PARIS, FRANCE — Merid Estifanos was still in his afternoon French class when I arrived at the Maison des Journalistes (MDJ) this afternoon to meet him. I was greeted instead by Maison’s director, Philippe Spinau, who gave me the grand tour of the house that has been home to many journalists who, like Estifanos, were forced into exile for their work.
Spinau, who co-founded MDJ in 2002, told me that for journalists fleeing imprisonment and violence in their home countries, finding themselves in a community of their professional peers is a source of both comfort and pride. “They may be in exile, but here they still have a professional identity,” he said.
During my tour of MDJ I met journalists from Burma, Senegal, Paraguay, Iraq, and Sri Lanka. They all had horror stories to share–imprisonment, torture, months in hiding awaiting the opportunity to leave their regions and be able to breath again.
MDJ accommodates up to 30 journalists each year from around the world providing each with a small private room, courses in French language and culture, a public transportation pass, psychological services, and coupons to by groceries for a six-month period. Spinau showed me their rooms (each named for a media outlet that provided funding), the common area with TV and video library, and the office of L’Oeil de l’Exilé (The Eye of the Exilee) the publication run by MDJ residents. Our tour ended in the basement where Estifanos and a group of his colleagues were finishing their French class. When he spotted me he jumped up to give me a hug. Though this was my first meeting with Estifanos, I felt I knew him well.
For more than a year, CPJ and Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) worked together to get Estifanos out of Sudan where he had fled to escape imminent imprisonment in Ethiopia following a 2005 crackdown on the independent press. In Sudan, he was harassed by authorities, beaten and detained. For months he left the shelter of a friend’s apartment only to check for e-mails from CPJ or RSF who, he told me, were a lifeline during his ordeal. On May 8, following weeks of lobbying French officials for approval of his visa, Estifanos arrived in Paris and moved into the Maison des Journalistes (MDJ).
Merid and I spent the afternoon talking about his experience in Sudan and his transition to life in France where language is the biggest, but not the only challenge. “We prepare our own meals. I never cooked for myself before now, so this is a good learning experience for me,” Estifanos told me with a wry smile.
In two months, Estifanos’ time at MDJ will be up and he will have to find his own lodgings and the means to support himself. He is doubtful that he will be able to continue in the field of journalism. “You can’t work if you can’t compete,” Estifanos explained. “Even if I can learn French, I don’t know that there are opportunities for refugees to work in journalism.” For the time being, he is working hard to master French and completing a book about his experiences in exile.
Sitting at a sidewalk café near MDJ I asked Estifanos what he has found most surprising about Paris. “The beauty. I read lots of books about Paris, but I didn’t expect it to live up to its reputation.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Kangaroo court in Addis Ababa orders the transfer of a 40-room building owned by the Ethiopian Teachers Association to a new teachers group set up by the Meles dictatorship that claims that it is the real teachers association, whose officials do not represent Ethiopian teachers. They are indeed nothing better than donkeys carrying Woyanne loads. The following is reported by Woyanne mouthpiece Walta Info Center.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (WIC) – The Ethiopian Teachers Association [the fake one] received the disputed building following a ruling by the Federal Supreme Court in its favor.
The issue of the building which has been a bone of contention between the Ethiopian Teachers Association and the former teachers association led by Dr. Taye Woldesemayat [and Ato Gomorraw Kassa] has been in and out of the court for the last ten years until the [kangaroo] court passed its ruling on February 7, 2008.
The building, which has more than 40 rooms, was handed over to the Ethiopian Teachers Association on August 5, 2008, the [fake] association disclosed.
Speaking at a press conference organized in connection with the court’s ruling, association president donkey Yohannes Benty said the return of the building contributes to the achievement of the objectives set to realize teachers’ rights and improvement of the quality of education.
The return of the building addresses the problem of office facility as well as getting rid off the confusion among some teachers to the effect that there are two teachers associations.
Most of the rooms in the building had been closed down since 1990 Eth. C. because of the court room process, it was learned.
For nearly three decades, the Ex has been one of the most revered names in the rock underground. An “avant-ethno-improv-punk band” from the Netherlands, as their Chicago label Touch and Go describes the quartet, it is second only perhaps to Sonic Youth in terms of stretching the envelope and refusing to recognize any limits for what rock ‘n’ roll can and cannot do.
