SLAVES TO BE FREED

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1931, Page 3

SLAVES TO BE FREED

TWO MILLIONS IN ABYSSINIA. DECISION OF RAS TATARI. 1 The Emperor of Abyssinia has definitely decided to free the 2.000,000 slaves in his territory. This historic action is revealed in a letter from Ras Talari, the Emperor, to Jie Ant-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society, in reply to a Better sent to him by the society offering to send to Abvssnia a deputation to confer with him on .the subject.

The Emperor’s letter, which followed verbal communications through Sir Sidney Barton, British .Minister at Addis Ababa, opens with this greeting: “The conquering lion of the tribe of Judah, Haile Sellase the First. The elect one of God, King of the Kings of Ethiopia. May this reach the President of the Anti-Slavery * Society. Peace be unto you!” TRAFFIC ALREADY BANNED. , . / Ras Tafari, after agreeing with the principles of the society, says : “We say we are definitely decided with reference to the task we have undertaken of freeing the slaves still owned by the public, and not with reference to traffic in slaves, which we have already prohibited by decree.

“In some of the worst cases we have even gone so far as to inflict the death penalty. “We have decided to decree a new law to supplement that of the Year of Grace 1916 (1924, European calendar), which we hope will give better scope for the increase of freed slaves.' We will send you a copy immediately. ■ “We have no doubt that you realise the seriousness of our efforts and the labour it has cost us to obtain the preliminary results known to you,, and to lay the foundations of the great emancipation work. * “Certain persons, forgetful of the fact that slavery was once a universal institution, and probably unconscious of what we have already accomplished or are about to accomplish, exaggerate lor then own private ends, when referring to Ethiopia. TASK A DELICATE ONE. “We are confident that you, who have made it your special duty to study these problems, know better than these sen-sation-mongers what a delicate task it is to abolish this old custom, and how over-hasty, steps may easily have unhappy ' consequences. “We aim at erecting a basis for the final abolition of slavery and also, in progress of time, for the giadual improvement of the condition of the tree servants, workmen, and agricultural labourers, who are so much more numerous than the slaves. “Our statements in connection with the liberation of slaves are far from being a mere talk ; the school for freed slaves, which, we have opened in Addis Ababa, our capital, also proves this, and it .is our wish that the present British Minister, Sir Sidney Barton', be a member of the committee.”