TO THE HARAR MILITARY ACADEMY
...Educated
for war, you must strive to preserve peace...
We
have been blessed, during Our lifetime, in having been spared to see the fruits
of the labours which We have expended on behalf of the advancement and progress
of Our beloved country bloom and ripen before Our very eyes. In the decades
which have passed since, by the Grace of Almighty God, We were called to the
throne of this, Our Empire, We have seen Our country grow and flourish, We have
seen Ethiopia emerge free and victorious from the trials and oppressions of the
period of invasion, We have witnessed succeeding generations of the youth of
Our Empire come of age and rededicate themselves to the cause of their
Motherland. And each year, We have been fortunate indeed in that We have seen
the fulfilment of old dreams, the attainment of goals established long ago.
One
such event We celebrate today, when the first class of officer cadets, educated
at the Haile Selassie I Academy graduate from this institution to take their
place in the Officer Corps of the Imperial Ethiopian Armed Forces. This is a
proud day indeed, and grateful thanks are due to all who have in any way
contributed to this achievement; those who assisted Us in the planning of the
project; the Officers of Our Army who have co-operated in the operation of the
Academy; Brigadier Rawlley and the officers of the Indian Army and the Indian
civilians who have toiled so selflessly in the education of these cadets; the
Indian Government, which so generously placed these instructors at the
Academy's disposal.
When
We first decided to staff this Academy with Indian Officers, it was Our sincere
belief that they would do their utmost to meet Our desire. We thank General
Thimayya for his kind remarks and for the advice he has given to the Cadets.
In
the midst of these celebrations, We would only add some words concerning the
significance of this day for the graduates who are filed here before Us. To you
new officers now falls a high measure of responsibility for the protection of
your country, which has made such great sacrifices on your behalf, against any
enemy, coming from whatever quarter, who would harm her or rob her people of
the precious gift of freedom in defence of which your forefathers sacrificially
shed their blood. Just as life is characterized by pleasure and pain, in the
fulfilment of your high mission you will inevitably encounter both of these
attributes.
To
discharge this duty, you must at all times maintain yourselves at the peak of
mental and physical standard. You must be loyal, of high moral character and
cultivate the habit of eternal vigilance. You must be courageous in the face of
danger and tireless on the field of battle. You must inspire confidence in
those you lead and show them, by your example, that the defence of their
Motherland is paramount and must be placed above all else.
But
another, equally important, responsibility will be yours in the years to come.
For, although you have been trained for warfare and battle, you must strive, by
all honourable means at your disposal, to assure that these circumstances which
will call into action the very skills and techniques in which you have been
trained never come into existence. Educated for war, you must strive to
preserve peace. Warfare never had made and can never make an affirmative
contribution to the welfare of mankind; good cannot grow out of evil. Ethiopia
has, during the lifetime of almost all here present, been visited by the
horrors of modern warfare, and the memories and scars which it left upon Our
country are vivid and visible for all to see.
But,
as terrible as the war was, many hundredfold worse would be warfare at this
time; indeed warfare today would threaten the very existence of mankind. Were
it possible effectively to outlaw war, no right-thinking person would hesitate
even for a moment in doing so. If it is not possible to do so today, it is only
because mankind, despite the lessons of history, has not yet learned to settle
disputes among peoples and nations by peaceful means. This also, must be your
task and your goal in your future careers.
War
Dreadful
The
power to wage war, then, is a dreadful one. As you advance in years, in rank
and We trust, in wisdom, do not be corrupted by this power. At the present time
the representatives of 98 nations are meeting in the United Nations General
Assembly to find an answer to one of the most cherished dreams of mankind, that
of peaceful disarmament, and to remedy the many causes that have so far divided
the nations of the world. Because of the divergence among the big powers on
disarmament and other world issues, however, our planet is torn between
conflicting interests.
Were
the wishes of the smaller nations given their rightful consideration, this
state of affairs would have yielded to the necessary solution. Since these
smaller nations do not possess the power to implement their recommendations,
their advice has thus far gone unheeded. Nevertheless, because mankind cannot
abandon hope the struggle must continue. In the present session of the General
Assembly We understand that a group of leaders such as Prime Minister Nehru are
trying to find a compromise to bring the two opposing blocs together. Since We
subscribe in principle to the same vein of thought, We hope that something
fruitful will result from their endeavours.
It
is in support of the principle of collective security that We have dispatched
Our troops to the Congo under the auspices of the United Nations to maintain
law and order and to preserve the integrity of the new Republic, without
interference in the internal affairs of that country. The fact is that these
troops have encountered certain obstacles in the execution of their duties.
The
Congo problem has not as yet been resolved not only because of the East-West
conflict but as well because of the lack of solidarity among the Independent
African States. This absence of solidarity and the East-West divergence on the
issue has created a regrettable and painful situation. In this the Congolese
people in particular must suffer the consequences, but, in the final analysis,
it is detrimental to the whole of Africa.
While
We do not anticipate that these observations and circumstances would encompass
you or future generations, We have cited them so that in the execution of your
future duties which will not be limited only to the military field, if they
occur, you will be able to evaluate them and be in a better position to
undertake your responsibilities. You should continue without fail to broaden
and develop your knowledge. For a person who claims to know everything, as the
Scriptures say, is like “sounding brass and tinkling cymbal.”
Use
your knowledge for good, to preserve peace among men. Your prayers today should
be two-fold. First, that never, during your lifetime will you ever be called
upon to fire a shot in battle; secondly, if you are required to do so, that you
will acquit yourselves well in the hoary Ethiopian tradition.
We extend
warm greetings to the Military Representatives of friendly countries who, in
response to Our invitation, have come here today to partake with Us in the joy
of this event.
Oct 3, 1960
Selected Speeches of His Imperial Majesty Haile
Selassie - page 606 -
