News and Information July15-July30
We are reconstructing Tigrai.net with great features. Thus, we would like you to spare your time with patience and we will launch it too soon. In the mean time, your positive comment and suggestion is helpful...Mail
Tigrai.net editor
News
Ethiopia: Government dismisses senior army, air force generals
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Aug 1, 2001Sources close to the Defence Ministry say that soldiers and generals who were recalled for active duty during the Ethiopia-Eritrea war are being dismissed. The commander of the former 102nd Airborne Force, who was awarded the medal of Socialist Hero [the highest in the then socialist government of Mengistu Hailemariam], Brig-Gen Tesfaye Habtemariam and commander of the former 18th Brigade, Brig-Gen Behailu Kinde, have been dismissed from the force.
Supreme Court Gives Police 10 More Days - Police Was Asked Why It Was Not Using the Time Well
The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa)July 30, 2001: Staff Writer
Addis Ababa: - The Federal Supreme Court has granted police an additional 10 days in which detainees including former defense minister Seye Abraha and his four brothers as well as The Daily Monitor's publisher Fitsum Zeab Asgedom and others will remain in remand while it " conducts further investigation." The Supreme Court in its session that began 1 hour and a half behind schedule, heard the arguments of the lawyers of the accused and the attempt by the police to justify its request. Police once more said it needed more time to examine the documents, seek expert witness as well as look for more evidence that could incriminate the detainees.
Ethiopian Master out to rewrite textbookBy LEN JOHNSON, (EDMONTON Friday 3 August 2001)
Haile Gebrselassie has done many amazing things. Set world records, won gold medals - the world's premier runner at 5000 and 10,000 metres even dropped down in distance to win the 3000 and 1500 metres at the world indoor championships two years ago.
Gebrselassie returnsHindustan Times - India; Aug 1, 2001
BY AFP
HAILE GEBRSELASSIE is keeping his eye on both the track and the road for the future, the defending 10,000-metre champion from Ethiopia said here at the World Athletics Championships. "I can run both the marathon and the 10,000," Gebrselassie said.
Will Ethiopian Industry Again Miss an Opportunity?
br>
The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa)OPINION July 28, 2001
Addis Ababa: The United States of America unilaterally without asking for reciprocity enacted "The African Growth And Opportunity Act." AGOA, opening the huge American market for industrial goods market for industrial goods originating in African countries. The objectives of the act are, of course, to help Africa to integrate to the global economy and to change Africa's relationship with the developed nations from aid dependency to commercial partnership. Integrating the African economy without asking reciprocity is what African countries should aim for. If other highly industrialized countries could follow the steps taken by the United States of America, the economy of African countries could meaningfully be integrated to the global economy and economic development could be accelerated in African countries.
Various bodies accused of negligence in retrieving borrowed moneyThe Board of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), the Audit Service Corporation (ASC), the National Bank and the Office of the Prime Minister have reportedly been collaborating in uncovering the failure in the payment of 1.2 billion birr the Eritrean banks borrowed from CBE in draft order, the Amheric Reporter said Monday.
REST Deputy Director seeks asylum in USBy A. Mulat and Gebre-hiwot Baykedagne (Deki-Alula Online Staff)
WASHINGTON DC (Aug 1, 2001) - Relief Society of Tigray (REST) deputy director Berhane Gebru reportedly sought a political asylum in the US following a major crackdown on Ethiopians opposed to the infamous group being led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
Wegahta, the only private weekly Tigrigna newspaper in Ethiopia, disclosed on its front page story on July 28 that Berhane Gebru was a veteran development worker of REST, a non-governmental organization headed by one of Meles Zenawi's newly-conscripted cadres - Tekleweini Assefa.
Inadequate Ethiopian AidCBS NEWS (CHICAGO, July 31, 2001)
Humanitarian Aid For Famine Crisis 'Delayed And Inadequate' New Research Suggests That Officials
Underestimated Emergency Slow Aid Led To Widespread Disease, Measles Epidemic
Ethiopian army chief picks politics Addis Ababa - (07/29/01) -The Ethiopian army chief of staff, Abadula Gemeda, has resigned so that he can focus on politics, the government press reported late on Saturday.
Editor-in-Chief ImprisonedEthiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (Addis Ababa)
PRESS RELEASE
July 24, 2001
Toronto
Lubaba Sa-id, editor-in-chief of "Tarik" newspaper, was imprisoned because she was unable to pay bail of 1,000 Birr (approx. US$120). The accused published two articles on pages one and six of the "Tarik" newspaper, (1st year No.52) issued on Nehassie 4/1988. They were titled: "The OPDO cadre official who has replaced Samora Yenous in Eastern Oromia has defected", and "The President's Personal security guards are said to have defected".
News and articles from "WEGAHTA" Tigrigna News paper:Wegahita
From Ethnic to Democratic FederalismAddis Tribune (Addis Ababa)
OPINION (July 20, 2001)
Maimire Mennasemay
"The offshoot of this subordination of the individual to the collective is the permanent violation of human rights in the name of ethnic rights, so prevalent now in Ethiopia, the politicization of ethnic identity, the polarization of ethnic and national interests, and the proliferation of ethnic conflicts. This may be an excellent recipe for ethnic divide-and-rule, but it subverts the birth and growth of democratic institutions and culture by subordinating the ideals of freedom, equality, justice, and national solidarity to the putative organic interests of the ethnie. The issue is not denying the existence of ethnies; rather, it is to point out that considering the Killil as a space of ethnic identity is incompatible with considering it as a space of citizenship."
Italy to keep Ethiopian monumentBBC - (July 20, 2001):An ancient Ethiopian monument taken by Dictator Benito Mussolini's occupying Italian troops more than 60 years ago has been declared Italian, casting doubt on whether it will be returned to Ethiopia as promised.
Member of European Parliament Tabled Questions On the Return of Aksum ObeliskAddis Tribune (Addis Ababa)
July 20, 2001
Following the Open Letter to Italian Prime Minsister Silvio Berlusconi by Professors Andreas Eshete and Richard Pankhurst, recently published in ADDIS TRIBUNE, and the revelations about loot from Ethiopia still in Italy, also published in this newspaper, Richard Balfe, a Member of the European Parliament has tabled questions in that Parliament.
www.PetitionOnline.com/
Looking Beyond the Current Affairs
By: Mulu Gidey HalefomA very small minority of Tigreans has been vocal in rejecting the political administrative system of the TPLF dominated administration. For the last ten years they have taken upon themselves the responsibility of condemning both extremes. On the one hand, they scrupulously attack the ethnic policies of the current government, its sell-out stand on the national interest of the country in terms of the issue of the people bordering ‘Eritrea’ and the Assab outlet, the negotiation with Eritrea and the question of national reconciliation. On the other hand they consistently argued against the chauvinistic attitudes of some groups and personalities that denied and continue to deny the ethnic/nationality inequalities that have persisted in our country for quite some time now. This group has even to stand up against some deluded personalities who characterize the Tigrean ethnic group as cancerous. These problems cannot be wished away.
