Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Ethiopia: A trip to a timeless land


On a visit to 'magical' Ethiopia, Clover Stroud is beguiled by the ancient and the everyday.
Thousands of people had congregated in the field, including hundreds of priests dressed in brightly coloured, richly embroidered cassocks, carrying ornate staffs topped with heavy silver crosses. Behind them, groups of children were divided into choirs, each wearing their own colourful ceremonial robes, chanting and clapping as they followed the procession. Among them wandered thousands of men and women – some barefoot, some carrying children, some bent double with age – but almost all swathed in the finest white muslin shawls.
The dancing and chanting of the crowds around was wild, hypnotic, but the rituals of their prayers were familiar Christian evocations.
It was a scene that might have been from the long-distant past, except for the fact that among these biblical figures I also saw characters who were a product of the 21st century. I spotted a little girl in a fluffy leopard-print jacket and Reebok trainers, the latter adorned with multicoloured flashing lights.
I spotted a priest, swooping around in a floor-length cassock, a huge wooden cross in one hand, mobile phone clamped to his head in the other. Beside me in the crowd stood a young man, in his late teens, dressed in a flash of bright yellow sportswear, gold chains strung around his neck which made him look as if he might break into gangsta rap at any moment – instead, he joined the psalms sung by the choir in front of us.
The crowd had gathered in a huge, flat field called Janmeda , or the Emperor’s Field, in the centre of Addis Ababa, with Mount Entoto in the distance. I was visiting in January, and the festivities were for Timkat, celebrating John the Baptist’s baptism of Christ.
Timkat might be the biggest religious event in Ethiopia, but there are many other festivals throughout the year which also represent a remarkable fusion of ancient tribalism and Christianity, combined with some thoroughly modern touches, as the priest’s phone and proliferation of flashy sports labels showed.
It’s impossible to avoid religion in Ethiopia. I could not have escaped from it, even if I’d wanted to, because it’s everywhere, and it defines everyone’s lives. And because Ethiopia has been Christian since AD 4 (some believing one of Jesus’s Apostles was Ethiopian), Christianity hasn’t been thrust on Ethiopians by missionaries, instead being woven into their DNA and into their culture.
The church seems to play a role similar to that which it must have played in medieval Europe: a place to worship, of course, but also to air grievances and solve problems, a place to learn and to bind communities together. The church, it’s fair to say, is very much alive to Ethiopians of all ages. Whatever god or gods you do or don’t believe in, it’s hard not to feel moved.

Monday, July 30, 2012

420 Ethiopian Refugees Riot at Yemen Refugee Camp


The Yemeni authorities controlled on Monday a riot by African refugees who protested their bad conditions in the Kharaz refugee camp in Lahj province, the September 26 website reported.
About 420 Ethiopian refugees, who were earlier transferred from Dhamar province, closed all roads to the refugee camp and its gate preventing the UN staff and staffs of other agencies from leaving and entering it, the website said.
The Ethiopians were demanding to improve their conditions, and the authorities controlled the situation, the website quoted a source at the camp as saying.
It is the second time the Ethiopian refugees were rioting, the source continued, urging to take action to prevent any outlawed acts in the camp, according to the website.
Yemen continues to receive many African refugees, mostly from Somalia and other horn of Africa countries, on daily bases.
Earlier this year, the authorities said more than one million African refugees have arrived in the country in the past few decades and the persistent influx of Africans adds to a range crises faced in Yemen.
More recently, the authorities launched urgent measures to prevent the on-foot movements of African refugees among the Yemeni cities in a move which appeared to be within the steps to fight illegal activities and grouping.
Reports have also warned Africans are a key reason for pandemic spread in the country.
http://yemenpost.net

Fidel Castro Odinga to tie knot with his Ethiopian girlfriend Lwam Getachew Bekele


For the second time now, Fidel Castro Odinga is all set to tie the knot on Saturday in what has been confirmed as an all-invites only wedding ceremony. The wedding shall later be followed by a reception party at a private club in the Loresho residential area. The son to Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga is perceived as being very popular among the ordinary citizens due to his nature of simplicity with the people from all walks. After a year and a half of dating, Fidel Castro will be looking forward to exchanging wedding vows with his longtime girlfriend Lwam Getachew Bekele; an Ethiopian. This seems as a confirmation of the constant rumors that have been whirling for quite some now in the media. However, Fidel said that he divorced with his former wife Wanjiru Ng’ang’a on claims that though they happened to be in love, they had to battle with ‘irreconcilable differences’ which led them to seeking for a civil suit.

During their past wedding, it would be recalled that the ceremony was a clear show of who’s who in society going by the stature that it had managed to pull together and attracted public attention. To some, it seemed like a political union during that time since Wanjiru hailed from the Central region. The wedding happened in the height of the impending 2007 elections. With his new found love, all Kenyans wish him the best together with his lovebird as they make the brave move together.
http://www.newstimeafrica.com

Friday, July 27, 2012

Ethiopia maid kills self in Kuwait after she received divorce letter from her husband

Ethiopia women in the Gulf face struggles from back home and in country.

DUBAI: An Ethiopian maid has killed herself after she learned that her husband had sent her a letter that detailed how he had divorced her in order to marry another woman.

According to the worker’s employer, after the woman received the letter from Ethiopia, she became depressed and had “completely changed,” local Kuwaiti media reported.

She reportedly jumped her death from the fourth floor flat where she worked.

