A publication of Ethiopia E Eritrea RPCVs, - an affiliate of the National Peace Corps Association The HE Summer 2002 - Number 25

The Border Saga

By Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64)

Before I built a wall I'd ask to know a victory over aggression and violence. This is a What I was walling in or walling out, victory for the rule of law over the rule of the jungle." And to whom I was like to give offence. Inside Something there is that doesn't Jove a wall, "The government and people of Eritrea have That wants it down .. . consistently maintained that the border dispute Eritrea news 7 [My neighbor] will not go beyond his father's saying, could only be resolved by peaceful and legal Aid and Comfort 12 means, and not through war and the logic of And he likes having thought of it so well force," the official statement of the Eritrean Free Press, cont. 14 He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors." government stated as reported by IRIN (Integrated - from "Mending Waif" by Robert Frost Sites 14 Regional Information Network (www .irinnews .org). "Jn the final analysis, the end Ethiopia news 16 of the war on the basis of a legal determination is a victory for both the Eritrean and Ethiopian Peace Corps 26 The Hague Commission's Decision peoples. It is a victory for the people of Ethiopia, On Saturday, April 13, the Independent Boundary 40 +I 28 but it is the Eritrean people who have emerged Commission in The Hague issued its ruling on victorious." E~E RPCVs 30 border delimitation for Ethiopia and Eritrea . The long-awaited decision has been fraught with Books ~ writers 36 "The outcome was sufficiently obscure to leave violent confrontations, alleged violations, and both countries in a position to claim victory," Touring Ethiopia 42 many assertions following the peace agreement noted the BBc's Martin Plaut. The Hague commis­ signed in December 2000. Following the an­ Editorial 44 sion released a 125-page document, which Plaut nouncement, both Ethiopia and Eritrea claimed says "legal experts make clear that they reject the Contacts 46 victory for their point of view and resolution. Ethiopian claim and draw the border in such a way that Eritrea wins title to the town - if not the area "This is a victory of law and order over anarchy, that bears its name." chaos and violence," said Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin as reported by the UN The name is Badme. Both Ethiopia and Eritrea claim Integrated Regional Information Networks. "This is Badme, which is a village and a district and was

Summer 2002 I considered the heart of the initial armed conflict "I have commended [Prime Mi nister Meles Zenawi] between the two countries that continued for two and the Ethiopian government for having so firmly years. According to the agreement, stated that Ethiopia will stand by the decision of Badme remains an Ethiopian village on the Boundary Commission," he said. He also the 620-mile disputed border, as are reiterated that his government would continue the areas of Zalembessa, Alitena, and Bada. long-term bilateral development aid with Ethiopia, "!HE OUTCOME was sufficiently According to Plaut, "Eritrea appears to "based on support of peace, stability, democratic obscure to leave both countries in have made some gains in the west." development, human rights, and good gover­ nance." a position to claim victory," noted In May 1998, Eritrean soldiers began an entry into Badme, which was little more the BBC 's Martin Plaut. International Demonstrations than a few buildings and a barracks A worldwide campaign by Ethiop ians to oppose flagpole flying the Ethiopian flag . the Hague ruling was initiated on March 29, more Ethiopian soldiers told the Eritreans to lay than two weeks before the release of the ruling. down their arms. Gunfire was the answer Following demonstrations in Stockholm, London, and it continued there and along the regional and New York, the DC-based Ethiopi ans Unite boundary abutting each nation until June 2000. planned to hold more rallies in Washington, London, and elsewhere to "demand that Meles US Contributes Funds for Border Demarcation Zenawi's regime and the parliament not approve Calling the Boundary Commission's ruling a the Border Commission's decisions, which is "major achievement," the US State Department has intended to make Ethiopia permanently land­ pledged its support of future peaceful actions. "By locked, weak and poor, " according to the Ethiopi­ accepting the decision, Eritrean President Isayas ans Unite press release. and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles have taken another courageous step to forge a comprehensive Red Sea Ports and lasting peace between the two countries," an In February, some 3,000 supporters of the Ethio­ official statement said. pian Democratic Party held a rally in Addis demanding access to the Red Sea as part of the "The United States remains committed to facilitate pending UN boundary comm issi on in the Hague. the peace process to its conclusion. To this end," An IRIN report noted that rally spokespeople the statement said, "we have donated funds to a insisted that "the country would never have United Nations Trust Fund established to help lasting peace without access to the Red Sea." defray the cost of the delimitation and demarca­ tion of the border, and we intend to make an The Ethiopian government's stance opposed such additional contribution shortly." position, according to a representative . "Nurturing the idea of waging war with Eritrea in search of a There was no indication as to the amount of money sea outlet would not serve any purpose other than the US has donated to the trust fund. creating another 30 years of war."

Norway Will Provide Funds for Demarcation An editorial in the Addis Tribune had a more Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen an­ historical point of view: "It is all too easy to stick nounced that his government would contribute to the age-old argument that Ethiopi a cannot US$1 million to assist in the resolution of the border survive without a port or should not be land­ settlement. "Norway will support Ethiopia and locked. Ethiopia has survived for over 3,000 years Eritrea as well as the United Nations in the physical without much use of its sea access. While the demarcation of the border," Petersen said in a modem world developed through trade by taking release issued by the Norwegian embassy in Addis. advantage of its sea access, we spent much of our 3,000 years barricading ourselves from invaders

2 THE HERALD but also from trade and progress. Remember Assab was not created by our desire to take to the seas A Chronology from Le Monde: and trade with the outside world. Assab came to Conflict in the Horn of Africa POPULATION DATA: existence because of an Italian trading company wishing to set up a trading base along the Red Eritrea has an estimated 1889-1941: Eritrea is an Italian colony. Sea. They bought a 20 sq km piece of desert land 3.5 million living with its by the sea for 3,100 Maria Teresa (about 80,000 1941-1952: Eritrea under British administra­ lire) in 1861 from local land owners - hence, the tion. borders between Ethiopia, creation of Assab and then Eritrea and the start of September 15, 1952: UN decides to set up a the Red Sea, and Sudan. our 130 years of trouble that came with it." federation between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has 65 million September 1961 : The Eritrean Liberation Front A Potpourri of Opinions (ELF) takes up arms. people living within the "The Hague Blues" An ode was composed by one M. Filli A., "lyrics by November 14, 1962: Annexation of Eritrea, which becomes the 14th province of area bordered by Eritrea, an Eritrean, no music provided," plus an attribu­ Ethiopia. Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, tion to Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry .. . "from an unattributed internet source, via Schlomo 1970: The ELF splits into two branches: the and Kenya . Bachrach's exceptional news service. One verse original ELF and the People 's Liberation Forces (ELF-PlF). This Marxist breakaway canted: group of the ELF becomes the Eritrean "Working together through bilateral diplomacy People's Liberation Front (EPlF). Can bring to the Horn peace and normalcy 1972-197 4: Civil war between the two groups. Accepting sovereignty barriers 197 4: Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie Respecting territorial borders overthrown. We can make good neighbors January 1975: Resumption of the joint And they can use our harbors campaign against the Ethiopian army. Old privileges permanently damaged 1977: Mengistu Haile Mariam seizes power in New contracts could be easily managed ... " Ethiopia. The USSR provides massive aid. The EPlF makes a strategic withdrawal. "Mareb River journal" May 1991: Asmara is taken by the EPlF and NY Times reporter Marc Lacey visited a place in the Mengistu's military-Communist regime Ethiopia/Eritrea region and wrote a piece called collapses. "Bridge Over a Troubled Border in the Horn of Africa." His article (www.nytimes.com/2002/02/11/ April 25, 1993: A referendum ratifies independence for Eritrea within frontiers of international/africa/11BORD. html) describes his the former It alian colony. experience at the Mareb River bridge, which is not unlike the bridge between the US and Canada at May 6, 1998: Outbreak of war between Niagara Falls. "The bridge, once a major transit Ethiopia and Eritrea. point between the two neighbors, ended up May 12, 2000: After a year's respite, the heavily damaged when Ethiopia and Eritrea took peace negotiations are broken off and up arms against each other .... In recent months hostilities resume. it was refurbished and has become a symbol of the June 18, 2000: Signing of a peace agreement two countries search for reconciliation - and all in Algiers, under the auspices of the the challenges that remain," he writes. Organization of African Unity. United Nations' aid has rebuilt the span that i connects Rama, Ethiopia, with Adi Quala, Eritrea.

Summer 2002 3 "Today the bridge is most often used by prisoners Whenever you have a peacekeeping op eration, you of war sent back home by one government or must always have contingency plans ... another," writes Lacey. "This is the critical phase. Thi s is what my job is all UN peacekeepers watch over the bridge and the about," he said. "The day we hear the decision has boundary. At the Mareb River it is soldiers from been made and the countries have welcomed the India who guard the crossing. decision, we will know we have achieved a very important milestone." "There is little traffic across the border these days, except for the cattle that stray across, fueling In March the UN Security Council unanimously clashes among the herdsmen, " Lacey notes, "or the agreed to extend UNMEE 's mandate for another six porcupine, python, or wild boar, " as reported by months. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had the Indian commander. "It's a critical location, " endorsed the extension in order to support the nonetheless, the soldier asserts. Border Commission 's decision.

There have been diplomatic encounters at the "Making and Unmaking and Remaking of bridge. An Italian soldier, for example, stopped an Boundaries" Ethiopian car filled with ranking officers and RPCVs may recall Negussay Ayele as one of the insisted on a search. As a result, Ethiopia refused Amharic instructors in their training programs in to have meetings on the bridge in the future . The the 1960s. In February he wrote an article for the soldier was quickly sent home, according to Lacey. on-line newsletter Deki-Alula [www.geociti es .com/ Legwaila Interview malula86/]. Among Prof. Negussay's comments were the following : Legwaila Joseph Legwaila is the UN Secretary­ General's special representative heading the UN "It is somewhat paradoxical that Et hiopia - the Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea. He was interviewed oldest African nation - should repeatedly be the in February by the UN Integrated Regional Net­ turf for experimenting moda li ties for boundary works: formations in a the continent where the over­ whelming majority of the coloniali st-generated "It is often suggested that this is an easy mission, boundaries remain either undelimited or because we are dealing with two countries and we undemarcated .. .. are dealing with two disciplined armies - and we came here when the two sides had already signed "What is even more astounding is that Ethiopia - a cease-fire .... [Nonetheless] the fact remains the indomitable country that had successfully that after any war there is a lot of bitterness fought so many anti-colonial wars to acquit its between the regions, and Ethiopia and Eritrea are independent existence - now stands to be victim­ not an exception." ized by defunct and invalid colonial 'treaties,' that were in the first instance designed to co ntain Both nations agreed to accept the Border Ethiopia as a landlocked, truncated, weak and Commission's rulings as being final and binding. circumscribed country during the colonial era . .. "They have so bound themselves to accept its decision that they even deny themselves the "The real problem in Ethiopia-Eritrea is that the opportunity to go to arbitration. They have guerillas (EPLF and TPLF) that fought to overthrow decided they have no appeal to any other mecha­ the government in power, which they did in 1991 , nism," Legwaila said. have gone beyond that and are on a mis sion to overthrow Ethiopia as a state. In other words, their "We don't think we can know exactly how the ultimate objective is the politicide of Ethiopia. security situation is going to evolve after the Wittingly or unwittingly, outside elements, decision . . .. But we are ready for any eventuality.

4 THE HERALD including the United Nations, that support this dence was achieved by military victory, which was cabal against the Ethiopian people are aiding and later confirmed by a referendum . . . Regrettably, abetting in the politicide of Ethiopia." demarcation of borders between the two countries was an issue that was left unresolved upon A GOOD MAP of the Editor's note: Prof. Negussay Ayele continues his independence . .. thus becoming the flash point critical analysis of the conflicts for fifteen pages. of the 1998-2000 war." border area can be viewed For those interested in continuing the reading, go as a PDF file using Adobe to www.tisjd.net/unmaking.htm . According to Bereket, the armed conflict was far more than a quarrel over the definition of the Acrobat at: An Eritrean Point of View border. "Eritrea's sovereignty has been one of the Bereket Habte Selassie is a law professor at the sources of discord between the [Ethiopian) govern­ www.dehai.org/images/ University of North Carolina; he chaired the ment and some die-hard groups, adamantly unmee.pdf. Eritrean Constitution Commission that authored opposed to Erirea 's independence. During the the national constitution. In December 2001, he recent, so-called 'Badme Border War' some There is an excellent story, expressed his thoughts to the Border Commission spokespersons of these groups sloganeered, in The Hague. Here are several excerpts. 'Ethiopia's border is not Badme, it is the Red Sea.'" "Border, a Geographer's "One of the momentous decisions of the Organiza­ "Despite some of our internal differences with the Nightmare" at http:// tion of African Unity made at the second meeting [Eritrean) government, this is one issue on which news.bbc.co.uk/hi/ of the African heads of state and government in we stand united. Let no one mistake our current Cairo in 1964 is the resolution accepting the squabbles, which is an internal affair, as a sign of english/special_report/ colonially-fixed boundaries to define the post­ division where the sovereignty and territorial colonial African state system and its concomitant integrity of Eritrea is concerned." legal order . . . . " battle_in_the_horn/ Maps and Mines Prof. Bereket describes the abolition of the newsid_396000/396571.stm. One of the first priorities following The Hague Eritrean-Ethiopian confederation by Haile Selassie commission's ruling will be the creation of maps to create "a united Ethiopia. One of the intended that will aid in the removal of tens of thousands of Also, check out legal consequences of the abolition of the federa­ buried landmines. The United Nations Security tion was the destruction of Eritrea's international www.EthiopiaEritreaRPCVs.org Council has ruled that de-mining, through legal personality, which UN Resolution 39o(A)(V) mapping, aerial photographs, and ground and click on "Ethiopia" and recognized and which was a stumbling block to observation, "should move forward without the Emperor's expansionist ambitions. " "Eritrea" in the lefthand delay." "A central part of the diplomatic strategy in the column for links to sites The buried weapons are limiting the extent to Eritrea liberation struggle was, therefore, con­ which families may relocate, nearly two years after that carry current news stantly reminding the world community of the end of the war. A study carried out by the UN Ethiopia's illegal act in destroying the integrity of from these countries. Emergencies Unit representatives in the border Eritrea's international legal status ... [and for zone point specifically to the inactivity by Ethiopia Ethiopia] to accept the Eritrean struggle for to remove the mines. independence as a legitimate claim for national self-determination from colonial rule, not differ­ A primary concern is the need to plant crops and ent from the claims of other African struggles the avoidance of fatalities and injuries. In a against European colonial rule." commercial chain of influence, small businesses associated with farming are affected. "Hence, once The debate continued until 1993, when the United more, part of the land will remain fallow," the UN Nations accepted Eritrea as a member state. "Let report notes, "and all those people who are unable no one forget , however, that Eritrean indepen- to return home due to mine danger will have to be

Summer 2 00 2 5 assisted through an emergency program instead of reports that Fireweni left behind not just a job but receiving development and recovery support." a family .

The report specifically singled out people refusing "I have a two-year-old son," she sa id, "but they to return to the eastern region of Tigray, near said I couldn't take him because his father is Gerahu Sirnay and Zala Ambesa. "Furthermore, Eritrean and the child was born in Er itrea." Since their houses have been destroyed and the danger she was deported, she knows very little about her represented by the presence of mines remains. All son. Nor does she know when she will see him the areas infested with mines have been identified, again. but the mine-clearing activities have only just begun." According to Bhalla, it is estimated that at least 50,000 Ethiopians who lived in Er itrea and 75,000 Merged Bosnian Force Joins UNEMEE Eritreans who lived in Ethi opia were deported The Bosnia-Hercegovina Federation and the during the war. The two governments declared Bosnian Serb Republic were sending forces to join them persona non grata due to their potential the United Nations peacekeeping mission in security threat. Thousands were from families built Ethiopia and Eritrea. Unfortunately, there were a from both sides of the border. number of diplomatic problems that emerged "This separation has caused enormous suffering during the groups' training in Greece. For one because in some cases, they were born in the thing, soldiers were not wearing the Bosnia­ country that they were fo rced to leave," said Hercegovina army patch on their uniforms, plus UNMEE Human Rights Officer Elio Tamburi. "They what was considered "unacceptable . . . - a UN have all their friends and family there. It is a very proposal on the deployment of the unit which says traumatic experience to have to leave their loved that the soldiers are members of the two arm ies " ones behind. " by the government of Bosnia-Hercegovina Federa­ tion . A request that the two platoons [a platoon is Sadly, the reunions are not a priority in the usually 27 soldiers). be merged into a single unit resolution of the border crisis, at least according to of the Bosnia-Hercegovina Army, under single one Ethiopian official, Kinfe Abraham, president of command, was the chief objection by the Serbs. the Ethiopian International In stitute for Peace and (From a news release from the Bosnian Serb news Development. "It depends on how quick ly normal­ agency, SRNA .) ization between the two countries can take place. The resumption of normal services such as trade, A Tale of Two Countries telecommunications and transport fi rst have to be Fireweni Hailu is a waitress in a run-down hotel in reinstated, and this will ass ist the process of family Adigrat, 30 miles from the Eritrean border. "She reunification." looks tired and much older than her 23 years . She says the pain and agony that she has endured over "If eventually people are cleared of sec urity and the past two years have made her weary and they don't have suspicious backgrounds , maybe despondent, " writes BBC reporter Nita Bhalla from they will be allowed to come back, but this could Addis. take a very long time, " he concl uded.

