1. The repressions after the attack on the Viceroy
The bombing of February 19, 1937 Graziani provides the opportunity to decapitate the Ethiopian resistance, however, never stands still during the entire period of the Italian military, directing the work of repression against the Coptic clergy, l '"intelligentsia" and the local Amhara aristocracy, not saving, with the full support of Mussolini, even beggars, sorcerers, diviners and storytellers, considered "the most dangerous disturbers of public order". The unconditional support of the regime is in fact: "I approve your action against soothsayers, story tellers and quacks. Essential weed out dangerous elements and ensure absolute respect for law and order", says Mussolini sent a telegram of 20 March to Graziani.
The escalation of terror and repression would last months. In Addis Ababa, and then in other provinces of the empire, are passed to the weapons indiscriminately, without investigation or trial, all those who are just mere suspicion; perpetrated summary executions without trial, in absolute lawlessness, and even in the absence of interpreters, as revealed in a memo military lawyer, Olivieri General, dated March 23, 1937, where we read, almost a year after the conquest: "it would be appropriate to find some capable performer among Italians. Maybe you can find in Eritrea".
Part of reprisals enacted after the assassination attempt on the Viceroy is the massacre of Dabra Libanos, which represents the culminating and most ferocious.
2. I suspect the involvement of the monastery of Dabra Libanos
The monastery of Dabra Libanos, founded in the thirteenth century by St. Tekle Haymanot, was located 90 kilometers from Addis Ababa, in northern Shoa, at the time of the attack Graziani scene of fierce fighting by the Ethiopian resistance. Besides being a place of pilgrimage, was the preeminent center of theological education in the country, and enjoyed very close ties with the notabilato Amhara, Hayla Sellase with the government, as well as the Abuna Petros, bishop of Wallo and fierce opponent of 'Italian invasion.
During the investigation summary and feverish aftermath of the attack, and on the basis of suspicions never tested, among other things, it gives body to the thesis of the monastery's involvement in a plan of insurrection in the attack would trigger the moment. The monastery is also accused of having offered hospitality to the two bombers, that there would also be exercised in throwing bombs in the days before the attack, returning soon after, as the first stop after his flight from Addis Ababa.
In fact since 1881 the monastery enjoyed a sort of judicial extraterritoriality-having been authorized to receive the fugitives, including thieves and murderers, and give them asylum - a circumstance that would make it because of the presence of the two bombers at Dabra Libanos. However it should be emphasized at the time that there was no evidence, outside of the reconstruction of police services in Italian politics, however, discredited by their failure to anticipate the attack, which Abraha Daboch and Mogas Asgadom, two Eritreans held responsible for the 'attack on the Viceroy, had stayed - along with others who are considered guilty - at the monastery, especially not that includessero complicity in the whole community of monks.
In fact, it is the monastery, already regarded with suspicion, the true goal of Graziani through it will hit the Coptic Church as a whole and, more generally, the traditional Ethiopian aristocracy - in particular the Amhara - to force both the collaboration.
"There could not have better opportunity to get rid of them," it says on March 1 in a telegram to General Nasi, with orders to shoot all the notables (and their followers) made prisoners, together with those who are made of.
3. The planning of the massacre
After the failure of a first attack on the monastery on the night of Feb. 22, when many men are able to save themselves, the second attempt was planned meticulously. Is chosen, not coincidentally, the date of 20 May (12 Genbot), the feast of St. Mikael and recurrence of the transfer of the remains of St. Tekle Haymanot; relevant date in the Ethiopian religious calendar and the most important of the festivals celebrated by the monastery, which for this reason he received a considerable number of people, however, called up the offer of gifts for that special day promised by the fascist authorities to those who had taken part in the celebrations.
The operations are directed against the monastery by General Peter Maletti to which the viceroy had not failed to point out a sheet of instructions telegraphed on April 7 that "[...] more will destroy your honor in Shoa and acquire more merit toward peace Empire territory. "
In addition to the existing police, and other events together from Dabra Berhan, Maletti concentrated in the three battalions of troops colonial religious force May 18, visitors and pilgrims in the church, by sealing the portals. On 19 May, the prisoners are interrogated, and summarily identified most of them loaded onto trucks for Chagel, a town nearby, where the next day, joined by other prisoners taken among the visitors in the meantime arrived at Dabra Libanos.
On May 20, those who were left to the monastery, mostly sick and disabled people are killed on the spot. On day 21, after having done so to 'choose' among the prisoners of Chagel apparently identifiable as religious ones (one of the criteria seems to have been also related to the use or possession of a hat, as in the tradition of the Coptic clergy), the prisoners identified as they are loaded onto trucks and transported to Laga Wolde, a flat uninhabited and well protected from view by hills, chosen for the operation. The site responds to the fact that witnesses may need to avoid, first, consider those executed as martyrs, and, secondly, be a source of news for the foreign press, ready to denounce the massacres perpetrated by the Italians. An indirect confirmation of the decision to avoid dangerous advertising is in the pages of the diary of Cyrus Poggiali notes that on 1 June, about other summary executions, that "[...] could not be run because the shootings coram populo sentenced superlatively give examples of heroic courage and dedication to the Abyssinian, and this would be a dangerous propaganda against us. " Moreover the same Graziani, in a telegram dated March 19, had failed to provide assurances that Lessona: "[...] ordered the executions as a result of the attack is made known in the locality secluded and no one, I say nobody can help you ".
4. The extent of the extermination
So at Laga Wolde of the trucks 'condemned' come on a regular basis, downloading the prisoners who are immediately passed on the askaris weapons. The operation lasts all afternoon. A run ended Graziani Lessona can telegraph to communicate with you "for the firing squad 297 monks, including the vice-, and 23 lay people suspected of complicity," adding: "We spared the young deacons, teachers and other staff 's order to be translated and retained in the churches of Dabra Berhan ". However a few days after Graziani enjoins Maletti to "move immediately to all deacons weapons" under the pretext that he had confirmation of the "full responsibility of the monastery of Debra Libanos". A few days later announced in Rome that he executed 129 deacons: "[...] were so alive [add] only thirty young seminarians who were returned to their homes of origin in the various countries of Shoa. In this way the convent of Debra Libanos [...] no trace remains. "
Only recently conducted a survey in the Nineties by Ian Campbell and Degife Gabre-Tsadik allowed to shed some more light on the massacre of Dabra Libanos, assessing among other things, even if only approximately, the entity. According to their findings of fact, to Laga Wolde were actually massacred between 1,000 and 1,600 people.
Group of deacons, pilgrims, students and teachers of theology, not included in the first 'selection' Chagel performed at about 400 (not 129 as stated by Graziani) are executed at Dabra Berhan. As regards the fate of the "thirty seminarians boys returned to their homes," they actually are deported to concentration camps Danane, along with 94 other monks and the monasteries of Assabot Zuquala closed, with the church of Ekka Michael of Addis Ababa, in days.
In light of the facts found the decision to understate Graziani in his reports to Rome and the extent of executions tacerne part be attributable to the realization that Graziani was evidently to act with a ruthlessness that even at Rome may be deemed excessive, and especially counterproductive, not doing that food, exacerbate, the Ethiopian occupation fascist revolt. For this reason, when the extermination of the community of Dabra Libanos, the Viceroy, on the one hand, is silent in Rome the actual size of the executions and, secondly, strives to provide assurances about the guilt of the condemned, without any reference to pilgrims , teachers, visitors to the simple, well disposed, whose involvement in the attack was in fact impossible to prove.
The fears are not unfounded, the viceroy. In a few months will be dismissed and recalled from Ethiopia.
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