Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba contests the 1,500m and 3,000m at the IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018 that will be held from March1 to 4. The 27-year-old leads the twelve member Ethiopian national squad (five women and seven men) that took part in six disciplines including Genzebe’s favorite double 1,500 & 3,000 meter races.
Genzebe has earned three world indoor titles, winning the 1,500m in 2012 and the 3,000m in 2014 and 2016. A slightly more forgiving schedule for this year’s edition – with the 3,000m held as a straight final on Thursday night, followed by the 1,500m heats on Friday and the 1,500m final on Saturday – means Dibaba will double up for the first time at a World Indoor Championship event.
Fellow defending 3,000m champion Yomif Kejelcha has also been named to the team and will be joined by world indoor leader Selomon Barega.
Ethiopia has named three athletes in several events. Pending the conclusion of the IAAF World Indoor Tour, some may be eligible to compete as a wild card entrant or may simply be entered as a reserve.
Ethiopian team for Birmingham
Men
800m: Mohammed Aman
1500m: Samuel Tefera, Taresa Tolosa, Aman Wote
3000m: Selemon Barega, Hagos Gebrhiwet, Yomif Kejelcha
Women
800m: Habitam Alemu
1500m: Genzebe Dibaba, Dawit Seyaum, Gudaf Tsegay
3000m: Genzebe Dibaba, Dawit Seyaum, Fantu Worku
Golden girl Genzebe spearheads Ethiopian team at Birmingham 2018
Ephrem Bekele
Name: Ephrem Bekele
Education: BSC in electrical engineering
Company name: Red Movies and Software Gallery
Title: Founder and Manager
Founded in: 2016
What it does: Sells software and movies
HQ: Ahmed building, behind Dejazmach Balcha Hospital
Number of employees: one
Startup Capital: 30,000 birr
Current capital: Growing
Reasons for starting the business: Interested in business
Biggest perks of Ownership: I’ve become more responsible
Biggest strength: Commitment
Biggest challenge: Meeting the customer’s needs
Plan: Expanding the business
First career: Electrical design and installation
Most interested in meeting: Astrologist Abenet Seme’
Most admired person: Ato Lema Bayssa
Stress reducer: Writing
Favorite past-time: Going to church
Favorite book: Ye Ethiopia Kokeb by Astrologist Abenet Seme
Favorite destination: Israel
Favorite automobile: Toyota land cruiser V-8
About dirt
Those of us who are privileged to have a car will have noticed that our car is dirty most of the time. Many car owners take their holy cow to a place in the city once a week, where they can have it thoroughly cleaned and washed. Chances are though that soon after the weekly make over, the vehicle looks as if it has not been cleaned at all. Why is this so? With the hesitant drizzles we have just received over the past week or so, the raindrops bring a lot of dirt along with them from the sky and while one expects that some rain will help to keep the car clean it becomes very dirty instead. After the raindrops have evaporated from our polished bonnet, the dirt remains behind, giving it a very dirty look indeed. It just shows how polluted our air in the city really is.
Worldwide air pollution is responsible for large numbers of deaths and cases of respiratory disease. Gases such as carbon dioxide, which contribute to global warming, are gaining recognition as major pollutants.
While major stationary sources like factories are often identified with air pollution, the greatest source of emissions is in fact mobile, mainly automobiles. This is no different in Addis Abeba as there are hardly any factories in the city centre as compared to the ever-increasing numbers of cars. In addition, meals are cooked in many homes by burning wood sending vast amounts of domestic smoke into the air. Cars, buses and trucks with diesel engines seem the worst polluters as they spit out huge amounts of black exhaust right into the face of pedestrians walking along the road. It is not only a lack of modern exhaust filters; it is also a lack of maintenance, while many cars are assembled at sea level and not tuned to the altitude of Addis Abeba where the oxygen/fuel mixture is negatively affected by the thinner air.
