Why 'Never Again' Is Not Enough

Hotel Rwanda was based on former Rwandan hotelier Paul Rusesabagina

"I feel bitter because the international community and mankind as a whole - we see, we look and we never learn from the past in order to plan for a better future for the next generation," he told the BBC's World Today programme.

He says what is happening in Darfur is exactly what happened in Rwanda in the years running up the 100-day massacre of some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

More on BBC NEWS

Meanwhile... The brain drain is costing poor nations millions as they continue to lose their most skilled and experienced healthcare professionals to developed nations.

STATS: Poor nations spend $500 million a year training health workers, according to a report presented at a two-day meeting to discuss the impact of the migration of Africans.

More on TimesDispatch.com

Is the US Embassy facing heat for human right abuses in Ethiopia?

The online petition states:
We the undersigned, request that the State Department of the United States investigate and take action against human rights abuses at the US embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Continue to READ the full petition.

Amazing Hominid Haul in Ethiopia

Fossil hunters working in Ethiopia have unearthed the remains of at least nine primitive hominids that are between 4.5 million and 4.3 million years old.

More on BBC NEWS



photo courtesy http://news.bbc.co.uk

A Marshall Plan for Africa

So British finance minister Gordon Brown tour of Africa last week was something of an epiphany. After years preaching Third World aid and co-ordinated debt forgiveness, he had never set foot on the continent he now seeks to save.

Last week he met the young and the dying, putting a face to the political ideals he has been developing for years. His tour highlighted twin tragedies: Africa is getting poorer by the day and his plan will not help.

Brown arrived in Kenya last Tuesday with the wind of public opinion behind his mission: to use Britain’s presidency of the G8 to persuade nations to double development aid to $100bn and transform Africa.

Good intentions, but what good is it to dump money into Africa's lap when "democratically elected" leaders are corrupt and don't have an interest in the people?

The Chancellor, a CAP critic - should have known that his time would be better spent in Brussels, lobbying to abolish the CAP.

More on the Scotsman.com

Earth Shattering Find in Ethiopia

Ethiopia sits on a boundary where a tectonic plate is being split into two and over several million years a new ocean basin is forming. The movement of plates on the Earth's surface alone does not provide enough force to cause the rift seen in Ethiopia.

More on www.innovations-report.de

Ethiopia, Djibouti Integrate Power Networks

The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) and Electricité de Djibouti (EdD) are to start their joint "Multinational Power Interconnection Project" in January 2005. The full power integration between the two neighbours is expected to be finalized by mid-2009.

As part of this project, authorities expect a large increase in electricity access in Ethiopia - from 13 percent in 2003 to 20 percent by 2012 - and in Djibouti - from 49.5 percent in 2003 to 60 percent by 2015. Power is expected to be provided at more affordable prices in the entire region as a result of the project, thus contributing to improve electricity access.

More on www.afrol.com

Expedition Heading to the Erta Ale Volcano

A Canadian expedition team along with a team of Swiss volcanologists is planning a trip to the remote Erta Ale volcano. Erta Ale is a very remote and rarely visited shield volcano. It is Ethiopia's most active volcano and it has been in a state of continuous eruption since 1967.

lcano

photo courtesty: www.stormchaser.ca

More on Storm Chaser
Check out the volcanic activities along the Red Sea

New Fed Laws Lead to Arrest of Ethiopian Torture Suspect

Federal agents in Atlanta on Tuesday arrested a prominent Ethiopian human rights abuse suspect and put him in deportation proceedings, for the first time using legal powers granted under a newly-signed intelligence reform law.

The new law broadened the arrest powers of the immigration service, adding that evidence that a foreign national tortured or killed someone for political reasons is grounds for deportation.

Wow!

More on www.miami.com

Concert to Celebrate Bob Marley's 60th Birthday

Bob Marley's 60th birthday will be celebrated with a month-long programme of events in Addis Ababa's Meskel Square in February.

"Brother Bob sang music gonna teach them a lesson'," commented Rita Marley, the singer's widow and president of "Africa Unite".

"We plan to teach the world about the power of love, unity and hope through this proud celebration."

Ethiopia was chosen as the venue because it was the home of the late Emperor Haile Selassie, the spiritual leader of the Rastafarian faith to which Marley subscribed.

Partners in "Africa Unite" include UNICEF, the World Bank and the Africa Union, an umbrella organization of 53 states. The itinerary was unveiled by the Bob Marley Foundation and the Rita Marley Foundation, the two charitable organizations dedicated to furthering the singer's legacy. READ what's coming up...

