Skip to item: of 642
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

Coll 54/2 'Middle East (Official) Committee: Working Party' [‎36r] (71/642)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 file (320 folios). It was created in 11 Apr 1949-13 Apr 1950. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

only be assumed that they are too discreditable to be revealed#
The administration of justice in Ethiopia is far from satisfactory
x snd it is known that Mr* Abbott in his energetic endeavours to
instil, into his Ethiopian colleagues in the High Court the
elementary principles of justice, has fallen foul of the present
ruling clique, including the Emperor himself# It has become
clear that the Ethiopian Government intend that ‘'justice * 1 shall
be administered in their particular interests* and, while
wishing to preserve a facade of modern judicial procedure (and
also, of course, to be able to fulfil their obligations under the
Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement of 1944) by having in the High Court
judges of "proven judicial experience in other lands", they evid
ently prefer the subservient type who is prepared to.carry out
their wishes without question. Mr. Abbott’s position has, in
any case, been growing more and more difficult for seme time
and his dismissal has now provoked Mr# Addis, the second
British judge, into sending in his resignation# The third
European judge, a Swede, whose contract expires in the near
future, had already been informed that it would not be
renewed# The only remaining non-Ethiopian judge is a
Palestinian of doubtful principles*
The usefulness of foreign advisers and technicians generally
is limited in any case by the variety of countries from which
they are selected and, with a few exceptions, by their poor
quality* The few who have the necessary qualifications for
their jobs and who are prepared to face criticism in their
efforts to get their advice accepted and acted upon, inevitably
find it an uphill struggle; and it can be said that the number
of such advisers is growing notably smaller. There is a marked
tendency on the part of the Ethiopian Government at the present
time to select as advisers displaced persons who demand smaller
salaries and who are prepared to accept less advantageous
conditions than those who can command alternative employment in
their own countries# This x^olicy, besides being cheaper, has
the advantage, from the Ethiopian Government's point of view,
of bringing into their service advisers and technicians who will
be more amenable to pressure because they have more to lose If
they do not do what they are told, while at the same time
providing Ethiopia with a facade of modern statehood with which
to confront the world,
VI.RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION BY HIS MAJ ESTY'S GOVERNMENT
The possibilities for the economic development of Ethiopia
are, in theory, considerable; but in practice they are limited
by the primitive political organisation of the country and by the
corruption, ignorance and arrogance of the ruling clique#
Capital investment in Ethiopia by Plis Majesty’s Government is
definitely not recommended in view of the ineradicable hostility
of the powers that be towards foreign interests and of the
unacceptable conditions w;'th which the exploitation of the
country's resources by foreign interests would be hedged around#
The provision of further British advisers and technicians
is also not recommended °ince, as has been explained above,
their sole use, as far as Ethiopian Government are
concerned, would be to provide a iucade behind whith Ethiopian
. administrative corruption and inefficiency would continue
unabated. On the contrary; it is recommended that,, as far as
possible, His Majesty s Government should discourage British
subjects from seeking employment under the Ethiopian Government#
/The

About this item

Content

The file contains papers relating to the Working Party of the Middle East (Official) Committee. It mainly consists of Working Party papers received by the Commonwealth Relations Office, and a register of these papers with notes at the back of the file.

The file includes agendas for meetings of the Working Party. It also includes papers circulated to members of the Working Party for consideration at meetings, relating to the following subjects: economic and social development in the Middle East in general; the Iraq Central Development Board; the question of an International Bank Loan for Iraq; a visit to Bahrain in January/February 1949 by Matthew Thomas Audsley; the Persian [Iranian] Seven-Year Plan; employment of British experts in the Middle East; a survey of the oil resources of the Middle East; and economic factors in Middle East development.

In addition, the file includes papers relating to economic and social development of the following places: Iraq; Greater Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan ; Saudi Arabia; Cyrenaica, Tripolitania [Libya], Eritrea, and Somalia; the Colony of Aden and the Aden Protectorate; the Lebannon; Ethiopia; Sudan; and Yemen.

Extent and format
1 file (320 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in reverse chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.

Numbers in red pen on the top right hand corner of items in the file refer to entries in the register of papers received by the Commonwealth Relations Office at the back of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 320; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

Coll 54/2 'Middle East (Official) Committee: Working Party' [‎36r] (71/642), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/4758, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100043583873.0x000049> [accessed 25 April 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100043583873.0x000049">Coll 54/2 'Middle East (Official) Committee: Working Party' [&lrm;36r] (71/642)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100043583873.0x000049">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000691.0x0001dd/IOR_L_PS_12_4758_0072.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000691.0x0001dd/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image