Greetings and perfect love to our Rastafari brethren. As most of you are aware, Amha Selassie I, recently passed away. Before his passing, he appointed me to serve as Chairman of the Crown Council and Prince Bekere to serve as Inderasse, which is an Ethiopian title meaning Crown Representative.

Due to the health of Amha Selassie I and the unusual circumstances of the past few decades, contact between the Imperial Family and the Rastafari community has, unfortunately, declined. It is Prince Bekere’s and my sincere hope that, from today onward, links between the Rastafari and the new leadership of the Imperial House shall grow ever stronger and closer, with the shared aim of achieving the development of our nation and uplifting our people.

You are gathered today to reason together and determine how best to reach these goals and, more specifically, to discuss two related issues, "repatriation and Reparations." We would propose that a third be added – Restoration. For indeed, these three objectives are closely connected.

The Ethiopian nation today faces terrible dangers. It has lurched from deadly fratricidal war to division, despair and decline. The situation today is less physically violent that it was under Mengistu, but we wish to make it clear that the present government of Meles Zenawe is an enemy of His Majesty Haile Selassie I and the Imperial House. Meles has denied human rights in Ethiopia, stifled freedom of the press, permitted corruption, nationalized all land and represents only a tiny minority ruling at gunpoint. Foreign aid donors are withholding millions in desperately-needed aid because they are afraid to give it to a government controlled by Meles. Meles has divided our people along tribal lines and seeks to prevent the return of the Imperial House to its rightful place. Meles kills and imprisons our supporters and declares publicly that Haile Selassie is not his King.

Such actions are direct obstacles to the development and oneness of the nation. We therefore have the primary responsibility to change such conditions in order to create the optimal environment for the realization of Repatriation and Reparations.

But, clearly, the African nation cannot be lifted up while its Imperial House is the object of persecution and denial. We therefore call on every African patriot to unite in our effort to restore the Monarchy to its rightful position as administrator of His Majesty’s wisdom and the eternal cornerstone of Ethiopia’s glory.

How, then, is this best achieved? How can we take our dream of a golden tomorrow and turn it into reality?

For these answers, let us turn to the words of H.I.M. Haile Selassie and apply His lessons of Self-Help, Unity and Development.

The first thing we must realize is that, if the Restoration is to happen, we must do it ourselves. We appeal to every member of the Rastafari community to join us in this historic undertaking. This effort will require a psychological adjustment, from wishing and hoping to action. It will take a special commitment from our nation of spiritual strength, physical labor and financial sacrifice. Our victory will take time, perhaps many years, and no doubt, there will be frustrations and setbacks along the way. But with determination, perseverance and God’s help, we will triumph and our children, and all future generations, shall enjoy the advantages of a just, peaceful and prosperous Ethiopia rooted in knowledge of His Majesty.

Because unity is the foundation of strength, it is our wish that the Rastafari community should centralize around the Restoration effort. Everyone should cooperate on our shared Restoration goals.

Insofar as development is concerned, we have noted with pride the economic improvement of your community, and hope you will continue to advance, for development is the lifeblood of what we seek to achieve. The world has changed in many respects, and cooperation between the races is today not only desirable, but necessary, while at the same time we continue to struggle for justice. We must put even greater emphasis on education of our youth, borrowing developments in education from abroad, always demanding ever higher standards in our schools and even supplementing them privately beyond what the public schools offer. There have been scientific announcements recently that an infant’s brain capacity can be dramatically increased simply by the parents’ speaking more frequently to the child and playing simple games with it in its first three years of life. Such innovations cost nothing but a little time and attention and can help us grow a new generation that can compete with the increasing pressures and challenges of our times. We must constantly seek out and, when appropriate use new ideas.

Our struggle will require the support of other governments and institutions. For this reason, some within the community may wish to consider entering into the political and commercial life of the territories in which you temporarily reside, so that you may ultimately influence those places toward a path of justice and cooperation. Then your temporary places of residence shall serve, not as prisons, but, rather as a foundation for eventual repatriation. You should also not only continue, but increase, your efforts to carry your message to our people around the world.

The Restoration of the Monarchy will facilitate the accomplishment of reparations and repatriation and thus enrich the soil in which Ethiopia’s full potential can flower. WE call on you to join us on this road, and pray that, with God’s help we shall not swerve from the important and historic responsibility we face in this dark hour of our nation’s need.

God bless you. God bless the Ethiopian people.