Fireweni had lived in Asmara and worked - as she Fireweni Hailu may be only a few miles from her family, but she is a long time fr om being with was in Adigrat - serving coffee. But with the 1998 war, the Ethiopian woman's work visa was discov­ them again, it seems. ered and denied. She spent two weeks in a deten­ tion camp and was deported to Ethiopia. Bhalla

6 THE HER ALD Other Eritrea News

Compiled by Ha yward Allen (Harar 62-64)

Martyrs ' Square Photo by Wayne Kessler

Shida Square There is an unusual monument in Asmara to the bill on elections, the national budget, and regulat­ Eritrean nationalists who fought for independence. ing the news media. It is a pair of sandals - shida in Arabic . "We didn't have uniforms . That was our uniform and it In his opening remarks, Eritrean President Isayas became a symbol of our independence," Girma Afewerki condemned the actions of Ethiopia and Asmeron, Eritrean Ambassador to the U.S . is the activities within the UN 's Temporary Security Zone. He said that Eritrea, on the other hand was to quoted as saying in a May 2 article about the be complimented "because of the goodwill shown monument in the NY Times. The 20-foot long, sheet metal monument was designed by Eritros ... and the correct path it followed and the year Abraham. It is located in Martyrs' Square in what 2001 witnessed relative peace." was once Queen Elizabeth II Avenue. Among the first issues discussed was "internal political challenges, " according to the UN Inte­ The National Assembly Convenes grated Regional Information Network. President In late January, the Eritrean National Assembly Isayas accused several members of the ruling opened its 14•h session with an agenda that People 's Front for Democracy and Justice party of included "peace and sovereignty," "defense "treason by abandoning the very values and against Ethiopian aggression," a draft of bills principles the Eritrean people fought for." about political parties and organizations, another

Summe r 2002 7 Eritrean radio broadcasted the National declared, "[The government) must take immediate Assembly's decision to make the treasonous action to ensure that the detainees are brought accusations public. An international rights promptly before a judicial authority and released organization, Human Rights Watch, judged Isayas unless charged with a recognizable cri minal as "governing by proclamation, unrestrained by a offense. Any judicial proceedings against them transitional national assembly that meets infre­ should be before a competent, independent and quently .. . [without an) effective mechanism for impartial tribunal offering all applicable judicial questioning, much less challenging, government guarantees for fair trial, and without recourse to policy and operations." the death penalty."

National Assembly spokesmen denied the allega­ Aid vs. Self-sufficiency tions and noted that there were several relevant "Eritrea has always believed and remai ns con­ bills being present in draft, including those on the vinced that aid cannot be the main engine for budget and freedom of the press. economic recovery and growth," according to a There was an official, statistical presentation of commentator on the Eritrean ruling party's the National Assembly business discussions: 1584 Shaebia website (www.shaebia.com). The Peoples "forums of discussion and debate" were held in Front for Democracy and Justice party (PFDJ) does 298 locations; 5075 hours were spent in those admit that some short-term humanitarian and meetings; 1706 "opinions, recommendations and development assistance is needed in these difficult questions" were given, for example, about times after the ending of the war with Ethiopia. election laws, while 1832 comments were about the "The re-integration of displaced people, returning creation of political parties. refugees and the 200,000 soldiers, who will be As a result, the National Assembly decided that demobilized and return to civilian life, will require forming of political parties was not needed or external financial support .. . in the form of grants wanted in practice, albeit perhaps in principle. A and soft loans ." special committee was formed to discuss freedom The PFDJ notes that there has been a diminishing of of the press. A budget of US$700 million was international aid for the past fifteen years. In approved. addition, there have been development funds A date for public elections was not set. However, it "wasted on winning political influence, instead of was determined that whenever they were held, 30 being directed towards eradicating poverty .. . percent of the assembly seats would be for being redirected from the poorest countries and women. Those declared "traitors" would not be towards middle income countries in the Mediterra­ allowed to be run for election. nean and Eastern Europe."

It was decided that lOO percent of any Eritrean The party is certain that "no nation can depend for news organization capital should be financed in its survival and development on outsiders' Eritrea, for the legislators declared the private generosity or lack thereof. From the outset, Eritrea media were being used by dissidents, has worked to avoid the trap of dependency and "capitulationists," and outsiders. has pursued policies aimed at the maximum mobilization of Eritrean resources." Amnesty International was critical of the results of the National Assembly meeting, specifically the Eritrean Gold arrest and detention of the eleven dissidents and Phelps Dodge, the giant international mining actions taken against freedom of the news media. magnate, has "revealed a highly anomalous gold In an official statement Amnesty International prospect called Adi Lamza 8km south of Asmara,

8 THE HERALD where previously unreported rock-chip/channel in the business of bedeviling Ethiopia," wrote Abiy samples collected ... in 1999 returned excellent Araya of the newspaper Wogahta. gold results with a coincident arsenic anomaly." Working on what Phelps Dodge calls the Asmara In another story filed by Abiy, five Eritreans met Project, according to the company's CEO, M.R. with Meles at the Grand Palace after checking into Griffiths, "drilling . . . will commence on comple­ the Hilton. The meeting lasted well after midnight. tion of preparation activities." In this article, Abiy lists the passport numbers of the attendees: Amare Tekle, Fesseha Gebrehiwot, Assab Opens Tewolde Woldemikael, Asemeron Legesse, and For the first time since May 1998, a large ship Kibreab Andemichael. The reporter also notes that docked in Assab in December. The Pontocratis in the meeting with Meles was his chief of staff, carried 15,000 tons of relief food donated by the US Yemane Kidane, "a full-blooded Eritrean." ASMA RA through the UN World Food Program (WFP). • Assab had served as the main seaport for European Parliament vs. Eritrean government Ethiopia prior to the Eritrea-Ethiopia In February, one-third of the European Parliament war. During the armed conflict, lashed out at Eritrean President lssayas Afeworki's Massawa became Eritrea's primary government. Led by the Christian Democrats and port. WFP 's Eritrea Country the European Democrats, the resolution endorsed Director Patrick Buckley was the creation of additional political parties in encouraged by the Assab Eritrea, especially the Eritrean People's Liberation docking, "Our ability to use it will greatly benefit Front-Democratic Party. In support of the resolu­ relief operations. The use of Assab will also create tion, the parliamentary groups catalogued the employment opportunities for local people." "regime's transgressions," according to the Indian Ocean Newsletter.

Eritreans Attend OAU Meeting in Addis These offences included cancellation of elections A delegation led by Eritrean Foreign Minister Ali for the legislature, the closing of the private news 1 Sayyid Abdallah attended the 75 h Organization of media, expulsion of the Italian ambassador, and African Unity (OAU) in Addis last March . He was arrests of dissidents. Also cited were human rights accompanied by Ambassador Tewolde violations, holding of political prisoners, the Woldemikael, director general of the Africa , Asia , denial of fundamental freedoms of expression, and Pacific department within the ministry; Dr. association - formation of political parties, trade Amare Tekle, ministry diplomatic advisor; and unions, and citizen groups - and an independent Yohanes Debas, who is involved in consular affairs. judiciary. Prior to the OAU meetings, at least two stories emerged about top-secret meetings at the Hilton Eritrean Response to the European Parliament Hotel between Eritreans and Ethiopians in Addis, Eritrea's Foreign Ministry countered the resolution including Tewolde and Amare . It was reported by with a denial of the parliament's assertions, Hilton "night staff" that there was an exchange of saying the country's leaders were "dismayed by a "black briefcase" between Amare and a top aide unfair and unjustified" actions. Calling the of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to whom Amare supporting materials as being "replete with gross gave "large envelopes." Even the Eritrea n's room misrepresentation of facts ." was noted, on the executive floor, II22. In the strongly worded response, the Eritrean "Amare [is] an anti-Ethiopian campaigner who government denied that it has a one-party over-shadowed other Eritrean contenders who were national assembly, stating that only 60 members

Summer 2 002 9 are from the ruling PFDJ party, while 75 others are farmers are still unable to return to their lands elected by the general public. As for the addition despite the creation of a ... dem ilitarized zone." of other political parties, the statement notes that The Chronicle estimates that 13 percent of Eritrea's the assembly "did not prohibit the formation of land is cultivable and that only a quarter of that political parties, which is enshrined in the Eritrean area is farmed . Continuing with the data: Eritrea's constitution," only tabled the draft law about their population is growing at a three percent rate, with creation, taking "stock of the views of the popula­ 65 percent living in the four highland provinces of tion canvassed in extensive discussions" at home Asmara. Hamasien. Akele Gusai. and Seraye. These and abroad. account for only 16 percent of Eritrean land. The assertion that the assembly elections were "This shortage of cultivable land, along with often stopped in December for security reasons, "The low and erratic rainfall, means that in the best of facts are again the opposite .. . . The National times food self-reliance is a hard fought matter in Assembly further mandated the independent Eritrea," wrote Donica Tesfamarian in an op-ed commission to fi x the date for the elections on the piece. basis of the time required to make the necessary technical preparations." No mention was made of She continued her analysis with comments on the any security concerns. one million people displaced during the most recent chapter of the Eritrean-Ethiopian war: "Many Eritrea terms the accusations of imprisonment of of the displaced people came from the Gash Barka prominent citizens who advocated democratic and Debub regions in the south, the breadbasket reform as "patently false ," as are the assertions of of Eritrea . And of those displaced from the border charges of treason against the arrestees. "The areas, most were farmers who also owned live­ grave crimes committed by them," the ministry stock." states, "include ... conspiracy to oust the presi­ dent illegally; unlawful liaison to establish Difficulties continue for several reasons: bad through third parties, with the Ethiopian g~vern ­ weather, landmines. inability of farmers to ment in the midst of its war of invasion ... with resettle, and the decimation of crops and livestock the view of compromising the country's sover­ during the war. In addition, the Eritrean ministry eignty . .. continuous acts of sedition .. . through of agriculture notes the drain of younger man­ clandestine cells." power during the war. "A majority of the work The official statement concludes, "The resolution force of the younger generation joined the army," said one ministry official. The war also left many of the European Parliament contains many more widows. The ministry has launched a number of unwarranted statements against the government of Eritrea, including offensive remarks against the aid programs, including one that provides live­ person of the president." stock, as well as land, to single women. Food aid is decreasing as farmers return home, but Potential food shortage life is still difficult in Eritrea's once-prolific In January, the Ghanaian Chronicle of Accra posted agricultural provinces. an editorial that indicates Eritrea faces a "grim food situation" following the end of the Ethiopian­ Eritrean war. "Worryingly, some 50, 000 displaced

IO THE HERALD Humanitarian activity to support School for the Blind The Abrama Bahta School for the Blind in Asmara t has expressed a need for computers and software, Cleaning up the country as well as other devices used by the sight im- ii by Laurie Kessler paired, that may be used by its students. Tezare Sunday [April 7] was national clean-up Salomon is the director of the school and has asked day [in Eritrea]. It was announced via for assistance. Ellen Shively (Asmara 68-70) is radio, TV, and newspaper for a week serving as a contact person for the project. She ahead of time. There were no taxis or suggests that a special bank account be estab- buses available, and restaurants and lished that research should be done to determine shops were closed until r:oo p.m. what would be applicable in Eritrea, how much Everyone was to stay home and clean money is needed, how taxes and tariffs will be up, including the sidewalk and gutter paid, and how the promotion of the needs will be in front of each compound. We were coordinated. It has already been announced that finished by 9:00. an Eritrean-American will pay for the shipments. But that isn't the news. This is : Plastic For more information, contact Ellen at bags have been banned in the central [email protected]. zoba (province)! Shopkeepers can no longer give away the flimsy plastic bags that everyone carried New film home their tomatoes, sugar, and such. People are encouraged to use their own "Bricks of Peace" existing plastic bags, a basket or cloth In March, the documentary "Bricks of Peace" had bag (we always carry a canvas bag for its American debut in Oakland, CA . It is a "brilliant shopping). This policy closes down two portrayal of the Eritrean experience and history," factories that were producing the bags according to a publicist. It reflects "the united, and, as a result, the bags won't be self-reliant, resilient, hard-working and peace­ available throughout the country. loving people of Eritrea .. . they are the masters of their destiny. 'Bricks of Peace' is an Eritrean heart Why? Because they muck up the beat, a reminder of our journey, the people's landscape. They are thrown out on the journey that brought Eritrea and Eritreans to where edge of villages and in Asmara , they want to be against all odds ... " blowing in the wind and looking ugly. Instead of fields of flowers, Eritrea has fields of pastel-colored plastic! They also were killing sheep and goats, who ate them! Although bottles, cans, and all sorts of things are recycled into use for other things, these bags can't be recycled unless they are used again and again.

Summer 200 2 II Ethiopia and Eritrea

Aid and Comfort

Compiled by Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64)

One of the first US government's acts of 2002 was In mid-January, the president of the World Bank, the granting of "preferential tariff rates" for James Wolfensohn , spent three days in Ethiopia American imports for 35 sub-Saharan nations. signing loan papers that wo uld bring US$500 Ethiopia and Eritrea were among the chosen million to the nation. The loan agreements are for countries given a one-year continuation under the the development of roads, energy production, African Growth and Opportunity Act. According to education, and health programs . Over the next two the BBC , the "preferential rate [is given) in light of years, according to the BBC World Service, another continued progress towards a market-based half-billion dollars will be provided to Ethiopia. It economy in the region." marks the largest loan made by the World Bank to a sub-Saharan country. In another January economic development issue, Ethiopia announced that it would not participate As January ended, the Ethiopian government's in the trade negotiations of the World Trade Disaster Preparation and Preparedness Commission Organization. According to Ottawa journalist Barry met with UN officials to discuss the national Wilson, the official statement came from Girma projected relief needs. According to the Bekele, general manager of the Ethiopian Grain commission's head, Simon Mechale, 5.2 million Trade Enterprise. people will be affected by the lack of food in their area. Representatives of the World Food Program "Even if barriers to trade are lifted, out capacity to noted that the number marks a twenty percent compete in developed country markets or with decrease. "The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia developed country markets is limited by price, has improved since the most recent crisis years of technology, and products," Girma said. "We are 1999 and 2000," according to Georgia Shaver of the not developed to a level to compete WFP. Her remarks were made in a conference with .. . developed countries. A boy cannot compete devoted to "Assistance Requirements and Imple­ with a man." mentation Strategy 2002."

The reasoning is based on the projected import Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and a top­ losses that would occur. "If we allowed zero or low level delegation traveled to Germany in February tariffs on maize or wheat, " Girma said, "our to discuss economic assistance to alleviate na­ markets would be overrun with cheaper products tional poverty levels . According to Radio Ethiopia, from South Africa or other countries." in hi s meetings with the German minister for Wilson noted that Ethiopian farmers are already Economic Development and Cooperation, the prime facing competition from another quarter: food aid. minister was assured of the willingness of the (See "But is it too much food?" in "More Ethiopia German government to continue its efforts to News "). It is argued that while food assistance is strengthen Ethiopian economic development. helpful in drought times, there is a negative Following the delegation 's visit to Germany, the economic factor when production levels are high. party moved to Ireland to discuss similar matters. In the end, according to Girma, it is the farmer There Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said that his who suffers most. country will continue to provide aid to Ethiopia.

