As expected, Woyanne propaganda chief Bereket Simon wasted no time to respond to New York Times report about Haile Gebreselassie’s reason for retiring. Within a few minutes after the New York Times report appeared online, we can guess that Bereket have summoned to his office both Haile and his manager Jos, and given them a tongue lashing, followed by threats of serious consequences unless both refute the report in a convincing way. Watch the drama below. Haile had a choice — to be a freeman and accept the consequences, or to be a slave to Woyanne. He chose to be a slave.
Addis Ababa-based business journal Capital Ethiopia reports that the recent confiscation of lands from investors by Meles Zenawi’s puppet mayor of Addis Ababa, Kuma Demeksa, is causing private banks to lose over 400 million birr. Many of the investors are Woyanne members and supporters who have already taken their money out of the country in hard currency. While Woyannes take their money out, some fools in the Diaspora continue to take their money to Ethiopia to lease land, not realizing that it can be confiscated any time at the whim of the regime without due process. That is one of the costs of keeping oneself politically ignorant and becoming unaware of developments in Ethiopia. It is inevitable that the financial system will collapse due to the massive corruption and all those who are depositing their money in Ethiopian banks will be left empty-handed. — Elias Kifle
(Capital Ethiopia) — Several private banks will lose more than 400 million birr in loans to four real estate developers after the Addis Ababa City Administration under Kuma Demeksa’s order reclaimed their plots. The real estate developers allegedly used the land illegally as collateral to obtain bank loans and subsequently transferred them to third parties.
The city administration says it considers suing the real estate developers, [including construction mogul Samuel Tafesse who has recently built a $5 million mansion in a suburb of Washington DC].
An official told Capital that the City Administration reclaimed over 200,000 square meters of idle plots from the four real estate developers. He says the state owns the plots and no one has the authority to sell or transfer them, except the city administration.
Without mentioning the exact amount of money, the official claims the hundred millions of birr that has been disbursed by commercial banks will automatically be lost as per the national law. He says every real estate developer has borrowed more than hundred million birr from the banks.
Banks will also lose the money they gave out for the construction of real estate developers. Construction built on some of the sites reclaimed, will be removed or will be used by the administration after it pays a compensation for the work done at the site. The banks will lose the rest of the money they disbursed to the real estate developers.
According to the Ethiopian law, it’s prohibited to offer vacant plots without any construction on it as collateral, since the land is state-owned. The official further notes that the four real estate developers did in fact construct something on their land: a tiny hovel at one side of the plot, simply to secure the loan from the banks.
A bank president says the policy of most banks on construction loans is to approve the loan request when the client is able to provide a title deed from the city administration and an approved construction plan. If they fulfill these conditions, the banks, who also visit the plots, usually provide them with a loan.
Addis Ababa Mayor Kuma Demeksa said last week that only 18 percent of a total of 5.9 million square meter of land slated for real estate is used properly. He further said that the rest of the plots is transferred to third parties or used as collateral for loans without any construction being built.
The source at the city administration says they are looking into suing those who abused the land rules. Those who transferred their plots to a third party, and those who bought plots, irrespective of whether they have constructed or not, will be taken to court. The court will handle the case and give them a final verdict, he says.
The city administration will continue its recent massive plot reclaiming, which is in its second phase. Over two million square meters of plot from different real estate developers has already been taken back. This accounts for over 33 percent of the total amount of land given for real estate development.
According to Addis Ababa officials, the administration reclaimed over 1.5 million square meters from real estate developers that failed or refused to start construction within eighteen months since the operation started two weeks back. Furthermore, the city reclaimed more than 500,000 square meters of plot that has been held illegally by real estate developers. If the city would have leased the 2 million square meters against an average price of 3,000 birr per square meter it would have gained over 6 billion birr.
The reclaiming operation is part of the city’s measures against 120 real estate developers who it said have violated rules and regulations of the city. Since 1997, the city has slated out over 5.9 million square meters of plots to 125 real estate developers in different parts of the city.
Most lease agreements require developers to deliver their housing units within 24 months from signing the contract and should at least start construction within eighteen months. However, this has been a difficult condition to meet for developers. According to some of them, the primary reasons for the delay include poor infrastructure, escalation of construction material costs and financial problems.
The cost of construction in the city is about 8,000 birr per square meter according to engineering estimates. The real estate developers are also lodging complaints against the city, saying that the administration has triggered the delay itself by creating obstacles in relation to the clearing of plots.
