New
Fund to ensure free medical treatment
By Andualem Sisay
For the first time, Ethiopia is going to institute a vehicle insurance
against third party risks proclamation, which will establish a fund
that realizes free medical treatment for any person injured in vehicular
accidents, whether the car is insured or not.
The proclamation will entail the establishment of a system for facilitating
the provision of emergency medical treatment for victims of vehicle
accidents.
 MORE
Livestock contraband costs nation 138 mln
USD yearly
UAE lifts import ban on Ethiopian meat
By Andualem Sisay
Ethiopia loses over 138 mln USD per annum because of the large
number of animals and other livestock products exported informally
to neighboring countries across the border.
The countries to which these resources flow, re-export them to Middle
Eastern countries and as a result of such operations, Ethiopia loses
a substantial amount of foreign exchange earnings.
MORE
Electric buses to begin shortly
By Kirubel Tadesse
Alemayehu Tegenu, Minister of Mines and Energy and other invited
guests were among attendants gathered to welcome the first of two
Russian made electric trolley buses at Meskel Square on October
19, 2007.
According to Getachew Eshetu, Manager and owner of Rus Afro Trolley
Bus plc, more than one thousand two hundred electric buses are needed
to solve Addis Ababa‘s transportation problem.
MORE
Haile runs on fund raiser
By Andualem Sisay
Athlete Haile Gebre Selassie is running a certain distance today
in the Michigan, USA Marathon to raise funds for the Ethiopian North
American Health Professionals Association (ENAPA).
In addition, the athlete, who is invited by the Association along
with Fiseha Asres, one of the elders engaged in the release of arrested
CUD leaders, also participated yesterday in a dinner organized for
raising funds which will be used by the association to provide medical
treatment in Ethiopia.
MORE
Government lifts tax for car assemblers
Second model unveiled
By Andualem Sisay
After a series of negotiations initiated by Holland Car plc, the
first car assembly plant in Ethiopia, government has lifted the
10 per cent surtax and 2 per cent withholding tax that used to be
levied on components.
In addition, the 30 per cent withholding tax for vehicles of less
than 1.3 liters is under consideration by the government for a substantial
reduction. “In the beginning (when the company opened in 2005)
we had difficult times, but now we are getting more support from
the government including tax reductions,” said Tadesse Tesema,
owner of Holland Car plc.
MORE
International Saving and credit cooperatives
day celebrated
By Addis Mulugeta
The paramount role of saving and credit cooperatives has been
applauded as the International Saving and Credit Cooperatives Day
was held for the 19th time in Ethiopia and was held for the 59th
time internationally, on Thursday, October18, 2007, at the National
Lottery Hall.
MORE
Ethiopia’s children cry for help
Police apprehend father who molested own daughter for 9 years
By Andualem Sisay
One cold evening last October, a woman was buying firewood in Wolo
Sefer, Bole area in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Suddenly, she came upon
a desperate 11 year old girl who had been thrown out of her home
after having endured sexual molestation by her father ever since
she was a 2 year old infant.
MORE
Addis Ababa water supply to increase
Project includes Gondar, Mekelle, Jimma and Awassa
By Andualem Sisay
The Ethiopian Ministry of Water Resources (EMWR) has launched
a project that will increase Addis Ababa city's water supply by
100,000 cubic meters a day.
In addition to this project, the Addis Ababa Water Sewerage Authority
(AAWSA) and the Municipality will also use their own revenues to
construct sufficient boreholes to produce an extra 50,000 cubic
meters per day for Addis Ababa.
MORE
First ever designers’ workshop opens
By Kirubel Tadesse
“I have seen that the designers have a lot of creativity,
although they may not be completely aware of how to utilize it”,
said Ms. Ramnik Dhillon, a trainer at the Indian Capacity Building
Initiative workshop for designers which is being held from October
15 to November 1, 2007.
MORE
New “Pace Promotion Program”
planned for 2008
By Kirubel Tadesse
Ethiopia’s southern pastoralist areas, where there have
been resource conflicts and border disputes, are the main concern
of the Peace Promotion Program scheduled to start in 2008.
The Peace Promotion Program, which was first initiated by civil
society in Germany as the “Civil Peace Service Program “,
has been implemented by the German Federal government as of 1999
in more than thirty five countries including Cambodia, Peru, Ecuador,
Rwanda, Sudan, and Zimbabwe.
MORE
Rotary- commitment runs deep
By Muluken Yewondosen
A massive immunization drive is being rolled out across Ethiopia
from October 18-21, 2007, aiming to protect 16 million Ethiopian
children under five from the debilitating disease polio.
In support of this nationwide effort, a large contingent of volunteers
comprising of 70 members of Rotary - the global humanitarian services
organization has arrived here. The Rotarians are from clubs in the
United States and Canada and will help in the campaign by administering
the oral polio vaccine.
MORE
City University hopes to perk up
on its graduates
By Kirubel Tadesse
The former Zega Business College, renamed this year City University
College, graduated one hundred sixty seven students on Sunday October
14, 2007, and expressed its trust and expectation that the graduates
will serve as ambassadors of their college by displaying genuine
professionalism in their endeavors.
