HAWASSA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF LAW AND GOVERNANCE

DEPARTMENT OF CIVICS AND ETHICAL

STUDIES

MORAL AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION

(MCED 1011)

1
 Chapter Five
Constitution, Democracy and Human Rights
.

5.1. Constitution and Constitutionalism

5.1.1. Conceptualizing Constitution
• The word “constitution” is used mainly in many
senses-constitution of a body, constitution of trade
union, constitution of political party etc. In a political
sense, it signifies the constitution of the state.
• Every state must have constitution of its own and that
its government must be organized and conducted
according to the rules of the constitution so that the
people must have a rule of law, it constitutes the case
of constitutionalism. 2
• Constitution is figuratively defined as the
fundamental or basic law of a state which sets out
.

the structure of the state and also lists the rights of

citizens alongside the limits on the power exercise
of a government.
• It is a blue print placed on top the hierarchy of
laws on constitutional governments.
• A constitution may be said to be a collection of
principles according to which the powers of the
government, the rights of the governed, and the
relation between the two are adjusted.

3
• In other words, constitution refers to body of rules
and laws, (written or unwritten) that determine the
.

organization of government and the distribution of

powers and functions to various organs of
government, regulate the relationship among
themselves and also between the state and its
individuals through general principles on which
these powers are to be exercised.
• Constitution is the mothers of all laws; all other
ordinary laws are derived from and subjected to this
blue print.
• Therefore, constitution is supreme law of a land,
any other law contradicted with the provisions of 4
5.1.2. Peculiar Features of Constitution
• With a few exceptions, all constitutions contain some
.

common elements.
• From Magna Carta of 1215 to today, constitutional
documents and traditions take the general form of a
contract or an agreement between the ruled and the
rulers.
• constitution has distinctive features that distinguish it
from any other laws. These are:-
a) Generality
b) Permanency
c) Supremacy
d) Codified document 5
a) Generality:
• a constitution provides the general principle of a
.

state and carry on foundation and sets out general

framework of the law and the government.
• As other laws provide the details of the subject for
which they are created, Constitutional principles
are guidelines for others laws.
• In other words, constitutional law announces
principles while other laws apply or implement
what the constitution announce their respective
spheres of fields.
• Constitution builds substantial foundation and basis
and general framework of the law and government. 6
• All other laws provide the details of the subject
which they treat. .

• But constitution is always the most general in the

sense, short and brief.
• The general set up of the government and its
functions in all spheres, including political,
economic, legal, etc. is by the constitution.
• The generality is very important because it give the
constitution a feature of elasticity through
interpretation thereby to accommodate various
questions.

7
b) Permanency:
• unlike laws constitution is made for undefined
.

period of time.
• That means constitution serve for a long lap of
ages.
• It is purposely made to be stable and permanent.
• It is made to be stable, i.e., not to be worked
upon by the temper of the times or to rise or fall
with the occasional events.
• On the contrary, other laws are tentative,
occasional and in the nature of temporary
existence. 8
c) Supremacy:
• Constitutions are laws about the political procedures
.

to be followed in making laws.

• They are supreme laws, taking precedence over all
others, and defining how all the others should be
made.
• As a mother of law, it is original law by which the
system of government is created, and to which the
branches of government must look for all their
powers and authority.
• It is original because it is directly made by the people
as the direct expression of the will of the people.
• All other laws are secondary or derivate being 9
d) Codified document:
• Constitutions are written down; often in a
.

single document that presents the constitution

in a systematic manner.
• The constitutions are not intended to be
perfect is evidenced by expressly stated
processes for revising or amending them.
• Constitutional change by means of an orderly
procedure is far preferable to overthrowing a
government by force whenever a country‘s
constitution has fallen out of favour with a
majority of its people. 10
e) Allocation of powers:
.