Will Bob Marley's remains be exhumed and reburied in Ethiopia?



provided by VideoCodes4U.com

Bob Marley - Get Up Stand Up

Tsunami Donations Surpass Those for the 1984 Famine in Ethiopia

Charitable donations to aid victims of the Asian tsunami disaster have surpassed those prompted by the Ethiopian famine in 1984, Oxfam Ireland claimed yesterday.

More on the story
DONATE to oxfam.org

What About Somalia?
Over 54,000 people are reported to have been displaced and hundreds of people are known to have died while numerous others are not accounted for. The impact of the tsunamis in some inaccessible areas in central and northeastern parts of Somalia is yet to be fully determined.

It is sad to note that perhaps as a result of the continuing chaotic political situation in Somalia (despite recent hopeful steps in the right direction), there is hardly any discernible move by the international community to come to Somalia’s aid at this important moment of its need.

Finally, the Center calls upon all people of conscience throughout the world to come to Somalia’s aid recognizing that it has also suffered the ill-effects of the devastating tsunamis. Funds and other resources needed by Somalia should be channeled through aid agencies and organizations such as the United Nations.
-- The Horn of Africa Peace and Development Center

Is U2, Coldplay and Darkness Planning a Tsunami Benefit?
FIND out

Other Stories:

Ethiopia Urged Not to Harass Journalists
Reporters Without Borders Tuesday condemned the continuing judicial harassment of an independent publication in Ethiopia.
More on washingtontimes.com.

UPDATE: Wosonseged Gebrekidan, former managing editor of "Ethiop", was finally released on the evening of 31 December 2004 after the bail was paid with the help of the Ethiopia Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA) and international NGOs. "Ethiop" is both a daily newspaper and a magazine.
More on allAfrica.com

Ethiopians Remember Alem Techale, a 'Gifted' Athlete
She dies while training...
More on cnn.com



photo courtesy iaff.org

Grand Demonstration to Extend from Addis to Toronto

The grand demonstration extends from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sunday January 2, 2005 at Meskel Square and will go on in some Canadian and American cities, including Washington D.C, and Toronto, other than the greatly expected Los Angeles city concurrent with the Addis Ababa March. The committee urges all Ethiopians in Los Angeles, Washington D.C and Toronto to actively participate in the demonstration and show their concern and confirm that they will not simply sit and see when their beloved country is adversely affected.

It is to be recalled that PM Meles Zenawi's government has reconsidered its objections of the decision of the Hague on Ethio-Eritrea border and called for negotiation that is likely to give up its claim on Badme. It also promised to award the Sudan with a chunk of land cut from the Ethiopian side of Humara at the north West Ethio-Sudan border.

CHECK out the story on ethiomedia.com.

Here's the deal... On January 2, more than 100,000 protesters demonstrated in Addis Ababa against PM Zenawi's current peace talks with Eritrea. Over 70,000 Ethiopians fought and died during the "Badme" border war. In November 2004, Zenawi conceded to the Hague's border decision which gives the "disputed" land to Eritrea. Who's side is PM Zenawi on?

There's an upcoming election in May 2005... Will he win?

More on the story.

US Cancels 100 Percent of Ethiopia's Debt

The United States is to write off $72.6m debt owed by Ethiopia, following an agreement signed in Addis Ababa on Thursday between the two countries, Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported.

One can hope that the Ethiopian government will engage in the country's poverty reduction programs and tackle the food shortage crises and lack of infrastructure.

More details on the write off.

Italy Cancels Ethiopia's Debt Too
Italy is to write off Ethiopia's debt of $462.4m following an agreement signed on Monday, January 3 in Addis Ababa between the two countries, the Italian embassy said in a statement.

More details on the write off.

Food Statistic: With the largest livestock population in Africa, Ethiopia has an ample supply base for the export of live animals and meat. Its livestock resources are estimated at 27 million cattle, 24 million sheep and 18 million goats.

Recently, the government signed the following agreement...

Cairo-Ethiopia Sign $50 million Meat Import Agreement
The agreement stipulates that Ethiopia would provide Egypt with livestock or beef meat for two years, and that Egyptian companies would build a mechanized slaughterhouse and rehabilitate another four in Ethiopia.

Mineral Statistic: Ethiopia offers excellent opportunities for mineral prospecting and development. Geological studies undertaken so far by the Ministry of Mines show the existence of rich geological environment in the country.

Trivia: Ethiopia is the world's main supplier of civet (zebade), which is used in perfumes throughout the world. LEARN more about Ethiopia's trade crops.