More problems loom ahead for some of the real estate developers. Their clients, who have fully paid for their still-to-be-build homes and who are awaiting the completion of the construction, are expected to officially lodge complaints soon.
A major Kenyan newspaper picked up the story about the plight of Haile Gebreselassie who abruptly ended his athletic career last week after competing in the New York City Marathon. Yesterday, the New York Times, quoting Haile’s own manager Jos Hermens, reported that the star athlete is facing blackmail and that his phone is tapped by the Meles regime. Will Haile, under pressure from Woyanne propaganda chief Bereket Simon, deny his manager’s claims, or will he have the moral fortitude to stand up for himself and for the people of Ethiopia by telling the truth? — Elias Kifle
Haile Gebrselassie allegedly ended career amid huge pressure from Ethiopian regime
(The Standard) — Claims surfaced in international media alleging that undue political pressure from the Ethiopian government may have compelled Haile Gebrselassie to announce his stunning retirement from athletics after November 7’s New York Marathon.
On Monday, reports from Addis Ababa said much to the relief of distance running enthusiasts worldwide that the world marathon record holder had rescinded his decision to quit the sport that has brought him fame and enviable fortune while elevating him as an inspirational figure among Ethiopian youth.
According to the New York Times, “His agent, Jos Hermens, said from Addis Ababa Gebrselassie had reacted emotionally after leaving the New York course at 16 miles of the 26.2-mile race. He also felt guilty for having dropped out of a half-marathon in New York earlier this year.”
‘Emotional decision’
However, he controversially “suggested that Haile’s emotional decision to retire might have stemmed in part from political pressure he was feeling in Ethiopia. His phone has been tapped by government officials and he has faced some sort of blackmail attempt,” the paper quoted Hermens as having said of his client.”
The report quotes the agent saying, “There is a lot of pressure on him in Ethiopia. I don’t know all the details.”
The Ethiopian Review, an opposition online journal based in Washington, reported this month that Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi’s wife and her associates were attempting to force partnerships with Haile on a new hotel that he had built and on other real estate ventures.
The mayor of Addis Ababa, an ally of the prime minister and his wife, had also recently ordered the confiscation of land that had been leased to the twice Olympics 10,000m champion, the journal reported, citing sources in Addis Ababa.
‘Mother of corruption’
“Zenawi’s wife Azeb Mesfin (commonly known as the “Mother of Corruption”) and her business partners are going after Haile’s enterprises with demands for partnership,” Ethiopian Review stated.
“For a long time, Haile has been heavily investing in real estate development and this year, his new five-star hotel in the town of Awassa was inaugurated. The four-story, 150-room hotel was built at the cost of 200 million birr (Sh2b). Haile is also preparing to build 200 condos in Addis Ababa on 40,000 square meters of land.”
It added: “Recently, Zenawi’s puppet mayor of Addis Ababa, Kuma Demeksa, a close ally and business partner of Azeb, has ordered the confiscation of the land leased to Haile. Apparently, his company, Haile & Alem Real Estate, is competing with other companies who have Azeb as partner.”
“All this pressure came out; he was emptying his heart,” Hermens said.
Haile, who has held 27 world records in a two-decade career, is expected to mark his return at February’s Tokyo Marathon, with the London 2012 Marathon and Olympic gold also in his sights.
The Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church, His Holiness Abune Merkorios, has been admitted to the Emory University Hospital in Atlanta after getting ill. Sources close to the Patriarch told Ethiopian Review that he is responding to the treatment and that he is recovering well.
The New York Times reports that Ethiopian superstar athlete Haile Gebreselassie’s phone has been tapped and that he is facing blackmail, confirming an earlier story by Ethiopian Review. NYT’s source is Haile’s agent Jos Hermens. No doubt Woyanne propaganda chief Bereket Simon will force Haile to go on TV and deny that he has been targeted, or else face grave consequences. Read the full story below.
Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, the distance-running star who stunningly announced his retirement after dropping out of the New York City Marathon on Nov. 7, said Monday that he had reconsidered and would continue racing.
“Running is in my blood, and I decided to continue competing,” Gebrselassie wrote on his Twitter account. “My announcement in New York was my first reaction after a disappointing race.”
Jos Hermens, Gebrselassie’s agent, said from Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, that Gebrselassie had reacted emotionally after leaving the New York course at 16 miles of the 26.2-mile race. He also felt guilty for having dropped out of a half-marathon in New York earlier this year.
“He wasn’t thinking when he said he wanted to stop,” Hermens said. “He was too emotional.”