12 THE HERALD Afterwards, the Ethiopian delegation flew to Paris grant "is a sign of the long and healthy relations for a meeting of the New Partnership for Africa's between the EU and Ethiopia." Development. The Africa Development Bank has signed a US$46 February also marked the announcement that million loan agreement with Ethiopia for the Denmark would cease its development efforts in development of rural electrification. Seven regions Eritrea due to "its assaults on democratic prin­ will be involved: Tigray, Benshangul Gumuz, ciples and human rights, " according to IRIN, the Somali, Afar, Oromiya, Amhara, and Southern UN Integrated Regional Information Network. Nations and Nationalities. In all, 36 districts will be reached. "The government wishes to break with the habitual thinking of years which dictates that if only The International Monetary Fund will provide assistance increases, everything will be good," a access to US$30 million to "help mitigate the Danish report stated. "Together with its EU part­ impact on the balance of payments of a continued ners, Denmark will make demands regarding good deterioration of the terms of trade," according to governance and the willingness to increase respect an IMF spokesperson. Ethiopia has now borrowed for human rights and democracy in development US$44 million from the IMF. The IMF representative cooperation." noted that Ethiopia had done well with "the performance criteria and benchmarks, as well as Over the years, according to IRIN sources, Denmark experiencing a higher than estimated Gross has been contributing significant aid to Eritrean Domestic Product at 7.9 percent. In addition lower agricultural and educational programs. In re­ inflation, high harvests and the infusion of sponse, Eritrea's deputy ambassador to Kenya, humanitarian aid have lowered the national debt. Temedhin Temariam, said that the Danish decision is counter-productive, "Empty stomachs and At a recent Organization of the Islamic Conference, empty minds cannot harbor democracy ... The one of the topics discussed is a plan to organize biggest human right is the right to life, which is the seven nations of the Horn of Africa into a model the right to food. And education is a major source of the European Union. Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, of democracy. " He also noted that Eritrean demo­ Kenya, Sudan, Somalia and Uganda are consider­ cratic progress would be at the country's own ing ways "to turn the region from an area of speed. political conflicts and instability into a zone of peace, development, and prosperity," according to The Netherlands has signed an US$70 million aid Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman. "We are agreement with Ethiopia that will help in the areas looking into the possibility of a confederation of of education, "food security," and health. The the Horn of Africa nations." funding will continue through 2004. In addition, the Ethiopian government signed an assistance At the Kuala Lampur convention, Dr. Osman noted agreement with the United Kingdom for "food that cooperative projects are already in place, as in security, education and capacity building." the case of a road between Khartoum and Addis Ababa due to open soon and the railway link with Ethiopia is the recipient of a five-year US$480 Sudan and Ethiopia. million grant from the 15-member European Union for the purpose of building roads and transport. The grant papers were signed by Ethiopian Minister of Finance and Economic Development Sufyan Ahmad and EU Deputy Director General for Development Athanassios Theodorakis. In an Addis Ababa press conference, Theodorakis said the

Summer 2002 13 Ethiopia and Eritrea

The Quest for a Free Press, Cont'd

Compiled by Ha yward Allen (Harar 62-64)

Eritrean journalists private press. " According to government spokes­ In February, four journalists were arrested by the man Yemani Gebremeskel, delays in the journal­ Eritrean authorities; no charges were cited. ists' trials are a matter for Eritrea's legal system. According to the anti-government web reporters at Awate. com, three of those arrested had been Jn a message smuggled out of prison, the news­ assigned to the Arabic section of the state media. men asserted they had been interrogated once in a Hamid Mohamed Said is a news and sports writer half-year. The focus was on their connection with who had worked for ERi-TV for a decade. The eleven ranking government officials who were also youngest TV reporter, "Saida," was also jailed. arrested. The men had advocated democratic Saleh Aljezaeeri, who worked as a reporter for the reform, and the government denounced them as government's radio station, "Voice of the Masses ," traitors and "defeatists." and the Eritrean state newspaper, Hadas Ertra, was The BBC notes that the journalists were employees also named in the report of arrests. of the private press and were involved in publish­ Aaron Berhane, who worked for the now-banned, ing interviews with the dissidents and writing editorials concerning the government/antigovern­ privately-owned newspaper, Setit, was jailed by the police. Berhane, who joined the Fitewrari ment debate. liberation movement in 1978, served as a teacher Paris-based Reporters sans Frontiers (Reporters in Tekombia, from whence he fled with his family Without Borders) posted a story regarding the during the Red Terror. He and three other libera­ organization's concern about the hunger strike. tion veterans founded the newspaper. During the "They are being held in very bad conditions and recent Eritrean-Ethiopian conflict, Berhane served we are worried about their health," said RSF as a military spokesman in the Aidi Qeyih region. spokesman Robert Menard. "All they have done is Following the end of that war, he returned to write to express their opinions and nothing justifies and publish Setit. their lengthy imprisonment."

Editor's note: At Awate.com, it is noted that Eritrea, according to RSF, is the only African nation Suleiman Musa Haj in Keren was told by the without private, independently-owned news government to denounce the anti-government media. "G- 15 ." In the process of denying the request, Suleiman Musa asked about the fates of several Reporters sans Frontiers names the ten strikers: teachers from the Bejuk School arrested in 1994. Yusuf Mohamed Ali, Mattewos Habteab, Dawit Habtemichael, Medhanie Haile, Temesgen On April l, ten Eritrean journalists began a prison Gegreyesus, Emanuel Asrat , Dawit Isaac, Fessehaye hunger strike; last September, they had been Yohannes, Said Abdulkader, and Seyum Tsehaye. arrested and detained without being publicly They worked for the publications Mequa/eh, Keste charged. According to a BBC report, they have Debena, Zemen, Setit, and Admas. RSF notes that demanded appearances before an impartial and there is no news of Setit editor Simret Seyum who independent court. According to the Eritrean was caught in January, as he tried to flee to Sudan, government, a special commission has been as many other journalists have done in recent established to re-establish a "new, responsible years .

14 THE HERALD Meanwhile, in Ethiopia Newly found on the Web and may In March Reporters sans Frontiers announced that be of interest the last imprisoned Ethiopian journalist, Tamrat Zuma, had been released. An editor of the weekly newspaper, Atkurot, Tamrat has been jailed in web.syr.edu/-rebeal/EriPage2.html Addis Ababa. RSF chief Robert Menard wrote, "It is Site of Richard Beal (Assab 9y-98) "A Preliminary the first time since 1993 that a journalist is not in Simulation of the Potential for Sustainability in prison in Ethiopia. It is very good news, but one Eritrea" studies population and agricultural must not forget that over 30 professionals working production of Eritrea. in the press are currently being taken to court and risk being imprisoned." www .ethiopians.com/Engineering/ ~· Addis_Historical_Buildings.htm Charges against Tamrat Zuma included: quoting ;; Samuel Kinde Kassegne presents a photo essagy opposition opinions from an overseas radio . "Ethiopia 's Historical Buildings." broadcast, "inciting violence" and slander i through an interview with a dissident ex-general. ,~'.< www.ethiopians.com Among his accusers were the managers of a state­ Site of MediaEthiopia.com owned tannery. www.CyberEthiopia.com In the past decade, RSF and the BBC report that f:f The site states it was " ... created as a non-profit more than 17 5 journalists have been arrested and Ii service to the Internet Community. With the imprisoned. Many more have fled the country. ;; greatest selection of Ethiopians links in a variety of In early April, the New York-based Committee to ~ categories, CyberEthiopia aims to be the best t starting point for research, entertainment, busi­ Protect Journalists and the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists (EFJA) issued a news release regarding ness pursuits and promotion of Information two newsmen presently jailed. Lubaba Said, the Technology development in Ethiopia." former editor-in-chief of the Amharic weekly Ta.rik *~· www .bridgestoprosperity.org and Melese Shine, editor of the Amharic weekly, The mission statement of Bridges to Prosperity Ethiop were arrested for various charges. i reads in part: "By combining western ingenuity, f.;" Lubaba Said was challenged for two 1996 articles indigenous manpower, and the generosity of its that were asserted to have a negative psychologi­ contributors, we build bridges worldwide in areas { cal effect on soldiers at the front and people at ~ lacking the resources to do so." Read about their home. She is the first woman journalist jailed for t~ first project: repairing the 2nd Portuguese Bridge her writing. Melese Shine was charged with f (also called the Broken Bridge) over the Blue Nile "defaming the head of state" and "publishing an on a trade route between Debre Tabor and Debre illegal article in collaboration with an outlaw." Marcos that had been damaged in the 1930s. Melese had interviewed opposition party leader Project #5 will also be in Ethiopia: repairing Emiru Wonde , who criticized Prime Minister Castiano's Bridge over the Blue Nile River, that Zenawi and the Tigray People's Liberation Front. f: connects Gojjam, Wolega and Shewa Provinces. k ? According to the EFJA, there are at least 30 journal­ ists facing criminal charges. Among those charged with various crimes: Kebebew Gebyehu Filate (Tobia.), Arega Wolde Kirkos Ayele (Tobia.) , Wondwossen Gebre Kidan (Ethiop), Shimelis Asfaw (Ethio-Time), Tsega Moges (la.re New), Berhanu Mamo (Abyssinia.) , and Kifle Mulat (Ethio-Time).

Summer 2002 15 More Ethiopia news

Compiled by Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64)

Ethiopian-Sudanese relations He was interviewed by Guardian reporter Donald In January, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi Macleod. "He has always liked visiting Britain," praised the nation 's solidifying and expanding Macleod wrote. "He is a keen follower of both relationship with Sudan. According to Manchester United and Liverpool [soccer teams] Kharto um • ; ~ . Sudanese reports, an extended tele­ and has always been fascinated by Hyde Park Doka i,"J / "·"· • j vised interview with the prime Corner." Galabat~Matamma SU DAN '' minister was full of praise for its j / ( government's role in increasing Mesfin told the newsman that he had to go back to ;,..• ,.,.- ·.. Ethiopia. "I can't run away at this age; it would be ( economic ties with Addis Ababa '·\, ridiculous." Macleod described Mesfin 's lifelong • "',, Ethiopia. This includes ·•· . .. Ethiopia's use of Port pursuit of free speech. "The mild-mannered 7 · Sudan, the creation of geographer has been in trouble with all three eArba Minch // a free trade zone, and regimes he has lived under. Things were subtler in .... /~·· ·/ the inauguration of the the days of Emperor Haile Selassi e, who was Doka-Al-Galabat-Al-Matamma offended by a talk he gave and offered him the Road between the two countries. governorship of a province to get him out of the university. When he refused, he was imprisoned." Referring to an upcoming meeting of the Inter­ Governmental Authority on Development (!GAD) in Under the regime of the Red Terror, he chose not to Khartoum, Meles said that the !GAD is playing a teach geography along the lines of Marxist significant role in the solution to African problems doctrine but rather to work on famine research. and disputes. During the current government's rule, Mesfin saw the dismissal of many of his academic colleagues Professor Mesfin Wolde-Mariam returns and the division of the student body into ethnic Seventy-one-year-old Mesfin Walde-Mariam groups. "In the last statement I made to the voluntarily flew to Ethiopia in late January to face university students, I told them: if you want to charges and possible imprisonment. His cause: prove you are human beings, to prove you are free speech and the University of Addis Ababa. university students, when you go out of this hall , the first person you meet who you have not been It is alleged that, following an April 2001 university talking to because he is of a different ethnic origin lecture on "What ls a University?" student riots - have the courage to go to him and stretch out began on three of the campuses of the U of AA, your hand and say sorry. Say, 'You are as good a resulting in many deaths, imprisonment of human being as I am - forgive the past, I will be countless students and citizens, and the arrest of your friend for the future." Professor Mesfin and his colleague, Dr. Berhanu Nega. Mesfin was professor of geography and also Moslem-Christian clash was the head of the Ethiopian Human Rights Late in 2001, there was a violent conflict in Addis Council. Released on bail after a month and between Muslims and Christians following the allowed to travel to France to attend a conference, demand that a mosque's construction on a football he traveled on to England. field be stopped. More than l,ooo Muslims were

16 THE HERALD involved, half of whom were arrested after one national economy. Food prices have fallen by more person was killed and two policemen wounded by than twenty percent, national central bank interest gunfire. dropped to three percent, and coffee prices spiraled downwards. " WEB-PUBLISHED articles Some good news on food supplies In a nation wherein an estimated 853 of the on Ethiopia and the Substantial food reserves and bumper harvests highlight the Ethiopian agricultural picture. In population is involved in agriculture, the drops in ongoing struggle against February, the Ethiopian Emergency Food Security prices have hit the economy where it hurts most. Islamic-based terrorism. Reserve announced that more than 3. 5 million In March , when interest rates were cut, Teklewold "Why US Should Not quintals (one quintal is 100 kilograms) of grain Atnafu of the National Bank, noted, "Given the •: were in the government's storage facilities, plus ~1 Align with Ethiopia current negative 7. 33 inflation, depositors will still more than a half-million quintals in humanitarian Against Somalia on the be profitable even after the revision of the interest agency loans. Manager of Administration Sirak War Against Terrorism," rate down to three percent." 3. Hailu said that the amount would feed as many as f' by Asgede Hagos - ";:;! ·:i 4. 5 million people for six months. The primary Cheap bunna www.usafricaonline.com/ function of the Ethiopian administrative office is to A USAID report indicates that world coffee prices hagos.ethiosomalia.html loan grain to humanitarian agencies, which would have reached a three-decade low, having declined "A New Scrutiny of then distribute grain to those in need. more than seventy percent in the past four years .

Somalia as the Old The disastrous slide has cost Ethiopia more than But is it too much food? Anarchy Reigns" by US$167 million, according to the report. "It is an According to a report in the Addis Tribune, in amount equivalent to almost half the country's Donald C. McNeil Jr. - January, there was so much grain in Ethiopia that annual export earnings," it is reported. http:// prices fell significantly from Gojjam to Bale. Not www.nytimes.com/2002/ that it was all bountiful harvests, for in the Somali The picture is so negative, the Ethiopian govern­ ~- :;:~ 02/10/international/ region, there was still a need for assistance. ment is considering a 6. 5 percent surtax on coffee :::., ff: africa/roSOMA.html exports. Coffee has accounted for as much as sixty ,, "This is the irony," the Tribune editorial writer percent of foreign currency earnings and has *>-;:; '!;:' Articles in PDF format at noted. "Some people require food assistance while fallen forty-four percent. More than 15 million ~ the web site of the Center others are forced to sell their crops at cut-rate Ethiopians earn their living from the coffee market. j:: prices, probably less than it cost to grow them. In ::;:~ for Strategic and economist's terms this is a lack of 'effective The drop in coffee markets and futures has "se­ ? International Studies - .::, demand'; those who need the food have too little verely dented Ethiopia 's precious foreign exchange ;;;.:"'" http://www.csis.org/ IT money to buy it. Those who produced a surplus reserves," according to the National Bank of africa/ANotes/. For ~;~ can't make money in a good year; there aren't Ethiopia in February. According to a bank spokes­ February 2002, "Ethiopia: 1~ enough people who can afford their grain." man, the foreign exchange reserves rose by 28 t Coping with Islamic percent in the past six months, creating a balance ~ Fundamentalism" by What happens is a kind of legitimate humanitarian ~'.:: of US$923 million. ;::.

::~ David Shinn, a former shell game. For example, the Dutch government 1. gave 10,000 metric tons of food through Save the According to the bank, an upward swing of r- ambassador to Ethiopia. ( Children Holland to Save the Children UK . The UK reserves comes through the resumption of interna­ H For January 2002 tional grants and Joans since the Eritrean-Ethio­ ~:1 "Somalia: Next Up in the STC "borrowed" the foodstuffs from the Ethiopian agency and delivered it to North and South Wallo, pian war's end. "From the export side, we have War on Terrorism? by Ken where it was needed. Also, STC UK is repurchasing had a bad time because coffee prices have been ' Menkhaus. ~ those tons from local farmers and then returning declining so much." The majority of loans have them to the Emergency Food Security Reserve. come back to Ethiopia from the World Bank, the IMF , and the European Union. In March, BBC News reported that the bumper Ethiopian harvests are wreaking havoc with the

Summer 2002 17 Ethiopian flora and fauna face total destruction UN Integrated Regional Info rmation Network "Ethiopia could have no natural forests left by (IRIN) . 2020, according to the author of a new UN report The BBC has reported that an opposition radio on forest fires in Ethiopia," reported BBC's Nita network reporter, Radio Freedom's Qamaan Hirsi, Bhalla. did a story about Ephrem Negas h, a Commercial Dechassa Lemessa, of the UN Emergencies Unit for Bank vice-president, who has refused to return to Ethiopia, wrote that ongoing fires have reduced Ethiopia from the United States, where he was the country's forests to less than three percent of attending a conference with the World Bank and the countryside. "Forty years ago," he noted, "40 the IMF. Words such as "defect" and "political percent of Ethiopia was covered by forests. The asylum" were used in Qamaan's report to describe decrease of Ethiopia's natural forests is happening Ephrem 's departure from the Ethi opian delegation. u ETHIOPIA COULD have at an alarming and furious rate."

no natural forests left by He estimates that 200,000 hectares (one hectare is about 2,500 acres) are being lost annually. "If Medical news 2020." according to a UN something is not done soon, we estimate that there HIV/ AIDS News report. "Forty years ago, will be no forest land in 15-20 years." "A senior UN official said ... that the HIV/AIDS 40 percent of Ethiopia Lemessa blames the continuing losses on subsis­ epidemic was worsening in Ethiopia and urged tence farmers who use fire as a production tool for authorities to take preventative measures," was covered by forests." farming, setting fires as the rainy season begins. according to a story sent out by Reuters. "Ethiopia As elsewhere in the world, many of these pre-set has crossed the five percent threshold prevalent Yes - the same 40 years fires go out of control. In January 2000, for rate of HIV I AIDS . We have got up to three million or ago when the first PCVs example the southwestern forests of Bale and more Ethiopians infected with the disease," said Borena were caught in a three-month conflagra­ UN Special Envoy Stephan Lewis. went to Ethiopia. tion. Fifteen thousand firefighters tried to put the fires out. An estimated 300,000 hectares were "This is a crisis of cosmic proportion .... Unless consumed by flame. Foodstocks, coffee planta­ urgent and dramatic responses are taken, you tions, and grazing land were destroyed. could get an explosion of a pandemic of the kind that has occurred in east and southern Africa," he Another concern is the ecological harm that visits said after making a seven-day tour of Ethiopia. the land after the fires leave. Soil is changed. "We saw, as we traveled, households virtually Erosion occurs. Crops will not return. Only charcoal abandoned because of HIV I AIDS related deaths. is harvested. The total cost of the Bale-Borena fires Little girls of ten-years-old look after other is estimated at almost $40 million. siblings, and they live in appalling conditions. That should not be allowed to continue." Note: Use Google search for "Ethiopia reforesta­ tion" to find projects that are trying to address Three Ethiopian opposition parties have criticized this terrible situation. the government for not declaring a state of emergency and taking necessary steps to curb the Bank fraud and Reform alarming rates of contamination and death. The When the International Monetary Fund agreed to leader of the Council of Alternative Forces for Peace make a US$30 million loan to Ethiopia, one of the and Democracy in Ethiopia, Beyene Petros, stated benchmark expectations was bank reform. The that the government had not introduced anti­ state-owned Commercial Bank was recently retroviral therapy, closed sex-trade businesses, stunned by the arrest of "dozens of senior execu­ and made examinations compulsory for prosti­ tives" charged with corruption, according to the tutes.

