Addis Ababa, November 17, 2006 (WIC) - Preliminary works are underway to launch four road projects in Somali and Gambella states with 1.5 billion birr this budget year,the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) disclosed.
Authority Public Relations and Information Main Section Head, Samson Wondimu,told WIC today that the roads to be constructed include 220kms Degahabur-Kebridahar,105kms Kebridahar-Shilabo and 165kms Gode-Kebridahar roads in Somali State and 120kms Adura-Berbe-Akobo roads in Gambella State.
The road projects to be executed in the Somali State include asphalting of damaged gravel roads,while the roads to be built in Gambella are new gravel roads in areas with no road facilities, according to the head.
Samson further added that the Authority has purchased various construction machineries at a cost of 613 million birr to efficiently carry out the work and finalize the projects according to the timetable.
The construction of the roads would improve the social and economic benefits of the community, Samson said, adding that they would also significantly contribute toward harnessing natural resources in the regions and boost the overall economic growth of the country.
The fund for the execution of the roads and procurement of the machineries has been earmarked by the government, the head concluded.
Source: Walta Information Center
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Ethiopian coup plot defendants claim mistreatment (AFP)
KALITI, Ethiopia -- Two defendants in the trial of Ethiopian opposition figures accused of plotting a coup after disputed elections last year complained Monday of mistreatment in custody.
The pair, aid workers Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie, said that they were neither "physically nor psychologically" prepared to go on with the trial because of the conditions that they are being held in.
Speaking for the two, Bekele told a court in Kaliti, Ethiopia, just south of Addis Ababa that they had been separated from the rest of the defendants Friday and that he was placed in a shipping container before being moved to an overcrowded cell.
"Because of all that, I'm psychologically tormented," he said. "I can hardly sleep and I'm not ready for the cross-examination of the witnesses. We request to the court to return to the place where we were before Friday."
"We are not physically, nor psychologically ready," Bekele said. "We have the right to a fair trial. Defendants have to be treated fairly and shouldn't be exposed to adverse measures."
"We are appealing to the court to observe our rights," added Demissie.
Judge Adil Ahmed then asked prosecutors to ensure that the pair are put back in conditions similar to those that they were being held in before and adjourned the trial, which is hearing from prosecution witnesses, until Thursday.
Bekele and Demissie are among 111 defendants, including nearly all of the leadership of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), being tried on various charges, including treason, genocide, and conspiracy.
The case has drawn deep concern from donors and criticism from rights groups that maintain that the government is trying to stifle dissent in the wake of unrest following the May 2005 election that the CUD claims was rigged.
Opposition protests against alleged massive electoral fraud erupted into two explosions of violence in Addis Ababa and other cities in June and November last year in which 193 civilians and six police were killed.
Authorities say that the CUD was attempting to overthrow the government through nationwide protests and prosecutors have presented documents and witnesses that they say corroborate a coup plot.
The defendants adamantly deny the charges but most have refused to enter pleas, claiming that the trial is a political tool to destroy the opposition.
Source: Middle East Times
The pair, aid workers Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie, said that they were neither "physically nor psychologically" prepared to go on with the trial because of the conditions that they are being held in.
Speaking for the two, Bekele told a court in Kaliti, Ethiopia, just south of Addis Ababa that they had been separated from the rest of the defendants Friday and that he was placed in a shipping container before being moved to an overcrowded cell.
"Because of all that, I'm psychologically tormented," he said. "I can hardly sleep and I'm not ready for the cross-examination of the witnesses. We request to the court to return to the place where we were before Friday."
"We are not physically, nor psychologically ready," Bekele said. "We have the right to a fair trial. Defendants have to be treated fairly and shouldn't be exposed to adverse measures."
"We are appealing to the court to observe our rights," added Demissie.
Judge Adil Ahmed then asked prosecutors to ensure that the pair are put back in conditions similar to those that they were being held in before and adjourned the trial, which is hearing from prosecution witnesses, until Thursday.
Bekele and Demissie are among 111 defendants, including nearly all of the leadership of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), being tried on various charges, including treason, genocide, and conspiracy.
The case has drawn deep concern from donors and criticism from rights groups that maintain that the government is trying to stifle dissent in the wake of unrest following the May 2005 election that the CUD claims was rigged.
Opposition protests against alleged massive electoral fraud erupted into two explosions of violence in Addis Ababa and other cities in June and November last year in which 193 civilians and six police were killed.
Authorities say that the CUD was attempting to overthrow the government through nationwide protests and prosecutors have presented documents and witnesses that they say corroborate a coup plot.
The defendants adamantly deny the charges but most have refused to enter pleas, claiming that the trial is a political tool to destroy the opposition.
Source: Middle East Times
Father jailed for the genital mutilation of his daughter
A man has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for the genital mutilation of his two-year-old daughter, in what is said to be first such case in the US.
Khalid Adem, an Ethiopian immigrant, was found guilty of aggravated battery and cruelty to children by the court in the state of Georgia.