• Constitutions outline the proper relations

between institutions and offices of the state,
and between government and citizens.
• This is probably the most crucial part because
it allocates powers and functions to
government and specifies the rights and
duties of governments and citizens-who can
do what, to whom, and under what
circumstances.
11
 5.1.3. Major Purposes and Functions of Constitution
• What do you think are the basic purposes and
.

functions of constitution?
• The following are some of the major purposes and
functions of constitution.
1. It serves as a framework for Government:
• This means that the constitution of state is a plan for
organizing the operation of government which in turn
effectively guides the functions and powers of the
executive, legislative and judicial bodies of
government.
• In other words, it is a brief and a general outline of
duties and rights of governments and also that of
12
citizens.
2. It Limits the Powers of Government:
• In a constitutionally limited government, officials are
.

always abided by the constitution. i.e. there is no

decision or action that will be undertaken arbitrarily
and spontaneously rather every decision, act, or
behavior is entertained according to rules and laws
that originate from the constitution.
• This subjection to the laws and rules from the part of
the government and the governed (the people) is
coined as the rule of law.
• However, Constitutional government protects the
rights and a freedom of citizens doesn‘t mean that the
government has no authority to effectively exercise its
functions. 13
• A constitutional Government is neither too
powerful nor too weak because if a government is
.

excessively powerful, i.e. if it has unlimited

powers, it tends to abuse the rights and freedoms
of citizens. If, on the other hand, a government is
too weak it can‘t protect citizens.
• Therefore, constitutions shall grant Governments
enough powers to effectively and consistently
undertake their functions and responsibilities but at
the same time must put limits on their powers to
make sure that they are not in a position to
endanger the rights and freedoms of citizens.
14
3. It protects individual and collective rights of citizens:
• To protect the individual and collective rights and freedoms
.

of people, the constitution of a state lay down the

relationship between the state and the individual by making
out the respective spheres of government on the one hand,
and the individual and collective rights and freedoms on the
other.
4. It serves as the Supreme (Highest) Law of a Country:
• this implies that Constitution is the source of and supreme
over all laws in a country. i.e. No specific law will be valid
if it contradicts the constitution.
• All laws in a country are made to fulfil the objectives and
goals clearly specified in a constitution of a given country.
Because of this, the constitution of state is referred to as
“the law behind other laws or “the Mother of all laws” of a
15
country.
5. It provides Government legitimacy/stability:
• as it formalize and regulate relationships between
.

political bodies and citizens and also provide

mechanisms through which any potential conflicts
can be adjudicated and resolved, constitution
usually provide the vital function of introducing a
measure of stability, order, and predictability of
government.
• This in turn gives governments a legitimate/legal
right to rule or govern and by doing so it serves as
the weapon for legitimizing regimes.

16
6. Constitution services as a Blue Prints for establishing Values
.

and Goals:
• In a constitution there is also an ideological aspect of constitution
making where the people truly aspired for it.
• In such a situation, it would be a common belief of the constituent, or
at least, their leaders, what the envisioned state should be geared
towards providing the people either as citizens or as members of any
organization.
• This sort of positive declaration also usually has a way of offering
bearing to the operation of the constitution as well as affording the
subjects the parameter for assessing them.
• It, therefore, seeks to invest for unifying political values.
• As such, the fundamental aims (objectives) and principles are
described or accomplished explicitly in preambles to constitutional
documents, which often function as statements of national ideals and
values. 17
5.1.4. Classification of Constitutions
• Constitutions are classified into different categories using
.

different criteria.
• These criterion include:-
Forms of constitution ,
 Amendment procedure and
 Degree of implementation/practice,
• constitutions can be classified into the following
categories.
A. Constitution based on form
• Constitutions, in view of the breadth (Extent) of written
provisions, have been described as written and unwritten
constitutions. Or based on form/appearance constitutions
can be classified as written and unwritten. 18
1. Written Constitution
• A written constitution is one whose provisions are
.

written in detail.
• A written constitution is one in which most of the
provisions are embodied (come together) in a single
formal written instrument or instruments.
• It is a work of a conscious art and the result of
deliberate effort to lay down a body of fundamental
principles under which a government is organized and
conducted.
• Thus, written constitution is a formal document that
defines the nature of the constitutional settlement, the
rules that govern the political system and the rights of
citizens and governments in a codified form. 19
• It exists in a single document containing the
fundamental laws and principles specifying
.

the rights of citizens, defines the political

structure of a state and determines the
distribution of government powers.
• It serves as a supreme law of the state.
• For example, India, Kenya, Ethiopia, USA,
Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, Jordan, Venezuela
and Nigeria have written form of constitution.
• Written constitution has certain merits and
demerits.
20
• Merits of Written Constitution
 It is easily accessible to citizens that enable them
.

