Italian Fascist War Crimes in Ethiopia - Societa italiana di storia ...

124 Richard Pankhurst
10. Enrico Cerulli, sometime Chief of the Political Office for East Africa in
the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director-General of Political
Affairs, and Vice-Governor-General of Italian East Africa. 61
“La Civilisation de l’Italie Fasciste”
Ethiopian Government concern with the war crimes issue led to the publication,
in 1948, by its Ministry of the Press, of a two-volume compilation La
civilisation de l’Italie fasciste. It contained texts, and French translations, of
Fascist telegrams ordering war crimes: the use of poison-gas, the mass execution
of prisoners of war, the shooting of “witch doctors” and “sooth-sayers,” and the
killing of the monks of Däbrä Libanos. The publication also contained photographs
of Ethiopians selected for execution.
Ethiopian Commission’s Charges Considered by the UN
Commission
The Ethiopian commission’s ten charges reached the UN commission only
in time for its last meeting, 62 and were considered in its committee number 1,
on 4 March 1948.
The proceedings were opened by the British representative, Sir Robert
Craigie. Despite his earlier persistent opposition to Ethiopia’s claim to try
Italian war crimes committed prior to 1939, he welcomed Baron Leijonhufvud
cordially, and, “expressed appreciation of the fact that the cases submitted by
the Ethiopian Government had been so very well prepared and documented.”
Mr. Kintner, of the United States, spoke next. He recalled his country’s earlier
abstention on the discussion on the question of cases arising from the
1935–36 Italo-Ethiopian war, and claimed that, in the shortness of time available,
he had not received any instructions from his government. He was therefore
obliged to abstain on the Ethiopian cases, but stated that this “did not arise
from any lack of sympathy or respect for the Ethiopian nation.” The Committee
then turned to the Ethiopian cases, one by one.
Badoglio
The first case concerned Badoglio, who was accused of responsibility for the
bombing of Red Cross installations 63 and use of poison-gas. Sir Robert sought