MORE
Scarcity of judges harming Federal Sheria
Supreme Court efficiency
By Kirubel Tadesse
Sheik Tajudien Ahmed, Vice President of the Federal Sheria Supreme
Court, told Capital that the services the Court renders have been
slow, inefficient and unsatisfying for Muslim Ethiopians due to
the lack of judges.
MORE
Challenges of combating gender based problems
By Addis Mulugeta
Boys and young men have been requested to understand the role they
can play in promoting children's rights and thereby address Sexual
Reproductive Health (SRH) problems, at a forum held at the Awash
Hall of Addis Hilton on Monday, October 15, 2007.
Music vibration for poverty eradication
By Addis Mulugeta
Music May Day put efforts to raise awareness in eradicating poverty
from Ethiopia and the world at large through musical vibration together
with dances under the motto of “White Ribbon” at a function
held on Wednesday, October17, 2007, at the National Theater.
MORE
|
New
Fund to ensure free medical treatment
By Andualem Sisay
For the first time, Ethiopia is going to institute a vehicle insurance
against third party risks proclamation, which will establish a fund
that realizes free medical treatment for any person injured in vehicular
accidents, whether the car is insured or not.
The proclamation will entail the establishment of a system for facilitating
the provision of emergency medical treatment for victims of vehicle
accidents.
The fund will also provide compensation to a third party victim
of an accident inflicted by an insured or unidentified vehicle.
As a result, any person who has sustained injury caused by a vehicle
accident shall be entitled to emergency medical treatment valued
at up to 1,000 birr.
When this fund is established by the government and begins generating
money from the proceeds of insurance tariffs, all medical institutions
shall have the duty to provide emergency treatment to a victim of
a vehicle accident and be reimbursed directly from the insurer or
the fund.
The fund will have a Director General that will be appointed by
the Prime Minister and its Board shall have members comprised from
concerned government institutions and insurance companies.
It will also require owners of vehicles to have third party insurance
coverage against third party risks. The proclamation gives powers
for the police to detain a vehicle that shall not label a third
party insurance sticker.
The draft proclamation also fixes the maximum amount of money individuals
can claim for the loss of lives and property due to car accidents.
When the draft proclamation was presented to the House of Peoples’
Representatives on Tuesday, October 16, 2007, some Members of Parliament
suggested that the concerned standing committee at the House has
to critically look into it before it is presented to the house for
final approval.
When the draft proclamation is approved after amendments in a couple
of months, the maximum amount of compensation due to damage caused
by an insured vehicle shall not exceed 30,000 birr in the case of
death, 12,000 birr in the case of bodily injury and 100,000 birr
in the case of damage to property.
The proclamation also targets at reducing the escalating rate of
vehicle accidents in the country as insurance companies would carryout
thorough technical checkups on vehicles to avoid bankruptcy. In
addition to the serious injuries and damages to properties in the
millions of birr, every year in Ethiopia, an average of 2,000 people
die in vehicle accidents.
The country is also losing hundreds of millions of birr every year
in property damages. Calculating the input of the victims of vehicle
accidents and the total loss in property, one study recently estimated
that the country loses about one per cent of its GDP every year.
Livestock contraband costs
nation 138 mln USD yearly
UAE lifts import ban on Ethiopian meat
By Andualem Sisay
Ethiopia loses over 138 mln USD per annum because of the large
number of animals and other livestock products exported informally
to neighboring countries across the border.
The countries to which these resources flow, re-export them to Middle
Eastern countries and as a result of such operations, Ethiopia loses
a substantial amount of foreign exchange earnings. This was indicated
by Yakob Yala, State Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
(MoARD) who delivered his message with his representative to the
panel discussion on livestock trade held at the Hilton Addis on
October 19, 2007.
At this discussion, scientists and businesspersons engaged in the
sector and experts from the Ministry have shared views on the subject.
Tesfalidet Hagos of LUNA, slaughter house owner and manager indicated
that as of this month the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has lifted
the import ban it imposed on Ethiopian meat, which was in force
for more than half a year.
Although it has its own positive impact in boosting the export of
Ethiopian meat, Tesfalidet strongly believes that the root cause
for Ethiopia’s failure to properly benefit from its huge amount
of livestock resource is failure of the government to introduce
its 10 mln pastoralists with a proper breeding and veterinary system.
“We are trying to harvest something we haven’t seeded,”
he says. “Pastoralists need to be encouraged and provided
with necessary support by the government to produce more and quality
livestock.”
According to Tesfalidet, even though Ethiopia is number one in Africa
in livestock quantity, an exporter of meat or live animals can not
get sufficient quantity even if the market exists.
Dr. Azage Tegegn, a senior scientist at the International Livestock
Research Institute also agrees with Tesfalidets’ idea of Ethiopia’s
attempt of harvesting something it didn’t seeded. “If
we want to develop livestock resources without considering the pastoralists’
livelihood, it doesn’t work. We have tried it and failed many
times,” Dr. Azage says.
We need to change our former attitude that considers pastoralism
as a curse. We have to accept pastoralism as a way of life and begin
supporting the pastoralists in every way possible, Dr. Azage says.
