The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
Vol. XX No. 1017 | March 5, 2016 | ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
Top ODPO officials relieved of duty
By Wudineh Zenebe
The Oromo People’s
Democratic Organization
(OPDO) Central Committee last
week has relieved two of its
higher officials of their duties
in connection with the ongoing
large-scale protests that have
ON A FAST LANE
Photo By: Reporter /Mesfen Solomon
swept throughout different
parts of the Oromia Regional
State since November. They
are Office head of OPDO, Daba
Debele, and head of the region’s
administration and security
bureau, Solomon Kuchu.
According to sources, after
www.thereporterethiopia.com
evaluating the current state of
affairs in the Oromia Regional
State and the intensifying
security situation, the Central
Committee of the OPDO
criticized both Daba and
Solomon for not doing enough
to tackle the existing political
crisis and the violent turn it
|1
had taken.
Eventually, the OPDO named
Beker Shale, director general
of the Ethiopian Revenues
and Customs Authority
(ERCA), as the replacement
of Daba and Bezu Wakbeka,
Public Mobilization advisor to
Price 5.00 Birr
Prime Minister Hailemariam
Dessalegn, as the region’s
administration and security
bureau head.
Beker, who had to leave the
top job at the revenues and
Top ODPO... page 38
Hard currency
shortage hampers
Lifan Motors
expansion plan
&RPSDQ\KRSHVWRH[SRUW
assembled cars to Egypt
By Birhanu Fikade
Lifan Motors PLC, a subsidiary
of the Chinese car-maker
Lifan Group, said that it could
have manufactured at least
motorbikes from a scratch in
Ethiopia had there been no
issue with regard to accessing
hard currency. The shortage of
foreign exhcnage has crippled
both the plan and importation
of materials for the assembly
plant.
During the official launching of
its two latest assembled models
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ZDQWHGLWVERRNVWRUHYHDO$FFRUGLQJWRWKHEDQN·VSUHVLGHQW%HNDOX=HOHNHWKHUHYHQXHVHFXUHGGXULQJWKHKDOI\HDULVPLQLPDOFRPSDUHGDJDLQVWWKHÀYHELOOLRQ that plans of manufacturing
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both vehicles and motorbikes
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have suffered setbacks due
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&XUUHQWO\&%(ERDVWVRIPLOOLRQFXVWRPHUVEUDQFKHVDQGELOOLRQELUUFDSLWDO Hard currency... page 38
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2| EDITORIAL The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017

Published weekly by Media &

Communications Center
Address: Bole Sub City,
Kebele 03, H. No. 2347
Tel: 011 6 616180 Editorial
011 6 616185 Reception
011 6 616187 Finance
Fax: 011 6 616189
PO Box:7023
0910 885206 Marketing
E-mail: mcc@ethionet.et
Website:
www.thereporterethiopia.com

General Manager
Amare Aregawi

Managing Editor
Bruh Yihunbelay

Editor-in-Chief
Asrat Seyoum
Sub city: N.lafto, K. 10/18, H.No. 614

Senior Editors
Yacob Wolde-Mariam
Dibaba Amensisa
Mikias Sebsibe

Editors
Adwa: an inspiring legacy
The 120th anniversary of the Great Adwa Victory, one of
Kaleyesus Bekele if not the most seminal moment in Ethiopia’s history, was
Yonas Abiye celebrated on Wednesday by Ethiopians with great pride.
The vanquishing of a European colonial power that was
Assistant Editor armed to the teeth by an African nation heralded freedom
Tibebeselassie Tigabu for all oppressed black people. The unprecedented victory,
1HDPLQ$VKHQDÀ which our gallant ancestors paid dearly for with their blood,
is the historic legacy of the great nation of Ethiopia and its
heroic people. As we commemorate the day it is imperative
Senior Reporters that Ethiopians re-examine the significance of the victory for
Henok Reta present-day Ethiopia.
Reporter Overseen by Emperor Menelik II with the invaluable
Dawit Tolesa organizational skills of Empress Taytu Betul, the leadership
of his military commanders and the valour of all Ethiopians,
Columnist the Adwa victory is a gift for black people all over the
Leyou Tameru world. During the half-day battle an estimated 5,000 brave
Ethiopians were killed and another 8,000 wounded. The
Chief Graphic Designer invading Italian forces suffered about 7,000 deaths, two of
Yibekal Getahun them commanding generals, with 1,500 wounded and 3,000
taken prisoners. They also left behind all of their artillery
Senior Graphic Designer and 11,000 rifles, as well as most of their means of transport.
Tewodros Kebkab
The victory came as such a shock that it made the front
page of the major European and U.S. newspapers. It forced
Graphic Designers colonialists to hang their head down in shame while it
Tsehay Tadesse inspired black people under the yoke of colonialism to hold
Fasika Balcha
their heads proudly high.
Semenh Sisay
Netsanet Yacob Ethiopia has remained sovereign throughout history thanks
Bezaye Tewodros
to the heavy sacrifices paid by its strong-willed people. The
patriotic and determined citizens of the nation were not
Head of Photography
content when they marched in their hundreds of thousands
Nahom Tesfaye
ready to die for the motherland. Particularly during the Era
of the Princes (1769-1855), a period when Ethiopia was divided
Photographers within itself into several regions with no effective central
Tamrat Getachew
control, thousands perished in internecine wars for control
Mesfen Solomon
of power and territory even as the vast majority of the
population were dispossessed of their land and were forced
Website
Bezawit Tesfaye to serve as serfs under feudal lords. Ethiopians from every
corner of the country were subjected to egregious forms of
Binyam Hailu
suffering without exception. Nevertheless, regardless of the
Cartoonist miserable existence they may lead, Ethiopians have never
Elias Areda negotiated away their nation’s sovereignty. Such fervent
Fasil W/giorgis nationalism is the very defining character which made it
possible to achieve an extraordinary victory at Adwa that left
for posterity a proud legacy.
Marketing Manager The Adwa victory and the ensuing recognition of Ethiopia’s
Endalkachew Yimam sovereignty proved to be rallying points for later African
nationalists during their struggle for decolonization, as
0DUNHWLQJ2IÀFHUV well as activists and leaders of the Pan-African movement.
Biruk Mulugeta They also inspired the civil rights movement of African-
Biruk Chernet
Americans, the establishment of the Organization of African
Unity and the adoption by several African and Latin America
Computer Secretaries countries of the national tri-color (green, yellow and red) in
Birtukan Abate, Helen Yetayew, their flags. The victory has earned Ethiopia a special place in
the annals of history. Paradoxically though, we have missed
Print the chance to seize the ample opportunities this magnificent
Tesfaye Mengesha, Yeyesuswork exploit availed us to propel ourselves to even greater heights
Mamo,Gezaghgn Mandefro and cringe in shame at our failure.We have done a disservice
www.thereporterethiopia.com
to the emblematic symbol Ethiopia has in the eyes of black
people and faded into insignificance. History will judge us
harshly if we do not develop an ethos that lives up to the
promise and the challenge the victory demands.
Presently we find ourselves at a time when it is of critical
importance to forge a national consensus towards a shared
goal. We have to demonstrate the same patriotism that our
heroic forefathers exhibited instead of harping on ethnic,
religious, cultural, linguistic and political differences. The
interest of the nation and its citizens can be jeopardized if
it is sacrificed for the competing interests of certain groups
with untoward motives. A proud people who willingly
paid the ultimate price to defend their country’s territorial
integrity while co-existing harmoniously for centuries,
Ethiopians are entitled to protection from acts that
undermine the stabilityand unity of their homeland. Their
incredible feat in unifying the black people of the world
through a display of valor and resistance must not be sullied
by myopic and hot-headed elements. The Adwa victory is
proof that they treasure nothing more than the unity and
survival of Ethiopia.
Tens of thousands of Ethiopians have died in the last four
decades with even more incarcerated in jails and forced to
migrate overseas due to bloody conflicts instigated by the
political elite. The scars left by the hate politics they espouse
continue to haunt Ethiopia to this day. There abound fellow
citizens on all ends of the political spectrum who wait for
opportune moments to settle old scores, who prefer to resolve
differences through force rather than civilized discussions,
who do not care an iota about the national interest and
are blinded by the lust for power. A country that for long
epitomized tolerance and harmony is slowly turning into
the battleground of chauvinists and religious fanatics. At
a time when the world is venerating the Adwa victory, we
are increasingly witnessing incidents which detract from
the fundamental values it embodies and let the nation down.
How long can this be tolerated? Unless a solution is promptly
sought, the consequences are boundto be dire for all.
As many historians say the Adwa victory was a fundamental
turning point in Ethiopian history. Few events in the
modern period have brought Ethiopia to the attention of
the world as it has. Ethiopia became emblematic of African
valor and resistance, the bastion of prestige and hope to
millions of Africans who were the victims of humiliating
European conquest and were on a quest for an answer to the
myth of African “inferiority”. And after waging an anti-
colonial struggle largely inspired by the victory culminated
in independence Africans chose Ethiopia to be the seat of
their continental organization. It is therefore a national
embarrassment to sink to the level which desecrate the
legacy of Adwa. The courage to resolve our differences
peacefully through dialogue let alone resist foreign invasion
is deserting us. This has to stop immediately before the rot
sets in. As we celebrate the Adwa victory we must rededicate
ourselves to authoring a glorious page in our history by
solidifying national unity and renaissance.
 The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017 HEADLINES |3

Media council elects chairs

of general assembly David Cameron

David
Cameron to
visit Ethiopia
By Yohaness Anberbir
Photo By: Reporter/Mesfen Solomon

The Prime Minister of the United

Kingdom, David Cameron, is
scheduled to visit Ethiopia at the end
of this month, leading a delegation of
ministers and top government officials,
diplomatic sources told The Reporter.
According to the same sources,
the prime minister’s delegation is
expected to include senior government
ministers such as Minister of Foreign
From left: Genet Gosaye, Sebsibe Kebede, Teguest Yilma and Amare Aregawi. Affairs (Secretary of State for Foreign
By Neamin Ashenafi assembly. Gosaye, general manager of Addis and Commonwealth Affairs), Philip
Admas newspaper, were elected to hold Hammond, Minister for International
Teguest Yilma, managing editor of Development and Cooperation, Justine
the deputy chairman and secretary
Capital newspaper, was elected to Greening, and head of the security
The Ethiopian Media Council – the first position.
chair the general assembly of the much apparatus.
of its kind in Ethiopia – conducted its
anticipated Media Council, which was The three immediately took their
second general assembly meeting on Hence, sources anticipate that top on
established in January. Meanwhile, positions and led the proceedings for
Thursday by electing its chairman, vice the agenda for Cameron’s visit would
Sebsibe Kebede, general manager of
chairman and secretary of the general Media... page 40 be peace and security and economic
the Ethiopian Press Agency and Genet
cooperation between the two countries.
Thus far, the UK stands to be the top

Black Rhino completes feasibility country in terms of development

assistance that is offered to Ethiopia.
Currently, annual assistance that the
UK government offers to Ethiopia
stands at 350 million dollars.

study on Ethio-Djibouti fuel pipeline According to sources, development

assistance would be on top of the agenda
for the two nations during the visit.
By Kaleyesus Bekele Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government Transport told The Reporter that
The same diplomatic sources also argue
has reviewed the proposal and accepted June 2016 is too early to start the
that development assistance that is
The South Africa-based infrastructure it in principle. The Ethiopian and construction. However, the official said
offered by the UK has never withered in
investment group, Black Rhino Group, Djiboutian governments last year Black Rhino has finalized the feasibility
spite of strong push from global rights
has finalized its feasibility study on a signed framework agreements to that study and it has been confirmed that
organizations accusing Ethiopia of
1.5 billion dollars Ethio-Djibouti fuel effect. the project is feasible. “They are now
violating human rights internally. He
pipeline construction project. working on the implementation study.
said the push was much stronger on
The media recently reported that the The company will present the final
Backed by Black Stone Group, the countries like the UK to discontinue
pipeline construction project is going to feasibility study to the Ethiopian
US investment group, Black Rhino their development support; but that
commence in June this year. However, government which will review the study
Group, has proposed to the Ethiopian never happened.
Ethiopian government officials have and give the green light to proceed with
government to build a 550km-long line
denied the report.
to transport diesel, gasoline and jet fuel
from port access in Djibouti to central A senior official at the Ministry of
Black Rhino... page 40 David Cameron... page 38
2016
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4| HEADLINES The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017

Spain eyes
Charities, societies complain Ethiopian
of ‘shortage’ of funds growing market
&RQGXFWVÀUVWHYHU
multilateral trade mission

By Henok Reta

The Government of Spain is closely

Meseret Gebremariam,
By Neamin Ashenafi
Charities and Societies that are engaged
in supporting different people across
the country complained that shortage
of finance is preventing them from
executing their day-to-day activities.
The shortage of finance is mainly
associated with the enactment of the
Charities and Societies Proclamation
back in 2009.
The law, according to practitioners,
restricts NGO fundraising activities
and operations, and imposed stricter
Negash Teklu
requirements for registration.
At a workshop entitled: “Charities
and Societies Resource Challenge”,
which was organized by the Ethiopian
Charities and Societies Forum (ECSF)
Charities.... page 42
observing the growing Ethiopian
economy which the European nation
says is significant to strengthen trade
and investment between the two
countries.
According to Borja Montesino Martinez,
Spanish ambassador to Ethiopia,
Spain is largely engaged in trade and
investment with Northern African
countries; however, the vibrant
economic activities in Ethiopia has led
his country to look for opportunities
here.
“I arrived in Addis Ababa six months
ago. Over this short period I have
received four trade mission organized
by Spanish chambers of commerce
Spain eyes.... page 42

Ethiopia, Rwanda sign open skies agreement

By Kaleyesus Bekele
The governments of Ethiopia and
Rwanda on February 29, 2016 signed an
air service agreement that opens the
air spaces of the two countries allowing
their national carriers to operate
without any restrictions.
The open skies agreement was signed
by Gobena Guangul, deputy director
general of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation
(VWDEOLVKWHDPWRIRUJHSDUWQHUVKLSEHWZHHQQDWLRQDOFDUULHUV
Authority and Silas Udahemuka,
director general of the Rwanda Civil
Aviation Authority, in Kigali, Rwanda.
Gobena told The Reporter that the
agreement allows national carriers of
the two countries (Ethiopian Airlines
and RwandAir) to operate between
the two countries without limitations.
Gobena said based on the agreement all
air service operations will be conducted
under the fifth freedom arrangement.
Under fifth freedom arrangement an Ethiopian Airlines can fly as much
airline has the right to carry passengers frequency as it wants between Addis
from one country to another and from Ababa and Kigali and it can also
carry passengers from Kigali to other
that country to a third country. The
destinations. Ethiopian Airlines has
agreement allows for the airlines of the
daily flights to Kigali.
two countries to operate per week with
unlimited frequencies for passengers “The exercise of fifth freedom traffic
rights shall be subject to approval of
and also cargo. The deal is limited
the aeronautical authorities of the third
only to the national carriers of the two
countries, RwandAir and Ethiopian
Ethiopia, Rwanda.... page 42
Airlines.

Ð NEWS IN BRIEF
Great Abyssinia to expand production Djibouti announces mega gas project

Great Abyssinia Plc is expanding its existing production facility of
carbonated soft drinks and Juice Beverage at an investment of over 500
million Birr.
The new facility, which is being built in Sendafa on 25,000 square meters
plot in three phases, will have a production capacity of 100,000 bottles per
hour when completed.
Great Abyssinia Plc already produces Prigat Juice beverage in Mango
and Strawberry banana flavors. It also produces carbonated soft drink of
Splash Brand series consisting of Coffee Cola, Orange, and Passion Fruit
Orange, Malt Pineapple, Fresh Lemon and Apple flavors at its facility in
Sululta. The existing facility, which was established at 188 million Birr
investment, produces 13,500 bottles per hour, working 22 hours a day and
employing 400 people.
The first phase of the new facility, which is projected to be completed in
a year’s time, will have a production capacity of 36,000 bottles per hour
and increase the production capacity of the company to 49,500 bottles per
hours. (Press Release)
President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh has presided over the foundation stone
laying ceremony for the new mega gas project, which comprises a natural
gas pipeline, a liquefaction plant and an export terminal at Damerjog,
Djibouti. The pipeline project will enable Ethiopia to export gas to China
and support socio-economic development across the region.
The new 700km pipeline will transport up to 12 billion cubic meters
of natural gas from Ethiopia to Djibouti. The liquefaction plant will
have capacity to produce up to 10 million tons of LNG per year after
completion.
The project, which will be funded by Chinese firm POLY-GCL, will cost
approximately USD 4 billion. Construction work is expected to start
shortly and will take three years to complete.
The Djiboutian Minister of Energy, Ali Mahmoud Yacoub, said: “The
mega gas project involves three countries – Djibouti, Ethiopia and
China – which have agreed to work together in order to make this project
successful and operational as soon as possible. (Energy Global)

www.thereporterethiopia.com
 HEADLINES |5
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017

Microcredit
Ethiopia plans to leave insurance to
its mark on UNSC cover smallholder
farmers
By Yemane Nagish
By Tibebeselassie Tigabu

At the official launching of its

candidacy for the non-permanent A new crop insurance scheme
membership at the United Nation designed for Ethiopian smallholder
Security Council (UNSC), Ethiopia farmers has targeted farmers who are
announced its intentions to push vulnerable to weather related risks and
for the adoption of more proactive occurrence of drought. However, the
and preventive conflict resolution insurance coverage includes mainly the
mechanisms at the UNSC especially agricultural inputs that smallholder
regarding conflicts in Africa. farmers procure and use in their
production.
Ethiopia is seeking the council’s non-
permanent membership, which is The insurance scheme is one of the
allocated to the Africa Group for the recent insurance products which are
term 2017-18. Its candidacy has already availed by the Ethiopian Insurance
been endorsed by the African Union Corporation (EIC) to the agricultural
during its 26th Ordinary Session of sector. And the coverage plans to
the Assembly of Heads of State and compensate smallholder farmers in the
Governments held in January. amount of the value of the agricultural
inputs that farmers procure and use in
During an occasion held in Sheraton their production.
During the launching this week at the
Ethiopia plans... page 29 Tedros Adhanom (PhD)
United Nation Economic Commission
for Africa, Wondwossen Etefa, Chief
Executive Officer of the Ethiopian

Japanese coffee buyer to hold annual Insurance Corporation, expressed that

this insurance will be based on the
agricultural inputs the smallholder

Ethiopia coffee quality contest farmers use to produce their crops.

The farmers have to pay a risk premium
of 10 percent on the inputs which
0LG\HDUFRIIHHH[SRUWVWXQWHGDWPLOOLRQ includes fertilizer, seed, herbicides and
pesticides. Megersa Meresa, director
of Micro Insurance Program at Kifya
By Birhanu Fikade
Financial Technologies, said that the
payment will be executed through
Aiming at introducing additional new agricultural cooperative unions and
trademarked wild and organic coffee microfinance institutions close to
from Ethiopia the Japanese Ueshima farmers and serve as agents for the
Coffee Company (UCC) has launched insurance corporation.
and held the first coffee quality contest
among Ethiopian coffee varieties. Agricultural Transformation Agency
will supply the agricultural inputs with
Masaro Ueshima, President of UCC, a credit scheme and when they take
told The Reporter that the quality these products they will automatically
contest dubbed: “The First UCC Coffee be the beneficiary of the insurance.
UCC cuppers grading the six finalists during the coffee quality contest held in the
Japanese coffee... page 29 Microcredit.. page 29
residence of Japanese ambassador to Ethiopia

US sends elite disaster experts to Somalia sentences al Shabaab media

respond to drought
The United States is sending an elite team of disaster experts to respond to
Ethiopia’s worst drought in 50 years, it said on Thursday.
Around a dozen members of the US Agency for International Development’s
(USAID) Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) have arrived in Ethiopia to
coordinate the US response to the drought.
They will be joined by DART logistics, nutrition, and water, sanitation and
hygiene experts in the next few days.
USAID responds to around 65 disasters a year, including the recent Ebola
outbreak in West Africa and last year’s Nepal earthquakes.
“With the announcement of the DART, we are acting to prevent a major
humanitarian crisis and protect Ethiopia’s hard-earned development progress,”
USAID’s administrator Gayle Smith said in a statement.
President Barack Obama has made food security a priority of his development
agenda, saying in 2013 it was a “moral imperative” to end hunger in Africa.
Ethiopia’s government and the United Nations have asked for USD 1.4 billion to
feed 10.2 million Ethiopians. (Reuters)
officer to death
A former media officer for the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab who
arranged news conferences in the years when the militants controlled the
capital Mogadishu was sentenced to death on Thursday for the murder of
six local journalists.
The al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu by African
Union peacekeeping forces in 2011 but has remained a potent antagonist
in Somalia, launching frequent attacks in its bid to overthrow the
Western-backed government.
Somalia was plunged into anarchy in the early 1990s following the
toppling of military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, and has been
struggling to rebuild.
Hasan Ali, chairman of the Somali military court, told reporters that
Hassan Hanafi had admitted to killing one reporter and had been found
guilty of killing five others.
“He will be put to death as soon as possible,” Ali said.
Hanafi, 30, has said he joined al Shabaab in 2008 when he was working as
a journalist for a local Somali broadcaster. (Reuters)

www.thereporterethiopia.com
6| IN-DEPTH
6WXGLHVVKRZWKDWWKHFRXQWU\LVVXIIHULQJ
from lack of consensus on major issues. On
top of this problem one can also mention
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of past oppression, marginalization and
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as memorable as the
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major milestones in modern
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Questioning identity and
responding accordingly
It is interesting to note that the
ruling party, the Ethiopian Peoples’
Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF),
celebrated the 120th Anniversary of the
Battle of Adwa in a colorful way in the
past few days. To say the least, it is ironic
to see the ruling party, which is accused
by its opponents as anti-unity, presenting
the Adwa victory as a symbol of the ever
present common destiny of the people of
Ethiopia.
The ethnic federalism at work since 1995
was feared to destabilize the unity of the
country as it gives too much power to
members of the federation in the form
of the right to self-determination up to
secession. While the ruling party refers
to the pre-1991 Ethiopia as a ‘prison house
to nations, nationalities, and peoples’, it
characterizes the federation created under
its guidance as a federal state based on the
voluntary unity of the many ethnic groups.
In 1991, the then President Meles Zenawi
declared the government’s aim to be “a
united Ethiopia, built not on the basis
of oppression but on that of voluntary
union.”
In similar vein, Getachew Reda, head of
the Government Communications Affairs
Office, while briefing on the successes and
challenges of the Ethiopian federalism on
FANA FM Mogach program said, “we won
the Battle of Adwa while preserving our
diversity. Oppressed Oromos, Wolaitas
and other peoples participated to this
common project having grievances on the
system.”
Studies show that the country is suffering
from lack of consensus on major issues. On
top of this problem one can also mention
lack of consensus with regards to the
history of past oppression, marginalization
and discriminations. For some, ethnic
federalism is the creation of EPRDF to
be used as an instrument of power. For
the ruling and others in favor of ethnic
federalism, the system only recognizes
the preexisting ethno-nationalist
mobilizations.
Federalism experts mainly categorize
federation as ‘coming together’ and
‘holding together’ federations. In the
‘coming together’ federations, such as the
US and Switzerland, the units that desire
to unite all had a previous existence, and
awareness of being a separate territorial
community preceding the federation. The
boundary of the units is also an established
and settled one, though that does not
rule out new claims and adjustments.
On the other hand, in ‘holding together’
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
(YHQWKRXJKJDSVLQWKHOHJDOIUDPHZRUNDUH
occasionally mentioned as a triggering factor
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mainly political calculations are listed as the
main causes.
federations, the states are, by and large,
new creations of the federal bargain or
even a unilateral decision of the center
at later stages, rather than entities with
prior existence. A consequence of this
fact is that the regional states are often
weak – at least during the early phase of
the federation – in terms of asserting their
powers. Furthermore, as the regional
state boundaries are reorganized afresh
to address various demands of ethno-
´,GRQ·WWKLQNWKDW nationalist groups, the boundary of the
units is less stable and often faces frequent
WKHJRYHUQPHQWLV claims for adjustment or even claims for
establishing new regional states or local
responding to the governments.
In the great majority of the literatures,
LGHQWLW\TXHVWLRQV the Ethiopian case is referred to as the
based on already set ‘holding together’ federation even though
the ruling party and some other believe
principles” otherwise. One thing is clear: demands
of the nations, nationalities and peoples
(NNPs) for boundary adjustments and
recognition for new identity are still
increasing in Ethiopia. Moreover, reports
indicate that the response mechanisms
to identity questions in Ethiopia have
brought new challenges in terms of
identity-based conflicts. Even though gaps
in the legal framework are occasionally
mentioned as a triggering factor to the
identity-based questions and exacerbate
the consequences of the response
mechanism, mainly political calculations
are listed as the main causes.
In fact, many give credit to the
Ethiopian federalism for recognizing
and empowering the NNPs at federal
and sub-state levels. Assefa Fiseha, the
leading federalism expert in the country,
in his piece “Ethiopia’s Experiment in
Accommodating Diversity: 20 Years’
Balance Sheet” states that the ethnic
federalism model has played a positive
role as it has opened up a political space
for the ethno-nationalist forces, hitherto
marginalized groups, particularly in
the area of language, culture, local self-
government, including the promotion of
one’s history.
However, others are of the view that
the ethnic federalism that intensified
demands to statehood and separate units
of administration, which sometimes
result in the establishment of additional
zones, weredas and special weredas, is
creating political instability and impeding
development. Studies on identity questions
reveal that the government is well aware
of these dangers and it is quashing such
questions as much as possible in the last
decade. Since 2005, the focus seems to be
 IN-DEPTH |7
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017