It comes on the heels of an Ethiopia government decision to bar Ethiopians from working in the United Arab Emirates, citing abuse and a lack of government regulations. The government said it was looking into other Gulf countries as well, after repeated reports of abuse have been revealed.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

London 2012: African Olympians to watch-Tirunesh Dibaba


Defending Olympic champion at both 5,000m and 10,000m, Tirunesh Dibaba is regarded by many as the fastest finisher in the history of women's distance running.
Since the Beijing Olympics, she has struggled with injuries - leading to lengthy lay-offs from running.
But her form suggests she may be on the way back to her best.
One of the most-anticipated events of London 2012 is her clash with fellow Ethiopian Meseret Defar and the formidable Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot.

Abebe, Derartu & Haile Featured on Ten African Olympic champions of BBC

Abebe Bikila

“Abebe Bikila was the first black African to win Olympic gold – at Rome’s 1960 Olympics – and the man who inspired countless Ethiopians to pursue running as a career. Bikila famously ran the marathon barefoot as he was not comfortable in the running shoes that were offered to him, yet he broke the Olympic record comfortably. He won again in 1964 in Tokyo, and died in 1973 at the age of 41.”

Derartu Tulu

 “Ethiopia’s Derartu Tulu became the first black African woman to win Olympic gold – in the 10,000 metres in Barcelona 1992. She was happy to stay on the shoulder of South African Elana Meyer until the final lap, when she sprinted clear. Events after the race were also memorable, as Derartu invited Meyer to join her on her lap of honour – a deeply meaningful gesture as South Africa had just been readmitted to the Olympics after the end of apartheid.”

Haile Gebrselassie

“Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie went to the Sydney Olympics as the defending champion in the 10,000 metres but had to run the race of his life to prevail in a titanic battle with Kenya’s Paul Tergat. The two were long-time rivals, but Gebrselassie was used to having the upper hand in their clashes. Gebrselassie’s thrilling win in Sydney remains one of the finest moments in Olympic history.”

World's Most Dangerous Roads-Ethiopia

Hugh Dennis and David Baddiel

Comedians Hugh Dennis and David Baddiel drive over 2,000km of Ethiopia's death-defying, bone-shaking roads in a quest to reach Aksum, known as the home of the Ark of the Covenant. Along the way they have to compete with truck drivers high on local drug khat, a calamitous breakdown and a shortage of fuel in the middle of the night.

At times, it seems like David and Hugh will need a miracle to get them to the end of the road and the holiest place in this deeply religious country.

         

Ethiopian swimmer Yanet Seyoum eyes personal best in London


ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Yanet Seyoum Gebremedhin strokes across a public swimming pool in Addis Ababa, calmly gliding past, and around, leisurely swimmers as they frolic along her path, determined not to lose her focus.
In Ethiopia, athletes are usually associated with the graceful, wiry figures of the nation’s long-distance runners rather than with any other sports.
So when Ethiopia’s soon-to-be first female Olympic swimmer struts her stuff in the chilling waters of the Ghion Hotel’s 50-metre pool ahead of the London Games, few pay attention apart from her civil servant mother Tsigework Abebe, who uses a mobile telephone to time her daughter’s laps.
“There are no lanes here. Everyone does whatever they want,” she told Reuters while standing by the side of the pool, the interview drawing newfound attention. “You really have to mind your pace.”
Born in the northern town of Kombolcha, the 18-year old Yanet was drawn to swimming at the age of 12 with her family taking occasional leisure trips to the area’s only pool.
The child from a country famous for producing world-beating runners like Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele soon discovered she had talent and started competition a year later against rivals twice her age.
Five years and dozens of domestic titles later, she will participate in the 50 metre freestyle in London, granted under the Games’ universality policies.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Liya's Diary: Changing the Odds in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, 94 percent of women deliver their babies at home, without the aid of a trained birth attendant. Follow Liya Kebede, the World Health Organization's Global Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and a native of Ethiopia, as she learns firsthand the challenges facing mothers and newborns and how new U.S.-funded programs are helping to shift the odds in their favor.
                    
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/

Ethiopian Azeb Abebe fight for life after being burnt in kitchen gas explosion in Dubai


An Ethiopian woman who sustained burns to more than 80 per cent of her body in a kitchen gas explosion is fighting for life in Rashid Hospital, Dubai.

Azeb Abebe, 24, was admitted to the burns unit last Sunday after the explosion in her sponsor's home.

"She is in a critical condition," said a hospital employee. "Usually victims with more than 80 per cent burns
don't survive this long. It is difficult to say if she will survive but if she does, life will be a huge struggle."

Ms Abebe's recruitment agency in Ajman said they had informed her sister in Oman of her condition

Here the Detailed description of what happened to Azeb written by her sponsor in dubai.

What started as a mundane Sunday morning could so quickly change into a scene from hell. And change our lives forever.

£14k Stanfields benefit cheat Ethiopian Kuku Alemu lived with partner


AN IMMIGRANT who fraudulently claimed more than £14,200 in benefits has avoided jail.
Ethiopian Kuku Alemu failed to notify the Department of Work and Pensions and Stoke-on-Trent City Council that her partner Robert Aklilo was living with her.

The mother-of-two, of Crossley Road, Stanfields, submitted a legitimate claim in 2007 stating that she was a lone parent.
However an investigation revealed that Mr Aklilo, who is the father to her two children, had later moved into the property.
North Staffordshire Magistrates heard that Mr Aklilo had given the address as his home to two employers. The pair had also set up a joint bank account where the address was once again used.
Alemu, aged 34, pleaded not guilty to failing to notify a change of circumstances but was convicted following a trial.

