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Echoes of U.S. Racism in Israel

Published by Tadias January 30th, 2012 in Featured, News and Opinion. 0 Comments

No Blacks, No Jews: Racist property covenants like those reportedly used to keep Ethiopians out of homes in Israel were once commonly used to keep American blacks and Jews from owning property. (Photo: Getty Images)

The Jewish Daily Forward
By Leonard Fein

Issue of February 03, 2012

An easy case followed by a harder case: At the beginning January, Israel’s Channel 2 reported that it had encountered in the town of Kiryat Malachi what used to be called here in the United States a “restrictive covenant.” Such a covenant is a legal device that enables the seller (or renter) of real estate to forbid the sale or sublease of the property in question to persons of a designated race. You want make sure no African Americans (or Jews, for that matter) move in to your neighborhood? Get all your neighbors to sign a covenant that they won’t sell to African Americans — or, as in the Israeli case at hand, to Ethiopian Jews.

When the United States Supreme Court dealt with this matter in its American incarnation in 1948, in the case of Shelley v. Kraemer, it creatively decided that buyers and sellers could stipulate whatever they chose, but that agreements to exclude a racial group — in this instance, “people of the Negro or Mongoloid Race” — from real estate transactions were not enforceable in a court of law, were in fact unconstitutional under the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. (Twenty years later, the Fair Housing Act extended the protection to religion, sex and national origin.)

I well remember that in my own family, the prospective purchase of our modest first house in Baltimore was encumbered by a restrictive covenant, and it was only the then still recent Supreme Court decision that had rendered the covenant meaningless and enabled us, in conscience, to sign the requisite document.

So now we come back to the current Kiryat Malachi case. I presume that the agreement (which was kept secret by its signers) not to rent or sell to Ethiopian Jews is, as in the United States, unenforceable as a matter of law. (Although I’d be reassured to learn that officially.) So we are left merely with the vile bigotry of a number of people who surely should know better.

White House Honors 14 Trailblazers in American Diaspora Communities

Published by Tadias January 30th, 2012 in Featured and News. 1 Comment

Today the White House highlights fourteen community leaders in American Diaspora with roots in the Horn of Africa.

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published; Monday, January 30th, 2012

New York (TADIAS) – Today the White House is honoring 14 “Champions of Change” who are leaders in American Diaspora communities with roots in the Horn of Africa.

“These leaders are helping to build stronger neighborhoods in communities across the country, and are working to mobilize networks across borders to address global challenges, the White House said in a statement. “The Champions of Change program was created as a part of President Obama’s Winning the Future initiative. Each week, a different sector is highlighted and groups of Champions, ranging from educators to entrepreneurs to community leaders, are recognized for the work they are doing to serve and strengthen their communities.”

Among those highligeted include Nini Legesse, president of Wegene Ethiopian Foundation (WEF); Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, Founder and Executive Director of Akili Dada — a leadership incubator investing in high-achieving young African women from underprivileged backgrounds; and Nunu Kidane, from Eritrea, founder and Director of Priority Africa Network (PAN) — an organization that provides advocacy for Africans in the Bay Area and beyond.

“These men and women are American leaders we want to celebrate,” said Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough. “We commend the innovative practices, achievements and leadership these change makers bring not only to their communities around this country, but also to the development of and diplomacy with their countries of origin.”
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Watch this event live at 3:00 pm ET January 30th.

Watch:

JOIN THE LIVE CHAT

VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV

Nicholas Kristof: When Journalists Are Imprisoned

Published by Tadias January 30th, 2012 in News and Opinion. 1 Comment

The two Swedish journalists, Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson, are serving 11-year sentences in Ethiopia.

By NICHOLAS KRISTOF

I wondered a bit about the topic of my Sunday column. It’s in part about the way Ethiopia’s heightening repression has resulted in the imprisonment and abuse of journalists, including two Swedes who are now serving an 11-year prison sentence in awful conditions. My sense is that Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi thinks that imprisoning those Swedes will intimidate and silence the international press corps — and I want him to realize that he’s dead wrong. That’s also why I went after him by Twitter at Davos.

But I wonder: Does it seem parochial when we journalists focus on other journalists in trouble? There are so many Ethiopian villagers suffering death, disease, hunger, rape and repression of all kinds, and I highlight two Swedish journalists who happen to be in Ethiopian prisons? Is this just journalists using their public trust to look out for each other?

It’s a reasonable question, and here’s how I answer it. In countries like Ethiopia, there are no reliable institutions to look after human rights and create checks and balances. There isn’t a free election system, independent court system, opposite party structure or all the other mechanisms that keep a regime honest. So one of the few ways to provide accountability is through journalists, local and international. And when Meles or another dictator arrests these journalists or drives them into exile, the losers are all the citizens of the country. Journalists thus play a far more important role in a country like Ethiopia than in the U.S. or Europe, where we have many other institutions to provide accountability.

What are the lessons in Ethiopia? I’m not 100 percent sure. I don’t want to see foreign aid cut off, because it is saving lives. But I do think we need to be more careful that aid doesn’t buttress the regime and become a tool of repression, and I think we need to do more naming and shaming of Ethiopia. Read the column, and post your thoughts, please.

