New Ethiopian law cripples NGOs
20 November, 2009 | By Geoffrey York
“You are doomed either way,” says Kumlachew Dagne, a lawyer
and executive member of the Ethiopian Bar Association.
Across the country, civil-society groups are closing offices, laying off
staff and cutting back their activities. It's all because of a new law,
approved this year by Ethiopia's authoritarian government, that
imposes tough new limits on any group that gets more than 10 per
cent of its funding from foreign sources. Such groups are barred
from working on human rights, democracy, justice, ethnicity, gender,
conflict resolution, or even children's rights.
The new law on civil-society groups is one of the most restrictive in
the world, comparable to those of Russia and Zimbabwe, according
to Human Rights Watch, an independent group.
In a bid to keep some freedom, many Ethiopian groups are giving up
their foreign support, even though it means drastic cuts and layoffs.
The Ethiopian Bar Association, which gets much of its financing from
the Canadian Bar Association, will have to give up those funds and
dismiss most of its staff. “We'll have to scale back our activities,”
Mr. Kumlachew says. “It's a big change for us.”
Another prominent group, the Ethiopian Women Lawyers
Association, which works to solve issues such as domestic violence,
will have to dismiss most of the 65 staff at its head office. Many
other groups, including some relief agencies, are also laying off
employees.
In the last Ethiopian election in 2005, civil-society groups had a
crucial role in organizing debates, educating voters and monitoring
the voting. But with a new election approaching in May, the
government is tightening its grip on the country, cracking down on
any groups that could jeopardize its chances of a landslide victory.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Council, which had 12 regional
branches and 60 paid staff last year, will end up with only three
branches and 13 staff by next year. “It is painful, extremely painful,”
said Yoseph Mulugeta, secretary-general of the rights council.
“This is the most difficult situation we have faced in the 18 years of
our existence,” he said. “It's a significant blow to our effectiveness,
our morale and our visibility.”
Courtesy
Another Way Into Ethiopia – Trucks,
Rhythm, Food and Life
20 November, 2009 | WFP Logistics Blog
Every day dozens of WFP chartered vessels ply the oceans of the
world en route to distant ports. Laden with food the vessels steer
their course towards the continents of Asia, South America and
Africa where the need is often greatest. The beautiful highlands of
Ethiopia have long struggled to support that proud nation’s
burgeoning population but have often been unable to meet the
demand. As a result WFP has been asked to step in and establish a
vital food lifeline from countries around the world whose grain
surpluses can meet the needs of the Ethiopian people
For years the Port of Djibouti served as the main port of call for all
food flowing into landlocked Ethiopia. Following the separation of
Eritrea from Ethiopia in 1993, Ethiopia, which once had the privilege
of using the ports of Asab and Massawa along the Red Sea coast,
suddenly found itself reliant upon the tiny nation of Djibouti for
access to the Gulf Of Aden, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. An
increase in commercial cargo, humanitarian cargo and government
cargo led to congestion in the Port of Djibouti and strained the
overland transport capacity to Ethiopia.....More
20 November, 2009 | By Geoffrey York
- Under a
controversial
new law,
Ethiopia's
beleaguered
civil-society
groups are
facing an awful
choice:
Surrender
almost all of
their funding,
“You are doomed either way,” says Kumlachew Dagne, a lawyer
and executive member of the Ethiopian Bar Association.
Across the country, civil-society groups are closing offices, laying off
staff and cutting back their activities. It's all because of a new law,
approved this year by Ethiopia's authoritarian government, that
imposes tough new limits on any group that gets more than 10 per
cent of its funding from foreign sources. Such groups are barred
from working on human rights, democracy, justice, ethnicity, gender,
conflict resolution, or even children's rights.
The new law on civil-society groups is one of the most restrictive in
the world, comparable to those of Russia and Zimbabwe, according
to Human Rights Watch, an independent group.
In a bid to keep some freedom, many Ethiopian groups are giving up
their foreign support, even though it means drastic cuts and layoffs.
The Ethiopian Bar Association, which gets much of its financing from
the Canadian Bar Association, will have to give up those funds and
dismiss most of its staff. “We'll have to scale back our activities,”
Mr. Kumlachew says. “It's a big change for us.”
Another prominent group, the Ethiopian Women Lawyers
Association, which works to solve issues such as domestic violence,
will have to dismiss most of the 65 staff at its head office. Many
other groups, including some relief agencies, are also laying off
employees.
In the last Ethiopian election in 2005, civil-society groups had a
crucial role in organizing debates, educating voters and monitoring
the voting. But with a new election approaching in May, the
government is tightening its grip on the country, cracking down on
any groups that could jeopardize its chances of a landslide victory.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Council, which had 12 regional
branches and 60 paid staff last year, will end up with only three
branches and 13 staff by next year. “It is painful, extremely painful,”
said Yoseph Mulugeta, secretary-general of the rights council.
“This is the most difficult situation we have faced in the 18 years of
our existence,” he said. “It's a significant blow to our effectiveness,
our morale and our visibility.”
Courtesy
Another Way Into Ethiopia – Trucks,
Rhythm, Food and Life
20 November, 2009 | WFP Logistics Blog
Every day dozens of WFP chartered vessels ply the oceans of the
world en route to distant ports. Laden with food the vessels steer
their course towards the continents of Asia, South America and
Africa where the need is often greatest. The beautiful highlands of
Ethiopia have long struggled to support that proud nation’s
burgeoning population but have often been unable to meet the
demand. As a result WFP has been asked to step in and establish a
vital food lifeline from countries around the world whose grain
surpluses can meet the needs of the Ethiopian people
For years the Port of Djibouti served as the main port of call for all
food flowing into landlocked Ethiopia. Following the separation of
Eritrea from Ethiopia in 1993, Ethiopia, which once had the privilege
of using the ports of Asab and Massawa along the Red Sea coast,
suddenly found itself reliant upon the tiny nation of Djibouti for
access to the Gulf Of Aden, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. An
increase in commercial cargo, humanitarian cargo and government
cargo led to congestion in the Port of Djibouti and strained the
overland transport capacity to Ethiopia.....More
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