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building one political and economic
community in the country. As a result,
the portrayal of grand projects like the
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as
a symbol of the country, celebrations of
Flag Day, nationalities day and cities
day are considered manifestations of
such intent. Celebrating Adwa by state
apparatus in an unprecedented manner
seems to be an addition to such a trend.
In the Russian federation, even though
at first the questions of nationalities
were promoted, later on Joseph Stalin
declared that as the ‘nationality
question’ is resolved once and for
all, Russia no more entertains such
questions. One wonders if such thought
is on the minds of the current Ethiopian
leaders.
Identity-based questions are
increasing
After 21 years of federal
experimentation solely based on
ethnicity, identity questions are still
coming from all corners both for
regional and federal governments.
Kimant, Welene, Zay, Konso, Raya,
Menja, Wolkait, are just instances of
such cases. Some of them have not
exhausted local remedies at the regional
level. Others like Kimant and Menja
have reached the House of Federation
(HoF) on appeal. In the past, similar
question did come from Sidama, Gamo
and Gofa ethnic groups. For some
commentators, how the Ethiopian
federation responds to these questions
Woldu Merne
is worrisome.
“During the Transitional Period
government, there were 63 NNPs.
They gave recognition to themselves.
Soon their number reached 67 when
the FDRE Constitution was ratified.
In 1995, the number of ethnic groups
in the South was 46. Now it is 56.
However, detailed information on how
the additional groups secured new
recognition is unavailable,” Woubishet
Mulat, a constitutional expert who
recently published a book on self-
determination, told the Reporter.
In the majority of instances,
identity-based questions are related
to recognition of new identity, a
demand for local government, fair
representation or power- and resource-
sharing at various levels, and the like.
For Woubishet identity questions are
mainly about recognition. “Without
recognition, one cannot have rights.
So, recognition is the precondition,” he
says.
The legal framework seems to be
extremely generous and goes much
further than recognition when it comes
to the rights of the NNPs. Article 8
proclaims that all sovereign power
resides in the Nations, Nationalities
and Peoples of Ethiopia. According to
Article 39, among other things, every
Nation, Nationality and People in
Ethiopia has an unconditional right
to self-determination, including the
right to secession; the right to speak, to
www.thereporterethiopia.com
3DVWRUDOLVW'HYHORSPHQW$IIDLUV0R)3'$
is also entrusted to promote the federal system
and engage in the peaceful resolution of
FRQÁLFWV
write and to develop its own language;
to express, to develop and to promote
its culture; and to preserve its history;
the right to a full measure of self-
government which includes the right
to establish institutions of government
in the territory that it inhabits and to
equitable representation in state and
federal governments.
The demand for identity recognition is
broadly interpreted as part of the claim
for self-determination and as part of the
essence of Art 39. For Debebe Barud,
head of HoF secretariat, the increasing
identity questions are signs for the
emergence of better understanding of
the Constitution in general and self-
determination in particular.
As per Article 62 (3) of the Constitution,
it is the HoF which decides on issues
relating to the rights of Nations,
Nationalities and Peoples to self-
determination, including the right to
secession. Furthermore, Proclamation
251/2001 and the 2007 House of
Federation Procedure and Members’
Code of Conduct Regulation provide
the detailed ways of discharging this
responsibility.
The HoF is dubbed as the house of
NNPs as all nations, nationalities and
peoples which the system recognizes are
represented in the HoF. Even though,
it is expected to promote the interests
of NNPs, commentators argue that it is
under the influences of regional states.
In fact, as of 2005, state governors have
Debebe Barud
been among the key members sent to
represent the states and nationalities
in the HoF and to decide crucial issues,
such as the federal subsidy to each
state. Furthermore, the institutional
competence of the HoF in terms of
experts and regularity of sessions is
criticized. However, it is the assessment
of Assefa that the performance of the
HoF in adjudicating constitutional
issues reveals that it has played an
important role, particularly in cases of
high political significance like that of
the Silte case.
The Silte case was the first major
case dealing with identity question.
The Silte people demanded to have a
right of self-rule in local government
within the Southern Regional State.
The issue of the Silte was about the
question of Silte’s distinct identity,
based on language and unity of faith,
Islam. Alleging that they are distinct
from the Gurages, they effectively
challenged the regional and federal
authorities. The case resulted in a
complex process of finding out who the
‘self’ is that is entitled to administer
itself, the respective role of federal and
state institutions in the process, and
the procedures to be followed. The HoF,
after a long process of consultation
with the regional state, concluded
that determining the identity issue is
part of its mandate. The HoF – after
Questioning.... page 16
8| The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
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The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017 |9
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Request for Expression of Steely R.M.I P.L.C

Invitation for International Competitive Bid
Interest (REOI) Tender NO. 01/20166
1. Steely RMI PLC is a private company engaged in steel
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 10| INTERVIEW The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
Many Ethiopians are not familiar with the name John Robinson. a.k.a. “The Brown Condor”. The African-American aviator
and activist who, almost single-handedly broke down the doors of segregation in the field of American Aviation in his
early career and who is recognized today as the “Father of the Tuskegee Airmen” of World War II fame. Col. Robinson
also flew over 700 hours of dangerous missions for Ethiopia during the fascist invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 carrying
men, equipment and supplies to and from the front lines of the battle all over Ethiopia. He also flew Emperor Haile
Selassie on dangerous missions that boosted the morale and patriotic spirit of Ethiopia’s courageous patriots. Born in
Carrabelle, Florida, but raised in Gulfport, Mississippi, Robinson was the first African American to be licensed in the
United States. In the last few years the great legacy of his heroic deeds and amazing commitment to his beloved Ethiopia
has come to be spoken of by thousands of Ethiopians and Americans who before knew nothing of this great work. Last
year the US Embassy dedicated a reading garden in his name, also the first bust of Col. Robinson was unveiled in Gulalle
Cemetery and a few weeks ago another bust was unveiled in the newly inaugurated Ethiopian Airlines Academy. And
also recently two Heads of States, Prime Minister Hailemariam and President Barack Obama both featured Col. Robinson
prominently in their historic speeches on July 27, 2015 here in Addis Ababa. Recently Henok Reta of The Reporter sat down
with Yahoshuah Israel, American Author and founder of the Col. John C. Robinson Global Initiative and foremost authority
on the legacy of Col. John C. Robinson. Yahoshuah had just recently released his book called; “The Lion and the Condor: The
Untold Story of Col. John C. Robinson and the Crippling of Ethiopia”. Excerpts:

Resurrecting the
“Brown Condor”
The Reporter: As a Cultural
Historian who has obviously
committed a great deal of time and
energy in resurrecting the legacy
of Col. Robinson and the important
relationship that he helped to
establish between Ethiopia and the
African American community can
you tell us how this all began?
Yahoshuah Israel: Col. Robinson’s
story is one of the most amazing
chapters in Pan African history which
had its inception here in Ethiopia. Its
importance cannot fully be appreciated
without realizing the politics that
existed in the world during the time
of Col. Robinson and Emperor Haile
Selassie and the fascist invasion of
Ethiopia under Mussolini. During this
time all of Africa was suffering under
the oppressive weight of European
colonialism. But this was also the time
when Africa’s young freedom fighters,
Nelson Mandela, Jomo Kenyatta, Sekou
Toure, Kwame Kwame Nkrumah and
many others were beginning to organize
their respective movements in their
home countries. In the middle of this
great tumultuous time Ethiopia was
shinning like a brilliant glorious sun on
the mountain top to not only its African
brother nations but also to countries
like Cuba, China and other countries in
South America. The great victory at the
battle of Adwa by Emperor Menelik had
resonated throughout the entire world
that white dominance was not to be the
undisputed order of the day. Ethiopia
literally became the inspiration of all
the oppressed peoples of the world as
she hurled a spear into the heart of the
concept of “white supremacy”.
Against this backdrop a conspiracy was
contrived by the European countries
with the tacit approval of America that
Photo By: Reporter /Daniel Getachew
American government at that time went
along with the plan by not providing
Col. Robinson the military fighter
planes that he needed to effectively
defend Ethiopia from the skies against
the Italian war planes. Even though
during this same time America was not
only supporting China against Japan’s
attempt to colonize China but actually
created a group called the American
Volunteers that are famous for flying
missions defending China; they were
called the “Flying Tigers”.
My book, The Lion and the Condor.
provides an accurate picture of the
obstacles that Col. Robinson, Emperor
Haile Selassie, the Hakim Worqeneh
Esheté (Known as Dr. Martin to the
western world), Malaku Beyen and the
fearless patriots confronted in the war.
All of these things had been forgotten
and covered up or so distorted that
they did not truly reflect what actually
occurred during this tremendous period
in Ethiopian history. It is because of
the efforts of several others and myself
that the awesome resurrection of
Ethiopia’s and America’s great hero
Col. Robinson is echoing across two
continents today. The main characters
who deserve mentioning are former
president Girma Woldegiorgis and
Lij Daniel Jote Mesfin, president of
the Ethiopian Patriots Association.
Without a doubt, had it not been for
their embracing the need to remember
the great sacrifice and service of Col.
Robinson we would not be having this
conversation today. Although, Thomas
Simmons, author of the first book on
Robinson, came here a few years ago
with Yaw Davis, and the US Embassy
dedicated reading garden to his memory
very little momentum had developed
after these events. It was not until the
historical commemoration last year

Ethiopia must be defeated and reduced

during the 74th Victory Day celebration
to a colonized nation – just as all the
organized by the International
other African nations were – in order
Council for the Commemoration of
to stop the other nations from following
Col. Robinson (forerunner to the Col.
her example of freedom. This is the
John C. Robinson Global Initiative)
stage on which Col. Robinson stepped
in partnership with the Association
on May 29, 1935 when he arrived in
of Ethiopian Patriots, and President
Addis Ababa to begin the training of
Girma that a tidal wave of progress
Ethiopian pilots for the coming war.
has been made to truly resurrect
The League of Nations having already
the important history that had been
secretly sold Ethiopia out and the

www.thereporterethiopia.com

The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
forgotten for over 80 years.
So what led you to dig more into the
life of Col. John Robinson?
What gave rise to my research was
an incident that I encountered with a
person here in Ethiopia. This individual
let me know – in no uncertain terms –
that the history that had been written
about Col. Robinson was not accurate.
It was at that time that I resolved in
my mind to discover the truth of Col.
Robinson’s life particularly his life
here in Ethiopia which is where his
legend truly begins. The first thing
I discovered was that neither of the
authors of the two previous books
written of him felt it important enough
to come to this great country and
investigate the myths and stories that
were told of him here. As a result much
of what they wrote about Col. Robinson
I found to be inaccurate when I spoke
with those who actually knew him and
remembered significant episodes in his
life here in Ethiopia including people
like Prof. Abiy Ford, and President
Girma and recently deceased, Gabriel
Tedros. Through the most remarkable
coincidences I was even able to locate
the stepson of Col. Robinson who is
87 years old and lives in Holeta. He
provided a wealth of unknown history
of Col. Robinson’s personal life. My
book documents and resurrects not
only the personal life of Col. Robinson
but also such important characters of
Ethiopian-African American history
as Malaku Beyen, Hakim Worqeneh
Eshete, Innis Minion Ford, and also
heroes of he Imperial Ethiopian Air
Force which Col. Robinson established.
People like Col. Semret Mehdane, who
was a courageous young cadet and
becomes the first Ethiopian CEO of
Ethiopian Airlines. As a cadet he was
instrumental in saving the lives of
many of his fellow cadets at the threat
of facing court marshaling from Baron
von Rosen who eventually is relived
from his position; Major General Asefe
Ayene, and may others whose deeds are
so inspiring but were lost to history.
It seems that the hand of destiny had
decided that these wonderful efforts
of men and women connected to that
time could help inspire us in the
development of a great Ethiopia today
and so the Almighty had resurrected
their amazing legacies. My book
contains the contributions of many key
individuals that make it a classic in
historical research. As I have already
mentioned certain key people there are
others such as Ambassador Rudolph
Agstner of the Austrian Embassy who
provided a wealth of information on
a woman known as Madame Eisner
who was the romantic partner of Col.
Robinson for over 15 years and whom
he was living with at the time of his
death. She was famous here in Ethiopia
and was a special cook to Emperor Haile
Selassie. She loved Col. Robinson so
much and was so heartbroken when he
died that every Friday after his death
(he died on Friday) she would light a
candle in her bedroom and pray and
cry for Col. Robinson. She did this
for the remainder of her life. Another
remarkable story in the recounting
of this astonishing history is that of
Mario Capussi, an Italian immigrant
that came here during the occupation.
Mario Capussi loved Col. Robinson and
felt that he was a great man. When Col.
Robinson died Mario was so saddened
that he started a tradition of putting
flowers on his grave. This became
a family tradition that his son and
daughters maintained after Mario’s
death in 2010. It was only due to the
remarkable love and admiration of this
Italian family for Col. Robinson that
we were able to rediscover the long lost
grave of Col. Robinson after more than
60 years. This is only a glimpse of the
important information contained in the
new book, “The Lion and the Condor”.
Your book, The Lion and the
Condor: is subtitled, The Untold
Story of Col. John C. Robinson, and
the Crippling of Ethiopia”. You
have discussed some of its important
contents concerning Col. Robinson;
Can you share with us what your
book speaks of regarding the
“Crippling of Ethiopia?”
www.thereporterethiopia.com
INTERVIEW|11
2YHUSDJHV
of modern
industrialization
DVVHWVWKDWZDV
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Thank you for asking this very the possession
important question. It is critically
important in providing an answer to of Ethiopia.
young and old Ethiopians on why and
how Ethiopia, which was the head of all :KHQWKH%ULWLVK
African nations and had inspired the
entire world before the war, became the
least of all African nations. To answer
0LOLWDU\VDZ
this question I must give great credit to
a little known paper written by Richard
WKLVWKH\ZHUH
Pankhurst it is called, Post World War
II Ethiopian British Military Policy
shocked; they
and Action for the Dismantling and
Acquisition of Italian Factories and realized that if this
Other Assets, 1941-42. This paper details
how during the five year occupation GHYHORSPHQWZDV
Italy had invested an enormous amount
of infrastructure all over Ethiopia. left to Ethiopia,
Italy had industrialized Ethiopia to an
extent that shocked the British military
when they finally escorted Emperor
(WKLRSLDZRXOG
Haile Selassie to re-enter Addis Ababa
on May 5, 1941. There were hospitals,
immediately
airports and modern factories in all
the major cities of Ethiopia built by
become one of the
the Italian immigrants that numbered
over one million who had flooded PRVWGHYHORSHG
into Ethiopia. Modern state-of-the-
art factories and car manufacturing nations on the
plants that produce everything from
pure oxygen for the hospitals to a huge continent of
dry dock that conveyed supplies and
equipment. Over 16 pages of modern
industrialization assets that was now
Africa.
rightfully the possession of Ethiopia.
When the British Military saw this
they were shocked; they realized that if
this development was left to Ethiopia,
Ethiopia would immediately become
one of the most developed nations on
the continent of Africa. This would
definitely doom and bring about the
demise of colonialism which they were
determined to not allow. The military
began immediately to dismantle all
the factories and structures that had
been built by the Italians and they were
shipped to their other colonies; Uganda,
Kenya, South Africa, India, Egypt, etc.
In fact the various colonies began to
fight over the assets. Those that they
could not dismantle they destroyed. At
Resurrecting... page 18
 12| INTERVIEW+ The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017

For many years genetic resources have become a major topic of discussion. On the one hand, it has generally
been accepted as a gift of nature that will be shared by all human beings. On the other hand, it has widely been
believed that genetic resources are unique national resources and that every nation should keep its genetically
unique crops secret. Established some ten years ago, the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT) is the worldwide
response to the crisis afflicting the biological basis of human food supply and nutrition. The Crop Trust
is working to build a global system to guarantee the conversation and availability of genetic diversity of
all major agricultural food crops thus unleashing their potential and promoting their use forever. The
German-based, organization was therefore created to provide long-term, sustainable funding for ex situ
crop conversation in plant gene banks and to be sources through annual investment income from endowment
funds. It is an independent international organization which exists to ensure the conservation and availability
of crop diversity for food security worldwide. It was established through a partnership between the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural
Research (CGIAR) acting through Bioversity International. Henok Reta of The Reporter caught up with Marie
Haga, executive director of GCDT at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa for an
exclusive interview regarding the works that are being done by GCDT. Haga has been executive director of the
Trust since March, 2013, having previously been a board member and deputy chair. She had worked as a diplomat,
senior politician in the Norwegian politics before joining GCDT. She has also published three books of which one is
a novel and the rest are focused on Norwegian politics. Excerpts:

Securing crop
diversity
The Reporter: You were a politician
who is now working in a very
contentious sector. Can you say a
few things about the sector?
Marie Haga: I don’t think this is a
contentious sector despite some of the
matters it has faced over time. I have
a background in politics and I would
say I’m still close to the politics in my
country but this is a commitment I have
made to focus on. In my political life I
served as a member of the Norwegian
Parliament from 2001-2009 prior to my
positions in the Ministry of Cultural
Affairs and Foreign Ministry this
indeed gave me a good opportunity
to see the broader picture of genetic
resources which as you have mentioned
have a slight contention between the
developed and the developing world.
Usually, things could always have a
political context that should be settled
down in consistent diplomacy. And I
think I have that experience to deal with
matters related to genetic resources.
On the podium you said that it was
an honor to speak before Professor
Gebisa Ejeta, executive board
member of GCDT and Ethiopia’s
high-profile scientist in the field.
Tell me more about his métier.
Yeah, I felt a great honor to speak a
head of him at ILRI because he has been
one of those prominent individuals
in the area of crop diversity. And I
think Ethiopia should be proud of this
high-profile scientist who has devoted
his entire life in researching and
developing Ethiopian crops and their
species. Indeed, he is a distinguished
professor of plant breeding and genetics
to win the 2009 World Food Prize
Laureate and a recipient of National
Medal of Honor from the president of
Ethiopia. I therefore respect him very
Photo By: Reporter /Nahom Tesfaye
resource to the rest of the world?
It has always been described as one of
the world’s best or major crop resource
for the diversity it has in plant species.
In fact, it has also been recognized as
an old civilization to preserve some of
the resources of older generation. It is
famously known as Abyssinian Crop
Center of the Global Crop Diversity
strands for its eminent resources
from which numerous varieties have
been discovered. It is one of the major
Vavilovian centers of origin/diversity
for several domesticated crops and
their wild and weedy relatives. It is
an important primary and secondary
gene pool for many field crop species
that are useful sources of germplasm
for economic traits in general and
sources of genes resistance to diseases
and pests in particular. Ethiopia is also
a primary gene center for field crops
such as noug (Guizotia abyssinica),
teff (Eragrostis teff) and the Ethiopian
mustard (Brassica carinata). Besides,
field crops such as barley, sorghum,
durum wheat, finger millet, faba bean,
linseed, sesame, safflower, chickpea,
lentil, cowpea, fenugreek and grass pea
have wide genetic diversity in Ethiopia
too.
Despite its significance in the global
crop diversity it has not been lived
up to its title and vitality in the
area of research and development
of crops at all. What do you think is
behind of this unparalleled context?
When looking at the country’s
potential in becoming one of the
world’s leading countries in crop
research and development hub, it has
not gone far. Maybe this is a result of
less capacity in funding researches
and probably insufficient focus on
the resource. The country’s plant

much and he deserves it. In fact, you
have several other prominent scientists
and researchers in this area such as
Berhane Gebrekidan, Melaku Worede
and Tewolde Gebreegziabher to mention
some. So, you should feel honored for
their eminent presence in developing,
promoting and safeguarding your
genetic resources.
How important is Ethiopia’s genetic
diversity of species is such a gift
that only some countries could have
enjoyed in human history. From the
field crop diversity to medicinal plant
diversity, the country is endowed with
natural gifts. Ethiopia’s heterogeneous
environmental conditions are favorable
for diverse microorganisms. Ethiopia
is rich in traditional microbial
fermentation and preservation of
foods and beverage. These valuable