UPDATE: One of my Facebook followers started this petition online to free the Swedish journalists.
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Click here to share Your Comments. Nicholas Kristof addresses reader feedback and posts short takes from his travels at NYtimes.com.

Update: Journalists Sentenced 14 Years to Life on Controversial Terror Charges

Published by Tadias January 26th, 2012 in News. 0 Comments

Among those convicted and sentenced under Ethiopia’s controversial anti-terrorism laws include Elias Kifle, right, editor-in-chief of a U.S.-based opposition website Ethiopian Review. Elias was tried in absentia and sentenced to life imprisonment. Wubshet Taye, left, deputy editor-in-chief of the recently closed-down weekly Awramba Times, and Reeyot Alemu, center, a columnist of independent weekly Feteh, were sentenced to 14 years in prison. (Photo: CPJ)

Update: VOA interview with Ethiopian Review editor (audio)

By Associated Press

Updated: Thursday, January 26, 2012

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — An Ethiopian judge has sentenced a group of five journalists and politicians to prison sentences ranging from 14 years to life.

The five were arrested last year and charged last week under Ethiopia’s controversial anti-terrorism laws.

Judge Endeshaw Adane said Thursday that Ethiopia’s federal high court found Elias Kifle, editor-in-chief of a U.S.-based opposition website, guilty of terrorism. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. Kifle was tried in absentia.

The judge gave prison sentences of 14 years for Wubshet Taye, deputy editor-in-chief of the recently closed-down weekly Awramba Times, and Reeyot Alemu, a columnist of independent weekly Feteh. One opposition politician was sentenced to 17 years, and the other to 19 years.

Reeyot’s lawyer, Molla Zegeye, says his client will appeal.

The maximum sentence for terrorism under Ethiopia’s anti terrorism laws is capital punishment.

Obama’s Third State of the Union Address: Fanna Haile-Selassie Reports

Published by Tadias January 25th, 2012 in News. 0 Comments

President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Saul Loeb, Pool)

WSIL TV

By Fanna Haile-Selassie & Ben Jeffords

It’s President Barack Obama’s third official State of the Union speech, and a lot has changed since he campaigned on hope.

“Three years ago, he said he would like to see us not have red states and blue states, but have the United States. Unfortunately, I think it’s gone just the opposite way. We are more red and more blue than we’ve ever been,” says Larry Weatherford, an Obama sympathizer.

“It’s not just him. This is one of the great fallacies, everybody blames the president. It’s the Congress that does this stuff, he just signs it into law or whatever. He’s got to find a way to make them knuckleheads work with each other,” explains voter Randy Sherman.

Depending on who you talk to, that division in Congress is the fault of entrenched political parties, the leadership failures of President Obama, or even outside influence on Congress. But what seems to be the same, is the public’s doubt whether or not the political system can even be changed.

Click here to watch the video.

State Of The Union 2012: Obama Delivers Address (LIVE VIDEO & UPDATES)

Ethiopia Lifts Ban on 35 Athletes, including Kenenisa Bekele

Published by Tadias January 24th, 2012 in News. 0 Comments

Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba were among the athletes suspended from competition in a row over training. (Getty Images)

By Aaron Maasho | Reuters

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopia has lifted its suspension of 35 athletes, including double Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele, an athletics official said on Tuesday after imposing a ban last week in a row over a training camp.

The Ethiopian Athletics Federation imposed the measure on Thursday after Bekele, Olympic women’s 5,000 and 10,000 metres gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba and others failed to turn up for preparations ahead of major championships this year, including the London Olympics.

The body summoned over 200 athletes to a training camp two months ago.

“The Ethiopian Athletics Federation lifted the ban last night after a meeting took place between the body’s officials, athletes, and their representatives,” Federation spokesman Fikru Takele told Reuters.

Oklahoma-Ethiopia Connection Explored in New Documentary Film

Published by Tadias January 22nd, 2012 in Events, Featured and News. 0 Comments

“Point Four” will be screened in Washington, D.C. on January 29 and at Oklahoma State University on February 2 and 3. (Photo: Tilahun Yilma, a student at Alemaya University, uses equipment provided by Point Four project. This student went on to become a scientist at the University of California-Davis)

NewsOK
BY HEATHER WARLICK MOORE

Published: January 22, 2012

A new documentary film explains how the origins of the $350 million Ethiopian coffee industry are tied to Oklahoma State University, a former school president and a tragic plane crash.

In 1950, former Oklahoma State president Henry Bennett became an assistant secretary of state to head up President Truman’s international technical assistance program. Bennett planted the seeds for what would become a series of schools throughout Ethiopia.

Bennett died in a plane crash in 1951 in Iran while researching expansion of the program, which thrived after his death. Thousands of students learned ranching and agricultural techniques at the schools founded by Oklahoma State professors.

Ethiopian-American Mel Tewahade recently spent time in Stillwater, filming a documentary called “The Point Four.” The film is in three parts, the first of which is to be screened Feb. 2 and 3 at OSU. It tells the story of how these Oklahomans paved the path for monumental changes in Ethiopia’s economy and society.

