HARAR CONNECTION - Harari News & Information

ከአፍሪካ ልማት ባንክ በተገኘ ብድር የተገዛ የቧንቧ እቃ በጅቡቲ ወደብ ተወረሰ

2008-08-27T08:35:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, 26 August 2008

በተሾመ ንቁ

ለሐረር የመጠጥ ውሃ ማስፋፊያ ፕሮጀክት ማስፈፀሚያ ከአፍሪካ ልማት ባንክ በተገኘ ብድር የተገዛ የቧንቧ ቁሳቁስ በጅቡቲ ወደብ መወረሱ ታወቀ፡፡ ፕሮጀክቱ በተያዘለት ጊዜ አለመጠናቀቁም ታውቋል፡፡

በውሃ ሃብት ሚኒስቴር ተቆጣጣሪነት የተገዛው ለሐረሪ ከተማ የመጠጥ ውሃ ማስፋፊያ ፕሮጀክት የሚውለው ቧንቧና የቧንቧ መለዋወጫ ቁሳቁስ በጅቡቲ ወደብ መወረሱን የሪፖርተር ምንጮች ጠቁመዋል፡፡ በምንጮቻችን ገለፃ መሰረት ለፕሮጀክቱ ማስፈጸሚያ ከአፍሪካ ልማት ባንክ በተገኘ የብድር ገንዘብ የተገዛው ቧንቧ በወደቡ ባለቤቶች ተወርሷል፡፡

የቧንቧ ቁሳቁሱን ለመግዛትና ሐረር ከተማ ድረስ ለማቅረብ ጨረታውን ያሸነፈው ዋት ኢንተርናሽናል የተባለ አገር በቀል ድርጅት እቃውን በውሉ መሰረት አላቀረበም፡፡ እንደ ምንጮቻችን ገለፃ ድርጅቱ ጨረታውን በማሸነፉ ከ28 ሚሊዮን ብር በላይ የቅድመ ክፍያ ገንዘብ ወስዷል፡፡ በውሉ መሰረት ድርጅቱ እቃውን በመግዛት በጅቡቲ ወደብ መጋዘን ውስጥ ለረዥም ጊዜ ማስቀመጡና የወደብ ኪራዩ ከእቃው ዋጋ በላይ በመሆኑ መወረሱ ተገልጿል፡፡

የወደቡ አስተዳዳሪ ዱባይ ኢንተርናሽናል እቃው ባለመነሳቱ እቃውን በመውረስ መሸጡ ታውቋል፡፡ የወደቡ አስተዳዳሪ የተወረሰውን ቧንቧ በኢትዮጵያ ለሚገኙ ነጋዴዎች በጨረታ መሸጡንም በጨረታው ከተካፈሉ ነጋዴዎች ማረጋገጥ ተችሏል፡፡

ለተወረሰው የቧንቧ ዕቃ መግዣ ከ1 ሚሊዮን ብር በላይ ወጪ መደረጉን የጠቀሱት ምንጮቻችን፤ የፌዴራል መስሪያ ቤቱ ፕሮጀክቱን ከመከታተል አኳያ ድክመት እንደታየበት ጠቁመዋል፡፡ ከአፍሪካ ልማት ባንክ የብድር ፈቃድ ለማግኘት ከአንድ ዓመት በላይ እንደሚፈጅ በመጥቀስ ከፍተኛ የጊዜ ክስረት መድረሱን ጠቁመዋል፡፡ በዚህም መሰል ብድር ለማግኘትና የግዢ ጨረታ ለማውጣት በሚደረግ ጥረት ፕሮጀክቱ እንደሚጓተት አስታውቀዋል፡፡

የግዢ ጨረታው አለም አቀፍ ደረጃ በመሆኑ ለጨረታው የወጣው ወጪ መክሰሩን፣ ፕሮጀክቱ ተፈፃሚ ቢሆን ከሐረር ከተማ በተጨማሪ የሀሮማያ፣ የአወዳይ፣ የአዴላና የደንገጎ ከተሞች ተጠቃሚ ይሆኑ እንደነበር ነገር ግን ሳይሳካ መዘግየቱን ጠቁመዋል፡፡

ፕሮጀክቱ ሐምሌ 1997 ሲጀመር በ20 ወራት ጊዜ ይጠናቀቃል ተብሎ እንደነበረ ያወሱት ምንጮቻችን እስከ አሁን ባለመጠናቀቁ ማዘናቸውን ገልፀዋል፡፡

በጉዳዩ ዙሪያ ያነጋገርናቸው የሐረር የመጠጥ ውሃና ፍሳሽ ባለስልጣን የእቅድና የህዝብ ግንኙነት ኃላፊ አቶ ቡሽራ መሀመድረሺድ ባለስልጣኑ ጉዳዩን እንደማያውቅ ገልፀዋል፡፡ ባለስልጣኑ የቧንቧ ግዢውም ሆነ የፕሮጀክቱን ሁኔታን እንደማይመለከተው አስታውቀዋል፡፡ አቶ ቡሽራ ለፕሮጀክቱ ማስፈፀሚያ የሚገዛው ቧንቧ በቅርቡ ወደ ሐረር ከተማ ይገባል በሚል እየተጠባበቁ መሆኑን ገልፀዋል፡፡

በፌዴራል የውሃ ሀብት ሚኒስቴር የሐረር የመጠጥ ውሃና ሳኒቴሽን ፕሮጀክት ኃላፊ አቶ ጌታቸው ታምራት ፕሮጀክቱ በተያዘለት ጊዜ አለመጠናቀቁን አምነዋል፡፡ ፕሮጀክቱ ከ71 ኪሎ ሜትር በላይ የሚፈጅ መሆኑን የጠቀሱት ኃላፊው፣ የካሳ ክፍያ ሂደት ጊዜ መፍጀቱን ጠቁመዋል፡፡ በተጨማሪም ለፕሮጀክቱ የሚያስፈልጉ ቁሳቁስ ግዢ ሂደት ላይ የተፈጠረ መዘግየት፣ በዲዛይን ሥራ ላይ በተከሰተ ችግር፣ በሲሚንቶ እጥረት ምክንያት የኮንስትራክሽን ሥራ መደናቀፉን ጠቅሰዋል፡፡

አቶ ጌታቸው በተጠቀሱት ምክንያቶች ፕሮጀክቱ በተያዘለት ጊዜ አለመጠናቀቁንና በሚቀጥለው መስከረም ወር ውስጥ እንደሚጠናቀቅ አስታውቀዋል፡፡ በጅቡቲ ወደብ ስለተወረሰው የፕሮጀክቱ እቃን በተመለከተ የማይመለከታቸው መሆኑን አስታውቀዋል፡፡

Hadid's general assembly meeting.

2008-08-10T16:54:00.000-05:00

I have some news of hadid. Today they had a meeting of their general assembly. They were around 120 attendants, of whom 80 were the members of the general assembly, 40 of them were representatives of the Ethiopian Electoral Board. On their meeting they democratically elected 15 central committee members. I got their names and you will find it below this letter.

I want also to congratulate all the 15 central committee members. In addition, I hopefully think they will bring change to our society. Further more, these 15 committee members elected 7 executive members among themselves. The meeting and the ceremony was very nice, and the atmosphere of the meeting was excellent. They had all one spirit. That was to bring change to the under served society of Harari people.

Here are the names of the 15 central committee members,

1. President Abdi Sebri
2. Vise President Adil Abdella
3. Secretary Eliyas Taha
4. Hanan Mohammed
5. Abdulwasi Kelifa
6. Fatuma Oumer
7. Salahadin Abdulhafiz
8. Ridwan Bedri
9. Amira Abdosh
10. Adem Abdurehim
11. Abdulfetah Mohammed
12. Abdulwahid Yonis
13. Abdurehman Adem
14. Kelifa Oumer
15. Hashim Salih

From the above committee the seven elected executive members are-

1. President Abdi Sebri

2. Vise President Adil Abdella

3. Secretary Eliyas Taha

4. Hanan Mohammed

5. Ridwan Bedri

6. Salahadin Abdulhafiz

7. Hashim Salih

Finally, I ask Allah to strengthen them to bring change and justice to our society. And for further explanation of about today's event and general information about HADID please be online with paltalk tonight 8:00 pm Ethiopian local time so that you will have more knowledge about this party.

Sami.

የሐረሪ ክልል ምክር ቤት 183 ነጥብ 6 ሚሊዮን ብር በጀትና ዓዋጆችን አጸደቀ

2008-08-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

ሐረር, ሐምሌ 30 ቀን 2000 (ሀረር) - የሐረሪ ክልል ምክር ቤት አራተኛ ዓመት አንደኛ መደበኛ ጉባዔ ለ2001 በጀት ዓመት የሚውል 183ነጥብ6 ሚሊዮን ብር በጀት፣ዓዋጆችና ሹመት በማጽደቅ ዛሬ ተጠናቀቀ።

ጉበዔው ለሁለት ቀናት ባካሄደው ጉባዔ በጀቱን ያጸደቀው የክልሉ ምጣኔ ሀብታዊና ማህበራዊ ችግሮች ለማቃለል በዘላቂነት ለማቃለል የሚያስችሉና የኅብረተሰቡን የኑሮ ደረጃ ለማሻሻል የሚያበቁ ተግባራትን ለማከናወን መሆኑን በጉባዔው ላይ ከቀረበው ማብራሪያ ለመረዳት ተችሏል።

ከበጀቱ 116 ሚሊዮን ብር ለመደበኛ የተመደበ ሲሆን ቀሪው ለካፒታል ፕሮጀክቶች ማስፈጸሚያ እንደሚውልም ተገልጿል።

ከበጀቱ የክልሉ መንግሥት 42 ሚሊዮን ብር ሲያሰባስብ ጉድለቱ ከፌዴረል መንግሥት ከሚገኝ ድጎማ እንደሚሟላ ተብራርቷል።

እንዲሁም የሐረር ከተማን ዕድገት ለማስጠበቅና የክልሉን የቤተሰብ ሕግ ዓዋጆችና የክልሉን ጠቅላይ ፍርድ ቤት ፕሬዚዳንት ሹመት አጽድቋል።

የሐረሪ ክልል ምክር ርዕሰ መስተዳድር አቶ ሙራድ አብዱልሐዲ ባደረጉት ንግግር በክልሉ ባለፉት ዓመታት በድህነት ላይ የተመዘገበውን ውጤት በያዝነው የበጀት ዓመትም ለመድገም በጀቱን ወጪ ቆጣቢ በሆነ አሰራርና የኅብረተሰቡን ጉልበት በመጠቀም ለማልማት አስፈጻሚ አካላት መረባረብ እንዳለባቸው አሳስበዋዋል።

ሪፖ 12፡10 ኤዲ ከ12፡10 -12፡30

---END---

የሀረሪ ክልል ምክር ቤት ሶስተኛ ዙር አራተኛ አመት አንደኛ መደበኛ ጉባኤ ተጀመረ

2008-08-08T11:55:00.000-05:00

ሀረር, ሐምሌ 29 ቀን 2000 (ሀረር) - የሀረሪ ክልል ምክር ቤት ሶስተኛ ዙር አራተኛ አመት አንደኛ መደበኛ ጉባኤ ዛሬ በሀረር ከተማ የክልሉ ምክር ቤት አዳራሽ ተጀመረ ።

በጉባኤዉ መክፈቻ የክልሉ ዋና ኦዲተርና የአፈ ጉባኤዉ ጽህፈት ቤት ያቀረቧቸዉን የ2000 የስራ እቅድ አፈጻጸም ሪፖርት በማዳመጥ በሪፖርቶቹ ላይ ተወያየቷል ።

የክልሉ ዋና ኦዲተር ጽህፈት ቤት ሃላፊ አቶ ነስረዲን አሊ ለጉባኤዉ ባቀረቡት ሪፖርት በበጀት አመቱ የታየዉ የስራ አፈጻጸም አበረታች እንደነበረና በገቢና ወጪ ሂሳብ አሰራር ላይ ይህ ነዉ የሚባል የጎላ ጉድለት እንዳልታየ አስታዉቀዋል ።

የክልሉ ምክር ቤት አፈ ጉባኤ አቶ አብዱል መሊክ በከር በበኩላቸዉ ባቀረቡት ሪፖርት በበጀት አመቱ የምክር ቤቱን አሰራር ለማጠናክር በተደረገዉ ጥረት አበረታች ተግባራት መከናወናቸዉን አስረድተዋል ።

ዴሞክራሲያዊ አሰራርን ተግባራዊ ለማድረግ በክልሉ በየደረጃዉ የሚገኙ ተቋማትን አቅም ለመገንባት ተደረገዉ ጥረት ፍሬያማ ዉጤት እያሰገኘ መሆኑን አስታዉቀዋል ።

በክልሉ እየተካሄደ ያለዉ አበረታች የልማት ስራ ተጠናክሮ እንዲቀጥል በጋራ መንቀሳቀስ እንደሚገባም አፈ ጉባኤዉ አስገንዝበዋል ።

ጉባኤዉ በተጨማሪ የክልሉ ርእሰ መስተዳድር አቶ ሙረድ አብዱል ሀዲና የጠቅላይ ፍርድ ቤቱ ፕሬዜዳንት አቶ ኤልያስ ያህያ ባቀረቡት የ2000 የስራ አፈጻጸም ሪፖርት ላይ በመወያየት ጉባኤዉ ሪፖርቱን በሙሉ ድምጽ ተቀብሎታል ።

ጉባኤዉ በነገዉ ዉሎዉ በክልሉ በመሰረታዊ የስራ ሂደት ለዉጥና የሀረር ከተማን ልማት ለማፋጠን እንዲያስችል በተዘጋጀዉ ረቂቅ አዋጅና በሌሎች ጉዳዮች ላይ እንደሚወያይ ለጉባኤዉ የወጣዉ መርሀግብር ያመለክታል ።

ሪፖ10፡25 ኤዲከ11፡00 - 11፡20 ጠሰድ = ጥ/አጥ

---END---

The Harari Sport & Cultural Event: By Brother Surat

2008-07-15T07:56:00.000-05:00

The 13th Harari Cultural & Sports events just concluded in Dallas and I have learned that the success of the event was beyond the expectation of the organizers. Truth be told, I have a mixed feeling about the whole thing. On the one hand, I want to express my joy about the event and thank those who have put their effort to make it a success. On the flip side, I canʼt help feeling disappointed by the nature of some of the events which I failed to see any cultural value at all. Let me elaborate.

Since the beginning of the summer event, there were two major parts that have become the mainstay, namely the soccer competition and the weekend parties. Eventually, other events were added that were more in line with the Harari culture and way of life. And these were the Harari Day show (Cultural show), Ziwariq (picnic) and Mawlud. Since I have participated in all of these additional events, I believe that they have added a measure of acculturation to the diaspora Hararis who are not totally connected to their culture. And I would like to see more manpower spent on these events to make them worthwhile. But let me get back to the original two components of the events and see if anyone else shares my concern

In my view, the soccer program never got off the ground from the inception. The level of skill never seems to improve from year to year. I understand that all the players are volunteers who participate to add color to the program, but there is little improvement to show for when the players hit the field every year. There hardly was a complete team from any number of the cities who participate in the event. Players are haphazardly gathered from any city and are persuaded to play for any team that is short. Most of the time, players start practicing for the games a month or two before the event although there might be a team that practices most of the year. Believe me, I really do understand the problems facing many of our communities in trying to do their best by organizing a team and sending them for a tournament because I was once part of an organizing team for such an event. But somehow we were unable to make a dent in the normal progress of having a good team that we can all enjoy watching them play. I am sure this is one of the areas that newly reformed Federation should focus to see some changes. Let us face it, in order to be true to the spirit of the event and continue calling it a sports and cultural event, we should at least make an effort to show some improvement not only in soccer but in all other fields of sports that include women and children as well. I have seen some improvements regarding programs for children but women have never been a priority of the organizers judging by past experience. And I hope to see some improvement there.

But the last issue I would like to deal with is the gala nights. The program was first started to give chance for our Harari performers to showcase their talent and entertain the crowd. And here is my dilemma and a major concern which needs to be discussed as an important issue. Let me just say what is obvious on my part; I have always liked Harari music and am still partial to it and listen every chance I get. And I am sure most of the people who go to gala night have the same passion for Harari music as myself. But I am not exactly sure when it started, what I am hearing about these events is way past onesʼ love for Harari music. If some non-Harari person accidentally enters this party hall, I am confident that he will flatly deny that these are Hararis. Of course, assuming the person is familiar with Harari culture and people. The skimpy dress of our girls, and the mothers who dress no better than their daughters and do not mind what is going on, the free inter-mingling of Harari men and women on the dancing floor, and good number of young Hararis who get a fix of their alcohol from the outside, etc. is definitely not a scene that is attributable to a hundred percent Muslin society. Most of you who are familiar with the party scene surely know what I am talking about but nobody seems too concerned for the issue to merit any discussion. The scene I just outlined is in total contradiction of the basic tenets of our religion and should be a point of discussion if we at all call this a cultural event. It is high time to remember that our culture and way of life is more or less inter-twined with our religion and it is difficult to delineate where one starts and the other ends. It should be the concern of every Harari worthy of the name to find a remedy before things totally fall apart.

I understand that the party night is a major attraction of the event. Probably most of the participants in the event come for that purpose only. Well, if that is the case, we need to search deep within ourselves and examine our beliefs and morals because I really feel that we are at a cross-road. I am a strong supporter of these summer events that bring Hararis from near and Afar. So many lost friends have found each other and it has become a meeting venue for a number of family and friends. There are so many good things about the event that we should make every effort to preserve it, but at the same time we should be able to find a solution to some of the pressing problems that is facing us square in the eye.

Surat

Harari officials campaign in Addis

2008-04-01T12:41:00.001-05:00

By Abiy Demilew

A delegation of senior officials of the Harari Regional Government, led by Murad Abdul Hadi, President, held discussions with Hararis living in Addis, in a campaign for attracting and encouraging investment to the ancient town of Harar.
The regional government plans to embrace the private sector involvement in the development of the town, especially encouraging Hararis living in Addis, it was reported.
In the recent Harar Revitalisation Forum, held in Harar town two weeks ago, President Murad noted that the regional government will work closely with the private sector, in attracting investment to speed up the development of the town.
“The private investment sector is among the stakeholders listed to take part in the activity to develop the basic facilities in Harar,” senior official told Capital.
The regional government wants to uplift Harar in speeding up development activities with the support of major stakeholders and this is part of that initiative and commitment, according to the official who posed for few words with Capital.
Harar lacks modern amenities such as hotels, restaurants, hospitals etc and suffers from a chronic water shortage. Each resident now gets five gallons of water per day. Harar also faces a challenge to meet the demands of the 4500 tourists who visit every year. The character of the Old Town desperately needs to be preserved, while at the same time the infrastructure and housing conditions need to be improved for the residents, according to the study that was presented on the forum.
“This is the first ever large campaign to involve this number of senior officials for a special mission” disclosed the official.
“Economic Model for the Revitalization, The overall economic model for the revitalization (the source of revenues resulting from the revitalization and how they would be captured to repay the cost of the effort) will be a key output of the Forum. The economic model is expected to include a role for the Harari diaspora,” according to the study presented on the forum three weeks ago.

Gursum Community in Diaspora Applauds the Italian research team of Mount Kundudo.

2008-03-07T08:50:00.001-05:00

GURSUM COMMUNITY IN DIASPORA NEWS RELEASE
The Fugnanbira Community Group Association
www.gursum.com Email. Fugnanbira@rogers.com
March 6, 2008
Gursum Community in Diaspora Applauds the Italian research team of Mount Kundudo.
This was confirmed today in a letter sent by Gursum Community Vice President Meftuh Shash to Professor Marco Vigano and his team.
Mr. Meftuh Shash in his letter to the research lead said:
We applaud you and your team for your initiatives and bring to light one of the most beautiful and breath taking high mountains in East Hararge region (Kundudo) of Ethiopia with its unique wildlife (Wild horses) in the verge of extinction. We strongly believe this region is with high potential for the country’s tourism resources if due attention is given and revitalized and protected as you have indicated in your report.
We are highly in support of Prf. Vigano’s report and recommendations and encourage all the local government bodies, such as the FDRE Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Ministry of Tourism and International Environmental Protection Program UNEP to give due attention in protecting these environment and saving its unique Wild horses. It is fare to say this region was not explored and little or no attention was given to its wildlife. The study by the team indicates may be these are the only living wild horses found in East Africa and highly potential for the country’s tourism. This area needs active promotions at all levels and facilitating the required amenities.

Mount. Kududo, 3000 meters high located in Eastern Hararge Region of Ethiopia.

