There were two holocausts. The one that is acknowledged and commemorated and the one that has long been hidden: the Ethiopian holocaust.
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The Ethiopian holocaust resulted from Benito Mussolini’s attempt to expand his African empire beyond Somaliland and Eritrea. Other European countries had carved up most of Africa and he was scrambling for a larger share. In 1934, Mussolini initiated his move against Ethiopia in a minor border incident, prompting emperor Haile Selassie to appeal to the League of Nations for mediation. Britain and France ignored his request for assistance; Mussolini invaded Ethiopia in 1935. Churchill later admitted that the invasion helped build Mussolini’s great power.
“I, Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, am here today to claim . . . the justice that is due my people and the assistance promised to it eight months ago by 52 nations who asserted that an act of aggression had been committed in violation of international treaties,” he declared. He concluded prophetically, “It is us today. It will be you tomorrow.”
Nyah, a Rastafarian and 46-year-old mother of six, works within the prison system to educate chaplains on Rastafarian theology. She writes and produces cable TV shows on the topic.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photos/Yael Routtenberg.
