Petition for the Return of the Loot taken from Maqdala (Magdala) Ethiopia, in 1868.

  • Author:
    n/a
  • Send To:
    The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair,The British House of Commons: Culture, Media and Sport Committee, The British Library,The British Museum,The Royal Library, Windsor Castle,The Victoria and Albert Museum
  • Sponsored By:
    The Ethiopian Community and All Lovers of Justice throughout the World.
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"Recalling that the British Expedition against Emperor Tewodros, in 1868, looted the Ethiopian ruler's capital, Maqdala;

"Realising that this looting had no justification in international law, and was in fact an illegal act;

"Remembering that the loot, which was and transported on no less than fifteen elephants and almost 200 mules, included two royal crowns; almost 400 manuscripts, many of them beautifully illustrated; an icon of Christ with the Crown of Thorns, which the Ethiopian army traditionally took with it on campaign; a dozen, tabots, or altar stones; numerous processional and other crosses; two huge royal tents; the Emperor's great royal seal; the amulet he wore round his neck; and even hair from his head, etc., etc.;

"Bearing in mind that most of these artifacts were seized from the Church of Madhane Alam, or Saviour of the World, and thus constituted an undoubted act of sacrilege;

"Noting that the loot from Maqdala is no scattered in numerous British institutions, including the British Museum; the British Library; the Victoria and Albert Museum; the Royal Library, Windsor Castle; the Bodleian Library, Oxford; and Cambridge University Library; as well as in private possession;

We, the undersigned, support for the restitution to Ethiopia of the loot from Maqdala, as demanded by AFROMET, the Association for the Return of Maqdala Ethiopian Treasures".