Here we would like to take this opportunity to share our experience and adventure trip to this magnificent and one of the highest Mountains in the region, with a very unique plain field that happen to be the home of the exotic Wild Horses in Eastern Ethiopia.
1974 Adventure Trip to Kundudo Mountain:
In 1974, ten of us as young teenagers including myself all of us from the town of Gursum, took an adventure trip to Mount Kundudo in search for the Wild Horses. Our journey started from Mount Stinico in the town of Gursum, were the chain of mountains stretches all the way to Mount Kundudo. After three hours journey on foot, we reached the bottom of Mount Kundudo which was covered by a very thick cloud with zero visibility. Though we had difficulty to find the only narrow ally way entrance to the top of the mountain, finally we reached to our dream height. At the time the plain magnificent field looked like a green golf course. On the beautiful landscape on top of the Mountain we met with a colony of Baboons to the east of the entrance and around 10 beautiful Wild Horses to the West. We were so excited to meet these beautiful horses and as they see they had company they started moving away. As we approach them for a close look they started running with a beautiful display. On the other side as we approach the baboons, they quickly took an exit down the mountain to the east. We were all amazed of the height and the beauty of the overlook of the environment, it was just breath taking.
From the pictures released by the research team we also noticed sever environmental degradation on top of the mountain field, which during our trip over 30 years a go, it was golf green plain as if it was trimmed with mower.
Although we planned to camp on the field of Mount Kundudo, this was not possible due to heavy rain fall in the evening and we were forced to climbed down to the nearest town called Fugnan Hujuba. We spent the night over and left for hometown of Gursum the next day.
July 23, 2007 our Journey to Eastern Hararge Regions.
On July 23, 2007, During Harari Millennium Celebration event my colleague and I took a trip to our hometown of Gursum, Fugnanbira. Our Journey began from Harar via Babile for a shortstop at Dakhata Valley, Known as (Marvel Valley of Rocks) and also an Elephant Sanctuary. We found this magnificent valley and natural phenomenon spectacular and have a great potential for tourism. As we arrived to Gursum and toured various areas, we also had the opportunity to speak with the Deputy Administrator of the town and discussed to work together as a community to introduce the regions tourism potentials. Kundudo Mountain Wild Horses were part of our discussion. We were advised that soon there will a documentary to promote the potential areas and we extended our desire to promote our home town around the world to get the exposure needed internationally.
Our way back to Harar we drove the root to Mountain Kundudo, via Awe Bare, Fugnan Hujuba, Ejarsagoro, Jarso, Fellana, Kombolcha and finally our destination the City of Harar.

This was the memorable adventure trip we had ever, traveling over the chain of mountains and hill sides over looking forests, it was just amazing. Although we didn’t climb to the top of Mount Kundudo due to time constrains as darkness prevailed, we enjoyed being just at the bottom of the mountain and took our memories with us that we will never forget and to promote the hometown beauty. It was a great experience for us to be back home after leaving for over 30 years.
Marvel Valley of Dakhata, Babile in Eastern Ethiopia

Harar is also an ancient walled city with ample tourist resources and the administration has been striving to promote its region world wide.
We believe as a community it is our obligation to elevate the awareness in conservation and promote our country’s potential resources for its development. Our community has been promoting conservations and reforestation of the degraded environment of the region as can be seen in this attached document. http://www.wscsd.org/ejournal/article.php3?id_article=232 you may notice our activity on one of our members study paper. We will continue striving in our capacity to communicate with the local administration and our community back home in an effort to help promote our Country’s development endeavors.
We hope to see Mount Kundudo once again revitalized and not only become the home of the Wild Horses but also one of recognized tourist resource for the country.
Released by:
FBCGA/PR/Kundudo
END
3

The taekwondo class has started today at abdal school

2008-02-25T10:40:00.000-05:00

The taekwondo class has started today at abdal school. I would like to thank all those who sponsored, pledged to sponsor, or are thinking of sponsoring a student, as well as those who prayed for the success of the program.

Present at the inaguration ceremony were: Mukhtar Ali, Vice speaker of the Harari parliment,
Yimage Idris, head of Cultural & Sports Bureau, and Elias Abdumalik, head of urban development Bureau.

The students were very excited about the program.

Many who did not make it to the program were sad that they did not get to be sponsored. They asked "what about us?".

I said insha'Allah there will be more people to sponsor you. The reality is we have not gotten even the minimum of 30 we were aiming for, and we have not gotten all the pledged amount yet. Therefore, we urge those of you who have pledged to sponsor students to send your payments, and those of you who haven't pledged yet to do so now.

Attached is a photo of some of the children in the program. There will be more picture soon.

This is an update for the "tae kwon do class in Harar"

2008-02-01T09:25:00.001-05:00

As'salamu alaykum everyone:

This is an update for the "tae kwon do class in Harar". The class will not start on the previously scheduled date of February 1st, 2008.

We have moved the start date to 2 weeks later due to some technical problems that we have resolved now.

Here is some pertinent information that you might want to know:

1. The class will be offered at Abdir School at Abdal
2. Only 5th grade students at that school will be sponsored
3. Ratio of boys to girls shall be 50-50%
4. Class will start in mid February

The board members of the school have met and agreed with the concept. We met with school officials today, and they have agreed to work in partnership with this program. They will discuss the issue with both students and parents and get back to us within a week.

There are almost 100 students in the 5th grade in Abdal school, with male to female ratio being almost 50-50 (48 vs. 47). The initial goal is to sponsor 50 students from this grade. We are developing a criterion for students to join the program - using attendance record and performance in school.

However, our ultimate goal is to sponsor all the 5th grade students. That will be possible only if Harari community members take this program seriously and sponsor more children. "no child left behind" should be the goal of this project.

Why 5th grade students you might ask? It takes about 4 years to get a black belt. Therefore, by the time the children complete the 8th grade they should have their black belt. Thereafter, these children can instruct the younger generation - and will be able to make sport and discipline to be the future part of the culture in Harar.

Therefore, I urge all of you who have pledged to sponsor a child to send your payments now.

We also urge those who have not pledged to do so now. We would like to see afochas and jamas sponsor at least 5 children each.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who have already sent your pledge for this noble cause.

In order to have a fruitful harvest in the future, we have to sow the seed now.

w/peace,
Mohammed Al-Harari

A 30 Million Birr Roadway Construction Contract is Signed

2008-02-01T08:53:00.000-05:00

Friday, 01 February 2008

The Harari National Regional State signed a 30 million Birr contract for a construction of 15 km of roadway with Hunan Hunand, a Chinese company that is specialized in the construction of highways and bridges. The proposed roadway is to be constructed in the city of Harar.

The Harari National Regional State signed a 30 million Birr contract for a construction of 15 km of roadway with Hunan Hunand, a Chinese company that is specialized in the construction of highways and bridges. The proposed roadway is to be constructed in the city of Harar.

The president of the Harari National Regional State, H.E. Murad Abdulhadi signed the agreement on behalf of the regional State. During the signing ceremony, he stated that roadway construction was part of the strategic package for the current administration. The president expressed his confidence that the construction of the roadways will play a highly important role in the expansion of investment and tourism opportunities for the Harari Regional State. The Regional State has allocated 80% of its capital budget for the timely completion of the project.

The Manager of Hunan Hunand, Mr. Young Riwa, remarked that their company has modern equipments and expertise necessary to construct quality highways that would fulfill the needs of the citizens of the Regional State. Mr. Riwa further stated that the project is scheduled for

Defense Ministry Hands Over 27 Hectares of Land

2008-02-01T08:51:00.000-05:00

Friday, 01 February 2008
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia’s Defense ministry handed over 27 hectares of land to the Harari National Regional State based on an agreement reached between the two sides on January 29, 2008. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia’s Defense ministry handed over 27 hectares of land to the Harari National Regional State based on an agreement reached between the two sides on January 29, 2008.

Harar was used as a military garrison by the previous regimes. Around 200 hectares (2 million square meters) of the land were used as a military camp, which seriously hindered the growth and revitalization of the Harari National Regional State. Further negotiations are underway with the Defense ministry to recover more lands to be used for various investment and housing projects.

News release from Haddeed Secretary

2008-01-14T09:01:00.000-05:00

ለሐረሪ ሕዝብ አማራጭ የፖለቲካ ፓርቲ ተቋቋመ Print E-mail
Sunday, 13 January 2008
ተመሳሳይ አመለካከት ያላቸው የሐረሪ ክልል ተወላጆች የፖለቲካ ፓርቲ በማቋቋም ለክልሉ ተወላጆች አማራጭ የፖለቲካ ፕሮግራም ይዘው መቅረባቸውን አስታወቁ፡፡ የአዲሱ ፓርቲ ፀሐፊ ክልሉን በማስተዳደር ላይ ያለው ፓርቲ መስራችና ስራ አስፈፃሚ ነበሩ፡፡

የሐረሪ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ድርጅት (ሐዲድ) በመባል የተቋቋመው ፓርቲ ከብሄራዊ ምርጫ ቦርድ ታህሳስ 24 ቀን 2000 ዓ.ም የምስክር ወረቀት አግኝቷል፡፡

ፓርቲው የሕጋዊ ሰውነት ማረጋገጫ የምስክር ወረቀት ማግኘቱን ተከትሎ ዋና ፀሐፊው አቶ ኤሊያስ ጠሀ ሸሪፍ ለሪፖርተር እንደገለፁት "ለሐረሪ ሕዝብ አማራጭ የፖለቲካ ፕሮግራም ይዘን ቀርበናል" ብለዋል፡፡

በሐረሪ ክልል ከገዢው ፓርቲ ሌላ አማራጭ ባለመኖሩ ሕዝቡ የሚፈልገውን የመምረጥ እድል ሳያገኝ ለዓመታት መኖሩን የገለፁት ዋና ፀሐፊው "በሚቀጥለው ምርጫ ህዝቡን ከአንድ ፓርቲ ጥገኝነት እናላቅቀዋለን፡፡ በዴሞክራሲያዊ መንገድ የፈለገውን እንዲመርጥ ከአሁኑ ጀምሮ ትኩረት ሰጥተን እንሰራለን" በማለት ተናግረዋል፡፡

በክልሉ ላለው የመልካም አስተዳደርና የልማት ጥያቄ መልስ የሚሰጥ ፕሮግራም እንደተዘጋጀ የገለፁት የሐዲድ ዋና ፀሐፊ በሚያዚያ ወር በሚካሄደው የማሟያ ምርጫ ሕዝቡ በንቃት ተሳታፊ እንዲሆን ጥሪ አስተላልፈዋል፡፡ ነገር ግን በምርጫው እንደማይሳተፉ ገልፀዋል፡፡

የሐረሪን ክልል እያስተዳደረ ያለው የሐረሪ ብሄራዊ ሊግ (ሐብሊ) ሲሆን አዲስ በተቋቋመው ፓርቲ ውስጥ የቀድሞ የሐብሊ አባላትና መስሪያዎች እንደሚገኙበት የገለፁት ዋና ፀሐፊው "ለሐረሪ ሕዝብ አማራጭ ፖለቲካ ፕሮግራም መያዛችንን አሳምነን ደጋፊዎቻችንን በዴሞክራሲያዊ መንገድ እንዲመርጡ አስተምረን ከሁለት ዓመት በኋ በሚደረገው አገራዊ ምርጫ እንወዳደራለን" ብለዋል፡፡ አያይዘውም መሰረት ያለው የምርጫ ስራ ሳይሰራ ወደ ምርጫ መግባቱ ፓርቲያቸው እንደማያምንበትም ተናግረዋል፡፡

በአሰግድ ተፈራ

Harari Congress

2007-11-25T17:12:00.000-05:00

Ethio-Harar Muday Alem Hufuq ZiHarari Kilahot Arra
(Pal talk discussion forum)
Report Submitted by; The Volunteer Group of 10 Hararis in Pal Talk.
November 26, 2007.

THE VISION; to speak as one voice on behalf of All Hararis in Diaspora based on the principle of “No Harari Left Behind”, and, by ensuring the Fundamental Right of each Harari to Participate, the Right to Contribute, and the Right to Elect and get Elected to “The Harari Congress” irrespective of the person’s affiliation to any Afocha or Mugad Organizations.

THE BACKGROUND; We Hararis rather appear to be unconnectedly organized by Community/ Afocha, Jammas/Mugads or interest groups. As the result, we were not able to pull our resources together effectively and function on vital matters affecting our Harari Nation as well as our very own survival as a Nation.

THE CONGRESS; the Road to the Congress; On August 19, 2007, Ten participants of Ethio-Harar Muday Alem Hufuq ZiHarari Kilahot Arra (Pal Talk Forum) volunteered to discuss and return with a recommendation on an organizational model for Hararis at an international level, with the intention that the Core Harari Kilahot Arra (Pal Talk Forum) would then discuss the merits of the recommendation and decide either to adopt or reject the group’s recommendation put into view.
In the last few months, the Harari Kilahot Arra Forum volunteers opened-up public consultation on the recommendation put into view asking for inputs, and more importantly to raise the awareness level of Hararis in Diaspora regarding the significance of establishing a Congress.
Despite the consensus built around the idea of establishing a Congress initially, there were a great deal of discussions on how to go about establishing the congress, the volunteer organizers and the Pal talk core circle finally came to an agreement to go forward with a new initiative to include ALL Hararis in the process whether they are affiliated to any of Harari Organizations or not.

Thus far, the discussions and the Consultation process has generated a lot of interest and a chain of positive reactions among the vast majority of Hararis in Diaspora and brought about many excellent ideas worth considering. Moreover, it became the litmus test that asserted our determination to get organized under one, all inclusive, umbrella organization.
Finally on Sunday, November 18, 2007, the clock to establish the first International Harari Congress in Diaspora, hereafter known as “The Congress “begun ticking at 6:00 PM (EST) around the globe under the principle of “No Harari Left Behind”,
Congress defined as a supreme body of Hararis in Diaspora, with long term objectives and authority to render decisions at an executive level that endeavors to assist in the Political, Economic and Social affairs of our nation. The congress is envisioned to guarantee and respect the Fundamental Right of each and every Harari to participate, the right to contribute, and the right to elect and get elected irrespective of his/her affiliation to any Mugad or Afocha organizations.
In light of the urgency and importance to establish the Congress, we, All Hararis in Diaspora have an obligation to participate in a Call of our Nation to stand by, and lend our unwavering support in every conceivable way to advance our nation’s political, economical and social causes.
We firmly believe that no amount of excuses will justify the abstinence of any Harari from participating towards this noble and civil duty due to the envisioned Congress’s representation to ALL HARARIS in Diaspora. Hence, we urge each and every one of you, male and female over the age of 18 to participate and effectively contribute toward this initiative.
Please exercise your right to participate, your right to contribute and your right to elect or get elected to a Harari Congress whether you are presently affiliated to any Harari organization or not. Your proactive participation and contribution will make a difference in the future state of our Harari Nation.
As we proceed forward, we invite more volunteers globally to draft the framework of the envisioned Congress and to develop a DATA BASE of Membership by initiating a formal and informal communication with Afochas and other Hararis organizations soon.
Thank You
The Volunteers of Ethio-Harar Muday Alem Hufuq ZiHarari Kilahot Arra.

SHAWAL EID CELBERATION IN ADDIS ABABA

2007-11-06T18:09:00.000-05:00

SHAWAL EID CELBERATION IN ADDIS ABABA

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

OCT. 29, 2007

Shawal Eid was celebrated among the Harari Community in Addis Ababa colorfully on Sunday October 29, 2007. The event which was held during the day included Mewlid, speeches and interviews and Harari Cultural and modern songs. . Lunch was served at the event. The main organizers of the event were Harai Women League of Addis Ababa .

Although shawal Eid is a controversial holiday to celebrate, one of the elders at the event announced the importance of the event in keeping our cultural heritage and for the community to come together and stick together. Hararis strength and their survival has all depended on their sticking to the culture which was based Islamic principles. During the past the Shwal Eid event has been a means for people to come to know each other and also a pathway for newly weds.

The event's main focus was on the young generation where the message was passed to exert utmost effort in transferring the history culture and language of the Harari People for generation to come. Education was also crucially pointed out for young Hararis to lead their nation in the age of information and technology.

The event was attended by the President of Harar, President Murad Abdullahi, other Harari high authority figures, also Awach and Ayach of the Harari community in Addis as well as most of the community at large

Harari State to execute over 72mln birr dev’t projects

2007-11-06T09:01:00.000-05:00

Harar, November 05, 2007 (WIC) - Harari State said it would construct various projects with over 72 million birr this fiscal year.

Finance and Economic Development Bureau Head, Arif Abdulhazif, told WIC that the projects would be carried out in six urban and three rural kebeles beginning this month.

He said the projects focus on education, urban development, agriculture, water, health, capacity building.

Upon completion at the end of this fiscal year, the 41 projects would benefit more than 100,000 residents, according to Arif.

He said the majority of the projects which would be carried out by 14 executive offices and nine kebele administrations are new.

The head further said of the budget earmarked for the execution of the projects,30 million birr was allotted for the construction of a new asphalt road.

The budget allocated for the execution of the projects this budget year exceeded that of last year by 22 million birr, it was indicated.
(c) Walta Information Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Harar Water Project in Progress. FB.com

2007-10-30T12:33:00.000-05:00

As’salamu Aleykum all,

Good News

Harar Water Project in Progress.

As you all aware in September of 2007 Gursum Community raised its concern on the delay of Harar Water Project, and wrote a letter to the Harari State Administration.

Please find the attached official updated response from the Harari administration Water Project Manager Tawalada Abdosh. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Br. Tawalada Abdosh and Elias Abubeker who made an effort to give us un update on the subject matter.

We hope the project shall be completed on schedule and the Harari Administration will keep us posted.

Best regards,
Meftuh Shash
VP
The FBCGA

teweleda abdosh wrote:

Dear Br.Meftuh Shash
FBCGA Vice President

First of all we would like to thanks a lot for your concern and readiness to take part for the issues written on the newspaper. How ever, the truths about the article are as follows:
1. The story/article published on ‘Capital’ is too old. Because the interview was given to media during the Harar Millennium celebration whereby dozen of journalist including the Regional media together with national government and private broadcasting agency namely; WALTA, ENA, Radio FANA, ETV and from printing media Capital, Fortune, African Best Business Index weekly, Reporter, IRIN, Addis Admas and others, from international media BBC world service, AP, VOA and Voice of Germany Amharic service have been in Harar to report the events.
2. The interview was made in mid of July, 2007. All the above listed broadcasting and printing media were published the issues of Harar water supply on time. The interview was focused on uPVC purchased for town distribution network. At that time the Ethiopian custom duty requested to pay VAT and Surtax. We officially request to exempt the VAT and surtax payment. Unfortunately, it was late to respond on these issues and the issues publicized. However, the efforts made by Federal Ministry of Water Resource (MoWR) are request was accepted and all the uPVC were exempted and free from VAT and Surtax, accounted for amount of two million ETHB Birr.
3. We have doubt for the purchase of Electro-mechanical, pumps and generators there will be the same issues may rise. Even though, the purchases of these materials are on process in order to facilitate and not to requested in the same manner for the purchase of uPVC.
4. The issue of VAT and Surtax to be paid for the materials was reached our Prime Minister during his visit on Harar Millennium anniversary. During his stay at Harar one of the sites visited by the PM was the Harar water supply project. The Harari region president H.E Murad Abdulahadi addressed the issues of VAT and surtax requested by Custom Duty Authority, and the PM promise to solve the problem.
5. Following his officials visited, the MoWR take additional response to handle the issues and efforts are on progress and we have confidence on MoWR that they will exempt the VAT and Surtax.
Current Status of Harar Water Supply and Sanitation Project
ü Installations of main transmission line 60 km, 83% were completed. The remaining 12 km will be completed as scheduled.
ü Construction of pumping station (PS) 60 % completed.
ü Four additional new bore-hole drilled, the tested and potential well fields were i.e. 40 lit/sec resulted.
ü More than 4 million paid for compensation, along the transmission line and well field areas.
ü The procurement of Electro-mechanical, pumps and generators on progress.
ü uPVC for town distribution network delivered to site.
ü Sanitation study for Harar town on progress conducting by Metaferia Consulting Engineers.
ü Harar town distribution network and construction of reservoirs on progress.
ü Construction of new Harar water supply office building under tender process.