18 THE HERALD The government has established a National AIDS Council, but it is criticized for being only a public An Ethiopian News Miscellany information outlet. The council itself states that as many as s.ooo people are infected weekly; by 2004 "Stop the SO-Storey Monster" nearly soo people between ls-years-old and 49- "I hope city officials and citizens of Addis would years-old will die every day. stop this so-storey monster from being erected." In a letter to the Addis Tribune, Getachew wrote Meningitis Outbreak from Canada that plans for a so-story building in The Ethiopian Ministry of Health projects a tragic Addis should consider the ramifications of Sep­ future for vict ims of meningitis. "We think this will tember 11, 2001, in New York City. Getachew be an epidemic year and all the signs are there, " applauded a Tribune analysis by Sereke Berhan of said Dr. Solomon Worku, who is in charge of the concept proposed by Sheik Alamuddin and "tackling epidemics in Ethiopia." That figure Company to erect a skyscraper in Addis . Sereke represents nearly half of the national population. suggested that the building be constructed in four "In high density areas, the bacteria spreads very shorter elements. easily and quickly, " Dr. Solomon said in a UN IRIN Getachew raised several questions: "If Sheik interview. "In areas where there is a dense popula­ Alamuddin's businesses go bankrupt (look, tion it transmits very fast through droplets." He nobody thought Enron's empire ... would go noted that the dry season, from January through belly-up), who is going to get stuck with a March, is especially dangerous. building way too big for a city that is among the "The length of the epidemic depends on the poorest in the world?" intervention taken and the resources that are Drawing upon the WTC collapse, Getachew wrote, mobilized for the fight against the epidemic," he "May God forbid, but if a similar disaster occurs in said. He also commented that the current menin­ Addis, are there fire fighting capacity, rapid gitis is one of the less intensive bacterial infec­ disaster relief, and other emergency services in the tions. city to respond to such calamity? You do not However, according to Dr. Solomon, since Septem­ necessarily need planes hitting buildings to create ber 2001, 1,308 cases of meningitis have been a major disaster; a major fire on the top floors may reported, with 79 fatalities. do it for you." The currently affected areas are Sidame, Garno Getachew also cites his fears that the East African Gofa, Oromiya, and Benishshangul, most of which Rift may create earthquakes that will topple a are part of the "traditional meningitis belt." high-rise building. He also writes, "It is easy to see Authorities define an epidemic as when ten people why tall buildings are required in some southeast per 100,000 are infected. In Sidame, for example, Asian cities because of severe limitations of space. that ratio is about four times that figure. Individu­ I do not believe Addis is there yet." als at risk range from two-years -old to 30-years­ old. Often fatalities occur due to a combination of Gang Warfare meningitis and malaria. Two youth gangs in Adigrat have declared war upon each other, and reports from the BBC Moni­ In 1989, which is considered the last significant toring Service state that five young men have been epidemic, more than 4s ,ooo cases and 1,686 killed in a recent clash. A story on an opposition deaths were reported. radio station, Voice of Ethiopian Salvation, described how Adigrat youths were fighting with young people "expelled from Asmara and Assab ."

Summer 2002 19 The BBC also noted that the Adigrat police were artists for their contributions to Ethiopian culture. involved in the gunfight while trying to quell the The various awards included "Life-time Achieve ­ battle. ment'' and "Long-time Professional Merit" awards. Prizes incl uded medals, money, and certificates. More Paleoanthropology 1 Prizes and certificates were presented by Ethiopian In February, there was a 25 h anniversary celebra­ tion of the discovery of the Bodo Skull in the President Gi rma Wolde- Giorgis. Receiving awards Middle Awash of the Afar State. The remnant of the were composter Tesfaye Lema, Aster Awoke, nearly half-million-year-old Ethiopian was saluted Fekadu Mel e-Mariam, Tadesse Muluneh (music), at the opening of a scientific conference in Addis Sahelesi lasse Berhanemiriam, Getaschew Deblake, Ababa. The Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Woru Mamo, and Negas Gebremariam (theater, Teshome Toga, endorsed the work of various painting, journalism). research and human resource institutions. He was Prize Trust Day is dedicated to the late Paulos quick to acknowledge the controversies surfacing Gnogno , a journalist, and sponsored by the in the past two decades regarding the methodol­ Amhara, Tigray, Oromia, and SNNPS development ogy and disposition of anthropological discover­ associations. ies.

"In order to institutionalize the research work," he Record Maker said, "we have formulated the national cultural Ejigayehu Shibabaw, aka Gigi, has won a coveted policy and established authority responsible for NY Times "underdog award" for her record, "Gigi " research, conservation, and protection of irre­ - which was featured in Herald #z4. Noted by Jon placeable cultural heritages." Pareles , she is "a songwriter from Ethiopia; her producer, Bill Lasell , is an old hand at interna­ Teshome noted that the various hominoids discov­ tional fusions . In songs about love and the country ered in Ethiopia - Lucy, Garhi, and Ram id us - she left behind, Gigi 's modal melodies and indicate that the birthplace of humanity is in urgently questioning voice rise out of grooves that Ethiopia. Thirty paleoanthropological teams are swirl jazz and funk into the complexities of currently working along the Ethiopian Rift Valley, Ethiopian pop, broadening the music without from southern Omo to northern Hadar, he said. Americani zing it."

US Prof. Glenn C. Conroy told the conference that Editor 's note: Am I the only person who knows not the discovery of the Bodo Skull was "the most what the hell he means? And does he like injera or important discovery ever made in Africa" and wat? elsewhere because "it played the most important role in defining human origin." No Flights to Paris For those who have built travel plans on flights Addis Ababa University Prof. Assefa Mebrate from Paris to Addis , forge t it. In April, Eth iopian stressed the importance of establishing sustain­ Airl ines stated that there would be no flights to able and capable institutions of higher learning to Paris due to the less-than-adequate DeGaulle identify Ethiopian historical and anthropological International Airport docking assignment. Not connections. withstanding France, Ethiopian Airlines flies 47 international routes and 40 domestic ones, Artists and writers recognized according to an EA representative. On March 30 - Prize Trust Award Day - the Ethiopian Fine Arts and Mass Media Prize Trust Soccer joy awarded prizes to national writers, musicians and As the year turned, Ethiopian sports fans had cause to celebrate. The national soccer team

20 THE HERALD returned from a 2-1 victory over Kenya in the final Queen Victoria's subjects. According to an Ameri­ match of the Cecafa Cup. "Thousands of people can journalist on the scene, the emperor chose to lined up the streets , singing and dancing in commit suicide rather than become a captive. The celebration of Ethiopia's first international plunder was hauled away on 200 mules and 15 triumph away from home, " according to an elephants, the American reported. ebullient Addis Tribune reporter. Eventually St . Michael's tabot found a home in the In 1987, the Ethiopian team won the cup in Addis, St. John the Evangelist Scottish Episcopal Church where they had won the Africa Cup a quarter­ on Princes Street in Edinburgh. Last year, Rev. John century earlier. Macluckie was looking for a communion set, according to the Edinburgh Observer, and found The cup battle against Kenya, played in Kigali, "a battered leather box [containing] a carved Rwanda, was a frustrating fight. Ethiopia scored piece of wood that he recognized as being a two goals in the first half and then struggled to representation of the Ark of the Covenant, which keep Kenya at one goal. "The quality of Ethiopia's the Israelites used to carry the Ten Commandments game deteriorated in the second half as the team as they traveled to the Promised Land." from the Horn of Africa concentrated exclusively on defense," the reported wrote. On February 9, 2002, the tabot was returned to its country of origin and religious history. According "from now on we should try and reorganize to a BBC report, a crowd gathered at the airport to ourselves better to reach our previous glory days," welcome the artifact home. "Adorned in resplen­ said Ethiop ian Coach Asrat Haile. "More friendlies dent vestments made of bright velvet and gold [local matches] should be arranged to expose the and carrying silver and gold processional crosess, players and only then can we make our way back thousands of priests and religious elders from to the top." Addis Ababa's 106 Orthodox churches led a procession to Addis Ababa 's Trinity Cathedral, where the wooden relic will be stored. "

Relics, a Matter of Time The seven-mile journey took four hours, as religious leaders and church members chanted, The Tabot of St. Michael sang and danced along the way. "Beating drums, In Ethiopian orthodoxy, tabots, replicas of the Ark they chanted in the ancient language of Ge'ez, of the Covenant, were created as many as four welcoming the tabot home," BBC 's Nita Bhalla centuries ago. One was called the Tabot of St . reported. Michael. Tabots are a traditional holy object found in Ethiopian Orthodox churches, signifying the It should be noted that the British plunder in­ power of the Ark. So sacred were they that only cluded ten other tabots, at least 500 ancient Coptic priests could and can still view them. manuscripts, gold crowns, crosses and chalices, as well as countless icons and vestments, armour, In 1868 the Tabot of St. Michael became just and a miscellany of sacred and historic objects another piece of loot among the multitude of from the 14th through the 19th centuries. At present, artifacts taken by a British "expedit ionary force " many of the "Maqdala Treasures " still reside in and was carried away from Emperor Tewodros ' England 's Victoria and Albert Museum, the Maqdala castle.• The British soldiers had come to National Library, and the British Museum. avenge the emperor's imprisoning of several of The Continuing Story of the Stolen Stele Seventy-four-year-old Prof. Richard Pankhurst •For more about this event, see "Reading about continues to champion the cause of returning the Tewodros on page 39 .

Summer 2002 21 ancient Axum Obelisk from Italy to Ethiopia. As While there have been several official Italian previously noted, II Duce personally ordered the promises of intent to return the monument, none theft of the huge 82-foot stele in 1937 and its have come to pas s. Various excuses have been subsequent triumphant entry into Rome to sym­ given, ranging from the fact that it has been in bolize Italy's victories over the savages of Africa Italy long eno ugh to qualify as being a naturalized 1 and Benito's 15 h year in power. It stands in the Italian to that of Vittorio Sgarbi, deputy minister Piazza de Porta Capena near the Coliseum and for cultural heri tages, who believes that Italy actually stands in front of the offices of the UN should not send a well-preserved and cleanly Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). restored icon into a war zone, where it might be destroyed. Deputy Minister Sgarbi threatened to Pankhurst reports in the Addis Tribune that his resign if the Axum object left Italy. campaign has inspired numerous international responses. Italians urged the government to return According to an Associated Press story in January, the monument to its proper place, while others a deep hole has been dug in which to re-plant the demanded it stay in Rome. Some correspondents stele when it re turns to Ax um . "The Italians have refer to actions taken by the government as WWII been here, they' ve seen our preparations," said drew to a close, among them returning the Axum Fisseha Zibel o, a representative of the Ethiopian Obelisk. Promised by treaties but not done. cultural mini stry. "It is an insult for them not to sent it here. The obelisk does not have any connec­ Pankhurst also was admittedly stunned by one tion with Italy; it is part of our heritage." response by a certain Signor Luigi Tomasino: "Why do you want to see the return of the obelisk to the The Axum Obelisk, somewhat misnamed due to its Niggers? Do you not understand that it stands in non-pyramidal shape, will stand one day, it is Rome as a symbol of our Civilizing Mission in hoped, in a fie ld of lesser steles. Most are blank­ Africa! Yes, a Civilizing Mission, not only in faced, but some are like the one in Rome, stacked Ethiopia, but also in Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia! ... and etched levels, complete with doors and If Italy had civilized Afghanistan ... there would be windows . How the single-cut structures were no terrorism in the world today." Tomasino also ferried from a quarry two miles away is still a tells Pankhurst that the use of poison gas in mystery seventeen hundred years later. Ethiopia was a means of civilizing the Ethiopians who opposed Italian forces. In March , the European Uni on tabled a question posed at the ACP-EU Parl iamentary Assembly in Pankhurst wants to remind Tomasino of the Cape Town, South Africa, regarding the return of countless acts of violence against the Ethiopian the stele and other items taken by Fascist invaders. people during that terrible time. "It should be Richard Balfe, th e British member of the EU, raised pointed out to dear Tomasino that the Obelisk issue the question and asked fo r a statement that was today is really nothing to do with what he chooses not forthcoming. to term 'civilization' or 'terrorism.' It is a question of what we would have called honoring agree­ Note: Pankhurst, who was heartened by the return ments-if they had not been dishonoured for so of the St. Michael 's tabot, is also asking that the long." remainder of the "Maqdala Treasures" be returned by the Brit ish. In January the Ethiopian government petitioned the United Nations to intervene. UNESCO, it is Ethiopia's First Airplane Still Grounded in Italy believed, can act on Ethiopia's behalf, perhaps In 1935, according to a Re uters report, German pilot because of the FAQ 's proximity to the stolen stele. Ludwig Weber first fl ew the first aeroplane built in Ethiopia. Weber called it Aethiopian I, but Haile

22 THE HERALD Selass ie named it after his daughter Tsehai. Others northern Afr ica and now America. "It is high in called the vehicle the Aeroplane of the Negus . protein and fiber as well as a good source of iron and calcium," he notes. Preparation includes Today, it fl ies on wires in the Aviation Museum of fermentation of the batter until it creates bubbles. Italy, part of th e plunder taken from Ethiopia by Baking then takes place on an electric griddle, but Mussoli ni 's army. traditionally would be made on a great clay plate Ethiopians want to display the plane in the new over an open fire . "The injera produced is nut­ terminal at Addi s' Bole International Airport. brown in color ... spongy in consistency, with a pronounced but pleasant sour flavor , reminiscent The Italian government has issued no response to of San Francisco-style sourdough bread," he the request. describes.

Nicholls also visited bakers and restaurants in Silver Spring, Arlington, and Skyline. At Wader Items we E&E RPCVs might find Ethiopia in Silver Spring, owner Fikru Teka uses 16 interesting, amusing or sad teflon-coated griddles and takes about one minute to cook one injera. It is not a complex Those weird pancakes, as-you-wait project, according to Fikru, "There 's no secret to "Take the mingled aroma of molasses and yeast. it. It's just our tradition from home. In my culture Add the nutty es sen ce of an exotic grain. Mix men do not make injera, only women ." well." The rec ipe opens an article written by Washington Post writer Walter Nicholls . He is, of Azib Tekle and her brother run the Azieb Market. course, di scovering the sacred bread of Ethiopia, Her injera is nearly white in color and not easy to Eritrea, and thousands of E8E RPCVs : injera, which make. She keeps her baking methods secret. "It 's he describes as the "centerpiece for Ethiopian a skill that takes accuracy in measuring the cuisine." It comes in three basic colors, as only a ingredients .. It takes timing . .. I will say that Starbuc ks devotee might write, "light latte to dark good injera must have Jots of eyes." mocha." Henry Reuss Dies Nicholls notes that there are more than a dozen In 1957, US Rep .Henry Reuss (D-Wis) traveled to injera bakeri es in the Washington DC area, "each southeast Asia on a Congressional Joint Economic with its own recipe for this specialty bread ... to delegation. While there, he met a group of young appease the varied tastes of the approximately UNESCO teachers from America and other nations 65,000 people of Ethiopian descent who live" in who were working in villages. For the next three the area. years, whenever he spoke at a student convoca­ tion, he brought forward his idea for a "Point Four The reporter chos e to drop by Addisu Gebeya, "an Ethiopi an market in Adams Morgan," to sample Youth Corps." [Editor's Note: Named so , I assume the injera. "Some like it salty. Some don't. Others after President Truman's Point Four Program of think it shou ld be very sour or not so sour at all," Technical Assistance to Developing Nations ] Reuss said Daniel Tererra, owner of Addisu Gebeya. "It also wrote numerous articles about his idea. In depends on what you like." Daniel gets his injera January 1960, Rep . Reuss introduced legislation to from six bakeries and on a usual Saturday will sell study the concept of a youth corps to travel abroad. about 1500 injera, by the bag.