He believes that introducing a livestock extension system in the
country can be considered as an option to develop the sector.
Responding to the issues raised, Dagninet Yimenu, (PhD in Veterinary)
who is currently working at MoARD says: “Yes, there is low
veterinary and quarantine service in the pastoralist area, but we
can improve that.”
Electric buses to begin
shortly
By Kirubel Tadesse
Alemayehu Tegenu, Minister of Mines and Energy and other invited
guests were among attendants gathered to welcome the first of two
Russian made electric trolley buses at Meskel Square on October
19, 2007.
According to Getachew Eshetu, Manager and owner of Rus Afro Trolley
Bus plc, more than one thousand two hundred electric buses are needed
to solve Addis Ababa‘s transportation problem. These smokeless,
noise and air pollution free electric buses can be built at a cost
of 100, 000 birr in Ethiopia, a cheap price when compared to their
cost of 200, 000 USD in Europe and Latin American countries, Getachew
told Capital. He added that his company can reform and use old city
buses to build the electric buses.
In a speech Getachew Eshetu delivered at the introductory ceremony
of the first two buses at Meskel square, he explained that the construction
of the first electric bus assembly factory was possible with the
help of a tax holiday for the two buses imported to construct the
electric lines. He added that fifty buses, each with a capacity
of 130 passengers can start serving Addis Ababa residents soon.
As per demand the buses can be easily designed and rebuilt to carry
up to two hundred people. Getachew told Capital, “Now it is
all up to the government, the routes for the buses and other necessary
steps are what we are seeking in order to start the operation. It
is, from now on, government’s efforts that speed up the process
of introducing the buses to Addis Ababa’s streets.”
Minister Alemayehu Tegenu is very optimistic about the future role
of the buses. He said, “In this third Ethiopian and African
Millennium, which we are using to rebuild our image and economy,
these buses can play an important role saving foreign currency the
country spends for fuel and generating foreign currency when the
Rus Afro Trolley starts exporting the buses to African countries.”
Showing the interior of the comfortable buses, Getachew said to
the excited guests and residents, “Soon these buses will be
seen on the streets of Addis and main towns of regions and in African
countries as we can produce five hundred buses annually when we
start working at full capacity.” He added that for now, the
electric buses are wheeled but soon will have their own rail lines.
A trolleybus is an electric bus powered by two overhead wires, from
which it draws electricity using two trolley poles. Two poles are
required in order to accommodate the return current, which cannot
pass to the ground as in the case of an electric tram since trolleybuses
use rubber tires, rather than steel wheels on rail.
Haile runs on fund raiser
By Andualem Sisay
Athlete Haile Gebre Selassie is running a certain distance today
in the Michigan, USA Marathon to raise funds for the Ethiopian North
American Health Professionals Association (ENAPA).
In addition, the athlete, who is invited by the Association along
with Fiseha Asres, one of the elders engaged in the release of arrested
CUD leaders, also participated yesterday in a dinner organized for
raising funds which will be used by the association to provide medical
treatment in Ethiopia.
ENAPA in collaboration with ART physicians from ALERT Hospital,
Addis Ababa University, East Carolina University, and Johns Hopkins
University developed a telemedicine forum to discuss complicated
HIV/AIDS cases.
This program was launched in May, 2005 and has been continuing since
then every two weeks. The forum grew out of the need to provide
state of the art clinical guidance regarding the startup and potential
side-effects of ART.
Clinicians in Ethiopia prepare difficult HIV cases for bi-weekly
presentations to HIV experts located in the United States. Discussions
and learning points are simultaneously webcasted so that other providers
throughout Ethiopia can participate.
All web casts are also archived for future review and use. Best
clinical practices and evidence-based medicine regarding HIV/AIDS
care are emphasized. The format has been well received and since
its conception, the program has grown remarkably with a visible
increase in the number of attendees to the conferences.
It has also helped HIV/AIDS physicians in Ethiopia to update their
knowledge and review current issues in regard to ART therapy.
Government lifts tax for car
assemblers
Second model unveiled
By Andualem Sisay
After a series of negotiations initiated by Holland Car plc, the
first car assembly plant in Ethiopia, government has lifted the
10 per cent surtax and 2 per cent withholding tax that used to be
levied on components.
In addition, the 30 per cent withholding tax for vehicles of less
than 1.3 liters is under consideration by the government for a substantial
reduction. “In the beginning (when the company opened in 2005)
we had difficult times, but now we are getting more support from
the government including tax reductions,” said Tadesse Tesema,
owner of Holland Car plc. “This will encourage investors who
want to invest on car assembly and for those who wish to produce
inputs for the assemblies locally.”
This was indicated on Thursday, October 18, 2007 at the unveiling
and signing ceremony of Abay, the latest model assembled by the
company, under the Dutch government’s SNV program.
According to Tadesse, Holland Car plc has succeeded in transferring
car assembly technology to Ethiopia, producing 48 vehicles of the
first brand, DOCC, from the 800,000 Euros plus grant the company
had won.
The company assembles Abay, a new brand, with a new partnership
made with China’s ChongQing Lifan industry Group.
The new brand was on display at the Hilton Addis and is priced at
140,000 birr.