Best Regards
Teweleda Abdosh
Manager, Harari water supply and sewerage service Authority

dear highly respected diaspora members

2007-10-24T11:46:00.001-05:00

dear highly respected diaspora members

Chinese companies have already finalized the design for concrete asphalt in Harar due to our budget constraints in this year 15 km new concrete asphalt will be developed , and will continue for the next year , inshallah after some 15 days the ceremony for lunching the projects will be undertaken. Already the council have approved the majority capital budget to be invested on this asphalt project. I have also attached some projects underway to reform the municipality ,
please those of you who have the power gez Amharic refer the summary report , and even need your feed back. as you know the focus of development was in the rural area but recently in this two years the gear is changed to urban development
Clik for PDF format

GURSUM COMMUNITY NEWS RELEASE

2007-10-13T11:02:00.000-05:00

GURSUM COMMUNITY NEWS RELEASE
The Fugnanbira Community Group Association
www.fugnanbira.com, Email. Fugnanbira@rogers.com.
October 12, 2007

Democracy in Progress

First and most on behalf of Gursum Community Diaspora and myself I would like to extend my sincere Wishes of Happy & joyous Eidul Fitre Holiday to all Ethiopian Muslims in Ethiopia, and around the world with those others who joined this event to celebrate with them.

For over a century Ethiopian Muslims were oppressed and their legitimate human rights were violated, their holidays were unrecognized and confined within themselves. They were not only denied access to media coverage but also treated as a second class citizen in their own homeland by deposed regimes.

Today we manage to proudly watching the Edul Fitre Celebration televised live from the Ethiopian National Television. This is very encouraging to see that citizens are enjoying democracy in progress. Ethiopian Muslims have been contributing heavily in their countries development endeavors and continue to do so with proud ethics. They made history in the world by coexisting peacefully with other fellow citizens practicing other religions.

Congratulations to the Ethiopian Government, its Media outlets and its citizens marching towards developing democratic Ethiopia, fighting poverty and expediting the development endeavors.

Best regards,

Meftuh Shash

Vice President

The Fugnanbira Community Group Association.

Harrari State Council ready to realize dev't program in millennium

2007-09-19T07:56:00.000-05:00

Harrar, September 17, 2007 (WIC)- The Harrari State Council announced that it would undertake activities focused on ensuring good governance and registering speedy and sustainable development.

Speaker Abdulmalik Beker told WIC that the council is ready to contribute its share for the realization of the development program launched by the government in the first year of the millennium.

The council would closely monitor the development works in the country through its standing committees to repeat the economic growth registered in four consecutive years in a row this budget year, he added.

Preparations have been made to enhance development, peace and democratization in the millennium, Abdulmalik stressed.

It would closely monitor the activities of institutions at various levels to ensure good governance by putting in place transparent and accountable working procedure, he elaborated.

The council is also ready to do its level best to make poverty history in the millennium by creating national consensus, the speaker added.

It has carried out various capacity building activities last budget year to improve working procedures and efficiently discharge its duties, Abdulmalik indicated, adding that these activities would be enhanced in the new millennium.

The council would jointly work with other state councils, educational and public institutions as well as non-governmental organizations, among others, in the fiscal year, he pointed out.
(c) Walta Information Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Memorandum Of Undestanding signed between Toronto & European Harari Communities

2007-09-18T17:30:00.000-05:00

Harar to replace dried out water pipelines

2007-09-05T13:56:00.000-05:00

By Andualem Sisay

Harar, a town beset with water shortages for over two decades, is going to replace its old and rusted pipelines to get water from the 72 km new pipeline distribution network project that plans to cover in addition to Harar neighboring towns of Aweday and Haromay.
The new line is believed to minimize water contamination, which often used to occur as a result of the old rusted pipelines, according to Bushra Mohamed, Public Relations Head of the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority of the Harari People Regional State.
The installation of the new pipeline will begin within a few days as all the necessary equipment has already arrived at Harar. But according to Bushra, their request for the release of the equipment tax free from the Customs Authority did not receive a positive answer, although the issue has reached the Prime Minister’s office.
It was a few months ago that the Harari People Regional State had requested the government to lift the 54 mln birr surtax and Value Added Tax (VAT), imposed on the already imported equipment for the Dire-Jara project. It is to be recalled that a 100 million birr bid to supply pumps, generators and electromechanical equipment had passed the selection process.
“As the federal government still did not lift the tax on the equipment, Harar’s hope to quench its thirst shortly is still uncertain. Beyond the Federal government’s promises, the equipment has not been released,” Bushra told Capital.
The contractor, China Overseas Construction Company, has finalized the installation of about 60 km of pipeline and is expected to finalize the remaining 11 km, according to Bushra.
The project is funded by a 215 million birr loan and a 12 million birr grant from the African Development Bank (ADB), 66 million birr from the Harari People Regional State and another 20 million birr loan from the Water Development Fund of Ethiopia. The project fund agreement was signed two years ago.
The Dire-Jara project was initiated in 1997 by digging 17 waterholes at Asandiso, 71 km from Harar and 25 km from Dire Dawa. Of the 17 waterholes dug by the region at a cost of 4 million birr, potable water was tapped from twelve.
Currently, there are seven waterholes supplying water in shifts to a population of 160,000. However, in addition to the population living in the city, it was learnt that 29,000 residents in the rural areas of Harar are also suffering from the water shortage.
The Capital

Investors with close to 246mln birr capital licensed in Harrari State

2007-09-05T12:38:00.000-05:00

Harrar, September 04, 2007 (WIC) – Investment projects with over 245.9 million birr capital have been licensed last budget year, the Harrari State Investment Office said.

Office Head Abduselam Abdosh told WIC that 73 local investors were licensed to engage in hotel and tourism development, industry, real estate development, agriculture, health, education, service delivery and construction.

Upon going fully operational, the projects would create casual and permanent jobs to 1,518 people, he said.

He said the projects licensed during the reported period exceeded that of the previous year by 80,824,000 birr in capital owing to the efficient service provided by the office.

Some 250 projects with a registered capital of over 523 million birr were licensed over the past ten year creating 3,118 jobs, it was learnt.

Institution of Ombudsman urges unremitting support of executives, state councils

2007-08-24T11:40:00.000-05:00

Harrar, August 24, 2007 (WIC) - The FDRE Institution of Ombudsman urged members of state councils, executive bodies at different levels and the community at large to provide unremitting support for its endeavor to ensure good governance.

While briefing the activities and responsibilities of the Institution to members of Harrari State Council here today, Children and Women Ombudsman with the rank of Minister, Adanech Dilnesahu, said the institution needs the support of members of state councils to efficiently discharge its responsibilities.

The institution is working with an objective of ensuring quality, efficient and transparent good governance through making sure that the executive body is respecting the legal rights and interests of the public.

According to her, the institution has the authority to control whether administrative directives issued by executive bodies and their decisions and procedures are not against the constitutional rights of the public and to receive, investigate and seek solutions for complaints on maladministration.

She mentioned that the institution has received over 12,000 applications of complaints during the last two years and added that some 10,000 of those were already solved while the rest are still pending.

Among the major sorts of complaints submitted to the institution were concerned with construction license, suspension from job, relegation from position and salary, payment of pension allowance, return of houses confiscated without proclamation, expropriation from holdings and payment of compensation, she elaborated.

Harrari State Chief Administrator Murad Abdulhadi on the occasion pledged to make all the necessary support and contribution to the success of objectives of the institution.

The Chief Administrator, members of the Harrari State Council and Harrari National Congress and heads of executive offices attended the consultative forum.

Harari state council meeting concluds

2007-08-24T11:36:00.000-05:00

Harar, August 24, 2007 (Harar) - The 1st regular conference of the Harari State council concluded on Thursday after approving over 172 million Birr annual recurrent budget, appointing cabinet’s members and endorsing various bills.

The council endorsed bills providing for the restructuring of the state mass media agency, the redefinition of the state's executive organs and the establishment of the state's ethics and anti-corruption commission.Members of the council recommended for the increment of state's hospitals’ annual budget from the reserve budget saying the ten million Birr allocated would not be adequate for effective health service delivery.

The council has sacked Zeydan Bekri, who was member of the state’s cabinet and head of public mobilization, culture and social affairs bureau on the grounds of inefficient performance. The council appointed Emaj Indris in place of Zeydan.

Following the separation of the former education and capacity building bureau, the council has entitled Regassa Kefyalew to head the capacity building Bureau in addition to his current position as the state deputy head.

The council unanimously approved the appointment of Nebil Mohamed as the head of the State Education bureau.

---END---

Performance of Harari State during completed budget year said encouraging

2007-08-24T07:33:00.000-05:00

Harar, August 22, 2007 (Harar) - Chief of the Harari State, Murad Abdulahi said the performance of the state during the completed budget year is highly encouraging.

Presenting an annual performance report to the State Council in Harar town on Tuesday, Murad said most of the development plans both in regular and capital budget were successfully implemented.

The participation of the public in development plans is one of the reasons for this success, he said.

A total of 80 outstanding and new projects aimed at addressing major socio-economic problems were executed during the year, with nearly 59 million birr allocated budget.

Some 71 percent of the activities planned under the capital budget were executed.

The state collected over 28.6 million Birr in revenues from various sources. The amount of revenue collected during the reported period exceeds the set target by 3.6 million birr.

In the past year, the state also issued investment licenses to 80 investors with an aggregate capital of nearly 382 million Birr.

The Dire-Jabe safe water project, which was designed to address the shortage of safe water in the state, is progressing well, he said.

The state helped more than 2200 youths to start micro and small-scale businesses. The states provided various equipment worth two million Birr to youths in order to make their activities profitable.

Over 11 million Birr obtained from more than 26,400 local and foreign tourists visited attractions during the reported period.

In its three-day conference, the council will discuss plans for the current budget year. It would also debate and endorse various bills and regulations.

Furthermore, the council will discuss legislation proposing the re-establishment of state executive offices, and the establishment of the state ethics and anti-corruption commission, he said.

The council will hear the annual report of the state's auditor general, the Supreme Court and committees of the council.

---END---

Harari state council to begin 1st conference on Wednesday

2007-08-24T07:24:00.000-05:00

Harar, August 21, 2007 (Harar) - The 3rd Harari State Council 1st conference would be begun as of the coming Wednesday, Council’s Secretary said.

The council in its three day conference would discuss on the report of the state executive body and plan of the current budget year.

It would also discuss and endorse various bills and regulations, the secretary told ENA on Tuesday.

Furthermore, the council discus on bills providing for reestablishment of the state executive offices, and for the establishment of the state ethics and anti-corruption commission, he said.

The council would hear the annual report of the state chief audit office, Supreme Court and committee of the council.

After discussing on the plan of the 2000 E.C, the state is expected to approve the annual budget.

---END---

Harrari State has reportedly made preparations to provide enough transportation

2007-06-30T02:12:00.000-05:00

Harrar, June 18, 2007 (WIC) – Harrari State has reportedly made preparations to provide enough transportation and hotel facilities for visitors coming to Harrar city to celebrate its 1000th anniversary and the millennium.

Trade, Industry and Tourism Sector Head with the Bureau, Fuad Abdella, told WIC that the Millennium Celebration Committee has prepared hotels and vehicles for over 10,000 guests expected to visit the city beginning from early July.
The committee has also made consultations with owners of hotels so that they could give satisfactory services to the guests while training has been given in cooking and reception by experts from Hotel and Tourism Training Institute.
In addition to hotels, private residential quarters inside the Jegol Wall would also be made available for rent to guests, according to Fuad.
He said mini-buses and other vehicles have been prepared to transport guests and tourists of the millennium from Diredawa to Harrar and other places of festivity.
There are also plans to introduce the potential resources of the city to visitors on the millennium and motivate investors to invest, he added.
Some 150 natives of the state residing in Canada have arrived in Addis Ababa on 16 June to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Harrar city.

Harrar Water to go operational within one year

2007-06-30T02:10:00.000-05:00

Harrar, June 27, 2007 (WIC) – The 293-million- birr Dire Jara Potable Water Project under execution in the environs of Harrar town will go operational within a year, according to Harrar Town Potable Water and Sanitation Project Office.
Harrar, June 27, 2007 (WIC) – The 293-million- birr Dire Jara Potable Water Project under execution in the environs of Harrar town will go operational within a year, according to Harrar Town Potable Water and Sanitation Project Office.
Office Coordinator Ahmed Mohammed said today that the project being carried out with loan and aid obtained from Africa Development Bank and the support of the state government is aimed at sustainably addressing the shortage of water in the town.
Installation of 55.8 kilometers of the pipeline and drilling works from Haseliso and Harrar- Dengego has so far been completed while installation of the remaining 15.4 kms of pipeline and various related works are on progress, the coordinator said.
Over 50 percent of the project has been carried out so far, Ahmed said, adding that upon going operational on July 2008,over 214,000 residents of Harrar, Awedai, Haremaya, Dengego and Adele towns would get sufficient potable water.
The construction of Dire Jara Potable Water Project was launched in July 2005 with 227 million birr loan obtained from Africa Development Bank and 66 million birr earmarked by the state government, it was learnt.

One hundred and eighty roses

2007-06-19T17:32:00.000-05:00

Malasay .com
Wanting to be in Harar, but stuck in Addis pretty much sums up my situation at the moment. Two of my luggage has made it through, two more are left. The computer that I use for editing videos is still among missing. I took brother Ilami's advise and spoke with a higher official at Ethiopian Airlines. They were much more sympathetic and helpful. The person I spoke with sent messages to the Washington office trying to trace the luggage. However, when they traced the luggage it showed that United Airlines never delivered the items to Ethiopian, but rather they sent it to London. I was skeptical about that explanation, until I saw the two luggage that arrived wrapped with British Airways tapes. It looks like the security officials in London ripped thru the luggage and wrapped it with plastic bags, and then wrapped it with tapes.

In any case, the positive thing that came out of the delay to my trip to Harar was witnessing how well the Addis branch of the Harar Millennium organizing committee was prepared to welcome the Hararis in the diaspora, as well as their mobilization efforts to get Hararis locally to participate in the celebration of Harar's Millennium. The reception they gave to Hararis that arrived from Canada via KLM on June 16th is testimonial to their well preparedness. One hundred and eighty roses were purchased to be given to each Harari that arrived on that day. Rose petals and sweet candies were toasted over the heads of the new arrivals (fola), as is the custom of Hararis when loved ones come from a long journey.

The atmosphere was joyous and festive. Hugs, kisses, smiles, and some tears were exchanged among relatives and friends. Several Hararis from Addis came to the airport to give ride or render any assistance that might be needed. Harar Travel and Tour also dispatched six of their mini-vans to give ride to the new comers.

Thank you Harar Travel and Tour for your courteous and professional services!

Just witnessing the welcoming ceremony in Addis makes one wonder what is awaiting in Harar!

Echoing Shaikh Abadir, let it be declared - "Hazuki ya Harar!!!"

The Federal State allowed the welcoming committees to enter all the way past the customs agents, and helped facilitate the process of passing through the customs. Extra security procedures were also taken by searching all vehicles entering the airport. My appreciations go to the federal government officials who made the colorful welcoming ceremony a possibility.

All eyes on Harar in July

2007-05-30T05:38:00.000-05:00

Harar’s establishment millennium to trigger the third new Ethiopian millennium

By Andualem Sisay

The Harar First Millennium was launched in the presence of Girma Wolde-Giorgis, President of the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The president it is to be re called has authored a book about the city entitled, “Then and Today”.
“I believe that the celebration of Harar’s one-thousandth anniversary of its founding as a city imparts a uniquely beautiful Harari color to the multi-facetted celebration of the Ethiopian third Millennium,” said the president, speaking at the event here in Addis at the Sheraton Hotel on Wednesday May 23, 2007.
With the motto of ‘think globally and act locally’, the Harar Millennium Committee has been undertaking various activities here and abroad to colorfully promote Harar’s first Millennium. The city was registered by UNESCO in 2006 as the 45th historical town of peace and coexistance.
Ms. Florence Ssereo, UNESCO Representative on the ceremony indicated that the conservation activities underway in Harar are encouraging and the World Heritage Council is expecting a progress report in July, 2007. She also stressed UNESCO’s readiness to cooperate with the town in order to protect and promote the intangible heritages of Harar such as traditional music and dance.
Ethiopian third Millennium Festival Council Director, Siyum Bereded, on his part indicated that both the Harar First Millennium celebration and Ethiopia’s third Millennium celebrations have created good opportunities to restore and rehabilitate the degrading environment of the country.
According to the Lunar Calendar, 405 Hijra means it is now 1023 years old. The city could be even older and further studies should be conducted to know the exact age of the city, according to Ambassador Mohammed Dirir, Minister of Tourism and Culture, who spoke at the launching.
After Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem; with 82 mosques and uncountable shrines, the walled city of Harar is the 4th holiest city of Sunni Islam. It is also considered as an original domestic center of the world famous ‘coffee Arabica’ and the mild stimulant leaf chat (catha adulis).
Harar, located in eastern Ethiopia 526 km from Addis Ababa, is expecting tens of thousands of visitors as well as its own population for the celebration of its first Millennium. The city has dedicated the full month of July for the colorful celebration of its Millennium with various events such as festivals, bazaars, tree planting, as well as other developmental programs.
World Heritage registration of Harar Jugal fiesta, investment opportunity& promotion program, the 12th Harari sport tournament , handing over of land for investors and the inauguration, of Abdella Sherif`s museum are among the programs which will be undertaken during the month long Harar first Millennium celebration.
According to Ahmed Zekeriya, Harar Millennium Project Advisor, out of the one mln sq.mt of land that the city administration is preparing for the Ethiopian diaspora who are interested to build houses and settle in Harar, some 600,000 sq mts are now ready.

http://www.capitalethiopia.com/archive/2007/May/week4/local_news.htm#6

Harar town making preparations to celebrate 1,000th anniversary, Millennium

2007-05-18T07:26:00.000-05:00

Harrar, May 16, 2007 (WIC) - Preparations are well underway to celebrate the upcoming Ethiopian Millennium with the 1,000th anniversary of Harrar city, Chief Administrator of the Harrari State said.

State Administrator Murad Abdulhadi told WIC yesterday that that the day will be celebrated from July 1 to July 30 in the presence of 15,000 to 20,000 natives of the state expected to come from abroad for the celebrations.

A cultural week that revives the establishment of the city and its registration as a world heritage by UNESCO would be held in the first week, he said.

Accordingly, the ancient wall of Jegol and other heritages would be attractively be displayed to tourists coming to the city, Murad elaborated.

Traditional dances and sports festivals in which the five neighboring states would take part will also be organized, according to the Chief Administrator.

Joint conferences that would strengthen the historical unity and relations of the neighboring states would also be held, it was also pointed out.

A millennium village of natives of the state and guests coming to the state as well as investors would be established, he said, adding that a bazaar will also be organized and designs of finalized millennium parks inaugurated.

Some 5,000 foreign guests from Canada, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Europe are registered to come for the festival, in addition to those who come individually, Murad added.

Committees have been set up to provide efficient hotel and transport services for the guests coming to celebrate the festival, it was indicated.
(c) Walta Information Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

DC Screening of Imam Ahmed @ First Hijra Foundation

2007-05-02T07:48:00.000-05:00

Imam Ahmed's documentary was screened last Sunday, April 29th, 2007 at the
Venezuelan Embassy. The event was attended by both the Harari and Silte
communities.

Dr. Afendi Ziad made a brief presentation about the life and achievements of
Imam Ahmed before the screening. The screening was followed by a brief
discussion and fund raising for the project.

After the screening the siltes and Hararis met to discuss means of
strengthening relationship between the two communities and agreed to hold
joint meetings at a feature date.

During the discussion it was requested that the "Imam Ahmed" screening be
held at First Hijra Foundation.

The screening is scheduled to be held on Friday May 4th, 2007 at First Hijra
Foundation after the maghrib prayers.

I would like to thank br. Abdulaziz Kamus, Mohammed Abdusalam, and all who
made last weeks event a success.

wasalaam,
Mohammed

ERCS announces 10.7 mln. birr natural disaster support programme

2007-04-23T12:27:00.000-05:00

Addis Ababa - The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) says it has embarked on a major new programme to support people affected by natural disaster in different states of the country, with a more than 10.7 million fund secured from the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO).

ERCS signed the contract with ECHO to implement an Emergency Drought Preparedness Intervention in the most drought-prone states - Oromia, Harari, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples State and Afar and respond to flood victims in the Amhara State in north and South Gondar zones.

The main aim of the project is to enable the ERCS in partnership with the local communities to respond swiftly and efficiently to needs arising from recurrent droughts within the sector of water and thereby reducing the incidents of negative coping mechanisms within local communities in targeted areas. The project is accomplished in collaboration with the Danish Red Cross.

The project, which started in October 2006 and runs for 12 months, is expected to reach an estimated 120,000 people, including pastoralists and farmers.

Another three-month project sets out to cater for the needs of flood victims through the provision of seeds and tools, construction of 56 shallow wells, training on Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST), community participation and capacity building, empowerment of women and mobilization of ERCS volunteers.

The aid will benefit more than 37,000 dwellers, with a particular focus on female-headed households in North and South Gondar zones, it said.

The project will be implemented within the overall framework of the Government’s drought response strategies and closely coordinated with relevant line ministries.