Nicholls' article is a basic lesson in teff and injera. Henry Reuss died earlier this year. He was 89- He notes that teff is a "ti ny cereal grain" grown in years-old.

Summer 2002 23 Harari Artist Dies Addis Taxis Nuria Ahmed Shami Kalid was a vocalist and In an article tit led, "Driven to Despair in Add is composer from Harar and died in January. An Ababa," by BBC reporter Russell Smith, "Tax i obituary appeared in the Addis Zemen on January drivers have had better times ... " 30; it has been translated from Amharic by Alemu 1960, The estimated 17 ,ooo ubi quitous blue cars are, Non: In June Sen. Aga and sent to The Herald by Cynthia Tse Kimberl in (Ad i Ugri, Asmara 62-64). howeve r, being driven into the ground by a Hubert H. Humphrey, shortage of ri ders . "Money is tight, and for a lot of who served on the Senate "Mrs. Nu ri a Ahmed who sang and taught res idents, taxis are now a lux ury they cannot songs of the Harari for the past forty-five afford, " Smi th writes. Foreign Relations years died a few days ago after undergoing One driver interviewed, Al emayhu, was sitting in Committee, introduced a medical treatments, as reported yesterday by the public relations officer of the region. his 1967 blue Toyata, the taxi he has driven for bill that would find and nearly two decades. He to ld Smith that he has "Born in I942 in the town of Harar in the often had no fa res during his 12-hour workday. send young people locality known as 'Bedrei,' Mrs Nuria , who "Each week he makes about US$30 , but after

overseas to help "peoples had glaucoma at the age of seven that vehicle maintenance, petrol and license fees , it caused the loss of eyesight, started singing does not leave him much. But he is grateful that of the underdeveloped at the age of I5 to become a celebrated his car, though old, is a reliable Japanese make.

areas of the world to singer of the Harari people. He also owns his own veh icl e; many rent theirs and have that extra expense." combat poverty, disease, "She disseminated Harari culture to the young and also when she traveled abroad There are still many Fiats on Addis streets, how­ illiteracy and hunger." to London, Germany and other countries . ever, some even going back to WWII. "Old taxis

In this bill, Senate S 3675, She contributed much in spreading the never die here," said Alemayhu. culture. She is regarded as a cultural was the first use of the heritage among the Harari people and That was until the Eastern European Lada was gained fame as "Shami tu," a name given to introduced during Mengistu's Red Terror. It was words "Peace Corps." respected individuals by the Harari . only after the di ctator was deposed that the Ladas left and better cars came into the country, mostly "Mrs . Nu ria died at the age of 60 and is from Japan. survived by four children. She was buried in the cemetery of Abdal in Harar in the Another cabbie, Getachew, has driven his Lada for presence of relatives, high-ranking almost 20 yea rs, according to Smith. "He remem­ dignitaries, and fans on January 25 , 2002 ." bers the Meng is tu era as one where there were tight controls on where you could drive . . . you Cynthia Tse Kimberlin knew Nuria Ahmed person­ could not dri ve outside your des ignated district. ally, having recorded her songs in 1972 and 1996. He said there were probably half the number of In April Ms . Kimberlin presented a paper at taxis [then than I there are now , and it was easy to Cambridge University titled "They Are Gifts from make enough mon ey to live on." Allah: The Songs of Nuria Ahmed Shami Kalid ." Alemayhu was not a happy taxi driver, as he served five years in prison for "political activity" and refused to talk about the government or have his picture taken. Getachew, on the other hand, was not afraid to complain about the present situation. "Tell them to take the freedom and give us back our bread," he told Smith .

24 THE HERALD It's not just a croc Hollywood's Take on the Famine of 1984 Ethiopia has one commercial crocodile farm , and, "Beyond Borders" is the story of a wealthy world­ according to the UN Integrated Regional Informa­ traveler who falls in love with a globetrotting tion network. thou_sands of the big-mouthed doctor ministering to humanitarian needs in animals are killed each year by floods. Cambod ia, Chechnya, and Ethiopia. The movie stars Angelina Jolie . In real life. Jolie has served as The Crocodile Ranch is built on the edge of Lake a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Abaya in Arba Minch , in the southern Rift Valley. High Commission for Refugees; she has said that The herders corral about 4,000 crusty critters on this is a story she has wanted to tell since 1999. site. Last year, though, almost half the pod was The actress spent a month in Namibia filming the drowned or killed Ethiopian part of the movie. "We are extremely by pneumonia. sensitive to the subject matter and hope to raise awareness of what these people are going through "This is a serious and their suffering," she said as she arrived. problem we are facing," said Assegid Gebre, who "The portrayal of negative images about Ethiopia manages the ranch. "We do not have the re­ does not help the whole of Africa ," said Tegenaw sources at this moment to move the farm away Goshu , of the Ethiopian embassy in South Africa . from the edge of the lake. which means if it floods "The media should strive to include positive then the crocodiles will die. If it carries on we images of our continent .... It is not that we don't won't be able to cope." want to acknowledge that part of our history or would wish it away," Tegenaw said. "It is just that One crocodile sells for about US$8o. The ranch a lot of positive changes have taken place in hopes to eventually sell 20,000 annually. Estab­ Ethiopia since then and those will not be portrayed lished in 1986, the total round-up has yielded in that film ." 5,658 led to slaughter. Most of the product goes to Asia. where shoes and luggage are made. Accord­ Namibia was chosen as a location due to its ing to Assegid, the skin exports are second only to topological similarities with parts of Ethiopia. No coffee exports. completion or release date has been given by "Beyond Borders ." Its director is Oliver Stone (JFK, At present. the ranch is looking to Zimbabwe as a Nixon, Salvador, Platoon, etc.). "supply crocodiles" market. Fed on "talapia fish offal." the beasts are "killed humanely; when they get to the age of between three and five, they are shot and skinned before being sold."

Other benefits: "Without the farm, poaching would occur on the lake." according to Assegid, and "the farm also attracts tourists who like to come and look around."

Summer 2002 25 A call to action

by Colin C. Callagher (El Salvador 98-00)

MANY RPCVs ARE AWARE of a "New Mandate" Ellen Field, the Peace Corps Director of Communi­ for the Peace Corps being proposed in Washington. cations, legislators are beginning to see the threat Nigeria RPCVs Roger Landrum and Dave Hibbard to Peace Corps independence. had made contact with Senator Christopher Dodd's (D-CT; Dominican Republic 66-68) staff and In an exclusive interview with Congressman Sam pursued the process of getting legislation drafted Farr (D-CA; Colombia 64-66) on May 14, 2002, Hugh that would include more grassroots-style activities Pickens of Peace Corps Onli ne asked Farr about the and nonprofit organizations, including the NPCA, PATRIOT Act and its potential impact on Peace under the aegis of implementation of Peace Corps Corps. Congressman Farr replied that this it a goals. Their efforts were key to initiating a serious concern and that is what has triggered the need to discussion on the need to address the Peace Corps address the independence of the Peace Corps from legislatively. the intelligence-gathering community. He said ~NY ARE NOT aware of new that when this bill gets to the floor, it will be Many are not aware, however, of new develop­ debated and a decision will be made as to how to developments that could ments that could threaten the fundamental build the best firewall. threaten the fundamental purpose of Peace Corps, which is to promote peace and friendship around the world. Wait, you ask. Did you say a bill? That's right - a purpose of Peace Corps . bill to amend the Peace Corps Act , and if all goes While Peace Corps has had a general prohibition on well, it will protect the agency from other legisla­ hiring of individuals who have had a known tion (such as the PATRIOT Act) and from presiden­ involvement in intelligence activities, the Peace tial executive orders (such as the recent creation of Corps Act does not specifically preclude "intelli­ the USA Freedom Corps). However, these protec­ gence information" from being routed from one tions will only be granted if you - that's right, you agency to the next. With the implementation of the - choose to "make it so ." As RPCVs, you are being PATRIOT [Providing Appropriate Tools Required to given the unique opportunity to view an advance Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism] Act and the USA copy of the bill in its draft form, and comment Freedom Corps, a mechanism exists to do exactly on it. that. While this argument has been rejected by

26 THE HERALD TAKE ACTION NOW in what is possibly the most By the time this newsletter goes to print, the encourages your respective Congresspersons and details will be up on Peace Corps Online at Senators to cosponsor the legislation (if they important moment in the www.peacecorpsonline.org. Link to the "Draft haven't already). Pass the word to your RPCV pals last 20 years of Peace Peace Corps Legislation Available for Comment." (and sympathetic family members). Most impor­ Once on that page, you'll find links to the draft tantly: Take action now in what is possibly the Corps history! legislation itself, discussion history, and a brief most important moment in the last 20 years of explanation of what RPCVs can do to help. For best Peace Corps history! effect (and due to time constraints), individual or group comments on language of the bill should be Colin can be contacted at 973 Heather Circle #4BE sent to Senator Chris Dodd 's office, attention to Salinas CA 93906-3950 E-mail: Janice O'Connell, before the end of May if possible. [email protected] (http: I /www. senate. gov /-dodd/webmai II index.html; SR-448 Russell Building, United States Vasquez making the rounds Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510 , Tel. 202/224-2823, Since his swearing in, new Peace Corps Director Fax . 202/228 -1683) Gaddi Vasquez has travelled to Peru with President The NPCA is scheduling an Advocacy Day on June Bush and to California where he met witr several RPCV groups. Go to www.PeaceCorpsOnline.org for 20th as part of the 40 + 1 Conference where RPCVs will "lobby " their Congresspersons and Senators reports on the trips including an interview with for support. (For details on this and how to Vasquez conducted in Peru. participate, contact Ed Crane, NPCA Advocacy Coordinator, at [email protected]).

For even better effect, your efforts should also include distributing a press release that congratu­ lates Congressmen Farr and Tom Udall (D-NM) and Senator Dodd for helping the Peace Corps, and

Su mmer 2002 27 NPCA Conference 2002 - Payment: Send a check for this event, made out to the basics "EEE RPCVs," to Marian Haley Beil, 4 Lodge Pole Thursday, June 20 to Sunday, June 23 Road, Pittsford NY 14534 and please note on the check "For Ethiopia 1 reunion" (Please do not Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington (at Connecticut Ave.) near the Wood­ combine payment for this event on the same check with your payment for the Friday night dinner.) land Park-Zoo Metro stop of the Red Line, phone: (202) 234-0700 Friday, June 21 11 :45 am For details on registration, hotels, schedule, listing Tour the Smithsonian exhibition "From Monastery to of those registered, tickets for the Saturday Marketplace: Tradition Inspires Modem Ethiopian evening fundraising dinner and more, go to Painting" www.rpcv.org The tour will be lead by co -curator Neal Sobania (Addis Ababa 68-72). For the latest on special activities for EEE RPCVs, go to www.EthiopiaEritreaRPCVs.org. Focus Gallery, African Voices Hall Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Those volunteering for our group Constitution Avenue between 12th St. and 9th St. These people are working to give EEE RPCVs a There is no admission charge for the museum. special celebration at the 40+1: Courtney Arnold, Marian Haley Beil, Leo Cecchini. John Coyne, Doris Friday, June 21 · 7:30 pm Mueller Goldstein, Dave Gurr, Wayne Kessler, Dinner afthe Embassy of Ethiopia Frances Fisher Lacroix, Russ Mischeloff, Jack Prebis, 3506 International Drive, NW John Rude, Sarah Samuel, LaDena Schnapper, Neal We are grateful to Ambassador Kassahun Ayele for Sobania, Clare Shea and Judy Smith, and they all offering to allow us to use the Embassy to do honor deserve our special thanks. to our service to the country and people of Ethio­ pia as well as Eritrea. We look forward to an Ethiopia & Eritrea RPCVs special enjoyable evening of celebration, fond remem­ group events brance and joyous reunion. The dinner will feature a buffet of Ethiopian foods Thursday, June 20, 8:00 pm and drinks catered by the Addis Ababa Restaurant Ethiopia 1 Mini-reunion $35 per person (Thi s covers the meal, service, Omni Shoreham gratuity, plus rental of tables, chairs, linens and Snacks + cash bar dishware.) It will be followed by a demonstration $10 per person to cover the cost of snacks, room of the Ethiopian coffee ceremony by LaDena rental and required staff. Robichaud Schnapper (Dessie, Awassa 63-66) Friends of those in Ethiopia 1 are invited to attend. There will be a limit of 150 attendees for this event. Please RSVP to Frances Fisher Lacroix at You must RSVP to Gloria Gieseke Curtis at [email protected] or call Fran at 360/387- 4089 in Don_Curtis@msn .com or call 303/ 422-37 42 in Camano Island, Washington by June 10th. 1 Arvada, Colorado by June 10 h.

28 THE HERALD Pri ority for reservations will be given to those Memorial, past the grave of John F. Kenned y, and registered for the conference (plus their spouses or onto the closing ceremony at the Arlington guests) through June 5th. Reservations for non­ National Cemetery Amphitheater. Anyone who registrants will be received on a first-come-first­ would like to take a turn carrying his/her country served basis beginning immediately, and will be flag may do so - be sure to bring your camera so confirmed beginning June 6th. that the moment can be recorded for history! Payment: Send a check for this event, made out to "Et.E RPCVs " to Marian Haley Beil. 4 Lodge Pole Many RPCVs and friends are Road, Pittsford NY 14534. please note on the check featured in Conference programs "for Et. E Dinner. " At the Business Symposium on Thursday. Sandra Jaffee (Addis Ababa 66-68), Executive Vice Saturday, June 22 7:30 am - 9:00 am President of Citibank, will be the luncheon Meeting of the Steering Committee of E&E RPCVs speaker; and Susan He ck (Addis Ababa 67-69), Omni Shoreham Senior Vice President of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter will participate in a panel. Saturday, June 22 3:00 pm-5:00 pm Ethiopia and Eritrea Country Updates Ghebre Selassie Mehreteab from Eritrea is among Omni Shoreham Hotel Host Country Nationals to be re cognized by the This program is open only to Peace Corps Volun­ NPCA as people whose lives have crossed paths teers who served in Ethiopia and Eritrea . with Peace Corps and who are now wo rki ng to contribute to the development or well-being of The moderator: Leo Cecchini (Asmara 62-64). The their countries. speakers incl ude: Im re Zelleke, Dr. Ted Vestal (Peace Co rps/Ethiopia Staff 63-65), Wayne Kessler Among those participating in workshops pre­ (Adi Teclesan 64-66), John Rude (Tessenie, Adi sented by PeaceCorpsWriters.org that will feature Ugri 62-64), David Gurr (Addis Ababa 62-64), published Peace Corps writers discussing many Neal Sobania (Addis Ababa 68-72). Richard Haas aspects of writing and publishing will be: Hay­ (Dembidolo, Addis Ababa 67-69), and Marian ward All en (Harar 62-64), David Arnold (Ashe Haley Beil. Tefari 64-66), Marian Haley Beil, John Coyne (Addis Ababa 62-64), Karen DeWitt, Richard Lipez Saturday, June 22 6:30 pm - 10 pm (Debre Marcos , Addis Ababa 62-64), Margaret "Salute to Peace Corps Giants" Fund-raising Dinner Szumowski (Addis Ababa 74-75) , and John Woods Omni Shoreham Hotel (Jimma 65-68). Tickets are $150 .00 and $250.00 Funds raised will Among those participating in other workshops will support NPCA programs. be: Sue Hoyt Aiken (Addis Ababa 62-64), Leo If you plan to attend and want to be seated with Cecchini, David Gurr and Ellie Putnam (A ddis our group. please send your name (and the name Ababa 66-68. of any guests) to Marian Beil at Among Peace Corps writers reading from their [email protected]. We will try our best to works will be Karen DeWitt, Karen Dawn Speicher make sure that all of our members who would like (Wokro; Bonga 73-75) and Margaret Szumowski . to be seated together are able to do so. The Silent Auction which will happen during the Sunday, June 23 fund-raising dinner Saturday evening is being Procession of Flags & Closing Ceremony chaired by Judy Smith . (If you have items valued Plan to walk behind the flag of Ethiopia or Eritrea at $25 or more to donate to support NPCA pro­ across the Memorial Bridge from the Lincoln grams, contact Judy at [email protected].)

