Dhaqdhaqaaq Siyaasadeed Qabiileed & Abaabul ka Bilaabmay Jigjiga iyo Dubai
(JNA, Jigjiga) - The Ethiopian government has
claimed a successful offensive against Al-Itihad, the Islamic Unity
force in the Ogaden. Local sources report the movement of land and
air forces of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
(EPRDF) forces in the area. At a rare news conference, Ethiopia's
Minister of Defence, Siye Abraha, said on Thursday that the EPRDF's
campaign against the fundamentalist group had been successful, but
reported few casualties on either side. The Minister, regarded as a
hard-liner in the EPRDF, also revealed that non-lethal US military
aid is on the way to Ethiopia in the form of trucks. SNU has learnt
that the aid is valued at about $1.5 million.
In 1996 statements by Dr Abdul-Mejid Hussein of the Ethiopian
Somali Democratic League have tried to lump the Ogadeni National
Liberation Front (ONLF) and the extreme Al-Itihad together, although
they have significant differences in policy. Among Itihad's more
radical proposals is the prohibition of smoking and chewing chat.
Their demands for the removal of non-ethnic Somalis Ogadens from the region
have interrupted relief and development operations; Medecins sans
Frontieres Belgium is losing hope for their non-Somali Ethiopian
assistant truck drivers kidnapped by the Itihad.
In Jijiga, the head of the Ogaden relief, is held in prison under suspicion of assisting
political groups such as the ONLF and Al-itihad. Radios and vehicles belonging to
the organization have been confiscated or commandeered, after the
EPRDF accused the local authorities in Warder of using Ogaden relief's radios
to report the killings there in March. (The EPRDF failed to capture
the ONLF/Al-Itihad at a public rally, and
according to the ONLF/Al-itihad wing, 53 people were killed in the ensuing gun-
battle.) SERP - a $40 million African Development Bank-funded project
- is grinding to a halt as finances are frozen.
It is now clear that the 21 "new faces" that beefed up support
for new regional President Abdurashid Dullane raffle (known as
"Bille Raffle" by the ONLF/Al-Itihad) at the Jijiga meeting are new members of the
regional Council. The new appointees represent seven districts
bordering Oromiya (such as Gursum) whose status was previously under
dispute. Abdurashid recently met with Ethiopian Priminiter Meles Zenawi
earlier this week in Addis Ababa.
It is not yet clear whether Abdurashid raffle has joined the new
pro-Federal government coalition party, the SPDP. The organization's flag is
perhaps the most improbable design in transitional Ethiopia: it is
divided diagonally in half between the five pointed star (Somalia Flag) of the
Republic on the top, and the Ethiopian red, gold and green tricolour
on the bottom.
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AYSAITA (ENA) - The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) has distributed
blankets to 600 flood victims in Zone Three of the Afar State, the
state's branch office of society reported.
Mr. Leulseged Aweke, head of the office, said the aid was distributed
this month in the 27 kebleles of Bure Mukaytu, Melka Worer, Gewane and
Melka Sedi woredas.
The head added that the society is also prepared to distribute 300
blankets to other flood victims in Zone four.
Deputy speaker of the House of the Federation, and executive committee member of Somali People's Democratic party (SPDP), Dr. Mohammed Sorye, has been removed as the party's executive committee member. Dr. Mohammed was removed because of a conflict that arose between himself and Ato Abdul Reshid Dilege, the regional chief executive.
He wasalso said to have been involved in subversive activities in the region. Another party executive committee member was also expelled. Still another party member Ato Abdulahi Abdi was given strong warning.
Ambassador Ahmed Dirir, Minister of Mines, could not do his normal duties in office, because he is shuttling between Addis Ababa and Jijiga to manage crises that crop up in the party occasionally. The Deputy Speaker of the House of the Federation will most likely be removed from the deputy chairmanship as well, observers say.
HOSANNA (ENA) - Members of the South Ethiopia Peoples Development
Association (SEPDA) evaluated preparations, under way in four districts
of Hadiya Zone of SEPDA's Telethons '90 programme.
Speaking at the evaluation meeting, Mr. Tasew Gebre, social affairs
sector head of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' State
said that the programme, in addition to collecting money for SEPDA's
development effort, aims at rallying public support behind the
association.
He pointed out that the telethons programme will strengthen they unity
and fraternity of the state's people as well as ensure the social,
economic and political development of the state.
Some members of the association who attended the meeting said that they
will make efforts to do away with some of the problems witnessed earlier,
and would do all in their capacity for the success of the telethons
programme.
Makalle (ENA) - Activities undertaken in the agricultural sector in
tigray in line with the five-year development programme of the Ethiopian
Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) were successful, the head
of state announced Wednesday.
Mr. Gebru Asrat made the remark in a press conference he gave in
connection with the on-going development endeavours in the state.
One-third of the peasantry in the state has taken part in the extension
programme carried out on 125,000 demonstration sites as part of the bid
to attain food self-sufficiency, was indicated.
