By Kidane Alemayehu
Global Alliance for Justice – The Ethiopian Cause (GAJEC)
www.globalallianceforethiopia.org
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Ethiopian
Patriots
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SUMMARY
1) The effects of the Italian Fascists war crimes in Ethiopia;
2) The special relationship between the Vatican and the Fascists;
3) The role of the Vatican in the Fascist aggression in Ethiopia;
4) The lack of UN recognition of the Fascist war crimes in
Ethiopia;
5) The Vatican’s and Italian Government’s Action so far;
6) Objectives, strategy and activities of the Global Alliance
for Justice - The Ethiopian Cause;
7) Collaboration with the Ethiopian Patriotic Association;
8) Conclusion.
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Photos showing evidences of the
Fascists war crimes in Ethiopia
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1.Effects of Italian Fascists War Crimes in Ethiopia:
(a) Ethiopia’s Immense Losses:
 1 million Ethiopians killed including:
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30,000 murdered within three days in Addis Ababa alone;
Over 300 monks and clergy killed at Debre Libanos
monastery;
Two Ethiopian Orthodox church bishops: Abune Petros and
Abune Michael killed;
2,000 Ethiopian Orthodox Churches destroyed;
525,000 homes destroyed;
14 million animals killed;
An environmental disaster from the poison gas sprayed
throughout Ethiopia.
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(b) The Main Purposes of the Fascists:
(i)Revenge for the Italian defeat at Adowa:
 In his famous letter to the League of Nations, Emperor
Haile Selassie I had stated:
 “Italy is determined not to finalize the issue peacefully. Her
aim is to spill a lot of blood for a revenge of Adowa.”
(ii)Colonization of Ethiopia.
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c) Weapons used by the Fascists:
Internationally illegal poison gas sprayed by numerous
airplanes; Tanks, bombs, and other regular weapons;
 Emperor Haile Selassie had stated:
“Italian airplanes came in drones of 9, 15, and 18 to drop
rains of poison gas on people, animals, rivers and streams as
well as pastures.”
 His Imperial Majesty had further stated:
“The picture of many thousands of soldiers as well as rural
people including women and children who were burned to
death by the poison gas used by the enemy is still etched in
our mind.”
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2. The Special Relationship Between the Fascists and
the Vatican
 Source: Avro Manhattan: “The Vatican in World Politics”
(1949)
 Prior to 1922, the Vatican and the Fascists were adversaries.
The Vatican had a so-called Catholic Party.
 In1922, the Vatican led by Pope Pius XI and the Fascists
headed by Mussolini formed a strong partnership.
 Pope Pius XI dissolved the Catholic Party and paved the
way for the Fascists to take control of Italy.
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 On December 20, 1926, Pope Pius XI declared:
“Mussolini is the man sent by Providence.”
 In October 1928, the Lateran Treaty was signed between
Pope Pius XI and Mussolini according to which The Vatican
was recognized as an independent sovereign state.
 The Fascists also provided a substantial amount of money
to shore up the ailing bank serving The Vatican.
 The main reason for the symbiotic relationship between the
Pope and the Fascist Duce was their mutual dislike for
democracy, socialism, and human rights.
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Avro Manhattan stated:
 “It was the alliance of these two men, Pius XI and
Mussolini, that influenced so greatly the social and
political pattern, not only of Italy, but also of the
rest of Europe in the years between the two world
wars.”
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3. The Vatican’s Role in the Fascist Aggression Against
Ethiopia
 Mussolini’s main ally in his aggression against Ethiopia was,
therefore, The Vatican’s Pope Pius XI.
 Manhattan states:
“Thus the Church became the religious weapon of the Fascist State;
while the Fascist State became the secular arm of the Church.”
 Pope Pius XI’s support to Mussolini was effective in arousing the
enthusiasm of the Italian population for the war against Ethiopia as
well as, “above all, to influence the proceedings of the League of
Nations itself by indirectly making the Catholic representatives of
the many Catholic countries who were members of the League
understand that they should not vote against Fascist Italy”.
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Photo of a Vatican/Catholic clergy blessing the
Fascist army and weapons
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 Pope Pius XI considered Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia as a “defensive” war.
When the Italian occupation of Ethiopia was achieved, “practically the whole
world condemned Mussolini, all except the Pope”. (quoted by Manhattan from
Teeling, “The Pope in Politics”).
 On May 12, 1936, Pope Pius XI expressed his jubilation by stating:
“The triumphant joy of an entire, great and good people over a place which, it
is hoped and intended, will be an effective contribution and prelude to the true
place in Europe and the World.”
