T'is the reason
of cheer
By Tesfu Telahoun
There is a uniqueness about the Christian holiday of Christmas
that is appreciated even beyond the followers of the faith. The
whole world senses the change in ambience as the winter really starts
to bite and December 25 rushes at you with delightful speed.
Shopkeepers perk up, displays are arranged just so and then again
– until the entire shop dazzles with shiny goods awaiting
the Christmas shopper. Businesses depend on this festive season
of good cheer for up to a quarter of their annual sales. The preparations
for Christmas buying of gifts, and packing, decking out the house
with bunting, decorating the tree, and the thousand other details–
these, as for the main holidays of other religions,are what make
any holiday special.
Judaism’s Hannukah, Hinduism’s Diwali and Islam’s
Mowlid all – have a similar overriding theme – the exchange
of goodwill and gifts amid the feasting.
Students of the Christian gospels explain that the venerated Christmas
tradition of exchanging gifts symbolizes the miracle of the ultimate
present from God – his only begotten Son Jesus Christ –
the supreme gift.
Bethlehem – 2007 Christmas returns home
The West bank of the river Jordan contains within its modest surface
area, towns of immense significance to Christianity Bethany is one
such. It is a tiny village overshadowed by the Mount of Olives –
the dwelling of Lazarus and also where Jesus stayed during Holy
Week. A little further off from Bethany we find the hamlet that
started it all – Bethlehem – to Christians the birthplace
of Jesus and to Judaism – the early home of King David.
The effects of the second Palestinian Intifada, which began in 2007
have devastated Bethlehem’s vital tourist industry –
the town’s single largest source of income. Tens of thousands
of Holy Land tours had over the years, brought a steady stream of
pilgrim tourists to the many towns of biblical significance found
clustered near and around– Jerusalem, the focal point of Abrahamic
faiths.
Bethlehem, more of an actual, physical core of Christianity, had
become too dangerous to visit as the growing uprising spread and
Israel took countermeasures. The town literally began to die as
its young fled in search of a once assured livelihood amidst the
timeless walls.
In what sounds like a time period straight from the Bible, seven
years passed before ancient Bethlehem could celebrate a proper Christmas
– with the tourists – who have flocked to the town this
Christmas.
In attendance at the mass also, was Palestinian president Mahamud
Abbas – himself a Muslim, yet displaying by action that peaceful
coexistence, tolerance and mutual respect should be the future of
the region and the world at large.
On December 25, the little town was transformed, shedding the memory
of seven cold and quiet Christmases by celebrating joyfully in Manger
Square.
The recently revived peace talks between the Palestinian Authority,
personified by pragmatist president Mahamud Abbas and Ehud Olmert,
Israel’s beleagured P.M., and spearheaded by the United States,
have ushered in a sense of cautious optimism that maybe finally,
groundwork is being lain for a two state solution.
This has invigorated the social and to some extent, economic life
of Israel proper as well as of the mainly Arab towns that are must
– see pilgrimage and tourist attractions or are situated in
proximity to other sites of Biblical importance. In this respect
no town – perhaps not even Jerusalem, can surpass Bethehem’s
unique status in regions and history. Thanks to a rather calmer
Middle East the small town is smiling again. This Christmas. Peace
is an infectious thing and so relevant to everything that is good
in us. The sublime reality of the holiday is that Christmas is a
gift of peace.
Rome
All roads may not literally lead to Rome but this was so for up
to one million of the faithful, who made their way to Vatican City
and its vast square in front of Saint Petero’s Basilica the
epicenter of global Catholicism. The huge midnight mass was followed
by a sterm homily by pope Benedict in which he admonished greed
and obsessive pre-occupation with accumulating more and more wealth;
describing the state of the world today as ‘polluted’
and selfishly and recklessly exploited. ‘Its very future is
at risk,’ said the pope, “man is so pre-occupied with
himself he has such urgent need of all the space and all the time
for his things that nothing remains for others; for his neighbor,
for the poor, for God. And the richer men become, the more they
fill up all the space by themselves and the less room there is for
others.”
United States
Christmas 2007 will be remembered as a white Christmas as most of
the U.S. experiences serve winter patterns. Not to say there weren’t
some choice Christmas adventures like the father and son term who
were caught in a snowstorm for three days … they were looking
for the perfect Christmas tree.
Christmas in America, or for that matter anywhere in the world,
all about shopping – it’s just more so in the U.S. The
big, most find but can’t, gift item this year is Nintendo’s
wildly successful wi….(Wait till Ethiopian kids find out …pity
the parents…)
And of course, Oprah was on ….with her Favorite Things 2007
and my oh my, didn’t she surprise a whole unsuspecting –
(really) southern town with the Dream Ticket. Affiliate Dr.Phill
is no miser either, doing the unbeatable lavishing Wi Consoles and
other goodies on hundreds of hysterically delighted people, Yeah.
Christmas was cool. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
HAPSCO, Capital organizes Christmas gift
packages
By Tesfu Telahoun
Capital is celebrating the 10th year of its establishment with
a series of commemorative events. We are pleased to announce that
in this space over the next weeks, we will feature milestone occasions
and defining moments of our newspaper’s journey through a
decade of service in journalism. There will also be regular updates
on the various activities we have planned in connection with our
10th anniversary, as well as comments, opinions and messages from
our readers.