Summer 2002 29 E&E RPCVs - all things new

/ ,_/

. ~ In the E&E RPCVs library Members can borrow at no cost. Contact librarian Joe Ciuffini, 188 Ca bot St, Ne wton MA 02158; 617/ 244-0463; jmciuffini @aol.com. Check our web site for full contents: www .geoc ities.com/-eerpcv TRUST is the library card . .. .· l . ... ' Books . \ ...... Lion by the Tail by Thomas M Coffee - the story : ... ·.: -;. . ·.· .. of Mussolini 's 19 35-36 invasion of Ethiopia. (See ...... '· . p. 37 for more about this book.) ...... At our website / ·.. ,..•. .. .. The Blue Nile by Alan Moo rehead - a history ~ ,~. www.EthiopiaE~'reaRPCVs.org .... from 1798 onward. (See p. 39 for more about this ' ...... \ book.) Our Other Hom~lOJ~'IJ/L now up at site :_.. .. , ...... New at outsit{i~ a map that shows the nearly 200 Spectrum Guide to Ethiopia, compiled and , c:o;;,~u~ities in Ethiopia and Eritrea where we have edited by Camerapix - a travel guide. Has beauti­ served. You can click on each name to go to a ful photos. page that tells about the community and lists the > We would love to have someone review this book PCVs who served there. for The Herald. Contact the editor.

Now it is your chance to make a contribution to Ethiopia, Eritrea S Djibouti , Lonely Planet. this feature. We would like to receive your descrip­ > We would love to have someone review this book tions and recollections of your "other hometown" for The Herald. Contact the editor. as well as photos of the community, the people and the Volunteers. This is your opportunity to Videos "bring the world back home " by sharing your "Redefine Your Worl d, " Peace Corps, 16 min . community with people from around the world. There are instructions on the main map page "The Great Dessie Marching Band and Other telling you how you can make submissions to "Our Stories " - a recruiting film produced by the Peace Other Hometown." Corps that features a marching band organized by Ron Bell (Dessie 62-6 4) among other PCV projects. A special "thank you" to Michael Santarelli (Gura Available in black f, white, or faded color (borrow 70-73) who will handle scanning of slides that are them both). submitted. Article We now have an Advocacy Coordinator "All Roads Lead to Asmara," by Gareth Harding, Ray Donaldson (Ambo , Debre Berhan 62-64) will www .time.com/time/europe, l/3/02 review advocacy issues the NPCA is focusing upon, determine which he feels might be of special "The Keepers of the Faith: The Living Legacy of interest to our members, summarize the selected Adsum" National Geographic 7/01, byCandice S. material and then share that information with Millard, with beautiful photos by George members either at our web site, or through email Steinmetz. announcements for time-sensitive, extremely important issues. If there areadvocacy issues that Thanks to ... you feel our members should be made aware of, or Barbara Fontaine (Addis Ababa 62-64) for her gift would like to work with Ray, you should contact to Ethiopia f, Eritrea RPCVs. Bet'am tru no. him. (See contact info on page 46.)

30 THE HERALD Looking for . . . survived by his wife and two daughters, Please send contact information for the following myself and Sharon. Please add my email people who are being sought to EC.E RPCVs so that address if someone wants to contact me we may facilitate their reconnecting. Send to: they can. Thank you ." Ethiopia £, Eritrea RPCVs Jenn Carlin c/o Marian Haley Beil [email protected] 4 Lodge Pole Road Pi ttsford NY 14534 or email: [email protected] Another Wofford for Congress Campaign Lis Doane (PC/Ethiopia Director 95-98) Dan Wofford, son of former Sen. Harris Wofford Linda Jordan wrote: "I am an RPCV (Lesotho 96-98) (Staff: PC/Ethiopia CD 62-64), has announced that who is now living and working in Ethiopia. I have he is running for Congress in Pennsylvania. "He is an acquai ntance - Nardos Kebeal - who used to in a district that did not exist before the new work for the country director and her husband- I Congressional district lines were drawn, " accord­ believe their names are Lis (Elisabeth?) and Robert ing to John Coyne (Addis Ababa 62-64). "The Doane. Nardos has fallen out of contact with them district was carved out by the Republicans in and would like to get back in touch." Harrisburg specifically so that State Sen. Jim Gerlach could get a promotion to Congress." John Lawson and Henry Olson Bob Mullane wou ld like to reconnect with John Coyne reports that the Democratic Congressional Lawson and Henry Olson - all Ethi Xis . Campaign Committee has indicated that the district is one of several targeted in the strategy to Mr. Bob and Joan Fretter in Harar return a Democratic majority to the House. The Abdudayan Ahmed (Dayan) wrote that he is committee has. been "supportive of Dan's decision looking for a teacher named Mr. Bob who taught at to run and believe that he has what it takes to Medhan ialem Secondary School in Harar, and with win," according to Coyne. whom he shared a compound along with his Harris Wofford was the first Peace Corps country mother Kadija Mohamed and her sister Ashut. Dayan is also looking for a Joan Fretter. director in Ethiopia. Years later, he would win a surprise victory in the Pennsylvania Senate race and make significant contributions during his Seeking memories of Bruce tenure. Handwerker EC.E RPCVs received the following message: The Garamendis back in "My name is Jennifer Handwerker Carlin, and Califorinia I was doing an internet search on my John Garamendi (Mettu 66-68), former deputy fa ther's name, Bruce Handwerker, to see if secretary of Interior and California insurance he was listed anywhere interesting. I found commissioner, has won the Democratic primary in hi m on the Ethiopia and Eritrea RPCVs page. his re-election campaign to return to the insur­ I knew he was in the Peace Corps, but don't ance post. Patti is now Assistant Secretary of have much info on his time in Ethiopia, just International Trade and Investment for the in Vietnam. Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency for the State. "Anyway, I wanted to update my father 's status. He passed away on June 30, 1982 from cancer. He was 44 years old and was

Summer 2002 31 To Build a Tukul

by Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64)

And now, three decades later, Michael has produced a 30-minute, annotated CD-slide program, "Making an Ethiopian Tukul," documenting the 10-month erection of his humb le home. Not exactly too humble, for it measured 34 feet in diameter and uo feet in circumference, and the peak stood 30 feet above the earthen floor, with nine-foot-tall interior wall s. Those who taught math in Ethiopia or Eritrea can tell us the 1lr' thing .. .

"Ma king an Ethiopian Tukul" is now available for anyone interested in showing how the traditional building is erec ted. It is a program that would be ideal for people interested in

Michael's tukel, 1999 Third World heritage and how complex things have been built without nails.

How MANY OF US many of us Ef.E RPCVs recall Santarelli's program begins with the cutting down fondly those wonderful round, conical-roofed of the eucalyptus trees that will become the walls dwellings we saw while we served in Ethiopia or of the tukul. Step-by-step, the photographer Eritrea? Only the most myopic RPCVs don't have guides us easily through the cutting and shaping the image forever engraved in their memories, or in of the pieces of what will become a structure truly our slides and photographs. How many of us , as intricate as any American home. As I viewed the however, are aware of the exceptional craftsman­ CD , at many points I was reminded of the ques­ ship, tradition, and teamwork that created those tions anthropologists and archeologists ask about seemingly simple dwellings? Native American places like Mesa Verde and Chaco Michael Santarelli (Gura 70-73) was so fasci­ Canyon and Ce ntral American ruins. nated that he took a ton of slides of a tukul being His photography is exceptional in that it is both built in 1970-1971. The fact that it would be his own profess ional and personal, and significantly home in the Gurage region obviously was his initial instructive, reflecting what he recognized as inspiration to take the photographs, but I'm traditional craftwork and what he himself was certain that the more he witnessed, the more fascinated by. In the com pilation of "Making an fascinated he was by the remarkable construction Ethiopian Tukul, " Santarelli must have gone process.

32 THE HERA LD through hundreds and hundreds of his slides to decide which would best tell this uniquely Ethio­ pian, yet universal, story.

Recognizing the complexity of building the tukul, and noting that Santarelli told me that the Gurage people "built the best tukuls," I looked for evidence of excellence. Like: missing toes and fingers, since all the cutting and shaping of the beams and planks is done with axes, hatchets, adzes, chisels-and nobody wore shoes . .. all the correct numbered digits are pictured there. I also noted that after a while I recognized the faces and clothes of the primary workers. Then, when it came time to raise the central pole, I saw how many of the Gurage village's people were involved, and Still available: answers about mysteries of Axum steles were less Baseball hats embroidered in full color difficult to imagine. with the flags of Ethiopia and Eritrea In 1999 RPCV Santarelli returned to "his" tukul, and on a cotton, khaki-colored hat. photos from that visit are included in the CD as To order, send a check made out to EE:E well. He shows how his home hasn't changed much RPCVs for $14 (includes postage) to : on the outside, and how it has changed lots inside. Marian Haley Beil Perhaps the most significant alteration is that what was once his home is now a barn. Oh well ... 4 Lodge Pole Road there's a lesson in that revelation, too. Pittsford NY 14534

If there are any flaws to the program, to my mind, it is that there is no script to the presentation, and it would help if there were an option to hear Santarelli do a voice-under, with an anecdote or two within the half-hour program. I realize that he is trying to keep expenses down, but the educa­ tional value of this program goes beyond our own Ethiopian and Eritrean experiences. There is a broader market.

Santarelli assures members that whatever profits may come with the sales of this wonderfully illuminating CD-slide program will go to "develop­ ment projects benefiting the Gurage and Ethio­ pia. "

To order a copy of the CD, contact Michael for more information at: [email protected] or P.O. Box 988 , Lakeport, CA, 95453

Summer 2002 33 Fare Well, Wayne and Laurie

How could we have know?

by Laurie Kessler (Adi Teclesan 64-66)

Wayne Kess ler, Jeff Shannon, tw o unidentified RPCVs, Laurie Kessler all in the Ke ss ler's home in Asmara . February 2002

This is the Kessler's closing article from Eritrea a U.S. military troop plane with a skull-and­ written for The Herald. cross-bones fl ag in it AND that I'd be out of the country for seven months?

We would become inveterate jaywalkers like wHEN WE CAME TO ERITREA in 1995. how could everybody else , among cars, diesel-belching we have known that - trucks , ho rs e carts, bicycles and an occasional cow? We would stay for seven years? We would find or be found by at least 40 War would break out between Eritrea and former students and colleagues from our Ethiopia and that we would witness four Peace Corps time in Adi Teclesan, 1964-66? attempts (three in 1998, one in 2000) by (After seven years, we are still meeting them Ethiopia to bomb the Asmara airport and that, and they all ask, "Do you remember me?" after the third, we 'd be evacuated to Jordan on

34 THE HERALD Unfortunately, we remember only about a (and would leave understanding why we quarter of them.) enjoy living here)

We would find a perfect-sized house with a Wayne would establish - by default - a layout we like and good windows i-n every reputation as an expert on raising poultry? room, as well as garden space both front and back with dearly loved bougainvillea and a I would be one of very few foreign women to jacaranda tree - and live in it the whole time? have an Eritrean business license?

I wo uld be DIRECTOR of the Asmara Interna­ Four Eritrean acquaintances would be jailed tional Community School for a year and a half? as dissidents in 2001 and three others would be unable to return to Eritrea - because they We'd meet Eritrea 's President Isaias Afwerki, are progressive and open? Kofi An nan and Hillary Clinton and attend a speech by Jul ius Nyerere here? AND socialize Among my colleagues in the English Depart­ with various Ministers of the government and ment at the University of Asmara would be ambassadors from many countries, a former Kiflemariam Zerom, our student in Peace US Co ngressman, the president of Riverside Corps time, and Mohamed Osman Ghiloway , Community Colleges, Dan Connell (journalist son of a colleague also during Peace Corps and author of books on Eritrea), Gloria time? Steinem, Betty LaDuke (Oregon artist who We'd get to know Jeff Shannon, a Peace Corps exhibits paintings based on sketches of Volunteer who served after Liberation in Adi Eritrea )? Teclesan where we had served, and who would Wayne's initial work in project development claim us as parents when convenient? wou ld be affected by the NGOs being asked to We'd figure out how to cope with lack of leave in 1997 and his work in enterprise water for five weeks? (during the rainy development by the war and investment season, we could collect rain water) drying up, and that he 'd work in humanitar­ ian relief instead? As a member of the Baha 'i National Bulletin Committee, I would be involved in rel igious I'd have a key to a room in the Ministry of journalism, the career I had aspired to in Trade and Industry where I teach a class? 1959? (though I never had a key to the English Department staff toilet at the University of Asmara during the four years I taught there)

Wayne's 2001 resident permit would classify him as MY dependant? (This as a result of a squabble between two different offices, ah bureaucracy!)

Fi ve sets of good friends from California - the McLeans , the Wezelmans, the Elliotts, Greg Luft, and Tomiko Yabumoto - would visit us?

Summe r 2002 35 Books + Writers

New by Ethiopia and Eritrea Millie, as she was known as a PCV, started to write Peace Corps writers while a Volunteer. She taught English and history in the town of Yirgal em in southern Ethiopia. It was Homer's Whip in Ethiopia, she has written, where she observed by Don Christians (PC staff: Ethiopia 67- black pride and independence, and this reminded 70, Dominican Republic 70-72) her of stories her father had told her - which she Creative Arts Book Co., $14.95 has turned into award winning fiction. Millie has November, 2001 received critical acclaim for her original interpre­ The Land tation of the black experience. In 1997, Millie was by Mildred Taylor (Yirgalem 65-67) the recipient of the ALAN Award which honors those (Children 9-12) who have made outstanding contributions to the Phyllis Fogelman Books, $17 . 99 field of adolescent literature. It is presented by The 373 pages Assembly on Literature for Adolescents, a special Sepetmber, 2001 interest group of the National Council of Teachers of English. New of interest Ethiopian Icons: More recognition for The Land Catalogue of the Collection of the The Washington Post has announced that the Institute of Ethiopian Studies Addis feature book for July- "Children's Month" - for Ababa University its book club will be Millie's The Land . It will be by Stanislaw Chojnacki reviewed in early in the month by Elizabeth Ward Skira, $84.00 at Amazon.com and then the Post 's email opens up for questions, 517 pages comments and live chat. Check in July at http:// www.washingtonpost.com/wp-d yn/sty 1e/books/ bookclub/. Millie Taylor wins major award

This from the January 2002 edition of PeaceCorpsWriters. org: Neither Ethiopian nor Eritrean Books on the Big List THE LAND BY MILDRED D. TAYLOR (Ethiopia 1965- At the suggestion of Professor Ali Mazrui, the 67) was awarded the 2002 Coretta Scott King Award Zimbabwe International Book Fair compiled a list on January 21 , 2002 at the American Library of "Africa 's 100 Best Books." Books were chosen in Association 's midwinter meeting. Th is award for three catagories: literature for children, creative African-American authors, commemorates the life writing and scholarship/non-fiction. Sad to say, and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and honors however, the list does not contain any writers in his widow, Coretta Scott King, for her courage and any category from Ethi opia or Eritrea. The vast determination in continuing the work for peace majority of writers hail from western or southern and world brotherhood. African nations. The Horn is remarkably The Land chronicles the triumphs and struggles underrepresented. Keeping count: Sudan, r; of Paul-Edward Logan, son of a white owner and Uganda r; Tanzania, r; Kenya, 4; Soma lia, 1. an enslaved African-Indian women . Set in Missis­ Elsewhere, Egypt had 7, Nigeria 10, and South sippi during the 1800s, the book introduces Africa, 17. readers to the grandfather of Cassie Logan, the To see the full list, go to:www.columbia .edu/cu/ hero of Taylor 's 1976 Newbery Award winner, Roll lweb/indiv I africa/cuvl/ Afbks . html#list of Thunder, Hear My Cry

36 THE HERALD REVIEWs

Cry Wolf - on the Ethiopian side - Ras Golam and Ras By Wilbur Smith Kullah. De Bono is a real, historic figure, who St. Martin's Paperbacks commanded the 360,000 Italian troops that 471 pages, $6 .99 invaded Ethiopia. As far as I can figure, the count and the two Ethiopians are figments of the author's Reviewed by Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64) vivid and lazy imagination.