Read more.
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Photos: ‘Point Four’ Highlights Rarely Seen Historical Images

Ethiopia Sends Elders to Help Release Abducted Tourists

Published by Tadias January 19th, 2012 in News. 0 Comments

An unidentified member of the tourist group that was attacked in Ethiopia, center, arrives back at the airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Wednesday. (By Elias Asmare, AP)

By Aaron Maasho
Reuters

January 19, 2012

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Authorities in Ethiopia’s northern Afar region have sent elders to try to secure the release of two German tourists and two Ethiopians kidnapped by gunmen and who the government believes are now inside Eritrea, officials said on Thursday.

The four were part of a group of 27 tourists attacked by gunmen at dawn Tuesday. Two other Germans, two Hungarians and an Austrian were killed in the raid.

Ethiopia has accused neighbor and arch-foe Eritrea of being behind the attack, saying it had trained and armed the gunmen. Ethiopia also blamed an Afar rebel movement it said was backed by Eritrea for kidnapping five Westerners in the region in 2007.

Read more.

Video: German tourists killed in Ethiopia (Euronews)

Watch: Five foreign tourists killed in Ethiopia (Euronews)

What Exactly Happened to ET 409?

Published by Tadias January 17th, 2012 in News. 0 Comments

A piece of wreckage is seen after an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed into the Mediterranean sea two years ago, on the shore at Khaldeh beach, south of Beirut. (Photograph by: Sharif Karim, Reuters)

Tadias Magazine
News Update

Updated: Wednesday, January 18, 2012

New York (TADIAS) – Two years after the tragic crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409, off the coast of Lebanon with 82 passengers and eight crew members on board, its cause remains an open debate.

Ethiopian Airlines yesterday issued a strongly worded press release rejecting the findings of a Lebanese investigation, which blamed the Ethiopian pilot for the crash.

The Lebanese report is “biased, lacking evidence, incomplete and did not present the full account of the accident,” Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said in a statement. “The report contained numerous factual inaccuracies, internal contradictions and hypothetical statements that are not supported by evidence.” He added: “The investigative authority denied the recovery of the wreckage and ignored crucial information such as security footage, autopsy and taxo-logical records, baggage screening X-ray records, terminal CCTV records, full CVR recovery and read out, victims’ bodies were buried without medical examination and also declined to provide a detailed profile of passengers.”

Lebanese Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi is quoted by the press as saying it was “clear” that “there were errors on the part of the pilot and co-pilot who are entirely responsible for the plane crash.”

The flight crashed moments after takeoff from Beirut heading to Addis Ababa in stormy weather in the early morning hours of January 25, 2010. The Lebanese Army had said at the time that the plane broke up in mid-air before plummeting into the sea. Witnesses have described it as crashing after exploding in a ball of flame.

The 90 passengers and crew that perished hail from nine countries: Ethiopia, Lebanon, Britain, Canada, Russia, France, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.

According to AFP news agency, the Lebanese report says the pilot and co-pilot had been working non-stop for 51 days and were exhausted.

Ethiopian airlines dismissed the report saying its crew was well-rested and it adhered to international standards on hours of work and rest.

“[Air traffic control] officers and other airlines pilots have witnessed a ball of fire on the aircraft in the air,” Desta Zeru, Vice-President of Flight Operations for Ethiopian Airlines, said in the statement.

“The aircraft disintegrated in the air due to explosion, which could have been caused by a shoot-down, sabotage or lightning strike,” he stated.

Ethiopian Airlines Refutes ET 409 Crash Report (Press Release)
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Related videos:

Video: Ethiopian Airlines Crashes into the Mediterranean (CBS – Jan 25, 2010)

Video: 90 perish in Ethiopian jetliner crash ( NTV Kenya – Jan 25, 2010)

Ethiopians Sweep Men’s and Women’s Marathon in Record Times in Houston

Published by Tadias January 17th, 2012 in News. 0 Comments

Tariku Jufar (above) won the men's marathon and Alemitu Abera was the victor in the women's race, while the men's half-marathon title went to Feyisa Lelisa and Belaynesh Oljira won the women's half marathon.

By Associated Press

HOUSTON — Ethiopian runners turned Houston into their own personal showcases on Sunday, sweeping the full and half marathons in record times.

Tariku Jufar won the men’s marathon in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 51 seconds, eclipsing the previous best time of 2:07.04 set last year by Ethiopia’s Bekana Daba. Jufar is the fourth straight men’s champion from the African nation, and the fourth straight runner to win in a record time.

The 27-year-old Jufar shaved almost two minutes off his previous personal best, less than three years after he was seriously injured in a car accident while training. He earned his first victory in a marathon last November, winning in Beirut, following a second-place finish in Istanbul in October.

“I’m very glad to run this course,” Jufar said through an interpreter. “I’m also comfortable with the weather, as well. I’m glad I could achieve what I achieved.”

