SECURITY
After, through
God's mercy, We were able to liberate Our country from fascist invasion, one of
Our major administrative tasks in the process of raising the standard of living
of Our people was the organization of the Armed Forces and the Police.
In pre-war days it
was the custom to provide the Armed Forces and the Police with provisions, and
they were given land holdings. This was superseded immediately after the
Liberation by a salary together with the supply of uniforms and other military
requirements. It was a mark of pride to see Our servicemen adapt their
traditional and customary habits to the modern military organization, to see
them trained in the execution of up-to-date tactics and in the use of modern
weapons.
Although thorough
military organization requires a great deal of money and much sacrificial
labour, We still pressed forward with the programmes of establishing military
schools to train Our Armed Forces.
In addition to
promoting Our officers in various ranks in recent times We, being aware of the
necessity of other ranks and the rank and file to share in better living conditions
and in sound health, established military hospitals, increased their salaries
and added allowances for their children.
Today, the sum of
Eth.$1,500,000 has been added to the budget of the Armed Forces including the
police which will provide salary increases over and above the previous made for
uniform, hospitalization and family allowance.
Moreover, We have
given orders today that all those who have not benefited previously should be
given one gasha of free-hold land each. Officials have already been assigned to
see that this order is executed. The reason is clear, for money is expendable
while land, being real estate, is permanent and transferable to your children.
It is not enough
just to say that one owns land. The grant will be organized so that the
recipients could co-operate together for its exploitation.
The land
distribution declaration which We made today includes the Police Force and is
ordered effective from November 23, 1958.
We should like to
remind you before concluding that, just as your fathers and forefathers, with
the Almighty as the source of their defence, never yielded to enemy force or
propaganda in preserving the freedom of Our country, so you, strengthened by
your inherited valour coordinated with the modem military techniques you have
acquired, are expected to fulfil the high tasks with which you have been
assigned.
To maintain one's
personal freedom in honour demands self-sacrifice which, in turn, calls for
valour and loyalty. We command devotion to duty so that by your glorious
military exploits, you could preserve the honour and freedom of your country.
Nov. 15, 1948
Selected Speeches of His Imperial Majesty Haile
Selassie - page 591 -
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