(ENA)

Dart championship underway

2007-04-23T12:26:00.000-05:00

Bahir Dar – Ethiopian Dart Championship has been underway in Bahir Dar town of Amhara State since Monday, the Ethiopian Dart Federation said.

Championship Executive Committee and Public Relations Committee Chairperson, Dereje Shimelis, said over 50 players drawn from eight states are competing in 11 types of sport.

Accordingly, players drawn from Benshangul-Gumz, Harari, Oromia, Afar, Gambella and Amhara states as well as Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa administrations have been taking part under adult and teenage categories in singles and pairs.

According to the chairperson, the championship organized in collaboration with Ethio-Nipon Technical Association, will continue for the coming three days.

(WIC)

CSA urges public to provide accurate information during population, housing census

2007-04-23T12:25:00.000-05:00

ADDIS ABABA - The Central Statistical Agency (CSA) called upon the public to provide accurate information during the upcoming national population and housing census, which it said, is an important input in designing development strategies of the country.

The agency said the outputs of the census are vital in designing development strategies of the country as well as in resolving problems faced at various levels.

The population and housing census is an essential source of reliable information at various administration levels, it said.

Accordingly, it plays vital role in the decisions being made to realize the country’s development strategies and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The agency urged house renters in providing accurate information about people living in their house as the census is not associated with other purposes.

As the information collected by the enumerators would be used only for the census, the agency urged the public to play role for the success of the population and housing census.

Meanwhile, the Central Statistical Agency (CSA) said preparations have been finalized to provide training for over 4,000 teachers who would take part in the population and Housing Census to be conducted in the Harari State and East Hararghe Zone of Oromia State.

Harar branch CSA Office Representative Solomon Mengistu said yesterday that the office will offer a 10-day training to 4,268 teachers on the execution of the census.

The training would be offered in Harar, Girawa, Bedeno and Deder towns to teachers drawn from the Harari State and 18 woredas of East Hararghe Zone, according to the representative.

Stores and materials are also being prepared for the census apart from the training, Solomon added.

(ENA/WIC)

Number of VCT beneficiaries growing in Harari

2007-04-23T12:24:00.000-05:00

ADDIS ABABA - The number of people getting HIV/AIDS Voluntary Testing and Counseling (VCT) service has been drastically increasing in Harari State, State Health Bureau said.

Bureau head Dr. Berena Abdush told ENA Saturday that the bureau had set plans to provide VCT service for 6,400 people during the current budget year.

However, he said the bureau provided VCT service for more than 6,500 people during the first half of the budget year.

The bureau scored better achievements owing to the consecutive consultations made with residents of the state at various levels, he said.

The Millennium anti-HIV/AIDS Campaign conducted in the state has significantly contributed for the better performance registered in the provision of VCT, Dr. Berena said, and added that efforts are being exerted to register better results during the second half of the budget year.

More than 1,000 people, who were found to be HIV positive during the reported period, have been getting free anti-retroviral therapy, Dr. Berena added.

Some 5,000 residents in Maichew town of Tigray State have also undergone Voluntary HIV/AIDS blood test and counseling (VCT) services during the last six months, the town health office said.

Office communicable diseases prevention and control section head, Messay Abebe said the number of people to undergo voluntary HIV/AIDS blood screening and counseling has increased.

The head made the remark while closing a three-day workshop organized by the Tigray Women’s Association for over 300 civil servants deployed in the region.

The rise in the number of VCT service beneficiaries indicates that there is positive behavioural change toward the prevention and control of the pandemic.

Some 174 persons living with the virus have already started receiving antiretroviral drugs, he added.

(ENA)

Farmers expect 23 mln. quintals of crops cultivated through irrigation

2007-04-14T09:08:00.001-05:00

ADDIS ABABA – Close to 395,000 hectare has been developed through irrigation in eight states this dry season, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development disclosed.

Irrigation Development Expert with the Ministry,Haile Gebeyehu told WIC that over one million farmers in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Gambella and Harari states as well as Dire Dawa Administration are engaged in the development.

Utilizing river, stream, lake and underground water as well as harvested rainwater, the farmers have been growing fruits and vegetables, sesame, cotton, spices and other cash crops, he added.

The expert said the farmers engaged in the irrigation development are being provided with fertilizer, vegetable and crop select seeds and other inputs.

Over 23 million quintals of crops is expected from the irrigated land, according to Haile.

Haile further pointed out that suitable packages have been prepared for the irrigation development activities to be carried out in arid areas, and added that efforts are also underway to help them produce crops and fodder using water saving irrigation technologies.

A number of farmers in some parts of the country are producing twice in a year, Haile said, adding that more than 100,000 hectare is also expected to be irrigated in the coming months.

In a related news, farmers in Habru Woreda, North Wollo Zone of Amhara State, have reaped over 240,000 quintals of vegetables they developed through irrigation during the last three months.

Woreda Information Office Public Relations and Documentation Desk Head, Worku Semaynew told ENA that the farmers have reaped the stated amount of agricultural produces from nearly 2,000 hectares.

Some of the farmers said their incomes have been increased since they began to grow marketable crops using irrigation schemes.

Over 3,000 hectares have already been developed in the woreda through irrigation, according to the head.

(WIC/ENA)

Over 90,000 people protected from malaria

2007-04-14T09:06:00.001-05:00

HARAR - More than 90,000 people in Harari State were protected from malaria, the State Health Bureau said.

Bureau Deputy Head Birna Abdosh told ENA Friday that the stated number of people was protected from malaria following various pre-emptive activities carried out in malaria-prone localities.

Anti-malaria chemicals were sprayed on over 23,000 houses while over 50,000 canopies were also distributed, he said.

Birrna said swampy areas were also cleared.

(ENA)

Harar obtains over 9.6 mln. birr from tourists

2007-04-12T08:19:00.000-05:00

HARAR - Over 9.6 million birr revenue has been secured from foreign and local tourists visited tourist attractions in Harar town, Harari State Trade Industry and Urban Development Bureau said.

Tourism Department Head with the Bureau, Abdunasir Idris told ENA yesterday that the stated sum of revenue was obtained from over 22,000 tourists who came to the town over the past nine months.

Over 6,000 of the tourists who visited the town were foreigners, the head said, and added that most of them came from Europe, America, Asia and Australia.

The number of tourists coming to the state along with the revenue being generated from the sector has steadily been increasing owing to the vast promotion works carried out in the sector, the head said.

Capacity building trainings have been offered for people engaged in hotel, souvenir and gift articles manufacturing and working as tourist guides, in a bid to attracting more tourists by making their stay in the town comfortable.

The head also indicated that the bureau has published a tourist guidebook and has prepared publications that promote tourist attractions of the town in five languages.

The historical fortressed Jegol area, the five entrance gates of the town, historical buildings, handicrafts and museums were among the tourist attractions visited during the period reported.

(ENA)

Harar millennium flights from US to Ethiopia

2007-03-31T11:31:00.000-05:00

Asalamu ^Alaykum my fellow Hararis,

After tireless efforts to help fellow Hararis, I wanted to share with you the final outcome of the air ticket issues.

As you see from the forwarded message from UAE Airlines (United Arab Emirates) they gave us the following final rate. And the subsequent to the e-mail I received from UAE Rep. I was in touch on the phone staying as late as 2:00 AM (due to time difference). And I make no money from such deal, and I wanted to maximize the benefit to all Hararis, so the best deal they offer us is $1,365.00 including all taxes, but this price doesn't include any domestic fares from any cities. This fare is from NY via Dubai, to Addis and from Addis, via Dubai back to NY. You have one free stop in Dubai either on outgoing flight or return flight. If the following condition as stated in the forwarded message, and you can complete your return flight by the return date mentioned (meaning by either July 31st, 07 or August 1st, 07) then you need to insha-Allah ACT immediately and all registration with 50 % payment (make payment to the following coordinators with Mobilizing committee in your area as follow.

D.C. Area contact ges Fahmi Mawi at (202)355-3950;

Dallas area, please contact M. Hassan at (469)231-6008

Atlanta area, please contact Salah Wazir (404) 783-2424

LA area please contact Ali Abdulrahman/ Fozia Gutu at 714 454-0978

Memphis area Gesi Zako Abdulrahman at (901) 288-3928

Canada in General, Gesi Abdulrahim Malaq, (613)853-7876.

Note: 1) All registration with 50 % down payment insha-Allah need to be completed by April 15th, 2007.

2) Any city or state that are not mentioned above should contact the nearest city or state for registration.

3) Tips on travel info, insha-Allah soon I will send you more information. ....

Your brother in Islam,
Salah Wazir
Abadir98@Aol. com
(404) 783-2424 Mobile

Communities forge partnership to strive for dev’t of Ethiopia

2007-03-27T11:59:00.000-05:00

ADDIS ABABA The - Gursum and Harari natives Community Organizations in Toronto, Canada forged a partnership March 17,2007 to assist in educational and environmental development to alleviate poverty of south eastern region of Ethiopia.

Gursum community Vice-President Meftuh Shash said considering education as the basis for productivity and the country’s development, as a community “we should join alongside the government and its citizens in fighting poverty and pursue the development endeavours,” the Fugnanbira Community Group Association newsletter said.

“Our two organizations have been working together in various venues and these will not only strengthen our relations, but also help in achieving success to our goals for sustainable development in our native regions of Ethiopia,” it quoted Meftuh as saying.

Harari Heritage Centre President Amal Mohammed on her part said: “This is a step in the right direction and our community would support such an important mission to help the needy schools in our native country since education is the base for development and forging the partnership is an ideal for strengthening our effort and achieving our goal.”

The community leaders also applaud to the idea of carrying one book by every Ethiopian returning for a visit home and donate it to a library or a school.

They urge all Ethiopians who will make it home for the Millennium Celebrations to carry a book with them.

(ENA)

EEPCo electrifies 24 towns

2007-03-27T11:58:00.000-05:00

HARAR – The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has reportedly electrified 24 towns in eastern Ethiopia.

EEPCo Eastern Region Department Director Daba Kelbessa told WIC Saturday that the corporation has provide electric power service for rural kebeles in Oromia, Harari and Somali states as well as Dire Dawa administration beginning this month.

The towns have become beneficiaries of electric power service following the completion of stretching of electric lines, installation of poles and transformers in each town, Daba said.

As stretching of electric line and installation of transformers are underway in other seven rural towns they will become beneficiaries of round-the-clock service soon in addition to the 24 towns, the director further stated.

The region has carried out the stretching of 71kms power line and installation of transformers in the towns, Daba said, adding that it has also provided new meters for over 9,348 new clients.

Various activities have also been underway with over 86 million birr so as to make a total of 47 towns, including the above-mentioned towns, become beneficiaries of electric power services by the coming June, it was learnt.

(WIC)

Canadian Communities of Ethiopian origin forged a partnership to strive for the development of their native country of Ethiopia.

2007-03-20T12:21:00.000-05:00

March 17, 2007

On March 17, 2007 Gursum and Harari natives Community
Organizations living in Toronto Canada forged a partnership to assist in educational and environmental development to alleviate poverty of their native country South Eastern region of Ethiopia, Hararghe region and Gursum Weredas in particular.

Gursum community V.P Meftuh Shash during his presentation seeking to forge the partnership with the Harari Heritage Center said “Gursum Community calls upon HHC to share its vision that could help our nation where currently may need us to strive to fight poverty and marching towards the development effort of our native country collectively. Considering education as the basics for one society’s productivity and the country’s development, as a community we should join along side the government and its citizens in fighting poverty and pursue the development endeavors.
Our two organizations have been working together in various venues and these will not only strengthen our relations, but also help in achieving success to our goals for sustainable development in our native regions of Ethiopia”.

Further more Meftuh Shahs addressed the committee how to help Canada’s environment and said “currently as ordinary Canadian citizens we play a major role in protecting our environment, using the recycling programs in place, such as compost food, recycle plastic, bottles, cans, clothing, paper and so on to minimize disposals to the land field. Here we can play similar and a better role not only by reducing reusable ELECTRONICAL waste from the land field but also we will take them to a place where they can be reused and mostly needed for educational advancement and the country’s development. Having said that, we will continue in our effort of awareness campaign in reforestation of the degraded environment of eastern region of Ethiopia”

Harari Heritage Center President Miss Amal Mohammed on her part said “This is a step in the right direction and our community would support such an important mission to help the needy schools in our native country since education is the base for development and forging the partnership is an ideal for strengthening our effort and achieving our goal.”

Former HCO’s President Mr. Surour Mohammed on his part said “ Our children in Canada are very fortunate having access to up to date school systems, ample access to materials and the latest advancing computing technology to meet the expectations of today’s society in one of the richest country in the world. Having said that my visit to back home and touring various schools and speaking to local authorities brought to my attention the dire need of basic necessities and a mission such as this, helping schools and libraries with materials such as books and computers will help students to become more productive and effective member of their community.”

In conclusion both communities signed a partnership agreement and soon to form a taskforce to study the feasibility of the proposed project and to prepare the implementation process within the next three months. It is projected that by July 2008 this mission will be completed and several schools and libraries in Hararghe region and Gursum Wereda may benefit access to various books and computers.

The community leaders also applaud to the idea of carrying one book for every Ethiopian Diaspora traveling to Ethiopia and donate to a library or school. This is being said they urge all Ethiopians those who will participate in 2007 Millennium celebrations to carry one book with them. We encourage children traveling with their parents to carry each one children book.

END

Released by: HHC & FBCGA/PR

Water project being speeded up

2007-03-03T08:53:00.000-05:00

Harar - The Harari State Water and Sewerage Service Authority said over 50 per cent of work on the water project being carried out in Harar town with over 293 million birr has been finalized.

Plan and public relations department head with the authority, Bushra Mohammed told ENA Wednesday that most of the installation of main water pipes, generators as well as construction of water reservoir and residential units for technical staff is nearing completion.

Some 12 of the 17 water wells drilled in an area called Aseliso in Dire Dawa Interim Administration were confirmed to have huge water resource.

Sinking of four additional deep water wells, with the capacity of generating 50 litres of water per second, is being carried out with a view to ensuring provision of potable water in the area.

Some three million birr compensation was paid for people relocated for the installation of water pipelines, the head said.

The state government earmarked four million birr budget for digging of water pipeline installation lines.

The project was supposed to be finalized in two years, but the contractor was unable to launch the project as scheduled due to shortage of cement, among others.

The project is expected to be finalized until the end of next year, he said.

Meanwhile, some 16 potable water projects began service in Teltele Woreda, Borena Zone of Oromia State, the Zonal Water Resource Office said.

The office told ENA this week that the projects were executed with 12 million birr in areas with severe shortage of water.

The projects are intended to provide potable water to over 35,000 people and more than 200,000 heads of cattle in the woreda, said the office.

It said a similar project was launched recently with an out lay of four million birr.

(ENA)

Federal, state councils joint forum to begin today

2007-03-03T08:52:00.000-05:00

Harar – The first joint conference of the federal and state councils for the current fiscal year will take place in Harar town for two days beginning today, Speaker of the Harari Peoples State Council said.

The Speaker, Abdul Malik Beker, told WIC yesterday that the conference will be held based on the decision reached previously between the federal and state councils to exchange ideas and experiences on mutual affairs twice a year.

The federal and the state councils will hold discussion on capacity building and other mutual affairs, he said, adding that they will also evaluate performance of the plan for the first half budget year.

Speakers of the nine state councils including the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), council office heads and senior experts will attend the meeting, he added.

The federal and state councils joint forum was established three years ago, it was learnt.

(WIC)

State to carry out 134 mln. birr dev’t projects

2007-02-28T08:35:00.000-05:00

Harar - Some 45 development projects would be undertaken in Harari State in the next five years to curb the State’s socio-economic problems, said a study.

The study presented to a meeting held in Harar town yesterday to discuss the implementation of the projects said a total of 134 million Birr is needed to carry out the projects.

The projects included construction of condominium houses, market places, recreation centres, and a bus station, among others.

The construction cost is to be covered by the town municipal office, the state government and NGOs operating in the state, said the study.

(ENA)

Over 50 mln. birr dev’t works underway

2007-02-28T08:34:00.000-05:00

Harar – Development projects have been under execution at a cost of more than 50 million birr in the Harari State, the State Finance and Economic Development Bureau said.

Bureau Head Arif Abdul-Hafiz told WIC that the projects are being executed in all rural and town administrations of the state.

Among the 80 projects under implementation since the beginning of last month, 25 are new and the remaining outstanding, he said.

The majority of the projects focus on water, agriculture, health, education, road construction.

Upon going fully operational, the projects would benefit over 100,000 inhabitants of the state, according to Arif.

(WIC)

Ethiopia And Somalia

2007-02-26T11:23:00.000-05:00

The Reporter (Addis Ababa)

OPINION
February 24, 2007
Posted to the web February 24, 2007

Paul B. Henze

A lack of relevant fact and background information characterizes most reporting on recent developments in Somalia. Media performance has been shallow: full of hype and repetition, little background, no historical perspective, highlighting of negative comments and predictions.

The Ethiopian operation was not undertaken because the US urged it. Ethiopia has no desire to occupy or dominate Somalia--only to keep it from being a danger to the region. Ethiopia was invaded by Somalia in 1977 and invaded by Eritrea in 1998--it did not simply "fight a war" with them.

Meles did not act to divert attention from internal troubles. Somalia has no historic existence as a state. It has been a disruptive element in the Horn of Africa since it came into existence in 1960.

It has been in a condition of anarchy since 1991. The Islamic Courts declared war on Ethiopia and claimed Ethiopian territory... The AU, the UN, the US and most Western countries recognize Ethiopia's entitlement to act in its own interests as well as those of the Somali people...

History:

Ethiopia is one of the oldest continually existing states in the world. In the 7th century BC local rulers in what is today northern Ethiopia and Eritrea were already constructing massive stone buildings, dams and roadways. Emigrants from South Arabia mixed with native Africans, developed writing and high technology that culminated in the great obelisks at Aksum, the largest monolithic monuments in the world of that time.

The Aksumite Empire, based on agriculture and trade, ruled an area stretching from the Nile to the Red Sea and across to Yemen. It adopted Christianity in the 4th century. Ethiopian Christianity was influenced by Judaism.

Communities of Jews in Ethiopia survived into the 20th century. When the country fell under communist rule in the 1970s most of them emigrated to Israel. Ancient Ethiopia was not hostile to Islam. When the Prophet Mohammed began his mission in the 7th century, his earliest followers were persecuted by the oligarchs of Mecca. Tradition relates that Mohammed advised them to go to Ethiopia "for the king there will not tolerate injustice and it is a friendly country." The tombs of these first Muslims at the Tigrayan town of Negash remain a pilgrimage site today.

Aksumite influence spread southward into the mountains and gorges that form the Roof of Africa. The country became known to Europeans as the mysterious Land of Prester John. Its history was often turbulent, always colorful. Britain mounted a huge expedition against Emperor Theodore in the late 1860s. Defeated, he committed suicide and Britain withdrew its soldiers, lacking a desire to take on the task of colonizing the mountain kingdom and Ethiopia remained the only independent part of Africa south of the Sahara. But the scramble for Africa was on. Italy had its eyes on Ethiopia and sent a huge expedition through the newly opened Suez Canal to conquer it. Emperor Menelik dealt a fatal blow to Italy's ambitions at Adwa in 1896 and the world took notice.

Menelik set a modernization process in motion and built a new capital at Addis Ababa. When he died in 1913 the country fell into confusion. Ras Tafari, eventually crowned Emperor Haile-Selassie in 1930, emerged to set it on a path to progress but was cut short by Mussolini. Seeking to revenge Adwa, his Fascists brutally conquered Ethiopia using poison gas. Patriot guerrillas mounted steady resistance to Italian occupation. Haile-Selassie came back through Sudan with British Commonwealth forces in 1941. Ethiopia was the first country liberated in World War II.

At the end of the war America became Ethiopia's major benefactor, Under Haile-Selassie's vigorous leadership the country prospered and progressed with aid from the US, a dozen European countries and Japan. A military junta called the Derg deposed Haile-Selassie in 1974 and turned the country toward the Soviet Union. Derg rule was a catastrophe.

More History:

Somalia has a briefer and simpler history. Somalis, perhaps a half million of them, lived as scattered tribes in the lowlands along the Indian Ocean for centuries. They became lightly Islamized but their way of life as nomads herding camels and goats precluded the formation of governments and states.

The walled city of Harar on the edge of Somali country, which became a great center of Islamic civilization, owes its rise to a Semitic people, the Adare, who speak a language akin to the national language of Ethiopia, Amharic, rather than to the Somalis.

The great Muslim warrior, Ahmed Gragn, who terrorized the Ethiopian highlands in the 16th century and was finally defeated by the Portuguese, is now often claimed as a Somali, but his ethnicity is obscure. Until recently religion was far more important than nationality in this part of the world.