BBC Natural World - Living with Baboons-Ethiopia-Watch The Full Documentary


                

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Kuku Sebsibe Offers New Details On Upcoming Album


 
Kuku Sebsibe, the veteran female crooner known for her smooth singing style is set to release
her eighth solo album “Chalkubet”, next month.
Kuku has previously worked on five collaboration albums with musicians like Damtew Ayele,
Ephrem Tamiru, Tewodros Tadesse, Wubesehet Assefa and Alemayehu Eshete. She actually
began her vocal career with Alemayehu in her signature song “Engedaye Nesh”.        
The Album of 15 songs which took at least three years to finish, contains lyrics written by
established songwriters such as Yilma Gebreab, Moges Teka and Abebe Berhane. The musical
arrangement for the album was done by Abiy Arka and will feature traditional and modern
instruments, including Kirar, Masinko as well as the base guitar and live saxophone.
Kuku said the album had difficulty getting released early on, because of the wilting number of
record companies as well as the inertia of the existing ones.
“Nowadays singers have become more numerous as well as music houses, however record
companies like Electra and Ambasel which nominally exist, seem to be inactive,” said Kuku
adding that the coming of Adika into the music business has been a savior to  a many new and
established musicians.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Ethiopian woman escapes captivity from Kuwaiti boss in Australia


An Ethiopian woman told Melbourne police she escaped abuse Wednesday evening after officers found her at Melbourne First Baptist church on Dairy Road.

According to police records, investigators suspect she may be a victim of human trafficking. She was carrying an Ethiopian passport and was not injured.

“In my experience, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of an instance of human trafficking locally,” said Sgt. Sheridan Shelley, who has served for 11 years.

ንግድ ባንክ የሚድሮክ ኩባንያዎችን በ942 ሚሊዮን ብር ብድር አንበሸበሸ

የኢትዮጵያ ንግድ ባንክ ለሼክ መሐመድ አል አሙዲ ኩባንያዎች 942 ሚሊዮን ብር ብድር መስጠቱን ምንጮች ገለጹ፡፡ በአቶ በረከት ስምዖን የሚመራው የኢትዮጵያ ንግድ ባንክ ዳይሬክተሮች ቦርድ ይህንን ብድር ያፀደቀው፣ የሼክ አል አሙዲ ኩባንያ ሚድሮክ ኢትዮጵያ ፕሮጀክት ኦፊስ ለሚገነባው የአፍሪካ ኅብረት ባለአምስት ኮከብ ሆቴል ሕንፃና ለማያ ፒፒ ከረጢት ፋብሪካ ነው፡፡ 

ምንጮች እንደገለጹት፣ ለአፍሪካ ኅብረት ሆቴል ሕንፃ ማጠናቀቂያ 850 ሚሊዮን ብር፣ ለማያ ፒፒ ከረጢት ፋብሪካ ግንባታ ደግሞ 92 ሚሊዮን ብር ነው የባንኩ የዳይሬክተሮች ቦርድ ያፀደቀው፡፡ 

ለብድር ማስመለሻ የተያዙት ዋስትናዎች (ኮላተራል) እየተገነባ ያለው ባለአምስት ኮከብ ሆቴልና የከረጢት ፋብሪካው ናቸው ተብሏል፡፡ 

ሚድሮክ የአፍሪካ ኅብረትን ባለአምስት ኮከብ ሆቴልን ለመገንባት በ1998 ዓ.ም. 90 ሺሕ ካሬ ሜትር ቦታ መረከቡ ይታወሳል፡፡ ሚድሮክ የአዲስ አበባ አስተዳደር ለአፍሪካ ኅብረት የሰጠውን ቦታ ነው የተረከበው፡፡ ኅብረቱ በዚህ ቦታ ላይ ባለአምስት ኮከብ ሆቴል የሚገነባለትን ኩባንያ ለመምረጥ ጨረታ አውጥቶ ነበር፡፡

ሚድሮክ ኮንስትራክሽን እንደ ሌሎች የኮንስትራክሽን ኩባንያዎች ጨረታውን ይወዳደራል ተብሎ ሲጠበቅ፣ ልዩና ያልተጠበቀ ፕሮፖዛል ለኅብረቱ ማቅረቡ ይታወሳል፡፡ 


Saturday, July 21, 2012

Excited Ethiopians get FIFA boost

Ethiopia have made a bright start in their bid to reach a first-ever FIFA World Cup™, collecting four points from a possible six. But the excitement those two results have created is nevertheless being superseded by the fever surrounding the country’s women, who are off to the CAF African Women’s Championship later this year.

“There is no doubt that the most popular team in Ethiopia now is the women, even though the men played very well last month in the World Cup qualifiers,” said a proud Ethiopia Football Federation President Salihu Gebremariam. “We are great believers in what FIFA President Sepp Blatter said a few years ago: that the future of football is feminine.”

Friday, July 20, 2012

Ethiopian Airport Shoeshiner With A Rich Story-Getnet Marsha



Tanner Latham
Thursday July 19, 2012

Charlotte Douglas International is one of the busiest airports in the world. On average, over 100,000 passengers make their way through the concourses each day. And occasionally, a few of them stop for a shoe shine. At Concourse D, there’s one shoeshiner with a thick African accent, a soul patch, and an interesting story to tell.

Getnet Marsha makes bold promises.

“I guarantee I’ll give you brand new shoes,” he says. “When you step down from the chair, it gonna be brand new shoes.”

He goes by the nickname Getu. He grew up in Ethiopia. And he’s good at what he does. Good like craftsman good. He’s immensely proud of his 20-step shining process. That includes massaging the shoes like knotted muscles with a special conditioner.
“I’m conditioning the leather,” he says. “The leather was so dry!”

