| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Haile Selassie I |
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| Selected Speeches |
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| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Selected Speeches |
An endeavour shall be made to arrive at prompt decisions on the draft of
regulations defining the responsibilities of the courts and their
administration. It is a well known fact that the budget of the Ministry of
Justice has been increased. It should also be noted that as the work of the
administration of justice expands, studies will be made for the
procurement of still additional funds. There are various means by which
the Ministry of Justice can closely co-operate with other departments of
the government which have their own part to play in carrying out this
task. We shall be passing orders to the Council of Ministers through our
Prime Minister to study the possibility of establishing schools for juvenile
delinquents on the lines of the one functioning in Addis Ababa so that
teenage law offenders who get involved in crimes as a result of their
mental instability can be punished for what they have done in the past and
at the same time be protected against indulging in crimes in the future.
We have time and again said with regard to the Moslem Community,
that the integrity and religious right of everyone should be protected
and respected. As laws are being enacted at all times, We have long
ago permitted the drafting of laws suited to their religious practices.
However, since religion and work go hand in hand, it should be
understood that the laws should be practised in a method not
detrimental to the unity of a nation. Our Minister of Justice will submit
for the study the details of the process for the administration of the
laws whereupon decision shall be taken.
In general you -- judges -- should understand that you have been
entrusted with the great responsibility of protecting the rights of the
people and msut therefore endeavour to serve with the spirit of
selflessness and integrity so as to free yourselves from guilty
consciousness. We urge you to serve with integrity today so as to set
a good precedent for posterity. Endeavour to serve with integrity,
always bearing in mind what We have told you in the past and what
We are now telling you. Since man has been endowed by the
Almighty with the special quality of judging his own self, let alone
passing a judgment on others, at the hour of pronouncing judgement he
must imagine... finding himself to be in the position of the mand in the
dock. If one passes a judgment after search of his conscience and
careful reflection picturing his own self in the position of he who stands
before him for trial, and if he does it with good conscience in the
interest of the efficiency of administration of justice, there is no doubt
that he will pass the right judgment.
He who stands before you or Us for trial is equally our brother. To
think that we may tomorrow find ourselves in his place, that posterity
will also find itself in the same difficult situation, in a fundamental
applicable to all professions.
As unfairness and loss of faith in justice torments both the body and
the soul, we urge you to keep yourselves away from befalling such a
calamity. Let the Almighty God engrave these words in the heart of
everyone of us.
regulations defining the responsibilities of the courts and their
administration. It is a well known fact that the budget of the Ministry of
Justice has been increased. It should also be noted that as the work of the
administration of justice expands, studies will be made for the
procurement of still additional funds. There are various means by which
the Ministry of Justice can closely co-operate with other departments of
the government which have their own part to play in carrying out this
task. We shall be passing orders to the Council of Ministers through our
Prime Minister to study the possibility of establishing schools for juvenile
delinquents on the lines of the one functioning in Addis Ababa so that
teenage law offenders who get involved in crimes as a result of their
mental instability can be punished for what they have done in the past and
at the same time be protected against indulging in crimes in the future.
We have time and again said with regard to the Moslem Community,
that the integrity and religious right of everyone should be protected
and respected. As laws are being enacted at all times, We have long
ago permitted the drafting of laws suited to their religious practices.
However, since religion and work go hand in hand, it should be
understood that the laws should be practised in a method not
detrimental to the unity of a nation. Our Minister of Justice will submit
for the study the details of the process for the administration of the
laws whereupon decision shall be taken.
In general you -- judges -- should understand that you have been
entrusted with the great responsibility of protecting the rights of the
people and msut therefore endeavour to serve with the spirit of
selflessness and integrity so as to free yourselves from guilty
consciousness. We urge you to serve with integrity today so as to set
a good precedent for posterity. Endeavour to serve with integrity,
always bearing in mind what We have told you in the past and what
We are now telling you. Since man has been endowed by the
Almighty with the special quality of judging his own self, let alone
passing a judgment on others, at the hour of pronouncing judgement he
must imagine... finding himself to be in the position of the mand in the
dock. If one passes a judgment after search of his conscience and
careful reflection picturing his own self in the position of he who stands
before him for trial, and if he does it with good conscience in the
interest of the efficiency of administration of justice, there is no doubt
that he will pass the right judgment.
