The Observer 20 January 2002

His mother and grandmother took on the might of the British state and won women the vote. Now Dr Richard Pankhurst is leading Ethiopia's fight to throw off the last vestiges of imperial rule.

The son of Sylvia, grandson of Emmeline and nephew of Christabel, the founders of the Suffragette movement, Pankhurst is campaigning for the treasures looted by British soldiers during a battle in 1868 to be returned to the African nation and next weekend his dream will start to be realised in Edinburgh.

His mother and grandmother took on the might of the British state and won women the vote. Now Dr Richard Pankhurst is leading Ethiopia's fight to throw off the last vestiges of imperial rule.

The son of Sylvia, grandson of Emmeline and nephew of Christabel, the founders of the Suffragette movement, Pankhurst is campaigning for the treasures looted by British soldiers during a battle in 1868 to be returned to the African nation and next weekend his dream will start to be realised in Edinburgh.

A battered leather box was recently found by the Rev John McLuckie while he was looking for a communion set at St John the Evangelist Scottish Episcopal Church in the city's Princes Street.

The clergyman, who has worked in Ethiopia, was shocked when he opened the box to discover a carved piece of wood that he recognised as being a representation of the Ark of the Covenant, which the Israelites used to carry the Ten Commandments as they travelled to the Promised Land.

Representatives of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and government will arrive in Scotland next Saturday for a handing-over ceremony the following day and Pankhurst believes this should set a precedent. 'I have great admiration for John McLuckie,' he said. 'This is a noble act and there will be great celebration when this is returned.'

The Edinburgh artefact is one of a number of precious treasures taken from Ethiopia when troops went on the rampage at the mountain fortress of Maqdala. Many now rest in British institutions including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum and The National Library. The Maqdala Treasures are to Ethiopia what the Elgin Marbles are to Greece.

Pankhurst, who has the support of London Mayor Ken Livingstone, is adamant that all the booty, which includes a crown of gold and jewels and detailed documentation of the country's transition to Christianity, should be returned immediately.

Speaking to The Observer from his home in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, he said: 'The treasures taken from Maqdala are of great national importance to the people of this country. They were taken by soldiers of the British Army over 130 years ago and while the odd piece has returned, most are still in Britain. The items are of immense religious significance and should be back where they belong - displayed together at Maqdala.'

Recalling his discovery, McLuckie said: 'I saw this box and thought it might be what I was looking for, but it turned out to be something very different. I was amazed.

'I had worked in Ethiopia one summer and taken an interest in the Ethiopian church so I knew about these objects, though I had never seen one because they are kept in great secrecy and holiness. Their rightful place is in Ethiopia.'

Ethiopians see their loss as being even more serious than the Greeks', because of the size of the hoard and the violent way in which it was taken from the fortress. After the raid on Maqdala, parts of the treasure were auctioned off to senior officers to raise 'prize money' for the victorious British soldiers.

'The British capture of Maqdala, Emperor Theodore's mountain capital in north-west Ethiopia, took place on 13 April 1868,' said Pankhurst. 'The English troops, it is agreed by all observers, seized whatever valuables they could find in and around the citadel.'

The founder of the Institute of Ethiopian studies in Addis, Pankhurst inherited his interest in the African country from his mother. Following the struggle for universal suffrage in the UK, Sylvia Pankhurst campaigned against racism and Italy's occupation of Ethiopia. She was living in Bologna in 1919 when Italian troops rolled into Africa and saw Ethiopia as the first victim of Fascism.

Pankhurst's father was Silvo Corio, an Italian socialist his mother refused to wed because she would not take a man's name. This, combined with diverging political views, caused a rift between Sylvia and the rest of her family.

Born in 1927, Pankhurst grew up in London, where his mother continued to be politically active. She launched a number of newspapers including New Times and Ethiopia News, which circulated widely in Africa and called for an end to the Italian occupation. She died in Ethiopia in 1960.

A total of 10 tabots similar to the one found in Edinburgh are kept by The British Museum. A spokesman said: 'The British Museum seeks to promote understanding of world cultures by providing open access for all.

'The Museum's collections are vested in its trustees in accordance with legislation enacted by Parliament, which since 1753 has prohibited them from permanently disposing of any object and has required them to ensure that the collections are preserved for the benefit of international scholarship and the enjoyment of the public.'

The spokesman added, however, that the 10 tabots from Maqdala were not currently on public view.