Britain urged to lift Ethiopia aid ban
Britain should lift the suspension of new aid to Ethiopia, and other nations should continue to support the government despite disputed elections and political violence that has left 42 people dead, a UN envoy said today.
Martti Ahtisaari, special envoy for the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa, said as many as eight million people in Ethiopia will depend on foreign aid this year for survival.
Britain suspended STG£20 million after Ethiopian police opened fire on protesters demonstrating against suspected poll rigging. On Thursday, EU election observers said the May 15 general elections in Ethiopia did not meet international standards.
Ethiopian officials have insisted that the elections were free and fair.
The vote was seen as a key test of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's commitment to democratic reform in Ethiopia. Meles also serves on Prime Minister Tony Blair's Commission for Africa, and had been seen as a leader of reform efforts in Africa.
Ahtisaari, a former Finnish president, said the effort to help the poorest people in Ethiopia should be a separate matter from the elections.
I hope the negotiations continue,'' he said of Ethiopia's talks with Britain. Whatever has happened, humanitarian assistance should never be politicised. All those that are in need should be helped.''
Ahtisaari spent eight days in Eritrea and Ethiopia, where more than 10 million people require food aid. In Eritrea, food insecurity has left more than two thirds of the country's four million people dependent on outside help.
In Ethiopia, a $200 million a year pilot scheme has been launched to try and end chronic hunger and dependency among more than one in ten of the nation's 71 million people.
Each year, foreign nations inject $1.9 billion into Ethiopia in food and development aid, but the country remains among the poorest in the world.
Source: http://www.unison.ie 13:40 Sunday August 28th 2005
Comment: My only comment is on the last paragraph: Ethiopia receives $1.9 billion annually for food and development aid. Why do we have 10 - 14 million each year suffering from hunger. Why are they pouring money in if the government doesn't have adequate plans to feed its own people with the help that it is receiving from donors. Why are not the donors asking these questions? You know another fact- in countries like Ethiopia any aid help that comes for the hungry and the poor - governments claim they are feeding and housing the people and the recipients also are made to believe that their government is doing everything it can to feed them. In reality, it is the donors that are feeding the people and not the governments. They create dependency for control of the population and they ask the poor to support them in maintaining power. Another way that governments control people is by maintaining land ownesrhip. The government of Ethiopia owns all land and allocates it to farmers based on patronage and dolling favors for support from the people when the government needs it. Donors are aware of that as well. But, what are they doing about it? Reasonable people should ask and if they do not get reasonable answers they should investigate and act to make sure the aid is going to the people that need it the most and not to carry favors for the government's objectives. Kebede
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To the Representatives of International Donor Agencies/Countries,
Dear sirs,
This is to remind you that no body in Ethiopia demanded to ban foreign aid for the poor; even the so called opposition political parties donot have such inhuman stand aginst their people. But what has been frequently condemned by every concerned Ethiopians is the apparent theft commited by top officials of the incumbent government. Because you could easily find out all the money (1.9Billion dollar a year for the last 14 years)that you had given to Ethiopian people in the private accounts of the top officials of the ruling party including the primeminister and his wife. If the donors are interested to know the fact they can trace it in the banks of Maleysia, Newyork and other renowned western banks.
Therefore, what the entire population of Ethiopia have now decided is 'no more direct budgetry support for the government until a legitmate and trustworthy government comes to power'. Until then donor countries should have to develope Some other effective strategy to reach the poors who are in need of you help rather than giving the money to the government.
If you can only do this the people of Ethiopia may be grateful to you if not we would like to assure you that your representatives in Ethiopia and the government officials are the benificieries of the aid in the name of Ethiopians.
From Gonder
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