And he’s a talker. Tells these shine stories like he’s a veteran slugger, recounting rookie year highlights.

Like the time a customer came, and the man was holding a $100 dollar bill in his hand. He was all set to buy a new pair of shoes in the Johnston-Murphy store nearby. He stopped at Getu’s chair for one last shine.

And Getu did such an amazing job. It was like he resurrected the guy’s shoes, and the man put the $100 dollar bill back in his pocket. And he tells Getu he changed his mind. That Getu had saved him.

Getu said, “I’m happy I saved you.”

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

UPDATE: Ethiopia Says Meles “in good condition” After Illness BBC Reports


Ethiopia's government has denied Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is critically ill but says he has been in hospital.
"He is not in a critical state. He is in good condition," spokesman Bereket Simon told the AFP news agency.
A spokesperson for the Ethiopian embassy in London told the BBC the 57 year old was in a stable condition after hospital treatment.
Speculation about his health began when he missed last weekend's African Union summit in Addis Ababa.
There were reports that Mr Meles was in hospital in Belgium, suffering from a stomach complaint.
The Ethiopian embassy spokesperson in London said the prime minister had been visited by high-level officials, but did not say where he was being treated.
Diplomatic sources in Brussels told AFP that the Ethiopian leader was in a hospital in the Belgian capital.
"He is in a critical state, his life is in danger," the agency was told by a diplomat who asked not to be named.
An Ethiopian government press conference about the rumours scheduled for Wednesday morning has been postponed until later this week.
Correspondents say it is believed Mr Meles's last public appearance was at the G20 talks in Mexico last month.
Mr Meles took power as the leader of a rebel movement which ousted the communist government of Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991.
He has won several elections since then, but his political opponents have accused him of using repression to retain power.

የሃይሌ ገብረስላሴ ግዝት በሸካ ሽማግሌዎች


ዝነኛው አትሌት ኃይሌ ገብረ ሥላሴ በግብርና ሚኒስቴር አማካይነት በሊዝ የተፈቀደለትን 1,500 ሔክታር መሬት ለመረከብ በደቡብ ክልል ሸካ ዞን በተገኘበት ወቅት፣ የአካባቢው ሽማግሌዎች በመሬቱ ላይ ያለውን ደን እንዳይጨፈጭፍ ገዘቱት፡፡

ኃይሌ የተሰጠው መሬት በክልሉ ዋና ከተማ ከሐዋሳ ከተማ 951 ኪሎ ሜትር ርቀት ላይ በምትገኘው ሸካ ዞን ማሻ ወረዳ የጶ ቀበሌ ውስጥ ነው፡፡ መሬቱ ሙሉ ለሙሉ ጥቅጥቅ ያለ የተፈጥሮ ደን ያለበት ሲሆን፣ የአካባቢው ሽማግሌዎች አትሌቱ ደኑን እንዳይጨፈጭፍ ገዝተውታል፡፡

ኃይሌ ይህንን መሬት በሔክታር 63 ብር ሒሳብ ለ45 ዓመት የሊዝ ዘመን ተረክቧል፡፡ አካባቢው መንገድ የሌለው በመሆኑ ኃይሌ 14 ኪሎ ሜትር መንገድ መገንባት ይጠበቅበታል፡፡ ‹‹ከመንገዱ በተጨማሪ ሁለት ወንዞች ስላሉ ድልድይም እገነባለሁ›› ሲል ኃይሌ ለሪፖርተር ገልጿል፡፡ ኃይሌ ለሪፖርተር እንደገለጸው፣ የቡና፣ የቅመማ ቅመም ልማቱና የመንገድ ግንባታው ከ100 ሚሊዮን ብር በላይ ይፈልጋል፡፡

በአካባቢው ውብ ተፈጥሮ እጅግ መደሰቱን ለሪፖርተር የገለጸው ኃይሌ፣ ደኑን እንዳይቆርጥ የአካባቢው ሽማግሌዎች እንደገዘቱት አስረድቷል፡፡ ቡና በተፈጥሮው የዛፍ ጥላ ስለሚወድ ደኑን እንደማይጨፈጭፍ ኃይሌ አስታውቆ፣ የአካባቢው ሕዝብ ፍላጎት ከሆነ ቦታውን በይዞታው ሥር በማድረግ እንዲሁ ሊዝ እየከፈለ እንደሚያቆየው አስረድቷል፡፡

በሕንፃ ግንባታ፣ በሆቴል፣ በአውቶሞቢል አስመጪነትና በተለያዩ የንግድ ሥራዎች የተሰማራው  አትሌት ኃይሌ ገብረ ሥላሴ፣ በእርሻ ሥራ የመሰማራት ህልም እንዳለው ሲገልጽ ቆይቷል፡፡ ይህንን ዕቅዱን ለማሳካት ለደቡብ ክልል መንግሥት ከዓመታት በፊት የቦታ ጥያቄ ቢያቀርብም እስከ ቅርብ ጊዜ ድረስ ተፈጻሚ ሳይሆን ቆይቷል፡፡ በአሁኑ ወቅት ግን የግብርና ሚኒስቴር 1,500 ሔክታር መሬት እንዲሰጠው በመወሰኑ ቦታውን የደቡብ ክልል መንግሥት አስረክቦታል፡፡

ወደ ውጭ የሚላኩ የግብርና ምርቶችን ማልማት ህልሙ እንደሆነ የተናገረው ኃይሌ፣ በቀጣይነት ሙሉ ትኩረቱን በእርሻ ልማት ላይ እንደሚያደርግ ገልጿል፡፡ በሸካ ዞን ጥቅጥቅ ደን ውስጥ መሬት መመራቱን በጥርጣሬ የሚመለከቱ አልጠፉም፡፡

