By Prince Ofori-Atta
Banned in the United States, Canada, Uganda, and in some European countries, khat is exported to countries in the sub-region as well as the United Kingdom, which has been struggling to effect a ban. But despite its numerous economic advantages, the Ethiopian regime has frowned on the use of khat. The regional government of Ethiopia’s Tigray region has already banned the cultivation of the plant. They claim that khat has the potential of wrecking havoc to its social fabric.
This has given the impetus for raid on illegal khat operators in the East African country. Some operators are claimed to admit boys of school-going age into parlours where some engage in illicit trades of stolen goods. But a police clampdown in Addis Ababa neighbourhoods harbouring illegal operators have reportedly ignited much amusement as the stimulant leaf is readily available at most street corners in the capital.
The substance also known as celastrus edulis or catha edulis, a green stimulant leaf, popular in the horn of Africa and Yemen, is one of the main crops in the Hararge region of Ethiopia and said to fetch the agicultural sector millions of dollars. The crop earned Ethiopia some “sixty million US dollars between 1999 and 2000” alone, Dechassa Lemessa of the United Nations Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia confirmed to the BBC in 2002. Local khat growers are among some of the well-to-do farmers.
The crop, which needs little water to survive in an area best known for its long droughts, is traditionally believed to contain medicinal properties against ailments like asthma and gonorrhoea among others. However, although not a benign stimulant, khat has been criticised for dealing serious psychotic consequences to long-term users as well as being carcinogenic and addictive. Khat-chewers admit that it can trigger some sort of paranoia and constipation.
In some parts of the region, khat serves as a substitute for alcohol, which is banned by Islam.
Tsegaye HaileMariam, Addis Ababa’s city council head of justice and legal affairs has, reportedly, expressed his desire to have khat banned in Ethiopia. This follows an arduous quest by some British politicians to ban khat use and sale in the Untited Kingdom by supporting legislation to make it a classified drug. The substance, imported from Ethiopia, is sold in supermarkets across the UK.
If the ban on Khat the UK is obtained, Ethiopia’s agricultural sector could lose a lot in revenue, however, should Ethiopia make cultivation illegal, other countries in the sub-region might cease the opportunity to increase their output. So far, the only choice for the Ethiopian government is a controlled cultivation and use of the plant which has seen its use rise across the country.
22 thoughts on “Ethiopia’s Tigray region bans Khat”
Kaht has come to be part of my Work as well as sociallife. I think a complete bann is not required….it should be banned for Kinder and adegegna bozenes :)
Khat has to be banned at Addis Ababa Arat Killo bete mengist where bereket the advisor and meles the advisee enjoy the narcotic and plan how to kill the young generation of ethiopia.
They banned it in Tigray only, because woyannes don’t care about the real ETHIOPIANS.
Wake-up my people! Look how the people of Somalia punished woyanne! That could be the best example to us. … lets join and support jegnochachn and bring the real change in our beloved E-T-H-I-O-P-I-A!
aratkilo, kkk. Although I amy agree in prenciple with you, I donot think that is the main reason why they ignore banning it all over. Meles and his colleague could cultivate in their massive aratkilo barricade if they needed. Basically, it genuine government should ban khat all over the country. In essence, khat has played its part in letting our people lazy and become job haters. Tigrians know that khat is a bad habit to accustom, but they never want a complete ban as that would diminish the income generated to be used to incentivise their regional industries.
Meles Zenawi is protecting his tribal area from any danger and harmful substances, while poisining the rest Ethiopia with Khat, diffrent kinds of narcotics, spreading AIDS and other fatal disease, increasing prostitution, etc. For all of these and other crimes of murdering innocent Ethiopians, when Ethiopia becomes independent of TPLF colonialism, he will be hunged.
Go to the palace you will find Meles and Meto- Aleqa -Girma with their servants chew Khat(Tchat)every friday until dawn.
It is funny to talk about Tchat after poisoning the young generation with drug addiction and narcotics.
By the way who is profiting from Tchat business? Woyane(the party of ruling desperado clique)have set foot to this lucrative business.
Juvenile delinquency has been promoted deliberately to passify the young generation by Meles-woyane regime. The first person to be indicted is he himself.
The time is speeding fast for the demise of Woyane clique.
Then this will be the ultimate solution.
Why only Tigray this is banned?
This is not custom for Amhara people also.
This Khat culture is from muslim people (Oromo, Afar, Ogaden, Harar, Gurage) not for our culture.
This should be banned immediately in Amhara regional also not just in Tigray region.
You can blame Woyane or TPLF on anything but not on this one I guess. It is shame to balme them because they didn’t protect us (non-Tigrians) from Khat. Why don’t you just stop chewing it?