www.thereporterethiopia.com

The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
microbial genetic resources have not
been sufficiently studied, documented,
and conserved. Micro-organisms are
of great value to mankind because
they benefit agriculture, industry,
medicine, and environment in various
ways. Now, I see a better time is
coming that the government and
scientists are seemingly working hard
to realize it. Hopefully it will become
a major destination for research and
development of crops worldwide when
policies and strategies are working
right to generate enough fund and
commitments.
Why do many people have different
views towards the gene banks set
up in different part of the world?
Some scientists in the developing
world even put a plausible suspicion
towards it?
I see it worthy at some point that some
wrong attitudes may make people
suspicious in dealing with the issue of
species and crop diversity. On the other
hand, when we look at some of the gene
banks that are threatened by man made
and natural problems then it may not
make sense in having such attitude on
the gene banks. Nevertheless, we must
believe that the number of people on
the planet is increasing fast while we
are not coping with the amount of food
we are producing to feed the world.
So, sharing the species and developing
the diversity of our natural resources
is something we should accept for our
survival. Biodiversity is a prerequisite
to food security for sustainable
development and our genetic resources
are also a gift of nature to share with
one another. I would also like to reflect
on some of the important comments
made by Professor Gebisa, who
repeatedly acknowledged international
and foreign governments and
organizations particularly, the German
government for supporting the projects
and offering technical assistance in
helping Ethiopia’s genetic resources
preserved. I think this is a result of
natural and universal understanding
that genetic resources are universal
although they are found and cultivated
in a certain nation.
What are you doing to save the
endangered gene banks across the
world?
After I took office, I know a lot
has been done in relocating those
www.thereporterethiopia.com
INTERVIEW+|13
1RZ,VHHD
better time is
coming that the
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and scientists
are seemingly
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to realize it.
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become a major
destination for
research and
endangered gene banks. Crop genetic GHYHORSPHQWRI
diversity — which is crucial for feeding
humanity, for the environment and for
sustainable development — is being
FURSVZRUOGZLGH
lost at an alarming rate. Given the
enormous interdependence of countries
ZKHQSROLFLHV
and generations on this genetic
diversity, this loss raises critical and strategies
socio-economic, ethical and political
questions. The recent ratification of DUHZRUNLQJ
a binding international treaty, and
the development of powerful new right to generate
technologies to conserve and use of
resources more effectively, have raised
expectations that must now be fulfilled.
enough fund and
As a result, we are making progress in
relocating Aleppo Gene Bank, which
commitments.
is one of major gene banks, to Morocco
and Jordan fearing the exacerbated
crisis in Syria. The Fukushima nuclear
disaster also damaged one of the word’s
important gene banks. The loss of crop
diversity on farms has direct impacts
not only for farming families, but
also for global agri-food system as a
whole. Gene banks provide us a safe,
cheap means to secure crop diversity
and ensure that scientists have ready,
convenient access to all the diversity
Securing... page 28
14|| COMMENTARY
To one’s wonder, there are member
states who highly regard entering in
to such pacts with countries outside
of the continent and at times being
deadly sure that such pacts will
not be enforced; whereas, there are
neighboring countries which could
share a lot of treasured information
while guaranteeing actual
implementation will get deafening
silence, writes Abdulkadir
Mohammed.
VIEWPOINT
The first vaccination campaign
reached virtually everyone in the
country aged 1-29. In the five years
since then, more than 235 million
people have been immunized across
Sub-Saharan Africa. By 2020, the
vaccine is expected to protect more
than 400 million people, writes
Chris Elias.
Making the African passport work
The African Union deserves admiration
for launching its ambitious Agenda 2063
and above all the move towards devising
the First Ten-Year Implementation
Plan for its execution; as its attainment
or failure will leave a grand milestone
either way for the rest of the decades
to go. The implementation plan will
assist member states meritoriously
integrate the agenda to their respective
jurisdictions through programs
referred as ‘flagship projects’; The Pan
African Integrated High Speed Train
Network, Silencing the Guns by 2020,
Single African Aviation Market, Great
Inga Dam and the Push for Renewable
Energy are among a few. These projects
will ease the continents progress for
the aspired integration. One among
the flagship projects is establishing a
protocol pertaining to free movement of
persons and the African passport; which
in fact will be the core of this article.
As to impetus of the protocol, the
commission conversed to stakeholders
that its intent is to put in place a
continent-wide common arrangement
that would guarantee free access to
citizens of member states across the
continent. The scope will only be
limited to facilitating unrestricted
entrée of African citizens to all African
countries. The commission noted that
the protocol concerning free movement
of persons will be much taken care
of for it not to be detrimental to all
other pertinent domestic, regional,
Defeating meningitis in Africa
Africa’s progress in fighting
meningitis A is one of the best-kept
secrets in global health. Thanks to the
development and deployment of a low-
cost vaccine, the lives of hundreds of
thousands of children have been saved,
and communities that might otherwise
have been devastated by the illness are
thriving.
Meningococcal A meningitis is a
bacterial infection of the thin lining
surrounding the brain and spinal cord,
and it can be deadly. For more than a
century, epidemics have swept across
26 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa,
killing and disabling tens of thousands
of primarily young people every year.
The disease is highly feared on the
continent; it can kill within hours or
leave its victims with severe brain
damage.
Outbreaks usually occur at the
beginning of the calendar year, when
dry winds from the Sahara Desert
begin blowing southward. The 1996-1997
epidemic resulted in more than 250,000
cases and 25,000 deaths in Sub-Saharan
Africa, many of them children. Of those
who survived, one in four were left
with permanent disabilities, including
paralysis, blindness, hearing loss,
seizures, and brain damage.
The impact of meningitis A on families
and communities is devastating. In
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
and international laws, in particular
those relating to establishment, access
to labor market, trade, customs, and
other national regulations. This would
serve as a tremendous leap towards the
sought integration though there shall
be further matrixes calling for due
introspection.
At the outset, the very terminology of
the commission’s umbrella program
i.e. “Agenda 2063; the Africa We Want”
has drawn a fault line as it neglects the
Africa we have right now by way of
taking it subliminally if not dodged it
altogether. It is realistic that for all its
misfortunes and opportunities, Africa
cannot find solution in the past, rather
shall dwell in its present and future.
Yet, it does not mean it shall overlook
what appears to be a scar not healed
or simply deferred for tomorrow as it
would be a latent booby trap. In order to
rectify such snags, the continent shall
deal them overtly and on a certain time.
Or else the long overdue clamor for lack
of political will from the continent’s
political elite will be surpassed as a
meager cliché.
Strength of the protocol
Alluding to travel documents: the
commission in order to preserve the
legitimacy of states sovereignty has
proposed biometric identification
documents to be used and stay to
be dispensed at the national level
which will in turn pave the way for
order to pay for treatment, many
families are forced to sell the assets
they need to sustain their livelihoods:
livestock, seed stock, and tools.
Furthermore, the disabilities caused
by the infection can leave survivors
less able to earn income or care for
themselves and their families. Whole
communities can be plunged into deeper
levels of poverty as health-care workers
struggle to contain outbreaks.
The suffering caused by the disease
served as an impetus for action. Sixteen
years ago, African health ministers,
the international health NGO PATH,
the World Health Organization (WHO),
the Serum Institute of India, the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation, and dozens
of other partners formed the Meningitis
Vaccine Project (MVP). The mission
was simple: to develop an affordable
vaccine to fight meningitis A in Africa.
The project was successful. In less than
ten years, the MenAfriVac vaccine
was launched and has produced an
immediate and dramatic break in the
cycle of meningitis A epidemics. I
was in Burkina Faso for the vaccine’s
introduction in December 2010. I was
worried whether anyone would show
up. But when I met the minister of
health the day before the launch and
asked him what his biggest concern
was, he gave me a surprising answer:
Vol. XX No. 1017
the final target i.e. the stage of an
African Passport. This option and
the sequencing it entails require
harmonizing technical standards such
as biometric, security and identity
features. Later, member states through
their immigration and security
apparatuses would settle upon co-
ordinated security and identity features
as well as technical standards of the
biometric identification documents,
coupled with effective and timely
information exchange across countries
will secure a safe and convenient
movement of persons as it enables
member states to track down suspicious
individuals and related activities.
The protocol’s emphasis on preventing
illegal migration is an area which needs
praise as the issue unfolded egregiously
in an intercontinental gauge. As a
result, establishing a system of free
movement of persons can be efficient
to limit or even get rid of irregular
migration flows within and from
Africa as it would culminate illegal and
perilous exodus. Likewise, as illegal
migrations dwindle, it will also reduce
the encumbrance of border while
taming African integration through
a more inclusive border management
system.
Hereunder, the article touches upon
matrixes which needs pre-eminent
Making... page 25
“Crowd control.”
He was right. Huge crowds formed at
every immunization site, standing in
line in the hot sun, eager to receive
protection against the deadly disease. It
was, quite literally, a state event, with
the president in attendance. The first
vaccination campaign reached virtually
everyone in the country aged 1-29.
In the five years since then, more than
235 million people have been immunized
across Sub-Saharan Africa. By 2020,
the vaccine is expected to protect more
than 400 million people – preventing
one million cases of meningitis A,
150,000 deaths from the disease, and
250,000 cases of severe disability among
survivors.
The MVP stands as a powerful example
of what is possible when African leaders
and experts from across the spectrum
of global health work together. Strong,
temporary partnerships, with a focused
goal, can have truly catalytic effects.
But the work is far from over. Last
year, the WHO approved MenAfriVac
for use in regular vaccine schedules,
making it possible for millions more to
be protected.
The stakes are high. Universal access
Defeating... page 28
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
Focusing on happiness is both feasible
and fully justified. Happiness can be
measured, and its evaluation is already
the subject of many programs and
studies. Moreover, it can be developed
and its achievement linked to material
objectives. Studies have shown that
happy people produce more, live longer,
and drive better economic development
in their communities and countries,
argues Mohammed Bin Rashid Al
Maktoum.
Advertisment
A future of happiness, tolerance, and youth
Over the past two weeks, I have heard
and read many questions, comments,
and news stories regarding recent
changes to the government of the
United Arab Emirates. Why, everyone
seems to want to know, did we establish
a Ministry of Happiness, Tolerance, and
the Future, and why did we appoint a
22-year-old Minister of Youth?
The changes reflect what we have
learned from events in our region over
the past five years. In particular, we
have learned that failure to respond
effectively to the aspirations of young
people, who represent more than half of
the population in Arab countries, is like
swimming against the tide. Without the
energy and optimism of youth, societies
cannot develop and grow; indeed, they
are doomed.
When governments spurn their youth
and block their path to a better life,
they slam the door in the face of the
entire society. We do not forget that the
genesis of the tension in our region,
the events dubbed the “Arab Spring,”
was squarely rooted in the lack of
opportunities for young people to
achieve their dreams and ambitions.
We are proud that the UAE is a young
country. And we are proud of our youth.
We invest in them and empower them
precisely because they are our future.
We believe that they are faster than us
in acquiring and processing knowledge,
because they have grown up with tools
and techniques that we lacked at their
age. We entrust them with driving our
country to new levels of growth and
development, which is why we have
now appointed a cabinet minister of
their age and created a special council
of youth.
We have also learned from hundreds
of thousands of dead and millions of
refugees in our region that sectarian,
ideological, cultural, and religious
bigotry only fuel the fires of rage. We
cannot and will not allow this in our
country. We need to study, teach, and
practice tolerance – and to instill it in
our children, both through education
and our own example.
That is why we have appointed a
Minister of State for Tolerance.
We believe that a legal framework
should formalize the tolerance our
society already displays, and that our
policies and initiatives will provide an
outstanding example to our neighbors.
When the Arab world was tolerant
and accepting of others, it led the
world: From Baghdad to Damascus
to Andalusia and farther afield,
we provided beacons of science,
knowledge, and civilization, because
humane values were the basis of our
relationships with all civilizations,
cultures, and religions. Even when our
ancestors left Andalusia, people of other
faiths went with them.
Tolerance is no catchphrase, but a
quality we must cherish and practice.
It must be woven into the fabric of our
society to safeguard our future and
OPINION |15
maintain the progress we have made.
There can be no bright future for the
Middle East without an intellectual
reconstruction that re-establishes
the values of ideological openness,
diversity, and acceptance of others’
viewpoints, whether intellectual,
cultural, or religious.
With every lesson we learn comes a
decision that will shape our future.
But we also know that we can learn by
looking to the future, not just the past
or present. Simply put, we must think
of what life will be like in a post-oil
economy. That is why we have invested
heavily – more than 300 billion dirhams
(USD 81.5 billion) – in establishing a
focus for the UAE’s path ahead, with the
aim of preparing for a diverse economy
that frees future generations from
dependence on the ever-fluctuating oil
market.
Achieving that goal requires
reconsidering our legislative,
administrative, and economic system
fully to move away from dependence on
oil. We need a strong and appropriate
regulatory infrastructure to build
a sustainable and diverse national
economy for our children and their
children.
In writing this commentary, I want to
send a clear message to others in our
region that change happens by our
hands only. Our region does not need
a super-strong external power to stop
A future... page 28

INVITATION TO BID
GIZ InS/WWTP/LEC/01/2016
Supply and Delivery of Laboratory Equipment, Chemical and
Bid Starting/Closing RFP Launch Date: February 11, 2016
safety equipment for our UCBP in Ethiopia
Dates: RFP Closing Date: March 30, 2016
GIZ InS is the Implementing Agent assigned by the Ministry of Education, for the
Sector: Management Services construction of Waste Water Treatment Plants for thirteen Universities at
Project Description: This is a Procurement Notice to advise the market community
fifteen sites which is a project fully funded by the Government of the Federal
about the competitive bid opportunity with the Foreign Affairs, Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ministry of Education. GIZ InS would like to
Trade and Development Canada (DFATD) in Ethiopia. invite interested Suppliers for the under listed materials.
DFATD has launched an initiative to establish Field Support
Services (FSS) Unit to support the implementation of DFATD’s Therefore GIZ InS Ethiopia invites interested bidders, who are legally registered
development programming in Ethiopia. The services to be in Ethiopia, who have renewed their license for the current fiscal year and who
provided by the FSS unit will include, but are not limited to:
have past experience in supplying similar goods, to collect the bid document
x SURYLVLRQRI¿QDQFLDOPDQDJHPHQWVHUYLFHV
x procurement and contracting, including but not limited to from
WHFKQLFDOVSHFLDOLVWV GIZ InS office during working hours free of charge from Monday, March 14-17,
x SURYLVLRQRIORJLVWLFDOVHUYLFHV 2016.
x VXSSRUWWRORFDOGHYHORSPHQWLQLWLDWLYHVDQG
x administrative support for project/program delivery. Material/Services: Supply of Laboratory Equipment, Chemicals & safety
Equipments
DFATD is seeking to retain the services of a Consultant with
D VHW RI GHPRQVWUDWHG DQG YHUL¿DEOH FDSDELOLWLHV DV ZHOO DV Delivery Plate: Bole, Boston Building, 2nd floor
H[SHULHQFHLQPDQDJLQJDQGLPSOHPHQWLQJSURMHFWVRIVLPLODU Submission Deadline: Tuesday, March 22, 2016, 2:00 PM
VFRSHDQGFRPSOH[LW\ Submission form: Suppliers should submit their bid document in a sealed
envelope.
More information: $ 5HTXHVW IRU 3URSRVDOV LV SRVWHG RQ *RYHUQPHQW RI
Canada Electronic Tendering Service (https://buyandsell. For the submission there are one original and one
gc.ca/procurement-data/tender-notice/PW-16-00721686), copies expected.
solicitation number: 2016-A035290-1. This opportunity is Bid Opening: Bid opening will take place on Tuesday, March 22, 2016
open to eligible bidders with no nationality restriction. Local 2:30 PM at address below, meeting room in the
bidders are encouraged to apply. presence of Bidders or their representatives.
Contact resource name/ André Gagné / andre.gagne@international.gc.ca / 819-953-
HPDLOID[ 9186
Address of Public Body: GIZ InS Ethiopia Head Office
Bole, Boston Building, 2nd Floor
Bidders’ conference: Prospective bidders are invited to attend the Bidders’
Conference to be held at the Embassy of Canada (Woreda Procurement & Logistic Unit
23 Kebele 12, House # 12, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) on Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
February 25, 2016 at 16:30.
Working hours: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM
7KHELGGHUVDUHUHTXHVWHGWRVXEPLWTXHVWLRQVFRPPHQWV
DQGFRQ¿UPDWWHQGDQFHE\QRODWHUWKDQ)HEUXDU\ GIZ InS Ethiopia reserves the right to accept or reject any or all offers.
at 17:00 (EST), to the contact resource above.

www.thereporterethiopia.com
16|
Questioning...
CONT`D FROM PAGE 7
a long process of consultation with
the Southern Regional State and the
Council of Constitutional Inquiry (CCI)
– then decided that a referendum be
held in the Southern Regional State. The
referendum was held in March 2001.
Only the Silte community participated,
and the referendum resulted in the
establishment of a separate zonal
structure for the Silte after seceding
from the Guraghe.
According to Woldu Merne,
Constitutional Interpretation and
Identity Questions Directorate Director
at the HoF, the Silte case specifically
raised two fundamental issues. The first
issue was related with who should first
entertain the case. The second issue was
deciding on who is entitled to determine
the ‘self’ to exercise the rights generally
accorded to ethnic groups. “In relation
to the first issue, the HoF decided that
the regions should first see identity
questions interpreting that it is part
of their self-determination rights on
political, economic and social affairs
that concern the regions. Deciding on
identity question is a political issue of
the regions. When it comes to deciding
the ‘self’, the HoF decided that if there
are signs that the constitutional criteria
for distinct identity are fulfilled, it
should be the group with the question
that confirms its identity. That is
why the Silte case was decided by
referendum,” Woldu explains.
The various identity questions
presented to the regional and federal
authorities are not similar. Like that of
the Silte, most of these cases are from
the Southern Regional State. Taking the
Silte case as precedent, identity issues
are first required to exhaust regional
remedies. In the case of Menja, first the
identity question was entertained at the
region. The Council of Nationalities of
the region decided that Menja has no
distinct identity. The decision of the
HoF is similar as it upholds the region’s
verdict when it reviewed the case
through appeal.
The Kimant case as well was first
decided by the regional council after
many years of wrangling. Even if the
Kimant community’s demand to be
recognized as a distinct group from the
Amhara was decided in their favor,
conflicts ensued when the number of
kebele administrations they claimed
were partially accepted. They appealed
the decision to the HoF. “The HoF is
not mandated to decide the number of
Kebeles one ethnic group deserves. It is
up to the regional states to decide that,”
Woldu states.
Woubishet highlights that certain
aspects of the Kimant case are unique
when compared with the previous
identity questions. “The Kimants
do not live in a predominantly
contiguous territory which is one of
the constitutional criteria for distinct
identity. May be, from now on, it could
be used as a precedent that sharing the
same territory is not a prerequisite. The
Kimants also do not meet the mutual
intelligibility of language criteria as
they are currently not communicating
in Kimantney language. Of course,
they used to have their own language.
Moreover, unlike the Silte the identity
of the Kimant was decided by the
unilateral decision of the Amhara
Council, not by referendum,” he says.
The HoF decided against new identity
for some cases. Debebe indicates that
the decision was made partly because
some of the questions had another
agenda, and partly some of the cases
were just issues of bad governance,
not identity questions. For Woldu,
the Menja case is an instance where
sometimes the mistreatment of
minorities at regional state level
wrongly perceived as a question of
identity. “The HoF reaches to a decision
after thoroughly investigating the
cases. Relevant committees and experts
teams conduct researchs, which include
a field visit. The decision against the
distinct identity of Menja and Kontoma
were made this way,” he elaborates.
However, Woldu expresses that the
decision to reject the demand for new
identity need to be seen separately
from the issue of discrimination. “The
Menjas are victims of discrimination
and bad attitudes. That is why the
decision demands the regional state to
respect these rights,” he adds.
By the same token, the Konso
question is not an identity question.
It is a question of restructuring the
administration zone. Woubishet sheds
some new perspective to the issue.
He says,“Konso is now part of Segen
Zone with other ethnic groups. They
want an independent administration
zone for Konso. Somehow it is related
with aspects of identity. Having your
own administration will promote
your identity better, than sharing it
with others.” As per Art 50 (4) and 52
(2) (a) Regional States are empowered
to devise the organization of their
respective administrative units as they
please only limited to give adequate
answers the democratic rights of the
peoples either in terms of autonomy or
local governance.
For some, the ongoing conflict in
Oromia is related with the identity
question of the Oromo nation as it has
developed to be discussed in the context
of fair representation. “There seems to
be a tendency amongst members of the
ruling party that identity questions are
adequately responded just like Stalin’s
Russia. Recognizing and empowering
Oromos to have their own region
does not mean their quest to further
their identity is over. The current
Oromo question cannot be ignored by
externalizing to the unholy marriage of
narrow-minded chauvinists or lack of
good governance. The question is also
about representation, economy and
political power sharing,” Woubishet
explains.
While appreciating the fact that – both
in principle and practice – there is
every attempt to reflect the country’s
diversity in the establishment of the
executive, Assefa indicates that the
same cannot be said about the other
branches of the federal government,
such as the legislature, judiciary, civil
service and the army. He argues that
federal institutions should reflect
existing diversity on the ground. “The
logic is simple but vital: the more the
ethno-nationalist forces see their image
at the federal level, the more they think
they are part of it and the less they want
to move away from it. It will be naive
to expect that various ethno-nationalist
forces will remain loyal to the system
unless the major contenders for power
are, in some manner, absorbed into the
political process,” Assefa states.
According to the HoF authorities,
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
the constitutional principles, the
institutions, and policies are used to
resolve identity-based questions. “I
don’t think that the government is
responding to the identity questions
based on already set principles,”
Woubishet argues otherwise. He opines
that similar cases are not having
uniform decisions. “We are talking
about a country with limited resources
and elites manipulating identity to
benefit themselves at the expense of the
public. Unless we devise a mechanism
that is predictable, the current trend
will create instability and waste the
scare resources,” he says.
Is ethnic federalism breeding
ground for conflicts?
Federalism experts argue that as
conflicts in pluralistic societies are
unavoidable, effective policy and
institutional mechanisms need to be
used to prevent and resolve them. To
accommodate the diverse interests
inherent in these societies which
sometimes would lead into conflicts,
a successful federation devises
constitutional, legal and institutional
means other than force.
On the one hand, from the outset there
were some fear that the Ethiopian
federation established through ethnic
lines would end up with conflicts
and fragmentation. Now, taking the
recent conflicts in the country, which
allegedly occurred as a result of
identity-based confrontations, some
commentators contend that the ethnic-
based federalism is a breeding ground
for conflicts and urge the government to
revisit its policy and the Constitution.
On the other hand, the Ethiopian
authorities contend that had it not been
for the relevant institutions and polices
to address such issues, the situation
would have been worse. In this context,
Assefa argues that the federation has
diffused the various conflicts out into
local arenas, making them less a threat
to the center, when compared, for
example, with the political situation in
1991.
In the majority of instances,
resistance to claims for new political
administration within regional states
resulted in conflicts. For instance, in
recent times, reports show that the case
of Welene, Kimant and Konso created
serious conflicts and confrontations.
For Assefa, ‘the elusive task of matching
ethnic groups with specific boundaries’
is the source of these conflicts.
Several studies point out that not all
conflicts amongst the NNPs are identity
based. However, Assefa concedes
that most of these conflicts have been
portrayed in the media and even some
studies as if they are ‘inter-ethnic
conflicts’. For instance, he indicates
that although some of the conflicts
over grazing land, water and resources
between communities had a long
history that predated the new federal
system, they are reported as ‘identity-
based conflicts’.
Nevertheless, Assefa admits that the
post-1991 political development seems
to have changed the dimension of the
conflict. “The fact that the disputed
areas coincided with the boundaries
between regional governments seems to
have transformed the conflict between
local communities to conflicts between
regional states. Instances include the
claim of ownership over Babile and
Moyale—towns between Oromia and
Vol. XX No. 1017
Somali regional states; the Borona
and Gari conflict, again between the
same regional states; the Afar and
Issa—between the Afar regional state
and Somali regional states; between the
Gedeo in the Southern Regional State
and the Guji Oromo in Oromia and the
Guji Oromo in Oromia and the Sidama
of Southern Regional State around the
Wondogenet area. In addition to the
competition over resources between the
Afar and Issa, which is more or less the
same case as with the Borona and the
Gari, the tension between the Afar and
Issa becomes more complex because
it is very much interlinked with the
geopolitics of the Horn,” he elaborates.
For Woldu, identity questions cannot
be causes of conflict. “What if we fail
to give recognition like old times,” he
says. Similarly, Debebe is of the view
that the country’s overall development
is the result of identity recognition.
“Every group is contributing for the
development of the country by working
hard because their identity is duly
recognized,” he contends.
The FDRE Constitution envisages
the adjudication of identity-based
disputes by the HoF. Moreover, the
Ministry of Federal and Pastoralist
Development Affairs (MoFPDA) is
also entrusted to promote the federal
system and engage in the peaceful
resolution of conflicts. The activities
of MoFPDA are more visible in the less
developed regional states where the
unhealthy competitions of fragmented
and sectarian political elites create
instability, and the geopolitics pose real
external threat. Assefa states, “As some
of these lowland regions are also located
on the borders with neighboring states,
local politics is very much interlinked
with regional politics (the Somali region
being the classic case) and thus subject
to manipulation and maneuvering by
internal and external forces. These and
other factors facilitated governmental
and party interference from the center.
The low level of political development
in these regions means that the national
ruling party plays a greater role in
local administration than in other
constituent states.”
However, as can be inferred from the
conflicts in Gambella, Benishangul-
Gumuz, and South, the role of the
ministry is limited to conducting public
discussion forums and meetings with
stakeholders after the conflict. After
announcing that the problems are
resolved in a sustainable manner, they
continue to occur in a short period of
time. For instance, conflicts between
Nuer and Annuak, and Habesha or
Highlanders and the indigenous peoples
of Gambella, the Sheko and Sheka in the
South are reoccurring this way.
Instruments of power for the elites
For one group of federalism experts,
identity is primordial which exists
naturally. For others, identity
is an artificial construction and
deconstruction. The ruling party
seems to favor the primordial
approach. However, Getachew offers
the instrumental approach. He said,
“Identity is a psychological make-up. It
is a historical socio-economic construct.
If I raised my child in Bahir Dar, he
will have an Amhara identity. It is not
something primordial that you can
relate with race and ancestors,” he
explains. However, Woubishet contends
Questioning... page 42
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017 |17
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www.thereporterethiopia.com
18|
Resurrecting...
one point a stand-off occurred in Jimma
where the Emperor is said to have stood
in front of a British army refusing to
allow the dismantling of a rope factory.
Britain, who has been called the
“liberator” of Ethiopia, was in fact the
crippler of Ethiopia. It can be argued
that this incident should not be pointed
to as leading to Ethiopia’s historical
position of being poor and backwards
and that’s true there were other
things that contributed to this. But it
cannot be disputed that this massive
dismantling of assets that rightfully
should have remained in Ethiopia was
the first of a chain of events that led to
crippling of Ethiopia. The awareness
of this that occurred some 60 years
ago makes it all the more amazing of
what’s happening today in this great
country. Ethiopia is one of the fasting
growing economies in the world and is
taking its long-awaited position among
the leading developing countries. I
ask the question in my book, “What if
the growth that we see today had been
allowed to begin 50 years ago? Where
might Ethiopia be positioned on the
world stage of nations and narratives
had Emperor Haile Selassie been able
to keep those assets; and had Col.
Robinson been supported properly
by the American government in
connection with Ethiopia’s defense? Of
course there are those who will say, “we
cannot really know what might have
resulted had these things not occurred”.
But I say clearly and without any doubt
that had Ethiopia not been crippled by
deception and intrigues and detrimental
governmental policies by key players in
the world at that time history would be
much different today.
What is the mission of your
organization, The Col. John C.
Robinson Global Initiative?
The mission of the CJCRGI is to
continue the legacy of Col. John C.
Robinson in building a progressive
and mutually rewarding relationship
between the African American
community and the world diaspora
and Ethiopia and all of Africa. We
see Ethiopia as the de facto heart of
Africa and Addis Ababa as the de facto
capital and we are dedicated to turning
the attention of black Americans to
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
their mother country so that they can
actively help in Ethiopia’s development.
During Col. Robinson’s time the hearts
of African Americans was with Ethiopia
and all of Africa but we had very
little economic power. Today Black
Americans have a buying power of over
1.3 trillion dollars annually. If we were
a nation we would be ranked number 16
in economic strength among the world.
We impact significantly every industry
in the world including medicine,
science and technology, entertainment
and sports. Our vision is to make
our brothers and sisters in America
realize that our motherland is the
richest continent on earth yet we have
fallen far behind in participating in its
development. They need to know that
not only does Africa need them but that
they, even more so, need Africa. Our
mission is to make them see that their
future is rooted in our motherland.
We are a people with a history and
lineage that goes back to and beyond
the biblical times of Queen Makeda
and King Solomon. Most importantly
they need to know that in our unity
we are prophesied to be the architects
Vol. XX No. 1017
CONT`D FROM PAGE 11
of a new world built on justice and
equality for all people. Something that
others have spoke of doing but whose
actions have nearly destroyed our
earth. Ethiopia and all of Africa must
visualize themselves as saviors of the
world. Because we have been mentally
broken by the institutions of racial
oppression we don’t think of ourselves
as being able to effect powerful change
in the world. Little white kids in
Europe and America grow up thinking
that they can save the world. This is
projected in their movies and literature.
There is always some super hero saving
the world from destruction. We have
to realize that we are the real super
heroes. Ethiopia has a legacy of diverse
religions and ideologies living together
in harmony that no other nation can
boast of. The culture of Ethiopia is
such that you can find the roots of true
humanity and civilization spreading
from Abay (the Blue Nile) radiating
outwards to all of the world. Yet
Ethiopians are the most humble of the
God’s people. I often say to myself that
Ethiopia needs to develop a bit of an ego
and step up on the world platform of
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017 |19
leadership because the world has much and will be featured as part of the 75th
to learn from her. jubilee anniversary of The Ethiopian
Patriots Association’s celebration of
What other projects are you engaged
Victory Day on May 5th. All proceeds
in at the moment?
will go to the Patriots Association. I
I have just completed another book that have also signed agreements with
tells the forgotten story of Ametsegna Hierarchy Motion Pictures of Beverly
Washa (The Cave of Rebellion). It Hills in California to produce a full
is about a war crime committed by length movie of Col. Robinson based on
the fascist Italians in 1939 that killed my book, “The Lion and the Condor.”
in some accounts from 2,000 to 5,000 The movie will portray Emperor Haile
mostly villagers and 900 patriots with Selessie, Hakim Worqeneh Esthete, and
illegal mustard gas. The story of what many other key Ethiopian heroes that
happened is so compelling that it must the world needs to know of. The CEO
be told so that the world is aware of told me that he wants Will Smith to play
the atrocities that were committed in the title role of Col. Robinson. The plans
Ethiopia during Col. Robinson’s time. for the movie are great but equally as
The world is familiar with the tragedies exciting is the fact that Teddy Afro told
that occurred in Nazi Germany, and me that “we must not forget him (Col.
in China and other war torn countries Robinson) I will write a song paying
but many of the things that occurred tribute to him in an upcoming album”!
here have been covered over and I consider Teddy Afro the Michael
treated like they are not important. I Jackson of Ethiopia if he makes a song
was asked by Lij Daniel Jote Mesfin to about Col. Robinson, Ethiopians all over
participate in an historical expedition the world will know of him and his love
to Ametsegna Washa (the Cave of for Ethiopia.
Rebellion as the Italians named it). It is
There are several other projects we are
about 350 kilometers from Addis in the
working on and we will be announcing
Amhara Regional State. In the cave are
in the near future. The Reporter will be
the remains (skulls and skeletons) of
the first to know. I hope this interview
the people who were killed in the most
will become a main source of reference
horrible way. I was the first American
for students and people all over the
to witness this terrible tragedy and I
world who want a factual account of the
am compelled to give voice to those
amazing story of the Resurrection of
courageous patriots and villagers who
Col. John C. Robinson and the historic
lost their lives and have been forgotten.
relationship between Ethiopia and
This powerful picture book was
African Americans.
commissioned by Lij Daniel Jote Mesfin