ለሪፖርተር ሥጋታቸውን የሚገልጹት የአካባቢ ተቆርቋዎች እንደሚሉት፣ የሸካ ደን ጥቅጥቅና በውስጡ ብዙ ዓይነት ዕፅዋቶች ያሉት ነው፡፡ በዚህ አካባቢ የሚገኘው የደን ሀብት መነካት እንደሌለበት በአፅንኦት በመናገር ለአትሌቱ መሬቱ ሊሰጠው እንደማይገባ ይናገራሉ፡፡

የሸካ ነዋሪዎች ለዘመናት ደን ሲንከባከቡ የኖሩ መሆናቸው ይታወቃል፡፡ ማኅበረሰቡ ከደን ሀብቱ ማርና ቅመማ ቅመም በማምረት የሚተዳደር ሲሆን፣ ነዋሪዎች ለሕመማቸው ፈውስ የሚያገኙት በደን ውስጥ ካሉ ልዩ ልዩ ዕፅዋት ነው፡፡ የአካባቢው ነዋሪዎች ኃይሌ ደኑን ሳይነካ ልማቱን ቢያካሂድ እንደማይቃወሙ ታውቋል፡፡
http://www.ethiopianreporter.com

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Fears are growing for the health of Ethiopia's prime minister Meles Zenawi: The telegraph Reports

Fears are growing for the health of Ethiopia's longtime prime minister Meles Zenawi who is being treated in hospital in Belgium having failed to appear at the African Union summit his country was hosting this weekend.
Mr Zenawi is thought to be receiving treatment at the Saint Luc University Hospital in Brussels

All of Mr Zenawi's scheduled public appearances have been cancelled over the past few weeks. He was last seen at the G20 climate summit in Mexico on June 19, looking noticeably pale and thin.
Hailemariam Desalegn, Ethiopia's Deputy Prime Minister, confirmed that he was out of the country for health reasons.

BEWKETU SEYOUM Interview with poet SJ Fowler


Bewketu Seyoum is a young Ethiopian writer from Gojjam, southwest of Addis Ababa. He studied psychology at Addis Ababa University and published his first collection of poems, Nwari Alba Gojowoch (Unmanned Houses) in 2000, a year after graduating. Since then, he has published two further poetry collections and two novels, and has narrated short stories on CD. In 2008 he received the best young writer award of Ethiopia from the President. Some of his poetry has appeared in Modern Poetry in Translation (The Big Green Issue, 2008) and Callaloo (2011).
SJF: Your work encompasses spoken word and performance, and comedy. Do you think this fluency of style is important in contemporary poetry?
BS: In Ethiopian tradition the spoken word has been much more respected than the written word. Till recently poets didn't bother to put their verses on a paper. They would improvise in the presence of language- conscious audience who could in some extent participate in the composition. I believe some elements of this tradition is worth preserving.
SJF: You have often employed satire in your work to hold a mirror up to Ethiopian society. Do you think this is the responsibility of the poet, to be a voice of conscience?
I think satire doesn't fit well into my works. I am fond of melancholic humor. One evening I encountered a shabbily dressed guy rummaging through a garbage can in one of the streets of Addis. I came closer and asked "what are you up to man?" "I am only looking for some leftover for supper'' said the man sadly. Touched, I took out my wallet and offered him ten birr to buy bread. The guy took the money and made his way to the nearby shop. Soon, he returned with a candle and a match and went back to the garbage can to look for some leftover. This is a kind of stuff I like to include in my work.

Monday, July 16, 2012

World Championship Ethiopia's Muktar Edris won in 5000


(14-July) -- Ethiopia's Muktar Edris won the men's 5000m this evening on the penultimate day of the IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona, giving the East African nation a clean sweep of the gold medals in this discipline. Edris joins compatriot Buze Diriba, who won the women's 5000m on Wednesday, at the top of the podium.

"I dedicate my gold to the people of Ethiopia," Edris told the IAAF shortly after his victory. Running in the front through one and two kilometers, Edris seemed poised and in position to take the title.

Between the third and fourth kilometer (3000m was hit in 8:19.38), Edris regained the lead from Eritrea's Abrar Osman Adem. Fending off a number of competitors, the 18-year-old won in 13:38.95.

Edris said his idol is the great Haile Gebrselassie, someone he hopes to emulate as his career goes on.

"I am looking up to him. I spoke already sometimes to him," said Edris, talking with the IAAF. Gebrselassie was himself a IAAF World Junior Champion, winning the 1992 5000m and 10,000m titles in what were then championship record times. His mark in the 5000m that year (13:36.06) is just over two seconds faster than Edris's mark today.

A battle for second came down to the wire, as Adem and William Malel Sitonik of Kenya crossed the line at exactly the same time, 13:40.52. Adem was given the silver medal, while Sitonik got the bronze. If it wasn't for an injury to his leg, Sitonik may have finished higher on the podium, he said.

"Despite my injury on my leg I tried to give my all. I was expecting the gold medal but also I am happy right now I get the bronze medal," he told the IAAF.

Americans Kirubel Erassa and Kyle King finished within a second of one another in twelfth and thirteenth place, timing 14:19.28 and 14:19.97, respectively.

The semi-finals of the men's 800m saw a majority of the favorites advance. Nijel Amos, the world junior leader in the event, won his section for the second day in a row, as did Kenyans Timothy Kitum and Edwin Kiplagat Melly. Melly's time of 1:47.08 was the fastest on the day.

