ETHIOPIAN SLAVES

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 4 September 1935, Page 8

ETHIOPIAN SLAVES

Numbers Are Estimated to be Over Two Million

EMPEROR’S DIFFICULTIES LEAGUE’S AID NEEDED In her book “ Slavery,” one of the documents Signor Mussolini Trill submit to the League Council in justification of the action he proposes to take in Abyssinia, Lady Simon quotes the definition of slavery given in the Slavery Convention of the League of Nations. It runs: “Slavery is the status or condition of a person over whom any or all the powers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised.”

Dealing with Abyssinia, she says that there slavery exists in all its forms, covering servitude from that of “the little household slaves of the Christian priests to that of .the wretched mutilated boys and girls who are carried across the sea and sold in the slave markets of Arabia; from the long line of slaves carrying gifts from hospitable rulers of Abyssinia to passing travellers to the suffering gang yoked and chained together.” Everywhere and in all circumstances of the slave life of Abyssinia, says the authoress, the condition of property is the dominating fact. She supports her assertions by British White Books and similar publications of other countries, the statements of travellers, partial reports issued by the League of Nations, and “the open and unashamed admission made by Abyssinian, authorities that slavery is not only tolerated, but is an accepted and (as they contend) a necessary institution throughout the territories of this great country.”

“OVER TWO MILLION SLAVES” The Abyssinians properly so-called number fewer than 4,000,000, or less than one-third of the whole country. The slave population is estimated at more than 2,000,000. “It is admitted,” says Lady Simon, “that slavery exists everywhere through the country; indeed, it is openly asserted that -the whole economic structure of the country reposes on slave-owning. . . . Ras Tafari (now the Emperor) contends quite truly that he is incapable at present of dealing single-handed wdtli the situation, and that, with the best of intentions, it will take him years to abolish even slave-dealing, much less slave-owning.”

Lady Simon says that the most authoritative document on the subject, that of the Expert 'Commission of the League of Nations, has been withheld from the public. The memorandum was prepared by Lard Lugard and some of its contents have been disclosed in the Minutes of the Slavery Commission. It is stated that in 1923 Ras Tafari issued an edict under which slave-dealing was subjected to heavy penalties. Under another edict all children were to be born free and all slaves were to be given their liberty seven years after the death of their master. Lord Lugard apparently doubted if the second provision would be effective in practice. He asserted that certain of the higher chiefs indulged in slave raids in order (as they pretended) to put down rebellion or punish .refusal to pay taxes. ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS. “Perhaps the most disquieting feature of Lord Lugard’s report,” says the authoress, “is his conclusion as to the real basis of slave-owning as a property in Abyssinia, namely, that it is an integral part of the religion of the country. For he states that opposition to the abolition of slavery ‘comes principally from the priesthood, which

considers itself the guardian of the Mosaic Law and regards slavery as an institution decreed by Jehovah.’ ” The system is interwoven with economic life, social customs and religious convictions. The French Government supplied # the League, of Nations with evidence that slaves were handed to minor chiefs in payment of taxes, and that the slave markets of Djimma and Goreli were still the starting-points of convoys of slaves for the interior or the coast. Girl slaves taken to the coast were intended for Arabian harems. RAIDS IN SUDAN AND KENYA Between 1913 and 1927 the British Government was informed of no fewer than 139 slave raids into the Sudan and Kenya Colony by Abyssinians. Sir John Maffev reported that the Slavery Patrol, which is always active in the Sudan, once had to confront a raiding party of 400 rifles. This book was first published in 1929. An edition of the following year contains additional information. There are extracts from articles in “Le Matin” by a French scientific mission, in which it is stated that the slave trade between Africa and Asia still continued, in spite of European vigilance.

“'On September 2S, 1923, Abyssinia became a member of the League of Nations, and accepted the Covenant of the League,” says Lady Simon. “The Assembly of the League agreed to welcome the membership of Abyssinia, subject to an undertaking on her part ‘to secure the complete suppression of slavery by land and. sea.’ Thus Abyssinia has taken the step, and it would seem that it is for the League of Nations now to ascertain why her obligation has not been carried out; why it is that the abolition of slavery is proving a task too colossal for the present rulers; and then to proceed to offer Abyssinia such assistance as may be necessary to make the Central Government strong enough to carry out thereforms necessary to abolish slavery. Friendly co-operation with the League of Nations now would prevent those developments which Abyssinia suspects and fears. What Abyssinia really needs to-day would be one or two foreign advisers, who would be responsible to the League.”