Cyber Ethiopia

Abune Petros and Haddis Alemayehu Abune Petros Bitwodded Mekonnen Endalkatchew, one of whose works we considered last week, also wrote a play on the martyrdom, by Graziani on July 30, 1936, of the Ethiopian bishop, Abune Petros. This work, which sticks fairly closely to the story of this real-life victim of Graziani's terror, was entitled YeDem demts, i.e. "The Voice of Blood", and was later translated into English; it is in fact the only Amharic publication discussed in this paper yet available in a European language. The play opens in Graziani's office where the marshal is sitting at his desk. He rings a bell and summons his generals to discuss what they should do with their prisoner Abune Petros. Most of them advise that he should be made to

sign a manifesto of allegiance to the King of Italy, and then be given "plenty of money to carry on with his preaching, and to make a tool of him". General Maletti, on the other hand, objects, arguing: "...That's a policy of weakness, out of line with fascist principles. We mustn't forget that the Ethiopians have been proud of their independence, and of their Emperor's honour, for more than 3,000 years. And now, what they hear these ecclesiastics preaching is that the Emperor will be back inside three years". The general therefore urges the case for an execution, but Graziani replies that until the Italian occupation was internationally recognised it was "better for us to be patient with a well-known man of this kind... especially if we can get him to sign a declaration of loyalty to Victor Emanuel of Italy, and can bribe him into preaching our cause". Petros is accordingly brought into the presence of Graziani, who asks him why he had refused to submit to Mussolini, and "what profit would you gain by dying?" The prelate, in the course of a long speech, replies: "if my blood flows for my country on my native soil, I believe - I know - that is a gain". Discussing the fascist oppression of his country, he continues: Mekonnen Endalkatchew with Emperor Haile Sellassie in the Liberation compaig, 1941 "The violence with which the glorious Mussolini is acting is no new thing... Among the Roman Emperors there was one called Nero: in an excess of arrogance he took delight in watching houses burn, and for his burning of the city of Rome he was struck down by his own people, and died in ignominy. The fate of the glorious Mussolini cannot fail to be just like that." Graziani, angered by this reply, then orders the Abune to be removed from his presence. "An Association of Outlaws" In the next scene the viceroy sends some Ethiopian chiefs to reason with the prelate, but Petros is adamant, at one point declaring that the fascists were no more than "an association of outlaws, united and bound together by a bond of evil doing". In a subsequent Act we see Petros praying in his cell. He asks how it is that Ethiopia, which had never known an alien yoke, was now under fascist domination. An angel who visits him tells him to have courage, for the invaders "may kill your body, but they cannot kill your soul". The angel also informs him of the future martyrdom of the monks of Debra Libanos (who in the following year were to be executed on Graziani's orders), but declares: "Take heart; the freedom of Ethiopia shall be restored". In the final Act, Petros is taken to the market place for his execution. A fascist captain binds a piece of black cloth over his eyes, but he tears it off, declaring, "I wish to be a spectator of a death for my country". Then, turning to the crowd, he cries out: "O children of Ethiopia - my own children too - farewell! In the last minute that I have my word to you is this: I beg of you not to be ruled by your enemies the Fascist Government". The fascist captain of the guard then orders his men to fire, and the Abune falls to the ground with his arms outstretched like a cross, after which the captain shoots into the prelate's head with a revolver. YeShewa-Werk Haylu The year 1954-5 also witnessed the appearance of Netsannet kebré, i.e. "Independence My Honour", an eight act prose play by YeShewa-Werq Haylu, which told of the heroic deeds of the three sons of Debtera Mekuriya: Kebbede, Teffere and Mengesha, who, on learning of the Emperor's defeat at Mai Chew, and of the fascist use of poison gas, decided to join those continuing to resist against the invader. The three brothers, who are of course imaginary figures, though modelled on many real-life figures, later ambush a fascist contingent, and kill an Italian and a "native" soldier, and then attempt to escape to join a Patriot force at Deré Mika'él, but soon encounter another fascist force. In the ensuing skirmish Teffere is seriously wounded and captured, but succeeds in getting a message to his father who plans to rescue his son by a stratagem. He has his wife and daughter rush up to complain that the latter had been raped by one of the fascists. During the ensuing discussion Kebbede penetrates the enemy camp, and with his knife kills the soldier guarding his brother. Teffere and Kebbede then stealthily make good their escape. The brothers subsequently plan another attack on the fascists, but at that point news arrives that the Emperor has entered his native land, at Om Medla in the west of the country, and the play comes to an end amid general rejoicing. Mekonnen Zewde The following year, 1955-6, witnessed the appearance of YeMayChew Quselenya, i.e. "The Wounded Man of Mai Chew", by Mekonnen Zewde, a Church-educated scholar. The story tells the imaginary story of a wounded Ethiopian sergeant, Bedelu Terrefe, who survives the Ethiopian debacle at Mai Chew - and the enemy use of poison gas - and becomes a hero in the Patriot resistance, which continues until the eventual Liberation in 1941. Haddis Alemayyehu Two very different allegorical works touching on the country's fascist experience also appeared at this time. The first Teret teret Yemeseret, i.e. "Stories, Stories, from the Foundation", by Haddis Alemayyehu, one of the country's finest prose authors, contained the story of how the cat kingdom, which we may identify with fascist Italy, attempting to solve its problem of overpopulation, despatches explorers to the kingdom of the mice (Ethiopia), after which a treaty between the two countries is duly signed. It provides that the cats will establish hospitals and schools in the mouse kingdom, and in return mice will be shipped to the cat kingdom. As a result of the treaty the cats begin to establish themselves in the mice kingdom, while more and more mice travel to that of the cats. Despite the schools established by treaty it soon becomes apparent that none of the mice are in fact turning into cats. This realisation leads to considerable discontent on both sides. A new agreement is therefore concluded, according to which young mice are to be sent to study no longer in their own country, but in the cat kingdom itself. A mouse student, however, soon afterwards escapes from the cat kingdom, and reaching that of the mice, reveals to his shocked compatriots that all the mice sent out of their country are being eaten. Both sides thereupon prepare for war.