Not advancing was Qatar's Jamal Hairane, who had the fastest qualifying time in yesterday's preliminary heats. He finished fourth in his heat today. American Shaquille Walker also did not advance, running 1:51.43 for seventh in his section.

Tomorrow's (Sunday's) final should be very interesting, with Amos, who has a personal best of 1:43.11, and Kitum (1:43.94) squaring off for the first time of these championships. Throw in the consistent Melly and it should be a very fierce battle.

Tomorrow, the championships conclude with the finals of the women's 1500m, men's 800m and 3000m steeplechase.
http://www.runnersweb.com

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Yohannes Berhe faces ten charges after sexually exposing himself at Bathurst station


In the aftermath of an indecent act arrest, several Toronto women of Ethiopian descent say a man has masturbated in front of them on the TTC for many years.
Police made the arrest after an off-duty TTC employee saw a man exposing himself in front of a woman on the Bloor-Danforth subway line at 2 p.m. Friday.
Police praised the TTC worker for stopping the man, following him out of the train and calling police from the Bloor St. and Ossington Ave. area.
Toronto resident Hiwot Telaye said she was on a westbound subway with a few friends last year when a man holding a newspaper left a car on the same train and entered theirs.
“He made an eye contact but he’s a fellow Ethiopian so I wasn’t surprised,” Telaye said.
Then “we saw the hand motions behind the newspaper while his eyes were fixed on us,” she said, recalling the moment in disgust. “We were in all kinds of disbelief.”
Sgt. Ralph Brookes said police have previously received several calls about a man exposing himself on the Bloor-Danforth subway.
Eden Hagos first saw a man “touching himself” on the subway in 2003. She has since seen the man doing the same thing three more times on the subway. Every time, he held a newspaper around his waist.
“You feel violated,” she said.
The third time the man did this in front of her, Hagos said, she reported him to TTC authorities but was told they couldn’t do anything as he had already left the station.
Many of her girlfriends, mostly Ethiopian and Eritrean, have complained about the same experience, Hagos said.
Yohannes Berhe, 43, of Toronto has been charged. He appeared in Old City Hall court Saturday.
http://metronews.ca

Gebrselassie heads list of athletes missing from London

Ethiopia’s Mohammad Aman would be hoping to follow the foot steps of compatriot Gebrselassie when he takes the track in London. PHOTO: AFP

PARIS: 
Ethiopian running legend Haile Gebrselassie and reigning Olympic decathlon champion Bryan Clay headline a raft of athletes who will miss out on the London Games.
Gebrselassie, a two-time Olympic and four-time world 10,000m champion, failed to progress from an Ethiopian qualifying trial in Hengelo in May. To add to his woes, the 39-year-old had already also failed to post a qualifying time for the marathon in what would have been his fifth Olympics.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Court gives Eskinder 18 years, Andualem life


After a lengthy trial which took almost two years, the Third Criminal Bench of Federal High Court yesterday sentenced the prominent Ethiopian journalist and blogger, Eskinder Nega, to 18 years of rigorous imprisonment on charges of having illegal links to a terrorist group.

Similarly, the court handed down sentences ranging from eight years to life imprisonment to other 23 journalist and activists on the same count. All of the defendants were found guilty last month after being charged with establishing links with the US-based opposition group Ginbot 7, which was declared to be a terrorist organization by Parliament last year.
Opposition leader Andualem Arage (Unity for Democracy and Justice UDJ) was given a life sentence by the court while Berhanu Nega, Andargachew Tsige, Fasil Yenalem also received similar prison terms in absentia.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Ethiopia's next generation of runners to carry torch


ADDIS ABABA — Beneath the colourfully painted Olympic rings at Ethiopia's national stadium, running hopefuls circle the track, sweating and breathless, as coaches shout out "good job!" and "beautiful!"
For many of these runners, the London 2012 games will be their first time competing in the Olympics, as running veterans -- including legend Haile Gebrselassie -- pass the baton to Ethiopia's next generation of young, promising stars.
"The new generation is coming, and they are performing better, even (Gebrselassie) is saying he wants to see the new generation perform like him... everybody wants to see that," the head coach of Ethiopia's Olympic team, Yirma Berta, told AFP.
Two-time Olympic 10,000m champion and the godfather of Ethiopian long distance running, Gebrselassie, 39, failed to qualify for this year's Games.
At the forefront of Ethiopia's rising stars are 800m runners, Fantu Magiso Manedo, 20, and 18-year-old Mohammed Aman, a much-anticipated Olympic favourite.
Mohammed set the 800m men's record for Ethiopia last year when he came in first place in Rieti, Italy with a time of 1:43.
He said the fleet of young athletes heading to London are a promising bunch, not only because they train hard but because they have the support of strong coaches behind them.
Young runners are not only dominating middle-distance running but also the marathon team, which has an average age of 25 for men, and 24 for women.
The average age of male marathon runners from Kenya -- Ethiopia's strongest competitors in Africa -- is 29 for men and 30 for women.
"We are developing our team with youngsters so we can have an advantage with our athletes," said marathon coach Melaku Deresse.
Several well-established names qualified for the team this year, with Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba defending her 10,000m title.
Tirunesh, who also won first place in 5,000 in Beijing, qualified as a reserve for the 5,000 category this year.
Olympic champion Keninisa Bekele, 29, also the title holder for both the 5,000m 10,000m races, will compete in 5,000m, but only qualified as a reserve for the 10,000m race this year.
Despite suffering a three-year injury, his teammates have high hopes for him.
"He is a very strong athlete, as an Ethiopian and as an athlete I am very happy with his (recovery) and am very confident that he will perform in the Olympics," marathoner Aselefech Mergia said.
With his talent, and the strength of the entire 33-person team, she hopes Ethiopia will bring home at least three gold medals, though her teammate, marathon runner Dino Sefir, said he is hoping for six: "why not?" he queried.
"Every runner in Ethiopia has the desire to win and to make history. That is also my passion, to be a history-maker," he said.
Ethiopia is known for producing marathon champions, including Abebe Bikila, who famously won marathon gold in the 1960 Rome Olympics after completing the race barefoot.
The 2012 London Games is the first time Ethiopia will compete for 800 metre titles for both men and women, signalling a move toward middle-distance running among the country's athletes, traditionally known for producing long-distance champions.
"We have to focus on that, because it is not good to just focus on 5,000m, 10,000m and marathons," Yirma said. "Some of our middle distance runners are coming, they are good and they are trying you outshine the world," he added.
Dube Jillo, technical director for the Ethiopian Athletics Federation, said with more young runners entering professional athletics, it is natural that participation in shorter distances expands. He did not rule out moving into short-distance running racing in the future.
"For the upcoming Brazil Olympics, maybe we will try coming down to 400 metres and 200 metres, why not?" he said. "We are going to continue our job, we never sleep."
Mohammed said he focused on 800m running because he started setting records at a young age, even though he idolised long distance runners as a child.
"That is the history, but you have to change history," he said with a timid smile.
He now carries the hope of his nation to London 2012 where he said he is aiming for gold.
"I have to train hard to bring gold for me and my country," he said, sitting under an awning to escape Ethiopia's cold July rains.
"If you believe, if you run, if you try hard, put a little pressure, that's good, it makes me stronger."

