ADDIS ABABA – A delegation of four members led by Ministery of Culture and Tourism (Mo CT) Minister Dr. Hirut Kassaw went to England yesterday to bring back the locks of hair of Emperor Tewodros II that was taken by the British army in 1868, Ministry Public and International Relations Director Gezahegn Abate told The Ethiopian Herald.
The national effort to return stolen heritages is now bearing fruits as the country has been receiving a number of heritages through time, he said. The delegation would discuss with counterparts and stakeholders on various issues and mainly about the return of Ethiopia’s heritages including the fossil of prince Alemayehu Tewodros, he noted.
Today MoCT is working with the Ethiopian government via Ethiopian embassy in London to the return of various heritages while the British people showed their willingness to the return of the remains of the prince, Gezahegn stated. “They propose to conduct DNA testing to identify the fossil from others in the surrounding graveyards.”
The country in cooperation with notable Ethiopians, Ethiopian lovers and friends [such as Lemin Sisay, Alula Pankhurst] is exerting efforts to the return of various heritages from abroad including arks, crowns, and vellum books, he noted. “The heritages would represent us more in the world as they are part of our history, culture and knowledge. And they are so precious! The heritages would be an input to the large national museum that the country planned to construct soon.”
Therefore, the return of the heritages would help to attract more tourists and researchers, earn better currency and enhance the returning process of other heritages, he stated. However, constraints related to legal bureaucracies and contradictions, and poor information about the number, types and locating countries of the stolen heritages, among others hindered the returning process, according to the director. Country’s strong diplomacy and consistent negotiation helped to the return of the heritages that have been taken abroad in various times, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald, March 19/2019
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