The company plans to assemble about 270 Abays up until the end of
this December. As many tour operators and individuals are requesting
the company to provide them the new car, the company is targeting
to assemble 1,000 cars in the year 2008, according to Engineer Tadesse.
“Many people have already ordered us to quickly supply them
with Abay,” he says.
The new venture is also planning to begin assembling four-wheel
drive vehicles after a year. In this regard, the company has signed
a 25 mln birr initial capital expansion project with its new partner
last week.
International Saving and
credit cooperatives day celebrated
By Addis Mulugeta
The paramount role of saving and credit cooperatives has been
applauded as the International Saving and Credit Cooperatives Day
was held for the 19th time in Ethiopia and was held for the 59th
time internationally, on Thursday, October18, 2007, at the National
Lottery Hall.
The program has been organized by two unions together with other
saving and credit cooperatives. Research papers regarding saving
and credit in Ethiopia have been presented, discussions concerning
the establishment of Oromia Cooperative Bank have been held, and
the difficulties it faced have also been conferred. Moreover, its
future plans and lessons to be learned for the future were communicated
among the participants. In the meantime, the 50th anniversary of
the workers’ saving and credit cooperative of Ethiopian Roads
Authority was celebrated together with this international saving
and credit cooperatives day.
During the event, the Ethiopian Airlines Saving and Credit Cooperative
also presented its paper for discussion. Director of Addis Ababa
Saving and Credit Cooperatives Union, Ato Dagnew Gessese told Capital
that these cooperative unions are very important, especially for
the youth and people of low and middle income who are already in
the system. They will help them raise their living standards and
change the profile of their country. One of the Millennium goals
of the cooperative unions is to establish a cooperative bank by
bringing the mass of the members of saving and credit cooperatives,
he said. Dagnew further explained that the culture of saving and
credit is very important for a country’s development. He remarked,
“Saved capital has the potential to change the country’s
per capita income”.
US President George Bush has sent a letter regarding the celebration
of International Saving and Credit Cooperation Day in Ethiopia from
the White House. President Bush said, “Credit unions play
an important role in advancing prosperity and expanding opportunities
for all citizens”.
Seyoum Marno, member of Joshua Saving and Credit Cooperation, Solomon
Jemaneh, member of the National Bank Saving and Credit Cooperation,
Medhanit Negussie representative from Ras Agez Women’s Union,
told Capital exclusively that credit and saving institutions are
helping to strengthen the financial security of their members.
Ethiopia’s children
cry for help
Police apprehend father who molested own daughter for 9 years
By Andualem Sisay
One cold evening last October, a woman was buying firewood in Wolo
Sefer, Bole area in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Suddenly, she came upon
a desperate 11 year old girl who had been thrown out of her home
after having endured sexual molestation by her father ever since
she was a 2 year old infant.
The shocked woman, whose identity has been with held for her safety,
is a mother of six daughters and two sons and could not help but
feel pity for the child. Though she realized that feeding yet another
mouth would make her family’s life even more miserable, she
did not hesitate to take the unfortunate child home.
11 year old Dinknesh (not her actual name) spent a few days of relative
peace until the family realized that she was unable to control her
bladder because of the sexual abuse, which went on for almost nine
years by her own father, had damaged her young body. As neighbors
later reported, Dinknesh was left to live with her father when he
separated from her mother when Dinknesh was about 2 years old.
When the neighborhood began suspecting him of the unspeakably horrible
act he kept her out of sight by giving her to a woman living far
from his home. As the woman began to get tired of having Dinknesh,
she threw her away like so much trash.
At this point, the father, with what seems like apparent sympathy
for his daughter and desperate to hide his shame handed Dinknesh
over to his mother. After a while, Dinknesh’s grandmother
also threw her out.
The family taking care of Dinknesh, pushed by Wosen Girma, the eldest
daughter in the family at 19, decided to report the case to the
police and Children’s Legal Protection Center (CLPC), a non
governmental organization of the African Child Policy Forum.
“Whenever I heard her (Dinknesh) crying every night, scratching
on the walls, I felt as though it was happening to myself,”
says Wosen, recalling the situation before CLPC took the victim
to a temporary shelter.
According to a press briefing given at the center on Tuesday October
16, 2007 on several samples of child abuses made by parents or kin,
Wosen managed to get the suspect put into custody by showing more
concern and cleverness than the Addis Ababa Police detectives who
failed to act even after having been provided with the suspect’s
mobile phone number.
“The search for the suspect by the police ended when they
issued an arrest warrant,” says Emebet Nugusie, Legal Counselor
at CLPC. Appreciating Wosen’s effort she added: “The
police should have applied various techniques to arrest the suspect.”
After realizing that the police investigators are not active any
more in trying to find the suspect, the center hired a private investigator
who worked on the case pro-bono out of a sense of outrage.
“It is less difficult for me to view a dead body than to look
at a raped woman or child,” says Samuel Yifru, a former Deputy
Inspector with ten years in the police force at various positions.
“Whenever I come across such incidents, I always consider
it as if it has happened to my eight sisters or on my own mother,”
he says.
After Wosen received the arrest warrant from the police, often alone
and sometimes with Samuel, she searched for the suspect day and
night telling people that she was looking for her uncle.