to monitor the behavior of their government thus

preventing the emergency of dictatorship
 Citizens can easily learn about their rights and
duties and the basic laws governing the patterns of
political processes of their nation
 It is full of clarity and definiteness because the
provisions are written in detail.
 It has the quality of stability, since people know
the nature of constitutional provisions , they feel a
sense of satisfaction
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• Demerits of written constitution
 It creates a situation of rigidity. Since all important rules
.

are on writing, attempts are made to act according to

rules. It leads to the development of a conservative
attitude.
 It becomes difficult to change it easily quickly as per
the requirements of time. As such the possibilities of
mass upheaval are increased.
 A written constitution becomes a play thing in the hands
of the lawyers and the courts. Different interpretations
come up from time to time that unsettle the judicial
thought of the country.
 Written constitution is not easily adapted to a new
situation or changing circumstances. It needs 22be
2. Unwritten Constitution
• Unwritten constitution is basically means that the
.

fundamental principles and powers of the

government are not written down in any single
document. An unwritten constitution is one whose
written provisions are very brief and most of the
rules of the constitution exist in the form of usages
and customs (Practice & Procedures) .
• It consists of customs, conventions, traditions, and
some written laws bearing different dates.
• The British constitution is the best example of
unwritten constitution.
• It is made up, largely of customs and judicial 23
• Merits of Unwritten Constitution
 It has the quality of elasticity and adaptability.
.

Since, most of the rules are in an unwritten form,

people may adapt them in response to the new
constitution.
 It is so dynamic that it prevents the chances of
popular uprisings.
 Unwritten constitution can absorb and also recover
from shocks that may destroy a written
constitution. It looks like a natural outgrowth of a
national life.

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• Demerits of Unwritten Constitution
 Since it is not compiled in to a single document, it is not
.

easily accessible to the public to determine which aspects of

the constitution are violated and when it is violated
 It is difficult to create awareness through education on the
fundamental constitutional rights and duties of citizens
because it is not easily accessible to citizens
 It leads to situations of instability. The provisions of such a
constitution may change as per the emotions, passions and
fancies of the people.
 It leads to the state of confusion. Controversies often arise
over different provisions of the constitution
 Unwritten constitution may be suitable to a monarchical or
aristocratic system. It certainly does not suit a democracy
where people are always conscious and suspicious25 of
B. Constitution based on complexity of amending
process .

• On the basis of the distinction in the process of

amendment, constitutions may be classified as rigid and
flexible .
1. Rigid Constitution
• Here, the process of amendment is difficult.
• A special procedure is followed to make a change in any
rule of the constitution.
• A constitutional amendment bill must be passed by the
parliament by special majority. Then it is to be
approved either by the provincial units or by the people
in a referendum or both.
26
• Thus, rigid constitution is one that does not adapt
itself to changing circumstances immediately and
.

quickly or simply one whose amendment

procedures are relatively complex or difficult.
• A more difficult procedure of constitutional
amendment is the one which requires a national
referendum.
• A referendum is the process of direct voting by
citizens to support or rejects at constitutional
amendment or other major national issues.
• Those countries like USA, Australia, Denmark
and Switzerland are known to have rigid
constitutions. 27
2. Flexible Constitution
• Flexible constitution is the constitution which set up simple
.

amendment procedure and there is as such no special

required procedure for amending a constitution.
• The simplest and commonest amendment procedure is the
one which requires an absolute majority (two thirds support)
in the parliament.
• If it is very simple and convenient, the constitution is
flexible.
• Any new law made by the parliament gives a new rule to the
constitution. Flexible constitution is one that adapts easily
and immediately to changing circumstances. or simply one
whose amendment procedures are relatively simple.
• For instance, constitutions, the United Kingdom and New
Zealand, may be altered by a simple majority vote in the 28
C. Constitution based on degree of practice
• On the basis of the degree to which constitution of state
.

observed in practice, or on the basis of the relationship

between constitutional rules and laws and principles, on
the one hand, and the practice of the government (the
workings) of the constitution, on the other hand, we can
have effective and Nominal Constitution of State.
1. Effective Constitution: Effective constitution denotes
to a situation in which government/citizens practices
correspond to the provisions of the constitution.
• Thus, an effective constitution of state requires not
merely the existence of constitutional rules and laws but
also the capacity of those rules and laws to constrain or
limit government behavior and activities, and establish
29
Constitutionalism.
2. Nominal constitution: the constitution accurately
describes government‘/citizens‘ limits yet in
.

practice either or both fail to behave accordingly.