VIEW current mining and explorations in Ethiopia on www.trade.uktradeinvest.gov.uk.

Aid Group Accused of Denying Food

A fight has broken out in Ethiopia's Falasha community over the activities of an American Jewish aid group that some say runs a Mafia-like operation at its compounds in Addis Ababa and Gondar – where some 15,000 to 17,000 Falash Mura await permission to immigrate to Israel.
More on the accusation. (Log in required)

One wonders if these activities are true: Having embroidery operation in slave-labor-like conditions, threatening community members who speak out against the abuses and employing representatives who beat up people...

Other Related News...

Two US congressmen have written to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon urging him to increase the rate of absorption of Ethiopians and criticizing the government for bringing only 300 each month... NY Reps. Nadler and Rangel mention their interest in discussing "how we might be of additional help in completing the ingathering of the Ethiopian Jewish community to our great ally, Israel."
More on the absorption of Ethiopians.

Who knew there was such an urgent need to bring this ancient community to Israel!

CHECK out the New York Times's bizarre story on the Falasha's waiting to emigrate to Israel.

According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), among children born in Ethiopia, the proportion of those in special education was 4.9 percent, higher than that of other groups. According to the data, children born in Ethiopia, or whose parents were born in Ethiopia, suffered disproportionately from learning disabilities, borderline IQ, and slight retardation.

More on the study.

What this study fails to mention is that these children have to face a language barrier, culture shock, racism and a loss of their own culture - among other things...

Gambella... The New Oil Rush?

Oil is discovered in southwestern Ethiopia. Ethnic fighting started... The Anuaks are displaced, massacred by rebels. The Gambella Petroleum Corporation expects to produce more than 50,000 barrels of oil daily in the Gambella area. Could this be another Darfur?

A report from www.genocidewatch.org

LEARN more about the big rush and the Anuaks.

Oprah, Danny Glover and Brad Pitt Visit Ethiopia

"I am going to speak to the Mayor and the Mayor's wife and see if we can build a great school for girls here in Addis Ababa..."
-- Oprah during her visit in Ethiopia to inaugurate an extension center to the Fistula Hospital.

LEARN more about Oprah's trip and her plans for the school.

"After talking to children I feel a sense of embarrassment and anger that my own country has not signed the landmine treaty..."
-- Danny Glover during his five-day visit to Ethiopia to highlight the horrific impact of anti-personnel mines (APMs). He further said that some one million landmines litter the country following years of internal conflict and fighting with neighboring Eritrea and Somalia.

LEARN more about Danny Glover's trip.

"I spent a wonderful week traveling this beautiful continent, listening to the people and learning about the AIDS crisis, the extreme poverty in which people live and how people in America can help by joining The ONE Campaign to fight global AIDS and poverty..."
-- Brad Pitt during his trip to Ethiopia, where he visited local projects fighting the spread of HIV. LEARN more about Brad Pitt's trip.

Brad Pitt at FHI- funded HAPCSO home - photo courtesy fhi.org

SLIDESHOW: Brad Pitt in South Africa and Ethiopia

UPDATE: Ethiopia is to begin free distribution of potentially lifesaving drugs next month for people living with HIV, US officials supporting the programme said on Thursday.

It will likely save 15,000 people this year. According to government plans, the number of people receiving the drugs will be expanded to 210,000 people within the next five years... LEARN more about the program.

Endurance Running is in East Africans' Genes

The long-distance running prowess of Ethiopia’s elite male athletes is partly dictated by their genes.

Researchers have established that such athletes are more likely to have certain variants of four Y chromosome genes compared with other Ethiopians. No one knows what the genes do, or how influential they are, but they are the first to be linked to east Africans’ outstanding ability for endurance events.

Read more about why it's good to be East African.

Some Worry Public Display Could Harm Lucy's Bones

Ethiopians in Ethiopia haven't had a chance to see the "real" fossils of Lucy in their homeland, but officials in Texas are preparing to display the "real" Lucy skeletons in Houston and other cities starting in '06. Houston is hoping to make a nice buck (over $4 million) from the exhibit too...

Bummer for Ethiopia!
Great for Houston...

Read more about the excitement:

The first public display of Lucy, a 3.2 million-year-old fossil discovered in Ethiopia, is scheduled for Houston in 2006, to the chagrin of some anthropologists who fear the project will harm the partial skeleton.

Where's the "real" Lucy? Read on...

UPDATE: Houston Officials Head to Ethiopia to Close the Deal
The plan, according to Houston officials is to see the Ethiopian National Palace and National Museum. Lucy's fossilized bones are kept there, secured from public view." More on the trip.