Hermens also provided new details about the injury that caused Gebrselassie to drop out of the race, describing it as more of a muscular problem than a knee problem, as New York City Marathon officials had reported.
Hermens also suggested that Gebrselassie’s emotional decision to retire might have stemmed in part from political pressure he was feeling in Ethiopia. His phone has been tapped by government officials and he has faced some sort of blackmail attempt, Hermens said of his client.
“There is a lot of pressure on him in Ethiopia,” Hermens said of Gebrselassie. “I don’t know all the details.”
Gebrselassie could not be reached by phone Monday, and it was impossible to confirm independently the accusations about phone-tapping and blackmail.
Ethiopia held national elections in May, and the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was accused by opposition figures of intimidation, harassment and vote rigging.
The Ethiopian Review, an opposition online journal based in Washington, reported this month that the prime minister’s wife and her associates were attempting to force partnerships with Gebrselassie on a new hotel that he had built and on other real estate ventures.
The mayor of Addis Ababa, an ally of the prime minister and his wife, had also recently ordered the confiscation of land that had been leased to Gebrselassie, the journal reported, citing sources in Addis Ababa.
Officials at the Ethiopian embassy in Washington could not be reached for comment.
In one of the world’s poorest countries, Gebrselassie, who has made a lucrative career from running, has become one of the most visible and popular figures. He employs more than 600 people in various businesses and has built two schools. He has also spoken about the possibility of seeking political office once his running days are over.
Frustration over the injury and political tensions perhaps led Gebrselassie to overreact after dropping out of the New York marathon, Hermens said.
“All this pressure came out; he was emptying his heart,” Hermens said.
Once Gebrselassie returned home, many of his countrymen urged him to continue running as an inspiration to Ethiopia’s youth, Hermens said. Having set 27 world records and won 2 Olympic gold medals at 10,000 meters, Gebrselassie is widely considered the greatest distance runner ever. He holds the world record for the marathon: 2 hours 3 minutes 59 seconds.
“In Ethiopia, there were discussions on radio and TV, and people were saying he had to continue, that he was an important role model,” Hermens said. “He just needs time to fuel his battery again.”
Gebrselassie next plans to run the Tokyo Marathon in February and wants to compete in the 2012 Olympic marathon in London. Although his reputation is secure, he has yet to show that he can win a marathon against a deep field of elite competitors. His fastest times have come with pacesetters on flat courses in races that were time trials more than competitions.
About a month before the New York City Marathon, Gebrselassie felt some pain in the quadriceps near its attachment by tendon to the right kneecap, Hermens said. Massage seemed to cure the problem and Gebrselassie thought he was in tremendous condition for the race, Hermens said.
Six days before the marathon, though, Gebrselassie went for a final training run, apparently overexerted himself and again felt pain, Hermens said, adding, “That’s the problem with athletes, they always want to push more, more, more.”
The pain had ebbed, but it flared on a final run the day before the marathon, and Gebrselassie underwent a magnetic resonance imaging test and had fluid drained from the quadriceps, Hermens said. New York officials described the injury as tendinitis after Gebrselassie dropped out.
With tears in his eyes, Gebrselassie announced that he was retiring, saying he was tired of complaining.
“He was so disappointed, he just broke down mentally,” Hermens said.
In an article posted on The New York Review of Books today, William Easterly and Laura Freschi question why Western nations finance the brutal repression in Ethiopia with an annual donation of over $3 billion to the corrupt junta [read below]. It is good to see that Western scholars and writers are finally taking the World Bank and other poverty mongers to task. However, ultimately it is up to the people of Ethiopia to get organized and overthrow the apartheid junta. Woyanne is not as powerful as it currently appears. A well-coordinated nation-wide economic boycott campaign can bring it down in less than a month. A simple act of cash withdrawal from banks by a large number of people would cripple the financial system and bankrupt the regime. — Elias Kifle
Why Are We Supporting Repression in Ethiopia?
By William Easterly and Laura Freschi
Foreign aid observers have often worried that Western aid to Africa is propping up autocratic regimes. Yet seldom has such a direct link from aid to political repression been demonstrated as in “Development without Freedom,” an extensively documented new report on Ethiopia by Human Rights Watch. Based on interviews with 200 people in 53 villages and cities throughout the country, the report concludes that the Ethiopian government, headed by prime minister Meles Zenawi, uses aid as a political weapon to discriminate against non-party members and punish dissenters, sending the population the draconian message that “survival depends on political loyalty to the state and the ruling party.”