Alemitu Abera won the women’s race in 2:23.14. The previous record was 2:23.53, set by Ethiopia’s Teyba Erkesso in 2010.

Standing with Ethiopia’s Tenacious Blogger, Eskinder Nega

Published by Tadias January 13th, 2012 in News and Opinion. 0 Comments

Journalist Eskinder Nega who has been jailed since September 14, 2011 in Ethiopia faces terrorism charges, and if convicted could face the death sentence. (Photo credit: Lennart Kjörling)

Source: CPJ

By Jason McLure/Guest blogger

(The author was Bloomberg News correspondent in Ethiopia from 2007 to 2010)

It would be hard to find a better symbol of media repression in Africa than Eskinder Nega. The veteran Ethiopian journalist and dissident blogger has been detained at least seven times by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s government over the past two decades, and was put back in jail on September 14, 2011, after he published a column calling for the government to respect freedom of speech and freedom of assembly and to end torture in prisons.

Eskinder now faces terrorism charges, and if convicted could face the death sentence. He’s not alone: Ethiopia currently has seven journalists behind bars. More journalists have fled Ethiopia over the past decade than any other country in the world, according to CPJ.

Eskinder could easily have joined them. In February 2011, he was briefly detained by federal police and warned to stop writing critical stories about Ethiopia’s authoritarian regime. The message was clear: it’s time to leave. Eskinder spent part of his childhood in the Washington D.C. area, and could have returned to the U.S.

He didn’t. Instead he continued to publish online columns demanding an end to corruption and political repression and calling for the security forces not to shoot unarmed demonstrators (as they did in 2005) in the event the Arab Spring spread to Ethiopia. That’s landed him back in jail–where he could remain for years in the event he avoids a death sentence.

Since then a group of journalists, authors and rights activists have organized a petition calling for the release of Eskinder and other journalists unjustly detained by Ethiopia’s government. Among the signatories are the heads of the U.S. National Press Club, the Open Society Foundations, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The petitioners also include Maziar Bahari, the Newsweek journalist jailed by the Iranian government for four months in 2009; three former BBC correspondents in Ethiopia; development economist William Easterly; the Christian Science Monitor’s Marshall Ingwerson and others.

The campaign also included a letter published in The New York Review of Books, contacts with the U.S. State Department, press releases, and media interviews. Still, making an impact is difficult. Eskinder was just one of 179 journalists jailed worldwide as of December 1, 2011, according to CPJ data. In addition, Ethiopia is viewed as a strategic partner for the West in combating terrorism and instability in East Africa, making Western governments less likely to press Zenawi on human rights abuses.

People have asked me why we should try to help someone who could have saved himself by fleeing the country. It’s a good question. I suspect that even if he were to be released tomorrow, Eskinder would stay in Ethiopia and continue writing and publishing online–at the risk of being thrown back in jail.

After all, this is a reporter whose wife, journalist Serkalem Fasil, gave birth while they were both in jail following the 2005 elections. When they were released in 2007, Serkalem and Eskinder were banned from reopening their newspapers. To survive, they rented their house in central Addis Ababa to a team of Chinese telecom workers and moved to a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of the city.

Like many good journalists, Eskinder is stubborn to a fault. Standing for free speech in Ethiopia can seem a Sisyphean task, but if Eskinder is principled enough to risk more years in jail – and possibly the death sentence – it’s our obligation to stand with him.
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Related:
Swedish Journalists Jailed in Ethiopia on Terror Charges to Seek Pardon

Africa Succumbs to Colonial-style Land Grab

Published by Tadias January 7th, 2012 in News. 0 Comments

It is being dubbed the second scramble for Africa: millions of acres of land are being snapped up by companies from Asia and the Middle East. (Photo: Indepth Africa Magazine)

Channel 4 News
By Jonathan Rugman
Foreign Affairs Correspondent

Saturday 07 January 2012

Nations like Ethiopia are desperate for the investment. But critics claim it’s at the expense of smallholder farmers – many of whom say they’re being thrown off their land to make way for the large multi-nationals.

Think of drought-stricken Ethiopia and you might not expect to see modern machinery owned by a foreign multinational, cultivating vast farms in one of the poorest countries in the world.

The goal here is simple: to double Ethiopia’s agricultural production and to make it self-sufficient. So that handouts from Britain, America and others are no longer required.

Dallas 2012: Fresh Start for ESFNA, Hopes to Reunite After Dispute

Published by Tadias December 22nd, 2011 in Featured, News and Reviews. 17 Comments

ESFNA has announced that the 2012 Ethiopian Soccer Tournament will be held in Dallas, Texas. (Photo: Chicago 2009 / Tadias File)

Tadias Magazine
By Jason Jett

Updated: Saturday, December 24, 2011

New York (TADIAS) – After near dissolution, the 28 year-old non-profit, Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA), recently held elections for new leadership. The organization was steeped in disputes for the past 15 months prior to the current resolution.

On December 11th a newly elected board announced that the organization’s annual summer soccer tournament and cultural festival would be held in Dallas, and noted that the upcoming guest of honor will be a sports figure from Ethiopia.