He who stands before you or Us for trial is equally our brother. To
think that we may tomorrow find ourselves in his place, that posterity
will also find itself in the same difficult situation, in a fundamental
applicable to all professions.
As unfairness and loss of faith in justice torments both the body and
the soul, we urge you to keep yourselves away from befalling such a
calamity. Let the Almighty God engrave these words in the heart of
everyone of us.
| Haile Selassie the First - August 24, 1961 |
| Addressing Judges On Justice And The Law Aug. 24, 1961 |
| ... Since in the scale of creation all men are born equal, it is imperative that all laws should be equitable in their application. For, what is the foundation of freedom and what are the reasons that men cherish it if they are not equal before the law?.... |
It is an accepted criterion all over the world to elect judges on the
basis of their merit and not on any other considerations. In Ethiopia,
the Kings received their mission from God and the allegiance of the
people because they have faith in the justice of their actions.
What Our Minister of Justice in his speech has said on your behalf as
well as the four-day conference that your have attended will
undoubtedly contribute to your enlightenment.
Our history shows that the Emperors and Kings decided cases and
handed down judgment based on precedents and the prevailing
custom. They were assisted by the "Fetha Negest," a legal code
compiled by learned ecclesiastics. It was even a custom to bury a
copy of this code with the Rulers -- an act symbolizing the fact that
while dispensing justice in their life-time they had not deviated from the
provisions of the "Fetha Negest".
Since in the scale of creation all men are born equal, it is imperative
that all laws should be equitable in their application. For, what is the
foundation of freedom and what are the reasons that men cherish it if
they are not equal before the law? The answer is clear to all of you.
With the assistance of Our elders We have stiven to improve the
judicial system of our country from the time that We accepted the high
responsibility of leading the destiny of Our nation, realizing that this is
part of our trust. As Saint Paul said: "Where specific law exists, try
according to the law, where there exists no code of law, try according
to your conscience."
As you have mentioned in your speech We have been continuously
exercised with the task of dispensing justice with equity. And you
must be aware of the enormous effort that we have devoted to the
promulgation of the Civil and Criminal Codes and to secure the service
of foreign legal experts to assist in the execution of these tough tasks
both before and after the promulgation of the Constitution.
This is not the first time that We have addressed an assembly of this
nature. While some of you had actually attended the meeting that was
held earlier at the same place, those of you who were not present must
have read about it.
Those who are selected as judges must realize their great
responsibilities, for a judge must endeavour to discover the truth so
that his judgment will always be impartial and unbiased. He must,
morever, strive to overcome fear and to resist temptations such as
those of pecuniary gains and favouritism and any other practices that
might prevent him from the proper execution of his duties. He should,
in addition, seek guidance form the Almighty God, be true to his
conscience and examine objectively cases brought before him to aid
him in avoiding malpractices.
basis of their merit and not on any other considerations. In Ethiopia,
the Kings received their mission from God and the allegiance of the
people because they have faith in the justice of their actions.
What Our Minister of Justice in his speech has said on your behalf as
well as the four-day conference that your have attended will
undoubtedly contribute to your enlightenment.
Our history shows that the Emperors and Kings decided cases and
handed down judgment based on precedents and the prevailing
custom. They were assisted by the "Fetha Negest," a legal code
compiled by learned ecclesiastics. It was even a custom to bury a
copy of this code with the Rulers -- an act symbolizing the fact that
while dispensing justice in their life-time they had not deviated from the
provisions of the "Fetha Negest".
Since in the scale of creation all men are born equal, it is imperative
that all laws should be equitable in their application. For, what is the
foundation of freedom and what are the reasons that men cherish it if
they are not equal before the law? The answer is clear to all of you.
With the assistance of Our elders We have stiven to improve the
judicial system of our country from the time that We accepted the high
responsibility of leading the destiny of Our nation, realizing that this is
part of our trust. As Saint Paul said: "Where specific law exists, try
according to the law, where there exists no code of law, try according
to your conscience."
As you have mentioned in your speech We have been continuously
exercised with the task of dispensing justice with equity. And you
must be aware of the enormous effort that we have devoted to the
promulgation of the Civil and Criminal Codes and to secure the service
of foreign legal experts to assist in the execution of these tough tasks
both before and after the promulgation of the Constitution.