Three European powers--France, Britain, and Italy--competed for footholds on the Somali coast in the late 19th century and each acquired territory. Emperor Menelik, threatened by colonial advances, took over the vast Ogaden desert which was also populated by Somali nomads. Britain added the southernmost Somali-populated area to Kenya. By the early 20th century, boundaries which still exist today had been drawn by Europeans.

Somalia as a state did not exist until 1960 when the British and Italian colonies were joined to form a Somali Republic.

Its new leaders adopted a flag with five stars to express their aim of uniting all territories inhabited by Somalis--including Djibouti and huge chunks of Ethiopia and Kenya. British academics idealized Somali nomadic culture as "pastoral democracy". The concept proved inadequate as a basis for a viable governmental system.

Recent History:

Independent Somalia was a disruptive element in what until then was a relatively stable region. Meddling by the Soviet Union made it more so. Moscow, which had sought a hand in Eritrea in the immediate aftermath of WWII, had failed to manipulate common adherence to Orthodox religion to gain influence in Ethiopia.

Unlike so many new African rulers, Haile-Selassie saw no fascination or promise in Marxism or any kind of "African socialism".

Moscow began shipping arms to Somalia in the mid-1960s in quantities far greater than American military aid for Ethiopia. Somali guerrillas started operations in the Ogaden. In 1969 the Russians backed the Somali chief of staff, General Siad Barre, in a coup which deposed what until then had been a formally democratic government in Mogadishu and introduced Marxism.

Siad Barre's ambitions seemed realizable when Mengistu, the Ethiopian Marxist dictator, reduced the country to such a state of commotion and confusion that it appeared ripe for collapse. The Soviets did nothing to hinder Siad Barre's invasion of Ethiopia in 1977.

Mengistu had just severed most relations with the United States. The double game the Soviets had begun to play soon left them with no alternative to sending in Cubans and great quantities of arms to prevent the Somalis from defeating Mengistu. By 1978 Moscow appeared to have gained hegemony over the entire Horn of Africa.

All the major forces that contended in the area for the next decade and a half were nominally Marxist--Mengistu's Ethiopia, Siad Barre's Somalia, Marxist rebels in Eritrea and in the northern Ethiopian province of Tigray.

But Marxism did not encourage any of these competing Marxists to cooperate. While Mengistu tried to turn Ethiopia into a classic Stalinist police state, Moscow sent him 12 billion dollars worth of arms to fight against the northern Marxist guerrillas. The guerrillas captured much of this weaponry and used it against Mengistu's armies. Siad Barre, in spite of support from the Carter and Reagan Administrations, failed to turn Somalia into a bastion of pro-Western strength. Somalia collapsed into bloody chaos in early 1991.

As the Soviet Union moved closer to collapse itself, Gorbachev cut off the flow of weapons to Mengistu. Meanwhile the Tigrayan guerrillas led by Meles Zenawi came to understand what was happening in the world. Unlike the Eritreans, they had never enjoyed Soviet support. They shifted to a pro-Western stance and drew other anti-Derg groups into an Ethiopian Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).

It pushed Mengistu's armies southward during 1989 and 1990. He fled to Zimbabwe in May 1991 and EPRDF forces marched into Addis Ababa a few days later. The Eritrean Marxists liberated themselves and achieved de facto independence which became official in 1993.

Ethiopia since 1991:

The EPRDF restructured Ethiopia along ethnic lines, devised a liberal constitution, and energized the economy. During the 1990s Ethiopia again became a respected member of the international community.

Good harvests and competent management reduced the chronic threat of famine. The country made steady progress toward an open society, a market economy, and democratic governance.
Until the mid-1990s Eritrea, too, appeared to be on its way to prosperity and international respectability, but Isaias Afewerki found it difficult to abandon authoritarian habits he had acquired as a young Marxist trained in Communist China. He picked quarrels with Yemen, Sudan and Djibouti. Internal dissatisfaction grew. In the spring of 1998 he suddenly sent his army across the Ethiopian border, claiming territory that had never been part of Eritrea when it was an Italian colony.

His real purpose in invading Ethiopia was to divert attention from mounting domestic problems and tighten his control. Though Ethiopia had left its norther border unprotected and reduced its military forces, Meles Zenawi shifted course and mobilized.

By spring 2000 Ethiopian forces had driven deep into Eritrea. International pressure kept Meles Zenawi from sending them on to Asmara to topple Isaias--a mistake comparable to the first President Bush's failure to finish off Saddam Hussein at the end of the Gulf War in 1991, and with similar consequences.
Eritrea:

Peace with Eritrea has proved unattainable. A UN observer force patrols the border region but has had no effect on moderating Eritrea's behavior. Eritrea, with less than 4 million people maintains an army almost as large as Ethiopia's, which is drawn from a population of 75 million.
A mutually agreed border commission failed to come to examine the border, looked at old maps and "awarded" territories that had always been Ethiopian to Eritrea. Ethiopia refuses to surrender its citizens and their land to an oppressive police state, so the border remains undemarcated. Isaias has jailed most journalists, closed Asmara University and incarcerated many of his own officials.

Eritrea's economy is a shambles, its budget in hopeless deficit. Isaias extorts money from diaspora Eritreans by threatening their parents. Starting with international good will and a potential to have become the Switzerland of the Horn of Africa, Eritrea has degenerated into an oppressive rogue state comparable to North Korea.

Ethiopia's Progress:

Defeating the Eritrean invasion was costly to Ethiopia. So is the necessity of staying well armed. But Meles Zenawi has built a highly effective fighting force, as its performance in Somalia has just shown. At the same time Ethiopia has made good use of aid from the World Bank, the EU and numerous donor countries, including the United States, Germany and Japan. New highways, dams, irrigation systems, factories, hotels, housing, schools, health stations and universities have sprung up throughout the country.

Economic growth is approaching 9% annually. There has been progress in democratization. Elections in May 2005 were certified free and fair by President Carter. In their wake, however, an opposition party infiltrated by former Derg elements provoked violence with the apparent aim of sparking a "Rose Revolution".

The government's police and security forces responded with force. Some opposition politicians were arrested and jailed and some newspapers were suspended. The situation remains to be resolved. Former Dergists, most of whom have taken refuge in the United States, continue to denigrate Meles, but their agitation has had no effect on American support of Ethiopia as an ally in the war against terrorism. Meles has been clear about his commitment to continue to expand democracy and adhere to international standards.

Somalia since 1991:

During the past 15 years, while Ethiopia was moving ahead to become an open and prosperous society, Somalia festered in anarchy. So-called warlords, some regional leaders who tried to maintain order and elementary services for the population, others self-seeking strongmen, competed with each other. The US/UN misadventure in famine relief in the years 1992-95 was a disaster. Much of the humanitarian aid provided by NGOs has been diverted to support rival clan and tribal factions.

The former British northern region, Somaliland, fenced itself off from the chaos in the south and has become for all intents and purposes an independent country. It has even achieved a degree of democracy. Somaliland is more deserving of international recognition than Eritrea. Ethiopia has consistently supported international efforts to improve the situation in the rest of Somalia.

These finally led two years ago in Kenya to the creation of the Temporary Federal Government which was set up in Baidoa. Meanwhile, however, Somalia became a target of Islamic extremists and terrorists who wished to use it as a base. Somali-based pirates menaced Indian Ocean shipping.

The southern part of the country degenerated into lawlessness that was overcome only when the Islamic Courts Group imposed Taleban-like control in mid 2006. Leadership fell to extremists who revived old calls for unifying all Somali-populated lands, claiming territory in Ethiopia and Kenya. In November 2006 they declared war on Ethiopia. Ethiopia tried first tried to bolster the Baidoa government, and then concluded that the Islamo-fascist regime had to be deposed.

The Future?

Under Ethiopian assault the forces of the "powerful Islamic Courts" crumbled with surprising speed and fled. Ethiopia has temporarily at least eliminated a terrorist threat to itself and the world at large.
Eritrean adventurism has been frustrated. But neither Meles Zenawi or any other Ethiopian can feel assured that Somalia will not again fall into anarchy. Somalia needs regional and international help.

It must not again be permitted to become a terrorist haven. The UN-recognized government now moving into Mogadishu must be assisted in creating conditions where the long-suffering people of Somalia can enjoy the kind of security and development to which most peoples in the world feel entitled.

Ed.'s Note: The author, a former US National Security Council Staff Officer, has been a student of, and periodic participant in, affairs of the Horn of Africa for almost half a century. He has published several books on the region and visits it frequently, having most recently spent two weeks in Ethiopia in December 2006 as the crisis in Somalia was coming to a head.

Construction of 80 Projects worth over 50 Million Birr Under Way

2007-02-13T08:57:00.000-05:00

Over 50 mln. birr dev’t works underway

Harar – Development projects have been under execution at a cost of more than 50 million birr in the Harari State, the State Finance and Economic Development Bureau said.

Bureau Head Arif Abdul-Hafiz told WIC that the projects are being executed in all rural and town administrations of the state.

Among the 80 projects under implementation since the beginning of last month, 25 are new and the remaining outstanding, he said.

The majority of the projects focus on water, agriculture, health, education, road construction.

Upon going fully operational, the projects would benefit over 100,000 inhabitants of the state, according to Arif.

(WIC)

A Walled City

2007-02-12T09:46:00.000-05:00

Traveling onward to eastern Ethiopia, the country's past and present became even clearer for me in the thousand-year-old walled city of Harar, a place rich in Islamic culture.

Travel writer Paul Theroux, in his book "Dark Star Safari: Overland From Cairo to Cape Town," described Harar as "one of the great destinations in Africa, for its exoticism, its special kind of fanaticism and its remoteness ... unique in its languages and customs."

Exotic? Certainly. Fanatic people? Some. Remote? Absolutely. Worth the hassle? Definitely.

It's easy to believe local claims that Harar is the fourth holiest Muslim city after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. It has the most mosques per square mile of any city in the world — 99 within the 1-½ square miles of the walled town — and eight more in the sprawling community outside the wall.

My guide, Endale, led me through narrow alleys to a Koranic school. Children, seated three or four to a desk, were exuberantly singing songs. Their instructor, a bearded man in his 60s, used a wooden tablet, probably like that of his predecessors during the last 1,000 years.

At Ras Tafari House, I saw the home of the former Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, who ruled until 1974. It's now occupied by a holy man who doubles as a healer, sleeping by day and, according to a hand-scrawled sign out front, curing by night anything from cancer to hemorrhoids to mental illness.

As I left Harar, I wondered how an estimated 130,000 Muslims and Christians in this city have peacefully lived side-by-side for generations.

Back home, I'm still grappling with that question and many others about Ethiopia. Does the Ark of the Covenant still exist? If so, was I only mere yards from it? And why does that man risk his life every night to feed wild hyenas?

The answers to those and many other questions, as Tafesse, the former national tourism minister, says, lie somewhere in Ethiopia's "checkered, illustrious and tumultuous history."

Dean R. Owen is a freelance writer and works for Federal Way-based World Vision.

Making Miracles Happen in Ethiopia

2007-02-12T09:44:00.000-05:00

Reported By: Bill Liss

Web Editor: Michael King

Last Modified: 2/11/2007 7:14:08 PM

Courage, determination and dedication. Those words describe Ethiopian native and Atlanta resident Sebri Omar.

Omar made a life-changing commitment, and together with 11Alive’s Bill Liss, they Made Things Happen to save countless lives in Omar’s native Ethiopian city.

For Harar, Ethiopia, a city of a half-million people, the first ambulance ever, came from Atlanta. It was inspired by Atlanta resident Sebri Oman, who was forced to flee his native Ethiopia at the age of 17 to escape a military coup and possible death.

Omar walked across the desert -- alone -- for seven weeks.

“My parents didn’t want me to get killed,” said Omar. “Once you start walking, there is no stop.”

After three years in a refugee camp, Omar made his way to Atlanta.

Then, after 22 years, he returned to visit his native city of Harar. He saw deplorable conditions in a local hospital and made a life-changing decision: to build a new hospital for his Ethiopian city.

Omar did just that. He sold a gas station he owned and took a loan from an Ethiopian bank. His 45 bed medical clinic, named Yamaage for hope, is now open and fully operational.

But for Omar, the journey was not over.

“One of the things we desperately need is an ambulance, because there is absolutely no ambulance in the city of Harar,” Omar said.

Make Things Happen worked four months to find one -- and succeeded.

It came from Metro Ambulance Service of Atlanta.

Then came an equally big challenge: getting the ambulance from Atlanta to Harar. Domestic air carrier AirTran Airways funded initial preparations. Make Things Happen then turned to Peachtree City-based World Airways. Without hesitation, World Airways said yes.

“This is a great story for us because we are part of Atlanta,” said World Airways’ Steve Forsyth.

For Sebri Omar, and a half-million people in Harar, their first ambulance was then flown from Atlanta to Brussels on World Airways, then on Ethiopian Airlines from there to Addis Ababa.

Under huge floodlights, at Hartsfield-Jackson, the ambulance was carefully loaded onto a World Airways giant cargo jet for its free one-way trip to Africa.

“Trust me, I’ll make sure it gets there without a scratch,” said Deanthony Jackson of World Airways.

The ambulance triumphantly arrived in Harar and was paraded from street to street.

On arrival at the medical center, there was a historic celebration. And without delay, the ambulance was pressed into service.

For Sebri Omar, and for the half-million people of Harar, Ethiopia, a new era in medical care is now underway.

Omar said the hospital and the ambulance are just the beginning. He said he now plans to raise money and build Ethiopia’s first Hospice -- also in Harar.

Share company to loan over 3.5 mln. birr

2007-02-05T10:06:00.000-05:00

HARAR - The Harari Credit and Saving Share Company said it has finalized preparations to distribute over 3.5 million birr loan among over 800 people.

Association manager, Dereje Legesse told ENA Saturday that the share company would distribute the loan among the stated number of people organized under 37 associations and 24 groups.

The share company spent over two million birr for the procurement of various construction machinery, that would be used for the construction of residential units due to be carried out by 29 associations, the manager said.

Dereje said the share company failed to start providing service earlier due to lack of manpower and other reasons.

The share company would give loan in cash and kind among the beneficiaries that desire to be engaged in various income generating activities.

(ENA)

Harari President praised AU’s decision to indorse Ethiopian Millennium as African Millennium

2007-02-02T12:03:00.000-05:00

Harari Millennium Sport Competition Under way

2007-02-02T11:48:00.000-05:00

Gursum Community Diaspora Press Release:

2007-02-02T09:10:00.000-05:00

Re: News Letter by Br. Salah Wazir’s

February 2, 2007

Reference has been made to Brother Salah Wazirs’s News Letter dated January 22/07 in regards to the 2007 Harari Millennium which is eagerly and emphatically expected to be celebrated in the forthcoming July of 2007 in the walled city of Harar. We really appreciate his effort in providing us with the scope on matters pertaining to enormity of activities envisaged back home under the leadership of courageous leaders and hard working and committed organizing committee members.

At this juncture, we would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Harari Regional Government and its people in general and to the President of Harari State, His Excellency Murad Abdulhadi in particular for their inspirational initiatives and honest commitment on the capital issue which will be hosted by the city of Harar for the first time. We highly appreciate for being invited and to be part of such historical event. We also extend our thanks to this great event organizing committees all over the world, those who are sacrificing their time and working hard to put together this magnificent event to be colorful and memorable.

As most of you are well aware of the 2006 HSCF, which was held in Toronto, Canada, The Fugnanbira Community Group Association (Gursum Community) not only stood behind the HCO as a friend in need, but also fully engaged and participated in the planning and execution of the activities drafted by the HCO officials in the best interest of all Hararis.

Aside from the event participation in 2006 our community also prepared a comprehensive environmental study report alongside with potent recommendations that are instrumental to curb the debilitating environmental problems that has been serious concern for the entire Hararge Region and all surroundings for decades. To this effect the community met with and handed the report to the Hararge Regional leaders, EFDR (Eth. Embassy to Canada) and later in August to the Oromia State President His Excellency Abadula Gemeda as well.
Viz July 2006 Press release : Gursum Comm. Diaspora met with Eth officials.

Here we would like to mention that we are delighted and appreciate the Harari State Government for the development of the Harari National Park (Hamaresa), and planning reforestation to improve the environment. We believe this will also elevate the awareness of conservation during such major event. We hope such efforts to continue in all other Regions in Ethiopia.

Our commitment and support to our communities continues within our capacity and here for July 2007, although our event participation is unified with Hararis in Canada, aside from this, we took further initiatives and are already preparing helpful procedures with respect to Conservations & Preservation of Harari Treasures including Repair & Maintenance Guide as well. We were motivated to initiate this project after viewing the irreplaceable precious history pieces and artifacts were displayed on videos and seen several photos of these treasures on pictures including www.2007harar.com website. From this we concluded there is a need for such procedure.

Although we may wish to resurrect the book binding talent of our forefathers, the objective of this project is just to take care of their achievements and assist the care takers of these valuable treasures by providing them with the tools and skills that may be very helpful to educate the young generation for years to come.

Having being said that, ‘Insha Allah’ we will complete and forward our commitment to provide the following items in due course.

1. Repair & Maintenance Procedure Guide, specially prepared booklet & CD. With this document we will include the necessary and important tools such as,
* Digital environmental monitoring control device to monitor the environment conditions where these treasures are stored or displayed, such as museum.
* Basic repair tools including magnifying object.
2. Soon we will update our Website front page to promote July 2007 Harari Millennium event to encourage all our brothers and sisters to be part and parcel of this great event.

Last but not least, it is a fact of life Cooperation, Mutual understanding and respect, sharing viable knowledge, skills, experience and expertise are some of the preconditions for growth, prosperity and development for any society struggling to take off and ascend. We urge all our communities to stick together hand in hand to the principles of growth and development with our neighboring national state.

More over, we have to recall that we are the generation of war and seldom peace. We lived not only a sever repression by the past regimes but also twice experienced the ugly devastations of war, thus inherited UNITY as a symbol of our strength and survival that helped us to live it through until today. Thanks to our elders who thought us the value of UNITY and their efforts for survival.

Gursum Community strongly urges our Brothers and Sisters both at home and Diaspora to do away with some trivial issues and remain strong tower of support for Hararis and other Democratic and Pragmatic nations of Ethiopia. Together we prevail!

END

The Fugnanbira Community Group Association.

Is Harar 'the Forgotten City of Islam?'

2007-01-26T08:56:00.000-05:00

Is Harar 'the Forgotten City of Islam?'
Will Connors
Middle East Times
January 25, 2007

DISHY HARAR: Harar, a city that is one of Ethiopia's Islamic jewels shows the encroaching signs of modern-day living. So far, Ethiopia's predominantly Christian government has done little to promote renewal and tourism here, chiefly for religious reasons.
( )
HARAR, Ethiopia -- Atop a narrow dirt road carved from sandstone, Ahmed Zekaria looks down, past cactus and fields of corn, toward the walled city of Harar. "This is my city," he says. "People need to know about this city."

As an historian and professor, but more importantly as a Harar native, Zekaria knows the significance of this place as well as any Ethiopian or Muslim scholar, and he is on a mission to call attention to the city, which to him is "the forgotten city of Islam."

Recently, Ahmed's job was made easier. In 2003 the city, 500 kilometers (about 311 miles) east of Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, was given a World City of Peace award by the United Nations, in honor of Harar's unique ability to accommodate many ethnicities in a small space without conflict, in a region often beset by tribal and border clashes.

Seventy-year-old Amina Adulahi, the great-great-granddaughter of the Harari king Abadir Shakur, believes the award to be well-deserved. "Harar is a city of love," the still-spry Amina says, bustling through the city's lovely environs, followed by her four beautiful daughters. "Regardless of religion or ethnicity, you can come to Harar and drink and eat in peace."

Shakib Djidawi, curator of the city's Rimbaud Museum, says: "Harar is like the Noah's Ark of culture. We have dark skinned people; light skinned people. Every Harari is multilingual, and they are very peaceful. Harar should be an example for the world - so many cultures coexist [here] peacefully."

More significant than the City of Peace award was the decision by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to include Harar on its list of World Heritage sites this year, the seventh such distinction for Ethiopia. With this recognition, Harar's international profile should have risen dramatically. So far, though, it hasn't.

Special parliamentary representative to the city of Harar, Abdusamad Idris, says the city's oversight of the city has been largely due to the Ethiopian government's ill-will toward the city's Muslim community and the administration's efforts to suppress Harar's religious history.

"There is no promotion [carried out] by the central government for Harar; only for [Ethiopia's] northern cities," Abdusamad says, in reference to the tourism push for several historic Christian sites elsewhere in Ethiopia. He adds the government has "an agenda" to ignore Harar "because it's a Muslim city; they want it to be forgotten." What is crucial in letting the world know about this Ethiopian jewel therefore was indeed "promotion - from all sides. If the central government would only believe in it, believe that we are also Ethiopians, things could change."

