Letter to Bernie Grant from Seymour Mclean regarding Haile Selassie I bill

About this item

This is a 1994 letter addressed to Bernie Grant MP from Seymour Mclean of Ras Tafari International Consultants. The letter appeals for support in recovering sacred Ethiopian church property looted by British troops in 1868 and outlines efforts toward reparations through a proposed Haile Selassie I Property Bill. It reflects ongoing calls for justice regarding historic colonial-era dispossession.

Key points:
– The letter references looting of the Ethiopian Church’s Crown and Chalice by British and Indian troops in 1868 under General Sir Robert Napier.
– It notes the 1965 return by Queen Elizabeth II of other Ethiopian royal items—the Royal Cap and Imperial Seal of Emperor Theodore.
– The letter requests Bernie Grant’s assistance in obtaining a Foreign and Commonwealth Office position paper about Magdala Properties under UK jurisdiction.
– A government-sponsored Haile Selassie I Property Bill is proposed, based on an earlier 1938 bill, to address property restitution.
– The correspondence urges prompt government action due to the urgency and importance for the Ras Tafari community.

Bernie Grant was a prominent Black British MP known for advocating racial justice and reparations. This letter connects his work with broader struggles over colonial-era dispossession and the quest for reparations, illustrating the international and historic dimensions of Black British political activism in the 1990s.

Source note: The OCR transcript is generally clear but contains minor spelling inconsistencies (e.g., 'Becuase' for 'Because') and formatting artifacts; all key information has been carefully verified against the original text.