Prosecutors said he used scissors to remove his daughter’s clitoris in 2001. A US women’s rights group described the verdict as a victory against female genital mutilation worldwide.
Girl’s testimony
Adem, 30, wept loudly as the jury’s verdict was read in the town of Lawrenceville.
During the trial, he denied the charges and said he found the practice to be reprehensible.
The girl, who is now seven, had testified on videotape that her father “cut me on my private part”.
The daughter’s mother had said she did not discover that the child was mutilated until nearly two years later.
“This was a violation of her rights as a child, her rights as a woman, and most of all her rights as a human being, she will never be the same,” Fortunate Adem said in the courtroom, according to a tape recording broadcast by local radio station WSB.
Equality Now, a US women’s rights group, said it was the first recorded case of female genital mutilation in the country.
A recent report by the World Health Organization condemned genital mutilation, saying it caused infection, appalling pain and serious long-term injury.
The practice is part of tradition in a number of African countries.
Some communities there believe it helps to preserve a girl’s honour.
Source: l'express
Khalid Adem, an Ethiopian immigrant, was found guilty of aggravated battery and cruelty to children by the court in the state of Georgia.
Prosecutors said he used scissors to remove his daughter’s clitoris in 2001. A US women’s rights group described the verdict as a victory against female genital mutilation worldwide.
Girl’s testimony
Adem, 30, wept loudly as the jury’s verdict was read in the town of Lawrenceville.
During the trial, he denied the charges and said he found the practice to be reprehensible.
The girl, who is now seven, had testified on videotape that her father “cut me on my private part”.
The daughter’s mother had said she did not discover that the child was mutilated until nearly two years later.
“This was a violation of her rights as a child, her rights as a woman, and most of all her rights as a human being, she will never be the same,” Fortunate Adem said in the courtroom, according to a tape recording broadcast by local radio station WSB.
Equality Now, a US women’s rights group, said it was the first recorded case of female genital mutilation in the country.
A recent report by the World Health Organization condemned genital mutilation, saying it caused infection, appalling pain and serious long-term injury.
The practice is part of tradition in a number of African countries.
Some communities there believe it helps to preserve a girl’s honour.
Source: l'express
Chinese volunteer team arrives (Walta)
Addis Ababa, November 02, 2006 - China has sent a 50-member volunteers’ team to Ethiopia to render a one-year service. The team arrived here at Bole International Airport yesterday.
Capacity Building Ministry Public Relations Acting Head Yilma Tibebu said that the volunteers would serve at various ministries and offices.
The volunteers came here in fulfilment of the Chinese government pledge to provide capacity building assistance to Ethiopia, he added.
Yilma also noted that the Chinese volunteers are believed to have made significant contribution in the capacity building sector.
The volunteers would be assigned to seven Federal Ministries, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples State and the Information Communication Technology Development Agency, he said.
The volunteers are trained in Information Communication Technology (ICT), agriculture, pedagogy, mines and other fields.
(ENA)
Capacity Building Ministry Public Relations Acting Head Yilma Tibebu said that the volunteers would serve at various ministries and offices.
The volunteers came here in fulfilment of the Chinese government pledge to provide capacity building assistance to Ethiopia, he added.
Yilma also noted that the Chinese volunteers are believed to have made significant contribution in the capacity building sector.
The volunteers would be assigned to seven Federal Ministries, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples State and the Information Communication Technology Development Agency, he said.
The volunteers are trained in Information Communication Technology (ICT), agriculture, pedagogy, mines and other fields.
(ENA)
NEBE calls on CUD to hold general assembly, election
Addis Ababa, November 03, 2006 (WIC) - The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) urged the leadership of Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) split into two to urgently hold a general assembly and submit the list of its elected leaders and members of the assembly.
Office Deputy Executive of NEBE,Tesfaye Mengesha, told WIC today that though the provisional coordinating committee of the party was told to call a general assembly and notify the Board its elected leaders before eight months,it has failed to do so as the leadership have been blaming one another.
According to him,chairman of CUD’s provisional coordinating committee,Temesgen Zewde, and his deputy Ayele Chameso have been suspended each other from the party and added that NEBE has not accepted the plea of both as they have no mandate to suspend each another but temporarily coordinate the party.
Tesfaye said though the deputy chairman Ayele Chameso recently called a general assembly which elected permanent leaders, four of the elected members, in a letter they wrote to the Board, have rejected the election claiming that it was conducted in their absence and that the assembly was illegal.
Therefore, NEBE will not accept the separate activities of the two bodies because the mandate of the 22 member of the provisional coordinating committee of the party and the six leaders is to call a general assembly and organize the various bodies of the party,according to the statute of the CUD.
He finally underlined that any decision made in the name of the party would not be acceptable unless agreed upon by the 22 committee members, including the chairperson and his deputy.
Source: Walta Information
Office Deputy Executive of NEBE,Tesfaye Mengesha, told WIC today that though the provisional coordinating committee of the party was told to call a general assembly and notify the Board its elected leaders before eight months,it has failed to do so as the leadership have been blaming one another.