• In short when the constitution only remains to have
paper value or when there is absence of
constitutionalism.
• This is a constitution of state that shows the texts,
principles, rules and laws that may accurately
describe the government behavior but fail to limit
government behavior and activities in practice.
• Therefore, a nominal Constitution is not observed
in practice but in form.
30
D. Based on the kind of state structure
• Constitutions either concentrate powers at the
.

center or distribute it among the different branches

and levels of government. Such a constitution is
called unitary and federal constitution respectively.
• This classification of constitution is based on the
kind of state structure made by the constitution.
• In this regard, it can be classified as federal or
unitary.

31
1. Federal Constitution: Federal constitution is one that
distributes power among the different units of a state
.

administration.
• But the model that is followed by constitutions in
distributing state power differs from each other.
• Some constitutions purely classify and decentralize power
between the central government and regional/local units
and such constitutions are referred as federal constitutions.
• In many states, for example, the United States of America,
Canada, Australia and Malaysia, there exists a division of
powers between central government and the individual
states or provinces which make up the federation.
• The powers divided between the federal government and
states or provinces will be clearly set down in the
constituent document. 32
2. Unitary Constitution: In unitary constitution
state power is concentrated in the hands of the
.

central government.
• The central government can establish or abolish
the lower levels of government; determine their
composition, and their power and functions.
• In this case the local government has no guarantee
for their existence.
• Powers and responsibilities are delegated to them
by the central government. The constitution of the
unitary state presents a very different arrangement
from constitution of federal state outlined above.
33
5.2. Constitutionalism
• Constitutionalism refers to a doctrine that governments
.

should be faithful to their constitutions because the rules

and laws so provided are all that can protect citizens‘ rights
from arbitrary actions and decisions of the government.
• It is being subject to limitations and that citizens and
governments operate in accordance with the general rules
and laws rather than arbitrary.
• This is because the rules and laws so provided are all that
can protect citizens‘ rights from arbitrary actions and
decisions of the government. In other words,
constitutionalism is the belief that constitution is the best
arrangement of affairs in a society.
• Hence, the essential elements for constitutionalism are
constitution and its effective implementation. 34
• Constitutionalism, desires a political order in
which the powers of the government are limited.
.

• It is another name for the concept of a limited and

civilized government.
• A form of government can only be classified as
constitutional when the rulers are subject to a body
of rules and principles, which limits the exercise of
their power. Thus, constitutionalism does not
merely require the existence of constitution. This is
because, constitutionalism checks whether the act
of government is legitimate and whether officials
conduct their public duties in accordance with laws
pre-determined in advance. 35
5.3. The Constitutional Experience of Ethiopia: Pre
and Post 1931 .

5.3.1. Traditional Constitution (Pre- 1931)

• Ethiopia has a very little experience with a written
constitution in spite of its long history of state
formation.
• For this reason, the first written form of constitution
promulgated (publicized) in Ethiopia in 1931. But
before that the country has a far back constitutional
history of unwritten form.
• Such lack of written constitution does not
necessarily implicate the total absence of
constitutional rules and principles in the legal history
36
• In the beginning of 13th Century until the early 20th Century
the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was the chief legitimator of
.

monarchical rule.
• However, the rights and obligations of the Crown and its
subjects were not spelled out in a written secular constitution.
• Instead, there was developed by monks of the Church an
elaborate set of codes rooted in an Ethiopian national epic
(grand).
• Despite the fact of existence of constitutionally significant
documents in traditional Ethiopia, no written constitution in the
modern sense formed the basis for the constitutional process.
• Thus, documents like the Kebra Nagast, the Fatha Nagast and
serate mengest from the 13th Century until the early 20th
Century were the precursors (ancestors) to the formal written
Ethiopian national constitutions of the modern era.
37
Fetha Negest
• The Fetha Negest (The Law of Kings) was a religious
.

and secular legal provision than being a definite

constitution.
• Law of the Kings, is a collection of laws which in use in
Christian Ethiopia for many centuries.
• It was originally written in Arabic by the Coptic
Egyptian writer Abu-l Fada‘il Ibn al-Assal (commonly
known as Ibn al-Assal) when Cyril III was the Patriarch
of Alexandria (1235-1243).
• It was designed by monks in the Church the same time
Kebre Negest penned.
• It set out the laws and regulations that were used to
govern all activities of the Ethiopia society in the late
38
• The Fetha Negest was used as the sources of
constitutional, civil, and criminal laws.
.