According to Abdusamad, little is done to encourage Muslims from abroad to visit Harar because when "Muslims come to Ethiopia, the government puts them under suspicion. Questions from officials such as 'why are you going to Harar?' and 'why not travel to other parts of the country?' are common," says Abdusamad, concluding "it is not comfortable for Muslims to come here." He adds that "even with aid money, it is difficult for Arab countries," because "the [Ethiopian] government does not want to be associated with those countries."

Ethiopia is considered by most a Christian nation, chiefly because the ruling government is Christian, but according to many others, and to several studies, it has, in fact, a predominantly Muslim population. Some put the proportion of Muslims in Ethiopia as high as 65 percent. And the city of Harar represents a crucial part of Ethiopia's long history with Islam; its current status indicative of the role religion plays in government policies.

World officials all agree that Harar is an important Muslim city both because of its defiant and steadfastly religious pugnacity in the face of a growing Christian sovereignty hundreds of years ago, but also because it houses some 82 mosques and innumerable tombs within such a small area. Unfortunately, few agree on just how significant a role the city's Muslim roots should play in the country's self-promotion.

Harar has been cited by some as Islam's fourth holiest city, but the origins of this postulation are dubious, and invariably bring controversial reactions.

Ethiopia's supreme Islamic Council vice-president Sheikh Elias Redwan, who is also one of the country's leading voices of Islam, categorically denied this number. "We are very proud that Harar was named a UNESCO site," he said recently, "but the fourth holiest city? No."

However, Zekaria not only believes in such a ranking, but argues also that Harar should be listed even higher. He notes that before Islam traveled to Medina, the religion's second holiest city, it arrived in Ethiopia, where the country provided refuge for Muslims fleeing persecution in the time of the Prophet Mohammed.

"As far as I am concerned Ethiopia is the second home of Islam," he says. "Before it reached the [officially recognized] second city, Islam was here. So it ... may [even] be the first-and-a-half [most holy city], but not the second."

In light of Redwan's and the Islamic Council's denial of this claim, Ahmed offers a firm, measured response. "Forget them. They are not historians," he says, adding "they don't know what they are talking about." But he is swift to reassure that "we are not trying to get into religious provocations; we are simply trying to promote Harar."

Despite the efforts of those like Zekaria and Abdusamad to do so, despite UNESCO's distinctions, and despite a World Bank project to promote local handicrafts (which one official called 'sluggish' due to 'typical World Bank bureaucracy'), Harar has a long way to go to position itself as a world-class tourist destination.

In the past, local custom dictated that every homeowner cleaned the area surrounding their door, but few do so today. The once-spotless narrow streets are now lined with plastic bags and garbage, and the trash that does get collected is dumped directly outside the city walls, often into streams and riverbeds.

Satellite dishes protrude from almost every building within the walled city. Zekaria says that "the genie" of modern excess is "out of the bottle," and cultural preservationists are having a hard time keeping up. "The speed of change is beyond our comprehension," he says.

An apt illustration of the current state of Harar is the boyhood home of former emperor Haile Selassie. Selassie's father, Ras Mekonnen, was appointed governor of Harar after Prince Menelik (later the emperor) claimed the city in 1887. Unprotected and ignored, the residence is now in grave disrepair. According to locals, 20 families of squatters are currently living within its walls.

A Muslim holiday unique to Harar, however, shows that "the Living City" is by no means fading quietly away.

Showal Eid, the culmination of an extra six days of fasting in addition to Ramadan's original 30, is a buoyant affair that brings Hararis from all over Ethiopia and the world to the city's ancient walls.

Traditionally, the day was a celebration of breaking fast but also a time for young men and women to find their spouses. Singles members of both genders dressed in colorful, resplendent attire to attract attention, and marriage unions were widely organized.

Things are slightly less traditional today, but according to many who were out on the streets during this year's Showal Eid, the spouse-hunting element is alive and well.

Attendees noted that a significant number of well-dressed young people crowded the narrow roads, looking for - if not husbands and wives - at least boyfriends and girlfriends. Questioned about the holiday, one young man in a dark blue business-suit exclaimed, "I can't talk to you - I'm looking for my future wife - she could be out there right now!" The half-dozen young men at his side laughed and nodded in agreement. They, too, peered into the heart of the festivities in search of a beautiful Harari girl.

An older woman named Meftuha, holding her own in the dance-area of a large tent concurred that Showal Eid is a great holiday worthy of attention. "All [single] women who were previously just staying ... home alone come out to dance and to find a husband," she said. And she wasn't above looking a male visitor squarely in the eye, urging him to go out and do exactly the same. "This is the perfect chance for you to find a wife [so] get out there and dance ... now's your chance!"

Historical Shawal Eid in Harar 2006

2007-01-22T14:39:00.000-05:00

Historical Shawal Eid in Harar 2006

Asalamu ^Alaykum my fellow Hararis,

I was in Ethiopia recently and wanted to share with you my observation in Harar, Dire-Dawa, and Addis Ababa, in chronological order.

Background:
-----------------
The President of the Harari Regional Government, his Excellency, Murad Abdulhadi arranged a very important meeting for me while I was in Harar in my recent trips, and mate from 11:35 AM-2:15 PM with Gesi Zeydan Bakri, coordinating committee chairman as well as the head of Cultural & sport bureau Millennium, /July 2007, Gesi Mohammed Shash, Administrator for Harari Millennium/July 2007 event, Zamil Abdosh, Planning & program expert for Harari Millennium/July 2007 event, Gisti Sitimiyah Sharief, Program promotion expert for Harari Millennium/July 2007 event, subsequently I met Mayor ^Arief.

The agenda for the meeting was as follows:

1) Reviewing the readiness of July 2007 in Harar.
2) The role of Hararis in Diaspora,

First, Gesi Zeydan defined as to why the festivity was named “Harari Millennium.” He noted that there are some discussions going on among the Hararis in Diaspora regarding this issue. He said, "we are not coinciding with the Ethiopian Millennium project, he said Ethiopia is celebrating the 2000 history, where as, Harar is commemorating it’s over 1, 000 year history. He said they were not implying that the foundation of Harar is exactly 1,000 years, there is no question that there was settlement and civilization in that area for longer than that period. However, we are simply celebrating our "full reach of over 1,000 golden history." and he advised the Hararis not to spend their precious times in debating the issue of millennium, but rather he urged that they respond to the call of the motherland to come and celebrate the historic festivities with their fellow Hararis.

According to some Harari Historian, it's reported that in Ramadan 405 Hijri Aw Abadir
settled in Harar area. At that time there was no entity known as Harar. However, prior to Harar, there were various settlements in various areas such as Iskhanti gey, Tukhun gey, Khanti gey(Dakkar area)THESE ARE OLDER THAN Aw Abadir gey, which is Harar.

It was Aw Abadir who established a centralized settlement and trading posts - and named it Harar.

The name “Harar” corresponds to the year 405 Hijri which is the year in which Aw abadir first came to the area. in Abjad, the Arabic letter ‘ha’ being equivalent to 5, and the ‘ra’ being 200. (Ha Ra Ra corresponds to 5 + 200 + 200 = 405 Hijri).

Furthermore, to those who might need historical background on the Harari millennium; it’s sufficient to cite one simple evidence. The first Harari State Amir Habouba ruled from 969-999, and Amir Aw Abadir ruled from 999-1033 (European Calendar). As the President of Harar put it "we are not only celebrating the Harari sport part, rather we also wanted to promote our resourceful history to the whole world as well. Our main objective is not to exclusively celebrate our over 1,000 years of history, but rather to also focus in our future development, prosperity, and to enhance socially, economic development by engaging the participation of all Hararis & Harari State Government.

Also, please make a note that insha-Allah, there would be further discussion among Harari Historian at the symposium on the subject matter and share it with all Hararis, if you would like to participate or have any credible documentation please contact the Harari Government reps by March 15th, 07)

Note: 1st, the notion that we, the Harari State Government, have nothing with the Ethiopian Government is not the reality of our current confederated State with the rest of all Ethiopian States. As some of you might have heard, the Ethiopian Federal Government is preparing it’s 2,000 years (Millennium) activities, as the other Ethiopian confederated States participate, the Harari State will do it’s part, and share Harar’s contributions to the Ethiopian culture and it’s history.

2nd, The concept of celebrating the Millennium was first originated from the State of Harar, which the Ethiopian Federal Government follow Harar’s idea to celebrate the Ethiopian Millennium. Despite, all unnecessary controversial debate which initiated by some individuals on Harari internet, the basic fact is the Harari Government believe in promoting peace and democracy in Ethiopia, which means promoting the interest of the Harari people as well. The President’s message to all Hararis is to trust the Harari Government’s leadership, which is a democratically elected government by majority of its people to maintain & promote the interest of the Harari people.

Gesi, Mohammed Shash outlined his plan & vision as how best to execute the Harari Millennium a long with July 2007 Sport & Cultural event.

He outlined the guests that would be invited as follows:

1) Ethiopian Federal Government cabinet Min. and vice Min.; Parliament Members of the Federal Government of Ethiopia; as well as the Presidents of various State Gov. in Ethiopia
2) Foreign Ambassadors to Ethiopia
3) National & international NGO’s in Ethiopia;
4) All Regional Neighboring Government Presidents among others are invited.

The planning of the Harari Millennium July event is being planned as follows:

1) 10 Harari government bureau are taken specific project;
2) A special task force has been established in each of the nine (9) Kabele’s;
3) In, Dire-Dawa, & Addis Abeba, similar special task force is being established;
4) The Hararis in Australia, have informed the Harari Government that they have established "Moblizing Committee" with regard to Harar 2007 event;
5) The Harari Government official reps in U.S. & Canada are reviewing appropriate methods to mobilize the Hararis to participate in this historical event & to respond to the national call. As of now, the Harrais in Toronto formed a 13 member "mobilizing committee," and in the Washington, D.C. area a 5 member "mobilizing committee" has been formed. In Atlanta area, a meeting is being tentatively scheduled to convene on Sunday, January 28th, 2007; Dallas, Memphis, California area is in process of setting similar "mobilizing committee," Insha-Allah, the plan is to complete formation of the "mobilizing committee" throughout the State by mid February 2007.

The role of "mobilizing committees" will be as follows:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) Arrange & solicit the cheapest air fare for our people;

2) Arrange & take part in participating in U.S. Harari days/Canadian Harari Days/Europe Harari Days/Australians Harari days etc.; soccer tournaments, other sport activities; and symposium as well;

3) Identify & mobilize the Hararis to volunteers to plant 1,000 new trees; renovate old Harari homes. And any other tasks that might be needed and interested to volunteer...

4) Register names of Hararis who are interested in acquiring land for residential and/or business purposes so as to facilitate the process when they get to Harar.

Note: The role of this mobilizing committee is ad hoc, and as such its term shall be completed on the completion of the historical “Harar 2007" celebration. Let it be known to all that neither the Harari government, nor the mobilizing committees intends to replace the traditional work of the Federation.

However, as the President mentioned several times during his North America tour last year, the Harari Government will be glad to review and mediate any outstanding issues among our people in the diaspora if the request is made in writing.

It is for the benefit of the Harari people to work in unison and to avoid unnecessary bickering over trivial issues for the greater benefit of Harar and her people. We should all focus in implementing our long term plans for the survival of our heritage. It is a historical moment after many years of disbursement and wondering for Hararis all over the world to come together for a common cause, responding to maintain, and promoting National interest. Therefore, we appeal to all Hararis to respond and take part in this historic effort.

Security Concern:
--------------------------
Many Hararis legitimately raised the Security concern while President Murad was touring North America and thereafter, the answer given then & now by the President is "...if need be, in addition to police and other security personnel in place, the Harari Government can request, the National Ethiopian Defense Military to maintain law and order. We are the war & peace generation. We have lived the toughest dark history of past, "red terror, Ogaden war, the fall of derg regime, etc." And currently there are no clear, credible war that is imminent in the streets of Addis, Dire-Dawa or Harar. As the president said, in spite of security personnel with all resources available to the East/West, it is inconceivable to eliminate all possible criminal activities but that the Harari state will do all that is possible to secure the event with the help of the Almighty Allah. After all, we the Muslims put our faith first & foremost in the protection of almighty Allah, and do every thing humanly possible to secure the safety of all of our citizen and our guests.

Awach Ziyara Event
----------------------------

Out of many Awach, at least 10 Major awach has been selected (by organizing team in conjunction with Harari elders recommendation);

And first phase of the Ziyara project was put for trial at the time of "Shuwal Eid" and it’s amazingly joyful, and successful; In doing so, all forgotten Awach’s social, religious activities and the legacy of these exemplary Harari Awach can be revived, retained, and pass on their contribution to the future Hararis, insha-Allah for years to come. The organizing teams said they might allocate the people to various Awach according to their interest and as need basis. And insha-Allah, post the Ziyara, the linkage with the chosen Awach should continue (without imposing any obligation, exclusively these should be on free will and volunteer basis).

Harari Days & Symposium
---------------------------------------

The organizing teams have great appreciations to those who initiated these very important "Harari Days." And, since this is by now international Harari days, (meaning Hararis are coming from different parts of the world) the organizing teams, urging each Harari communities to specifically state the program detail they would like to organize and it recommend to coordinate as follow:

U.S. Harari day, (all major communities in U.S. need to work collaboratively together and organize the U.S. Harari day;

Canadian Harari day, similarly all major communities/afocha’s to organize Harari Canadian day;

Europe Harari day, all major Harari communities in Europe to organize the Harari Europe day;

Australians Harari day, all major Harari communities/ Afocha’s to organize the Australian Harari day.

Dire Dawa, Addis Ababa & Harar (Motherland) Harrari day.

Recommendation: To the Hararis in Diasporas:
-------------------------------------------------------------------

In Addition what has been mentioned above, additional things might be done is: What gift can each Harari community bring to Harari People:

1) Two ways radio communications tools; Mobile radio, TV? station, books, computers, and soft wares for Harari school children, computers, scanners and printers for some needed offices; sponsor specific project of their interest such as but not limited to; sponsoring Harari orphans children; target selected very needed families to be self sufficient, in farming, milking, trade; or sponsoring 100 Harari youth to get marriage etc....

Venders
-------------

Those who want to provide any services to the public, must obtain written permission from the Harari Government, and submit their written proposals as what they want to sell, or provide services by February 28th 2007, and will be treated in first come first served basis.

Historical Shawal Eid:
------------------------------

What make this year's Shawal Eid unigue in Harar is "the returning of our disbursed lost generations, the Siltay old Harari people." The celebration of Shuwal Eid started on Sunday at around 5:00 PM (local time) about 50 Toyota Land Cruise carrying Harari high level Government officials including President Murad went to Danagago about 25 Killo Meter from Harar, and welcomed our Siltay brothers(about 300 Siltays who came from Addis Ababa) headed by President Sani Radi, escorted by Harari Police motorists and was welcomed to the city of Harar with military pride..and fire work....words can not describes the seen and the joy.....President Murad hosted a dinner for the guests and delivered very important speech stressing the need to reunite the two disconnected people. Similarly, President Sani Radi reiterated and he said the Harari people are no longer small in numbers, all Siltas are Hararis, and we are returning to our motherland.."

The Harari & Siltay HIstorians presented at Amira Abdullahi Auditoriyam historical background, it mentioned over 800 words identical to Harari language and we recommend the Harari cultural bureau to prepare the DVD on this historical Shwal Eid so that all Hararis who missed this historical moment, can review and learn the entire activities.....

Both Presidents formed "jointly a task force" to study ways and means to re unify the same people.In this century, we have seen the reunification of South & North Yemen, the East & West Germany, and insha-Allah one day we want to see all Hararis "re united" with their motherland.

New Hotel (Heritages Plaza)

The owner of Heritage Plaza, Dr.Abduljawad Addous, inaugurated his hotel and invited 1000 high level officials including the Siltay guests and Masha-Allah was very joyful. We wish him a successful business......

The next day, the Harari women association cooked over 50 different (even forgotten dishs) foods, the lunch to all guest free of charges (Masha-Allah, our people are very generous, as Ikarm aldoyouf (hospitality to the guest) is a proper Islamic ethics...May Allah immensely reward all those who cooked, served, contributed their time and money.

Also, President Murad inaugurated "Harari youth Center, and HIV information Center." Both centers are very timely needed. As one great Muslim scholar put it "...if you want to make any assesment as where the country and it's people's future are going, he said come and see where the youth spend their energy & time.The scholar continue to say, if you find the youth spend their time in ^Ibadah, mastering the basic Islamic studies well,learning matters to dunia to benefit the Ummah (Nation),engage in recreational and all socio ecnomic activities, he said such youth's contribution to the Ummah (the Nation) insha-Allah might have promissing future.....We commend President Murad for taking timely needed actions. The Hararis in diaspora in particular ought to supply the centers with educational materials as early as possible.......

Finally,1st) Please frequently visit the Harari government official web site for weekly update at:
www.2007harar.com; 2nd I want to thank President Murad for his leadership, his cabinet for their diligently and hard work, and all of my colleagues (who are working as late as 2:AM at the time) reviewing and working matters essentials to our people......

Again, our motherland has called every one of us, and let us all say in one voice "Labayk Ya Harar Baday" and mobilize our resources to show our collective efforts and be part of this historical and memorable event - insha-Allah for years to come.....And May Allahu T^ala help us achieve our DREAM, Help us become united, and together insha-Allah, we will make a difference...

Your brother in Islam,
Salah Wazir
Atlanta, Georgia
(404)783-2424
Abadir98@Aol.com

The 120th anniversary of chelenko martyr's day was commemorated

2007-01-22T09:46:00.000-05:00

The 120th anniversary of chelenko martyr's day was commemorated in Harar on Sunday January 14/2007. Representatives of different government and social organizations were assembled in Amir Abdulahi auditoriam in commemoration of chelenko martyr's day. Speaking on the occasion, Gisti Shukria Ahmed, vise speaker of Harari National Congress, said that this commemoration day of chelenko remembered us our fore fathers who fought for their independence boldly. In the past defunct regimes, our people's right was denied, Gisti Shukria added. She also said that this year's chelenko commemoration day is special in that we are preparing for the upcoming Harar and Ethiopian Millennium. It was after 114 years of torture that the Harari people recovered and regained their independence that otherwise was denied, Gisti Shukria vise speaker of Harari National congress added. Gessi Abdusamed Idris who is senior expert in the Harari National Congress addressed the gathering. He said that chelenko war was one of many reasons that limited the Harari population. So, we will continue to commemorate this day so as to remember who our fore fathers shed their blood, Gessi Abdusamed added. In this occasion students of Gey Madressa sang different songs /neshidas/. At the end of the occasion, Chelenko martyrs monument foundation was laid by Gisti Shukria Ahmed, vice speaker of Harari region lower house and Gessi, Abdumalike Baker Harari people State Council speaker . The monument will be erected in the main square of Faras Magala in front of Amir Abdulah auditoriam.

Association provides reproductive health services

2007-01-22T09:38:00.000-05:00

HARAR - The Eastern branch office of the Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia said it has provided reproductive health services to over 840,000 people during 2006.

Branch office head, Alemayehu Belachew told ENA that the branch has provided the service in East and West Hararghe zones, the Dire Dawa interim administration, as well as Harari and Somali states.

Over 22,000 newly registered customers received short and long-term contraceptives, he said, adding, over 6,700 people have undergone voluntary testing and counseling services during the stated period.

He said the branch has further enabled over 12,000 people get awareness raising education on HIV/AIDS, harmful traditional practices and family planning through community discussions.

Alemayehu said the office provided the services through six clinics, youth centres, 22 stations as well as community centred reproductive health service stations set up in 114 localities through 278 health representatives.

The branch office is undertaking various activities in the current year allocating over 4.3 million birr.

(ENA)

Investors receive licence

2007-01-22T09:35:00.000-05:00

HARAR – Investors with a registered capital of over 181.3 million birr have been licensed in Harari State during the past six months, the Investment Office said.

Office Head Abduselam Abdosh said recently that the 44 local investors are interested in engaging in industry, real estate development, agriculture, health, education and construction, among others.

Upon going operational, the projects would create permanent and casual jobs for over 1,000 citizens, he added.

The registered capital during the stated period exceeded that of same period last year by 119 million birr, according to the head.

Abduselam attributed the growth to the efficient service delivery of the office.

The office is also encouraging the licensed investors to begin construction, he added.

The State Investment Office has licensed investors with over 523.4 million birr capital in the past five years creating 3,118 permanent and casual jobs, it was learnt.

