| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Haile Selassie I |
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| Selected Speeches |
| The Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc. |
| The Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc. |
| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Selected Speeches |
| Haile Selassie the First - November 15, 1948 |
After, through God's mercy, We were able to liberate Our country from
fascist invasion, one of Our major administrative tasks in the process of
raising the standard of living of Our people was the organization of the
Armed Forces and the Police.
In pre-war days it was the custom to provide the Armed Forces and the
Police with provisions, and they were given land holdings. This was
superseded immediately after the Liberation by a salary together with the
supply of uniforms and other military requirements. It was a mark of
pride to see Our servicemen adapt their traditional and customary habits to
the modern military organization, to see them trained in the execution of
up-to-date tactics and in the use of modern weapons.
Although thorough military organization requires a great deal of money and
much sacrificial labour, We still pressed forward with the programmes of
establishing military schools to train Our Armed Forces.
In addition to promoting Our officers in various ranks in recent times We,
being aware of the necessity of other ranks and the rank and file to share
in better living conditions and in sound health, established military
hospitals, increased their salaries and added allowances for their children.
Today, the sum of Eth. $1,500,000 has been added to the budget of the
Armed Forces including the police which will provide salary increases
over and above the previous made for uniform, hospitalization and family
allowance.
Moreover, We have given orders today that all those who have not
benefited previously should be given one gasha of free-hold land each.
Officials have already been assigned to see that this order is executed.
The reason is clear, for money is expendable while land, being real estate,
is permanent and transferable to your children.
It is not enough just to say that one owns land. The grant will be
organized so that the recipients could co-operate together for its
exploitation.
The land distribution declaration which We made today includes the Police
Force and is ordered effective from November 23, 1958.
We should like to remind you before concluding that, just as your fathers
and forefathers, with the Almighty as the source of their defence, never
yielded to enemy force or propaganda in preserving the freedom of Our
country, so you, strengthended by your inherited valour co-ordinated with
the moder military techniques you have acquired, are expected to fulfil the
high tasks with which you have been assigned.
To maintain one's personal freedom in honour demands self-sacrifice
which, in turn, calls for valour and loyalty. We command devotion to
duty so that by your glorious military exploits, you could preserve the
honour and freedom of your country.
fascist invasion, one of Our major administrative tasks in the process of
raising the standard of living of Our people was the organization of the
Armed Forces and the Police.
In pre-war days it was the custom to provide the Armed Forces and the
Police with provisions, and they were given land holdings. This was
superseded immediately after the Liberation by a salary together with the
supply of uniforms and other military requirements. It was a mark of
pride to see Our servicemen adapt their traditional and customary habits to
the modern military organization, to see them trained in the execution of
up-to-date tactics and in the use of modern weapons.
Although thorough military organization requires a great deal of money and
much sacrificial labour, We still pressed forward with the programmes of
establishing military schools to train Our Armed Forces.
In addition to promoting Our officers in various ranks in recent times We,
being aware of the necessity of other ranks and the rank and file to share
in better living conditions and in sound health, established military
hospitals, increased their salaries and added allowances for their children.
Today, the sum of Eth. $1,500,000 has been added to the budget of the
Armed Forces including the police which will provide salary increases
over and above the previous made for uniform, hospitalization and family
allowance.
Moreover, We have given orders today that all those who have not
benefited previously should be given one gasha of free-hold land each.
Officials have already been assigned to see that this order is executed.
The reason is clear, for money is expendable while land, being real estate,
is permanent and transferable to your children.
It is not enough just to say that one owns land. The grant will be
organized so that the recipients could co-operate together for its
exploitation.
The land distribution declaration which We made today includes the Police
Force and is ordered effective from November 23, 1958.
We should like to remind you before concluding that, just as your fathers
and forefathers, with the Almighty as the source of their defence, never
yielded to enemy force or propaganda in preserving the freedom of Our
country, so you, strengthended by your inherited valour co-ordinated with
the moder military techniques you have acquired, are expected to fulfil the
high tasks with which you have been assigned.
To maintain one's personal freedom in honour demands self-sacrifice
which, in turn, calls for valour and loyalty. We command devotion to
duty so that by your glorious military exploits, you could preserve the
honour and freedom of your country.
| Chapter XIV |
| Security Nov. 15, 1948 |
| Security |
| The bitter experience of the 1930's has alerted His Imperial Majesty to the hard necessity of preparing for the defence and security of his realm. As could be gathered from the speeches below, though Ethiopia cherishes peace, it is one of the primordial responsibilities and the right of every nation to be able to defend itself against would-be aggressors. The Emperor considers Ethiopia's defence and security exertions not only for herself alone, but as a ready participant in collective security in defence of the sovereign integrity, especially of small states. |