Given that history and adventurous aesthetic, it comes as no surprise to find the current Ex lineup of Andy Moor, G.W. Sok and Terrie and Katherina Ex collaborating on their most ambitious tour of the U.S. with Ethiopian saxophonist Getatchew Mekuria, a giant of a man adorned in a lion’s man and renowned in his country for developing ‘Shellele,’ a musical style that originated with tribal war chants.
Long before the Ex met Mekuria, the musicians had become fans of his work via a worn-out cassette they’d found for sale in a street market. The African influence has long been evident in the group’s music. “It’s there in the polyrhythms and the interlocking guitar lines and melodies, and also in the idea that everyone is playing all the time,” as Moor says. “We’re influenced by African music on lots of different levels, but we’re not trying to sound like an African band or imitate them in any way. That wouldn’t really make much sense.”
As for how the band came to meet their hero, that “started out as a sort of mad project of Terrie, the other guitar player from the Ex, because he traveled in Africa for a year, and he spent a month in Ethiopia at the end of the travel.” With a modest grant from the Dutch government, the Ex toured Africa, playing whatever gigs could be arranged: cow barns, community halls or performances in the street powered by a generator in a truck and advertised via megaphone and fliers.
“When we first decided to play there, I think Terrie and I went on ahead in January or April and said we’d like to come back the next year in January,” Moor says. “People said, ‘Oh, that’s too long away for us to organize anything; you should just show up in January with your instruments!’ And in the end, that’s actually how we did it.”
The group entitled one of its songs “Getatchew” on the 2004 album “Turn” even before it had met Mekuria. Once it did, he was invited to perform with the band during its 25th anniversary celebration in the Netherlands, and that eventually led to a 2006 album, “Moa Anbessa,” and the current tour. “He invited us, to be honest,” Moor says. “It was more his idea to do this record and then the tour.”
Sometimes described as an “anarchist” group, perhaps incorrectly, Moor laughs when asked if it isn’t ironic for a project so rooted in spontaneity to have celebrated a 25th anniversary, much less the approaching 30th. “I think of that all the time,” he says. “Every year I wonder what I’m gonna do next year with the Ex, but we kind of imagine that we can continue doing this for the rest of our lives, because we’ve come this far, and why would we suddenly lose the spirit? If that happens, we should stop; we’re not continuing to do it just because that’s what we do.
“We genuinely look forward to it each year, and we constantly redefine what we’re doing: Every time we rehearse again, we throw out all the old songs and start again, and by doing that, you feel a bit like you’re a new band each time you start, even though it’s the same musicians, because we’re not relying on all these old songs. That keeps it really fresh, though it’s a bit tough for the audience sometimes, because they never get to sing along. Each time they get to know the CDs, we’re not playing them anymore. But for us it’s really vital and necessary. I just think songs have a kind of life in them, a certain amount of battery power, and then once the battery runs out, you have to leave them alone.”
One way the musicians stay fresh is through collaborating with other players: Katherina Ex recently linked up with Chicagoan Jon Langford of the Mekons and the Waco Brothers to record the self-titled debut by their KATJONBAND, to be released on the local Carrot Top label next month, to name one of many side projects. “You might think that draws energy away from the band, but it doesn’t,” Moor says. “I get other ideas from other musicians, and I can always bring that back to the Ex. That is what keeps us creative.”
More than any particular politics, the rebel spirit lives in the Ex in terms of how its members define success both personally and artistically.
“The first definition we have of success is that we feel we can make great music at a concert; we don’t think about CDs,” Moor says. “We go into this practice room to rehearse, and the biggest goal that we have is to make a great live set. Even though you made the songs yourself, you have to learn how to play them, and that takes half a year. To me, that’s the biggest success. And then the fact that we live from that, that’s f—cking unbelievable; it’s really a gift.
“A lot of bands measure their success by they always have to get bigger and bigger. We don’t really feel like we need to get bigger: Our audience has pretty much stayed the same for 29 years, and it’s enough for us to survive. It’s a little bit difficult sometimes–we live a bit on the edge–but it’s enough. This thing we’re doing with Getatchew is one of the biggest things we’ve done. And that’s alright, but next year, we’ll be back playing in small clubs in Germany or France. We’ll be on to doing a new project, and that will be fine, too.”