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www.thereporterethiopia.com
20| COMMENTARY +
China has made good on less than
10 percent of its multi-billion-dollar
promises. Though delays are typical
with project aid, in China’s case,
slowing economic growth could cause
them to be prolonged or worse, writes
Kent Harrington.
VIEWPOINT +
Like the British, many Continental
Europeans are asking whether
transnational regulation by Brussels-
based institutions and a political
union are actually necessary.
Wouldn’t a loose association of
sovereign nation-states, sharing a
hard economic core of a continental
common market – the British model –
be enough? asks Joschka Fischer.
China’s illusory global leadership
Even as China’s economy slows and
its government backslides on reform,
President Xi Jinping is trying hard to
portray his country as a global power
ready to assume a broader international
role. It is proving to be a tough sell.
Xi’s efforts to boost China’s
international clout are not in doubt.
His meetings with Asian leaders in
Manila last November rounded out a
year of high-profile travel, in which he
has touted China – which has provided
billions of dollars in foreign assistance
and investments around the world
in recent years – as a leading global
benefactor. In the Middle East, Chinese
firms are building a subway in Iran’s
capital and a high-speed railway in
Saudi Arabia. Last June, Egypt entered
into an agreement with China for 15
projects worth about USD 10 billion.
In Latin America, Chinese officials
have forecast USD 250 billion in new
infrastructure deals.
Most far-reaching is China’s “one
belt, one road” initiative, which aims
to recreate the ancient maritime and
overland Silk Roads, connecting China
to the rest of Asia, the Middle East,
and Europe. The USD 40 billion Silk
Road Fund and the USD 50 billion
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank,
launched last year, promise to finance
much of the construction, with the AIIB
being viewed by many as a challenge to
the World Bank.
At last September’s United Nations
Ever Closer Union or Common Market?
At stake in the United Kingdom’s
upcoming referendum on whether to
remain a member of the European
Union is the nature of the EU itself. The
UK wants a different kind of Europe
than the one that the EU currently
represents. Its preference is a Europe
that essentially consists solely of a
common market. Even though Britain
has long been able to opt out of the euro
and much else (and thus is not forced
in any way to participate in the process
of deepening Europe’s political union),
this is the ideological essence of the
controversy.
It is a question that transcends the
UK’s “Brexit” debate. The growing
strength of euroskeptic forces in many
EU member states has raised the same
issue on the continent, where many
believe that the goal of a political union
might overburden member states’
citizens and should be abandoned.
Like the British, many Continental
Europeans are asking whether
transnational regulation by Brussels-
based institutions and a political union
are actually necessary. Wouldn’t a
loose association of sovereign nation-
states, sharing the hard economic core
of a continental common market – the
British model – be enough? Why bother
with all that complicated integration
involving the Schengen Agreement, a
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
meeting, after promising to add USD 10
billion by 2030 to what began as a USD
two billion investment fund for the
least developed countries, Xi reiterated
China’s view that it is now on par with
the United States in terms of providing
international aid and investment.
Indeed, by emphasizing that China
would put “justice before interests,” Xi
may even have attempted to claim the
moral high ground.
Yet even China’s most favored
beneficiaries remain dubious about
its model and motives, largely because
Chinese aid remains primarily a
business proposition. According to a
2013 study by the RAND Corporation,
more than 80 percent of Chinese aid
and official financing underwrites
raw material extraction and the
construction of the roads, bridges,
and ports needed to transport these
resources to China.
The terms of Chinese aid also differ
considerably from those of traditional
donors. Assistance from the US, Europe,
and Japan comes primarily in the
form of grants; by contrast, two-thirds
of Chinese aid is issued in the form of
loans to finance projects and material,
with China’s export-import and
development banks and its state-owned
enterprises providing the lion’s share of
the funds. More than half of these loans
also are “tied,” meaning that they must
be used for procurement from Chinese
companies.
monetary union, and EU regulations,
which in the end don’t work properly
and only weaken the member states’
global competitiveness?
Looking at European postwar history, it
becomes clear that this debate has been
with us almost from the very beginning.
The UK’s focus in the 1950’s and 1960’s
was still mainly on the Commonwealth.
The European integration process –
aimed at overcoming Franco-German
enmity and reconciling West Germany’s
industrial potential with European
stability (and thus, under the US and
NATO security umbrella, excluding
the recurrence of war in Europe) – was
marginal to its concerns.
After the Treaty of Rome in 1957
established the European Economic
Community (EEC), the European
Free Trade Association was
established under British leadership
a few years later. EFTA’s aims were a
straightforward customs union and a
common market, and it was designed
from the outset to compete with the
EEC, particularly in northern Europe
and among the neutral countries. But it
never caught on.
The reason EFTA failed to take hold
is instructive: It was based only on
economic interests and pursued no
further idea. EFTA had no soul, and
Vol. XX No. 1017
As reported in China’s 2014 white paper
on foreign aid, concessional loans
(financing at subsidized interest rates)
nearly doubled from 2010 to 2012 – a
period when interest-free loans, which
accounted for some eight percent of
total foreign aid, declined – and now
represent 56 percent of China’s aid
program. In short, while Xi’s September
UN speech highlighted new loan write-
offs and additional funds for education
and health care for the world’s poorest
countries, Chinese aid remains no
bargain – and comes with plenty of
strings.
For Xi, the question is whether this
kind of aid can still yield the political
returns he seeks. According to a
recent study by AidData, an American
research project, development
assistance does not always increase
influence. Three hundred senior
officials in 126 countries gave China’s
representatives low marks in “agenda-
setting influence.” And they put the
quality of Chinese development advice
near the bottom of the barrel, implicitly
dismissing the lessons of China’s statist
economic model.
China’s economic slowdown is likely
to exacerbate negative perceptions of
its assistance. In reviewing a decade
of China’s performance as a donor, the
RAND study concluded that Chinese
aid deliveries lag behind pledges by
China’s illusory.. page 28
that absence rendered it unable to
compete with the incipient EU.
Of course, economic interests have
been paramount in sustaining the EU’s
progress; but the idea of uniting Europe
clearly transcended mere economic
unification. It was and still is about
overcoming European fragmentation
via an integration process beginning
with the economy and ending in
political integration. Winston Churchill
knew that, as can be seen in his 1946
Zurich speech – well worth reading
today – in which he called for a “United
States of Europe.”
The EU is Europe’s main historical
project. It has attempted, so far
successfully, to learn from centuries of
seemingly unending wars, by building a
new pan-European system of states that
is no longer based on a balance of power
alone, but also on overcoming national
rivalries by institutionalizing common
interests and shared values. The EU has
achieved great things, and this should
not be forgotten amid its current crises.
The British error is to assume that one
goal, a common market for Europe,
can be had without the other, greater
political integration, over the long term.
In order to function, a common market
Ever Closer... page 28
 OPINION + |21
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017

Speaking from the heart:

The City Administration should also
work towards celebrating the Oromo
culture and heroes and heroines using
its urban spaces, including the streets
(many of which are in fact nameless),
squares, plazas, public buildings and
the like, argues Selam Yibeltal.
Advertisment
What I want for my city
A few months ago I met a Kenyan
national, a resident of Addis Ababa, at
some function. While chitchatting, he
asked me from which part of Ethiopia I
was. I replied I was from Addis Ababa.
He then said ‘you guys in Addis are
strange people’. When asked where you
are from, you claim to be from Addis.
No one can be from Addis. Everyone
must be from some village in the rural
parts of Ethiopia. Kenyans, residing
in major urban centers hardly identify
themselves with the city wherein
they live. Every Kenyan has a rural
village that he or she calls home.
They celebrate their weddings, spend
holidays, get circumcised, conduct
rituals, and when deceased, they
are buried in their villages. No one
considers himself/herself, for instance,
as ‘Nairobian’.
Having emotional attachment with a
rural village of one’s ancestors is not
just ‘a Kenyan thing’. Communities in
many African countries feel similar
sentiment about their ancestral
villages. However, “Addis Ababans” in
general, especially the born and raised
ones, myself included, tend to strongly
identify themselves (ourselves) with
the city. There are many who have not,
even once, visited the places wherefrom
their parents or grandparents came.
Their sense of Addis Ababawinet
particularly becomes palpable when
they join universities or colleges and
interact with students from other parts
of the country. Many students from
Addis are not able to smoothly interact
with students from outside Addis,
even with those with whom they are
ethnically affiliated. On the other hand,
the students from the city tend to easily
acquaint and become friends with one
another, despite their different ethnic
backgrounds. Indeed those coming from
families of high economic status tend to
cling with each other creating their own
small circle. Otherwise, it is common
to hear students from Addis Ababa
referring to everyone from outside
the city, his/her ethnic affiliation
UHJDUGOHVVDV¶   ·<H
Kifle Hager Lij) i.e. someone from the
countryside. Moreover, so accustomed
to the city’s cosmopolitan charm, many
residents of Addis Ababa often feel out
of place whenever they find themselves
outside the city, including in parts of
the country where the community to
which they are ethnically affiliated
is dominant. I guess the homogeneity
in those areas is unappealing to their
senses.
Admittedly, the above is based on
my own personal experiences and
observations, and by no means based
on a scientific research. I am not also
asserting that all Addis Ababans feels
the same way. However I think it is
safe to assume that many of them, in
particular those who were born and
raised in the city, share the above
sentiments.
Yet, political debates on Addis Ababa’s
place in Ethiopia’s ethnic federal
matrix, especially those regarding
the rights and privileges of the
Oromia region over the city, barely
give due consideration to what those
who call and consider the city home
think, prefer, desire or object. I am
specifically referring to the debates on
whether Addis Ababa should be under
the political jurisdiction of Oromia.
These debates sometimes seem to me
about an empty urban space with a
built environment but devoid of any
population, and which is yet to be filled
with one. The debaters act as if they are
in some kind of political talks on how
and by whom this vacant urban space
should be filled. They totally disregard
the fact that the city is already filled
with millions who, despite their diverse
ethnic background, possibly precisely
because of it, have strong attachment
with the city.
The proposal that Addis Ababa should
be under the political jurisdiction of
Oromia evidently comes from some
‘Oromo activists’. The proposal is
chiefly based on historical claims. They
aver that Addis Ababa – Finfine as they
would prefer to call it – belongs to the
Oromo people since it is established on
‘an Oromo land’. Some go further and
claim that Addis Ababa was an Oromo
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www.thereporterethiopia.com
22| LIVING & THE ARTS
Ð
It is getting quiet in here!
Concerts are becoming rare phenomena in Addis
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the special attachment
that the country has
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Addis Ababa to perform
all the time. But, that
is not the case. To the
contrary, a number of
concert bookings and
The British rock star and songwriter
schedules are being Roderick David’s a.k.a. Rod Stewart’s
fan base extends all over the world.
canceled and postponed Many slow rock lovers know the song,
“Have I Told You Lately” and “Forever
LQUHFHQW\HDUVZULWHV Young” by heart. Apart from his
Tibebeselassie famous songs, Rod Stewart is also in the
Guinness Book of World Records for the
Tigabu. largest live concert ever to to be held.
He was able to draw 3.5 million
audiences for a New Year’s Eve 1994
performance at Copacabana Beach
in Brazil. Instead of opting for a
traditional venue he staged the concert
at Copacabana beach for free, giving it
more of a music festival vibe.
In various parts of the world, festivals
are now becoming part and parcel of the
urban culture. These concerts/festivals
are strongly attached to summer time
attracting thousands of music fans. In
some instances, the fans go through
extreme conditions, forced to stay in
tents sometimes for weeks to see the
biggest rock, jazz or hip-hop stars.
The biggest of those festivals are held in
Europe where fans go on their annual
pilgrimages to attend their preferred
festivals. Some of these festivals
include Glastonbury in England and
the Californian Coachella which brings
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
more than 175,000 audiences every year.
Apart from Europe, “Rock al Parque”,
South America’s largest rock music
festival attracted a crowd of 226,000 over
three days in 2010.
In Africa also festivals such as the four-
day “Essaouria Gnaoua” in Morocco,
which has an audience of up to 500,000
every year, the “Sauti Za Busara”
festival in Tanzania, “Lake of Stars”,
which is held on the stunning shores of
Lake Malawi, “The Firefest Route” in
South Africa and “Festival au Desert”
in Mali draw thousands of fans, making
Africa the destination of music festivals.
While concerts and festivals are
abundant in various parts of the world,
in Ethiopia, concerts and outdoor
festivals are quite rare. Some of these
rare occasions include the annual Selam
Festival and Acacia Jazz Music Festival.
The fifth year edition of Selam Festival
was able to bring international
musicians such as Alpha Blondy, the
ancient Mali Griot (story tellers) and
various alternative musicians.
Though this festival was successful in
putting a vibrant show, the organizers
do not deny how it is challenging to
bring international artists to Ethiopia.
Vol. XX No. 1017
With these rare happenings, one can
count how many big artists have ever
performed in Ethiopia.
While many renowned international
artists performed in the neighboring
countries such as Kenya it creates a
question of why there are only few
concerts here. Even with the few
concerts it is common to hear renowned
international artists cancelling,
rescheduling or not showing up for
their scheduled appearance. Some of
these mishaps include the recently
rescheduled Jah Cure’s concert on
grounds of visa complication; the
cancellation of the highly publicized
Yassin Bey (Mos Def) over passport
problem; P-square which were paid
200,000 dollars but decided to re-
schedule the concert for a week; the
cancellation of Damian Marley and Nas
and the cancellation of another reggae
artist Capelton.
Given the city’s status as Headquarter
of the African Union and the special
attachment the country has with reggae
artists which they publicize in their
songs would lead one to believe that
A-list artists would be flocking to Addis
Ababa to perform all the time. But,
that is not the case. To the contrary,
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
LIVING & THE ARTS|23
Ð

only a few artists such as Beyoncé and vegetarian catering; Mariah Carey
Knowles, R-Kelly, Rihanna, Ludacris, on the other hand is rumored to have
Shaggy, Sean Paul, Ja Rule, Wyclef requested Crystal champagne, one box
Jean performed live in Addis Ababa of bendy straws, one special attendant
so far sponsored by Sheik Mohammed to dispose of used chewing gum, tea
al Amoudi. These artists performed service for eight, a hone bear pack of
during various holidays throughout honey, two air purifiers, puppy and
the years. In recent years, these annual kittens.
concerts have become few and far
Whereas Beyonce requested Pepsi
between.
products only, honey nut cheerios,
Sisay Mengiste, Selam Sounds General ginger root, a two-man love seat,
Manger, says that with a potentially constant temperature of 78 degree
large audience and few concerts, Addis Fahrenheit in dressing room, toilet
Ababa is a chosen destination for scrubbed with disinfectant, no sweets,
concerts. Though he says that, looking chocolate or crisps in dressing room.
at it from the organizers point of view,
The backstage requests of these artists
there are many challenges such as
are very specific, which ranges from
lack of sponsorship, lack of access to
rose-scented candles to organic honey
standardized musical equipment and
bans. Nevertheless, according to Sisay,
financial challenges, the city is till the
artists’ requests are not backstage
preferred destination for concerts.
requests only; in fact he says it starts
According to Sisay international artists
and their managers demand high
from the airplane sitting arrangement
and accommodations.
...if the point
quality musical equipment, staging,
lighting, brands and specifications of
Apart from their demands, the price of UHDFKHVRU
these artists is also very expensive,
musical instruments which are hard
to find Ethiopia.
reaching up to a million PRUHWKH\UHFHLYH
dollars/concert.
There are only a few suppliers
According to Forbes
a message of
of musical equipment
which according to Sisay
list of the world’s
25 highest paid
an automatic
might not fit with the
specification of the
musicians, U2,
Bon Jovi, Elton
suspension. Then
international artists
and are also very
John and Lady WKHRIÀFHUWDNHVWKH
Gaga lead the
expensive.
pack this year. license on the spot.
“Usually, the It states that
suppliers of the U2 were able The details of the
equipment might to collect
not have the 195 million offense, the area,
whole package of dollars. By
equipment. So, the time U2’s and the details
we are forced to two-year trek
bring from the ends this RIWKHGULYHUWKH
various suppliers summer, the
or tell the artists band will have QDPHRIWKHWUDIÀF
to bring their own sold 700 million
equipment,” Sisay dollars worth of SROLFHRIÀFLDODQG
says. tickets over two
Technical difficulties
years and played to WKHYHKLFOHVSODWH
more than 7 million
are also becoming a
cliché in many of the
people. QXPEHUZLOOEH
events. Apart from that,
some of the issues have got
On the other hand, Bon
Jovi earned 125 million
registered on the
to do with the limited venues
which can accommodate tens
dollar for his show. The band
grossed 200 million dollars
ZHEVLWHLQVWDQWO\
of thousands of people. Most of the playing 74 shows over the past 12
festivals and concerts in recent times months and released a greatest hit
are held either in Ghion Hotel, Tropical album.
Gardens or at the Millennium Hall;
Ethiopia is no exception to this,
and many promoters and organizers of
according to Sisay. These artists ask
concerts are heard complaining with
very high payment, professional fees
the inaccessibility of even some of these
and per diems, he told The Reporter.
venues.
“They usually travel with a huge crew.
Apart from the technical aspect, So, we have to fulfill their every demand
Sisay says that international artists’ such as luxurious accommodation,
backstage demands are vast and professional fees and other facilities
luxurious which is difficult to handle which piles up the cost of the festival,”
for Ethiopian organizers. As far as Sisay says.
backstage demands of artists go a
Sisay does not hide the fact that
lot of stories regarding ridiculous
their backstage requirement is also a
requests by artists are heard in the
headache. Hence he says few sponsors
music industry. According to Mail
and the lack of funding make their
online, some of the artists such as Paul
McCartney requested nineteen leafy six
It is getting... page 26
feet. plants, four leafy four feet. plants

