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| Selected Speeches |
| The Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc. |
| Chapter VI |
| Opening 1st Ethiopian Parliament Nov. 02, 1932 |
| Selected Speeches |
| Haile Selassie the First - November 2, 1932 |
Members of the House of Deputies:
Ever since the establishment of the Government of Ethiopia, there has not
been any appropriate parliament. We have now established a parliament
which will stay and properly function for many years to come. We have
declared this chamber as the House of Deputies and We have called upon
you to deliberate as representatives of the people.
We have done this, guided by a strong motivation granted Us by Almighty
God to work for the further progress of Our country and so that you may
assist Us in the Just administration of Our Government by providing Us
advice, that will fully benefit Our people.
Until now, there was nobody eager to understand the problems of other
places, other than within the confines of his own birthplace. As a result,
the individual's views and opinions about others were too shallow. But
from now on, all of you must open your eyes and broaden your views and
knowledge.
You must know and understand that besides your own birthplace, there
are others next to you, and that besides your own cities, there are others
around you, and that all these places and cities together make one big
nation and those living in it are all sons and daughters of one Ethiopia and
that these people thus being members of the greater family of man. You
must, therefore, realize that besides issues concerning your own birthplace
there are greater issues concerning all provinces and all families which,
when put together, are of common interest to all, and that the protector of
these common interests is the Government while the Emperor is the
source of enlightenment to all.
It is in this realization that you can co-operate among yourselves for the
sake of your unity. On Our part, We have long thought to assist your
work as much as We cound and We are fully determined to carry on this
and to guide you in all spheres of co-operative works. In Our opinion, a
nation, without co-operation, is like a heap of sand. We have called upon
you representatives, selected form the provinces, to come to the capital
city so that in getting closer to Us you may help advise Us on everything
good for the unity of Ethiopia. Your get-together like this will enable you
to know each other, to discuss your respective cultures and problems and,
to discover your common interests or common obstacles, and to learn
fully the administration of the Government. And finally, you will realize tht
you all belong to one family and that you are sons and daughters of
Ethiopia. And then you must understand to love your mother and, as
brothers, to love each other, and when you return to your respective
provinces you will relate what experiences, broad knowledge, and greater
views you gained here, to your fellow men and in such a brotherly and
co-operative way, you will promote a good and brotherly spirit throughout
Our country.
Later, in the future, when Our people will be sufficiently educated, they
will be able to elect and send their own representatives, and when they in
turn learn how to properly execute their responsibilities, they will be of
great assistance to Our Government.
The experiences you gain from your co-operative work will also assit the
future representatives. As the price of honesty will be paid to the blessed
sons of God so shall We lead Our people gradually to honest gain and
properity.
Honesty means not to oppress anybody and deny him his deserved share.
It does not mean being irresonsible or conceited and dictorial. We, on Our
part, will never cease to eliminate conceitedness, oppression, subversion
and corruption in order to maintain peace and national security.
May God help you to understand and always bear in mind all that We have
said! May He enlighten you! May He inspire your goodwill and initiative
so that you may be able to produce fruits which would be beneficial to
Our generation!
Ever since the establishment of the Government of Ethiopia, there has not
been any appropriate parliament. We have now established a parliament
which will stay and properly function for many years to come. We have
declared this chamber as the House of Deputies and We have called upon
you to deliberate as representatives of the people.
We have done this, guided by a strong motivation granted Us by Almighty
God to work for the further progress of Our country and so that you may
assist Us in the Just administration of Our Government by providing Us
advice, that will fully benefit Our people.
Until now, there was nobody eager to understand the problems of other
places, other than within the confines of his own birthplace. As a result,
the individual's views and opinions about others were too shallow. But
from now on, all of you must open your eyes and broaden your views and
knowledge.
You must know and understand that besides your own birthplace, there
are others next to you, and that besides your own cities, there are others
around you, and that all these places and cities together make one big
nation and those living in it are all sons and daughters of one Ethiopia and
that these people thus being members of the greater family of man. You
must, therefore, realize that besides issues concerning your own birthplace
there are greater issues concerning all provinces and all families which,
when put together, are of common interest to all, and that the protector of
these common interests is the Government while the Emperor is the
source of enlightenment to all.
It is in this realization that you can co-operate among yourselves for the
sake of your unity. On Our part, We have long thought to assist your
work as much as We cound and We are fully determined to carry on this
and to guide you in all spheres of co-operative works. In Our opinion, a
nation, without co-operation, is like a heap of sand. We have called upon
you representatives, selected form the provinces, to come to the capital
city so that in getting closer to Us you may help advise Us on everything
good for the unity of Ethiopia. Your get-together like this will enable you
to know each other, to discuss your respective cultures and problems and,
to discover your common interests or common obstacles, and to learn
fully the administration of the Government. And finally, you will realize tht
you all belong to one family and that you are sons and daughters of
Ethiopia. And then you must understand to love your mother and, as
brothers, to love each other, and when you return to your respective
provinces you will relate what experiences, broad knowledge, and greater
views you gained here, to your fellow men and in such a brotherly and
co-operative way, you will promote a good and brotherly spirit throughout
Our country.
Later, in the future, when Our people will be sufficiently educated, they
will be able to elect and send their own representatives, and when they in
turn learn how to properly execute their responsibilities, they will be of
great assistance to Our Government.
The experiences you gain from your co-operative work will also assit the
future representatives. As the price of honesty will be paid to the blessed
sons of God so shall We lead Our people gradually to honest gain and
properity.
Honesty means not to oppress anybody and deny him his deserved share.
It does not mean being irresonsible or conceited and dictorial. We, on Our
part, will never cease to eliminate conceitedness, oppression, subversion
and corruption in order to maintain peace and national security.
May God help you to understand and always bear in mind all that We have
said! May He enlighten you! May He inspire your goodwill and initiative
so that you may be able to produce fruits which would be beneficial to
Our generation!
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