AFROMET press release 30 June 04

Two of Ethiopia's most senior politicians today threw their weight behind a campaign to persuade Edinburgh University to return five stolen sacred manuscripts.

Teshome Toga, Ethiopian Minister of Youth Sports and Culture, and Dawit Yohannes, Speaker of Ethiopia's House of People's Representatives [its parliament], have written to staff at the University library, asking them to hand over the holy books that were taken from Ethiopia by British troops more than 130 years ago.

The two high-profile appeals will arrive just days ahead of a key University meeting which could decide the fate of the manuscripts. It is understood that the University Court will discuss the issue at its meeting on Monday, July 5.

The letters mark a significant boost for an ongoing campaign for the return of Ethiopian loot run by AFROMET – the Association for the Return of the Magdala Ethiopian Treasures (www.afromet.org).

AFROMET first wrote to Edinburgh University's Library in December after members found out that it had a collection of holy texts seized during the UK's invasion of Ethiopia in 1867/8.

Both politicians wrote directly to Dr John Scally, Edinburgh's Director of University Collections.

Dawit Yohannes wrote:

"We understand that AFROMET has raised the question of the possible restitution to Ethiopia of the Ethiopian Manuscripts looted in 1868, during the British Expedition to Magdala, and currently held in Edinburgh University Library. We feel that these manuscripts form an integral part of our heritage and that their looting was entirely unjustified. We fully support AFROMET in its initiative, and feel confident that the people of Scotland will respond to the justice of our cause."

Teshome Toga wrote:

"We learn from AFROMET that a number of British citizens have supported its efforts to obtain the return to Ethiopia of the Manuscripts looted in 1868, during the Napier Expedition to Magdala, and now held in the Edinburgh University Library. We Ethiopians feel that these manuscripts form an integral part of our heritage and that their looting was entirely unjustified. The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture strongly supports AFROMET in its attempts to restore these manuscripts to Ethiopia. We trust that Edinburgh University will respond to our appeal for justice."

Professor Richard Pankhurst, vice chair of AFROMET, today welcomed the support. "The letters show how deeply people in Ethiopia feel about getting these manuscripts back. I am sure the British people would feel the same if their cultural heritage was looted."

John McLuckie, chair of AFROMET in the UK, added: "AFROMET is delighted to receive such clear and strong support from the Ethiopian government. We look forward to the response of Edinburgh University Library to this call for justice and generosity."

The University has already received a stream of letters from AFROMET supporters, including the British Member of Parliament Derek Wyatt.

Mr Wyatt wrote: "These manuscripts were stolen...Had an Ethiopian army stolen the Stone of Scone you would expect them to return it."

British troops invaded Ethiopia in 1867 and 1868 after Emperor Theodore II imprisoned a number of European missionaries and diplomats, including Britain's Consul in the region.

The soldiers stormed the Emperor's mountain fortress of Magdala in April 1868, defeated his forces and freed the captives. After the battle they loaded 200 mules and 15 elephants with gold crowns, swords, altar slabs and manuscripts before burning Magdala to the ground.

The bulk of the plunder, including more than 400 manuscripts, made its way into institutions like the British Museum, the Queen's Library in Windsor Castle and Oxford's Bodleian Library. But a large number of smaller items were taken home by individual soldiers and ended up in private collections.

Edinburgh's five manuscripts appear to have been given to the university by officers, or friends of officers, in the campaign. The parchments include two copies of the Book of Psalms, one portion of the Gospels and two texts detailing the Acts of St George. They are handwritten in Ge'ez, the ancient language still used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian traditions in the world with more than 36m followers.

The University would be the second Edinburgh institution to return a piece of Magdala plunder. St John's Episcopal Church at the West End of Princes Street sparked huge celebrations in Ethiopia in 2002 when it returned an altar slab that had been given to the church by one of the officers in the campaign.

Institutions across the UK have recently shown a growing willingness to return artifacts and other remains taken during the UK's years of Empire. Earlier this month Glasgow City Councillors agreed to repatriate three Maori heads and a leg bone to New Zealand.