Battle of Adwa | 84th Anniversary Commemmoration | March 1980

Sunday, March 2nd 1980.

Footage of the commemmoration of the Battle of Adowa (or Adwa), the military engagement during which the army of Emperor Menelik II defeated an invading army from Italy in Tigray Province. Presiding over the celebration was Lt. Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam, the Chairman of the Ethiopian Marxist junta known as the Derg.

Romesh Chandra, World Peace Council president gave a speech.

Reuters Text:

"The Ethiopian armies were led then by Emperor Menelik, whose equestrian statue surveys Menelik Square in the capital. Ethiopians have long regarded the victory as a pivotal incident in African history -- they claim it was the first time Africans had beaten colonial forces. The country's present leader, Lieutenant Colonel Mariam Haile Mengistu, laid a wreath at the plinth of the statue.

Menelik the Second ruled Ethiopia from 1889 to 1913, and is considered one of her greatest leaders having expanded the country to almost its present-day boundaries.

One feature of the long programme of marching and entertainments was synchronised groups of young people waving hammer and sickle flags, symbols of a nation that has become a revolutionary republic.

The dancers point their flags towards their leader and officials as a sign of allegiance. Then the crowd heard a speech from the World Peace Council president, Mr Romesh Chandra.

Three generations on, marchers re-enact the rout of the Italian troops. At the battle of Adowa, the Italians estimated that almost two thousands of their own troops were killed almost two thousand of their own troops were killed, almost five hundred wounded, and more than eighteen hundred taken prisoner. The Ethiopians believed they lost between five thousands and six thousand men, with another eight thousands badly wounded. Some of the contemporary troops who marched here had seen action against Somali force in the Ogaden war.

Now that Ethiopia has been transformed into a Marxist state, this anniversary is especially savoured as a crushing defeat of an Italian foe branded as 'imperialist'. Amid the forest banners was one urging 'fair and free elections' in Zimbabwe, where the votes were being counted as this parade took place.

These Ethiopians look back on their ancestors at the time of the battle of Adowa as being an oppressed people, and they consider that battle was a first step towards their own liberation.."