According to him,chairman of CUD’s provisional coordinating committee,Temesgen Zewde, and his deputy Ayele Chameso have been suspended each other from the party and added that NEBE has not accepted the plea of both as they have no mandate to suspend each another but temporarily coordinate the party.
Tesfaye said though the deputy chairman Ayele Chameso recently called a general assembly which elected permanent leaders, four of the elected members, in a letter they wrote to the Board, have rejected the election claiming that it was conducted in their absence and that the assembly was illegal.
Therefore, NEBE will not accept the separate activities of the two bodies because the mandate of the 22 member of the provisional coordinating committee of the party and the six leaders is to call a general assembly and organize the various bodies of the party,according to the statute of the CUD.
He finally underlined that any decision made in the name of the party would not be acceptable unless agreed upon by the 22 committee members, including the chairperson and his deputy.
Source: Walta Information
Israel to train Ethiopian medical doctors, nurses (Walta)
Addis Ababa, October 24, 2006 - Israel is to train Ethiopian medical doctors and nurses on treatment of AIDS patients as per the emergency plan initiated by US President George W. Bush, ynetnews.com reported.
In Ethiopia, out of the four million people living with the virus, only about 10 thousand of them receive treatment for the virus, it said.
As part of an emergency plan initiated by President Bush, 100 million US dollars would be transferred to Ethiopia annually for the purchase of medicines, it added.
A major problem was that Ethiopia has shortage of medical doctors who are knowledgeable about the drugs and how to treat HIV patients, it said. Israel decided to give a hand in the struggle against the deadly epidemic in training Ethiopian medical doctors on the subject.
The report said the first envoy of 11 Ethiopian medical doctors arrived in Israel this week from Addis Ababa. They were expected to undergo training in the AIDS clinics at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, and the Central Virology Laboratory at the Sheba Medical Centre in Tel-Hashomer.
(ENA)
Rare bird sighted in Ethiopia for first time since 1970s (BBC)
Bird charities are ecstatic after identifying the winter home of the northern bald ibis, a critically endangered species.
Three birds have now been followed by satellite tags from their summer grounds in Syria to Ethiopia.
Britain's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) describes the find as a "major breakthrough". It says the ibis is the rarest bird in the Middle East; exact numbers are unknown but could be under 1,000. Read more..
Three birds have now been followed by satellite tags from their summer grounds in Syria to Ethiopia.
Britain's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) describes the find as a "major breakthrough". It says the ibis is the rarest bird in the Middle East; exact numbers are unknown but could be under 1,000. Read more..
Scores killed as fundametalists set church on fire (EthioMedia)
JIMMA, Southern Ethiopia - An unknown number of people have been killed and others wounded when a group of Islamic fundamentalists set a church on fire, and butchered the faithful to death with matchetes and knives, according to email messages that reached Ethiomedia on Sunday. Following are the messages that earnestly call on leaders of the two great religions (Islam and Christianity) to resolve the crisis immediately before the situation gets out of hand, and wreaks further havoc on communities that have lived harmoniously for generations. Read more..
Nation secures 1 bln. USD from Agricultural exports (Walta)
October 17, 2006 - The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said Ethiopia has managed to get 1 billion USD from export of agricultural products.
Speaking on the celebration of World Food Day and FAO’s 60th year anniversary held in Awash Fentale woreda Sunday, State Minister Ahmed Nasser said Ethiopia has secured the stated sum in export revenue owing to the sound policies and strategies the government pursues.
Ahmed said efforts would also be strengthened in developing the sector carried out by investors, farmers and the government to further enhance qualities of agricultural exports.
He said the celebration entitled by “Investing Agriculture for Food Security” would go in line with policies and strategies of the country and support the development activities carried out in the sector. Read more..
Speaking on the celebration of World Food Day and FAO’s 60th year anniversary held in Awash Fentale woreda Sunday, State Minister Ahmed Nasser said Ethiopia has secured the stated sum in export revenue owing to the sound policies and strategies the government pursues.
Ahmed said efforts would also be strengthened in developing the sector carried out by investors, farmers and the government to further enhance qualities of agricultural exports.
He said the celebration entitled by “Investing Agriculture for Food Security” would go in line with policies and strategies of the country and support the development activities carried out in the sector. Read more..
Ethiopia to install telescope centre (Walta)
Addis Ababa, October 16, 2006 - The Ethiopian Space Society announced plans to establish a telescope centre that would link Ethiopia with other international space centres.
The society also said it would begin providing information on events taking place in the space for its members in Addis Ababa and some other places.
Tolu Biresa, Manager of the Society told ENA that the telescope centre, due to be established on Entoto Mountain, would conduct various research and studies in the Space Society and exchange research findings from similar centres in other countries. Read more..
The society also said it would begin providing information on events taking place in the space for its members in Addis Ababa and some other places.
Tolu Biresa, Manager of the Society told ENA that the telescope centre, due to be established on Entoto Mountain, would conduct various research and studies in the Space Society and exchange research findings from similar centres in other countries. Read more..
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