This is not the first time that We have addressed an assembly of this
nature. While some of you had actually attended the meeting that was
held earlier at the same place, those of you who were not present must
have read about it.
Those who are selected as judges must realize their great
responsibilities, for a judge must endeavour to discover the truth so
that his judgment will always be impartial and unbiased. He must,
morever, strive to overcome fear and to resist temptations such as
those of pecuniary gains and favouritism and any other practices that
might prevent him from the proper execution of his duties. He should,
in addition, seek guidance form the Almighty God, be true to his
conscience and examine objectively cases brought before him to aid
him in avoiding malpractices.
| Ignorance No Excuse |
No judge could claim ignorance or poverty as an excuse for shortcomings
in the administration of justice because he can neither shirk the
responsibility entrusted to him by the Crown nor perjure his God-given
conscience. It will be found that physical and material handicaps which
are often short-lived and transitory are not so harmful as finding one's self
faced with a guilty conscience. Whenever conflict arises between material
and spiritual values the conscience plays an important role, and anyone
who suffers from a guilty conscience is never free from this problem until
he makes peace with his conscience. As you all are cognizant of those
things which displeased God and brings forth shame, temptations should
be rigorously resisted.
Justice is the fundamental axiom for the survival of freedom and
government.
We have always been endeavouring to see that what is benefiting people
elsewhere in the world is made available to Our own people. For this
reason We ourselves have been receiving appeals in Our Court. Ordinary
small cases which naturally cannot be handled by Us because of shortage
of time have been entrusted to our Ministry of Justice and other judicial
authorities in the faith that justice will be dispensed with equality in
accordance with the responsibility bestowed upon Us by the Almighty God.
The problem of administering justice is not a thing which exists only in
Ethiopia; it exists all over the world. As judges do demand justice for
themselves, you should endeavour to administer justice with equity,
remembering the words of Jesus Christ that man cannot live on bread
alone; he has a spirit to care for.
Our people have always been demanding justice. He who seeks justice
knows the value of justice too. This testifies to the maturity of Our
people. This has been said time and again in history and is not something
new. For this reason We are proud of Our people. We say this to you so
that there will be improvement in the future in the administration of
justice. Although there might have been failures in the past there is no
doubt you have endeavoured to administer justice squarely. In order to
satisfy all the demands of all the people, time is required. As We have
already pointed out, that which does not give time is the feeling of a guilty
conscience. We should try to avoid it with all our efforts.
in the administration of justice because he can neither shirk the
responsibility entrusted to him by the Crown nor perjure his God-given
conscience. It will be found that physical and material handicaps which
are often short-lived and transitory are not so harmful as finding one's self
faced with a guilty conscience. Whenever conflict arises between material
and spiritual values the conscience plays an important role, and anyone
who suffers from a guilty conscience is never free from this problem until
he makes peace with his conscience. As you all are cognizant of those
things which displeased God and brings forth shame, temptations should
be rigorously resisted.
Justice is the fundamental axiom for the survival of freedom and
government.
We have always been endeavouring to see that what is benefiting people
elsewhere in the world is made available to Our own people. For this
reason We ourselves have been receiving appeals in Our Court. Ordinary
small cases which naturally cannot be handled by Us because of shortage
of time have been entrusted to our Ministry of Justice and other judicial
authorities in the faith that justice will be dispensed with equality in
accordance with the responsibility bestowed upon Us by the Almighty God.
The problem of administering justice is not a thing which exists only in
Ethiopia; it exists all over the world. As judges do demand justice for
themselves, you should endeavour to administer justice with equity,
remembering the words of Jesus Christ that man cannot live on bread
alone; he has a spirit to care for.
Our people have always been demanding justice. He who seeks justice
knows the value of justice too. This testifies to the maturity of Our
people. This has been said time and again in history and is not something
new. For this reason We are proud of Our people. We say this to you so
that there will be improvement in the future in the administration of
justice. Although there might have been failures in the past there is no
doubt you have endeavoured to administer justice squarely. In order to
satisfy all the demands of all the people, time is required. As We have
already pointed out, that which does not give time is the feeling of a guilty
conscience. We should try to avoid it with all our efforts.
| Expansion |
| Chapter VI |
| Legal & Constitutional |