• It was compiled from the Old Testament, the New

Testament, and the Roman law.
• It serves as both religious laws and legal provisions
of state.
• It was fundamental laws upon which the government
and the administration were based and the king vested
with absolute power.
• The throne was hereditary, the king was thought to be
appointed divinely, that is derives his power directly
from God.
• It contains the idea of divine rights of kings with the
39
Kibre Negest
• Kibre Negest was another traditional document that
.

has constitutional relevance.

• Literally, Kibre Negest means glory of king.
• The Kebra Nagast (The Glory of Kings) was written
to document for the first time the mythical origins of
the royal house.
• This document was written by six Tigrean clerics and
completed in the early 14th Century.
• It was the most important traditional document that
even defined who should become king in Ethiopia i.e.,
it determine the succession of the throne in Ethiopia.
It was the principal sources of legitimacy for the
kings. 40
• The Kibre Negest document takes the
Ethiopian history back to the Solomonic
.

dynasty, where the queen of Sheba made

romantic tripe to King Solomon of Israel and
gave birth to the first Ethiopia king Menelik I.

• Based on this the document determined that

any king in Ethiopia must descend from the
Solomonic dynasty or must have such blood
relationship with the dynasty.

41
Ser’ate Mengist
• Ser‘ate Mengist was another traditional document of the
.

nineteenth century that had been used as constitution by the

traditional rulers before 1931.
• The ser’ate Mengist was provided certain administrative
protocol and directives in the 19th century.
• The Ser‘ate Mengist can hardly be considered to be a
document of Constitutional Law in its widest sense.
• However, as it is the first document known to have been used
for allocating power among the Crown, its dignitaries and the
Church, by means of “... a protocol of ceremonies which had
to be consulted whenever occasions required it…” and tried to
lay out a pattern of succession to power, though the problem
of primogeniture (right of inheritance) was more theoretical
than practical as incessant rivalries among members of the
royal house intermittently switched lines. 42
5.5.2. The 1931 First Written Constitution
• It is often said that the key sources of legitimacy in
.

Ethiopia‘s past were force (conquest, military expansion),

religion (i.e. Orthodox Christianity), and tradition (i.e.
“right” genealogy).
• This is also in line with the official titles of the supposedly
“Solomonic” Ethiopian Emperors which, roughly, are as
follows; “Conquering Lion [marking might, or force] of
the Tribe of Judah [marking genealogy and tradition],
Elect of God [marking the vital importance of religious
anointing to qualify for the throne], ... [the name], King of
Kings, Emperor of Ethiopia.” Literally, “Moha Anbesa,
Negede Yihuda, Siyume Egziabiher, Niguse Negast Ze
Ethiopia”
43
• Hence, these indicate the importance of genealogy
and tradition in Ethiopian past constitutional
.

experience. With promulgation (proclamation) of

first written form of constitution on July16, 1931
by Emperor Haile Selassie, the era of unwritten
form of constitution came to an end.
• The constitution reinforced the traditional position
of the emperor as “Siyume Egziabiher, Niguse
Negast Ze Ethiopia” which literally means: Elect
of God, King of Kings of Ethiopia‘ but on the
other marked the end of the role of the nobility or
at least the gradual reduction of their role in local
leadership, the traditional check against the power
44
• It is believed that both internal and external factors
forced the development of the 1931 constitution.
.

• Externally, the introduction of the 1931 constitution

was the result of the growing interaction between
Ethiopia and the external world, particularly the
western European countries.
• Emperor Haile Silassie developed strong aspiration to
view Ethiopia as a modern state to the rest of the world.
• Yet, it is important to note that Haile Selassie was
crowned with full support of the pre-war modern elite
with a mission of Japanizing Ethiopia.
• The Meiji Constitution of Japan was conceived as a
benevolent (generous) gift of the Emperor of Japan to
his people. 45
• The emperor had to convince the world that his country was
modernizing and taking her place among the civilized states.
.

• A few years before that it became a member of League of

Nations, over some nations‘ objection that it was not
“civilized enough” to join the club of civilized nations.
• The constitution unequivocally (clearly) declared that the
sole basis of legitimate authority was the emperor, and that
all titles and appointments descended from him.
• For instance, Article 6 of the constitution declares that: In the
Ethiopian Empire supreme power rests in hands of the
emperor.
• Ethiopia was in need of reflecting a different picture of its
own to the rest of the world, that it is no more a back ward
state.
• However, the 1931 constitution was failed to achieve 46
• Internally, the 1931 constitution was intended to provide a
legal framework for the suppression of the powerful
.

traditional nobilities to the emperor.

