coming to our side. They cry bitterly about the treatment that has been meted out to them, and they are terrified at the idea of being handed over. You. I know, will treat these wretched people humanely, but when they pass out of your hands, I charge you to assure yourself that their humane treatment is guaranteed for the future. As you are aware, my Government would never hand over refugees (who had fled to us on account of ill-treatment) if it thought it was sending them back to the heil from which they escaped, but I hand them over to you with full confidence that you will look after their interests and assure yourself of their fair treatment in the future. We do not want these people on our side, and we want to do everything we can to work in harmony with and to help you and your Government on the frontier. We will always return your people if we consider they have not fled to us from ill-treatment, but should it be proved that these people, whom I now return, receive anything more than a just punishment for running away or are mutilated or deprived of their freedom or more than a reasonable proportion of their stock, then I can assure you that my Government will not in future consider the return of your refugees. When you send these people back to the Liban Province, will you please inform the Governor of that province that I have sent a full list of the refugees to Addis Ababa, including the women, and I have asked Fitaurari Hapta Giorgis to make sure that these people receive fair treatment on their return, and if not to punish severely those responsible. This is a matter solely for you to consider, but if you would let, say, Maalim Liban or another come over to me in a few months' time and let me know that the people are all right, then it would give me great encouragement to help you in the future and you could always rely on me to help you regain your tenants. I presume you realise the work entailed in collecting these people, and the trouble we have taken to help your Government in the matter. D. E. COCHRANE, Captain, Officer in Charge. No. 6. Foreign Office to Colonial Office. Sir.. Foreign Office, November 15, 1923. WITH reference to recent events on the Abyssinian frontier between Lake Rudolph and Italian Somaliland. I am directed by the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston to transmit to you, to be laid before the Duke of Devonshire, the accompanying copy of a despatch and enclosures from His Majesty's Minister at Addis Ababa on the subject of the migration of Yaben tribesmen into British territory. No. 5. 2. Mr. Russell is distressed at the sufferings which appear to have attended the enforced return of these unfortunate people to Abyssinia, and regards the assurances of Ato Gabru as unlikely to protect them from persecution at the hands of the Abyssinian authorities. I am to enquire whether his Grace is satisfied that the orders of the Kenya Government in regard to migrations from Abyssinian territory have in fact been carried out with due consideration to the dictates of humanity. I am, &c. G. R. WARNER. Sir. No. 7. The Duke of Devonshire to Sir R. Coryndon. Downing Street, November 29, 1923. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you, for your consideration, the accompanying copy of a letter with enclosures from the Foreign Office, on the subject of the movements of Abyssinian tribesmen on the frontier between Lake Rudolf and Italian Somaliland. 2. In furnishing me with your observations on this letter and its enclosures, I would ask you to consider whether it would be possible as an alternative to the enforced repatriation of Abyssinian subjects who pass over the border into British territory to allow them to proceed to another district where the vested interests of those already in occupation of the land are not so much affected. If such a solution of the difficulty is not feasible, I should be glad to learn whether you can suggest any other method of dealing with the situation. Sir R. Coryndon to the Duke of Devonshire. My Lord Duke, Nairobi, December 6, 1923. IN continuation of my telegram reporting a raid by a party of Abyssinians, I have the honour to inform your Grace that on the 2nd September last a patrol of eleven African ranks, mounted infantry from Mureissi, came in contact with a party of Abyssinians at Lokitet, near Loima, Turkana, who promptly opened fire on the patrol. In the ensuing engagement the following casualties were inflicted : : The following arms and ivory were also taken :- 466 rounds ammunition, Fusil Gras. 1 pistol. 3 elephant tusks. I have, &c. No. 9. E. B. DENHAM. Sir. Colonial Office to Foreign Office. Downing Street, February 14, 1924. I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Thomas to enclose, for Mr. Secretary MacDonald's information, the accompanying copy of despatch from the Governor of Kenya, dated the 10th January, 1924, forwarding a report of the District Commissioner, Moyale, on the subject of slave raids from Abyssinia. I am, &c. H. J. READ. Enclosure in No. 9. Sir R. Coryndon to the Duke of Devonshire. My Lord, I have, &c. E. B. DENHAM. Sir, Captain Cochrane to Officer in Charge, Meru. Moyale, October 19, 1923. I HAVE the honour to forward this my report on the subject of slave raids from Abyssinia. As a result of living on the frontier of Southern Abyssinia for some years, and of making one journey into the Abyssinian hinterland, my experience leads me to endorse the veracity of the recently published newspaper articles, with the exception of the statement that "within the last six months there have been several raids in Kenya colony." Judging by the context, the writer means. slave raids"; if so, I fail to understand to what he alludes. During