Bloody fight between Ethiopian maids leaves one dead and the other close to death


DUBAI // A bloody fight between two maids with meat skewers and knives has left one woman dead and another clinging to life in hospital, police said yesterday.
Authorities do not know what caused the fight between the two women, who worked in the same household.

The two, Ethiopians in their early 20s, were found on the floor of their employer's laundry after police broke down a door that was locked from the inside.

Officers received a report of a fight in the Bur Dubai villa at about 11am yesterday, where 12 domestic helpers were employed.

"The two women were both lying in their blood when we broke in," said Brig Khalil Al Mansouri, head of Dubai Police CID.

"They were transferred to hospital but one of them died on the way, while the other was put in the intensive-care unit."

Police identified the dead woman as HSS, while the woman in hospital was FYA. They say HSS was stabbed with a meat skewer to several parts of her body, while FYA was stabbed with a knife.

Police said there was no history of fights between the two.

Other maids told police FYA was always behaving strangely.

"The other maids told us that she was a paranoid person who thought everyone was trying to oppress her," Brig Al Mansouri said.
http://www.thenational.ae

TEDxCLE - Dr. Yohannes Haile-Selassie - Searching for Our Ancestors in the Afar Desert of Ethiopia


       

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Ethiopian 16 years old Killed by SUV in St. Paul, Minnesota


A St. Paul man has been charged in the death of a 16-year-old St. Paul girl who died after she was hit and killed by a speeding SUV.
The Ramsey County Attorney's Office charged 50-year-old Carlos Viveros-Colorado Friday with one count of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the death of Clarisse Grime.
Authorities say the incident happened around 1 p.m. Thursday outside of Harding High School, where Grime was attending summer school.
According to authorities, Viveros-Colorado was allegedly driving a SUV at excessively high speeds on Third Street when he misjudged a turn and lost control of the vehicle.
The SUV went off of the road, hit a fire hydrant and mowed over a sign before hitting both Grime and her boyfriend, 17-year-old Eduardo Vazquez-Torres.
Grime died at the scene. Vazquez-Torres, also from St. Paul, was conscious and walking following the crash. He was taken to Regions Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Viveros-Colorado, who stopped following the crash, is currently in custody at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center.
According to the criminal complaint, Viveros-Colorado spoke to police through an interpreter. He told police his foot was stuck on the accelerator at the time of the incident. He said he has a health problem related to numbness in his legs.
He said the numbness usually lasts about 15 minutes, and he has to rub his legs to get them to work. He admitted it was dangerous for him to drive with his condition, but said he was hoping to make it home from work.
Officers at the scene were approached by Viveros-Colorado's sister, who said he is undocumented and in the United States illegally.
He will make his first court appearance on July 9. Click here to read the complaint.
Meanwhile Friday, family and friends gathered at the spot where Grime was hit. Jessica Vazquez, the aunt of Grime's boyfriend, said the Grime family could not afford to pay for a funeral and asked for donations to be made to the Clarisse Grime Memorial Fund at Wells Fargo Bank.
http://kstp.com

The Fight for Abeba Aregawi: Ethiopia VS Sweden


Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The newly emerged Ethiopian athlete, Abeba Aregawi, who won the 1,500 meter Diamond League in Rome last month and is one of the hopefuls for London 2012. has sparked controversy as the Swedish government filed a suit to the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) claiming Abeba has been granted Swedish citizenship and that she should not represent her homeland for the coming London Olympics.

Recently Abeba won the Diamond League followed by Genzebe Dibaba in Rome representing Ethiopia and is expected to secure gold in the London Olympics.

However, following her remarkable achievement in the Diamond League, the Swedish Government granted her the citizenship on June 8, 2012 after reviewing the application she submitted back in 2009.
The Swedish government, moreover, wrote a letter to IAAF saying that she would represent Sweden for the London Olympics.