If they only ban it in Arat Killo Palace, Meles can’t wakeup without Khat.
Yes, it is easy to retreat in to the barren tigrin northern hills and ban khat that neither grows nor consumed in there. This is only trivial persuite ala wayane for diverting attention and misdirecting discussions from the main issue of chest pumping Wayane’s shameful crushing defeat in Somalia where in fact khat is being grown as well as consumed.Qiqiqiqiqi.
Just like a premature teenage school boy fishing on dry sand area! What a shame? By the way, those brave Somalis crushed Wayane invaders and sent them home defeated and with their tails wraped between their legs even while farming and consuming Khat, so what is comedial theatre here? Is banning khat in Tigrai a revenge against khat in Somalia that helped the Somalis defeat the Wayane mafia? :)
hey guys don’t be fool. Had melese or bereket were chewing kaht all these mess would’t have happened.The big problem is that these people are not chewing. let me tell you something folks, if some body chews kaht he will defenitely be inclined to think straight and positive. It is when people fail to chew khat that problems arise. So let us cross our fngers and dua enadirg. Midre jezba hula atikamina zimbileh awra.
Negaso gidada
Please spell it correctly; it is qat or chat rather than khat. It does not sound the same.
why do you blame the Tigray region for banning khat? Why do not the other regions also ban to protect their society?
Dont be blurred by this news. Ethiopia has many serious problems. Chat it the least of all problems. What about Mariuana, Heroine, and other newly introduced drugs to the young in Addis and other cities. Prostitution is the most dangerous of all. TPLF is not responsible for chat. It was there before them. Chat is foreign to the Northern part of Ethiopia. TPLF can be blamed for ill governance and other major social problems but not chat. TPLF can be blamed for the highschool messup, for undemocratic activities and particularly for the stupidity of Meleses wife. You are wasting your time where you shouldnt. Talk about the sickening corruption, the spread of HIV, and other crisises but not chat. If there is a better governance all that can be dealt later. But you can do you part by discouraging others from chewing, smoking and drinking. Chat is as good as alcohol. Nothing less nothing more.
Meles Zenawi himself chews kat everday.Hypocrite.
I was in Tigray two or so weeks ago, and by then you could buy chat freely as you could on Bole-Rwanda road. This is bullshit fabrication by this mad editor
mesai
who cares whether khat is banned in “great Tigrai” or not. There is no fertile soil and water in Tigrai to drink let alone to grow chat.
:-D
The Tigray desert can’t even grow Chat, let alone grains for food consumption. Woyane is robbing the rest of Ethiopia and taking everything to this region. This is a big crime. We love our brothers and sisters of Tigray region, not for the barren land they live on, but because they are our brothers and sisters. However, Woyane is Ethiopian #1 enemy.
It is hard for me to believe Chat is widely used in Addis Ababa. The only please we used to see people chewing Chat was in few places in the Mercato. Among the students, the ones seen holding the rituals of chewing Chat were those who came to the University from the Harar and Dire Dawa schools. We were used to see some of them wondering around or sitting at some spots in the university compound constantly picking their chins. They seemed to be swept away by some kind of pleasant spirit. I did talk to some of them about the benefit and effects of chewing chat. They used to tell me that it helped them read and thus study more and also calm them down from any anxiety ravaging them. I am sure that a lot of you from that era of the 60’s and possibly early 70’s would agree with me that those of us from the capital and other parts of the country were very apprehensive about chat and we used to vilify it. I think it is not a wise idea to continue allowing this addictive plant to enslave the young generation. What do you think folks?
I agree with Belay #18 the TPLF blood suckers protect Tigray form any dangerous substances and harm while they intentionally and deliberately spread AIDS, narcotics and other fatal diseases in Ethiopia.
People, when are you going to understand the evil Tigraian Woyanees? Khat is banned from Tigrai but the rich Tigraians are investing, cultivating Khat in the rest of Ethiopia, check out the Awash valley in Afar, the Shebellie valley in Harrar, Ogadien and Oromia … all the farms are cutivating Khat and flowers for export but Tigrai Republic is farming only sesame, flaxseed, cotton, barley, wheat, teff …
People, are you still asleep? Ethiopia is Tigrai’s colony!!
Do you get it? Get over it or fight?
They know, we Ethiopians are cowards and they treat us in disgarce. See how the Woyanees respect and fear the Eritreans and Somalis.
Repeat after me three times a day: we are Tigrai’s colony!!
Well we will continue to purchase khat from Ethiopia because it means Ethiopian farmers don’t cultivate other food corps such as wheat, etc. thus they will continue to relay on foreign donations and aid which means Djibouti port and Berbera will benefit.