ESFNA’s executive board decision to rescind an invitation to former Ethiopian Judge and opposition leader, Birtukan Mideksa, in October 2010 initiated the disputes. Judge Mideksa had been chosen by the ESFNA board as a guest of honor for its July 2011 event, but internal strife ensued over whether the invitation was appropriate or not. The controversy escalated as resignations followed amid public criticism, including accusations of corruption and malfeasance. Ultimately an invitation was extended to Judge Mideksa and the tournament went on as scheduled in Atlanta albeit under a cloud of threats of boycott by several groups as well as calls for new elections.

“As most that follow ESFNA know, 2011 was a difficult year for the organization because of some decisions that it took or did not take during and following its annual October meeting in 2010 regarding a guest-of-honor selection,” read an official statement from the organization. “All in attendance knew this was a special meeting where all differences were going to be placed on the table and discussed so that the organization could identify mistakes it committed, learn from its mistakes and place safeguards not to repeat it. It was understood that after the discussion we will be united, and go forward even stronger than before.”

The tournament, and the ESFNA itself, was salvaged during a three-day meeting of the organization’s board in Northern Virginia. The board elected Getachew Tesfaye of the St. Michael football club in Maryland as the new president of ESFNA, and likewise installed a new treasurer and business manager.

“There have been questions about our political views,” Tesfaye said when the tournament-site selection was announced after months of delay. “This is a soccer federation. We do not discriminate based on political party, religion or tribe. If you serve the interests of Ethiopia, you are welcome to our tournament.”

Dallas was selected as the 2012 host over Seattle, Las Vegas and Denver, which also submitted bids to host the event. The new president told Tadias Magazine that Denver’s hosting proposal was nearly as persuasive as the one selected, but a down economy influenced the decision to return to Dallas a fourth time.

“We have not held a tournament in Denver yet, and did not want to take a chance amid the current financial situation,” he explained. “All tournaments held in Dallas have been well-attended by the Ethiopian community. Also it is central, and many teams and people can drive to Dallas. We took all that into consideration.”

Also in acknowledgement of the weak economy, the 2012 venue — a stadium in Addison, a suburb of Dallas — is significantly smaller than the 2011 site, the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Regarding the guest of honor, Tesfaye said two prominent sports figures are being considered and an announcement is expected early in the new year.

Yohannes Berhanu, the new Public Relations Officer of ESFNA, said there is hope that internal divisions are now laid to rest, and that the organization will be viewed as a sports and cultural entity moving forward.

“The ESFNA was never into politics,” he said, while acknowledging the appearance of influence by big money. “The problem is interest groups or sponsors give some tendencies that goes this way or that way — like the big donors, or when we rally against what happens in Ethiopia.”

“In Atlanta there was a tribute to people who had been massacred,” he said. “That was human rights, something any human would do. We were with the people, but not on any side. We are not political, we have to accommodate everyone.”

Addressing guest-of-honor selections, Berhanu added, ” It could be anybody who does something big, like donate $240,000 [Sheikh Al Amoudi, who has donated to ESFNA, was a 2002 tournament guest of honor] or Judge Birtukan Mideksa. We wanted to recognize her for standing up for herself.”

“We are all Ethiopians. We came here and started the federation with four teams, and now there are 29 teams. People with political ties want to bring their own identity and go forward with that. That has nothing to do with ESFNA.”

The sport federation was formed in 1984, and the first annual tournament was held that year in Houston. Berhanu likened the federation’s inclusiveness to that of community groups.

“When they started this thing, they never thought it was going to become this big,” Berhanu said. “But wherever Ethiopians are, they love the sport, culture and getting together.” He added: Like a church or a community organization, we open our doors to everybody. Everybody comes with their own agenda.”

Of the athletes, he noted some are former members of the Ethiopian national team and are well-known and highly regarded.

“They are known not only for what they do in the soccer field, but in bringing people’s spirits up,” he said. “They are like Haile Gebrselassie. The players do a lot for us. People feel homesick, and the players are getting them together and giving them sports. It keeps them going.”

“We should be all working for the same goal,” continued Berhanu. “We have a country that needs our help and a community which needs our support. Otherwise, we will not grow as quickly as other communities.”
—
Related:
The New York Abay Team: Soccer With an Empire State of Mind

Thousands of Ethiopian Migrants Stranded in Northern Yemen

Published by Tadias December 20th, 2011 in News. 0 Comments

Ethiopian young girls waiting to travel to Yemen in Bossaso, the commercial city of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland and the launching pad of the people trying to cross the Gulf of Aden to Yemen. (Photo: AP)

Voice of America
Lisa Schlein | Geneva

December 20, 2011

The International Organization for Migration says it is concerned and fearful about the fate of thousands of Ethiopian migrants stranded in deplorable conditions for many months in northern Yemen. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from IOM headquarters in Geneva the organization says it has run out of funds to repatriate the migrants.

For more than one year, the International Organization for Migration has been providing critical humanitarian assistance to thousands of Ethiopian migrants stranded in Yemen who want to return home.