Currently, Abeba is training alongside the national squad. The Ethiopian Athletics Federation (EAF) on its part wrote a letter to IAAF claiming it should disqualify the request made by the Swedish government.

EAF presented argumentative evidence that the Swedish government granted her the citizenship after three years since she had applied for and she had only resident permit till she won the Diamond league.

As she has also been traveling from country to country using Ethiopian passport she said that she is not happy for the citizenship granted by Swedish government that gave her the citizenship after her remarkable championship.

Source also told The Reporter that she still wants to run for her country in the future.

Abeba Aregawi was also in action on last night’s Diamond League in Paris, where she finished 3rd.

Source: The Reporter Ethiopia

Friday, July 6, 2012

Who Was Emperor Haile Selassie's Mother?


Politics, ethnicity and religion have always been interwoven in Ethiopia, which is why Haile Selassie never wanted to reveal the full identity of his mother.

"Who was Emperor Haile Selassie's mother?" is the title of this Amharic article. This is a controversial topic that many Ethiopians feel uncomfortable to talk about due to its political heaviness. The article discusses how the emperor and writers of his biography never revealed his mother's full name or her photograph in public during or after his reign, deliberately due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Why was it sensitive and why was the mother's identity hidden from the public unlike the emperor's father? Simple answer: Because her religious and ethnic identities would have been obstacles to Haile Selassie's ascent to power. In addition, the emperor's mother had no royal lineage, but his father Ras Makonnen was a general and governor himself whose parents, though they had mixed heritage, were descended from nobility, which helped the emperor claim the throne.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

የዓለም ደቻሳ አስከሬን አዲስ አበባ ገባ


-    የቀብር ሥርዓቷ ዛሬ በትውልድ ሥፍራዋ ይፈጸማል

በሊባኖስ ዋና ከተማ ቤይሩት የኢትዮጵያ ቆንስላ ጽሕፈት ደጃፍ አጠገብ በአሠሪዋ መሬት ለመሬት ስትጐተትና ስትደበደብ በማኅበራዊ ድረ ገጾች የታየችው፣ በኋላም አወዛጋቢ በሆነ ሁኔታ ራሷን አጠፋች የተባለችው የ33 ዓመቷ ኢትዮጵያዊት ዓለም ደቻሳ አስከሬን ትናንትና አዲስ አበባ ገባ፡፡

ሕይወቷ ካለፈ አራት ወራት ሊሞላ ቀናት ብቻ የቀሩት የዓለም ደቻሳን አስከሬን፣ ትናንትና ሰኔ 26 ቀን 2004 ዓ.ም. አባቷና ወንድሞቿ ከቦሌ ጉምሩክ የተረከቡ ሲሆን እንደተፋቱ የሚነገርለት የልጆቿ አባት ደግሞ ከአጥር ውጭ ሆኖ ሲጠብቅ ታይቷል፡፡

የሟች ዓለም ደቻሳ ታናሽ ወንድም አቶ ለታ ደቻሳ አስከሬኑን በተረከቡበት ወቅት “የኛን ሐዘን ያየ ወደ ዓረብ አገር ሄዶ ለመሥራት አይነሳሳም፡፡ ዓለም ለእናትና ለአባቷ ረዳት ነበረች፡፡ እዚሁ ያለንን ተካፍለን ብንኖር ይሻል ነበር፤” በማለት እንባ እየተናነቃቸው ተናግረዋል፡፡

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Ethiopian FA is aiming to boost the women's game


The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) has ruled that all Premier Division clubs should form a women's team in order to compete next season.
Ethiopia's national women's team, the Lucy, qualified for the African Championship in Equatorial Guinea earlier this month after beating Tanzania 3-1 on aggregate.
"We don't have an existing women's league at the moment but the national team is doing well right now," the EFF president Sahilu Gebre Mariam told BBC Sport.

"We have to find a way to develop the women's game and from next season the league will kick off."

Ethiopian Housemaid jailed one year for stealing $273,290.00 USD


Dubai: A housemaid was jailed for a year after she decided to hit the wheels of fortune quickly and illegally and robbed Dh1 million from her sponsor.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 30-year-old Ethiopian housemaid, K.W., of stealing Dh1 million while her sponsor was working out on the treadmill.
The accused had pleaded guilty alleging that she only carried out the heist after her compatriot friend promised to buy her a property in her homeland.
“The accused will be deported after serving her judgment,” said Presiding Judge Hamad Abdul Latif Abdul Jawad.

The defendant said she did not count the stolen money when she defended herself in court.
Prosecutors said K.W. stole the key of the safe from her sponsor’s purse while the latter was working out. Then she opened the safe and stole money and jewelry and absconded.
The judge also referred the sponsor’s civil lawsuit to the Dubai Civil Court.
An Emirati police corporal testified that an informant alerted them that the defendant was present in her residence. He said police arrested K.W. in front of her house.
K.W. admitted that her countryman friend, M.M., asked her to steal the money after he promised to buy her a house in Ethiopia.
Prosecution records quoted the defendant saying: “I hid the money and jewelry in a handbag and left. I jumped into a taxi and called M.M. He picked me up and we went to Al Rashidiya where I handed him the moneybag. Then he gave me Dh200,000. He gave me some jewelry before I went out of his car. The next day he met me again and asked me to return the Dh200,000 because he needed to travel to Ethiopia. He promised to buy for me a house. He gave me Dh3,000 for my personal expenses.”
The corporal claimed that K.W. admitted during questioning that she did not know how much she stole.
Prosecution records said a number of Ethiopian individuals were involved in the case but was not aware that the money was stolen.
Yesterday’s judgment remains subject to appeal within 15 days.