After going continuously to houses belonging to one of the suspect’s
several wives and following the path of his relatives and friends,
she finally found someone who could make a bogus business appointment,
in a bid to end the chase drama that has taken Wosen almost a year.
Magnitude of child abuse and challenges
According to new Ethiopian laws on rape, someone who has raped a
child of less than 13 years of age will face up to 25 years imprisonment.
However, the law provides the suspect with the opportunity to be
released on bail.
Now, CLPC is working to ask the government to lift bail rights for
rapists or to raise the a level of bail for such crimes. The center
also criticizes the fact that a victim (a child) is ordered by the
police to call the suspect to police station for investigation.
Such procedures of the police have to be reviewed; especially when
it concerns abused children and should be changed because it will
worsen the problem by adding more abuse to the children from the
suspect, according to Emebet.
Out of the seven sample child abuse cases brought to the briefing
by CLPC, six were committed by parents or close kin of the children.
The remaining case revealed the negligence of courts when giving
verdicts on children cases.
According to CLPC, one court has sentenced a 12 year old child for
16 years imprisonment, while the law will not allow a sentence of
more than ten years on a criminal child. Finally, CLPC has made
the court to reconsider its verdict and change the verdict into
five years imprisonment.
Recently, the number and kind of abuse on children is ever-increasing.
Some critics point their fingers to the media for the increase.
However, organizations such as CLPC that advocate for children’s
rights strongly believe that the media plays vital role by creating
awareness on an existing yet hidden problem by making children and
people lodge reports whenever they see abuse made on children.
“It is difficult to say this world is a safe place for children,”
says Helen Seifu, Director of CLPC. “Currently, children are
being abused at their homes, in schools and their community.”
In the past two years alone, CLPC has received reports of more than
2,000 child abuse at its Addis Ababa office.
The center provides free legal services to children and facilitates
the access of abused children to complementary support such as temporary
shelter, and medical or psycho-social assistance through networking
with other organizations.
The three temporary shelters belonging to NGOs and found in the
capital have a combined capacity of accepting fewer than 60 abused
children who may stay at the shelter for up to one year at most.
In addition to the limited intake capacity, the shelters do not
accept children kicked out of their homes by parents and those above
five years of age. According to those who are engaged in caring
for people who are living with HIV/AIDS, many children over five
years old who have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS, find it difficult
to find shelters that are willing to take them.
Apart from these shelters, there are around fifty adoption agencies
and orphanages in Addis Ababa. “We are not able to find shelters
for at least 10 per cent of children in crises who come to us,”
says Mesfin Gebre-Mariam, Senior Social Worker at CLPC, describing
the imbalance between the ever-increasing number of children abused
by their parents and kin with the shortage of shelters in the country.
“Adoption and sending children to temporary or permanent shelters
is not the right approach to deal with the problem,” says
Mesfin.
Connecting the children with their close or even far distance relatives
(blood tie adoption mechanism) is the right measure to solve the
problems of abused children, according to Mesfin.
Addis Ababa water supply
to increase
Project includes Gondar, Mekelle, Jimma and Awassa
By Andualem Sisay
The Ethiopian Ministry of Water Resources (EMWR) has launched
a project that will increase Addis Ababa city's water supply by
100,000 cubic meters a day.
In addition to this project, the Addis Ababa Water Sewerage Authority
(AAWSA) and the Municipality will also use their own revenues to
construct sufficient boreholes to produce an extra 50,000 cubic
meters per day for Addis Ababa.
To meet basic services in Addis Ababa over the next five years,
water production must be increased from 210,000 to at least 360,000
cubic meters per day, bringing production up to 75 liters per capita
per day.
The project will finance capacity expansion at the Legedadi reservoir
and water treatment plant, deep boreholes at selected sites within
Addis Ababa, and the start of a new well field to the northeast
or northwest of the city.
In addition to Addis Ababa, this project entitled urban water supply
and sanitation also targets solving the water shortage of Gondar,
Mekelle, Jimma and Awassa.
As a result of this project up to four mln residents in Addis Ababa
and the four cities mentioned above will have increased access to
potable water, and households in low income areas will have improved
access to water supply and sanitation facilities.
Water production in the four secondary cities is about 30 liters
per capita per day, of which about 25 liters per capita per day
actually reaches consumers. In comparison, water production in cities
of this size in other countries of Africa is about 75 liters per
capita per day.
On average, the project targets to double the water production of
these cities. In general, in all the five cities the project is
designed to produce and distribute more water through expansion
and rehabilitation of the existing water supply system.
According to Getachew Abdi, Head of Rural Potable Water and Sanitation
Services Department at the Ministry, some 119 mln USD has been secured
from the World Bank, Global Partnership and the French donor organization
FD in loan and aid.
"The country has been exerting efforts to realize the Universal
Access Plan that targets to provide potable water for 100 per cent
of urban dwellers by 2012," said Getachew at the launching
ceremony held at Queen Sheba Hotel on Wednesday, October 17, 2007.
He also indicated that the current coverage of potable water to
towns has reached 82 per cent.