the period mentioned there was a big ivory-hunting raid, organised and led by Balambras Abbaba, of Agra Salaam, which was located in the vicinity of Horr by a contingent of 5th King's African Rifles under Captain Hallowes, M.C. Severe casualties were inflicted and prisoners taken, and of the estimated strength of sixty raiders only seven are reported as having reached Agra Salaam. Besides this there have been several petty cattle raids, which have been frustrated by our patrols; but, to my knowledge, there has been no single instance of a slave having been made in Kenya and taken across the border. We are on very confidential and good terms with our native subjects, and it seems to me most improbable that a slave raid could have occurred without our knowledge. It is perfectly true that a tribe of people called Dais, living on the banks of Lake Rudolph, have been practically exterminated by Abyssinian raiders. They themselves have been enslaved and their small herds taken. This dates back to 1916 and 1917, and since then the Government have protected this area. I won't, however, comment further on this, as the area is outside my district, and Colonel Llewellyn, Officer Commanding Troops, Kenya, is thoroughly au fait with the matter, and doubtless has given firsthand information on the subject. Up till two years ago Abyssinians were regularly coming to this office and claiming the return of absconding slaves. In no instance, do I understand, was a slave returned by us. Nowadays isolated cases occur when an Abyssinian appears at the office and says his son or daughter has been kidnapped or enticed across the border; enquiries usually show that the child is an absconding slave, and the Abyssinian leaves this office a very disgruntled being. I will say practically every (but think every) Abyssinian on the frontier has a slave or slaves, but in cases of ill-treatment they have & safe harbour on this side, if they have the pluck to try and are successful in reaching the border. On my return from Mega some five slaves absconded from their owners at Daka Roba and shadowed my "safari" unknown to me. Mounted Abyssinians followed me and accused my men of hiding them and helping them away. They several times galloped up to the "safari," but, as they were unable to locate the people, returned, and, I regret to say, caught three of them, the other two being successful in crossing the frontier. On my visit to Fitaurari Hapta Giorgis, at Mega, an Abyssinian officer was sent with an escort to meet me at Marimo. He and his soldiers were followed by absolute babies (children at home of the same age would not be allowed out of sight of a nursemaid), who carried their rifles and ran behind their mules. Pity for them was mingled with admiration for their marvellous staying powers. Every hour or so when the mites showed signs of fatigue, their masters relieved them of the rifles and in cases took them up behind them on their mules. There are at least two or three Abyssinians living at Moyale who have slaves. It is very beastly, but what is one to do? They are mostly children, and if I took them away it would be quite impracticable to form a Government baby farm, and I could not take them and hand them over to someone else, as all are imbued with the slavery idea, and they would simply become someone else's chattel. To take them away without providing for them would make their case worse than before. My police keep a careful eye on them, and any ill-treatment would receive summary punishment, as in the case of anyone else ill-treating a child or assaulting a person. To sum up, the Abyssinians on the frontier have slaves, but those in proximity to the border do not ill-treat them as they have a harbour on our side. I notice the correspondents do not state that a large number of slaves are actually purchased from their parents. This is a common practice in Southern Abyssinia, and I have known many instances. A child of 8 is bought for from 40 dollars to 60 dollars. These become the property of the buyer, who may again resell at a profit. A curious instance is before me at present. An ex-interpreter of Moyale was returning here from Addis Ababa to square up his affairs. He was drowned en route. His wife, however, arrived, and amongst her entourage were two female slaves whom she purchased at 45 dollars per head en route. These children are running about the boma here perfectly happy, and appear to take an interest in their work. If I tackled the good lady on the subject, she would probably tell me that they were receiving wages. What can one do? In the autumn of last year I had occasion to address an enquiry to the Abyssinian Government in regard to a case of attempted slave-trading reported by one of His Majesty's consuls. After prolonged delay, and repeated reminders, I received a reply to the effect that the matter was an internal concern of the Abyssinian Government respecting which they did not feel called upon to furnish information. On receipt of this communication, I pointed. out to Ras Taffari that the slave trade was an internal question in which His Majesty's Government took a legitimate interest, and in regard to which Abyssinia had recently given undertakings to the League of Nations. I said that I hoped he would reconsider the propriety of the note he had addressed to me, and that, meanwhile, I would abstain from communicating it to His Majesty's Government. I have now, after further insistence, received a second note in the same sense as that mentioned above. I have acknowledged receipt of it, and expressed my opinion that the tone and substance of His Highness's reply will create a regrettable impression on His Majesty's Government. I have, &c. CLAUD RUSSELL. |