(WIC)

8.4 million Birr Income Obtained Form Tourist

2007-01-16T09:59:00.000-05:00

350 Million Birr Construction Of Residential Buildings Underway

2007-01-16T09:57:00.000-05:00

71 Hectares of Land Reserved For Investments

2007-01-15T09:32:00.000-05:00

Bus Accident Injured People and Damaged Property

2007-01-15T09:25:00.000-05:00

Over 35,600 children immunized against polio

2007-01-09T08:36:00.000-05:00

HARAR – The Harari State Health Bureau said that it has vaccinated over 35,600 children against polio.

Bureau Public Relations Expert Atnafe Tena said the bureau carried out the five-day immunization campaign in 36 urban and rural kebeles of the state this month.

Some 35,667 children under the age of five have been immunized, according to Atnafe.

The expert also stated that 120 health workers took part in the immunization campaign and over 31,000 birr obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) was also utilized.

Meanwhile, the bureau launched Saturday a six-day immunization campaign in 36 sub-kebeles to reach over 29,000 children, he further stated.

Vitamin A tablets and anti-worm medicines would be apportioned among children and measles vaccination would be carried out. Malnourished children would also be give nutritious food, the expert added.

More than 29,000 children would benefit from the campaign, according to him.

(WIC)

Agency launches construction of condos

2007-01-09T08:34:00.000-05:00

HARAR – The construction of 1,034 condominiums that would be finalized in four years has been launched in Harar town with over 350 million birr, the Harari State Housing Development Agency said.

Agency Manager Abdulhakim Abdulmalik told WIC that of the total condominiums to be built in the region this fiscal year, the construction of 180 condominiums commenced in Deker Kebele last Saturday.

The condominiums would be built on over 7.3 hectares with infrastructure in the fiscal year, he added.

Upon completion of those 1,034 households would secure residential units.

The construction work will also create 4,400 permanent and casual jobs to organized youth, according to the manager.

Some 10 per cent of the condominium houses would be business enterprises which could help residents increase their income.

The Bureau envisages constructing over 8,140 condominiums in the coming four years, Abdulhakim said, adding that more than 350 million birr has been allocated for the execution of the project.

(WIC)

Road accident kills 6, injures 4

2006-12-13T14:14:00.000-05:00

Addis Ababa - Six persons were killed instantly and four others sustained severe injuries yesterday after a heavy-duty truck collided with three vehicles in Harar town of the Harari State, the State Police Commission said.

Traffic control and inspection sub-section head with the commission, Deputy Sergeant Shekib Adem told ENA that the accident occurred after the truck collided with two taxies and another vehicle in a place locally called ‘Arategna’.

The driver of one of the taxies and five persons on board died instantly following the accident, he said, adding that four others who were on board in another taxi and in a vehicle also sustained severe injuries due to the accident.

Deputy Sergeant Shekib said police put the driver of the heavy-duty truck under custody and began investigating the cause of the accident.

The injured were admitted to Harar Hiwot Fana Hispital for medial treatments, he said.

(ENA)

Bureau to inoculate over 36,000 children against polio

2006-12-13T14:09:00.000-05:00

Harar - The Harari State Health Bureau said it has undertaken the necessary preparations to provide immunize over 36,500 children, under the age of five, against polio.

Bureau Public Relations Expert Atnafe Tena told ENA Monday that the door-to-door vaccination service would be provided for four successive days as of tomorrow.

Some 2,445 capsules would be used for the vaccination service, he said, adding World Health Organization (WHO) has provided 159,000 birr for the execution of the service.

Atnafe said 240 health experts and assistants would be deployed in the campaign.

He called upon the public in the state to be cooperative in a bid to make the immunization campaign a success.

(ENA)

Office renovating rural roads

2006-12-05T09:21:00.001-05:00

HARAR - The Hararghe Rural Roads Maintenance Office has reportedly started repairing 397-kms of rural and feeder roads in East and West Hararghe zones with over 4.4 million birr.

Office Head Temesgen Debelo told WIC that the renovation of the roads started last month will be financed by the Federal Roads Fund Administration and the Harari State Government.

The maintenance work includes heavy and standardized maintenance on over 80-kms, and light maintenance on 317-kms, the head said, adding that the project would be finalized by the end of the budget year.

Renovation of the roads in the rural kebeles with serious road problems will enable farmers residing in the woredas to easily supply their produces to markets, he noted.

Temesgen recalled that the branch office has also rehabilitated and readied 367-kms roads with over 3.2 million birr in the zones last fiscal year.

(WIC)

CSA finalizes census cartographic work in most states

2006-12-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

Addis Ababa - The Central Statistics Agency said most of the census cartographic work needed for the population and housing census due to be taken in May 2007 has been finalized in most States.

Agency Public Relations Service Head Abebe Mihretu told ENA yesterday that the census cartographic work has already been finalized in Tigray, Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, Harari, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples State and Dire Dawa administration.

Accordingly, 82, 879 census cartographic works have already been finalized until November 9, 2006, he added.

The census cartographic work is being carried out in Afar, Somali, Gambella and in some woredas of Oromia State, while other office works are underway in States where the census cartographic works have been finalized, Abebe said.

Abebe further said that the census cartographic work would help avoid double registration of families during the census and evenly deploy the logistics needed for the census.

The head thanked the public for providing support for employees of the agency deployed on the census cartographic work that started in June 2006.

(ENA)

Harari State expresses support to Premier’s report

2006-12-05T09:20:00.000-05:00

ADDIS ABABA - The Harari people would rally behind the government in reversing the clear and immediate threat of the Union of the Islamic Courts (UIC) of Somalia against the sovereignty of Ethiopia, Chief of the Harari State said.

Murad Abdullahi told ENA Wednesday that the state administrative council and the Harari people fully support Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s report recently presented to the House of Peoples’ Representatives.

He said the Harari people is ready to support government’s efforts in reversing the clear and immediate threat of the UIC based on international laws if the crisis could not resolved through peaceful means.

The UIC is group of anti-Ethiopia forces, he said, adding the Harari people would do everything possible toward reversing the jihad war declared by the Union of the Islamic Courts against Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian government clearly indicated that Ethiopia has been committed to the peace and stability of Somalia, he said, adding government’s foreign policy states that Ethiopia lives with the neighbouring countries peacefully.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman of the Somali People’s Democratic Party (SPDP) said the Somali people would support the measures being taken by the Ethiopian government against the clear and present treat posed by the fundamentalist leadership of UIC.

In a statement he gave yesterday, Dawd Mohammed Ali said the Somali people and the government would not overlook the anti-peace activities of the UIC leadership that declared jihad war against Ethiopia.

In addition to repeatedly declaring jihad against Ethiopia, the fundamentalist UIC leadership is incurring physical damages on Ethiopia, Dawd said, adding that the Somali people appreciates efforts being exerted by the government to resolve the problem peacefully.

Members of woreda administrative bodies in the state have also expressed readiness for the realization of the short and long-term development plans put in place by the government to alleviate socio-economic problems of pastoralists in Jijiga Zone.

In a five-point resolution they adopted after thoroughly discussing the prevailing situation in the country, the ongoing democratization process, capacity building and good governance, members of the woredas’ administrative bodies said they whole-heartedly support the measures being taken by the government to avert the jihad war declared on Ethiopia by the jihadist UIC leadership.

About 600 members of administrative bodies drawn from Gursum, Babile, Jijiga, Kebri-Beyah, Hartisheik and Awbere woredas attended the seven-day meeting held in Jijiga town.

(ENA)

State to host nations, nationalities fetival

2006-12-05T09:19:00.000-05:00

Harar - Preparations have been finalized to celebrate the festival of nations and nationalities colorfully in Harari State scheduled for December 29, 2006, Harari State Chief Administrator said.

Murad Abdullahi told ENA Wednesday that the festival is the result of an age-old struggle of the nations and nationalities’ for achievement of equality.

Accordingly, the state has attached due attention to celebrate the festival colourfully and in special manner, he said.

The celebration is not only to observe the day but also to ensure the rights of nations and nationalities.

Murad called on concerted efforts of all segments of the society, governmental and non-governmental organizations for the successful celebration of the Festival.

Traditional dances of nations and nationalities, pictorial exhibition and symposium would be staged as part of the festival.

(ENA)

Elders warn overlooking expansionist moves will have grave consequence

2006-12-05T09:18:00.000-05:00

Jijiga - Overlooking the war declared by the Somali expansionists will result in heavy losses, Somali State elders awarned.

Residents of Awbere woreda, Sultan Ali Ilegod and Ahmed Osman Dirir, told WIC yesterday that turning a blind eye to the jihadists’s expansionist drive could have damaging consequences on Somali State.

The elders noted that waiting for the jihadist army to march forward will, as in the past, only expose the inhabitants of the state to massacre and exile, and endanger the well-being of the country.

Fetiya Jamah Mussie and Hussen Gures Egen, residents of the woreda, said the leaders of the Union of Islamic Courts were the military leaders of Siad Barre’s army who three decades ago invaded the country with an illusion of forming the “Great Somalia,” and added that the war they are trying to foment against Ethiopia in the guise of religion should therefore be put out before it spreads as the brunt of the last war still hurts the country.

The elders stated that the anti-peace elements who are serving the invaders are their arch foes and reaffirmed their support to the government vowing to stand along its side to repulse the invaders.

They further pointed out that the decision of some opposition political parties to neutrally observe the invasion proves their indifference to the sovereignty of the country and the safety of citizens.

Ensuring the implementation of the decision of the House of Peoples Representatives regarding the jihadists is the responsibility of all citizens as it is a matter of safeguarding the sovereignty of the country, the Harari State Islamic Affairs Supreme Council stressed.

Supreme Council Chairman Sheik Ibrahim Abdurahman said the Muslim community will stand alongside the government when all the peaceful options of solving the crisis are exhausted because safeguarding the sovereignty of the country and its border is the duty and responsibility of every citizen.

National sovereignty is indeed a matter of existence, Sheik Ibrahim said, adding that the stand of some of the political parties in this respect was a historic mistake.

Peace and national sovereignty precede everything, the chairman said, calling on the Muslim community to strive for the realization of the decision.

Similarly, members of the Amhara Nation Democratic Movement (ANDM) in Gambella State expressed their support for the decision to defend the jihadist invasion against the country.

(WIC)

Ethiopian community briefed on justice improvement system

2006-12-05T09:17:00.000-05:00

Addis Ababa - The Ethiopian community and renowned personalities residing in London were briefed on the justice improvement system being implemented in the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

In a press release sent to Ethiopian News Agency yesterday, the ministry said the briefing was made by a delegation led by Deputy President with the Federal Supreme Court Menbere-Teshay Tadesse.

He told the community that efforts were launched to address the issues of accountability, independence and efficiency, among others, the release said.

The Deputy President said a legal framework has been prepared with an intention of further developing judiciary independence and accountability, it said.

The delegation comprises executives of Amhara, Oromia, Harari and other states, the release added.

(ENA)

FGAE branch provides service to over 68,000 people

2006-12-05T09:15:00.000-05:00

Harar - Eastern branch office of the Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia (FGAE) said it has provided family planning service to over 68,000 people.

Branch Office Head Alemayehu Belachew told ENA Tuesday that the office provided the service to residents of Harari and Somali states, East and West Hararghe zones of Oromia State as well as the Dire Dawa City Administrative Council.

According to Alemayehu, 16,000 of the beneficiaries received long and short-term contraceptives for the first time.

He said the branch office offered the service using at six clinics and youth centres and 22 temporary service stations as well as community reproductive health service centres established in 77 kebeles.

Some 144 community representatives have also participated in providing the service in urban centres, he added.

He said awareness raising education on family planning and harmful traditional practices has also been offered for over 400,000 people in the areas.

Alemayehu further indicated that 16,000 people received treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, gynecology, dermatology as well as HIV/AIDS.

The head said the branch office has provided reproductive health, family planning and other services to over 118,000 people last year.

(ENA)

ERA upgrading Harrar-Jijjiga road with over 346mln birr

2006-11-27T08:58:00.000-05:00

Harrar, November 26, 2006 (WIC) - The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) disclosed that it has launched a project to upgrade the Harrar-Jijjiga gravel road to a tarmacked road with over 346.2 million birr.

Diredawa District Manager with the Authority,Yeneneh Assefa,told WIC that the work which has been underway since last month is 106kms long.

The road expected to meet international standards would go operational by 2009,he added.

Yeneneh further stated that the construction of the road would significantly contribute to the growth of the import-export trade of the country.

It would also alleviate the transportation problem of zonal and woreda towns of Somali and Oromia states,he said,adding that farmers could also easily supply their produces to market.

He said that ERA would extend the necessary assistance to finalize the execution of the roads as per the schedule.

The district is also maintaining 937kms roads with more than 23 million birr,according to the manager.
(c) Walta Information Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Accused Police Killer Sentenced To Death

2006-11-22T12:19:00.000-05:00

Office conducting study to identify, popularize investment options

2006-11-20T09:16:00.000-05:00

HARAR - A study instrumental in identifying investment options and popularizing them to investors is underway in Harari State at a cost of over half a million birr, the State Investment Office said.

Office Head Abdu Selam told WIC Thursday that the study underway since the last fiscal year would enable to sort out investment potentials in all sectors of the state.

The study is particularly helpful to identify investment potentials in the agriculture sector and provide proper information for investors who would like to engage in the sector, he said.

The study would also enable to locate investment friendly sites in the state, Abdu said, adding that it would be finalized by the middle of this fiscal year.

Besides, the office has prepared detailed project guideline, which incorporated major investment issues, so as to meet the growing investment demand in the state, he further noted.

(WIC)

Association to undertake dev’t activities in connection to Ethiopian Millenium

2006-11-20T09:15:00.000-05:00

Addis Ababa - The Addis Ababa Youth Association announced plans to celebrate the Ethiopian Millennium by undertaking development activities enabling the youth contribute a significant role toward bringing about speedy economic development, building democracy, and fighting against HIV/AIDS.

Association Chairperson Tatek Kassa told ENA yesterday that the association has also decided to celebrate the Millennium by undertaking activities aimed at reducing poverty and curbing problems of the youth.

Tatek said the Millennium would be an opportunity to create jobs for the youth, as well as ensuring national unity and common understanding among the people of Ethiopia.

The participation of youth in building good governance was limited during the past years, he said, adding various programmes have been designed to improve youth participation in the future.

Lack of youth centres exposed the youth to various problems, he said, the association would exerted efforts toward reducing poverty and fight against HIV/AIDS.

A forum would be established soon with a view to familiarizing the concept of the Millennium among the youth, the chairman said, adding the forum would embrace civil society organizations and clubs operating in Oromia, Tigray, Amhara, Afar, Harari and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples states as well as the Dire Dawa Interim Administration.

(ENA)

University gets new building block

2006-11-20T09:13:00.000-05:00

Harar - A building block constructed on the premises of the Haromaya University in the Harari State with 17 million birr has reportedly begun providing services.

University Academic and Research Deputy Dean Dr. Tenaw Alamrew told ENA Thursday that the new building, which comprises various rooms, a laboratory, and a library with a capacity of serving over 3,000 people at a time, would help curb shortage of classrooms and administrative offices.

The university has finalized preparations to receive over 3,000 students as of the coming week for this academic year, he said.

Meanwhile, he said that the university, in collaboration with the Indian government has been undertaking preparations to provide satellite-backed educational programmes to experts in the the state.

(ENA)

Number of people undergoing VCT increases in Harari State

2006-11-20T09:11:00.000-05:00

Harar - The number of people who are undergoing Voluntary Counseling and Test (VCT) has increased in the Harari State, the State HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office said.

Office Head Dr. Abdurahman Ahmed told ENA recently that 577 more people underwent VCT this year than that of last year, which were 4,767.

He cited increase in the interest of people to have blood test and opening of VCT centres in six hospitals and health stations as the major factors for the rise in the number of people undergoing VCT.

Dr.Abdurahman said that PLWHA were also getting access to Anti-retroviral Drugs while treatment is provided against the transmission of the virus from mother to child.

He said the office has been offering training and undertaking HIV/AIDS intervention with 5.2 million birr provided by the World Bank, Global Fund and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

It is also providing financial and material support to AIDS orphans through Dawn of Hope, the national association of people living with HIV/AIDS and the Organization for Social Services of AIDS, he said.

Dr. Abdurahman said that the office has also been engaged in HIV/AIDS intervention activities at a cost of 14.3 million birr this year.

(ENA)

Irrigational dam readied for service

2006-11-20T09:10:00.000-05:00

Harar - An irrigational dam constructed in Harewe Kebele of Harari State was readied for service, the State Agriculture and Rural Development Bureau said.

Water, Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Sector Head with the Bureau, Afendi Ahmed said the irrigation dam, which can develop 160 hectares, benefit over 200 farmers.

Afendi said more than half a million birr was spent on the construction of the dam, and added that it would enable the farmers develop various fruit and indigenous trees in the area.

Some of the farmers in the kebeles commented that construction of the dam would enable them develop their area and conserve natural resources.

(ENA)

EEPCo expresses readiness to provide electric power supply for entrepreneurs in eastern Ethiopia

2006-11-20T09:07:00.000-05:00

Diredawa, November 20, 2006 (WIC) - The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) disclosed that there is sufficient hydro-electric power supply in the eastern part of the country for entrepreneurs interested in building cement and other factories as well other ventures.

East Region Department Director with the Corporation, Daba Kelbesa, told WIC that there is enough power supply in the area to meet the demands of entrepreneurs in the region.

There is no shortage of power supply in the area as the corporation has finalized power upgrading on Diredawa-Harrar, Harrar-Jijjiga and Diredawa-Chelenko lines, he said.

Hence, the corporation would give prompt response to entrepreneurs who need additional power supply to launch cement and other factories in Oromia, Somali and Harrari states as well as Diredawa Provisional Administration, Daba explained.

He further indicated that the corporation has provided five mega watt additional electric power supply for the expansion of Diredawa Cement and Lime Factory. It was also providing 12 mega watts power for an entrepreneur who wants to establish a cement factory in the Diredawa town, it was learnt.

The region has electrified 15 towns last fiscal year, the director said.
(c) Walta Information Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Office conducting study to identify, popularize investment options in Harrari State

2006-11-16T14:17:00.000-05:00

Harrar, November 17, 2006 (WIC) - A study instrumental in identifying investment options and popularizing them to investors is underway in Harari State with an outlay of over half a million birr, according to the regional Investment Office.

Office Head, Abdu Selam, told WIC today that the study underway since the last fiscal year would enable to sort out investment potentials in all sectors of the state.

The study is particularly helpful to identify investment potentials in the agriculture sector and provide proper information for investors who would like to engage in the sector, he said.

The study would also enable to locate investment friendly sites in the state, Abdu said, adding that it would be finalized by the middle of this fiscal year.

Besides,the office has prepared detailed project guideline, which incorporated major investment issues, so as to meet the growing investment demand in the state, he further noted.
(c) Walta Information Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Primary School Coverage in the Harari State …….

2006-11-16T10:09:00.000-05:00

Police Commissioner Removed From Post

2006-11-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Harari Millennium Park

2006-11-08T09:48:00.000-05:00

ERA Diredawa District undertaking road maintenance works with over 23mln birr

2006-11-08T09:47:00.000-05:00

Harrar, November 08, 2006 (WIC) - The Diredawa District of Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) disclosed that it has launched the maintenance of over 900kms asphalt and gravel roads with over 23 million birr this fiscal year.

District Manager Yeneneh Assefa told WIC that the authority has been undertaking the maintenance in Oromia,Harrari and Somali states as well as Diredawa administration since the middle of last month.

The roads under maintenance include the Diredawa-Dewele, Harrar-Jijiga, Alberekete-Gelemso-Mechara, Jijjiga-Teferi Ber, Harrar-Jarso, Jijjiga-Togo Chale and Awash-Asebe-Hirna and Dengego, among others, the manager said.

Of the 937kms roads to be executed in the budget year with the stated sum earmarked by the Road Fund, 575km is asphalt and the remaining gravel.

The distinct has finalized preparations to complete the maintenance work by coming June, according to Yeneneh.

The maintenance of the roads would help farmers to take their produces to market and alleviate transportation problems, he said, adding that the maintenance of the Jijjiga-Togo-Chale and Diredawa-Dewele roads in particular have great importance in beefing up the export trade.

The authority has repaired 876kms roads in the district with an outlay of 20 million birr last fiscal year, the manager recalled.
(c) Walta Information Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Harari State Donated 100,000 birr for flood victims in Somali State

2006-11-06T12:04:00.000-05:00

EEPCo electrifying 47 towns

2006-11-06T09:15:00.000-05:00

Dire Dawa - The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has reportedly been installing lines and transformers with over 86 million birr so as to electrify rural towns in three states and one administration.

EEPCo East Region Department Head Daba Kelbessa told WIC Friday that the work would benefit 47 towns in Oromia, Harari, and Somali states as well as Dire Dawa Administration.

Accordingly, the corporation would electrify the towns by the end of June, he added.

