Memorandum submitted by the Moslem League to The Emperor of Ethiopia, Asmara, 1956

Some of us try to tarnish the Moslem League (ML) as an Islamic organisation, but read this memo and see not only, how far national the Moslem League was, but how much versed and diplomatic our politicians were, then. There is no single demand concerning Muslims in this memo: 

4. FO371/118744. Memorandum submitted by the Moslem League to
H.I.M. The Emperor of Ethiopia, Asmara, 3.1. 1956 corresponding to
20 Jamad Awal, 1375

To: H.I.M. The Emperor of Ethiopia, Sovereign of the Federation. Through: H.I.M Representative in Eritrea.

With due respect to your Imperial Majesty, the Moslem League in Eritrea has the pleasure to welcome your fourth visit to Eritrea. The Moslem League in this opportunity begs to submit to Your Imperial Majesty the following:

1. The Moslem League considers its first duty to see that the Federation and the autonomy of Eritrea under the Sovereignty of Your Imperial Crown are safeguarded.

2. The outstanding problems of the Rights of Eritrea in the domestic and Federal fields constitute the prime concern for the Eritrean people. Their immediate solution is but an urgent necessity. Your Majesty, undoubtedly remembers the letter which has been submitted to You at the end of January, 1953, and the Memorandum submitted by the people on February 1954 in this regard. The Moslem Conference which was held on first and second December, 1955 had also submitted to H.E. The Chief Executive, to H.E. The President of the Eritrean Assembly, and to the members of the Assembly similar requests aiming at the improvement of the domestic machinery of administration and the problem of restoring to Eritrea its right in the Federation.

3. The term of the present Legislative Assembly is due to terminate in a few months, and if the unsolved problems are left to the second Legislative Assembly, we believe that it will create misgivings in the minds of the people and would be detrimental to both the states of the Federation.

4. According to what have been stated above, we beg Your Majesty to see that all the outstanding matters between the two Governments in the Federation are solved in an amicable way and brotherly deliberation and in the light of United Nations Resolution and the Eritrean Constitution so that every member in the Federation could know its just share, such as internal communications as provided for in Article 5(J) of the Eritrean Constitution, and the just and equitable share of Eritrea of the expenses of the Federal functions as provided for in Article 6(1) and also the revenue from Custom Duties on goods entering or leaving the Federation as provided for in Article 6(3) thereof. By effecting this, misunderstanding will disappear and in its stead cooperation and harmony will prevail.

5. Participation of the Eritreans in all the Federal functions whether Legislative, Executive, or Judicial organs conformably to Article 5 of the United Nations Resolution. The Moslem League also begs that Eritreans participate in the defence, foreign and diplomatic affairs, Currency, Finance, Commerce and Foreign Communications including the administration of the Eritrean Ports as provided in Article 3 of the United Nations Resolution.

The persons who act in the said organs should be selected by the Eritrean Government according to Article 80 of the Eritrean constitution. We further beg that passports for travel in the foreign country be titled the Imperial Ethiopian-Eritrean Federation.

6. We believe that democratic principles necessitate that legislation is provided for by the people as shown in Article 18 of the Eritrean Constitution. Therefore the Moslem League begs that all the new drafts of proclamation, laws and Federal application, issued after 11 September, 1952, be referred to the concerned Eritreans so that they, as a second member in the Federation, could give an opinion thereon.

7. It happened that the Government of Eritrea has chosen ten persons to represent Eritrea in the Imperial Federal Council and the Chamber of Federal Deputies, but up to now the people did not know what services have been rendered by them. Therefore the Moslem Conference begs that full reports of their activities, past and present, be issued. We have recently learnt that the five Eritrean members in the Imperial Federal Council have been removed from their office, but we do not know the reasons.

8. The situation of Eritrea as to the standard of living, employment, economic and commercial activities need be the concern of Your Majesty in that the different classes of people could secure the necessary means of living, find new projects to work on, thereby improvements in economics and commerce could be had.

9. The fundamental prerequisite in the pursuit of happiness and the progress of our country is the maintenance of the unity of the people and the extinction of the element of dissension among them. This can only be attained by effecting equality among the citizens of the country without allowing a certain group to have domination upon the other. Therefore, the Moslem League begs that observance for such equality among the citizens be had in the various governmental and public services.

10. We beg Your Majesty to pardon the paper “Voice of Eritrea”, and its editor Elias Toclu.
11. The above are some of the important points that Moslem League begs to invite Your Attention to, hoping that our request would meet the approval of Your Majesty. We have the honour to convey our highest esteem and respect and Loyalty to Your Majesty.

May Your Majesty accept our cordial regards and congratulations for Your gracious visit to Eritrea.
Copy to:
H.E. The Chief Executive of Eritrea.
H.E. The President of the Eritrean Assembly.

Source: The Federal Experience by Tekeste Negash