The agency so far, has managed to repatriate more than 6,000 migrants. Thousands more are waiting to return, but the International Organization for Migration says, except for a lucky few, it cannot help them because it has run out of money.

IOM spokeswoman Jemini Pandya says thanks to some emergency funding from Saudi Arabia and Japan, the agency will be able to charter three planes to help another group of migrants return home to Ethiopia soon.

“We have had 1,000 migrants travel-ready for some time now, but until we received the stop-gap funding from Saudi Arabia and Japan, we have not been able to take them home,” she said. “In the next few days and weeks, we will be able to help most of them through these three charter flights. Among them are unaccompanied minors and medical cases. And, these medical cases include migrants who have suffered torture at the hands of smugglers, mainly through gunshot wounds or broken limbs.”

The International Organization for Migration is urgently appealing for $2.5 million to assist an additional 6,000 Ethiopian migrants to return home.

In the past year, nearly 18,300 Ethiopian migrants have been registered in the northern Yemeni town of Haradh on the border with Saudi Arabia. Many were returned by Saudi Arabia because of their illegal status.

Every year, tens of thousands of desperate Ethiopians make the perilous journey across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen. They head toward Saudi Arabia in hopes of finding jobs in the Middle East.

Pandya says the vast majority of migrants are living in open, unprotected spaces in the town center without access to food, water, sanitation, shelter, or the means to earn money. She says the instability in Yemen has further marginalized the migrants.

“They have been made even more vulnerable by allegations that they have been recruited by opposing factions to fight,” said Pandya. “Their exhausting ordeal, their exposure to the elements without adequate nutrition and sanitation and their exposure to violence means that many migrants are suffering from diseases and illnesses, from snake bites and are showing signs of mistreatment from smugglers and traffickers. And these include severe burns, broken limbs, gunshot wounds and other physical and sexual assaults.”

The International Organization for Migration reports at least 30 migrants in Haradh have died in the past month, although it believes that figure is probably higher. The agency says the situation is critical and will only get worse the longer the migrants remain stranded along the Yemeni-Saudi Arabian border.

The organization is repeating its call to donors for more money so it can get the Ethiopian migrants home as soon as possible.
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Source: VOANEWS.COM.

Dr. Bililign Visits White House, Receives Award

Published by Tadias December 15th, 2011 in News. 1 Comment

President Barack Obama greets Dr. Solomon Bililign (left) and other recipients of the 2010 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring in the Oval Office, Dec. 12, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Tadias Magazine
Events News

President Obama has honored nine individuals and eight organizations as recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. The mentors received their awards at a White House ceremony on Monday, December 12.

Administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring is awarded by the White House to individuals and organizations in recognition of the crucial role that mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students studying science and engineering–particularly those who belong to groups that are underrepresented in these fields. By offering their expertise and encouragement, mentors help prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers while ensuring that tomorrow’s innovators reflect and benefit from the diverse talent of the United States.

Colleagues, administrators and students in their home institutions nominate candidates for the award. The mentoring can involve students at any grade level from elementary through graduate school. In addition to being honored at the White House, recipients receive awards of $25,000 from NSF to advance their mentoring efforts.

The mentors and organizations announced yesterday represent the winners for 2010 and 2011.

“Through their commitment to education and innovation, these individuals and organizations are playing a crucial role in the development of our 21st century workforce,” President Obama said when he first announced the awardees. “Our nation owes them a debt of gratitude for helping ensure that America remains the global leader in science and engineering for years to come.”

The individuals and organizations receiving the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring are:

2010

Solomon Bililign, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, N.C.
Peggy Cebe, Tufts University, Mass.
Roy Clarke, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich.
Amelito Enriquez, Cañada College, Calif.
Karen Panetta, Tufts University, Mass.
ACE Mentor Program of America, Conn., represented by Charles Thornton
Ocean Discovery Institute, Calif.
Women’s Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Ill., represented by Teresa Woodruff

2011

Winston Anderson, Howard University, Washington, D.C.
Juan E. Gilbert, Clemson University, S.C.
Shaik Jeelani, Tuskegee University, Ala.
Andrew Tsin, University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas
Camp Reach, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Mass. represented by Chrysanthe Demetry
Diversity Programs in Engineering, Cornell University, N.Y. , represented by Sara Hernández
The Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute, Arizona State University, Ariz., represented by Carlos Castillo-Chavez
The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program, Stanford University, Calif., represented by Marilyn Winkleby
University of California San Francisco Science & Health Education Partnership High School Intern Program, Calif., represented by Rebecca Smith
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Source: NSF
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2011, its budget is about $6.9 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives over 45,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes over 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards over $400 million in professional and service contracts yearly.
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Related:
Obama Honors Physicist Solomon Bililign With Presidential Award

Ayana Tegegne Needs Liver Transplant : Fundraising – December 16

Published by Tadias December 15th, 2011 in News. 0 Comments

Ayana Tegegne, 23, needs a lifesaving liver transplant, but the costs are overwhelming. Volunteers are organizing a funraising to help pay for his medical expenses.