I came across a news item of some time ago about another city, affected by air pollution. This is what it said:
“More than 1,600 people have been taken to hospitals as pollution in the capital reaches critical levels, health officials have said. Hospitals have reported increased cases of heart attacks and breathing problems, while many residents are complaining of fatigue and headaches. Public offices and schools have been closed in an attempt to reduce traffic and clear the city’s blanket of smog. Authorities have warned of thousands of casualties if pollution levels persist. There is no wind or rain and the dirty air is trapped on top of the city by the mountains surrounding it. The health ministry said the extent of deaths and casualties from pollution were “not less” than those in a recent plane crash, which killed more than 100 people. However, there is no official confirmation of any smog-related deaths. From Monday, cars will only be allowed into the city centre on alternate days, depending on whether their number plates start with odd or even numbers. Authorities have blamed the severe smog on emissions from cars. It is estimated that up to 5,000 people die every year from air pollution in the city.”
Admittedly, the pollution in Addis Abeba may not have reached such serious levels yet and the numbers of cars and polluting industries are still far less than in other cities around the world but we are moving in that direction. And continuing in that direction without taking measures will one day result in a situation as described above.
Imagine the effect such a situation has on the economy, which we are desperately trying to boost. Many workers will be less effective while health related costs will become a burden for society. Meanwhile we will continue to contribute to global warming while we should find ways to reduce emissions and thus reduce global warming, which is believed to be a major cause for climate change of which we increasingly see the effects regionally and locally. More frequent and serious periods of drought, followed by floods are situations that do not contribute to economic growth, do they?
Talking about our environment, bad air is not the only result of pollution in the city. There are other obvious signs of pollution, which negatively affect the environment we live and work in. The other day, I had a visitor from abroad in my car and he just couldn’t believe all the dirt he saw lying around town and along the roads. Surely, the way we deal with domestic and industrial waste is an issue here. And while there are some initiatives in collecting domestic waste, this doesn’t go much further than taking it out of sight to a dump somewhere else in the neighbourhood where it lies rotting and stinking away a number of days before taken to the city waste dump. The health hazards are obvious. I could go on but I guess I made my point. Pollution negatively affects our health and economic growth. Something needs to be done about it, in terms of legislation, yes but probably more so by investors, industrial sectors and individuals becoming aware of their contributions to it and developing a consciousness to change our attitude towards the environment we live and work in.
Ton Haverkort
We should love one another
Andualem Aragie was the Vice President and Press Secretary for Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJP) party and he has two children named Nolawi and Ruth from his wife Dr. Selam Aschalew. He was serving a life sentence on terrorism charges and was imprisoned on September 14, 2011. It was his second time in prison. A couple of weeks ago he was pardoned by the government and set free from the prison in Kality.
He argues that the current political protests in the country will stop if discussions occur between the government and other stakeholders both here and abroad. Capital’s Reporter Tesfaye Getnet talked to him at his home about his time in prison and the current situation in Ethiopia.
Capital: What was it like to be in prison for six years?
Andualem Aragie: The years in prison were long and were filled by many ups and downs. It was a harsh environment.
Thanks to God my strong wife properly took care of our two children who had to grow up without a father during the years I stayed in prison. She visited me regularly and brought me food and other things like she did when I was imprisoned for two years for the things I did for UDPJ in the 2005 election.
And my two kids visited me so often by challenging the gravel road that brings you to the prison. The treatment I got in prison was very bad, much worse than my pervious prison life. In ’Meaklwai’ Prison I was put in a dark room in Kality for two and a half years with 18 people who had committed terrible crimes.
The room we were in was small. There were no mattresses we slept on an uneven floor. Soon I developed a problem with my back bone, which is a medical condition where a person feels as if they or the objects around them are moving when they are not. I did not receive the necessary medical treatment for this. Prisoners would often fight which was disturbing. Eventually I was transferred to the so called White House cell for eight months. I was housed with the journalist Eskinder Nega.
Then I was moved to another ground room with no window. My cellmate was Melaku Fenta, the former director of the Ethiopian Revenue and Customs Authority.
I began to experience problems with my mental health. I wrote two books in this room which were sold on the market along with many poems.