Read about what scientists found a year ago in the Afar region:
The fossilized skulls of two adults and one child discovered in the Afar region of eastern Ethiopia have been dated at 160,000 years, making them the oldest known fossils of modern humans, or Homo sapiens.

The "world's oldest kitchen" is discovered in Gona. READ Dr. Quade's interview on his findings in Gona. Dr. Quade is a faculty member in the Geosciences Department at the University of Arizona.

Ethiopia Wants Looted Treasures Back

"Blair was not guilty of looting the treasures but he is guilty of not returning them," says Professor Richard Pankhurst.

So why didn't Ethiopian government officials request or push the PM that the British must return the looted goods that were stolen in 1868 from Ethiopia? I haven't a clue... For more information, click here.

Update: Agreement Signed with Italy to Return Axum Obelisk Strengthens Relation of Two Countries

Sidebar: Ethiopia has signed a 220 million Euro loan agreement with Italy to enable Ethiopia to produce an additional 450-mega watt from the Gilgel Gibe project. For more information, click here.

It's a plane! The US finds a plane to transport the stolen obelisk from Rome. The obelisk is scheduled to arrive between January and April 2005.

photo courtesy news.bbc.com

The Destruction of the Blue Niles Falls

Dear Friends,

I am sad to report that the Blue Niles Falls is no more... The Ethiopian Ministry of Water Resources has used up $63 million to build a 450 megawatt power generating station called Tis Abay II, diverting the flow of the Nile's source.

What happened to conservation and alternative energy?

Chinese and Serbian contractors built the dam, while France and Britain served as consultants on this project.

READ Richard Bangs' article on MSNBC. Bangs and Pasquale Scaturro are authors of Mystery of the Nile: The Epic Story of the First Descent of the World's Deadliest River. Their journey is captured in an IMAX film, Mystery of the Nile.

"This seemed a crime against nature, against aesthetic sensibilities, even local economies..." Purchase the book.


Photo Courtesy: MSNBC.com

Here's a report from 2002 about the Tekeze dam, another dam project in Ethiopia.

Some facts about rivers and dams.

Some background on the messy Nile Basin Initiative. It's "business as usual..."



You are Africa's black soil that produce life
You are the milk that quench the thirsty multitudes
You are the messenger of my gospel, O Nile
That bring my abundant harvest to the mouth of the needy
You are the elegant pilgrim of my mercy
Your are the first fountain you are the first ever Ethiopia
You are the appeaser of the lustful greed
You are the first Earth Mother of all fertility
Rising like the sun from the deepest core of the globe
You are the conqueror of the scorching pestilence
You are the source you the Africa you are the Ethiopia
You are the Nile.

Tsegaye Gebre-Medhin, Ethiopian Poet Laureate

More on nationalgeographic.com about this legendary river that inspires both reverence and fear among Ethiopians who live along its banks.


Ethiopia's paper currency, the one birr note, showcases the falls in spate

DID YOU KNOW?
The Aral Sea level has dropped about 20m since 1960, primarily as a result of increased diversions from the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers for irrigation purposes.

Lake Chad, once one of the African continent's largest bodies of fresh water, has dramatically decreased in size due to climate change and human demand for water.

Java War: Ethiopia Challenges Brazil

Natural 'decaf' coffee discovered in Ethiopia by Brazilian scientists, it was announced in the prestigious science journal Nature. Ethiopia is furious and challenging Brazil over the ownership of plants collected from the country's forests.

Who will win the Decaf Java War? FIND out.


Starbucks Provides Only One Fair Trade Blend. FIND out why.


Dunkin Donuts Provides Fair Trade Coffee. FIND out why.

Support Fair Trade Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee from Monkey & Son.

Are GM Crops the Answer to Food Shortages?

Of course, they're not, but officials from the United Nations argue the potential risks of biotechnology are outweighed by the benefits it could offer the continent.

Um, right...

Read why this Lady don't like GM food:
http://www.organicfood.co.uk/gm/ladydontlike.html

Ethiopians Urged to "Eat Rice"
FIND out why the UN and Japan launched a bid to encourage the impoverished nation to start growing a drought-resistant breed of rice called NERICA.

NERICA trials are expected to start in the northern Amhara region where some four million people are dependent on food aid each year, regardless of the weather.

What role has enset played in the agricultural policies of Ethiopia's recent and current governments?

More on the history of enset in Ethiopia.



photo courtesy oxfam.org