Daba said the corporation is electrifying woreda and rural towns in the states in accordance with its programme to expand services to the rural parts of the country.

EEPCo also envisages undertaking maintenance works to step up provision of services apart from installation of new lines, he added.

It is also replacing old electric lines in Jijiga town in collaboration with the district so as to avoid the occasional power interruption.

Meanwhile, the head said that the installation of seven diesel power-generating plants is being finalized and they would commence rendering services soon.

(WIC)

Youth centre inaugurated in Harar

2006-11-06T09:11:00.000-05:00

Harar - A youth centre constructed with 1.2 million birr in Harar Town was inaugurated here Tuesday.

The centre would provide a 24-hour service to the youth and other segments of the society, the Harari State Public Organization, Culture and Social Affairs Burea said.

The Centre has various service facilities, including internet and a library, according to Youth and Sports Affairs Head Amir Yusouf.

(ENA)

Haromaya University finalizes preparations to enroll over 3,000 new students

2006-11-06T09:10:00.000-05:00

Harar, November 06, 2006 (WIC) - The Haromaya University disclosed that it has finalized preparations to commence the academic year by enrolling over 3,000 new students.

University Academic and Research Vice President, Dr. Tena Alamirew, told WIC that the University is ready to admit 3,500 new regular students to Health Science, Economics, Management, Law, Engineering and Animal Medicine faculties in the Main, Harrar, Diredawa and Jijjiga campuses.

As the construction of dormitories, classrooms and various service-rendering buildings in the premises of the university has been finalized, it would commence the academic programme in the middle of this month, he added.

The Vice President recalled the disruptions of the past academic year due to various reasons, adding that the university has made preparations to avoid repeat of same problem.

Additional buildings were built and furnished to alleviate congestions in libraries, laboratories as well as computer and information technology centers, Dr. Tena stated.

The university would reportedly train a total of more than 12,500 regular students in the academic year.
(c) Walta Information Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Hararis celebrate “Shewal Eid” in Jeddah

2006-11-06T08:53:00.000-05:00

Addis Ababa - Some 500 members of the Harari nationality celebrated “Shewal Eid” in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

In a press release it sent to ENA yesteday, the Ministry said Ethiopian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yousuf Abdullahi and Ethiopian Consulate General, Ambassador Tekle-Ab Kebede were invited as honourable guests at the celebration.

Speaking at the celebration, Ambassador Yousuf said the celebration of the holiday was a manifestation of the respect of individual and collective rights of people as enshrined in the Ethiopian Constitution.

Speaking on his part, Ambassador Tekle-Ab said the celebration of the Shewal Eid is one of the victories of Ethiopian nations and nationalities.

Harari Development Association Chairman in Jeddah, Abdulwase Ra’is said the celebration is the manifestation of the Harari identity.

(ENA)

Modern Hotel Inaugurated In Harar

2006-11-01T12:02:00.000-05:00

HIV/AIDS resource center inaugurated in Harrar town

2006-10-31T13:02:00.000-05:00

Harrar, November 01, 2006 (WIC) – Free HIV/AIDS Resource Centers that provide information through Internet will be established throughout the country this Ethiopian year,the National HIV/AIDS Resource Center disclosed.

Speaking at the inauguration of the country’s fifth HIV/Aids Resource Center established in Harar town today, National HIV/AIDS Resource Center Head Gashaw Mengistu said efforts are underway to open other resource centers in nine states, including Addis Ababa and Diredawa cities, to raise the community’s awareness on HIV/AIDS.

He said the centers will be established with the financial and material support of the federal and regional HIV/AIDS prevention and control offices and the Country Office of the United States Center for Diseases Control (CDC)– Ethiopia.

The Head pointed out that resource centers have already gone operational in Addis Ababa, Diredawa, Mekelle and Adama towns, while similar centers will be opened in Awassa and Bahirdar towns soon.

He further said activities of establishing resource centers will be carried out in Jijjiga, Semera, Assosa and Gambella towns.

According to Gashaw,youth and various members of the society have brought about behavioral change as a result of the information they got from Internet.

While inaugurating the center, Harrari State Chief Administrator Murad Abdul Hadi said the center will be vital in enabling the community protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and care for AIDS patients.

CDC-Ethiopia Deputy Director Catherine Avery said on the occasion that the establishment of the center will promote the HIV/AIDS prevention activities the governments of the United States and Ethiopia have been undertaking.

Avery added that CDC-Ethiopia, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are working in close collaboration with the National HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office and other governmental and non-governmental organizations to prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDS.
(c) Walta Information Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Harari Region Celebrate Shewal Holiday

2006-10-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hararis In Atlanta Celebrated Eid-Alfitir.

2006-10-30T12:01:00.000-05:00

Atlanta October 28, 2006 HC

Atlanta Hrari Community gathered to celebrate Eid on Saturday October 27th 2007 at 1PM. More than 200 Hararis from the Metro Atlanta area with their children attended the celebration of Eid. The event was organized by harari women’s.

Symposium on inventorying intangible cultural heritage (Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia)

2006-10-30T10:59:00.000-05:00

A two day symposium on inventorying intangible cultural Heritage in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia was held at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) from 19-20 October, 2006 the symposium was jointly organized by the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage, (ARCCH) the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and UNESCO office in Addis Ababa. A number of participants have presented papers at the symposium. The papers dealt with different aspects of intangible cultural heritages.

In an introductory remark, Ato Tesfaye Hailu, Department Head of Cultural Anthropology, ARCCH said it was for the second time that ARCCH and UNESCO jointly organized the symposium on intangible cultural heritage. Ato Tesfaye recalled that the first symposium was held in June 2005. He told the participants that the first symposium focused on awareness creation on intangible cultural heritage. “Participants of the first symposium discussed the conceptual and legal frameworks and exemplary forms of intangible cultural heritage,” he added.

Ato Tesfaye said the second symposium that was held on 19-20 October 2006 focused on methodological approach as to how to make national inventories in order to implement the 2003 convention for the safe-guarding of intangible cultural Heritage.

N.B. in October 2003, the general conference of UNESCO adopted the convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. In the purpose of the 2003 convention, the following description of intangible cultural heritage was elaborated: The practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith that communities recognize as part of their cultural heritage. This cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity. To that definition was added an explicitly non-exhaustive list of domains in which the intangible cultural heritage manifests itself. Oral traditions, and expressions, including languages as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage; performing arts, social practices, rituals and festive events; knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe and traditional craftsmanship.

Ato Jara Haile-Mariam, Director General of ARCCH, said in a welcome address that more recently, the growing interest in connecting practices develop in the concerned fields and the common sense of vulnerability of the non-renewable asset that cultural heritage constitutes for the human family, national and international levels. Jara stressed that this current attention is a response to growing concern over the accelerated loss of that part of our cultural heritage- a heritage that can only be carried and transmitted by living human beings rather than through a legal or administrative system be applied to other types of heritages. According to Jara, a number of activities have been carried out so far in the efforts to resolve the just mentioned problems. One of these major activities constitutes the declaration of the 2003 convention for the safeguarding of the tangible cultural heritage by UNESCO and its ratification by member countries.

Ato Jara further said, “cognizant of the need to safeguard the country’s intangible cultural treasures, the FDRE government has given serious attention to the protection of these priceless treasures. The work of inventorying intangible cultural heritage is indeed very essential not only for a simple and mere preservation and safeguarding issues but also because it is difficult to exploit and translate their values in a way to support the socio-economic development efforts of the country which eventually foster the efforts being exerted to eradicate lingering poverty prevailing in countries like Ethiopia.

In conclusion Ato Jara pointed out that the Authority for research and conservation of cultural heritage has designed a nation-wide mid-term strategy to carry out inventory work on intangible cultural heritage. “In doing so, the authority will exert its maximum effort and do its level best more than ever before in realizing the objectives of the strategy.”

The Director of UNESCO in Addis Ababa, Mr. Auad Elhasan also said a few words at the opening of the symposium. He expressed his pleasure over the fact that Ethiopia has been one of the earliest countries to ratify the 2003 convention on intangible cultural heritage. Mr. Elhasan noted that intangible cultural heritage is under serious attack not only in Ethiopia but around the world. The intangible cultural heritage is under serious threat of being lost because of so many factors: the movement of people, globalization, the uniformity that is more and more characterizing the cultures, lifestyles and the economic activities and all walks of life around the world and because of the increasing urbanization. There are so many factors that constitute a real threat on intangible heritage which is the life in fact, the history, the whole being of mankind. If you lose it, you have lost something that is not replaceable at all.

The UNESCO Director said he was very pleased because the symposium was organized for participants from three of the Horn of Africa countries, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti. Describing the Horn of Africa as “not an easy region,” he said while there are many attempts either at the IGAD level, and sub-regional level, or at the African Union level for integration apparently at the political level, it is still very difficult to integrate. We hope first to do it through culture which is again closer to peoples lives.

As indicated earlier, a number of participants presented papers to the symposium. The papers were after having been presented discussed extensively. Questions were raised and examined by the participants who were also experts in their respective areas of specialization.

Ato Tesfaye Hailu, Head of the Department of Cultural Heritage presented to the symposium a paper entitled “a survey of Intangible Heritage Inventories in Ethiopia.” Ato Tesfaye said the main objective of the survey is to identify bibliographic works, audiovisual documents, policy issues and institutional arrangement, inventory making and activities related with UNESCO as regards intangible heritage in Ethiopia. Through this survey it has been possible to identify the major activities of five regional states. Amhara, Tigrai, Harari, SNNP and Oromia as was indicated in the introduction. The survey is limited to only these five states due to financial and time constraints. An excerpts of Ato Tesfaye’s paper is presented below.

Inventorying

Inventory making and defining Intangible Cultural Heritage

The concept of intangible cultural heritage was not known for many government offices, and academic institutions which operate in the fields of humanities and social science research. However, the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, department of Sociology and Anthropology, Department of Ethiopian Languages and Literature, academy of Ethiopian languages, Authority for Research and conservation of Cultural Heritage had conducted a research on the current different domains of intangible cultural heritage. Of course, the research or inventory was not systematic by establishing domain by domain or region by region approach. Since the data is available, it is also possible to classify them into the new domains of intangible cultural heritage.

Along with these efforts of conducting research related with intangible cultural heritage, there have been also attempts by the Federal and regional governments to define the domains of intangible cultural heritage. In this respect, Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage has defined, intangible cultural heritage in the proclamation No. 209/2000. The Authority has also designed a medium-term strategy for 2008-2013 on the identification, safeguarding and promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage through the national inventory.

Research undertaking on Intangible Cultural

Heritage at the Federal and Regional levels

At the Federal Level

The Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage is the Federal government office responsible for conducting research, safeguarding and promotion of intangible cultural heritage. The Authority has been conducting a research on the subject since 1976 on different forms of social practices of various ethnic groups in the country.

After the adoption of the convention for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2003, the Authority had created a new department of cultural anthropology inorder to implement the objectives of the convention. The department is organized into four research teams which operate in all domains of intangible cultural heritage, (Oral expressions, performing arts; social practices; indigenous knowledge and craftsmanship).

With this organizational structure the Authority has conducted a research on the social practices of Ari, Oida, Bench, Gumuz, Agew, Arsi-Oromo, Gurage ethnic groups; the Ashendaye traditional girl’s songs and the conflict resolution system of Gedeo and Guji Oromo. The research findings are published on the annual bilingual magazine of the authority. Other audiovisual recordings which include the tape; videocassette and photographs are documented at the authority’s central research documentation department.

At the Regional Level

The Authority for Research and conservation of Cultural Heritage in Cooperation with UNESCO office in Addis Ababa recently has made a survey on the status of inventory making of intangible cultural heritage in five Regional states and this finding is presented below.

Amhara State

The inventory making of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Culture and Tourism Bureau in Amhara state is carried out in cooperation with the zonal and woreda offices and three major activities are undertaken. These are oral poetry collections, the identification of harmful traditional practices and a survey on ethno musicology.

With regard to the first major activity, 1400 oral poetries related to agricultural expirations are collected, organized, edited and are ready for publications. In addition, Oral poetries related to women are collected and are being organized and edited for future publication.

The oral poetries collected on agricultural activities characterize the farmers with positive and negative implications. The active and brave farmers are encouraged in the expression while that of the inactive farmers are discouraged. On the other hand the oral poetries on women reflect only the negative implications manifesting the inability and lower status of women in the society.

In connection with the second major activity the Regional Cultural Bureau has identified the main harmful traditional practices. These include:

1. Un necessary economic costs (for wedding, celebrations Saints day, memorial of the dead, celebration of holidays; Sedeka, Duea)

2. Number of holidays in the month/year

3. Laments and mournings (impacts—ill health, tire some, economic

wastage, losing working days)

4. Impacts on women (early marriage, sexual harassment, women

circumcision, loss of property ownership, work load).

In additional to these identifications the persuation activities are also carried out through the farmers conferences after thorough discussions and sharing of experiences about the advantages and disadvantages of the practices. The cultural bureau has reviewed the prevalence of the practices in specific areas of the Region and has found out that attitudinal changes to wards the practices are brought largely.

The third magoractivity of the Regional Cultural Bureau is a survey on Ethno-musicology. These include, the survey on cultural and spiritual values of the Qimant community; a survey on cultural musical instruments, closing and decoration; a survey on handicraft works of the Qimant community, In carrying out all these activities the Regional Cultural Bureau is faced with the problems of lack of attention to the sector, shortage of man power, finance and lack of training. If these limitations are fulfilled the Cultural Burea is expected to do more than what has been done so far.

Tigrai State

The inventory making of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Tigrai State is carried out by the Culture and Tourism Commission under the Trade, Investment and Transport Bureau and includes three major activities. These are collections and publications of oral expression, identifications of harmful traditional practices and survey of various social practices.

The Culture and Tourism commission of the Region has collected and published three books on tales, riddles and oral poetry. These different types of books are provided freely to the Education Bureau of the region in order to serve as a teaching material for children.

The commission has also made an attempt to identify the harmful traditional practices and thinking related to the economic costs, such as wedding, funeral, mourning, festive events, religious and public holidays. Due to these identifications and persuasive measures attitudinal and cultural changes towards these practices are brought about.

The survey of social practices is conducted in various forms and include the study of Ashendaye, cultural clothing, ornamentation, musical instrument, feeding, other cultural features, as well as the coronation system of the Axumite, and the conflict resolution system among the Enderta.

Therefore, the Culture and Tourism Commission of Tigrai State is highly involved in the collection and publication of Oral expressions, in conducting various researches on social practices of three ethnic groups found in the region (Tigrai, Kunama and Eurob) and also in producing seventeen unpublished monographs.

In carrying out all these activities, the commission is faced with the problems of research equipment (tape recorder, camera video-camera etc), finance and training. Thus, the Bureau is in need of the fulfillment of all these requirements for better performance and achievement in the sector for the future.

Harari State

The inventory making of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Harari State is carried out by the secretariat for the conservation of the Jegole Cultural Heritage and by the department of culture both belonging to the bureau for peoples organization, culture and social affairs in the Region.

The secretariat for the conservation of Jegol Cultural Heritage has done four major works in the nomination file submitted to UNESCO which enabled to be inscribed in the world Heritage List. These are:-

1. A research on Awoch (models of good personalities or memorials) of man made constructions, natural trees, cemeteries, non symbolic elements).

2. A research on Harari Mosques:- the study consists of the physical heritage, general characteristics, nomenclature, quarangai traditional school system (in which children could learn about their culture, time concept, study of lessons.

3. Harari Traditional Houses and Historical Buildings;- these include traditional houses and historical buildings within and outside of the wall such as Rambo, Teferi Mekonen, Mohamed, St. Savoir Church etc. Their history and functions, as well as their ages which are more than 100 years are briefly explained in the study.

4. The ancient walled city of Harar.

This category of study of deals with the historical background of the wall, villages, streets, historical naming of gates, market places as well as different expressions (sayings), songs etc about the wall. This part of the study reflects the integration of intangible domain with the tangible heritage. The other activities carried by the cultural department are the study of Shewalid, Mewlid, and children’s games. The department has also conducted an ethno musicological study in which 1000 CDS are collected in cooperation with the Embassy of France to Ethiopia.

In conducting all these activities the Bureau is faced with the problem of trained man power, finance, research equipment etc. The fulfillment of all these requirements is necessary for a better performance and out come.

SNNP State

The inventory making of intangible cultural heritage in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples State is carried out by the bureau for Information and Culture itself and each zone in the region. In this respect, the bureau had conducted and documented some relevant oral expressions and social practices and festive events. These include the proverbs of Hammer Ethnic group; oral poetries collected and compiled by the missionaries; the Konso generation grade (audiovisual documentation); Ethno-musicological festivals on some selected Ethnic groups for three consecutive years at the local, regional and federal levels. The Bureau has also documented the study of traditional and other stories in the koorete language by the koorete translation project with the technical assistance from SIL Ethiopia as well as the study of celebration of crucification holiday among the Gurage Ethnic group.

As we nave mentioned earlier, in this regions, the cultural research is also carried out by the zonal cultural offices and the writer had the opportunity to get relevant information on this issue from Sidama Zone Cultural Office. According to the information obtained from the Sidama Cultural Office, a research is conducted and documented on the proverbs, marriage system, conflict resolution, the Gada system, the fiche ceremony and on other social practices. A research programme is also scheduled on handicraft works for this fiscal year. It is assumed that a lot of work has been done on the subject in the remaining twelve zonal cultural offices and there should be a way to identify these works in the future.

Oromia State

The inventory making of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Oromia State is carried out by the Bureau for Culture and Tourism in cooperation with the zonal. and woreda cultural offices. The inventory includes the collections and publications of oral expressions as well as researches on social practices and rituals.

With regard to the oral expressions six books of oral poetry; one book of riddles are collected and published by the department of language and arts. The books are distributed to schools and colleges to be used as teaching materials.

On the other hand the bureau has also conducted research on Geda Institution for the purpose of preparing a nomination file for inscription. At present the bureau is also conducting a research on Dire Sheih Hussen and Sof Omer Cultural Landscape for the purpose of preparing a candidature file. In addition, the bureau has conducted a research on Erecha, attete and on harmful traditional practices, performing arts (folk music, dances).

In collecting the oral expressions and conducting a research on the above subjects, the shortages of man power, finance, logistics, etc are identified to be the major problems of the bureau.

by Melese Telahoun

EEPCo electrifies 15 eastern Ethiopian towns

2006-10-30T10:54:00.000-05:00

Dire Dawa - The Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has reportedly electrified 15 towns in eastern part of the country during the past four months.

EEPCo East Region Department Director Daba Kelbessa told WIC yesterday that beneficiaries of the electrification scheme were rural towns in Oromia, Somali, Harari states and Dire Dawa Interim Administration.

Most of the towns have obtained round-the-clock electric power supply, according to the director.

The remaining rural towns also accessed electric power following the installation of 320-480 kilovolt generator in each town, he stated.

The director further stated that the corporation would gradually electrify all towns in eastern Ethiopia in line with the programme designed to expedite development by expanding electric power.

(WIC)

Authority undertaking tourism dev’t project

2006-10-30T10:52:00.000-05:00

ADDIS ABABA - Integrated tourism development project is being implemented at a cost of 5.1 million birr with a view to preserving ancient heritages in four selected states, the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritages said.

Speaking yesterday at an ongoing heritage management workshop in Gondar town, inventory and documentation deputy coordinator with the authority, Solomon Eshete said the pilot project is being carried out in Amhara, Tigray, Oromia and Harari states. The fund for the implementation of the project was secured from the World Bank in loan.

Preservation and repair of historic sites, registration of relics, information gathering and organization as well as promotion of handicrafts are components of the project being implemented until 2007, he said.

The project sets out to bring considerable economic and social benefits by preserving and developing attractions in Axum and Gondar towns, he said.

The project’s handicrafts promotion component is believed to help local people draw due benefits from the tourism industry development, he added.

Some 400 people trained in handicrafts at centres established in Addis Ababa, Gondar, Axum and Harar towns have now been engaged in the production of prototypes, Solomon said.

He said the handicraft products have won acceptance in the American and European markets and several exporters are requesting the products.

Computerized relics registration is being carried out, he said adding that some 50 experts are trained and are currently working on classifying the relics.

Meanwhile, the Afar State Culture and Tourism Information Bureau said the number of foreign tourists visiting various heritages in the state is increasing from time to time.

Tourism department head with the bureau, Mohammed Indris told ENA Tuesday that 133 tourists visited the heritages in 1996 E.C, while the number increased to 312 in 1998 E.C.

He attributed the increase in the number of tourists visited the state to the promotion work carried out jointly by the bureau and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Dalol, Ertale and other historical and natural heritages are among the sites visited by the tourists, he said.

Most of the tourists came from France, Switzerland, Italy, America, Japan and Australia, Mohammed added.

(ENA)