Accra ,Ghana,May 26, 1965
``The first conference of the independent African states was held in Accra,
Ghana, on April 15, 1958. It was decided then to celebrate this historic day as
African Freedom Day. Until recently, April 15 was celebrated throughout our
continent as African Freedom Day.
However, two years ago today in May the Summit Conference of the Independent
African States, which was convened in Our Capital City of Addis Ababa, decreed
that May 25, the day on which the historic Charter of the Organization of
African Unity was signed, be celebrated every year as African Liberation Day.
Accordingly today is celebrated as African Liberation Day.
The African Unity Charter was signed two years ago today. Within this brief
period much has been accomplished that augurs well for African Unity. In
accordance with the resolution of the first Assembly of African Heads of State
and Government held in Cairo last year, the headquarters of the Organization of
African Unity has been established here in Addis Ababa. Under its
Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Diallo Telli, of Guinea, the Organization
is successfully discharging its responsibilities and commitments.
The Ethiopian people, who have struggled and made untold sacrifices for their
independence and freedom for thousands of years an independence that has been a
beacon for all of Africa today celebrate this day together with all Africans by
consolidating their freedom and independence with the freedom and independence
of their African brothers in the spirit of Modern Ethiopianism.
This year, two sister African states Zambia and Gambia have won independence and
they have joined the family of independent African states. We share their joy
and we extend again, as we did on the occasion when they won their independence,
Our sincere felicitations.
We are anxiously awaiting the day when those Africans in the dependent
territories break the shackles of foreign tutelage, and become masters of their
own fate.
On this solemn day, all of us must pause and remember the plight of our African
brothers who are under foreign rule and who are desperately struggling to win
their freedom, their basic fundamental human rights.
Instead of granting their rightful freedom and independence to the indigenous
Africans in Angola, Mozambique and Portuguese Guinea, the Portuguese Govemment
has intensified even more its campaign of ruthless suppression of African
freedom fighters in these territories, under the outmoded, illogical pretext
that these territories are part of Portugal. In concert with the other African
members of the United Nations Organization, Ethiopia has never ceased advocating
at United Nations and other international conferences that the Portuguese
Government should grant independence to each and every territory under its rule.
Rhodesia
The United Nations Anti-Colonial Committee of which Ethiopia is a member, is
presently visiting Africa to follow closely the dangerous situation in Southern
Rhodesia. In South Africa and in South-West Africa, the policies of apartheid
and oppression are becoming increasingly unbearable. The South African
Government is accelerating its ruthless campaign: a methodical campaign of
arresting daily, detaining without trial and torturing the Africans and their
leaders who are struggling for the their fundamental human rights and freedom.
All the peace-loving countries of the world must act together to force the
colonial governments of South Africa and Portugal to desist from these policies
- policies which are inhuman, policies which deny basic human rights, policies
which are detrimental to the peace and security of the entire world and grant
independence and freedom to these oppressed people.
To the U.N.
The Assembly of the African Heads of State and Government has authorized the
Foreign Ministers of Senegal and Algeria to bring the cases of racial
discrimination and oppression in South Africa, the inhuman colonial rule of the
Portuguese Government and the dangerous situation in Southern Rhodesia, before
the Security Council of the United Nations to find permanent solutions to the
unrelenting struggles of the African governments and people. As a result the
entire world is today more conscious of these pressing problems.
From discussions in the United Nations in recent years, We have cause to believe
that some friendly nations fully support the efforts to impose an economic
boycott on South Africa and Portugal; it is unfortunate that some great powers
who have been entrusted with the maintenance of international peace and security
have not co-operated in these worthy efforts.
These powers are the main obstacles to an effective economic boycott of South
Africa and Portugal.
The establishment of the Organization of African Unity, the concerted action of
the member-states and the pooling of the aid to Our brethren African freedom
fighters, have helped to revive and strengthen as well as intensify the
liberation movements throughout Africa. For this we are grateful to the
Liberation Committee of the nine African States, of which Ethiopia is a member.
On this day, we should all recollect with gratitude the support of all those
friendly nations in our endeavour in the United Nations and other international
conferences to free Africa of all the colonial vestiges.
Next Assembly
It will be recalled that the Cairo Assembly of the Heads of State and Government
decided to convene the Second Assembly of the Heads of State and Government in
Accra, Ghana, in September this year.
Because of misunderstandings among certain member states of the Organization of
African Unitys voices have been occasionally raised recently against the
convocation of the Assembly in Accra. Nonetheless, the regular Assembly of the
Heads of State and Government was, in the first place, designed to find peaceful
solutions, through deliberations and frank exchange of views to such
misunderstandings among member-states. We believe, therefore, that any change in
the venue of the next Assembly will make no major difference.
Consequently we have dispatched our Minister of State for Foreign Affairs to
West Africa, with personal messages from us, to mediate with the leaders of the
West African states concerned.
We earnestly hope that the member-states of the organization of African Unity
will meet in Accra in September in accordance with the decision of the first
Assembly of the Heads of State and Government.
On this day, we extend our fraternal greetings to all our brethren Africans who
are still suffering under foreign colonial rule. We reiterate that Ethiopia, in
co-operation with the member-states of the Organization of African Unity, will
always continue to give her full support for their just struggles to win their
inalienable rights to freedom and independence, and to be masters of their own
destiny. May Almighty God assist us in these endeavours.``