August 21, 2006
Emergencies
They are going to have to come up with a new definition for the word 'emergency'.
At the moment Princeton University's Wordnet says an emergency is "a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action".
But that is nowhere near strong enough to describe what is currently unfolding across Ethiopia. It is not so much a one-off, unpredictable thing that we are going through - more a constant series of mostly predictable things.
A few months ago, during the dry season, it was a drought. Now, during the rainy season, it is a devastating flood. In the background, there is the steady spread of deadly Acute Watery Diarrhea, now into Addis Ababa. Outside the headlines, Ethiopia is currently rolling out its largest ever distribution of insecticide-treated nets following warnings of a possible malaria epidemic. And don't forget the measles and the chronic child malnutrition.
Then The Economist reminds you:
To the south, in the Ogaden desert, [Meles Zenawi] has been fighting with the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a rebel group that seeks autonomy for south-eastern Ethiopia. On August 11th Ethiopia reported having shot dead 13 ONLF fighters slipping across the desert from Somalia. Ethiopia's recent military incursion into Somalia in defence of the Transitional Government in Baidoa threatens imminent conflict there against Islamist militias based in the capital, Mogadishu.On top of this comes the distinct possibility of a conflict with Ethiopia's arch-enemy Eritrea in the north, where perhaps as many as half of Eritrea's young men are massed under arms on its side of the disputed border.
Most of the time, you can put this all into some sort of perspective. Yes it is terrible - but don't forget the growing economy, the construction boom, all the other parts of the country that aren't going through a crisis at this precise moment, the great film industry, the flower exports, the athletes, the stunning scenery, Lalibela etc, etc, etc.
But when you come back from a month-long break and all this hits you in one day, you can start to feel a little overwhelmed.
Posted by aheavens at August 21, 2006 5:15 PM
Comments
Hi Andrew, welcome back,
On the final paragraph of your posting under "Emergencies", you tried to put some comforting words by mentioning about positive scenes like Lalibela, the flower industry ... That is exactly how we Ethiopians have been trying to sustain through government inflicted hardships and hope that tomorrow will be better. If historians are right, all the going at this moment, however, tells me that freedom is indeed downing.
Sendek Alama
Posted by: Sendek Alama at August 22, 2006 2:44 PM
Great you are back - always a brilliant summary of interesting news. Do check the link to the flood story, currently - unless I'm making a mistake - it takes us to WordNet.
Posted by: John at August 22, 2006 9:12 PM
Good to see your back no matter how hard I try I always need help to find these links that you seem to provide at will. Meles document is just what I've been looking for, for my travel reading.
I think though that the time to look at Ethiopia's positives might be over for now, yes the country has vast potential but it will not be able to realise it with the current political, military and enivronmental situation.
Again thanks for coming back.
rob
Posted by: Rob at August 22, 2006 9:24 PM
Hey Andrew I have question ?? I was just looking at the links of blogs that you have on your blog. To my suprise, I couldn't find the Naughty Addis Ferenge blog from the list of Ferenge bloggers residing in Ethiopia; You know she has been back to visit her old man. Also, I couldn't find Adebaby blog from the list of awesome Ethiopian bloggers from Ethiopia. It is obvious, that Addis Ferenge is too popular to be missed in your links. Adebaby, as you even have qouted him before, is too courageous to be excluded from your links. You are going as far as Ethiogay cafes, but somehow failed to see the ones I mentioned above. What is cooking Andrew ???
Posted by: critics at August 22, 2006 9:24 PM
Andrew,
You said it right in your last paragraph. The agitators in diaspora only want us to believe the doomsdays they preach to us. I was in Addis myself almost two month ago. I was astonished by the progress I saw since I left in 2000. The construction boom is unprecedented in the history of the country and business activity is at its highest. My classmates at AAU from the civil engineering department are all employed with very good wages. What I saw during my trip was very encouraging.
Posted by: Dereje at August 23, 2006 4:13 AM
Really, Sendek Alama does your freedom come in the form of floods, famine, war and death of innocent individuals while you sit peacefully wherever you are? So, tell me how did you take the news of the disasters so far? Joyfully?
Posted by: Tazabi at August 24, 2006 10:01 AM
Hi Andrew,
Glad that you are back. Yes well Ethiopia Ethiopia's history has always been triumph [or never say die] attitude in hardtime. yes this time round the odds look preety much stacked against us but I have a feeling that things will simmer down to their usual hectic states. And Sendek no one can down freedom we need it and that is why our history is all about refusing to be opressed by oppressors, ideologies or even hopelessness. be strong brother.
Posted by: menyelenal at August 24, 2006 7:47 PM
A nice page but should have moe info about the current developments of the different attractions and other infra structures in the attraction sites.
I do not hesistate to provide any required informations about that.
Take care
Posted by: Teddy at September 1, 2006 1:01 PM