• The emperor has a deep interest of centralizing the state
power in the internal politics of the country.
• It was designed to unify and centralize all state power in the
hands of the monarch.
• This also marked the beginning of the culmination of the
struggle for centralization, which began with the attempt at
unification by emperors during the 19th century and reached
its consolidation under the absolutist rule of Emperor Haile
Selassie to be further reinforced by the military.
• The consequence was the alienation (hostility) of the bulk of
the regional actors leading to the center- periphery polemics
(attacks). 47
5.3.3. The Revised Constitution of 1955
• Ethiopian politics were profoundly affected by
.

World War II and its aftermath.

• The emperor had been driven into exile when
beginning in 1935 the Italian Fascists occupied the
country for just over five years.
• During this period both the Ethiopian Orthodox
Church and the traditional aristocracy were
severely weakened.
• In fact, in the process of resisting the Italian
occupation, virtually a whole generation of young
Ethiopian intellectuals was wiped out.
48
• When the emperor was restored to the throne by the
British in 1941, he used their military and administrative
.

assistance to bolster (strengthen) his own authority against

what was left of the Church leadership and the traditional
aristocracy.
• At the same time, the world had also been profoundly
changed by the War.
• Ethiopia found itself needing to establish itself as a
legitimate player in the world community of states.
• Moreover, it was surrounded by African colonies which
were rapidly gaining their independence and left by the
departing colonialists with varying forms of democratic
institutions.
• This trend led to pressures for reform on the Imperial
Crown from younger Ethiopians. 49
• In this situation, after quarter of a century, the 1931
constitution was revised and replaced by the revised
.

constitution of 1955.
• There were collections of social and political events that
urged the revision of the 1931 constitution.
• The revision of the 1931 constitution was urged by both
internal and external factors.
• The Revised Constitution continued to reinforce the
process of centralization.
• The sketchy provisions regarding the powers and
prerogatives of the Emperor were extensively elaborated
in the new Constitution.
• The Constitution spent one chapter settling the issue of
succession on the rule of male primogeniture (inheritor).
50
• Detailed provisions vested in the Emperor wide powers over the
military, foreign affairs, local administration and so forth.
.

• Interestingly enough it also contained an elaborate regime of civil

and political rights for the subjects.
• In theory, the Constitution was the supreme law of the land
governing even the Emperor.
• It contemplated (considered) even an independent ministerial
government responsible to the monarch and parliament, an elected
chamber and independent judiciary but these liberal provisions
were overshadowed by executive prerogatives reserved to the
Emperor who exercised them expansively.
• Despite the apparent inclusion of the notion of separation of
powers, little change was introduced regarding the position of
the Emperor.
• He was both the head of state and of the government and he
continued to oversee the judiciary through his Nigus Chilot
51
(Crown Court).
• The 1955 constitution was revised because of internal
and external factors mainly to cope up with the social
.

and political dynamics of the then period, global

politics, and Ethio-Eritrean federation.
• This revised version of the 1931 constitution comes
with a slight modification in the structure of the
system of governance, limiting the power of the
emperor to a certain extent and a relatively better
recognition of rights and freedoms.
• However, like its predecessor, the constitution
declares the inviolability of the Emperor‘s dignity
and the power of appointing and dismissing
members of the parliament and other offices were
in the hand of the Emperor. 52
• The federation of Eritrea with Ethiopia led to the addition of
two new documents in to the Ethiopia legal system.
.

• These were the federal act and the Eritrean constitution. The
federal act was a document that specified the terms of
agreements for the federation between Eritrea and Ethiopia.
• The Eritrean were established their own constitution with the
support of UN.
• This constitution incorporated the human rights provisions of
the universal declaration of human rights and other
progressive concepts.
• It also implied a more liberal government that incorporated
the values and ideas of a democratic society.
• Both documents were far modern and better than the existing
traditional 1931 constitution of the imperial government.
• Thus, the emperor was forced to revise the 1931 Constitution.
53
 .

O U , &
K Y T E R
A N H A P
T H HE C TOO
F T R S E ! ! !
D O O U K !
EN HE C L U C
T O D
GO 137