I discovered Cry Wolf accidentally. While brows­ I think that's what pissed me off most. I hate ing through the new paperback section at Borders, stereotypes in fiction . Forget Jake and Gareth and Wou10 YOU LIKE to review a I picked up a copy, mistakenly thinking it was Vicky; they were and have long been common another novel by Martin Cruz Smith (Gorky Park , literary, ink -laden vehicles many readers dote book for The Her&ld? Contact Red Star , etc.). I've done that before, only this upon. However, Ras Golam is a tej-drinking, time as I read the blurb on the back cover I saw it Editor Hayward Allen. We toothless eccentric, whose only Engli sh is "How do was about Ethiopia and the early days of the war you do?" Albeit a hero, he's also a fool. Ras Kullah, currently have a couple of travel with Italy. a leader of the treacherous Callas, is, as Smith books available for review. We I bought the book. Another mistake. The paperback describes him, a "fat pervert." The other three novel is a reprint of a 1976 publication. I read the Ethiopian characters are dashing, cute, wise, and are also interested in hearing book, nonetheless. In this case less is not more, determined to save their country; too bad they are your suggestions of titles that unless one counts 471 pages. And they are about overshadowed by the other adventurous players. 450 pages too many. Why finish it? Partly because would be of interest to our Count Belli provides comic relief, I guess. He mows I spent seven bucks on the damned thing, partly down any and all animals near him and has his members - either for you or because it was useful daily in a 40-minute workout driver shoot photographs of the victorious hunter on the gym 's treadmill and exercycle, and partly others to review . and his trophies, including one of the armored so I could warn off others who are interested in cars. Connected to Mussolini, he also fabricates his Ethiopia and Eritrea. military experiences to impress Il Duce and thus This will not be a long and pithy review. advances in his self-propelled prowess.

The storyline: two adventurers, one American and Lest I forget, the four 6. 5 litre Bentley-powered, the other British , are among a quartet driving five-ton armored vehicles that bring our two armored cars into Ethiopia in 1935 just as the brutal mercenary vagabonds, the prince and the volup­ war with Italy begins to escalate. The other two tuous journalist to Ethiopia are as alive as most of drivers are a young Ethiopian prince and a gor­ the humans. Jake gave them names: Miss Wobbly, geous American newspaper correspondent. Priscilla the Pig, Henrietta the Hump, and "Tenastelin." Their fates are possibly the best You can see where the story is going? Two dashing described of all the characters. and different warriors and a beautiful reporter? Forget the war. Concentrate on the number of times Don't read this book! Vicky Camberwell either gets her underwear wet or If you are seeking something that actually deals is caught wearing none at all. And the macho with the valiant struggle the Ethiopians continued competitive banter between American Jake Barton against the Italian invaders, read Thomas M. and English Gareth Swales is cliche-ridden. Well, Coffey's Lion by the Tail • Daniele Steele couldn't do much more. I find it interesting that Lion by the Tail , with all Oh yes, the combat between the Italians and the of its vivid details of the Italo-Ethiopian war was Ethiopians: most of Smith's "action" seems to be between - on the Italian side - commanding general Emilio De Bono and a Count Aldo Belli, and •This book can be bomowed from the EC.E RPCVs library.

Summer 2002 37 published in 197 4, and that Cry Wolf emerged before she left her vill age. Ea ch bead represented a just two years later in 1976. After re-reading Lion story, many fro m the Old Tes tament. 27 years later, I can understand how a novelist might be inspired by books li ke this one by This is a short novel of 150 sma ll pages. The book Coffey, who lists about seven pages of books in his jacket says "ages 10-14." It is an easy, enjoyable bibliography, the vast majority of which were read for an eveni ng or a weekend. A map and a published in the late 1930s . While I might seem to glossary of Eth iopian terms are included. The book be ins inuating something that didn't exist, it lists at $15 and is available at bn.com and would have been useful for Smith to include his amazon.com for $12 or less . sources, too , so we who are interested in Ethiopian Nancy Farmer, another author of ch ildren 's books and Eritrean history might expand our own scope about other cultures, writes : of understanding. Alas, Smith was interested in undressing a beautiful woman, proving that war Too often tragedies, such as the Ethiopian can be an adventure, and that Italians and famine of the 1980s, are lost in numbers. Ethiopians were like a violent version of the How can anyone comprehend a million Keystone Kops at war. deaths? Jane Kurtz has made the tragedy devastatingly real with her superb adven­ ··················~· ...... ture of two courageous gi rl s who overcome prejudices taught to them from birth. The Storyteller's Beads By Jane Kurtz In an interview with amazon.com , the author says Gulliver Books: Harcourt Brace f.. Company 1998 128 pages; $15 .00 I spent almost al l of my childhood in Ethiopia, where my parents worked for the Reviewed by Mary Gratiot Schultz (Adi Ugri 65-67) Presbyterian Ch urch for 26 years. Then. I spent a good part of my adult life not The Storyteller's Beads by Jane Kurtz is a novel talking about Ethiopia - because I thought that tells the story of two Ethiopian girls who there was no way to talk about the country walked from the Gondar area to a refugee camp in of my childhood in ways that people in the the Sudan during the 1980s. U.S. could real ly understand. Finally, just Each girl comes from a difference ethnic area. before I turned 40, I began to be really Sahay begins the journey with her uncle, leaving homesick fo r Eth iopia. That's when I their Kemant village because of famine and the realized I could make a real connection Red Terror. Rahel , who is blind, leaves her grand­ with the land of my childhood - through mother behind in her Felasha village and travels my writing. with her brother. Eventually, the two girls and Other Jane Kurtz chi ldren's books with Ethiopian others they travel with meet. Soon, the uncle and and Eritrean themes include: Grandfather's brother are commanded to return to Ethiopia, but Journey , Pulling the Lion's Tail , Fire On the the girls continue to the refugee camp. The two Mountain , Trouble . Ethiopia: The Roof of girls overcome their differences and become Africa , and Only a Pigeon . friends . In the camp, Rahel lives with others from Felasha villages, but Sahay can find none of her Kenmant people, and eventually finds Rahel. Sahay helped Rahel find the way to the camp, and Rahel helps Sahay find a future.

The storyteller beads referred to in the title are a necklace that Rahel 's grandmother gave to her

38 THE HERALD Reading about Tewodros

by John Coyne (Addis Ababa 62-64)

WHENEVER ONE STARTS TO READ about Ethiopia, immediately) when I was teaching at the Commer­ very soon he or she discovers Tewodros II, the cial School in Addis Ababa in 1962 . Between infamous emperor of the Empire in the mid­ classes, sitting in the backroom of the Teacher's nineteenth-century. Tewodros was a great, lounge, or across Smuts Street at a small cafe romantic visionary, and a mad figure of Ethiopian where I'd go for cappuccino early in the morning, history who rose to power in the 1850s by over­ I'd read chapter after chapter of Moorehead's throwing the principal feudal leadership in the fascinating account of the Blue Nile and of the north. Empire under Tewodros.

His objective, as his British admirer Consul Plowden Tewodros claimed that he was of royal blood and SEE "The Tabot of St. Michael" reported at the time to the Home Office in London, in the direct line of kings descending from on page 21 for an update on the was to integrate the country by placing "the Solomon and Alexander the Great, but none of that soldiers of the different provinces under the was true. He was the son of a small local chieftain, looted artifacts of Magdaia command of his own trusty followers ." In this way born in 1818 close to the source of the Blue Nile. Tewodros started "organizing a new nobility, a legion of honor dependent on himself, and chosen He reign was from 1855 to 1868, and during it he specially for their daring and fidelity." And thus was constantly involved in war. He fought success­ began the "arduous task of breaking the power of fully against Tigre and conquered Shewa, taking the great feudal chiefs - a task achieved in Europe the boy Menelik , who represented the Shewa only during the reign of many consecutive Kings." dynasty there, to live at his court. He waged war against the Callas. And all the while, he attempted Among other achievements, Tewodros was respon­ to modernize the Empire. sible for important improvements in the country. He had built, for example, the first road in Ethio­ While being portrayed as a model of politeness pia, from Debra Tabor to his mountain citadel even towards the meanest peasants, he also was Magdaia. He attempted to establish a fleet of boats the victim of ungovernable rages. His humanity on Lake Tana. He started a foundry at Gafat and was such, it was recorded, that he would buy manufactured Ethiopia 's first cannon. He also slaves from the Muslim traders in order to emanci­ attempted to stop the slave trade, reform the land pate and Christianize them , yet at the same time he tenure system, and introduce Ethiopian dress. He burned deserting soldiers alive and threw prison­ took steps to replace verbal messages with letters, ers from precipices. wipe away concubines and promote marriage. It was during this period that a number of Europe­ Yet much of what he achieved was rendered futile ans found their way into Ethiopia: German and by the debacle at Magdaia, and thereby hangs the English missionaries, German artisans and zoolo­ tale, the source of much literary prose, and why gists, a French painter and a more than a few travel Tewodros is so well remembered by the world. adventures.

All of them: Ethiopian scholars, African historians, But then in 1864, after the British Foreign Office did romance novelists, adventure travel writers, not - for two years - answer a letter he had tourists and travelers have been caught up in the written to Queen Victoria, Tewodros threw the history of this tortured man . Many have written Consul, Cameron, and the other British citizens into about him, searching for some understanding of prison. The British government sent a man named the man as well as wanting to tell his tale. Rassam to protest and he, plus sixty more Europe­ ans, were seized and chained. I first read about Tewodros in Alan Moorehead's The Blue Nile (if you haven't read The Blue Nile*, At the time, Tewodros was moving towards put this article down and go read that book Magdaia, a natural fortress overlooking Wallo

Summer 2002 39 Province. Here is where he met Sir Robert Napier, and bought for 48 pounds Reconnoitering in sent from India by the Queen to free her subjects Abyssinia by Colonel H. St. Clair Wilkins that was Magdaia and all the other imprisoned Europeans. Napier published in 1870. It was the royal engineer's L ~ ke Tana /' 1. Dessie landed near Massawa and using an impres­ account of the reconnoitering party that went to · Debre Tabor . sive assortment of transport animals Ethiopia prior to the arrival of the expeditionary Addi s Ababa ····· .~ including elephants, bullocks, and field force from India. / camels, advanced overland at a mile a The opening goes: "In August 1867, the British c:!ay to Magdaia. Of the 3,400 British and Government resolved upon the invasion of In.dian troops who took part in the assault on Abyssinia. It was decided to dispatch a military Magdaia, not one was lost. Tewodros, who had at expedition to that remote county, for the purpose first boasted to his chiefs - "Oh! That we may of releasing from the hands of the Christian King meet those white donkeys. We shall show them Theodorus, a British Consul and an Envoy and suite what the sword and lance of Ethiopia can do."­ confined in irons in the fortress of Magdaia killed himself when he saw that defeat was certain. without just cause, and contrary to the laws of He was buried in the Magdaia church, though nations; and to obtain full satisfaction for the suicide, as we know, is a rare and grave crime dishonour thus cast upon the British nation." among Ethiopian Christians. (The story is told of Workneh Gebeyehu, one of the leaders of the failed At the time in his Magdaia fortress, Tewodros had 1960 coup d'etat, when cornered by soldier thirty European artillery pieces, 3,000 soldiers shouted to his assailants, "Tewodros has taught armed with percussion guns and several thousand me something." Putting a pistol into his mouth, spear armed foot soldiers. While he was safe within and he killed himself, and, therefore, ensured that a impregnable fortress, Tewodros decided to he would be forever linked to the Emperor attack and the British soldiers (mostly Indians) of 1 Tewodros.) the 4 h King's Own had the very latest breech loading rifle - the Snider - which was being used After reading about Tewodros in Moorehead's for the first time in battle. The firepower and book, I, too, thought he would make the subject of discipline of the British units completely over­ a great novel, but never did any research on the whelmed the musket and spears of the Ethiopians. Emperor. A few years later, when I was on PC/ Over 500 Ethiopians were killed and thousands Ethiopia staff as an Associate Director, and had the more were wounded in a battle that lasted an hour Dessie Road as part of my responsibility, I ran into and a half. a group of British students in Dessie. At the time they were "crashing" at John Hoover's small house A ripe source for novelists and setting off the next day to climb up to the old From such historical documents, several novels fortress at Magdaia in honor of the 1867 Napier have been written. Alan Scholefield's The Hammer Expedition. I wanted to tag along but was due in of Cod, published by William Morrow f, Company Waldia the next day and never made it to in 1973; Ann Schlee's The Guns of Darkness, Magdaia. Atheneum, 197 4; and When The Emperor Dies by For years, however, Tewodros's story has stayed Mason Mccann Smith, Random House, 1981. with me. Once, in Edinburgh, Scotland, where I There are other historical accounts, besides Alan had gone for the Shakespeare Festival, I spend an Moorehead, but these are the only novels that I afternoon in the Edinburgh library reading Field have been able to locate Marshal Lord Napier of Magdaia, a memoir by his son, published in 1927. In The Guns of Darkness, Ann Schlee tells the story of Tewodros from the point-of-view of fourteen Back in London I wandered into the Maggs Bros. year old, Louisa Bell , daughter of John Bell and the Ltd . Antiquarian Booksellers on Berkeley Square

40 THE HERALD Princess Worknesh Asfa Yilma . Schelee is a fine Ethiopia in 1868," Moorehead writes. "It proceeds writer, mostly of young adult novels set in exotic from first to last with the decorum and heavy countries. This novel focuses on the human side of inevitability of a Victorian state banquet, com­ the history, the small details of everyday life that plete with ponderous speeches at the end. And yet surround the historical events. Schlee touches, for it was a fearsome undertaking; for hundreds of example , on the torture that the ordinary people, years the country had never been invaded, and the Ethiopians and Europeans, suffered under savage nature of the terrain alone was enough to Tewodros. She had based her novel on the alleged promise failure. " fact that John Bell had four children by an Ethio­ pian woman. The fourth child was called Louisa Other histories and was on a list of the released prisoners as There are a few other useful histories about recorded by the Royal Geographical Society's Tewodros. Walter Plowden's Travels in Abyssinia, LooKINC FOR out-of-print observer, C.R. Markham . published in 1868; H.A. Stern 's The Captive books about Ethiopia and Eritrea Missionary in 1868; H. Rassam's Narrative of the Californian Mason Mccann Smith, too , blends fact British Mission to Tewodros King of Abyssinia, 2 - try www.bibliofind.com and fiction in his novel When The Emperor Dies vols, published in 1869. In 1870, T.J. Holland and using characters, both real and imaginary. Of the H.M. Hazier, wrote the official Record of the two books, Smith has the more details of the march Expedition to Abyssinia, 2 vols , with maps and and attack on Magdaia, and the most research. plans. There is also Correspondence Respecting However, the novel is overwritten and is centered Abyssinia 1846-68 that was presented to the House mostly on Napier and his men. of Commons in 1869. This 700-page report gives Alan Scholefield is a well known South African much information not only about the imprison­ writer, author of Great Elephant, Wild Dog Run­ ment of the captives but about Tewodros and ning, The Young Masters, etc. In The Hammer of Ethiopia in general. H.M. Stanley published in 187 4 Coomassie and Magdale; the Story of Two British God, he has an arrogant Victorian sportsman in search of the rare ibex, his new, young wife, Campaigns in Africa. Catherine, an ex-Army officer guide, and a Some recent publications are S. Rubenson's King scheming secretary, all in the highlands together of Kings: Tewodros of Ethiopia, published in Addis when they are captured by the Emperor. Ababa in 1966. The March to Magdaia by Myatt, Scholefield creates several new characters and uses Frederick, published in 1970 by Leo Cooper. And in Tewodros and the events of Magdaia as the 1973 R.J. Pankhurst's essay "The Library of Emperor historical backdrop. Being an experienced novel­ Tewodros II at Magdaia " appeared in Bulletin of ist, he moves the story at a faster, more telling the School of Oriental and African Studies, Univer­ pace. Nevertheless, both novels pale when com­ sity of London, XXXVI, 15-42 . And more recently, pared to Alan Moorehead's prose and narrative Oxford Press published in 1979, The Abyssinian skill in The Blue Nile,* first published in 1962. Difficulty: The Emperor Theodorus and the Magdaia Campaign, 1867-68 by Sir Darrell Bates. Moorehead's incomparable The Blue Nile Moorehead spends roughly 70 pages of his 330- I am sure I have missed other accounts, but for page book on Emperor Tewodros, the British anyone interested in this historical moment in expedition, the battle on the Arogi plateau, and Ethiopia, the books I've mentioned are a good seizure of Magdaia, and it is a fascinating tale. start. And it is a great story.

