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 This was superseded immediately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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