There is none better qualified than myself and these people who were in the war with me to provide the League of Nations with this indisputable testimony.
If Europe reckons this matter to be an accomplished fact, then it is proper to consider this fate which awaits it and which is bound to come upon it.
The appeal which my envoys presented to the League of Nations when this tribulation descended upon my army and my people has remained without obtaining any reply. My envoys have not been in this war and, since they themselves have not witness the afflictions suffered by Ethiopia and her people, I have resolved to come myself to describe the criminal acts perpetrated against my people.
It is not necessary, is it, to remind the General Assembly of the League of Nations meeting here today of what has happened to Ethiopia and Ethiopians over this period of time?
For the past twenty years, when working first as Crown Prince and Regent of the Ethiopian realm and later as Emperor and leader of my people, I have not ceased from striving to obtain for my country the benefits of modern civilization and,in particular, to establish relations of good neighborliness with adjacent governments. With Italy especially I concluded a treaty of friendship in 1928 which prohibited the resort to war under any circumstances whatsoever and provided for any dispute arising between the two governments to be settled amicably and by arbitration, a procedure which the nations of the world have made the basis for the peace of all people.
In the declaration which the committee of thirteen governments prersented on 6th of October 1936, it told me expressly that I worked to cultivate peace. The text was as follows:
The nations had considered that, by her entry into the League and by affording her new confidence that her territorial integrity would not be impaired and her independence not be destroyed, Ethiopia would attain a higher level of civilization than she possessed now. In present day Ethiopia there does not appear to be lack of security and the conditions of lawlessness that could still be seen in 1923. In fact, the country has become more united than before, and the authority of the central government is more respected than in the past.
If the Italian government had not created all sorts of troubles for our people by pushing some men to raise up revolts in Ethiopia and by giving arms to the rebels, the work which I have been doing for my people would have been even more beneficial and would have shown much better results.
The Rome government has indeed openly admitted that it has been preparing unceasingly plans to take Ethiopia by means of war. Thus all the treaties with Ethiopia which it had signed were not sincere. The fact that it had signed this treaty of friendship in particular was intended to serve the purpose of concealing their real evil plans.
The Italian government has confirmed its preparations for war against Ethiopia for the past fourteen years, to undertake what it has now obtained by bruteforce. Therefore, it is possible to say that it was doing things to undermine the confidence of the world when it aided and supported the admission of Ethiopia to the League of Nations. in the year 1923, when it concluded the treaty of friendship in 1928, and when it signed the treaty of Paris to outlaw war. The Ethiopian government, however, believed to find in all these treaties, concluded with great solemnity, fresh confidence that it was possible to accomplish the work it had initiated with all its heart and strength to lead the country on a peaceful path towards civilization.
If I can find the time I will post some more of this speech of His majesty which he presented at the League of Nations in the year 1936.
It is very clear from the above that justice was not given to the Ethiopians and this is some thing which we as African people everywhere must teach to our children, so that it can be past on from generation to generation.
The journey of life continues. Take the best care of yourselves and your people.
Again I send many oceans of blessings and self determination to African people everywhere.
ONE BLACK HEART ONE BLACK LOVE.
Baba Ras Marcus.