The annual cost of achieving the government's Universal Access Plan
is estimated to be 350-450 mln USD in the first few years, falling
to 200 mln in later years.
A five fold increase in the current 100 mln USD per year rate of
investment (including this project) would be needed to achieve these
targets, according to the document distributed during the launching
of the project.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for Ethiopia are achieving
63 per cent access to safe water supply and 58 per cent access to
improved sanitation by 2015.
According to the statistics of the Ministry, in the year 2000, approximately
seven mln of the 50 mln people in rural areas and eight mln of the
11 mln people in urban areas had access to safe drinking water.
Access to basic sanitation in the same year was 6 per cent for rural
and 62 per cent for urban areas.
First ever designers’
workshop opens
By Kirubel Tadesse
“I have seen that the designers have a lot of creativity,
although they may not be completely aware of how to utilize it”,
said Ms. Ramnik Dhillon, a trainer at the Indian Capacity Building
Initiative workshop for designers which is being held from October
15 to November 1, 2007.
Explaining further about Ethiopian designers attending the training,
Ms. Ramnik of Pearl Academy of Fashion, India, added that they had
a lot to share in her one week’s session about women’s
fashion. “I expected that they would be secretive about their
ideas but that wasn’t the case. They were discussing and sharing
ideas openly in groups of four. They were all very committed through
out the entire week.”
Ramnik is very confident about the out come of the workshop, “My
session, which ended today, along with the coming weeks’ program
is all about pushing the trainees toward the right direction”,
Ramnik told Capital after saying farewell to her class. “I
have seen their garment works and analyzed styles. One of the areas
was about the finishing touches and I am sure that improvements
will be noted in their future works.”
Some of the participants attending the Life Style products and Accessories
training said that the training was quite new and a challenging
experience. A private consultant, architect Maheder Gebremedhin
said, “The training was different. I have taken many courses
and trainings but this one is unique. I am learning a lot, getting
to know more people and new options in design, in materials and
other aspects of life style products. The participants come from
a very different background, so one can exchange not only from the
instructors but from other participants.” He added that the
experts invited as special guests in some of the classes to share
their expertise along side the regular trainers from India, are
making the training worthwhile. He suggested that this opportunity
should be given to other designers also since the training very
much helps one to add value to his or her products. Hirut Gugesa,
designer and owner of Mela Gift Shop, stated, “The experience
taught me how we can, with one small object, create different products”.
Dr. Neeti Sethi Bose, Project Coordinator and one of the trainers,
told Capital that the training is proceeding in a very smooth manner
and added that the second expert from India has already arrived
in Addis and will conduct sessions starting from Monday October
22, 2007. “So far the participants showed genuine commitment
and I am sure this will continue in the next weeks of the training”,
Dr. Neeti explained to Capital. The workshop has been organized
to mark the Ethiopian millennium and to celebrate sixty years of
the Independence of India.
New “Pace Promotion
Program” planned for 2008
By Kirubel Tadesse
Ethiopia’s southern pastoralist areas, where there have
been resource conflicts and border disputes, are the main concern
of the Peace Promotion Program scheduled to start in 2008.
The Peace Promotion Program, which was first initiated by civil
society in Germany as the “Civil Peace Service Program “,
has been implemented by the German Federal government as of 1999
in more than thirty five countries including Cambodia, Peru, Ecuador,
Rwanda, Sudan, and Zimbabwe.
Hartmut Troeger, German Development Service (DED) Country Director,
said that DED plans to support the Ethiopian Ministry of Federal
Affairs (MoFA) and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s
state to develop a National and a Regional Conflict Policy and Strategy.
He added that the Program is planned to start under the Ethiopian
Ministry of Federal Affairs.
According to Claudia Roos of DED, pilot programs which had been
conducted by other German organizations such as German Technical
Cooperation (GTZ) in Ethiopia for the last few years, targeting
to facilitate negotiations and peaceful conflict resolutions between
regions, have showed encouraging results. Claudia told Capital that
the Peace Promotion Program is already designed and will be passed
to the German government after the MoFA and DED representative’s
meeting which will be held in the next two weeks. She added, “We
have an interest and expertise to support conflict transformations
at regional or community level which can contribute to the development
strategy. The emphasis lays on practical conflict transformation
on the ground.” Claudia explained that conflicts in southern
parts of Ethiopia, which sometimes arise when investors take lands
or through rivalry to control ethnic areas can be successfully addressed
through the program.
DED alone has implemented the “Civil Peace Service Program
“in more than fifteen countries and announced the Ethiopian
peace program at a press conference at Addis Hilton on the three
day All Africa DED Conference. The conference brought representatives
from twenty one African countries and Germany to Addis.
One of the participants, Dr. Uwe Runge, Chairperson of DED Administrative
Board, said that cooperation of Ethiopia and Germany has to be a
two way road. He explained that basic human rights, free press and
open democracy are some of the values which Germany can’t
put aside to have cooperation with any partner. He added “Journalists
should be able to have conditions in which they can write, speak
and report freely. These rights and freedoms are important for any
civilized nation, and are not preconditions or other forms of influence
like colonization; they are values which every human being deserves.
