Addis Ababa, July 15(ENA)--A demonstration held in London on July 10, 2002 urged the Italian government to return the pillaged Axum Obelisk to its rightful owners, the Ethiopian people.

Ethiopians residing in London, Englishmen and Ras Tafarians staged the demonstration in front of the Italian Embassy in London requesting the Italian government to abide by the treaties it signed after the battle of Adowa and return the Stele.

The renowned historian Richard Pankhurst led the demonstration, the Press and Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs quoted the Ethiopian Embassy in London as saying.

The demonstrators, voiced resentment at the Italian government's negligence to keep the monument safe until its return to Ethiopia. In addition to constant damages by acid rains, the obelisk recently received a major crack by what was said a lightening accident where it is standing at the heart of Rome.

Richard Pankhurst along with two representatives, one of whom a priest with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, managed to enter and hold talks with the Italian Embassy's counselor, according to a press release the department sent to ENA on Monday.

The delegates on the occasion presented the Ethiopian House of Peoples Representatives' Resolution passed on 18 June 2002, a memorandum of the National Committee for the Return of the Axum Obelisk as well as an Ethiopian government's declaration endorsed at the recently held OAU Summit in Durban requesting the Italian government to immediately return the Heritage to where it belongs.

The Italian counselor told the delegates of the demonstration that the government of Italy still has the willingness and commitment to return the Obelisk to Ethiopia.

The counselor was also quoted as saying that the process to return the Axum Obelisk was delayed due to technical problems.

The Axum Obelisk was pillaged from Ethiopia in 1937 by the occupation forces of Fascist Italia.

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