November 5, 2000

Ethiopia's late Emperor Haile Selassie to be reburied

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (Reuters) -- Ethiopia's late Emperor Haile Selassie goes to his final resting place on Sunday (November 5th) in an elaborate reburial ceremony a full 25 years after his death.

The country's royal family-in-exile and dozens of Rastafarians who believe Selassie to be God were to join thousands of ordinary Ethiopians in honoring the man who ruled for 44 years before being overthrown in 1974.

He died the following year, allegedly murdered by his captors, and his body was buried in dirt and covered with concrete near a latrine.

After the Marxist military regime that toppled Selassie was itself ousted in 1991, his remains were put inside the mausoleum holding other members of the family dynasty.

But he had always wanted to be buried inside the tomb he ordered made in the Trinity Cathedral in central Addis Ababa.

He finally makes it to the cathedral on Sunday, accompanied by Ethiopian Orthodox Church bishops and men dressed as traditional warriors in a procession through the capital.

Rita Marley was among the Rastafarians in Ethiopia to attend the funeral, even though many believe Selassie is God so can not die and that the remains to be buried belong to someone else.