Therefore like any other cooperation, ours with Ethiopia is not
a one way road.” Explaining the partnership, Dr. Uwe said
that the cooperation programs are open for dialogue based changes
for both sides. DED plans to boost its value of contributions in
the form of development experts from about 1.8 to 3.1 mln Euros.
With fifty development workers present next year, they would be
worth an estimated 4.8 million Euros, partly paid for through a
co-financing arrangement under the Engineering Capacity Building
Program, ECBP.
Rotary- commitment runs deep
By Muluken Yewondosen
A massive immunization drive is being rolled out across Ethiopia
from October 18-21, 2007, aiming to protect 16 million Ethiopian
children under five from the debilitating disease polio.
In support of this nationwide effort, a large contingent of volunteers
comprising of 70 members of Rotary - the global humanitarian services
organization has arrived here. The Rotarians are from clubs in the
United States and Canada and will help in the campaign by administering
the oral polio vaccine.
The delegation is led by Ezra Teshome, resident in the U.S.A., who
has conducted six such campaigns previously.
The Rotarian delegation is also assisting in the provision of clean
drinking water, a key weapon in the struggle to eradicate this devastating
virus.
It is be recalled that Ethiopia had been verifiably declared polio
free as was most of the rest of the world. However, polio cases
began to be detected once again on the continent, first in northern
Nigeria, thwarting the world's long battle with the virus.
The current campaign in Ethiopia is more in the nature of vigilant
surveillance as there were no cases reported in Ethiopia during
the last year.
The extent of Rotary's dedication to eradicate polio worldwide is
reflected in the practical support provided by the organization
to the global campaign. This financial contribution has been in
excess of US 620 mln since 1987 with nearly US $ 8 mln of this sum
dedicated to Ethiopia.
In other Rotary news, the visiting delegation visited tourist attractions,
a school and other facilities in and around the town of Tiya, 85
kms west of Addis in Gurage Zone on Monday, October is 2007.
Rotary has been supplying Tiya Junior school, which is expected
to be upgraded to a high school, with school books since it opened
31 years ago.
The Rotarians had a chance to visit the enigmatic Tiya steles -
unique tomblike slabs of upright rocks erected by a mysterious culture
over 700 years ago. The stele field has been registered by UNESCO
as a World Heritage site.
On Tuesday the visitors were in Debrezeit to visit the Doron Grossman
Junior school which was partly built with the support of Rotary
International.
On the third day of their visit, the delegation was in Addis Ababa's
Aware School Project, setup by Jute Timinke. The Rotarians donated
stationery materials and money for this project and promised more
help in the future.
Artists for Charity Children's Home, formed for the purpose of caring
for HIV orphans was also on their itinerary.
This program was mainly directed by Diego Sanchez and professor
Mitiku Belachew, both members of Rotary.
To be continued …
City University hopes to
perk up
on its graduates
By Kirubel Tadesse
The former Zega Business College, renamed this year City University
College, graduated one hundred sixty seven students on Sunday October
14, 2007, and expressed its trust and expectation that the graduates
will serve as ambassadors of their college by displaying genuine
professionalism in their endeavors.
Eyayu Lulseged (PhD), President, City University College stated
that the College provides education that meets the required standards
in both theoretical and practical aspects. On a speech he delivered
to the graduates, Eyayu said “As research shows, you have
now become included in that one per cent of your fellow Ethiopians
that get a chance for college level education. This should be a
time when you feel proud of your achievements and more importantly,
a point where you realize the responsibilities that you have to
serve your nation in its fight against poverty and backwardness.”
Eyayu added, “Countries like China, Japan, Korea and Singapore,
which were once considered as unpromising are now forcing others
to redraw their calculation and this shows us that there exists
no reason that keeps us from being one of these promising countries,
if we engage in higher education which is supported by study and
research.” Eyayu further explained to the graduates that patriotism
is vital if the country is to register any success.
Getachew Kassaye, a prominent professional in Ethiopian accounting,
attended the graduation ceremony as a Guest of Honor. In a congratulatory
message he delivered to the graduates, Kassaye pointed out the two
possibilities graduates have to prepare for. Kassaye said, “Unlike
me, who had to go abroad for education, now you have a chance to
continue your education in your own country. You have another option,
which is to look for a job, and it should not be a matter of necessarily
seeking positions in your line of education.”
Kassaye gave as example American Diversity Visa applicants, which
he said could be found within the graduates. “You may wish
to go to the U.S.A and work as a taxi driver or a waiter but that
doesn’t come as an option for most of you when you are in
Ethiopia. That has to change”, he stressed. Kassaye shared
some of his experiences and encouraged graduates to value working
at any job until they can finally realize their dream, instead of
waiting for the ‘big break’.
The graduates were ninety-nine in Accounting, fifty six from Business
management and twelve from the Applied Computer Science departments.
The former Zega Business College was founded in 2000 with a capital
investment of four million birr.
Scarcity of judges harming
Federal Sheria Supreme Court efficiency
By Kirubel Tadesse
Sheik Tajudien Ahmed, Vice President of the Federal Sheria Supreme
Court, told Capital that the services the Court renders have been
slow, inefficient and unsatisfying for Muslim Ethiopians due to
the lack of judges.
