince claimed that development plans had not been carried out and the people were demanding “concrete action.” The radio set out the aims of the new regime as follows:

To raise the standard of living To encourage culture

To advance the country’s industrial capabilities. To train the nation’s young men for responsible posts.

The communique said specifically that foreign capital invested in Ethiopia would remain untouched. A broadcast assured all foreigners “who are working for the welfare of Ethiopia” that they had nothing to fear. It said the new Government’s foreign policy was to be based on “friendly relations will all States.”

The coup was prompted partly by Crown Prinde Asfa Wassen’s

anger at Emperor Haile Selassie’s refusal to abdicate last month, according to an Egyptian observer of Ethiopian affairs. He said it was generally believed that the Emperor had promised the Crown Prince he would abdicate cn the 30th anniversary of his accession to the throne. But when the anniversary was celebrated last month the Emperor showed no signs of abdicating. The observer was among those who attended the celebrations as a member of the mission of Patriarch Kyrollos VI of the Egyptian Orthodox Coptic Church, said

the British United Press. He did not wish to be identified further. It is known that the Crown Prince was impatient with the slow progress of Ethiopia under the rule of his father. While the world still waits for a clear picture of what happened in Ethiopia, the Emperor is on his way home.

First indications yesterday were that the Emperor would continue his State visit to Brazil, but late last night he left his hotel under police escort. The Emperor stepped from the hotel lift with the Sao Paulo

Governor, Mr Carlos Carvalho Pinto, and was faced by a crowd of reporters and curious guests. Dressed in a black business suit and hatless, the bearded monarch only smiled when reporters questioned him from behind a wall of police. When he reached the door of the hotel, a crowd in the street cheered him, some shouting: “Viva, viva.” He then drove to Sao Paulo airport for the flight home. The take-off was delayed about 15 minutes while police searched the Emperor’s four-engine luxury airliner. Haile Selassie waved with apparent good spirits to crowds seeing him off.

Before the Emperor left, an aide sent a cable to Nigeria, the next scheduled stopping place on his tour, saying: “For reasons you will easily understand we are forced to cancel our State visit to Nigeria.” The aide also sent a wire to Brazil’s President, Mr Juscelino Kubitchek expressing thanks for his courtesy on Haile Selassie’s State visit, which was to have ended on Saturday. It started on Monday.

News from Ethiopia was blacked Out yesterday, except for occasional amateur radio broadcasts. In Nairobi it was reported that all radio and telephone links between East Africa and Ethiopia were out, Reuter said. Aden was also Unable to get in touch with the Ethiopian capital.