May 18, 2005
From cradle to grave
Ethiopia's state News Agency came up with two great local angles on the election story this week. I'm not sure why, but I love the sentence "the woman did not cast her vote because of her labor".
Woman Voter Delivers Baby Boy While Awaiting Turn To Vote
Mettu, 5/16/2005A woman who was awaiting her turn to cast vote in a remote locality of Illubabor Zone, Oromia State delivered a baby boy here on Sunday.
Public Relations Head with the Zonal Police told ENA on Monday that the woman delivered the boy at 2:00 PM yesterday.
Although it was tried to rush her to the nearby clinic after she was in an expected labor, she delivered the boy at her poling station.
However, he said, the woman did not cast her vote because of her labor.
Addis Ababa, 5/15/2005One of the unique features of the voting process in Ethiopia (May 15) has turned out to be the hitherto unseen great enthusiasm displayed by Ethiopians to cast votes.
Zewde Abegaz came to the polls in rags all black, on the third day after she burried her nephew. She was immediately given pass and cast her ballot without having had to wait her turn in the long queue. She represent one of the traditions in Ethiopia, whose followers mourn the death of the loved ones for seven days on end.
But, Zewde compromises her state and tradition for voting, which she simply said, "was too precious to forego".
Sunday is a day on which couples tie the knots in this part of the world. Here in Addis Ababa, wedding is a daylong merriment in which part of the celebration is spent outside. Many couples, amidst the traditionally colourful wedding ceremonies, were seen dropping at polling stations and cast their votes.
"Funeral and wedding are alike," is a popular wedding song in Ethiopia.
Posted by aheavens at May 18, 2005 7:31 AM