DR congo
Capital’s special page devoted to lending the third new Ethiopian millennium an African perspective.
Tenayestelen!
Wow! We are flattered by the volume of Africa 2000 Readership Survey responses that have been pouring in. 2000 thanks to all! Although we published the survey results in last week’s issue as promised, Capital will study the responses, recommendations and suggestions that have been arriving after May 13, 2007.
Following is part of an e-mail by Oje Kumbana, who happened to read the May 6, 2007 edition of Africa 2000 while in Addis on transit to Nairobi, Kenya.
Dear Africa 2000,
I was struck with an observation as I read through the Africa 2000 page If only more African newspapers, magazines and other media would focus on introducing and informing their audiences about other African countries. I appreciate the efforts of your newspaper. Although I don’t live here I am going to suggest my idea to media workers in my country. I will also spread the word about the Ethiopian Third Millennium celebrations and wish all Africans love, peace prosperity and continental unity.
Oje Kumbana
Facts and Figures
Location = Central Africa, Great Lakes region, CAR and Sudan on N, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania on East, Zambia and Angola on South, Congo on West
Area = 2,345,410, Africa Ranking-3rd
Topography = Congo River Basin, Vast well-watered and forested Central region. Mountains in West, savannas in South, grasslands in North
Population = 62,660,551
Distribution - 53.3% urban
Principal Ethnic Groups = More than 200; Mongao, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu) and Mangbetu- Azande (Hamitc) 45 % of population.
Major Languages –French (official), Lingala, Tshiluba, Kingswana (a Swahili dialect) and Tshiluba
Principal Religions – Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20% Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%
Capital City – Kinshasha, pop, 6,050,000
Other Cities – Lubumiashi, Kisangani, Kamina, Matadi
Government Type – In transition
Head of State – President Joseph Kabila, since 2001
Literacy – 67.2%
Life Expectancy – 50.0 male, 52.9 female
Aids Rate – 3.2%
Currency –Franc (CDF) = 432.00= 1USD
Economy- Coffee, sugar, rubber, bananas, wood products, mining, textles, footwear, Cement.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – 40.7 bln USD
Per Capita GDP - 700 USD
Electricity Production - 6.8 bln kwh
Railroads – 5136 kms
Airports – 4
Vehicles – 205,000 units
Telephones – 10,000 lines
Radios – 376 per 1000
TV sets – 2 per 1,000
Daily Newspaper Circulation – 2.8 per 1000
Internet – 8,000 users
Facts and figures are the latest available at time of publication and may not necessarily be the most accurate.
History
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), is the most glaring example of how African countries remain so poor despite immense human and natural resources. The DRC is without a doubt the most richly endowed country on the continent and yet … very much like Ethiopia, has not been able to reap the fruits.
Soon after Joseph Kabila senior fought his way across the vast country, he invited leaders from the region and across Africa to his presidential inaugural. Among the higher profile leaders was Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. Prior to departing Kinshasa, Meles gave a press conference during which he was asked what lessons he drew from recent Zaira history. Said Meles, “I have learned how not to govern a country.”
It is difficult to comprehend to what extent the despotic, decadent and corrupt rule of Mobutu Sese Seko improverished the DRC. However, such as individual could have had a whole country an his personal plaything is unsurprising when we consider his contemporaries in other African countries. We recall Bokassa, Eyadema and Idi Amin and Mengistu
The Congo Basin and Great Lakes region of which the DRC has the lion’s share, was probably first inhabited by the pygmies, followed closely by Bantu peoples who migrated from the east and Nilotic tribes from the north. The earliest recorded Bantu authority was the Bakongo Kingdom and Angola to the Southwest. This kingdom spreading on to was visited by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century.
From sophistication to nomadic life
By: Tsion Aklilu
I asked people what clicks their mind the first time they hear the word nomad. Of course most answer almost similar answer, yes! their life style.
These life styles were limited only for certain tribes. But the dynamic world has made it the life style of nearly everyone, the need of better jobs, better wages, better homes and better of every thing. The New Nomad exists with a different look.
Professor Luca Colombo, teaches industrial design at the Italian School. He presented a bamboo and recycled papers made shelf and ‘closet’ at an exhibition in which named it “The New Nomad”. Italian Cultural Institute (ICI) cast different but related exhibitions at a time on Monday May 21, 2007. Industrial design exhibition was presented by Colombo and three Addis Ababa University Fine Art School students.
Colombo considers him self as an environmentalist and tries to present or work his designs simple and echo friendly. He explains why he used the bamboo and paper in addition to his care for the earth, “I prefer to work with bamboo, because it is typically Ethiopian and the recycle papers are flexible to give colour and shape.”
It has been only eight months since he came to Ethiopia for the first time; he has managed to work with the situation he was not accustomed to. Following his latest design for the nomad life packages, he was facing difficulties with organizing the materials. Let alone for a foreigner who has experienced Addis even for locals shopping in Merkato is confusing, Colombo had to go to the market for his bamboo needs.
He explained the experience, “I had to do every thing the way I wanted from shopping the bamboo till footing the plan except making the papers.” The 48 year old professor is an architect who has a high interest in sharing the knowledge he possessed from Milan, city of architect.
“Here in Ethiopia the external architecture is developing, beautiful buildings are under construction, but what I want to focus is on the interior architecture,” stated Colombo with passion. On the coming June his contract will expire, but he has the plan to revisit Ethiopia and contribute his enthusiastic ideas.
The professor has taken the initiation of organizing the industrial designing exhibition to motivate his students at the Italian school and give a new glimpse for students at the fine art school. Only one out of 80 students has came up with his built-up design. Peitro Pessi came up with a flying Messob (traditional basket), which of course fit the new nomad exhibition; the bamboo made messob has a portable and rotating top.
Pessi was born in Uganda but has lived in Ethiopia only for few years as student at the Italian school, and it was then he met his new mentor Colombo. Pessi was already involved in designing though had not the chance to exhibit his final work for public eye; the professor has helped him in selecting materials and advised him which way to go.
The gentles have introduced the New Nomad System with the portable, easily available and cheap materials. “We are the new nomads. We move place to place looking for better job, which make us trekker of better life.”
Beside the nomadic portable design the professor has managed to bring thee Art School students and put them together to show their sample works. They all come with different approach to book shelf and other designs. Seble, a 0 year student presented about four of her sample works all made by hand. “A woman body is beautiful, every shape conveys some thing and that is why I give the lamp shed a woman shape,” said the friendly young woman in explaining her hand made lamp shade. The steel made shade has the shape of a woman body half covered with garment (netela) decorated with defunct and mend tiny dyed glass hanging on top.
Colombo explains why only three of them participated, “I tried to contact the industrial design students but only hear from these students.” He is also looking forward to work with the University in order to give his sparkling Milan experience.
|