Tadias Magazine
Events News

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Washington, DC (TADIAS) – Ayana Tegegne desperately needs a liver transplant but faces significant medical expenses. The 23-year-old, who immigrated to the United States from Ethiopia earlier this year, was diagnosed with a life-threatening liver disease two months ago. Ayana, who has no health insurance, says a new liver is critical to his survival.

But even with health coverage, a liver transplant can cost up to $500,000 and the necessary follow-up care, including the lifelong anti-rejection medication, can be just as expensive. Because of his condition, Ayana is unable to work, contributing to the overwhelming financial strain. He is currently staying at Joseph’s House in Washington, D.C., where poor medical patients teetering on the edge between life and death receive free personal care.

Community members can help Ayana Tegegne by attending a happy hour and dinner at Merkamo Bistro in Springfield, VA on Friday December 16th. According to the event announcement, the restaurant will give a percentage of the night’s proceeds to Ayana’s fund.

You can also make contribution online at ethiocom.org.
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If you Go:
Fundraising – Save Ayana
Friday, December 16
Merkamo Ethiopian Bistro
7020 Commerce Street
Springfield, VA 22150
Phone: 703-639-0144

Watch:

Ethiopia: Boeing 787 Dreamliner Touches Down in Africa for First Time

Published by Tadias December 12th, 2011 in News. 0 Comments

Ethiopia and Kenya are part of the Africa stops for Boeing's six-month global tour highlighting its 787 Dreamliner.

PR Newswire

Dec. 11, 2011

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner touched down in Ethiopia’s capital today to kick off the Africa portion of Boeing’s 787 Dream Tour – a six-month worldwide tour featuring the Dreamliner. This is the first time the Dreamliner has visited the African continent.

The Dream Tour airplane will be in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia and home to Ethiopian Airlines, Dec. 11-14 before it travels to Nairobi, Kenya. During the four-day stop, Ethiopian Airlines executives and employees, government officials and other guests will have a chance to view the airplane, including the interior.

“Aviation throughout Africa continues to grow at a pace faster than the world average and it is airplanes like the game-changing 787, and airlines like Ethiopian Airlines, that will help spur that growth,” said Van Rex Gallard, vice president of Sales for Africa, Latin America & Caribbean, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 787 is the perfect airplane to carry Africa into the future of aviation due to its low operating costs, size and range. Boeing is very pleased to showcase this airplane to the customers who put their faith in Boeing and the cutting-edge technology of this airplane.”

The airplane, ZA003, was originally used for flight testing but has been elegantly refurbished to showcase the standard capabilities and features of the 787 including an interior that highlights the many passenger-preferred features of the airplane.

“Ethiopian Airlines will be the first airline in Africa to operate this great new flying machine,” said Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. “Ethiopian Airlines is very pleased to welcome the Dreamliner to Addis Ababa. Being able to see firsthand the many benefits the airplane promises to bring like the biggest windows in the industry, spacious cabin, LED-lighting, and other interior features was a great experience when the airplane arrived. Our valued passengers will also soon be able to see and experience the many benefits of this technological marvel.”

Made from composite materials, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is the first mid-size airplane capable of flying long-range routes and will allow airlines to open new, non-stop routes preferred by the traveling public. As a result of innovative technologies, the airplane offers unparalleled operating economics, fuel efficiency and passenger comfort. More than 800 787s are on order by more than 50 airlines, a testament to the airplane’s unique capabilities.
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Source: www.boeing.com

The Bronx Savors Its Second-Place Marathoner

Published by Tadias December 7th, 2011 in News. 0 Comments

Buzunesh Deba, an Ethiopian immigrant and Bronx resident, finished second among the elite women in the New York City Marathon [last month]. (David Gonzalez/The New York Times)

The New York Times

By DAVID GONZALEZ

Buzunesh Deba enjoyed the South Bronx on Friday at a lot more leisurely pace than the last time she was there. Granted, that was during the New York City Marathon, where she was on the way to a second-place finish among the elite women. This time, she was savoring the praise and love of students and fans at a luncheon in her honor at Hostos Community College.

Though she is originally from Ethiopia, she and Worku Beyi, her husband and trainer, now live in the Bronx, where they can practice at Van Cortlandt Park. The fact that she almost became the first New Yorker to win the marathon — she trailed the winner by only four seconds — was enough to inspire Julio Pabon, a local businessman and sports entrepreneur, to organize the party.

Watch: Homecoming Reception For New York Marathon Winners at Queen of Sheba Restaurant

Watch: Firehiwot Dado & Buzunesh Deba take the top-two spots at 2011 NYC Marathon

Ethiopia Lost US$11.7 Billion in Illegal Capital Flight

Published by Tadias December 7th, 2011 in News. 0 Comments

Illicit Financial Outflows from Ethiopia Nearly Doubled from 2000 through 2009 to US$3.26 Bln, Says New Global Financial Integrity Report.

The Wall Street Journal

By Christopher Matthews

Ethiopia lost $11.7 billion to outflows of ill-gotten gains between 2000 and 2009, according to a coming report by Global Financial Integrity.