Capital: The Government says they are releasing people to help foster sustainable peace what is your opinion about this?
Andualem: I believe that the releasing of prisoners did not come from the will of the government but the pressure of the people. However, it is a positive starting point. I see that the pressure from the mass have been a contributing factor in convincing the government to change some things.
It is a positive start but it is a spark not a full light. There is always a struggle to get a government powered by its people. If a country is not governed based on the will of its people it does not matter if you build roads, railways, apartments or other infrastructure because people are great when they take ownership of their nation. They want to keep their dignity. The recent protests were a testimony that people were asking for their rights. They were asking for democracy. However, I strongly advise people that they should not burn buildings, damage property or act violently when asking for change. With peaceful dialogue radical change can come.
Capital: How did you feel when you found out UDPJ was fragmented?
Andualem: I don’t deny that I felt sorrow. The problem stems from the party’s weakness and outside pressure. However, it is a natural process. We must ask ourselves, however, if the playing field is level. After the 2005 election the government did not mind the opposition until it gained traction. It is a common practice by the government to oppress, jail and disturb when opposition parties get attention. Now, however, many young activists are asking for democracy which makes me happy. Like I have written before if the government does not allow opposition parties to join the public square then people should work without parties and that is what we have seen.
Capital: Do you feel the PM’s recent resignation will make a difference?
Andualem: It is not the first time a PM has resigned. In the late 1960’s Aklilu Habtewold also resigned during the time of Hailelselassie. I don’t know if it will do much or not if you do not make systemic changes you usually end up with the same issues. For example the late PM Meles Zenawi is gone but we have similar problems. We need an inclusive discussion where everyone can participate regardless of their political views.
Capital: What do you think about the state of emergency?
Andualem: It is a paradox for me. The government should open wide discussions with the people to understand the reasons behind the protest, the logic behind the unrest. Without providing a solution applying a state of emergency is moving the people from the dark to another dark place. It is about time to call all stakeholders who are concerned about their country to provide solutions.
Capital: What about the ethnic tensions?
Andualem: In the country there are several parties who want democracy and now they are working together which is very important for Ethiopia. It is very bad to have an ethnic mindset, we must work together for our country. Dictatorship is inhuman but racism is worse. We must fight this kind of barbarism to make a peaceful country. We are not human if we attack somebody based on the languages they speak or the tribe they belong to. When we slaughter an animal there is pity in our heart so attacking people is wrong. One hundred years ago our fore fathers who spoke different languages and came from different areas and fought foreign aggression by uniting themselves and they did not attack each other and after 100 years we who are living in modern times must not attack our brothers and sisters. We should love one another.
Capital: What do you think might happen if the current unrest continues?
Andualem: People want to live a better life with a better system. The government should accept the reality and come up with wise solutions. I am sure that if the government is responsive to people then people will not protest. We have a great opportunity to write the history of Ethiopian democracy.
We had great civilizations in Axum and other fantastic histories in Adwa and Lalibila but we don’t have yet a peaceful power transition and the current government has the opportunity to do that. It is about to do big things like Lemma Megersa who is doing good things for the country and other ruling party leaders should follow his example.
Capital: Why do you think there is no a strong opposition party?
Andualem: Frankly speaking most of the opposition leaders give more priority to self-centered thinking instead of the nation, if we work on a national agenda we can come together but we divide each other and the reason for this is self-centered thinking. We cannot create a strong nation by continuously being divided. We should be inspired by those that have sacrificed before us and do things to benefit the next generation. We should not care about our status as long as we are serving the people.
Capital: Do you think the Diaspora needs to get more involved?
Andualem: We all are working for our country. I appreciate the work of the Diaspora but we need to work together more.
Capital: What do you plan to do now?
Andualem: I spent many years in prison so I don’t have enough information about all the aspects of the country. I want to read books, meet my friends and understand the atmosphere. Then I will announce what I will do for my beloved Ethiopia. I want to spend a lot of time with my children who did not get their father’s love when I was in prison.