Moor sums up the ambitions of the Ex by quoting Chicago critic, musician and champion of art and free jazz John Corbett. “”He described it really well: He said we win our audiences one member at a time. We’re not trying to do a Chumbawumba-style big hit where you subvert from within; we’re not even trying to subvert. We have our own musical vision, and it doesn’t seem to be connected to the mainstream. It’s our own personal vision, and we want to share it with people, and also shake it up–to send that energy. Some people will take it and do something with it, and some people won’t.
“But it does feel good when you go do a gig, and two years later you come back, and one guy says, ‘After I saw your gig, I started a band’ or ‘I did this’ or ‘I left my job.’ Of course, we didn’t prompt that change. We were just a sort of catalyst that set it going.”
The Ex and Getatchew Mekuria
8 p.m. Sunday
Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie, Chicago
$15
www.emptybottle.com
AND
12:15 p.m. Monday
Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, Chicago
Free
(312) 742-1168
There is nothing to match the experience of an Olympic Games. Sport carries a huge sense of pride and it is never more obvious than at the Olympics. It is the world’s most famous sporting stage where you will see the world’s most talented athletes and where competition is at the highest level. So for any athlete, it will be one of his/her proudest moments.
At an Olympics, every element plays a significant role in your performance. We all have good days and bad days and no matter how much training and preparation we include, on the day, everything needs to work out perfectly in order to achieve success.
First of all, you need to be in very good shape, then you need to be lucky with uncontrollable factors such as the weather and finally, you have to believe – and there is something about competing for your country at the Olympics that makes believing in yourself easier to do.
Four years ago I set myself a goal, to compete at the Beijing Olympics, however, I took a decision earlier this year not to run the marathon and concentrate on the 10,000 metres. Although I love this event, running on the track is very different to the road – you have to get used to running on a curve for much of the time, the surface is much softer and you are wearing spikes. These changes meant that I had to adjust everything in my life, my training and competition schedule had to be adapted. It has been strange, but I am positive and excited about the coming few days. Last year, one of my biggest dreams came true, when I broke the world record for the marathon in Berlin. Since then, I have thought about nothing but my next goal – Beijing, and in a few days, I will be walking to the start line with only this in mind, I cannot wait.
My list of athlestes to Watch
Liu Xiang
China
110m Hurdles
Age: 25
As the reigning World and Olympic champion, and the most famous athlete in China, he will be involved in the race of the Games. Liu also won the world indoor title in 2008 and is an outstanding performer under pressure. His main rival, Dayron Robles, of Cuba, recently supplanted him as a world-record holder, clocking 12.87 seconds in June.
Andrew Baddeley
GBR
1500m
Age: 26
Baddeley is Britain’s best male middle distance prospect since Steve Cram and Peter Elliott, both Olympic silver-medal winners. This year, he has won the European Cup and the Oslo Dream Mile, exhibiting a powerful finishing kick that is the envy of the world. An honours student of Cambridge, Baddeley has put an engineering career on hold to pursue his dream of athletics success.
Abubaker Kaki
Sudan
800m
Age: 19
Only a teenager, but already World Indoor champion and World Junior record holder. Anyone who witnessed his performance at the Bislett Games knows the Sudanese teenager appears the man to beat in the 800 metres. In only his first 800 metres of the outdoor season he made a great impression, clocking 1 hour 42 minutes 69 seconds in the Norwegian capital. At the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, he won Sudan’s first gold medal and has since captured the world junior title. This young man is an exceptional athlete.
Obinna Metu
Nigeria
100m and 200m
Age: 20
Not one that many may have heard of, but, having won his Olympic trials in both the 100m and 200m, he has been hailed as Nigeria’s fastest man and will soon be an athlete most will know, from a country with an impressive sprinting pedigree. Metu is part of a global team of sportsmen called G4S 4teen, which supports young promising athletes in their quest to achieve their sporting dreams. The athletes in the programme are supported by myself and G4S – I have been following their progress closely and it is fantastic to see Metu having already qualified for an Olympic Games.
Allyson Felix
USA
200m
Age: 22
As a triple World Champion in 2007 (200m, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay), Allyson is among the top two or three female athletes in the world. Unrivalled at 200m having won last year’s world title by the biggest margin for a Championship race held at that distance, and threatening to be even better over 400m, she will aim to win Olympic gold over the shorter distance, having won a 200m silver in Athens in 2004, aged just 18.