That’s a lot of money to lose to corruption for a country that has a per-capita GDP of just $365. In 2009, illicit money leaving the country totaled $3.26 billion, double the amount in each of the two previous years. The capital flight is also disturbing because the country received $829 million in development aid in 2008.

According to GFI economist Sarah Freitas, who co-authored the report, corruption, kickbacks and bribery accounted for the vast majority of the increase in illicit outflows.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal.
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Related:
Illegal Ethiopian Capital Flight Skyrocketed In 2009 To US$3.26 Billion

Source: Global Financial Integrity

December 5, 2011

By Clark Gascoigne, +1 202-293-0740 ext.222

WASHINGTON, DC – Corruption, kickbacks and bribery are on the rise in Ethiopia, according to a forthcoming report from Global Financial Integrity, a Washington-based research and advocacy organization. According to the study, illicit financial flows out of the African nation nearly doubled to US$3.26 Billion in 2009 over the previous year, with corruption, kickbacks and bribery accounting for the vast majority of that increase.

GFI Economist Sarah Freitas, who co-authored the upcoming report with GFI Lead Economist Dev Kar, revealed the data in a blog post today on the website of the Task Force on Financial Integrity & Economic Development (financialtaskforce.org).

Ms. Freitas wrote: “An upcoming report by Global Financial Integrity finds that Ethiopia, which has a per-capita GDP of just US$365, lost US$11.7 billion to illicit financial outflows between 2000 and 2009. More worrying is that the study shows Ethiopia’s losses due to illicit capital flows are on the rise. In 2009, illicit money leaving the economy totaled US$3.26 billion, which is double the amount in each of the two previous years.”

The report, titled Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries over the Decade Ending 2009, shows that the vast majority of the rise in illicit financial flows is a result of increased corruption, kickbacks, and bribery while the remainder stems from trade mispricing.

Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries on earth. Plagued by famine, war, and political oppression, 38.9% of Ethiopians live in poverty, and life expectancy in 2009 was just 58 years. In 2008, Ethiopia received US$829 million in official development assistance, but this was swamped by the massive illicit outflows. The scope of Ethiopia’s capital flight is so severe that our conservative US$3.26 billion estimate greatly exceeds the US$2 billion value of Ethiopia’s total exports in 2009.

The full article can be read here.

Ethiopia is not the only country to be highlighted in the organization’s upcoming study. Indeed, in a similar blog post published last week, Ms. Freitas revealed that the report, titled Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries over the Decade Ending 2009, found that Syria had lost US$23.6 billion in illegal capital flight from 2000-2009. The report is the annual update to GFI’s previous studies measuring the illicit financial flows out of 160 different developing nations. This will be the first of GFI’s studies to include data for the year 2009.
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Global Financial Integrity (GFI) is a Washington, DC-based research and advocacy organization which promotes transparency in the international financial system.

For additional information please visit www.gfintegrity.org.

Former President Bush: America Cannot Retreat in Fight Against AIDS

Published by Tadias December 4th, 2011 in News. 0 Comments

President Bush in Ethiopia listens to an HIV positive mother explain how she has learned to keep her baby HIV free. (Photo: VOA - P. Heinlein)

Voice of America

Peter Heinlein | Addis Ababa

December 04, 2011

Former U.S. president George W. Bush is urging Americans to do more during the current time of economic hardship to alleviate suffering in the developing world. Mr. Bush’s comments came during his keynote address to an international conference on AIDS in Africa.

The former U.S. president spoke to an audience of mostly African scientists, health professionals and AIDS activists. But he addressed his most pointed remarks to U.S. lawmakers and taxpayers.

He drew enthusiastic applause when he said this is not the time to cut back funding for the battle against sexually-transmitted diseases. “During lean budget times, the United States and the developing world must set priorities, and there is no greater priority than saving human life,” he said.

Mr. Bush was showered with gifts and honors during his one day visit to Ethiopia for his leadership in creating PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief. The 10-year, $39 billion program is considered the largest ever initiative dedicated to fighting a disease.

At a time when many people in the United States are urging cuts in government programs to control federal spending, the former president cautioned that reducing successful humanitarian programs could diminish America’s standing in the world.

“I know that during moments of economic hardship, there can be a temptation for Americans to disengage from the world. But we cannot retreat. We cannot afford to falter when we’re needed most. Isolationism is always short sighted. It’s always a mistake. It can lead always lead to greater hardship and despair,” he said.

Mr. Bush warned that an American withdrawal from its leadership role in the fight against human suffering would leave a void that could be filled by extremists. “Suffering from abroad can be the distant thunder of a storm gathering against us all. Americans and Africans face a common enemy in the despair of disease. It is hopelessness that aids extremists, so we aim to provide hope and compassion by standing with others as they stand against human suffering,” he said.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi presented Mr. Bush with his government’s Outstanding Leadership award for PEPFAR’s contribution to improving health.

About 3,000 delegates attended the opening session of what is to be a five-day continental conference. Organizers say they expect double that number to attend.
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Read more news at VOANEWS.com.
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Related:
Africa AIDS Conference Opens in Ethiopia (VOA)

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