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Ethiopia calls for return of Aksum obelisk from Italy

Ethiopia on Thursday called on the international community to bring increased pressure to bear on Italy for the return of the Aksum obelisk. The appeal comes just days after Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi made an impassioned plea to international heads of state in Rome to return the treasured relic. "The Aksum obelisk is a heritage of great value not only for Ethiopia and Africa but also for all of mankind," the Ethiopian government said in a statement. "The obelisk standing in Rome is a witness to the greatness of our Africa civilisations, whereas it is a constant reminder of the horrors of fascism to the Italians." The 25-metre obelisk – which is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as part of the world's heritage – has been at the centre of a dispute for more than 65 years after it was taken away as booty by Italian troops from the holy city of Aksum at the personal order of the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, and erected in Rome, where it still stands. However, since lightning seriously damaged the obelisk last month, there has been a resurgence of pressure towards effecting its return. The Ethiopian authorities said Italy must be held responsible for the damage caused to the obelisk, which is more than 3,000 years old. They said Ethiopia boasted priceless treasures, but that rich countries had stolen many historical objects and works of art from it. "It is greatly deplorable and a matter of serious concern that the Italian government is not properly protecting the Aksum obelisk," the statement said, adding that it had also been damaged by graffiti and acid rain. On Tuesday, Meles broke off from his planned speech at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome to make his plea for the return of the obelisk. He told delegates that the obelisk – which stands outside the FAO offices – was enshrined in Ethiopian culture. According to the Ethiopian authorities, Italy has pledged to return the 160-tonne monument on a number of occasions – the last being in 1997. Italy had also signed a United Nations agreement in 1947 to return all artefacts plundered from Ethiopia within 18 months. "Meanwhile, the peoples and government of Ethiopia appeal to all justice-loving states, governments and peoples of the world to exert persistent pressure on the Italian government to respect its international and bilateral agreements, and to effect the return of the obelisk," the statement concluded.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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