 The Pope’s joy was expressed in a more cogent and graphic declaration by the
Archbishop of Torano with the following words:
“The war against Ethiopia should be considered as a holy war, a crusade” (as
Italian victory would) “open Ethiopia, a country of infidels and schismatics, to
the expansion of the Catholic Faith.”
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4. The UN and The Fascist War Crime in Ethiopia
 There is a need for an effort to ensure that the UN
includes the Fascist war crime in Ethiopia in its
historic canals.
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5. The Vatican’s and Italian Government’s Action so far
 No action so far by The Vatican. Not even an apology.
*Repeated apology to the Jews.
*In process of elevating Pope Pius XII to sainthood.
Please see an
article entitled: “Why is The Vatican Adding Insult to
Injury on
Ethiopia” by KA.
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5. The Vatican’s and Italian Government’s Action
so far cont
 The Italian Government’s Compensation for the
Fascist War Crimes in Ethiopia:
*A miniscule compensation of £6 million in 1947
which was used for the construction of the Koka Dam;
*$5 billion compensation to Libya for having been
colonized by Italy and the deployment of 20,000
Libyans in the Fascist aggression on Ethiopia.
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6. David Willey BBC News, Rome
August 15, 2012
A political row has erupted in Italy after a memorial was opened to fascist
commander Field Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, a convicted war criminal.
Field Marshal Graziani, also known as the Butcher of Fezzan, is known in
history books for his brutality in putting down a local rebellion in Cyrenaica,
Libya, in the 1920.
He is also notorious for the massacre of thousands of Ethiopians in another
of Italy’s colonial wars a decade later, where he is reported to have said: “The
Duce [Mussolini] will have Ethiopia with or without the Ethiopians”.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The mayor of the village of Affile attended the opening ceremony on
Saturday, together with a representative from the Vatican.
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ፊልድ-ማርሻል ሮዶልፎ ግራዚያኒ፤ “የኢትዮጵያ ጨፍጫፊ” አስቸኳይ መግለጫ
ነሐሴ 11 ቀን 2004 ዓ/ም
ለአንድ ሚሊዮን ኢትዮጵያውያን መጨፍጨፍ ተጠያቂ ለሆነው የጦር ወንጀለኛ መታሰቢያ መቋቋሙን በማውገዝ የወጣ መግለጫ
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8. Objectives, Strategy, and Actions by the Global Alliance
for Justice – The Ethiopian Cause (GJAEC)
www.globalalliancefor ethiopia.org
8.1 Basic objective: to achieve justice for the Ethiopian people for the war
crimes committed by the Italian Fascists with the complicit support of
the Vatican.
8.2 Strategy:
(a) Initial focus on the achievement of a Vatican apology to
the Ethiopian people as well as restitution of items looted by Fascists from
Ethiopia;
(b) The inclusion of the Fascists war crimes in UN records;
(c) Adequate reparation by the Italian government to the Ethiopian people.
(d) Dismantlement of Graziani’s memorial park
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8.3 Actions by GAJEC:
(a)Letters to the Vatican requesting a formal apology to the Ethiopian people;
(b) International appeal posted on www.globalalliancefor ethiopia.org asking
for a formal apology by the Vatican to the Ethiopian people; over 2,500
people from over 30 countries have signed so far;
(c) Restitution cases with the help of Dr. Richard Pankhurst and Dr. Jon Levy:
(i) “Tsehay” airplane;
(ii) Manuscripts looted by Fascist Encrico Ceruli;
(iii) Two huge documents looted from Debre Libanos monastery;
(d) Enhancing awareness through website and various media
including radio (e.g. VOA);
(e) Initiating contact with the Ethiopian Patriotic Association;
(f) Press release and a statement demanding that the Italian Government
dismantle the Graziani Mausoleum.
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Photos of Sylvia, and Richard Pankhurst
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 GAJEC has requested EPA’s support ; appreciation of
the positive Discussions;
 EPA is communicating with the concerned Ministry;
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10.Conclusion
10.1 The huge, extensive Fascist war crime perpetrated
against Ethiopia with the complicit support of The
Vatican is still calling for justice;
10.2 As a Christian entity, The Vatican should apologize
to the Ethiopian people for its complicity with the
Fascist war crimes;
10.3 The Vatican as well as the Italian Government
should undertake their responsibilities in terms of
restitution as well as adequate reparations;
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10.Conclusion Cont.
10.4 All people who believe in human rights
including Ethiopians should strive for the
achievement of the long outstanding justice to
the Ethiopian people;
10.5 A special call for action is conveyed to the
Eth Patriotic Association, the media, academic
and other relevant institutions as well as, in
particular, the youth to join hands in fighting for
the Ethiopian Cause.
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Ethiopian
Patriots
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