University of Edinburgh press release 28 February 05


The University of Edinburgh Court, the governing body of the University, today announced that after careful consideration, it is at this time unable to meet the request made by the organisation AFROMET (i) regarding certain Ethiopian manuscripts currently held in the University of Edinburgh Collections. However, the Court has indicated a willingness to continue dialogue with AFROMET on this issue, as well as agreeing a number of measures to facilitate access to the manuscripts by the Ethiopian people and scholars.

Melvyn Cornish, University Secretary, said: "Having carefully evaluated the request and considered the recommendations of its own Advisory Group (ii), the University Court has decided it is unable to accede to the request from AFROMET to transfer the documents to Ethiopia at this time. But this does not necessarily mean that is the end of the matter. The Court recognises the need for continued engagement with AFROMET to ascertain whether there are ways of enabling access to the manuscripts on a mutually acceptable basis: this is in addition to other specific steps recommended by the Advisory Group and agreed by the Court. This will be pursued without delay."

The decision that AFROMET's request, which was expressed in general terms, could not be agreed was taken in the light of criteria for considering such requests previously laid down by the Court. It is the considered view of the University that conservation of the documents is of primary concern. Since acquiring these documents, the University Library has exercised good curatorial management over the manuscripts in accordance with current best practice. It has a responsibility to ensure that they are properly conserved in the future.

Regardless of the outcome of any further consideration of this matter, the Court has agreed that the University should work in partnership with AFROMET and University of Addis Ababa, to ensure that the manuscripts are accessible to the Ethiopian people and to scholars through appropriate copies, such as microfilms and digital scans, and that these should be made available to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at the University of Addis Ababa.

It also agreed that opportunities for collaboration, such as providing loans for exhibitions and participating in projects that enhance access to and awareness of Ethiopian culture, be explored.

Helen Hayes, Vice-Principal for Knowledge Management, said: "The manuscripts form a part of the overall richness and depth of the University's Collections. The University of Edinburgh plays a significant role as one of the world's leading research universities hosting scholars from all over the world and, through the use of leading edge technology, providing scholarly works to researchers. These manuscripts should be viewed within the context of an active research collection where the interaction of these items is important for scholarship both now and in the future."

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact Katrina Nevin-Ridley at the University of Edinburgh Press Office . Tel 0131 650 2250/9836, mobile 07973 481485 or email katrina.nevin-ridley@ed.ac.uk

AFROMET - The Association for the Return of The Maqdala (or Magdala) Ethiopian Treasures (www.afromet.org)

The Advisory Group was appointed after receipt of a request from AFROMET that "the University consider whether it would not be appropriate for [the] manuscripts to be returned to their country of origin: Ethiopia" Members of the Advisory Group met on 29 November 2004 and 19 January 2005, to consider the request from AFROMET in respect of the Ethiopian manuscripts (EUL Oriental MS 461-462; EUL Oriental MS 655; EUL Oriental MS 656; and EUL Oriental MS 673) currently held by the University of Edinburgh.

The Advisory Group comprised of the following members: Vice-Principal Professor Simon van Heyningen, Vice-Principal for Learning and Teaching; Lord Cameron of Lochbroom FRSE, Member of University Court and QC of High Court Justiciary, Scotland; Dr Ann Matheson, Secretary of General Council and Chairman of CERL (Consortium of European Research Libraries); Professor David Kerr, Professor of Christianity in the Non-Western World; Mr Martyn Wade, Librarian of National Library of Scotland; Vice-Principal Helen Hayes, Vice-Principal for Knowledge Management and Librarian to the University.

The University of Edinburgh has a policy/series of guidelines that is used to assess any requests that are made to the University from a recognised authority for the repatriation of items/objects from the University's collections. http://www.lib.ed.ac.uk/about/policy/collectionsrepat.shtml The University collections are the legal property of the University. Therefore, the University Court must approve the disposal of any items from the University collections in the manner proposed as this involves the transfer of title of University property.