"There has never been in modern times a colonial John Coyne is the editor of the www.PeaceCorpsWriters.org campaign quite like the British expedition to and editor of living On The Edge: Fiction by Peace Corps Writers published by Curbstone Press in 2000. He •Available in the Ef.E RPCVs library. has written or edited over twenty books.

Summer 2002 41 Seeing the Sights

Tourism in Ethiopia

IN JANUARY, the government of Ethiopia began whose outstanding values should be preserved for issuing tourist visas at arrival points within the all humanity": country. According to the Ethiopian Security and Immigration Affairs Authority (SIAA), travelers from Rock-hewn Churches , Lalibela - "The u "thirty-three tourist-generating countries" - medieval monolithic cave churches of this including the United States - will be able to get 13th-century 'New Jerusalem ' are situated in a their Ethiopian visas as they enter the country at mountainous region in the heart of Ethiopia Bole International Airport. An SIAA official called near a traditional village with circular-shaped upon tour operators to take advantage of the easier dwellings. Lalibel a is a high place of Ethio­ entry process. pian Christianity, still today a place of pilgrimage and devotion." According to the Ethiopian Tourism Commission (ETC), visitors accounted for an income of more Simien National Park - "Massive erosion over than US$77 million in Ethiopia in 2001, marking a the years on the Ethiopian plateau has created thirty-percent increase over the previous year. An one of the most spectacular landscapes in the estimated 146,600 tourists entered Ethiopia in 2001. world, with jagged mountain peaks, deep "The income from tourism plays a very important valleys and sharp precipices dropping some part in the development of the country," said an 4,500 feet . The park is home to some ex­ ETC spokesperson. "We need foreign currency." tremely rare animals such as the Gelada According to official projections, the ETC has set a baboon, the Si men fox and the Walia ibex, a goal of 320,000 tourists to come to Ethiopia, travel, goat found nowhere else in the world." (This and leave behind appreciable foreign exchanges. site is designated as "in Danger" by the World The Ethiopian-Eritrean war caused severe decreases Heritage Committee. in tourists coming to Ethiopia. In 2000, it is Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region - "In the 16th estimated that only SUS 16 million came to the and 17th centuries, the fortress-city of Fasil national coffers from tourism. Ghebbi was the residence of the Ethiopian Among the favored sites for visitors are Aksum, emperor Fasilides and his successors. Sur­ Lalibela, Gondar, and the Simien Mountains. rounded by a 900-m-long wall, the city contains palaces, churches, monasteries and UNESCO has designated seven "World Heritage" unique public and private buildings marked locations of special importance in Ethiopia - "sites by Hindu and Arab influences, subsequently

42 THE HERALD transformed by the Baroque style brought to vehicles at the time as well. Four suspects have Gondar by the Jesuit missionaries." been detained following the tourist's death.

Aksum - "The ruins of the ancient city of Aksum are found close to Ethiopia 's northern border. They mark the location of the heart of Enjoying the Simiens ancient Ethiopia, when the Kingdom of Aksum In March, Colin Barraclough of the London Finan­ was the most powerful state between the cial Times filed a story, "Following in the Footsteps Eastern Roman Empire and Persia. The massive of Menelik." Writing from a location in the Simien ruins, dating from between the 1st and the 13th Mountains, Barraclough told of the safety and century A.D., include monolithic obelisks, beauty of his adventure - giant stelae, royal tombs and the ruins of ancient castles. Long after its political decline "It is safe enough in the Simiens .. . . We in the 10th century, Ethiopian emperors climb sometimes on horseback, sometimes continued to be crowned in Aksum ." walking through heather-carpeted moors and rolling savannah that gives way to a Lower Valley of the Awash jungly undergrowth of a lushness that Lower Valley of the Omo - A prehistoric site surprises me. The higher slopes are car­ near Lake Turkana, the lower valley of the Omo peted by occasional forests of giant lobelia, is renowned the world over. The discovery of a spiky, yucca-type plant endemic to many fossils there, especially Homo gracilis, Ethiopia." has been of fundamental importance in the Barraclough described his encounters with ba­ study of human evolution. boons and his search for the rare fox of the Ti ya - Tiya is among the most important_of mountains, of which there are an estimated 100 the roughly 160 archaeological sites discovered surviving. He saw no foxes . He and his guide also so far in the Soddo region, south of Addis looked for the rare Walia ibex, the mountain sheep Ababa. The site contains 36 monuments, living among the ledges and slopes of the Simiens. including 32 carved stelae covered with A half-dozen years ago an estimated 250 were left symbols, most of which are difficult to alive. He actually spotted a family of six through decipher. They are the remains of an ancient his binoculars skipping along about a quarter­ Ethiopian culture whose age has not yet been mile away: "I lie entranced, captivated by the precisely determined. delicate movements and fine balance of this rarest of creatures." Go to http://whc.unesco.org/ for more about World Heritage and the designated sites. He also wrote a few words about Ethiopian roads - "I decide, an hour outside Debark, that Ethiopia could do with a little more asphalt. Shiftas at work On the map, only 12okm separates Debark from Axum, but it is a hellish ten hours in a The BBC monitoring service reports that shiftas bus that rarely gets above second gear. A killed a South African tourist on the road from serpent of a route, it winds up and down Bahir Dar to Gondar in February. Drawing upon the volcanic cones of northern Ethiopia, reports from the Ethiopian News Agency: bandits past dark green eucalyptus and flat-topped shot the man, who was traveling with his family in acacia. Behind, the Simien cliffs guard the the area of Teklehaimanot, near Gondar. The victim horizon. " was shot as he tried to escape a barricade of stones placed on the road. The shiftas were robbing other

Su mmer 2002 43 An editorial by Hayward Allen

Indulge Me

Not Necessarily an Editorial

A THE PEACE CORPS CONFERENCE and reunion The Peace Corps may be saluting its 40•1 anniver­ opening ceremonies commence in Washington in sary, but there are a bunch of us Ef.E RPCVs who are June, there will be a number of us who were there lighting two score candles on top of a cake we four decades ago, in a different part of town, at baked ourselves. We mixed the ingredients in Georgetown University. We are the old farts of the Georgetown forty years ago, and we're still eating Peace Corps, but if you look at the Steering and enjoying that cake. Committee that drives Ef.E RPCVs you 'II find an I think that's why we're on the Steering Committee. ungodly number of us '62-'64 PCVs on the list: Not just because we "have the time," for the fact is Marian Haley Beil , Leo Cecchini, John Coyne, Dave that most of us are as busy as if we were slogging Gurr, and myself. And add one year to include through 8-to-5 days £. 40-hour weeks still. Maybe '63-'65 PCVs and there we find Gloria Gieske we are just like concerned grandparents striving to Curtis, Gerry Hoffman, Judy Smith, and Jim perpetuate idealism in our progeny, to continue Solomon. Add to this list another Steering Commit­ something in which we believed deeply a long tee member C.J . Smith Castagnaro, librarian Joe time ago, and still find meaningful. Ciuffini and Laurie and Wayne Kessler long-time Asmara correspondents, and the exceptional If there were ever an appropriate metaphor, it is editorial networking of Shlomo Bachrach and Michael Santarelli's "Making an Ethiopian Tukul," Robert Crepeau, all 1960s PCVs. So many of our reviewed in this issue of The Herald. I dare anyone generation have done stuff as Ef.E RPCVs . with our experiences at heart to fail to miss the significance of his loving slide show begun three It is easy to say that because we're all in our 6os or decades ago when he watched the building of his so, caught in the net of retirement, etc., we have home Gurage-style. the time so we can do this thing, keeping the interest alive, feeding on the fascination and love I certainly appreciated the 10-month visual for the places we served and lived long ago in documentation, for it illuminated the craft and Ethiopia and Eritrea. But that's not exactly true. tradition of house-building. I could only marvel at the parallels between our own American barn­ JFK Old Farts, maybe. Could be that we were also raising, that classic community-driven effort. kids of New Dealers. Maybe just young idealists Santarelli moved into the tukul and lived there caught between civil rights and the Marshall Plan until his time of service ended. and the atomic bomb. Maybe we just hit the time with skinny neckties and bouffant hair-dos and But what I really liked was the fact that he returned were just discovering that if we had or hadn't almost three decades later to see what had hap­ ridden a bus in the Deep South, we might do pened to his home. It had evolved into a stable something else that could be morally significant. filled with animals, with several improvements added over the years . But it was still a place where Then a poetic political invitation held us en­ there was life, where he lived. thralled: "Ask not what ... "

44 THE HERALD THE HERALD

Editor: Hayward Allen (Harar 62-64)

Design E. di stribution: Marian Haley Beil (Debre Berhan 62-64)

Contributing editor - Shlomo Bachrach (Staff: training: PC/Eth 66-68, UCLA 64, St. Thomas 68).

Those who have shared articles, ideas and efforts for this issue - John Coyne (Addis Ababa 62-64), Laurie E. Wayne Kessler (Adi In a sense, we are like Santarelli's tukul. We, as Teclesan 64-66), Cynthia Tse Kimberlin (Adi very young people, did build upon an American Ugri, Asmara 62-64), Mary Gratiot Schultz (Adi tradition when we answered the ca ll of the Peace Ugri 65-67), Ellen Shively (Asmara 68-70). Corps to do something. Together, just as the THE HERALD wishes to thank them. They are Gurage tukul-builders did, we cut wood, shaped greatly appreciated. walls, raised roofs , and opened doors and win­ News summaries in The Herald were compiled dows. and rewritten from dozens of news stories It wasn't just the Old Farts in Ethiopia and Eritrea, forwarded to The Herald by Shlomo Bachrach. either. We just opened a couple of gates others Sources for the news summaries: Addis Ababa could go through. Years later, and going through Tribune; All Africa Global Media rougher times politically and personally, you EE.E 1 (allAfrica.com); Daily Monitor of Addis Ababa; RPCVs who follow ed had to deal with some ~ Associated Press; BBC; East African Standard; problems we quite likely created. t Eritrea New Agency; Ethiopian Government The anniversary conference of the Peace Corps will Information Services, International Organiza­ no doubt be fascinating in its spectrum and its ' tion of Migrat ion; New York Times; Panafrican scope. EE.E RPCVs will be there, again, in impres­ News Agency; United Nations in Eritrea and sive numbers. While there might not be superiority .. Ethiopia; U.N. Integrated Regional Information in numbers, I reckon that Ethiopian and Eritrean Network; USAToday; Visafric; Washington Post; RPCVs have a touch of the exceptional in their Wonchif. veins and memories. J Sources for other articles include: the Peace li Blame it on Harris Wofford .. . but I'll miss Beulah .. Corps , the National Peace Corps Association; 4 and Blythe. ;; PeaceCorpsWriters .org.

~>. -Hayward Allen : If you would like to submit an article to be S considered for publication, it would be t appreciated if it is submitted digitally - via f email or on disk (labeled as to software and i computer used and with a hard copy).

I(i Photo submissions are enthusiastically ti welcomed . They should be clear, with images '':~ large enough to be easily discerned. All photos Ii will be returned. I Send all to: Hayward Allen 264 Garnsey Road Pittsford, NY 14534. email: halleno2 @rochester. rr. com

Summer 2002 45 :::; J~ E&E RPCVs Steering Committee ~; Support officers I Other contacts f

Hayward Allen Gloria Gieseke Curtis Joe Ciuffini ii Embassy of Eritrea Ethiopia t Eritrea (Harar 62-64) (Asmara 6r65) (Harar 64-66) ii 1708 New Hampshire RPCVs Newsletter editor Membership renewals Librarian f Ave, NW c/o Marian Haley Beil 264 Garnsey Road 15670 W 64th Place 188 Cabot St J Washington, DC 20009 4 Lodge Pole Road Pittsford, NY 14534 Arvada, CO 80007-6937 Newton, MA 02158 202/319-1991 Pittsford, NY 14534-4550 585/264-9162 h f, w: 303/ 422-37 42 617 /244-0463 585/223-1I55 Embassy of Ethiopia [email protected] Don_Curtis @msn.com [email protected] email: 3506 International Dr. [email protected] NW Marian Haley Beil Dave Curr NOTE: All materials in www.EthiopiaEritreaRPCVs.org (Debre Berhan 62-64) (Addis Ababa 62-64) the Ef..E RPCVs library Washington, DC 20008 Chair, database, en CORPS can be borrowed at no 202/364-1200 EtE Library treasurer 43II Loyola Ave cost by members of the Fax (202)686-9551 c/o Joe Ciuffini 4 Lodge Pole Road Alexandria, VA 22304 group. Go to our email: (Harar 64-66) Pittsford, NY 14534 703/370-2553 website for a listing of ethiopia@ethiopian 188 Cabot St 58sf223-u55 fax : 7031370-1861 the library contents - embassy.erg Newton, MA 02158 fax 716/223-u58 [email protected] or contact Joe if you are www .ethiopian 617/244-0463 mhbeil @rochester. TT .com not online. embassy.erg/ [email protected] Cerry Hoffman C.J. Smith Castagnaro (Mekele 63-65) Ray Donaldson (Ambo, National Peace Corps Peace Corps Collection (Harar; Debre Zeit; 445 Third Street Debre Berhan 62-64) Association (NPCA) John F. Kennedy Library Addis Ababa 65-66, Brooklyn, NY 11215-2983 Advocacy Coordinator 1900 L St, NW, Suite 205 Columbia Point 67-69) 718/768-8518 7028 Loganberry Ln Washington, DC 20036 Boston, MA 02125 Reunions [email protected] Fulton MD 20759 202/293-7728 617 /929-4524 II24 Walnut Grove Ave. 301/776-0208 fax : 202/293-7554 Judy Smith Books for Africa Rosemead, CA 91770 raydonaldson@ email: (Asmara 63-65) 5233 Silver Maple Circle 626/280-1087 hotmail.com rpcvmem @aol.com 7628 17th St NW Minneapolis, MN 55343 [email protected] www.rpcv.org Washington DC 20012 email: bfa mtn. org Leo Cecchini 202/882-3021 Peace Corps www.booksforafrica.org (Asmara 62-64) [email protected] rm 20th St NW Books for Ethiopia Peace Initiative Washington, DC 20526 Jim Solomon Literacy Project 16970-C San Carlos Blvd. 800/424-8580 (Massawa, Jimma 63- http:// #z43 www.peacecorps.gov 65) www.myethiopia.com/ Ft. Myers Fl 33908 Returned Volunteer 28484 Mission Blvd Information/ 347 /7 42-6619 Services - 202/692- #304 Books32ofor320 [email protected] 1430; Fellows/USA - Hayward, CA 94544 202/692-1440, Ethiopia.htm John Coyne 510/538-9889 fellows @peacecorps.gov; (Addis Ababa 62-64) lsj63@ix. netcom. com Crisis Corps - 202/ Steering Committee 692-2250; Post­ Book Locker Project service medical 99 Reed Avenue benefits - 202/692- Pelham Manor, NY 1540 10803 914/738-8212 fax 914/738-821I jpcoyne@cnr. edu

46 THE HERALD Send your email address to E&E RPCVs Almost daily now EE.E RPCVs receives requests from friends looking for friends. Facilitate that commu­ nication by sending your email address to: mhbeil @rochester. rr. com

As a bonus, you will receive announcements more quickly, and help economize on time, printing and postage.

ETHIOPIA & ERITREA RPCVs membership $40 Annual Dues (which include $25 National Peace Corps Association Name membership dues)

Address $15 If you are currently a paying member of the National Peace Corps Association

1 year free membership to newly Ci ty, state. zip. co untry E-mail address returned RPCVs

Na me when in the Peace Corps if different from above Make your check payable to: Ethiopia E. Eritrea RPCVs Home phone Wor k phone

Please send to : Home fa x Work fa x Ethiopia E. Eritrea RPCVs Dates of Peace Corps-Ethiopia or Eritrea service Ci ty/town of service c/o Marian Haley Beil 4 Lodge Pole Road Group' Tra ining site Type of program Pittsford, NY 14534-4550

Other Peac e Corps se rv ice - as staff or Volunteer - and dates

Summer 2002 47 Decoding the mailing label The date on the mailing label indicates when your membership in Ern10P1A f, ERITREARPCVs expires.

"Expired" indicates that your membership has expired since the publication of the previous issue of The Herald. PLEASE renew your membership and support the group. Otherwise, this is the last issue of The Herald you will receive.

"Trial •25" - we thought you might be interested in learning what the Ef.E RPCVs group does and in seeing our newsletter. Perhaps you 'd like to join us?

A membership form can be found on page 47 .

Married couples One of your names has been arbitrarily selected to receive the newsletter to save duplication. Please don't feel left out if you name isn't on the label unless you have separate addresses.

Ethiopia & Eritrea RPCVs FI RST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE c/o Marian Haley Beil PAID 4 Lodge Pole Road Leesburg, FL Pittsfo rd, NY 14534-4550 Permit No. rn40

Address service requested