www.thereporterethiopia.com
24|
Speaking from...
city, once a lively cultural and urban
center of the Oromo people, before
Emperor Menelik II forcefully took it
from them, replacing the original name
of the city, Finfine, with the name Addis
Ababa. Others make a constitutional
argument by invoking the provision
that protects the special interests, in
the city, of Oromia. In order to undo
the historical injustices and protect the
special interests of the Oromia region,
they propose they propose that the city
be renamed Finfine and Addis Ababa
should be organized as a zone within the
political jurisdiction of Oromia. There
are even those who suggest that every
non-Oromo in Addis is a guest who
should be grateful for being hosted in
the city thus far and should graciously
leave.
I will ignore the last assertion, a rather
ludicrous one, and respectfully argue
against the suggestion that Addis Ababa
should politically and administratively
be under Oromia. While objecting this
proposal, I will however argue that
Addis Ababa and its administration
can, and indeed should, do better in
terms augmenting the visibility of the
Oromo culture by using Afaan-Oromo,
along with Amharic, as its working
language, by ensuring that Afaan-
Oromo is taught in all (both public
and private) primary schools in the
city. By using the city’s physical urban
space, the City Administration should
celebrate the Oromo culture and Oromo
heroes, and, of course the heroes and
heroines of other communities.
Why I object the proposal
Certainly, the land where Addis Ababa
is now situated was not terra nullius;
there were indeed numerous rural
Oromo villages and communities.
I am not sure whether those were
homogeneously Oromo villages and
communities. They were however
predominately so. Undeniably, the
emergence of Addis Ababa as an urban
center brought about, and deplorably
so, the disappearance of those rural
villages and the displacement of
a significant number of Oromo
communities. To this extent, the
historical claims, alluded to earlier,
are certainly accurate. However, in the
place we now call Addis Ababa, there
were only disconnected rural villages
such as Bole, Yeka, Finfine and the
like. Finfine was thus simply one of
such spots, around Fil-Wuha, where the
cornerstone was laid when Addis Ababa
was established.
Addis Ababa, the city, has irreversibly
substituted the former rural villages
to become a great urban center. And it
became the vibrant city that we now
know and love because of the blood,
sweat, knowledge, wealth and hard
work of everyone, from every ethnic
community, who made the city his
or her home. Hence ethno-territorial
demands about Addis Ababa have to
march towards the current reality.
The proposal that Addis Ababa’s entire
urban spaces should be under the
political dominance of a single ethnic
community, or an ethnically organized
regional state, not only denies the
current reality but also unfairly
disregards the enormous contributions
generations of Addis Ababans made for
the city’s emergence and advancement.
Moreover, the diversity (ethnic,
religious, cultural) of its residents is
the source of Addis Ababa’s beauty,
strength that draws everyone to it.
This rich diversity should be nurtured,
CONT`D FROM PAGE 21
protected and sustained. Taking any
measure to suppress such vibrancy,
in my view, is to commit as grave
an injustice as those the proposed
measures seek to redress. It should,
therefore, be challenged.
For those who make a constitutional
argument, my answer is that placing
Addis Ababa under the political
jurisdiction of Oromia certainly offends
the Constitution. The Constitution
clearly makes the citizens of Addis
Ababa beneficiaries of the federal
scheme of ‘self-rule’ and ‘shared-rule’,
with almost equivalent status as the
Oromia region itself. The Constitution
protects the rights of the residents
of the city to ‘a full measure of self-
government’ as far as the self-rule
aspect is concerned. The residents of
Addis Ababa are also entitled by the
Constitution to representation in the
House of Peoples’ Representatives’,
even though, lamentably, not in House
of Federations. Indeed, Oromia’s special
interests in the city, which are yet to be
defined, are constitutionally protected.
However, the special interests,
whatever they may be, cannot tamper
with the right to self-government
of the residents of the city. Placing
Addis Ababa under the Oromia region
as a mere zone clearly offends this
constitutional prescription since a zone
is a de-concentrated administrative
structure of a regional state, not even
an autonomous local government.
Moreover, even if a zone were a local
government, the very act of placing
of Addis Ababa under a regional state
would be a grave diminution to its
constitutional status.
One may argue that the Addis Ababa
City Administration is, in any case,
accountable to the federal government;
it does not have unconstrained
autonomy. Thus it makes little
difference whether the city is under
the federal government or the Oromia
region and that the Oromia region
can play the role that the federal
government plays as a senior level
of government. Of course in any
scheme of multilevel government
like ours, it is common for a senior
level of government to exercise some
kind of supervisory role, in the form
of regulation and oversight, over
the junior levels of government. The
former is however required to exercise
those powers without compromising
the autonomy of the latter. This
is precisely what the Constitution
envisages regarding the relationship
between the federal government and
the Addis Ababa City Administration.
Moreover Addis Ababa’s residents are
extremely diverse in ethnic and cultural
terms. Being the seat of numerous
international organizations and tens
of thousands of expatriate residents,
the city also has the character of an
international city. It is thus the federal
government, not an ethnic-based
regional state, which is in a better
position to play a supervisory role over
the city.
My other objection to the suggested
placement of Addis Ababa under
the Oromia region is based on the
track record of the region in terms
of how it governs its multi-ethnic
cities. Commendably, the region is
accommodative of the so-called non-
indigenous residents of the cities
within it in terms of education and
the provision of other social services.
For instance most of the cities in the
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
region provide primary education
in Amharic to non-Oromo students
by establishing separate schools or
separate classrooms. However, the
regional government has introduced
a piece of legislation - Proclamation
116/2006 - regulating, among others,
the political representation of non-
indigenous residents of the urban
centers within the region. The
Proclamation does not simply seek to
ensure the adequate representation,
even the political dominance, of the
Oromo residents of the cities. It has,
deliberate or unintended, the effect of
completely disenfranchising the non-
indigenous residents of the cities. The
Proclamation, for instance, reserves
50 percent of the seats in a city council
for members of the Oromo community.
It also reserves that 20 percent of the
seats in a city council for rural kebeles
surrounding the city. Under the
Proclamation, the regional president,
as opposed to the city councils, is has
the power to appoint the mayors of
all the cities in the region with the
purpose of ensuring that all the cities
in Oromia have Oromo mayors; a
constitutionally suspect measure. As
studies show, among others, due to
this rather discriminatory legislation,
many city councils in the region, leave
alone mayoral committees, have not
even a single non-Oromo member in
spite of the fact that many of the cities
have majority non-Oromo residents.
Clearly this and other similar laws
would be applicable in Addis Ababa
if the latter were to become under the
political jurisdiction of the Oromia
region. It goes without saying that
such an arrangement would result in
the political marginalization of over
80 percent of the residents of the city,
not to mention the possible adverse
economic and social ramifications of
such an arrangement.
Lastly, most importantly, I contend that
the ultimate decision-makers about the
political destiny of Addis Ababa should
be the residents themselves, and no
one else. One who has only a marginal
interest in the city or even worse one
who does not even reside in it, cannot
– and surely should not be allowed to –
determine the political fate of the city;
our city! It is in fact objectionable and
undemocratic that those who enjoy
politicking about Addis Ababa could not
be bothered to ask the opinions on the
matter of the citizens of the city.
What needs to be done?
As I hinted above, I am of the view
that while maintaining its political
autonomy, the Addis Ababa City
Administration should work towards
expanding the political and cultural
visibility of the Oromo people, and all
other communities for that matter.
To this effect, I suggest that the City
Administration should adopt Afaan-
Oromo, along with Amharic, as its
working language. It should also work
towards ensuring that Afaan-Oromo
is taught as a subject in every primary
school in the city.
Mind you, my primary aim in so
suggesting is not redressing the
historical injustices that befell the
Oromo people, even though it can, at
least partially, serve the purpose. I
am aware that similar proposals have
been previously made on the premise
that Addis Ababa is established on
what was an Oromo land, that Oromo
is the largest community of the
country, and that many communities
in East Africa, both in and outside
of Ethiopia, speak Afaan-Oromo.
Mine is however an entirely different
motive; a rather selfish one. I was
Vol. XX No. 1017
in South Africa a while ago and I
witnessed how everyone speaks up
to six local languages, excluding the
English language. I saw South Africans
conversing with each other in different
languages: One speaks in IsiXhosa, the
other responds in IsiZulu, yet another
interjects in SeTswana: a perfect
harmony. Moreover, every province
and municipality is constitutionally
required to adopt not less than
three official languages out of the 11
constitutionally recognized languages.
The city of Cape Town for instance
uses IsiXhosa, English, and Afrikaans
as its official languages. All official
documents are prepared and published,
and debates in the city council are
conducted in these three languages.
Witnessing this was like a rude
awakening to me. Extremely envious of
the South Africans, I began wondering
why we do not have this in our country.
Having seen the smooth interactions
among South Africans, I rebuked myself
for being unable to speak either Afaan-
Oromo or Tigrigna, despite having
several Oromo and Tigre neighbors and
friends.
Moreover, I instantly realized how my
life would have been richer and fuller
if I were able to speak, listen, write and
read Afaan-Oromo, the language of
approximately half of my countrymen.
It would have allowed me to enjoy
Oromiffa songs, watch Oromiffa dramas
and comedies and be entertained, and
enjoy Oromiffa literature, giving my
life deeper meaning and more content.
If I were able to speak Afaan-Oromo, it
literally and figuratively would mean
that I would find the key to the hearts
and minds of my Oromo brothers and
sisters. This is not to mention the
economic benefits that might accrue to
me – for instance in the form of job offer
– as a result of my ability to speak the
language.
Well, it may be a little too late for me
to have such a life. However I do not
want my kids not to miss having such a
magnificent life. This is my motive for
suggesting that Afaan-Oromo be used as
a working language of the Addis Ababa
city government and taught in the
primary schools of the city.
The City Administration should also
work towards celebrating the Oromo
culture and heroes and heroines using
its urban spaces, including the streets
(many of which are in fact nameless),
squares, plazas, public buildings and
the like. Actually the city, as a federal
city, should celebrate and, thereby,
remind us the forgotten heroes and
heroines of the various communities
in the southern parts of Ethiopia. In
short, as a federal city, Addis Ababa
should have what Nigerians call ‘a
federal character’. It has already
devoted sufficient spaces for celebrating
our heroes from the north (Menelik,
Tewodros, Haile Selassie) and an
unwarranted amount of spaces for
celebrating foreign heroes (Churchill,
Marley, Pushkin and the like).
Once again I am suggesting this not
with altruistic intention of benefiting
or pleasing anyone else. I just desire the
urban spaces of my city to be richer and
more diverse so that I can live a richer
and fuller life.
Well, this is what I want for my city; our
city. What say you?
Ed.’s Note: The views expressed in this
article do not necessarily reflect the views
of The Reporter. He can be reached at
selamyibe@gmail.com.
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
Making...
consideration in order to put in place an
effective free movement of people and
the African passport venture.
Distrust amongst member states
Several states in Africa lack mutual
trust amid themselves due to erstwhile
historical legacies and/or the presence
of an ongoing animosity to date. Inter
alia, the issues of mutual suspicion are
predominantly echoed in prevailing
absence of preparedness to enter into
and implement cooperation frameworks
for an intelligence sharing pacts even
in those regions where terrorism
has got a hot bed. To one’s wonder,
there are member states who highly
regard entering in to such pacts with
countries outside of the continent and
at times being deadly sure that such
pacts will not be enforced; whereas,
there are neighboring countries
which could share a lot of treasured
information while guaranteeing actual
implementation will get deafening
silence. Such acts could be curbed by
engaging in a series of reconciliation
and healing programs for those who
were at encounter yet doing the same
for countries which are in an active
disagreement in addition to arranging
platforms for a signing of cessation of
hostilities in parallel with incessant
dialogue.
Patronage spotlighted nations
There are nations where the very
edifice of government cuddles
neopatrimonialism i.e. political leaders
adopting the outward forms of modern
states-with bureaucracies, legal
systems, elections and the like-and yet
in reality rule for private gain. Public
good may be invoked by these leaders
during election campaigns, but the state
is not impersonal; favors are doled out
to networks of political supporters in
exchange for votes or attendance at
rallies. This is mainly exacerbated by
lack of vibrant civic community that
could defy the very system.
It is not at first glance obvious that
social distrust should be related to the
phenomena of clientèlism and low-
quality bureaucracy, but it is: strong,
effective governments produce social
trust and is in turn facilitated by the
existence of trust. Both trust and strong
government were lacking in many
African states as it is for the historical
absence of a strong, impersonal state
and a rule of law. Even worse, feeding
these social and political cleavages is
the fact that the state has seldom been
seen as the protector of an abstract
public interest, disparate to most states
outside of the continent. Quietly, it
is seen as an asset to be grabbed and
exploited for narrow partisan or even
familial benefit. In countries where an
interplay of deep distrust and cynicism
surfaces, it would serve as an important
input weakening public administration
which in turn escalate the problem.
In such regimes, government
reorganization is compulsory as
it remains to be the main pushing
factor behind citizens fleeing their
motherland. This could be done by
providing capacity building programs
to the standing bureaucracy, periodical
submission of state deeds to peer review
mechanisms both domestically and
to other sub-regional or continental
arrangements, guaranteeing all-
inclusive public participation and
on top of everything; espousing
meritocratic civil service and offering
support for the ever increasing
involvement of the private sector will
be a plus.
Immigration sector reform
The other subject which requires an
in-depth study from the aspired protocol
is visa upon arrival. How equipped are
African immigration officials and the
availability of ample booths to serve
voluminous clients at a time matters
utmost. Let alone in the course of stiff
times where the resultant endorsement
of free movement of people in the
continent brings a lots of migrants
at our doorstep, how greatly are we
fulfilled by the contemporary service
delivered by African immigration
and security institutions? at times it
appears as though they would enjoy
by crafting annoyance to clients or
they fancy using such a tactic. How
competent are our immigration and
security officers both emotionally and
technically when they endeavor to serve
many people at a time which entails
precision as well as urgency under
such taut settings? If not, terrorists,
traffickers and the like could easily get
their way through the system as it may
not be thorough for the bulk quantities
of customers. Moreover, how well
African states remunerate employees of
the security and immigration apparatus
shall not be underrated as it counts
a lot since lack of incentives bring
them to sabotage the very system they
are entrusted to reserve intact. One
might think this is insane but think of
the overall continent’s performance
in global corruption index and some
specific countries.
Mind-set change
Conferring to Francis Fukuyama,
natural human sociability is built
around two phenomena: kin selection
and reciprocal altruism. While
considering this, it is commonsense
to enquire whether there is holistic
contemplation that Africa is for
Africans and the continent could
be taken as a place for the common
brethren sustenance as per the
conception of kin selection? What
have we done to build common
understanding that Africa could freely
be enjoyed by Africans irrespective of
citizenship and frontier? How many of
the countries inculcate studies in their
scholastic curriculum to this effect?
It is vital to recollect what had occurred
in the self-proclaimed democratized
republic in Africa. We recognize what
had ensued to our African brothers
and sisters the least being stabbed and
burnt alive at broad daylight. Having
grasped that, do you think that people
dare to ponder going there let alone
anticipate that the republic will let
additional foreigners to that land? What
exactly had the African union done
www.thereporterethiopia.com
CONT`D FROM PAGE 14
except condoning the callous act? had
that country brought those perpetrators
to justice with immediate effect or the
usual deferment which is typical of the
continent?!
This is not an endemic problem of
specific countries as there are also
many underdog incidents which escape
unspotted. Indeed, the main problem is
mind-set and the continent shall highly
invest itself on it.
It is also worth considering the
contemporary eminence of member
states. when we look at countries from
multiple parameters be it economic,
political or social system, select few
are better off and there are also the
poorest of the poor. In such cases people
tend to flock to this few countries and
this would result in mass exodus.
Whatsoever better off an African
nation be, it is still struggling for the
betterment of its citizens. While making
a progress in that field, presence of
superfluous African citizens will be
perceived as a threat let alone by the
people but also by the government in
power. Thus, the resolution to allow free
movement of people in the continent
should not exclusively rest upon the
will of the political elites, but shall take
into consideration the plebeian citizens
and their innate mind-set from the
grassroots.
Capability to manage territorial
integrity
There is conflict ridden Africa with
non-demarcated or at times disputed
borders, cross country resemblance
of ethnic groups which warrants
trans-boundary alliance to each
other’s advantage or up against the
interest of other ethnicity, political
malice mainly mirrored in frequent
accusation of states against one another
for sponsoring hostile groups mostly
armed ones so that they infiltrate
neighboring countries and engage
in subversive activities. In addition,
even the country’s ability to effectively
manage its borders are the scorching
questions which demands speedy
reaction as many of them give the
response that their border is porous to
control the whole part. There were also
perpetual hostilities among member
states especially those sharing common
border yet less had been done to curb
such hostilities. The ongoing Rwanda-
Burundi counter allegation could be
cited as the best incarnate example.
Sovereignty vs. legislative harmony
The other issue dealt by the aspired
free movement protocol is related to
issuance of residence permits and right
to establishment in the host state. The
commission stated that this will remain
under national jurisdiction hence
need not be part of the continental
free movement protocol. There is
an impasse at this juncture! If the
commission rests the liberty upon each
member state to decide on the matter,
it lacks harmonized legislations and
procedures which at some countries
the implementation might be stringent
and time consuming while others could
only serve; modestly. If the case is so,
|25
the very system would be susceptible
for bureaucratic misappropriations and
blatant red tapes. On the other hand,
if the commission attempt to enact
something outward under the pretext
of harmonization, as discerned by
onlookers, African leaders are so tough
in sensitizing the issue of sovereignty
which they mostly define in the narrow
sense and repel to the scheme citing the
thin veil.
Asylum regime
While reiterating the asylum regime,
the commission noted that no provision
in the protocol shall be prejudicial to
the applicable asylum management.
Apparently, the ‘Africa rising’ adage
holds true for very few countries
and even them: are on the practice of
accommodating the very survival of
their nation and populations at large.
There would be glaring number of
asylum seekers which would spread
over as lack of good governance and
disenfranchisement based on ethnic
and social strata increases in many
jurisdictions. This will get even worse
given the apparent lack of appetite
by the international community and
donor partners to support asylum
seekers in host countries. How are
African countries going to respond to
such happenings? they may suspend or
fully withdraw from the free movement
protocol which indeed is essential
nevertheless could prove itself futile
if done without careful scrutiny and
its backdrop might be raised by other
member states which would stand as an
adverse precedent.
Misconception from the commission
There is a misconception in the
commission that it takes every member
state as equals in terms of enforcing its
decisions. There are countries which
administer pompously beyond their
boundaries under the pretext of RECs
and there are also states which did not
leave the primordial eras and barely
know let alone to administer their
borders; due to financial constraints,
lack of technical capabilities, lack of
institutions with efficient bureaucracy
and so forth. In such countries, capacity
building is a must and without it,
an inch progress will not be gotten
whatsoever ambitious plan devised.
In summary, if the commission have
to formulate the free movement of
persons’ protocol, it shall primarily
deal with the above mentioned points
one by one and foremost, it shall exert
itself on continental mind-set awareness
creation concerning the free movement
of people than investing millions of
dollars to prove oneself futile in a
hustle. Hence, it is indispensable to take
the Ghanaian recommendation to make
pilot project by allowing free access to
business personnel for a 30-day visa
waiver assessment pattern and draw
lessons from it than purely impose what
it seems sky diving for the commission
as well as member states.
Ed.’s Note: Abdulkadir Mohammed is a
policy researcher on matters associated
to Regional Peace and security trends.
The views expressed in this article do
not necessarily reflect the views of The
Reporter. He can be reached at viva_
abi@hotmail.com.
26| The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017

It is getting... CONT`D FROM PAGE 23

festival to compromise with choice of
artists.
Finance has been a challenge to many
of the concerts in Ethiopia. Even after
artists arrive here, there were issues
of payment. One example was the
Trinidadian singer Marlon Asher’s
concert which happened around ten
years ago.
Renowned with his single “Ganja
Farmer”, Marlon Asher had a contract
with the organizers to perform at Shoa
Entertainment around Bole. After
singing one song the organizers could
not pay him what they agreed so he left
the stage with only a few minutes of
stay on the stage.
Apart from that, one of the issues
is to get approval from the Mayor’s
office. Since all indoor, outdoor public
gatherings and events need approval,
concerts need to get proper approval
before setting a date. According to
Sisay, Selam also applied for to get the
approval early this year. Since they
could not get approval on time, they
could not promote it on various media
outlets, disseminate fliers or put a
billboard; and that affected the turnout
severely, Sisay told The Reporter.
Cultural and religious festivals such
as Meskel and epiphany are popular in

Ð ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF
Yehiwote Tarik” book review @
National Archives
The Goethe-Institut, Addis Ababa and the National Archives and Library
of Ethiopia will hold a book review tomorrow afternoon at the hall of
National Archives and Library.
The book, which is entitled “Yehiwote Tarik” translated to English as
my personal account, was written by the late acclaimed historian and
Ethiopian diplomat, Tekle Tsadik Mekuria. Teke Tsadik has been widely
regarded as a modern historian who extensively wrote on the modern
history of starting with Emperor Tewodros II, Emperor Yohannes IV,
Emperor Menilek II to Emperor Haile Selassie I.
Tekle Tsadik, who had spent three years of detention in Somalia after
being deported by the Italian occupation forces during the Second
Ethio-Italian war, served his country in various diplomatic capacities,
including as Ethiopian ambassadors to France, India and the then the
former Czechoslovakia.
Born in Akodada, North Shoa, Tekle Tsadik came to Addis Ababa as
a young man, and attended the prestigious Teferi Mekonen School.
Tekletsadik died in 2000 at the age of 87.
Second annual ZAAF shopping soiree
ZAAF, a well-acclaimed brand of leather collection and products introduced
by Ethio-American designer Abay Schulze, is scheduled to present the second
shopping soiree on March 12, 2016 at its workshop located behind Shalla
Public Park.
ZAAF is a collection of premium leather goods and accessories handcrafted
by artisans in Ethiopia. The company was conceived with the goal of creating
new economic opportunities by leveraging local resources.
Integrating ageless geometric patterns created on traditional looms with
leather, ZAAF considers these types of deep resources and applies innovative
approaches and process improvements to support and help traditional
handicrafts industry blossom to cater to the global market without
compromising their natural and cultural identity.
Showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the homeland in the Spring/
Summer 2016 Collection, ZAAF has been widely accepted in the US and
Europe. It is also recognized in various ways, ranging from appearing on
runways at New York Fashion Week to being featured in Elle, Lucky and
Vogue, to receiving the 2014 UNESCO Tremplin Prize for Entrepreneurship.

www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
Ethiopia. These are some of the popular
events which bring together thousands
of people outdoor. Though the society is
accustomed to outdoor events, for Eyob
Alemayehu, Yisakal Entertainment
managing director, the main challenge
is lack of audiences in outdoor festivals
and live music concerts. For Eyob, who
has been in the business of organizing
music concerts and festivals for over a
decade, the turnout of outdoor events is
disappointing.
“Many organizers worked hard to bring
festivals and live music concerts; but
the culture of going to such events is
not yet developed,” Eyob says. Looking
back, the concerts they did such as Pras
Michel, one of the founding members of
the critically acclaimed hip-hop group,
the Fugees, which, according to Eyob,
did not get high turnout.
“It is not about the lining up of the
artists. The society does not like to
pay for music events. So, without
sponsorship ticket sells does not cover
the cost of concerts,” Eyob argues.
Eyob also says that with these
challenges, many of the organizers
do not sustain it rather they leave
the business after doing one or two
concerts. On the other hand, Eyob
does not hide the fact that the gaps
from the side of the organizers are also
significant. He says that sometimes
organizers announce the artist’s name
without finalizing the deal or other
important details such as visa issues
and payment issues with the bank. In
some instances, Eyob says the industry
does not have a proper channel.
“Some international artists re-schedule
the concerts or cancel the concerts even
after payment. When that happens,
there is no consequence. So they think
they can get away with violating
agreements,” Eyob says.
For the renowned pianist Samuel Yirga,
who performed in festivals such as
Glastonbury Festival in front of more
than 180 000 people, the problem lies
with the lack of professionalism from
the organizers side.
According to Samuel, in many of the
international concerts and festivals, it
takes more than a year to organize it
but in the Ethiopian case it is not more
|27
than two or three months. “They even
contact artists to perform in such short
notice and that is the why show gets
canceled,” Samuel says.
For Glastonbury Festival, for example,
the organizers contacted Samuel some
eight months prior to the concert
requesting details on his technical
ride (a document which specifies the
type of equipment to be used the staff
to be provides and various business
arrangements).
In Ethiopia, he says that many of the
artists are asked when they arrive at the
spot. Additionally, in the international
festivals, there are backstage spaces for
each artist, whereas in Addis Ababa, he
says that there is only one tent for every
artist and no privacy. Unfortunately, he
saw women artists having difficulty to
change due to this.
Apart from that, he says organizers
should learn how to start small and he
mentions the example of Glastonbury
which only started with hundreds of
audiences. “These are not only merely
festival rather a social and cultural
platforms for the community. We could
have created this if we plan it with a
purpose,” Samuel adds. “There are
many festivals in Africa and many
tourists go to these festivals. If we
organize these kinds of festivals the
tourists will also pass through our
festivals,” he explains. Apart from those
issues bureaucracy of securing venues
and lack of venues are some of the
issues he mentions. In those cases he
suggests using alternative venues such
as football stadiums.
From all these, the biggest issue would
be how many of the organizers in
Ethiopia are only focused in making
profit. “Their only motive is making
money; so it affects their judgment.
They choose cheap equipment, even
damaged ones, that is why we do not see
good concerts,” Samuel says.
For Samuel, professionalism on how to
manage a concert and doing concerts
with a purpose are compulsory issues;
and he says that that is also the reason
how many of the international festivals
became successful.