Among the considerable challenges facing our country is HIV/AIDS
and its multi-faceted impacts on our society with especially, the
burden the pandemic is causing on the most innocent of victims –
children. It is estimated that there are up to 600,000 children
in Ethiopia who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. A large
number of these children are themselves infected, requiring sustained
care and support. This monumental task requires the contribution
of all segments of society as the pandemic itself makes no distinction
in choosing its targets. There can never be too much state, public,
NGO, corporate and private initiatives of intervention against the
national challenge.
In this spirit, the Hiwot AIDS Prevention, Support and Care Organization
established in 1999 by founder & executive director, sister
Tibebe Meko has engaged itself in contributing its share to the
overall war against HIV/AIDS.
Capital, in connection with the 10th anniversary of our establishment,
desired to seek the co-operation of HAPSCO and YIBEKAL [That's enough]
PRO PRIDE's most acclaimed radio program on HIV AIDS, as we felt
obliged to contribute – albeit on modest scale, to provide
fifty, 4-10 year olds whom either have tested positive or have been
orphaned by HIV/AIDS; with school supplies, educational textbooks
and other reading material as well as sports equipment and various
toys.
The event is scheduled to be held on Ethiopian Christmas Eve, Sunday
January 6, 2008, at the Kebele 20/21 auditorium located behind the
building housing Flamingo Bar.
On the occasion , child friendly fun will be provided by a live
music group and clowns to keep the children entertained until a
Christmas lunch prepared and served by Capital staff is enjoyed
by all.
Launched in 2007 on FM Addis 97.1, Yibekal has quickly been recognized
as one of the most effective network that has played a significant
role in advocating against HIV-AIDS. Yibekal has twice been voted
as the Year's best radio programme on HIV/AIDS.
CRBC/AACRA Relay
- Oromia Police retain title
- Capital ‘wins’ category
The 4th edition of the annual CRBC/AACRA Ring Road Relay was held
with enthusiastic participation and loads of fun, on Sunday December
23, 2007 . The Ring Road Relay, now a regular fixture on the athletics
calendar, is organized jointly by China Roads and Bridges Construction
company and the Addis Ababa City Roads Authority in co-operation
with Great Ethiopian Run of Africa’s largest road race fame.
This year featured an elite category of 30 teams and over 60 teams
representing various organizations. Each team comprised of 12 relay
runners with the former category running four stages of 3 kms each
and the latter making do with the 12 running 1 Kilometer bursts.
The title was taken by Oromia Police Club which won in both the
men’s and women’s relays. Ambassador Real Estate Company
won the organizations’ category. Capital’s crew finished
a respectable 46th for best in the newspaper category.
BBC-75 years of excellence
By Tesfu Telahoun
“Please do not expect too much in to air at first. The programs
may neither be very interesting nor very good.” These words
launched the Empire Service fore-runner of the British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC) on December 20, 1932. Born of such humility, currently
the Beeb, as it is known to its hundreds of millions of listeners,
is arguably the world’s best and most trusted news organization.
BBC World Service, not to be confused with BBC World (free to air
satellite TV) and pay – TV, BBC Prime is what made its name.
World Service was (at least up to recent years) a strictly low-tech,
shortwave broadcast radio which has reported on and from the events
and locations that have shaped life on earth for the last 75 years.
BBC World Service is extremely popular in Africa with especially
‘Focus on Africa’ an iconic daily program which will
always be associated with legendary presenter and Africa editor
Robin White.
As part of World Service’s 75th anniversary activities, the
BBC has been gathering listeners viewpoints and opinions. BBC Addis
Ababa reporter Elizabeth Blunt met up with an elderly military officer
in Addis Ababa, which by the way is – the largest African
capital not to have a BBC FM re-broadcasting station.
General Wasyehun Negatu was born in Wellega Western Ethiopia in
1920s. He served with destination in the 1977 Ethio-Somali war.
He was later imprisoned by the military regime.
General Wasyehun : “I have been an avid BBC World Service
listener for over forty five years. I particularly enjoyed excellent
journalists such as Robin white and other reporters and correspondents.
I admire the BBC’s dedication to factual accuracy, timely
and up to date information.
Blunt : You participated in the 1977 Ethio-Somali or Ogaden War.
Were you getting news from the World Service?
General Wasyehun: Oh Yes, I was monitoring the BBC during the Ogaden
War but I did not agree with the reporting. They were saying that
Siad Barre’s armed forces were the strongest in the horn of
Africa and that the Derg could not withstand them. They went on
to report that Karamara mountain is, the most strategic spot in
the horn of Africa and that it has been occupied by the advancing
Somalis. I reality didn’t appreciate the BBC at that time…
Blunt : Was it true though?
General Wasehun: Only momentarily. They did capture the mountain
briefly but we drove them back and Karamara has remained Ethiopian
ever since.
Elizabeth Blunt : You were listening to the BBC as a soldier in
the Ogaden. Later, when you were imprisoned did you continue to
listen to World Service?
General Waseyhun: Yes. I did, I was in prison for 10 years and we
were allowed to listen to the radio without restrictions. I remember
when the BBC reported, “EPLF rebels have captured Asmara and
then also, “TPLF rebels have entered Addis Ababa and the Derg
has been defeated.”
|