He added, “In the last two years we were asking repeatedly
of the Islamic Supreme Council, which is responsible for appointing
judges to our courts, to replace the judges fired because of corruption.
We are currently working only with four judges in all the three
courts, one for the First Instance court and, the rest for the second
and supreme courts.” He added, “I was forced to appoint
the second instance judge to work in the first instance since the
first instance receives many cases, but that too is now creating
a problem since he can’t now see the same cases twice when
they appear in both the first and second instance courts. Even if
we have cases of a lot of women with children and others demanding
swift justice, we are forced to give long appointments since we
don’t have enough judges.”
Sheik Tajudien Ahmed explained that at least ten judges are needed
to give efficient service in the courts. “Clearing the corrupt
staff and reestablishing a workable environment, our government
created an efficient system for Muslims to receive justice. The
salary raise for the staff and other commitments of our government
prove its wish to see Ethiopian Muslims exercise their full rights
and enjoy their freedom of worship. The staff which used to be only
ten is now thanks to the government, fifty eight which made it possible
to work in full potential”, he added, “Undermining the
efforts of our government, the responsible body isn’t sending
us the judges we need. “We thank his Excellency, Kemal Bedri
for his continuous support, which was vital to the Muslim justice
system. I learned that he is trying to solve our shortage in a letter
I received a few weeks ago.”
Many efforts have been exerted to make the Islamic Affairs Supreme
Council be aware of the shortage of Judges, explains the Vice President,
“At this time in Ethiopian history when Ethiopian Muslims
enjoy their freedom of religion to the full extent, the justice
which is handled by our own cooperation shouldn’t create problems
for Ethiopian Muslims.” He further explained that the recent
celebrations of Eid Al Fatir were the most colorful celebration
in Ethiopian Muslim history. “I was really happy and even
cried when I heard the prayers and the celebrations on TV and radio,
all the violations of rights of Muslims are past history, Ethiopia
is now a land of all Ethiopians. All Ethiopians should respect and
enjoy each other’s freedom of belief in this third millennium”,
concluded Sheik Tajudien.
Challenges of combating
gender based problems
By Addis Mulugeta
Boys and young men have been requested to understand the role they
can play in promoting children's rights and thereby address Sexual
Reproductive Health (SRH) problems, at a forum held at the Awash
Hall of Addis Hilton on Monday, October 15, 2007.
Issues surrounding gender inequality and violence, sexuality, and
the link between violence and HIV/AIDS, were discussed on the forum
organized by Save the Children, Sweden. The topic of challenging
gender based inequality, violence, and discrimination between boys
and girls were deliberated upon by the participants. The forum focused
on SRH problems such as HIV/AIDS, gender based violence, teenage
pregnancy, Sexually Transmitted Infection (STIs) etc.
The discussion put forward that parents fear that open discussion
of SRH could encourage children to confront social norms and expose
them to risk. Lack of security in finding meeting spaces, heterogeneity
among group members, failure to tailor messages for different age
groups, lack of support and involvement of other stakeholders such
as the kebele, schools, and other organizations, not addressing
misconceptions arising within the groups, resistance to change from
males themselves, as evidenced by the number of dropouts from training
courses, were listed as challenges to involve boys and young men
in addressing SRH problems.
Mishisalla Beyene, Communication Advocacy Officer Save the Children,
Sweden, told Capital that the primary purpose of the forum was to
inspire the media to be interested and become more involved in reporting
gender-based challenges to work together with the media. She said,
"The media will be an active member in fighting against derogatory
social issues, and the media will be aware of this boys group in
general". She also pointed out that the focus of her organization
at the moment is only on one issue, i.e. combating HIV/AIDS, and
enhancing knowledge on sexual reproductive health for children by
working cooperatively with young boys and young men. She mentioned
that Save the Children Sweden has been working together with three
local NGOs, namely IPSO, Eshet, and Hiwot Ethiopia, which have three
Boys Groups under them.
The Boys' Group program was started by Save the Children Sweden
and boys and young men were organized in Addis Ababa in 2005 across
principles of child participation and non-discrimination. The program's
profile was discussed at the event where representatives from the
three local NGOs, Save the Children Sweden, children from the Boys
Groups, and private as well as government media were present.
Music vibration for poverty
eradication
By Addis Mulugeta
Music May Day put efforts to raise awareness in eradicating poverty
from Ethiopia and the world at large through musical vibration together
with dances under the motto of “White Ribbon” at a function
held on Wednesday, October17, 2007, at the National Theater.
Singers and dancers were teenagers from different schools, and members
of Music May Day. The teenagers had a minimum preparation of 10
days for this special event. Close to 2000 attendants have taken
part on the occasion. According to the event’s organizer,
Ato Daniel Worku, the initiative shows that the eradication of poverty
and hunger, especially from Ethiopia, is not only by words but also
by musical vibration which has the power to convince people and
government to come together.
The medium of the musical messages was English, and a few of the
attendants told Capital that it was very difficult to understand
what exactly the messages said. Daniel noted that in the near future
Amharic would be the medium.
The messages stress; angry at poverty, questions about poverty,
accountability, legality, and possibilities.
|