The Weeknd, Future to collaborate in Aida Muluneh @ David Kurt Projects in

new video
Grammy winning Ethio-Canadian artist, The Weeknd a.k.a. Abel Tesfaye,
and Future went behind the cameras to shoot the music video for their
collaborative single “Low Life.”
Future shared a clip from the set on his Snapchat last night showing the
Canadian crooner. The Atlanta rapper is currently in the middle of his
Purple Reign tour.
The video will likely include a cameo from French Montana who was also
spotted on the set.
Future released his new album EVOL last month which debut at No. 1 on
Billboard 200 chart. This marks his third No. 1 album in less than a year.
Future is dropping more music than anyone in the game right now. Last
month he announced that he has three R&B albums worth of music to be
released this year.
The single “Low Life” is currently number 53 on Billboard Hot 100 and
climbing. Future will also be performing on Saturday Night Live for the
first time this weekend.
NYC
Aida Muluneh’s first solo exhibition at David Kurt Projects gallery in
New York City opened this week.
The exhibition entitled The World is 9 “consists of a selection of images
from a brand new series of photographic works in which she question
life, love, history, and whether we can live in this world with full
contentment,” the Manhattan-based David Kurt Porjects said.
“I am not seeking answers but asking provocative questions about the life
that we live – as people, as nations as beings,” Aida said.
Aida received her BA in film, radio, and television from Howard
University in 2001. She has worked freelance since then, also founding
DESTA (Developing and Educating Societies Through the Arts).
Her work has been exhibited at the National Museum of African Art in
Washington, DC. She is the 2007 recipient of the European Union Prize in
the Rencontres Africaines de la Photographie, in Bamako, Mali. As well
as the 2010 winner of the CRAF International Award of Photography in
Spilimbergo, Italy.

www.thereporterethiopia.com
28|
Defeating...
CONT`D FROM PAGE 14
to immunization is a cornerstone of
health, development, and economic
growth. Recognizing this, several
African countries are already
making plans to roll out meningitis
– and other – vaccines into routine
immunization systems this year. The
task before African leaders is to ensure
a smooth and full transition from mass
vaccination campaigns to routine
immunization.
Last week, government officials
assembled in Ethiopia for the first-
ever Ministerial Conference on
Immunization in Africa, where they re-
committed to ensuring that everyone on
the continent has access to the vaccines
they need. This will require further
investment in immunization, improved
data collection and analytics, new tools
and approaches, and most importantly,
strong partnerships.
We must build on the legacy of the MVP
and work toward a world in which
every child receives the life-saving
vaccines they need to survive and
thrive.
Ed.’s Note: Chris Elias is President
of Global Development at the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation. The article
was provided to The Reporter by Project
Syndicate: the world’s pre-eminent source
of original op-ed commentaries. Project
Syndicate provides incisive perspectives
on our changing world by those who are
shaping its politics, economics, science,
and culture. The views expressed in this
article do not necessarily reflect the views
of The Reporter.
Ever Closer...
requires a substantial delegation of
sovereignty and extensive European
regulation. In fact, the EU can ignore
neither the nation-states nor the
common institutions and policies
without putting itself at risk. Both are
its cornerstones.
The EU was characterized by this
duality from the very beginning: a
confederation with strong integrated
federal elements and institutions.
Whoever questions this duality calls
the entire system into question, all the
Securing...
they need to improve crops, in the
service of farmers and consumers.
Today, there are about 7.4 million
accession conserved ex situ in over 1,750
collections worldwide and the large
mega-diverse collections are managed
by Consortium of International
Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR)
and recognized by an international
treaty.
How do you see the contributions
and activities being carried out by
the Ethiopian gene bank collection?
A Plant Genetic Resources Center,
Ethiopia (PGRC/E) was initially
established in 1976 through a bilateral
A future of...
its decline; we need the power from
within that can overcome the hatred
and intolerance that has blighted life in
many neighboring countries.
I am writing to send a message that
governments in our region and
elsewhere need to revise their roles.
The role of government is to create
an environment in which people can
achieve their dreams and ambitions,
not to create an environment that
government can control. The point is to
empower people, not to hold power over
them. Government, in short, should
nurture an environment in which
people create and enjoy their own
happiness.
We are not new to this talk about
the government’s role in promoting
happiness. Since the dawn of history,
happiness is all that humanity has
sought. Aristotle said the state is a
living being which develops in seeking
the achievement of moral perfection
and happiness for individuals. Ibn
Khaldun said the same thing. Likewise,
the United States Declaration of
Independence upholds the pursuit of
happiness as every person’s right.
In our own time, the United Nations
is now calling for changes in the
criteria used to measure governmental
success from economic indicators to
measures related to human happiness
and wellbeing. It has dedicated the
UN International Day of Happiness to
emphasize the importance of this shift.
Focusing on happiness is both feasible
and fully justified. Happiness can be
measured, and its evaluation is already
the subject of many programs and
more so given that the EU’s current
status quo is anything but conducive to
enduring stability. The EU will achieve
that only when it has taken the critical
step toward a genuine federation.
This is why the majority of EU member
states must never abandon the aim of
an “ever closer union.” The UK doesn’t
share this aim, and it doesn’t have to
share it. But the future of the EU hinges
on pursuing it. Everything else is a
question of pragmatic compromises, for
which a good deal of leeway exists.
CONT`D FROM PAGE 13
technical cooperation agreement
between the governments of Ethiopia
and Germany. The main objective was
to rescue the country’s plant genetic
resources from adverse impacts of
various human activities and natural
calamities and thereby, support crop
improvement programs. In 1998, it
was re-established as the Institute
of Biodiversity Conservation and
Research (IBCR) broadening its
mandate and duties to implement
Ethiopia’s obligation to the Convention
of Biological Diversity (CBD). The
gene bank in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
conserves about 19,000 accessions from
over 1,000 species. This makes it one
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
CONT`D FROM PAGE 15
studies. Moreover, it can be developed
and its achievement linked to material
objectives. Studies have shown that
happy people produce more, live longer,
and drive better economic development
in their communities and countries.
The happiness of individuals, families,
and employees, their satisfaction with
their lives and optimism for the future,
are crucial to our work, which cuts
across every sector of government. That
is why there must be a minister to guide
and follow up with all government
institutions (as well as provide
leadership to the private sector).
Ours is no empty promise. We will seek
to create a society where our people’s
happiness is paramount, by sustaining
an environment in which they can truly
flourish. And we hope our formula
benefits others in the region. The
formula is straightforward: national
development based on core values, led
by youth, and focused on a future in
which everyone achieves happiness.
Ed.’s Note: Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum is Vice President and Prime
Minister of the United Arab Emirates
and Ruler of Dubai. The article was
provided to The Reporter by Project
Syndicate and the Mohammed Bin
Rashid Global Initiatives. Project
Syndicate is the world’s pre-eminent
source of original op-ed commentaries.
Project Syndicate provides incisive
perspectives on our changing world
by those who are shaping its politics,
economics, science, and culture. The
views expressed in this article do not
necessarily reflect the views of The
Reporter.
CONT`D FROM PAGE 20
Ed.’s Note: Joschka Fischer, Germany’s
foreign minister and vice chancellor
from 1998 to 2005, was a leader of the
German Green Party for almost 20
years. The article was provided to The
Reporter by Project Syndicate: the
world’s pre-eminent source of original
op-ed commentaries. Project Syndicate
provides incisive perspectives on our
changing world by those who are
shaping its politics, economics, science,
and culture. The views expressed in this
article do not necessarily reflect the views
of The Reporter.
of the most diverse collections of forge
grasses, legumes and fodder tree species
held in any gene bank in the World, it
includes the world’s major collection of
African grasses and tropical highland
forges as well. Moreover, the Addis
Ababa ILRI’s gene bank holds a
securely-conserved diverse collection
of forage accession, and related
information to make the country one of
the major collections globally with an
active engagement.
What do you say about the
controversy that took place a few
years ago when Teff – a popular
national crop – was subjected to a
patent right issue after a certain
Dutch company developed it into a
diverse product?
Actually I know little about this and I
Vol. XX No. 1017
China’s ... CONT`D FROM PAGE 20
a considerable margin. In Pakistan
and Indonesia, for example, China has
made good on less than 10 percent of its
multi-billion-dollar promises. Though
delays are typical with project aid, in
China’s case, slowing economic growth
could cause them to be prolonged or
worse. After all, the projects are focused
primarily on obtaining resources for the
Chinese market, making them subject
to the country’s changing appetite for
raw materials.
Likewise, China is nowhere to be found
in today’s humanitarian crises, raising
doubts about whether Xi is actually
willing to shoulder the responsibilities
that accompany the standing he claims
for his country. In fact, China has long
faced criticism for its meager provision
of humanitarian aid.
Syria is the latest case in point.
Last October and December, China
announced an additional USD 16 million
and USD six million, respectively, in
humanitarian assistance for Syrian
refugees, bringing its total to some USD
60 million. Meanwhile, the US, after
raising its total contribution for Syrian
refugee assistance to USD 3.7 billion
last March, has provided an additional
pledge of USD 508 million. New pledges
by the European Union and its member
states total USD 1.2 billion, bringing
total European contributions to USD 4.5
billion.
Of course, foreign aid is only one tool
for enhancing China’s international
role and standing. But Xi made
clear at the UN that it is a priority,
declaring that China is ready to share
its development experience with other
countries, provide them with new
opportunities, and “welcome them
to board China’s express train of
development.” Unfortunately for China,
the nature of Xi’s foreign-aid strategy
all but guarantees severe delays for any
political returns.
Ed.’s Note: Kent Harrington, a former
senior CIA analyst, was National
Intelligence Officer for East Asia
and Chief of Station in Asia, and
served as the CIA’s Director of Public
Affairs. The article was provided to
The Reporter by Project Syndicate: the
world’s pre-eminent source of original
op-ed commentaries. Project Syndicate
provides incisive perspectives on our
changing world by those who are
shaping its politics, economics, science,
and culture. The views expressed in this
article do not necessarily reflect the views
of The Reporter.
won’t be able to speak about this at full
length. I know that Teff is a food grain
endemic to the Ethiopian highlands,
where it has been cultivated for several
thousands of years. Rich in nutritional
value, it is an important staple crop
for Ethiopians. Since it is gluten-free,
it is also interesting for markets in
other parts of the world. Formulations
in ABS agreements (Model Access and
Benefit Sharing agreement), prohibiting
the patenting of genetic resources,
maybe easy to circumvent, and more
sophisticated formulations should be
chosen if this is to be avoided. In this
regard, the GCDT is established by FAO
(Food and Agriculture Organization)
of the UN to secure and make available
crop diversity for global food security
and nutrition, I would say.
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
Ethiopia plans...
Addis on Monday, Tedros Adhanom
(PhD), minister of Foreign Affairs,
pointed out why Ethiopia is looking to
fill the seat. He recalled that Ethiopia
was one of the 51 pioneer countries that
founded the United Nations in 1945. He
also added that his country was one
of the few countries actively engaged
in the adoption of the organization’s
Charter at the San Francisco
Conference.
Accordingly, Ethiopia’s deep-seated
conviction to the ideals of collective
security goes back much further,
Tedros said. It was one of the only two
African countries to have founded the
League of Nations.
“Despite the fact that we were unable to
count on the League’s support during
our hour of need in the 1930s, Ethiopia’s
firm conviction and unwavering
commitment to multilateralism has
never diminished,” the minister said to
the vast number of diplomats and guests
who were attending the event.
“We have always striven for a strong
and effective multilateralism that treats
all member states, on an equal basis and
in accordance with international law
no matter how powerful or weak they
might be,” he said.
Recalling the struggle Ethiopia made
against colonialism and the sacrifice
it paid for pan-Africanism, Tedros
promised his country is ready to face
the current security challenges and
terrorism along with the international
community. “The growing threats
Japanese coffee...
Quality Contest in Ethiopia” is aimed at
increasing Ethiopia’s coffee quality via
training and helping farmers. Ueshima
said that UCC group, which has 65
subsidiaries around world, is currently
buying some eight thousand tons of
coffee from Ethiopia. “Everyone knows
that Ethiopian coffee is special. What
we request is the stability of the quality.
Some of the coffee lots we receive are
not good. Therefore, we want to support
efforts to sustain the quality,” the
president said.
In Japan and across the world, UCC
has some 800 coffee shops which roast
a wide variety of coffees among which
Ethiopia’s specialty and regular coffees
are the major ones. Ethiopian coffee
as it is most popular in Japan, such
contests which was held in China,
Hawaii, Jamaica, Vietnam, and Brazil
by UCC is believed to have an uplifting
impact on the standard and quality.
According to a statement sent from
the Japan Embassy in Ethiopia, UCC’s
coffee contests around the world
have helped farmers improve coffee
cultivation techniques and quality. That
in turn helped to boost income.
In Ethiopia, since 2003, through a joint
project with the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA), UCC has
been involved in the preservation of the
Belete Gera forest in Jimma Zone of the
Oromia Regional State, which is home
for the Belete Gera Coffee brand which
UCC is eyeing to promote as one of the
coffee brands from Ethiopia.
Subsequently, the UCC sponsored coffee
quality contest held at the embassy
CONT`D FROM PAGE 5
posed by terrorism have undermined
the maintenance of international peace
and security as never before. Indeed,
Ethiopia strongly believes that these
global challenges to peace and security
necessitate a new level of collective
action and enhanced international
cooperation,” he said.
Tewelde Mulugeta, spokesperson
of Ministry, told The Reporter
that Ethiopia has targeted some
specific objectives while seeking the
membership at UNSC. The ongoing
and potential conflicts in Africa appear
to be the issues in mind. For Tewelde,
taking preventive measures and putting
in place conflict warning mechanism
should be priority number one for a
body like UNSC.
“Traditional conflict resolution
mechanisms have been less effective.
We are looking to push more dialogue
and roundtable discussions to resolve
disputes; particularly the ones that
Africa is facing” he said.
He also added that the country would
help at restructuring the UN Security
Council Architecture. “The UN has to
work closely with regional and sub-
regional blocks” he stressed, convinced
that these local organizations are well
endowed with the specific knowledge
and practical experience to local
conflicts.
While citing some exemplary works,
Tewolde referred to IGAD and how
it has played a role in the Horn of
Africa, including Somalia and South
CONT`D FROM PAGE 5
of Japan on Friday brought up six
best coffee verities. Out of the six
contenders, three from Gujji Zone of the
Oromia Regional State have won the
fifth, the fourth and the first places to
receive 10, 15 and 30 percent premium
prices over and above the market price,
respectively.
The President also noted that UCC
has an established relationship with
Ethiopia since 1965, at a time where the
grandfather of Ueshima who is also the
founder of the company was still the
chairman. Employing 4,385 employees
worldwide, UCC registered three billion
dollars annual revenue last year. Back
in 2014, the coffee mogul was able to
transact 185, 000 tons of coffee across the
world.
In-a-related news, coffee has generated
some USD 350 million in revenue in
the first half of the current fiscal year,
far below its target set for period.
According to the overall USD 879
million target set for the period, at least
Horsemen...
team fighting to avoid relegation.
The other Sunday fixture will see this
season’s surprise team Dire Dawa City
entertain Arba Minch. On Tuesday
Woliata Dicha will face Ethiopia Coffee
while Defense FC will play against
Adama City.
Saint George leads the table with 23
point having one match in hand, Adama
www.thereporterethiopia.com
Sudan. The spokesperson says it is
Ethiopia’s firm stand that more position
and responsibility has to be given to
regional security organizations. He
stressed that there needs a formal and
structured cooperation between them
and the UNSC.
Ethiopia serves as the major hub of
multilateral diplomacy in Africa,
hosting the headquarters of the African
Union, the UNECA, and various
international organizations. The United
Nations System in Ethiopia is one of
the largest in Africa. Addis Ababa
is presently the third largest United
Nations duty station in the world after
New York and Geneva.
Ethiopia also reportedly hosts more
than 800,000 refugees from neighboring
countries, probably the largest number
in Africa.
Calling for the diplomat’s commitment
that their countries have to vote in
favor of Ethiopia, Tedros said: “If
elected to the Security Council, Ethiopia
will serve all members of the United
Nations in discharging the charter–
mandated responsibilities bestowed
upon it in a true spirit of partnership
and transparency. We believe we have
the commitment, the strength and
the ability to offer real and valuable
support to multilateralism, and to Pan-
Africanism”.
Ethiopia has served on the UNSC twice
so far: from 1967 – 1968 and 1989 – 1990.
Since the inception of the United
Nations, it’s also reported that Ethiopia
has deployed over 80,000 military and
police personnel to more than ten
peacekeeping missions worldwide.
USD 400 million should have been by
midyear.
However, the performance in volume
was encouraging with 104,000 tons of
coffee hiting the international markets
in the period in question. Getahun
Bikora, Director of coffee marketing
directorate at Ministry of Agriculture
and Natural Resources, told The
Reporter that the export target set for
the year stands at 206, 000 tons out of
which half has already been shipped out
of the country in the past six months.
However, Getahun fears that the trends
in the international market might affect
the 879 million dollars export targets
that set for the whole year.
Getahun explained that Germany, the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Japan, U.S.A
and Belgium are the top five buyers
accounting 40 percent of the total
export. Out of these countries, Japan
buys some 20 thousand tons per year,
generating USD 87 million is considered
to be a huge purchase after the 2008
pesticide crisis.
CONT`D FROM PAGE 43
City sits second with 23 point from 12
matches. Dedebit has 22 points while
Sidama Coffee and Dire Dawa City have
19 and 17 points, respectively. Adama
City forward Tafesse Tisfaye leads the
goal scoring chart with eight goals
while Dedebit’s Nigerian striker Samuel
Sanumi and Saint George’s Midfielder
Adane Girma follow with seven goals.
|29
Microcredit...
CONT`D FROM PAGE 5
However, the insurance scheme would
not wait for the farmers to claim loss
of crop due to weather failure. EIC will
make the compensation covering 100
percent of their total loss in agricultural
inputs investment if the crop fails due
to weather and other related risks
without waiting for farmers to make the
claims.
This is possible since the insurance
scheme is based on Normalized
Vegetation Index, a scientific measure
that examines the chlorophyll level in
the crops.
At the national level, the Ethiopian
Meteorology Agency will collect
satellite imagery information of the
greenness level of crops. The insurance
scheme would be based on this
greenness level in crops. According to
Dula Shanqo, Deputy General Director
of the National Meteorology Agency,
the satellite maps the greenness level
of identified crop varieties and growing
areas and report to the 11 branches of
the agency every ten days.
Following the satellite information
that is received, the EIC will send the
insurance compensation through their
respective cooperative unions and
microfinance institutions provided that
the crops have been verified to have
fallen due to weather conditions.
This year, around 200 thousand
smallholder farmers in Amhara,
Oromia and Southern regional states
will be beneficiary of the micro credit
insurance. Crop insurance is not a
new initiative. According to Dula,
in 2006 there was a pilot project in
collaboration with the World Food
Program. Dula said that this became
unsuccessful because the benchmark
that was taken was the year 1984;
a period of severe drought. “They
designed a mechanism making the
crops of 1984 as level of measurement
for the other crops. If the crops do not
reach that level it was ok if not the
farmers will get insurance. This was
not accurate because there are various
ranges of crop failures in between,”
Dula said.
In order to develop an accurate
mechanism, the Netherlands University
of Twente did a research on 60 identified
crop planting sites and 800 pixel
pictures were taken and traced to the
past 16 years.
According to Wondwossen, currently
an Ethiopian smallholder farmer
spends 2,500-3,000 birr on average on
agricultural inputs in one season.
“When crops fails, the farmers are
forced to sell even their livestock to
pay for the inputs which have been
procured by credit. We do not think this
insurance will resolve all the problems
rather we think this money will help in
their utmost crisis times,” Wondwossen
said.
In the coming five years, there is a plan
to cover a total of 15 million smallholder
farmers and, according to Wondossen,
in the future, there will be yield based
insurance.
This program is launched in
partnership with various stakeholders
namely Public Financial Enterprises,
Ethiopian Insurance Corporation,
Agricultural Transformation Agency,
National Meteorology Agency
and University of Twente of the
Netherlands.
30| SOCIETY
Ð
City streams as waste
disposal canals
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By Henok Reta
A lot has been said about Addis
Ababa, the seat of the African Union
(AU), one of the most peaceful cities
in the continent and a city that is an
embodiment of the “African Rising”
narrative. Nevertheless, tidiness and
waste management is definitely not
one of the strongest suites of this city.
Standing on the very street where
AU’s new headquarters is located one
can’t help but be bothered by the whiff
of a strong nose-clogging odder. The
pungency of the odder visibly makes
pedestrians and bystanders shake to
their bones. The smell comes from a
clogged ditch under Roosvelt Street,
around the old airport area, one of the
oldest neighborhoods in Addis Ababa.
Ahmed Sultan, a shopkeeper working
nearby, however, doesn’t seem to be
feeling the incredible foul odder. It
is almost like he has managed the
unmanageable and developed a strong
tolerance the off-putting smell that
overwhelms the area. “I rarely feel it
because I’ve already adapted myself to
it,” he said. But still, even Ahmed has
his limits. He says the rainy seasons are
the worst since the waterbody under
the street where his shop is located
bring along with all kinds of unbearable
household waste including toilet
leakages.
In the city’s 130 years of existence,
the handful of rivers and streams
that punctuate the Addis Ababa
landscape has received little attention.
And certainly, the condition of these
waterbodies has attracted less interest
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
from city planners and the public to serve only 200 000 inhabitants.
alike. Addis Ababa has three major
Despite generating large amounts of
rivers, Akaki Major (tiliqu), Akaki
solid waste from domestic activities,
Minor (tinishu) and Kebena, each with
Addis Ababa does not have adequate
an extensive network of tributaries
waste management facilities. As a
of smaller rivers and streams spread
result, solid waste is often piled on to an
throughout the city. The major
available open ground, stream banks,
tributaries cover an aggregate area
and bridges, where it is washed off into
which is close 10 sq. km within the
the rivers. According to the Sanitation,
city limits and are known by their
Beautification and Park Development
traditional names as: Buche, Kurtume,
Agency (SBPDA) 2003 survey, 65 per
Kechene, Ginfile, Kebena, Bantiyileku
cent of the solid waste generated in
(lower kechene) and Kostre. A
Addis Ababa is collected and treated at
watershed of some 1,462 km drains into
the city’s two treatment plants at Kaliti
the Akaki basin including 240km rural
and Kotebe. And only five per cent of
and 540km urban. The basin drains
the collected solid waste is recycled.
further south into the Aba Samuel
wetland and further still into the Awash According to Jirata Nemera, a resident
River. of the city, the fast growth exhibited
in the city in terms of buildings
For a city emerging as one of the
and infrastructure rehabilitation
fastest growing in the continent,
has always been a triumph for its
sanitation and sewerage deficit in
residents but argues that this should
the city is a great source of pain for
be at the expense of endangering the
its residents. According to the Addis
environment and its natural resources.
Ababa Environmental Protection
Residing in one of the city’s older
Authority’s (AAEPA) survey, since
settlements for fifty years, Jirata
the city’s sanitation coverage is so
complains that much of the problems
low with only 13 percent of the city’s
the city faces at the moment are
population using flash toilets, 57 percent
significantly related to environmental
using pit latrines and more than 30
degradation.
percent with no sanitation facilities
whatsoever, Addis Ababa has been ripe “Look at those degraded parts of the city
for environmental and health crisis such as Ferensay (French) Embassy,
decades ago. Entoto and Yerer. Do you think they
are maintaining the balance of nature
The first centralized sewage collection
anymore?” he raises his concern. In
system in Addis Ababa was established
Jirata’s opinion an ecological crisis
in the 1960s and the system was
is imminent in Addis Ababa. Kebena,
designed to collect and convey waste
Jiratas’s neighborhood, is one of those
water to a treatment plant located
badly affected and altered environments
around Kaliti, then the southern limit of
in the city. According to Richard
the city. With a capacity of 7500 m3/day,
Pankhrust, an economic historian, the
the Kaliti treatment plant was designed
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
Kabana River was one of the biggest
river streams in Addis Ababa. He
notes historical accounts of the river
affecting lives of dwellers, particularly
during the rainy seasons. In spite of the
danger, many chose to settle around the
bank of the river, seeking a picnic-like
residential area in addition to having a
reliable water supply.
Jirata also remembers the Christian
festivities that were practiced around
the Kebena River during Christmas
time attracting Germans nationals from
the nearby German Embassy. “It was a
major stream for all Addis Ababans and
many people used it to bath a and wash
clothes,” he remembers.
With an estimated terrain elevation
of 2162 meters above sea level, Kebena
flows down from the hills in Entoto
and crosses the sloppy and shanty
residences along the way to join other
streams heading to Akaki River.
Despite its consistent flow, however, the
primary concern for residents along the
banks of kebena is not sudden flooding
these days; rather it is pollution and the
associated health risk is the number one
concern. And they believe the profound
transformation the city is going through
has hardly taken the environmental
problems into consideration.
Considering that there is no adequate
system for the collection of municipal
solid waste where 35% of the discharge
going into rivers, streams or drains,
causing huge environmental and health
risks for the community, they view the
river as a real threat to their existence
in the area in the years to come. The
per capital sold waste emission is
estimated to be 0.25kg/day. Better yet,
Addis Ababa accounts for the lion’s
share of the overall country sold waste
emission per day which is estimated to
be between 0.6 to 1.8 million tons /day.
In all fairness, since 2004/05, the city
administration has put in place a
citywide sold waste collection and
disposal system taking care of the
bulk of the solid waste in the city.
Youngsters organized under Small and
Micro Enterprises (SME) roam around
the city collecting solid waste showing
up at the doorstep of residents at least
once a week. In return, the city charges
residents a modest fee of 10-15 birr per
month for the services. Needless to say
that such system is far from being an
adequate system and the reach is still
highly restricted to limited households.
The situation is even more dramatic
regarding the sewerage management.
Only 7% of houses are connected to the
municipal sewer system in the city. In
most cases, even for new buildings,
sewage is simply dumped into rivers
or streams. Many argue that some of
these rivers in Addis Ababa have now
reached a point where they resemble
an open sewer than waterways. This
system has caused severe impact not
only on urban agriculture, which
depends on these river streams, but
on the health condition of the general
public.
According to the Swedish Society
of Nature Conservation, streams of
Addis Ababa are becoming heavily
contaminated to cultivate backyard
crops that have a significant
contribution for food security for
urban farmers. The rivers have
become increasingly contaminated
by household sewage, solid waste,
wastewater from car washes and gas
stations, stormwater, and wastewater
from factories and hospitals most of
which are traditionally located along
the river banks. Measurements from
the Environmental Protection Agency
of Addis Ababa on river water and
vegetables shows a high incidence
of E-coli bacteria and the vegetables
containing elevated levels of some
heavy metals, such as zinc, mercury
and cadmium. Polluted river water is
also used to wash vegetables, the survey
indicated.
A case study entitled: A Multipurpose
City Park System and Housing Scheme,
by Mizanekiristos Yohannes, published
last year, states that besides household
released grey-water, solid waste and
open defecation, industrial effluence
from some factories upstream is said to
be a major contributor to river pollution
in the city. Agricultural activities,
including fertilizer and pesticide use in
modern horticultural and small-holder
farming activities, have also been
identified as sources of damaging the
ecology of the rivers.
As the Addis Ababa Water and
Sewerage Authority (AAWSA) was
unable to keep up with the water
demand of city following the expansion
of urbanization, high-rise constructions
and population growth, drawing water
from these rivers, private wells and
broken mains for washing, bathing
and even cooking are becoming quite
common. The Authority also admits
that although the basin draining into
the rivers and streams of Addis Ababa
is well surveyed and understood, it is
poorly managed and regulated.
Tsegaye Gebremariam, general
manager of the Addis Ababa City
Administration Environmental
Protection Authority, told The Reporter
that the city’s streams and rivers will no
longer remain polluted as the authority
has already begun a new project that
www.thereporterethiopia.com
|31
will solely deal with rivers and water
bodies around the city. “Despite some Ð
efforts made by SBPDA, nothing has
come out to save the rivers. So a special
project overseen by the mayor’s office
was launched,” he said. Speaking to
the Reporter at length about the rivers
that have long been ignored by both the
government and people living along the
river banks, Tsegaye said that Addis
Ababa has suffered much from pollution
Only 7% of houses
are connected to
the municipal
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in recent decades that it finally
necessitated setting up a standard
sanitation and beautification project
under the country’s highly-acclaimed
green economy initiative. “We have
already gone far in applying these
projects like relocating the city’s open
dump into a modern landfill, recycling
waste to generate energy and enclosing
a botanical garden. So next on the list
will be focusing on rivers,” he said.
Applauding the authority’s bold move,
environmental experts signal that it is
not only about the government bringing
about change but the people should also
beware of the devastating impact that
polluted stream will ultimately cause.
They warn reckless practices would
bring about lasting environmental
crisis that includes bacterial disease
and associated epidemics. Moreover,
they point out that keeping the
streams out of the reach of settlement
and investment is a rather clinical
accomplishment.
However, until that rescuing effort
kicks off, the staggering streams will
remain a dumping ground and open
toilets. From everyday trash like plastic
bags, food wrappers, bottles, containers,
human waste and unsafe disposals to
larger items like car batteries, kitchen
appliances and electronic tools entering
the rivers at an alarming rate would
eventually entail great and unbearable
cost, the experts warn.
32| The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
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www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017 |33
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www.thereporterethiopia.com
34| #REPORTERBOOK The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017

