Analysis: Dust to dust: A special report from Ethiopia The Independent 14 April 2000

"Change, too, is needed in the hostility between Addis Ababa and its northerly neighbour, Eritrea, which invaded Ethiopia two years ago, provoking a war which keeps two armies on a state of high alert amid fears that border clashes might break out again at any time."

"Yet it is important not to make too much of this. There is no fighting at present, and the amount the government is spending on its military is only a third of what it once was. Allegations by Western donors that trucks used to transport army rations should be used for aid ring pretty hollow when there was not, last month, a single delivery of food aid to the ports on which Ethiopia relies. In the end, Western indifference and promise-breaking has been a far more grievous threat to the starving than any acts of local politicians."

Reference: The Food Crisis in Ethiopia: A Joint Statement by NGOs [Action Aid, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Community Aid Abroad, Concern Agro-Actin, GOAL, Intermon, Lutheran World Federation, Oxfam-GB, Save the Children-UK, Save the Children-USA, SOS- Sahel.] Addis Tribune 14 April 2000

"...the government, with the support of the international community, has developed effective and transparent early-warning and response mechanisms. These systems have not elicited adequate and timely responses. NGOs and others warned of the developing emergency and lobbied donors for responses well before the situation deteriorated. Early-warning systems are only effective if they are responded to in a timely fashion.

"The government, with donor support, had put in place an Emergency Food Security Reserve (EFSR) with a capacity of more than 300,000 metric tonnes. The EFSR was depleted last year. Some donors borrowed from the reserve, and food would have been in place to overcome the crisis.

More Analysis:

• The Time Dimension of the Famine Addis Tribune 14 April 2000

• Looking into a Famine Crisis - Analysis Addis Tribune 14 April 2000

• Drought fails to stop Ethiopia-Eritrea arms race Deutsche Press-Agentur , April 12, 2000
  Eritrea last year ordered 200 surface to air (SAM) SA-18 missiles from Russia. Six MiG-29 fighter jets and four Mi-17 combat helicopters were also ordered from Russia. Eritrea also ordered from Moldova six MiG-21 fighter jets and eight SU-25 jets from Georgia.

  Since 1998 Russia has supplied twelve Mi-24 and Mi-17 combat helicopters, eight Su-27 fighter jets (NATO code: Flanker) and ten 152 mm artillery guns. Ethiopia in 1998 ordered 140 Russian-built T-55 tanks from Bulgaria. Ethiopia has also bought light arms and ammunition from China, according to the IISS.

  Note: A casual glance at IMF data shows how Eritrea embarked on a military spending spree from 1993 to 1997 before invading Ethiopia in 1998. Meanwhile, the corresponding data show that Ethiopia cut its defense budget to historically low levels, leaving itself dangerously exposed to an Eritrean attack. Comparison of Eritrean and Ethiopian Military (Defense) Expenditures: 1993- 1997

Opinion: Compassion and War The Times (UK), Apr 13, 2000

Comment on this article: Irresponsible journalism by the Times The Times, as usual, is represented by naïve and irresponsible journalists. The numbers requiring assistance are not made up. The affected numbers come from the annual post-harvest assessment conducted in January 2000 by the FAO and WFP. Field teams visited every zone in the country and made detailed assessments of the situation. The journalist should have consulted the very detailed report before spewing nonsense. This is irresponsible and lazy journalism.

Readers are encouraged to consult the report to verify for themselves: SPECIAL REPORT: FAO/WFP CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENT MISSION TO ETHIOPIA, January 2000

Comment: The Moment of Giving By Samuel Fasika, Apr 6, 2000

Fundraising/Relief Efforts:

• List of Ethiopia Famine Aid Agencies
  AP, April 11, 2000: - The following aid agencies are accepting contributions for assistance in Ethiopia. They are members of InterAction, a coalition of relief, development and refugee assistance agencies.

• Save the Children
  Save the Children has initiated an emergency appeal for Ethiopia

• Oxfam America - Ethiopia Fund

• Oxfam UK - Ethiopia press release and fundraising Oxfam International is responding to the emergency in the Jigjiga, Shinille and Liben zones of the Somali Region; in Borena in the Oromiya Region; and North Wollo in the Amhara Region. Oxfam’s work includes provision of clean water and food. Oxfam has deployed an expert team in the south east. of Ethiopia to try and ascertain the extent of the crisis.

• The Hunger Site

• UNDP-EUE website in Ethiopia
  UNDP-EUE fundraising account info.
  
• Report regarding private fundraising for drought/famine relief:
  Final report on the use of private donation to Konso Special Wereda UN-EUE (March 2000)

Background:

• Satellite Vegetatiion and Rainfall Analysis Famine Early Warning System - East Africa and the Horn. Satellite images updated three times monthly

• FAO/WFP Crop And Food Supply Assessment Mission to Ethiopia (Jan 26, 2000)

• Food and Agriculture in Ethiopia FAO website

New Websites:

• iethiopia.com news site http://iethiopia.com/news or http://news.iethiopia.com

• Zegaa Amharic magazine from Ethiopia

• The Creation of the OAU "Based on the accounts of the man who was once recognized by the world media as being the closest person to the creation of the OAU."