Farmers, thanks to the supply of agricultural inputs and professional
assistance, have increased their production by upto three-fold, Mr. Gebru
said.
The establishment of credit associations coupled with the consolidation
and expansion of cooperatives has enabled farmers to benefit a lot, he
added.
Some 70,000 people have secured loans amounting to 80 million birr
following the establishment of 12 main and 103 rural credit institutions,
according to the head, who also mentioned that farmers have saved 20
million birr from the income they received.
Mr. Gebru also noted that farmers engaged in small-scale handicrafts work
and organized under 315 associations are working hard to further raise
their earnings.
The state government has also been preoccupied with the construction of
airports and the provision of safe water, electric power, installation of
telephone lines and road building, the head noted. Access to potable
water has increased from 12 to 25 percent thanks to the efforts made on
the part of the Relief Society of tigray (REST) in rural areas to add up
to the on-going installation of new water pipes in Makalle, Axum and Adwa
towns.
The construction work on Makalle and Axum airports is gaining momentum,
he said.
Education coverage, projected to reach 50 percent in a period of five
year, currently stands at 51 percent due to the concerted efforts over
the past two and half years, he said, adding 42 percent of the local
people has now access to health services.
The success was the result of coordinated efforts launched by development
agencies, he said and particularly hailed the unstilted efforts by REST
and the Tigray Development Association to this end.
With regard to capacity building, Mr. Gebru said the management training
centre in the state has trained 1,000 zonal and woreda officials with a
view to equipping them with the skills for efficient leadership.
Shortage of manpower, capacity limitations and mismanagement which used
of surface to some extent are now easing, Mr. Gebru said.
Addis Ababa (ENA) - The House of People's Representatives yesterday
deliberated on the proclamation to ratify the agreement reached this year
between Ethiopia and Italy for the avoidance of double taxation and
prevention of tax evasion.
The agreement mainly aims to facilitate the flow of goods and services,
human as well as capital between Italy and Ethiopia through the
elimination of double taxation in both countries.
The agreement will also help promote commerce and technology transfer
between the two countries, it was indicated.
After extensive deliberations, the House referred the proclamation tot he
legal Standing Committee for detailed scrutiny.
Addis Ababa (ENA) - About 113,000 of the 200,000 people in Gambella state
are in need of emergency relief, the state's Disaster Prevention and
Preparedness bureau disclosed.
Bureau head Mr. Ahmed Ochog said 75 percent of the crops expected to be
harvested this year has been inundated by Baro, Gilo and Akobo rivers
which burst their banks.
The 99,000 quintals of crop which was not damaged by the flooding could
feed only half of the population in the state until the beginning of
August, Mr. Amed added.
According to the head, though no displacement or death has so far
occurred because of the food shortage, inhabitants of Gog, Jore, Itang,
Akobo and Jikao are facing serious food deficit.
Mr. Amed said so far, about 2,950 quintals of grain and 350 cartons of
nutritious food, as well as utensils and plastic sheeting's have been
distributed.
The head added that the bureau is awaiting reply from the Federal
Disaster Prevention and preparedness Commission to supply emergency food
to 113,000 people.
Meanwhile the International Committee of the Red Cross said yesterday it
has started transporting relief food and other items to flood victims in
Gode Zone, Somali state.
Five heavy-duty truck, loaded with 70 quintals of medicines, 230 quintals
of grain and drilling machinery, have left Jijiga town for Gode, Mr.
Hassen Keyib, a representative of the ICRC said.
ICRC had earlier donated medicines, including veterinary to those
affected by flooding in the state.
In a related development, the Jimma zone Disaster Prevention and
preparedness Department said that 659 quintals of grain has been
distributed to 1,500 farmers whose crops were damaged due to erratic rain
and who took part in a food-for work programme.
The farmers have built four kms. of road, two bridges and 18 kms. of
terrace, the department said.
About 32,000 people need assistance this year in the zone.
Harar (ENA) - The Harari education bureau says it has launched a
programme this year intending to raise education coverage to 88 percent
in five years time.
The education programme, for which close to 186 million birr budget has
been allocated, will be implemented in both urban and rural areas upto
1994 E.C, according to Mr. Afendi Abdulwas head of educational programme
with the bureau.
The programme emphasizes on curriculum formulation, quality of education
procurement of educational materials, internal organization, capacity
building, informal education and other issues related to the
teaching-learning process.
Some 32 projects worth about seven million birr will be undertaken this
year and preparations are well under way to see them through as planned,
the head said.
Renovation, expansion and construction of 26 schools was undertaken over
the past three years bringing the education coverage up to 67 percent
from 43 some years back.
The number of elementary schools in rural areas has doubled with the
participation of girl students rising by five-fold according to the
head.
Mr. Afendi said of the 11,000 school-age children in the state only close
to 1,000 get access to primary education where a lot has to be done.
Some 28,584 students are attending schools this year in various
educational institutes in the state.