10 kids who are giving hide- #FindMeIfYouCan

R and-seek their best shot
Any kid around the world, while growing up, will definitely play the
age-long game of hide-and-seek a popular children’s game in which
any number of players conceal themselves in the environment, to be
found by one or more seekers.
The game is played by one player chosen (designated as being “it”)
closing their eyes and counting to a predetermined number while
the other players hide. After reaching this number, the player
who is “it” calls, “Ready or not, here I come!” and then to locate all
concealed players.
Well for some kids the mantra of winning is: “If I can’t see them,
they can’t see me.”
This is the misguided position of children everywhere — and it has
led to some hilarious games of hide-and-seek.
To be fair, these kids are giving the game their best shot. They just
might need a little more practice before they’re ready for the hide-
and-seek big leagues. To the right are some of the funny hide-and-
seek moments captured by parents.

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Shortly after rolling out its Live video streaming feature globally,
Facebook is altering its News Feed algorithm to make sure live
videos appear higher in the stream.
The company said so in a blog post Tuesday, saying the
adjustment will be
done to account
for the increasing
popularity of live
videos.
According to
Facebook, people
spend three times
longer watching
videos when they’re
live compared to
videos that are no
longer live.
“Now that more and
more people are watching Live videos, we are considering Live
Videos as a new content type – different from normal videos –
and learning how to rank them for people in News Feed. As a
first step, we are making a small update to News Feed so that
Facebook Live videos are more likely to appear higher in News
Feed when those videos are actually live, compared to after they
are no longer live,” the post says.
Facebook claims that Pages won’t see significant changes after
this update.
A Facebook Live video is simply a streaming video, similar to the
feature offered by other live-streaming services like Meerkat and
Periscope, with viewers able to react to them and offer comments.
The feature was originally launched on iOS in August 2015
for a small number of verified accounts and celebrities in the
US Facebook had rolled it out for everyone mid-February and
added Android support last week. (Mashable)

www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017 #REPORTERBOOK |35

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HPSOR\HHSD\UROOGDWDOHDN
after phishing attack
A leak of employee payroll data is a nightmare for every company —
especially one that’s, by some measures, still in startup stage.
That’s the fate that befell Snapchat on Friday, and now the company
has issued a formal apology and an explanation of what exactly
happened.
In a blog post, Snapchat claims the
data was stolen from the company
via an “isolated phishing scam.”
A scammer impersonating the
company CEO asked for employee
payroll data from the company
Snapchat department, and
employees fell for the scheme.
“When something like this
happens, all you can do is own up
to your mistake, take care of the
people affected, and learn from what went wrong,” the post reads.
According to Snapchat, the phishing attempt was an isolated &KULV&KULVWLHPDGHDQDSSHDUDQFHQH[WWR'RQDOG7UXPSZLWKVXFKD
incident, the company systems were not breached, and no user
information was stolen. somber and uncomfortable demeanor that some people started to suspect
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Snapchat says it contacted the FBI and offered affected employees
two years of identity-theft insurance and monitoring as a form of SLWLIXOH[SUHVVLRQLQVSLUHGWKHLQWHUQHWWRUDOO\DURXQGKLPWRDVN´<RX
compensation. RND\WKHUHEXGG\"µLQWKHRQO\ZD\WKH\NQRZKRZPHPHV
Finally, Snapchat says it will “redouble” its “already rigorous”
training programs related to privacy and security in the future.
This latest incident was not, strictly speaking, a “hack,” but
Snapchat has had its share of security-related issues in the past. In
October 2014, around 98,000 private photos and videos from users,
including some celebrities, were posted online. (Mashable)

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Social media sites such as Facebook are increasingly being used
as a platform to illegally trade threatened wildlife in Asia, a
conservation monitoring group warned Thursday.
Researchers had monitored 14 Facebook groups in Malaysia selling
more than 300 wild, live animals as pets including “sun bears and
gibbons to otters,” the group, Traffic, said in a statement.
The trade has previously
fallen under the radar because
Malaysian wildlife markets
operated more secretly unlike
others in Southeast Asia, said
Traffic, a non-governmental
organization working globally
on monitoring trade in wild
animals.
Traffic is a strategic alliance
of the World Wildlife Fund and
the International Union for
Conservation of Nature.
“The rise of social media appears to have enabled the creation
of a thriving marketplace for wild animals as pets where one
previously didn’t exist in Malaysia,” Kanitha Krishnasamy,
Traffic’s program manager in Southeast Asia, said. =LPEDEZH3UHVLGHQW5REHUW0XJDEHKDVPDUNHGKLVQGELUWKGD\DW
She said researchers were surprised by the study that found more
DQHDUO\86'RQHPLOOLRQSDUW\RUJDQL]HGE\VXSSRUWHUV1LQHW\WZR
than 60 percent of the 80 species under the monitoring were native EDOORRQVZHUHUHOHDVHGDQGKHOLVWHQHGWRSRHWU\UHDGLQJVVRQJVDQGFKDQWV
to Malaysia, with almost half of them listed as protected species KDLOLQJKLPDVDQ$IULFDQLFRQDQGDYLVLRQDU\+HFXWDJLDQWFDNHLQWKH
under the country’s laws. SUHVHQFHRIVRPH
Facebook “responded positively” when contacted by Traffic and
has been collaborating with the group to address the problem,
which remains prevalent across the region where exotic animals
are prized pets or sources of traditional medicines, the group said.
(International Business Times)

www.thereporterethiopia.com
36| The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
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www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017 |37
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www.thereporterethiopia.com
38|
By Leyou Tameru
&ΎPieces
@anchihoye
BitsΎ
When what’s
right is wrong…
I came across a funny tweet on the on going US elections which
read “Obama should consider following the example of some
African heads of state and amend the US constitution to run for a
third term!” I mean he’s talked proudly about how he would get
elected had he wanted to run for a third term including during
his speech at the African Union. But he then said that it would
be wrong for him to do that, hinting at his disapproval of what
was happening in Rwanda and Burundi. Considering what is
happening in the US right now, he might be giving that thought
some serious consideration.
All jokes aside, at he heart of what is happening in Democratic
Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Senegal, Uganda, US, UK,
Greece and other parts of Europe: the will of the people vs what’s
“right”. I put the word right in quotations because of the varying
interpretations and perspectives of what’s right. Is it right for
Greeks to no longer want a government that will succumb to EU’s
demands and represents Greek interests to the detriment of EU
bank’s interest? What if that is what the Greeks want? What about
adding another presidential term? What happens when the will of
the people is not “right”?
There has been a surge of laws and political candidates who follow
ideologies that are anti-immigrant and sexist and extreme right/
left in Europe and the US. There also seems to be a group of people
who have power and privilege and would like to keep that all to
themselves. We have been taught and preached that there are clear
lines of what’s wrong and right and that laws and democracy will
keep fighting this good fight. However, we have not discussed what
happens when democracy or laws no longer do that?
Capitalism preaches individualism which in turn makes people
self-centered. People think about what is important to them, they
become the center of their own universe and forget the impact of
their decision on their neighbors let alone the rest of the world.
This has created an electorate that is short sighted, xenophobic
and even racist, etc… All in all, an electorate that does not exhume
the values we have been preached for so long. Is it wrong? Should
this electorate not be allowed to get what it wants even if it is the
voice of the majority? The will of the people?
The main point is, people can and will be wrong. You do not have
to take my word for it, just take a look at recent history. But what’s
even more dangerous, is governments being wrong. Just look at
colonization, genocide and slavery, a few examples of what we
the people have suffered or lived through. Now, when we get to a
place where the systems of governance we are relying upon today
validate these trends, it should be cause for concern.
Might is right and in elections might is the majority, whereas
in democracy, might is the government. So once elected, the
government does what is right to maintain itself, even if it
means going against the will of the people. The challenge is that
the interest of the government and the people are different and
at odds.. The people want to have their wish respected and the
government wants to continue existing.
The challenges faced by the world today are difficult and in
my opinion they have a lot to do with economic struggles. The
more the middle class shrinks, whatever the scale countries
use to calculate it, and wealth is concentrated in a small group,
frustration and anger builds up. As the number of those unhappy
with the system grows, reactions become more violent and
politically incorrect to say the least. There is always a scapegoat,
and often they are the minority, i.e. Women, refugees, children,
immigrants, etc…
I sometimes do not know what scares me the most, the fact that
wealth seems to be concentrated in a very small group or the way
we think we can fix it. It seems that people and governments feel
the right thing to self-preserve by denying the most vulnerable
protection rather than looking into a practical way to spread the
wealth around.
All I can say is, it is a scary thing when the majority is agrees on
ignoring or even getting rid of the minority. But it’s even scarier
when the government agrees to it.
Ed.’s Note: Leyou Tameru is a graduate of Georgetown and Addis
Ababa University Law schools, specializing in International Legal
Studies. Born and raised in Addis Ababa, she seeks to understand
the impact of economic, political and social issues on everyday lives.
She can be reached at @anchihoye
Hard currency...
shortage of power supply and the like have limited
the expansion and manufacturing plans of the
company, he said.
Mark noted that by this time Lifan Motors could
have had the capacity to manufacture both vehicles
and motorbikes in Ethiopia. However, he said that
manufacturing vehicles requires multiple services
put in place at a time and uninterrupted electric
power supply.
Following its quick penetration in the local market,
Lifan Motors this time considers exporting to
countries like Egypt. Mark is determined that
Egypt is the immediate target and exports of
assembled vehicle to that country will soon be
realized. “We are studying Egypt for an immediate
export market and will start shipping out soon,”
Mark said.
In a bid to alleviate shortages of foreign currency,
the best alternative seen by the company is
focusing on export. Still, the company says that
it requires assistance from the government. In
order to manufacture motorbikes – the product
which introduced Lifan to Ethiopia – it wants the
challenges related to accessing foreign exchange be
resolved.
Tedros Adhanom (PhD), minister of Foreign
Affairs, who was the guest of honor during the
launch of the latest models, called on Lifan Motors
to expand investments. The minister said that
currently Lifan has an investment outlay of some
six million dollars which he insisted should
increase in the future. Tedros went on to suggest
three issues which Lifan Motors should capitalize
on while operating in Ethiopia. The minister urged
David Cameron...
On the other hand, the ties are also much stronger
on peace and security issues, the same sources
revealed. According to him, UK’s support is
especially instrumental when it comes to capacity
building in the security apparatus. The capacity
building support did a lot in terms of offering
professional training for the majority of top level
managers who are currently working in the
Ethiopian security agencies, sources explain. And
the issue of further strengthening this capacity
building programs would be high on the discussion
agenda between the two parties, he added.
Furthermore, issue like peace and security in the
Horn region and the role Ethiopia is playing in this
regard are also expected to dominate the discussion
between Cameron and the Ethiopian government.
Apart from that, international media report also
allude to the fact that issue of the former Ginbot
Sebat (an organization which was included in
the terror list by the Ethiopian parliament)
leader, Andargachew Stiga, would also be one of
Top ODPO...
customs authority, on Monday paid a visit to his
new office located off Ras Mekonnen Street inside
the recently inaugurated Oromo Cultural Center.
The next day, Beker was busy presenting ERCA’s
six-month performance report to the Authority’s
employees.
Beker entered public service in 1991, as a wereda
administrator in his home town, Dodola, West
Arsi. For the next six years, Beker worked in
various posts in Arsi and Bale. He then moved to
the regional level, serving as a police commissioner
from 2008 to 2009. After that, his rise to high-level
positions began by becoming deputy head for
Government Communications Affairs Office under
the then head Bereket Simon. Later he was named
Mayor of Adama.
Beker has a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Organizational Management and a Master’s degree
in Leadership.
After assuming his new post, Beker is expected to
face a formidable task in resolving the standoff in
the region.
Bezu – the other new appointee – is also expected to
have a tough responsibility. Prior to being assigned
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
CONT`D FROM PAGE 1
the company to consider export markets in the
region and beyond.
“We advise and encourage you to consider the
region and beyond since Ethiopia is strategically
located to easily access 3.5 billion people”, Tedros
said. He added that Lifan Motors should increase
the current 10 percent value addition it has brought
to the country into a more significant amount
and urged the management of the company to
“spread the word” to other companies in China
that Ethiopia is an investor-friendly country. The
minister named top six Foreign Direct Investment
(FDI) countries in Ethiopia namely China,
Turkey, India, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the
Netherlands and the UK.
That said, Lifan Motors has been highly criticized
for quality issues with buyers complaining for
some time. Mark agrees that it was true for
previous models. However, currently, most of
the old models have been upgraded to satisfy
customers’ need, Mark claimed.
Customized with the Ethiopian market demand,
Mark said that the latest introduction of Lifan X-50
and Lifan L-7 are available on the market at a price
of 550,000 birr. On top of that, the company is also
set to deliver the first batch of 1000 units of Lifan
530 for the Addis Ababa Taxi Owners Association.
Recently, Lifan Motors has acquired a 20,000 sq.m.
assembly plant which is dedicated to assemble
semi-knocked down parts in the Eastern Industry
Zone in the town of Dukem some 37km to the
southeast of the capital. Accordingly, the annual
unit sales currently range between 500 and 1,000.
CONT`D FROM PAGE 3
the important agenda topics. According to the
sources, the Ethiopian side also expects the issue
of Andargachew to be raised but not dominate the
discussion. Andargachew, who was taken into
custody by security forces while transiting in
Yemen travelling from Eritrea, is a British passport
holder and his apprehension and subsequent
extradition to Ethiopia has caused quite a
controversy between the two nations.
Apart from expressing concerns, the choice of UK
government to generally keep quite on the issue
was widely criticized by rights groups around the
world to the point of pushing it (UK government)
to suspend support for Ethiopia, especially the
security institution. It is to be recalled that,
some six month back, unconfirmed reports had
mentioned a debate within the UK government
whether to discontinue the support to the Ethiopian
security apparatus.
Repeated attempts to solicit comments from the
Embassy of Great Britain were unsuccessful.
CONT`D FROM PAGE 1
to the Office of the Prime Minster in 2015, he served
as head of OPDO’s urban politics and organization
division.
Meanwhile, members of the Central Committee
of OPDO are currently meeting in Adama. In
the closed session, which started on Wednesday,
members are expected to confer on the reshuffling
of party officials and the recent protests that rocked
Oromia.
According to US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW)
and opposition parties, the protests that erupted
in November against the Addis Ababa and Oromia
Special Zone Integrated Masterplan claimed the
lives of at least 140 people. In addition, more that
three thousands people were jailed for taking
part in mass anti-government demonstrations,
according to opposition parties.
It is to be recalled that the protests against the
integrated masterplan first began in April 2014
which left more than a dozen killed in Ambo town,
125km west of Addis Ababa. Protesters fear the
plan would enable the capital city to expand into
the surrounding Oromia regions at the expense of
Oromo farmers, language and culture.
 LEISURE|39
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017

Crossword
ACROSS 31. Secretion DOWN fresh water
1. Have already done 35. Vertexes 1. Invest with knighthood 27. Integrated data processing
4. Universal Standard Time 37. Radioactivity unit 2. Nigerian City 28. Hyrax
7. Indics 38. Trailing grass native to 3. OK to assign a date to 30. Catch
12. A city in the European part Europe 4. American state 32. A citizen of Iran
of Soviet Russia 41. The longest division of 5. Timid
33. Passenger truck
13. One and only geological time 6. Screened for
14. About bee BB&DUYH\³&KXUFK/DG\´ 7. Coat with plaster 34. Government computer
15. Denounces comedian 8. Mentally quick and language
17. Many wombs 43. S American wood sorrel resourceful 36. Undergarment
18. Express pleasure 44. Soviet Socialist Republic 9. Eastern German city 38. Extinct birds
19. The bill in a restaurant (abbrev.) 'H¿HG 39. Central Florida city
21. Disappear beyond the 45. All of the inhabitants of 11. Annoyances 40. Made of wood
horizon the earth 16. The most common 42. Obstruct
22. Intercontinental ballistic 46. National capital computer memory 44. Soluble ribonucleic acid
missile 48. Endurance 20. Rebelled 45. Harelike rodent of the
3UH¿[GHQRWLQJ³LQD´ 52. Glyceryl ester 22. Potato state, abbr.
pampas of Argentina
25. James __, American steam 53. Auricle 23. Shaped rotating disk to
engineer 54. Assistance convert circular into linear 47. Small island (British)
26. Dekalitre 55. _____ Claus motion 49. Arctic explorers, abbr.
27. A salt or ester of hydriodic 56. Extensively cultivated in 24. Corsages 50. Horny projecting jaws of
acid e.g. China and Japan and India )DWW\ÀHVKHG¿VKWKDW a bird
29. Improves 57. Peacock network migrates between salt and 51. Aide de Camp

Hey Dad, I heard

you calling my
name. What’s up!
I need to tell you
something son and
I don’t want you to
tell you mother.
Your secret is safe
with me. So what’s
I went to my doctor
and he told that
I shouldn’t drink
alcohol every day!
I don’t see the
problem so from
now on you will
US Box
office
going on?
drink ever night!
1 Deadpool
Kuncho Komments

2 Gods of Egypt
3 Kung Fu Panda 3
4 Risen
5 Triple 9
6 Eddie the Eagle
7 The VVitch: A New-England Folktale

8 How to Be Single
9 Race
10 The Revenant

Your Zodiacs (astrology-online.com)

