Last Wednesday, Siraj Fegessa, Minister of Defense and Secretariat of the National Security Council, gave a one hour press conference at Military Officers Club where he provided an update on the unrest along Somali, Oromia border region.
He said that so far Somali police have not arrested a person suspected of being involved in a recent border clash between the two regions.
In Ethiopia’s Somali region, 29 arrest warrants were handed out but only 12 people have been captured. In Oromia 26 arrest warrants have been issued but only three are in custody, Siraj said.
“We are not happy with what we see as slow action being taken by the two regions to capture people suspected of violence,” he said.
In February and March, hundreds were reported to have been killed in the southern Oromia district of NegeleBorena.
Ethnic Oromos allege that the Liyu Police of Somalia Region, which has previously been accused by rights groups of human rights violations, is behind the current attacks.
The Somali regional government has however rejected the allegations and charged that senior officials in the Oromia government were sympathizers of the Oromo Liberation Front, which is categorized as a terrorist organization by the Ethiopian government.
Currently the border, which is made up of nearly 60 weredas is being controlled by the federal police in an attempt to calm down the situation.
“We have observed an unstable environment in around 19 universities in Amhara, Tigray and Oromia. In these schools over 1,000 students were dismissed for violating the discipline code. Thanks to the elders and peace loving people there is a more stable atmosphere along the borders, the situation is more stable and everything is back to normal,” he said.
He added that over 1,000 guns were confiscated along the border in places like Togo Chale, and Metema as they were being smuggled over the border.
He also said new regulations are being prepared to stop illegal ownership of guns.
Journalists asked him how many people have died in the recent unrest, they also asked about allegations that solders had taken heavy handed actions against protesters and if defense forces included enough ethnicities.
“We are still trying to determine how many people and solders died in the protests, as soon as we know we will inform the public. As the PM said before we are looking at our actions and will find out if defense forces took inappropriate actions.”
“We believe we have the right proportion of ethnicities but we will continue to work hard in this area,” he added. He went on to say that long lasting peace depends on addressing the concerns of the people.
Regions should work faster to capture perpetrators of violence
Rapidly growing Horticulture Expo to become annual event
Several new things will be added to the upcoming horticulture expo, including exhibitions from seed companies. The expo will also become an annual event.
Tewodros Zewdie, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers and Exporters Association (EHPEA), said a number of prominent seed companies and many new events will be at the expo.
The seventh HortiFlora Expo 2018 will be held in the middle of March at the Millennium Hall, according to the organizers.
Dick Van Raamsdonk, president of HPP International Group, who hosted the biennial expo in partnership with EHPEA, stated that there would be massive improvement this year.
“Our exhibition is creating a platform for international buyers, investors and businesses in the horticulture industry,” Van Raamsdonk said.
“Ethiopia is one of our prime projects. We are closely cooperating with the association to organize the show every two years,” he added.
According to the organizers, the number of exhibiting companies has increased by about 45 percent compared with the preceding event held two years ago. “That is a fast increase,” Van Raamsdonk said.
“In the sixth edition 80 companies participated and in the upcoming show 120 will and many of these are new,” the HPP head said.
HortiFlora Expo 2018, which has become one of the industry’s major shows, will be held from March 14 to 16.
Ethiopia is one of the top five horticulture producers in the world so the event has global importance.
“The HortiFlora Expo not only will have international exhibitors and visitors but will show the world what is being grown here,” he said.
Ethiopia’s industry is new but the show has grown rapidly and horticulture has done a lot to increase the image of Ethiopia, Tewodros said.
“Currently Ethiopian products are shipped to Australia, Japan, Canada, and the Middle East and we are penetrating the US as well. So this event is part of the market diversification scheme set by the association and the government and the growers. We have complied with various international market levels and standards,” EHPEA’s Executive Director said.
The government has added new horticulture locations to attract more investors in a diversified manner. Accordingly 6,000 hectares of land have been given out at Alage, Arbaminch, Hawassa and Bahirdar.
Input suppliers, growers, buyers, consultants, logistics service providers and others are part of the expo.
At the press conference Tewodros said that the board of the association has decided to this event yearly. “We are under discussions with HPP, a partner of the exhibition, to realize the board’s decision,” he added.
Even though it is only around 15 years old in Ethiopia, the horticulture sector has become one of the major sources for hard currency in the country.