Aries Cancer Libra Capricorn

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1DEOSAAGHQ?GUJQI>ANO=NAġ 1DEOSAAGHQ?GUJQI>ANO=NAġ 68, 19, 24, 23, 7
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4D=P=@EBBANAJ?A=@=NEJCJAS=PPEPQ@A=J@=JASOP=NP?=J OKIAKJAOQCCAOPO=BQJJECDPKQPKJPDAPKSJ =J@NAIAI>AN +KSBK?QOKJLANOKJ=H=BB=ENO=OUKQOAAłPSEPDHEPPHAKN UKQPQNJPDAIPKUKQN=@R=JP=CA6KQHKRALAKLHABKNSDKPDAU
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Solution Solution
Can you spot the 12 differences between the two pictures?
SPOT THE DIFFERENCES

www.thereporterethiopia.com
40|LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Congratulations to
members of the new
Media Council
Dear Editor,
It is irresistible to comment on the recent progress
made by media actors of our nation to the point
of establishing a council which will embrace
individual members and their associations.
Naturally journalism is a very delicate profession
to regulate; and the going would be tough in the
first few years like any other undertaking. But I
strongly believe the council will transform itself
to a world class professional body and be able to
guide and build capability of its members to a
higher degree of professionalism see in the years
to come.
In a normal course of business, professional
bodies have a responsibility to look after their
members, and in most cases professional
associations set a minimum standard of
professional competency, follow up members’ code
of conduct; build capacity, other than collecting
membership fees and taking action in case of
misdemeanors. Members have also obligations
to abide by the rules, and when it comes to
journalism, they should know the consequences
and differences between writing unfounded and
misplaced emotion and disseminating reliable
information to the general public.
The majority of the Amharic newspapers and
magazines, which I have come across in the
past few years lack substance and seems to be
written by individuals who do not really have a
firm grip on history, or politics, or economy and
clueless about the meaning of being a journalist
and a political activist. They also appear to be
perplexed about the disparity between freedom
of expression and beating the drum of an orange
revolution, so desperate to be sanctified by CPJ
and Human Rights Watch after crossing the
boundaries of the law, and who secretly hold the
idea of securing an asylum in the West. There are
also a few networked and opportunist intellectuals
well aware of the situation, who play the game
behind the scene and act as catalysts with the
backing of some misinformed Diaspora and few
noisy amateur diplomats who do not understand
the situation at hand. This reminds me a Sanskrit
adage if I get the translation right, it is goes like
this: ‘An educated and a crooked individual is like
a poisonous snake with a beautiful skin.’
This is where the media council comes to the
rescue; which is by filling the capacity gaps of its
members through their respective associations,
and make sure that all its members fulfill a
minimum standard of professional competence,
in addition to attending a well organized and
continuous capacity building program. It should
also encourage educated individuals from all
walks of life to join the profession and pass
through standard journalism course, so that it will
have a pool of knowledgeable members who will
contribute to the profession as well as to society.
In spite of most people’s knowledge regarding
the veiled political party affiliated newspaper
circulating in the name of a free press, and the
accountable ones which are reliable, informative
and entertaining the council should also workout
with all media outlets and encourage them to
honestly declare their party affiliation and the
very intention of their existence.
Congratulations to all those who have contributed
their time and effort in the formation of the
media council and who shoulder the future of the
profession.
Yonas Fisseha
yonas_f@yahoo.com
Black Rhino...
the project,” the official said.
Once an agreement is signed
with the Ethiopian government
another one will be inked with
the government of Djibouti on the
modalities of the pipe construction.
Besides, the contractors need to
raise at least one billion dollars
towards debt financing. “This will
take some time and June 2016 is an
unrealistic plan,” the official said.
The fuel pipeline project, known
as the Horn of Africa Pipeline,
includes an import facility and
950,000 barrels of storage capacity
in Damerjog, Djibouti, linked
to a storage terminal in Awash,
Ethiopia. According to Black Rhino,
the 20-inch (51-centimeter) line
is capable of transporting 240,000
barrels of fuel a day. The total cost
of the project is estimated at 1.55
billion dollars.
The project is a 50-50 joint venture
by Black Rhino and Mining,
Oil and Gas Services (MOGS),
a unit of Johannesburg-based
Royal Bafogeng Holdings. The
infrastructure developers need to
raise at least one billion dollars of
debt financing. Financial close is
expected in 2006, with construction
scheduled for completion after two
years.
The project will be a build-operate-
transfer (BOT) contract, which
Media...
the rest of the day which included
hearing and endorsing the report of
the executive committee, endorsing
the membership of other ten media
organizations into the Council and
approving the annual contribution
structure of the member
organizations.
The general assembly, which was
conducted at the Intercontinental
Hotel, was attended by the ten
newly-endorsed organizations
and the 19 founding member
institutions, which heralded the
establishment of the Council in
its inaugural ceremony held last
January at the conference hall of
UNECA.
The chairman of the executive
committee, Amare Aregawi,
General Manager of Media and
Communication Centre (MCC),
delivered the report of the
committee covering the overall
activities and challenges of the
council since its establishment a
month and a half ago.
In this regard, as per the request
from the participants during
the inauguration of the Council,
the chairman reported that the
issues raised as a concern by the
participants relation to the size
of Panel of Ombudsman, source
of finance and articles that are
perceived as ambiguous, were
corrected and included in the
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
means the developers will build the
facility and operate it for 30 years
and transfer it to the Ethiopian
government.
Ethiopia is a non-oil producing
country that annually imports
three million metric tons of refined
petroleum products – most of it via
the Port of Djibouti – at a cost of 2.8
billion dollars.
Critics say that the pipeline
project is an expensive mammoth
project for Ethiopia. They say that
it was capital-intensive project
that the Ethiopian government
cannot afford and it will push out
transporters out of the market. The
Ethiopian government officials
refute the assertion. The Ministry of
Transport included pipe- transport
in its draft national transport policy
presented to stakeholders recently.
CEO of the Ethiopian Petroleum
Supply Enterprise, Tadesse
Hailemariam, told The Reporter
that pipe transport is the most
economical and technologically
advanced mode of fuel transport
system. “It is the cheapest mode of
fuel transport. It is cheaper than
road and rail transport. It reduces
pollution and waste,” Tadesse said.
“Pipe transport would stimulate
Ethiopia’s economic development
and it is the safest mode of fuel
transport that reduces transport
Article of Association. The assembly
also nominated and elected
committee members to stir the
process of selecting personalities
who would be members of the Panel
of Ombudsman.
Regarding the registration
process, the report highlighted the
challenges that the council has
faced from the Ethiopian Charities
and Societies Agency (ECCA)
while seeking formal registration.
Amare told the assembly that
due to the nature of the members
of the council, in which some
members are profit-oriented
organizations while others such as
professional associations are not,
the registration process has become
a bit complicated.
In this regard, the executive
committee of the Council has
approached the Government
Communication Affairs Office
(GCAO) and briefed the minister on
the challenges that the council is
facing. Getachew Redda, minister of
GCAO, on his part, gave assurances
that his office will follow the case
intimately and that the Council
will get legal recognition in a short
while.
“Hopefully, the Council will get
legal recognition and register
with the proper authorities in one
month’s time,” the chairman of
the executive committee told The
Vol. XX No. 1017
CONT`D FROM PAGE 3
costs,” he added.
During the military rule there was
a plan to construct a fuel pipeline
from Assab – former Ethiopian port
city where Russians had built oil
refinery – to Awash, the location
of the main fuel depot. An Indian
firm conducted a feasibility study
on the project but this failed to
materialized due to the dearth of
financial resources.
According to Tadesse, Ethiopia
lags behind the world when it
comes to the use of pipe transport.
Neighboring Sudan and Kenya had
built fuel pipelines many years ago.
With regard to the concern of
putting the survival local fuel
transporters at stake, Tadesse said
road and rail transport will still be
used after the construction of the
pipeline. “The pipe will be built
from Djibouti to Awash. The local
transporters will transport the fuel
from Awash to different parts of the
country.”
Speaking of the hefty investment on
the pipeline, Tadesse said that the
initial infrastructure investment
cost could be cumbersome but
once it is built it would reduce
the transport cost. “It is a long-
term investment that benefits the
country for many years to come.”
CONT`D FROM PAGE 3
Reporter.
Regarding the annual contribution
of members, the executive
committee proposed a three tier
payment mechanisms. Accordingly,
professional associations will
contribute from 1,000 to 10,000
birr; profit making organizations
with less annual turnovers will be
expected to contribute from 11,000
to 50,000 birr while organizations
with better financial leverage,
those having an annual tax return
of one million birr and above, will
be making contribution ranging
between 51,000 to 100,000 birr. The
proposal was passed after a brief
discussion and two abstinence from
the members of Council.
This proposed and accepted
annual contribution is used for
the day-to-day activities of the
Council. Member organizations and
associations are expected to make
the contribution voluntarily.
The Ethiopian Media Council is a
self-regulatory body of practicing
media personnel and professional
journalists in the country. The
Council is aimed at creating
awareness about freedom of
expression among the public and
act as a mediator and arbitrator
in cases where disputes and
grievances with relation to media
arise.
 GALLERY|41
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017

Photo By: Reporter /Tamrat Getachew

An African victory
Regarded as one of the most important days in the history of people who traces their roots from Africa, the victory of Adawa (March 1, 1896) still occupies a special place in the
history Africa and beyond. It was a victory which showed that black people can not only stand up to a colonial power but end up in defeating it. The outcome of Italy’s defeat
resonated across the global making Ethiopia a beacon of hope for oppressed people. The victory day was celebrated across the nation this week in a colorful manner.

www.thereporterethiopia.com
42|
Questioning...
CONT`D FROM PAGE 16
that the Ethiopian experience reveals
the existence of both approaches.
“Mainly, the primordial approach
better characterizes Ethiopia. The
great majority of the NNPs of Ethiopia
existed for centuries. This does not
mean that some of the identities were
not constructed or deconstructed. I
believe that the Kimant and the Zay
were assimilated to the Amharas and
the Oromos respectively. They are
now seeking a distinct identity as they
realize that it is more advantageous,”
he asserts. According to Woldu, both
Oromia and the Southern regional
states have notified the HoF that the
cases of Zay and Welene are in the
process of being investigated.
Studies by independent observers
of Ethiopian politics reveal that
local political elites have always
manipulated identity-based difference
to their advantage. While accepting
the fact that not all identity questions
are genuine, Woldu argues that both
the legal framework and practical
implementations have tried to filter
those who tried to manipulate identity
questions to advance their own
selfish agendas. “The law requires
the signature of five percent of the
population to initiate identity question.
We also require power of representation
to authenticate whether the question is
the people centered or elite-motivated,”
he says.
Sara Sarah Vaughan in her research
entitled Response to Ethnic Federalism
in Ethiopia’s Southern Region argues
that the conflicts in the South are
not ‘ethnic conflicts’ rather they
are artificial constructions and
deconstructions by local political elites.
She states, “Their dynamics have,
however, been seminally influenced
by shifts in the salience of ethnicity
under current political arrangements.
Under ethnic federalism, ethnic zones
have enjoyed relatively high inputs
of capital and recurrent government
expenditure, and this is a fact that is
widely known by those local elites who
have masterminded claims for separate
recognition.”
The conflicts at the Semen Omo zone
is mentioned as an instance where
identity is used as instrumental value
for power. The conflict was mainly
triggered by the Wolayita where
the regional government decided
‘Wogagoda’ as the language to be
thought in schools after merging the
languages of the four ethnic groups;
Wolayita, Gamo, Gofa, and Dawro,
respectively. It is claimed that the main
cause of the conflict was not the merger
of the four languages as Wogagoda
is really considered as danger to the
original languages, rather there is an
argument which says the new language
would have the potential to be the
dominant language in the region which
would obviously result better socio-
economic and political opportunity
to the four ethnic groups. However,
Wolayita elites taking the situation as a
pretext exploit it to ensure their desire
of having a separate administration
status at zonal level there by being
better beneficiaries of the resource
allocation of the region. While the
Wolayta ethnic group demanded for a
separate zonal administration failed to
be addressed what followed was violent
reactions despite the fact that the causes
were claimed to have been attributed
with other factors including the issues
of language policy among others.
Spain eyes...
and sectoral export organizations,”
the ambassador said at the first-ever
multilateral trade mission, which was
held at the Radisson Blu on Thursday.
The multilateral trade mission was
sponsored by the Government of Spain
“Although it seems to be a little late for
us, I call upon both sides to make the
best out of it,” he said.
Ayane Zewde, state minster of Trade
said that Ethiopia’s growth and market
opportunities is attracting many
countries. He added that back in 2014
Spain’s export to Ethiopia was EUR
50 million while Ethiopia exported
EUR eight million in the same year.
Charities...
earlier this week at Kaleb Hotel,
officials from the Ethiopian Charities
and Societies Agency (ECCA), heads
of NGOs, and donors deliberated on
pertinent issues that are challenging
charities and societies.
“Currently, many organizations are
established following the introduction
of the 70/30 ratio and the establishment
of the organizations is essential in
addressing various issues throughout
the country. However, many
organizations are also phasing out
because of shortage of finance,” Negash
Teklu, CEO of the Forum, told The
Reporter.
According to the CEO, the magnitude
of the problem is more severe in the
regional states, specifically Benishangul
Gumuz, Afar, and Somali.
“Because of this constraint, it is very
difficult to reach those in remote areas
and the venerable segment of the
society including women and children,”
he said.
Ethiopia, Rwanda...
country,” Gobena said. According to
Gobena, the agreement avoids double
taxation and enable the national
carriers to enter into code share
agreement.
Ethiopia and Rwanda are one of the
twelve African countries that signed
an agreement to fully liberalize their
aviation market by 2017 under the
Yamoussoukro Declaration-African
open skies agreement.
In a related news, Ethiopian Airlines
and RwandAir have established a joint
team that works on the new strategic
partnerships the two national carriers
have agreed to forge.
The management and board of
RwandAir last month selected
Ethiopian Airlines as its strategic
partner. Ethiopian will invest on
RwandAir and have a 49 stake on
RwandAir, represented in the board
and management and provide technical
assistance.
In an email response to The Reporter,
the public relations department
of RwandAir said that the two
www.thereporterethiopia.com
The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
However, last year’s figures appeared
to be better, according to to state
minister. The figures show that Spain
exported EUR 84 million to Ethiopia
and imported EUR 46 million. “A lot
more can be done now by increasing
the number of Spanish companies
operating here,” he said.
The state minister assured that
the Ethiopian government is ready
to welcome Spanish companies,
particularly in the areas of
infrastructure, energy and water
treatment and water management.
The Spanish Institute for Trade
Promotion (ICEX) has already
The CEO further stated: “We are not
coming to a conclusion that shortage
of resource is the sole cause for the
closure of the organizations and for the
challenges the existing organizations
face. What we are saying is that we
should examine both the external and
internal factors and try to look for
solutions. That’s why this workshop is
organized.”
Meseret Gebremariam, director of
the Ethiopian Charities and Societies
Agency (ECCA), downplayed the
claim and said that the problem is not
associated with shortage of money but
with the capacity of organizations.
“Donors stated that their assistance to
the organizations has been increasing
from time to time while identifying
major areas of focus including
alleviating poverty and assisting
projects focusing on the development
of the country. However, those
organizations that failed to comply with
such arrangements failed to secure the
organizations have put in place a
team to discuss the details of the
strategic partnership. Asked how
much Ethiopian Airlines will invest
on RwandAir and if it will take over
the management RwandAir said all
these will be ascertained during the
negotiations.
Last month a Rwandese delegation led
by John Mirenge, CEO of RwandAir,
came to Addis Ababa to inform the
management of Ethiopian Airlines of its
decision to partner with Ethiopian.
“The teams are working on all the
modalities. The high-level meeting in
Addis was the opening meeting and
only the principle was agreed. The rest
of the details are to come out of the
negotiations,” RwandAir said.
RwandAir would be the third African
airline to partner with Ethiopian
following ASKY and Malawi Airlines.
And Kigali will be Ethiopian fourth hub
after Addis Ababa, Lome and Lilongwe.
As part of the 15 year development
road map Vision2025 Ethiopian is
implementing a multi hub strategy in
Africa.
Vol. XX No. 1017
CONT`D FROM PAGE 4
conducted activities in Ethiopia.
According to ICEX, the Spanish market
is one of the largest in Europe, with
outstanding purchasing power in line
with the European average.
Moreover, the country is known to have
the highest number of double taxation
and investment protection within in
the Eurozone. It has strong business
ties with the North African countries
such as Morocco and Algeria in its
Mediterranean network in addition to
the larger platform of business it has
long kept with Latin America and the
Middle East.
CONT`D FROM PAGE 4
funds,” the director argued.
He added that organizations with a
better capacity are working properly
to reach their target, but those with
limited capacity and and those who
mainly focus on their own personal
interests perish.
However, the line of argument of the
director was not accepted by the CEO of
the forum. “We are not simply saying
that there is lack of resource without
examining ourselves. We have found
out that it is a major problem. In that
regard, we decided to strengthen the
dialogue between donors and the
government so as to get a long-lasting
solution,” he said.
The Forum was established in 2013 with
the aim of facilitating the collaborative
engagements of charities and societies.
It also aims to create the necessary
systems and infrastructures that can
enable charities and societies have
a meaningful participation in the
development of the nation.
CONT`D FROM PAGE 4
Based in Kigali RwandAir is a fast
growing airline in East Africa.
Rwandair was established in its
present form in 2009. It existed before
as RwandAir Express which was semi
government. With only one wet leased
twin otter aircraft Rwandair Express
was a small airline.
The Rwandese government started
RwandAir in 2009 as the sole proprietor
and started investing in the airline
buying new fleet, and expanding its
route structure. Instead of investing in
one go in the airline, the government is
giving the company financial support
yearly to upgrade its fleet and to expand
facilities at its hub in Kigali. RwandAir
is serving 16 domestic and international
destinations with eight aircraft.
Rwanda is one of the fastest growing
economies in Africa. As the country
is land locked the government is
paying due attention to air transport
development. Paul Kagame’s
administration is lauded for
transforming the tourism, air transport
and ICT sectors. The government is now
trying to make Kigali a regional hub.

The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
Doping scandal over Ethiopian athletes linger
By Dawit Tolesa
Doping in sports remains a serious
and difficult issue, putting an athlete’s
health at risk, threatening the integrity
of clean athletes and the reputation
of sports. This week nine Ethiopian
runners including some of the country
best athletes are under investigation for
doping allegations. However, the state
minister of Youth and Sports argued
that the number of athletes which the
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has
sent is six.
Ahead of the 2016 Rio Summer
Olympics, WADA said that Russia and
Kenya risk the danger of missing out on
the world’s biggest sporting event. Now
the investigation has moved to other
countries including Ethiopia.
Ethiopian-born Swedish athlete, Abeba
Aregawi, who was world champion
in the 1500 meters, tested positive for
banned substances. After the news was
announced the focus of both local and
international media outlets have turned
to the nine athletes. Now the question
remains, who are they?
The Ethiopian Athletics Federation
(EAF) has not identifies the athletes
in question. However, the Ministry
of Youth and Sports said that, if the
suspected athletes are found guilty, they
will be penalized in accordance with
Lucy to face Fennecs in Algiers Horsemen
shocked by
By Dawit Tolesa
The Ethiopian Women’s National
Football Team (Lucy) will face Algeria
tomorrow in the first round of the
qualifier for the Women’s Africa Cup of
Nations 2016.
A 20-member Ethiopian delegation,
including 20 players, left for Algiers on
Friday.
Coach Birhanu Gizaw has been
preparing early selecting experienced
players and young talents including
striker Loza Abera, Shitaye Sisay,
Erehima Zergaw and the midfielder
Birtukan Gebrekirstos.
Ethiopian Women National Team
were excluded from the qualifications
round of the 2016 championship due to
Ethiopian law. Consequently, ministry
said that it will reveal the names of the
guilty athletes after the investigation is
finalized.
Former Ethiopian athletes also
agree with the decision of Ethiopian
government. “If there are guilty
athletes, the Ethiopian government
should have to punish them,” two-
time Olympic gold medalist Haile
Gebreselassie told The Reporter.
Amidst the disarray, Ethiopian athlete
Sintayew Merga, while giving an
interview on a morning sports radio
program on FANA FM said: “I was ill
a technical error made by the Ethiopian
Football Federation (EFF). Later, Lucy
was replaced by Togo Women National
who opted to withdraw because of lack
of finance.
The Algeria women’s national
football team represents Algeria in
international women’s football. The
team is currently ranked 79th in the
world in the FIFA women’s rankings.
The team’s highest ranking was 64th,
in June 2009. The team plays its home
games at the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in
Algiers and is coached by Azzedine
Chih. Algeria played its first match on
May 14, 1998 against France, and lost
14–0.
Algeria has never qualified for a World
Cup. It has qualified four times for the
African Women’s Championship, in
2004, 2006, 2010 and 2014, all finishing
www.thereporterethiopia.com
THE REPORTER SPORT|43
from typhus so I had to take medication.
Unfortunately, after being tested I
received a letter from WADA informing
me that tested positive.”
According to commentators, athletes
hire their own mangers, trainers and
nutritionists. In that regard, these
commentators suggest that a banned
substance could be indirectly given to
unknowing athletes by these people who
desire success.
If it turns out to be true, the Ethiopian
cases will be another blow to the sport
following major doping scandals in
Russia and Kenya in the buildup to the
in group stage. Algeria is expected
to become the first Arab and Muslim
nation to participate in a Women’s
World Cup.
The 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations
will be the 12th edition of the Africa
Women Cup of Nations, the biennial
international football championship
organized by the Confederation
of African Football (CAF) for the
women’s national teams of Africa. The
tournament will be held in Cameroon
between 19 November and 3 December
2016. The initial dates were 8–22 October
2016, but were changed due to weather
considerations. A total of eight teams
will play in the tournament.
The winner of Sunday’s match will face
Kenya as the Democratic Republic of
Congo withdrew from the qualifier.
Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August.
It can be recalled that Russia was
banned from international track and
field competition in November after
damning allegations of a vast scheme
of doping and cover-ups. Kenya is in
danger of a similar sanction after four
senior track officials were suspended
by the IAAF pending investigations
into allegations they sought to cover up
doping. Kenya also has not fallen in line
with global anti-doping rules and faces
an April 5 deadline to sort out its failing
anti-doping program.
Doping – the use of artificial
enhancements and methods to
gain an advantage over others in
competition – is cheating and is
fundamentally contrary to the spirit of
sports. Furthermore, doping damages
competition for clean athletes who play
by the rules.
Doping affects all levels of athlete. It
could also affect future generations who
may be influenced by what top athletes
do.
Doping in Ethiopian is a new
phenomenon in Ethiopian athletics.
However, long distance runners Aleme
Emere in 2002, Ambesse Tolosa 2008,
Shitaye Gemechu 2009 and Eyerusalem
Kuma in 2013 were all banned for two
years from athletics by WADA.
Hawassa, Adama
aims to capitalize
By Dawit Tolesa
Week 13 of the Ethiopian Premier
League (EPL) action will resume with
second placed Adama City facing
Defense FC at the Addis Ababa Stadium
on Tuesday while rivals Dedebit travel
south to gain maximum points from
the game against Hadiya Hosana on
Sunday.
Earlier matches were played yesterday
with Saint George traveling to Hawassa
and Sidama Coffee entertaining Dashen
Beer. The Horsemen were shocked
by Hawassa City with a 2-1 defeat.
Hawassa City striker Firdawek Sisay
open the scoring on the 53rd minute
but the Horsemen were on level terms
after 15 minutes with a goal coming
from veteran national team defender,
Degu Debebe. However, a stoppage
time goal by the hosts appalled the
visitors sending the home fans in utter
exhilaration. Winger Ashcalew Girma
scored on the 92nd minute collecting all
three point for the home team.
Elsewhere, 4th placed and title
contenders Sidama Coffee drew in front
of home fan against Dashen Beer – a
Horsemen... page 29
44| The Reporter, Saturday, March 5, 2016
Vol. XX No. 1017
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