Gelete Burka
Ethiopia
1500m
Age: 22
Before deciding to take up running, Burka played soccer at school, and changing sports was a good decision, as in her first season of formal athletics, she won a bronze medal at the World Junior Cross-Country Championships in 2003. Two years later, she won the gold and in 2006, the Senior Short Course title. On the track, she favours the 1500 metres and is reigning African Champion and World Indoor Bronze-medal winner. Coming from a country where athletics is usually based around long-distance running, Burka’s achievement as a 1500 metres runner from Ethiopia is all the more impressive.
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Haile Gebreselassie is the global ambassador of G4S 4teen, helping 14 aspiring athletes achieve their sporting dreams. More information www.g4ssport.com
BEIJING (Reuters) – U.S. shot putters and Ethiopian distance runners go for potential medals sweeps when the much heralded 10-day Olympic athletics program kicks off on Friday.
The world’s best sprinters will also be part of the opening action with two rounds of the men’s 100 meters.
Medals will be awarded in the men’s shot put and women’s 10,000 meters.
Both events could result in medals sweeps with the U.S. men strongest in the shot put and Ethiopia’s runners dominant in the women’s 10,000 meters.
It has been 28 years since a country swept the shot put medals, but U.S. trio Adam Nelson, Reese Hoffa and Christian Cantwell have the skills to join their 1960 counterparts.
“I really think it’s realistic. I give it a 50-50 chance,” Hoffa told reporters at the U.S. training camp in the northeast Chinese city of Dalian.
“I would love to be the class of Olympic athletes to sweep but everything has to go right,” said Hoffa.
“If we don’t go out there and hit the marks that we’re supposed to hit then we don’t dominate because there are a lot of quality European athletes.”
Nelson, twice an Olympic silver medalist, reigns as the year’s top thrower with a heave of 22.12 meters.
World champion Hoffa is close behind at 22.10 with Cantwell the world indoor champion.
All three have personal bests superior to their closest competitor, Belarus’s Andrey Mikhnevich.
The Belarusian has the year’s third best throw, 22.00 meters, with Cantwell fourth at 21.76.
The Americans, despite their overall domination of the event, have not claimed gold for the past two Olympics.
Finn Arsi Harju outdistanced Nelson for the 2000 title and Ukrainian Yuri Bilonoh’s second-best throw topped Nelson in 2004 after both had the same top mark.
In the women’s 10,000 meters, Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba is favored to add an Olympic gold medal to her two world championship titles.
Dibaba demonstrated her fitness by setting a world record of 14:11.15 in the 5,000 meters in Oslo in June.
In what could be a tactical race, she is likely to receive support from her older sister Ejegayehu, the 2004 silver medalist, and fellow Ethiopian Mestawat Tufa. Both could join Dibaba on the medals podium.
Other top candidates include Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse, the world silver medalist, and the American duo of Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan.
Goucher claimed bronze at the 2007 world championships and Flanagan lowered the American record to 30:34.49 this year.
The first four events of the heptathlon are also on the program along with qualifying in seven events — the men’s 1,500 meters, 400 hurdles and hammer throw, and the women’s 800 meters, 3,000 meters steeplechase, triple jump and discus.
The women’s steeplechase is being contested for the first time at an Olympics.
(Somaliweyn Media Center) — The Ethiopian Woyanne troops at Wanlaweyn district in the lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia opened fire randomly at civilian passengers.
So far 7 people were confirmed dead and 5 others seriously wounded, after these Ethiopian Woyanne troops opened fire on passengers bus which left Mogadishu and heading towards Wanlaweyn district in the lower Shabelle region.
These Ethiopian Woyanne forces encountered attack yesterday evening as they were traveling between Wanlaweyn district and Balidogle the former Somali air force base.
The reports from the area says that the passengers spent the night at a village called Yaq dhub and started their journey in the morning hours and meet accidentally with these vexed Ethiopian Woyanne troops and with suspicion they opened indiscriminate fire at these innocent passengers.
The deceased and the wounded ones were taken to Wanlaweyn general hospital for the dead ones to be burred and the wounded ones to be treated.
The Ethiopian Woyanne troops mostly travel along these road which links Mogadishu to Baidoa, and we can call it is the only route they can use when the need transfer troops from one destination to the other.
It is not some thing unusual for the Ethiopian Woyanne troops to open fire at passengers and as well other innocent people who have not committed any sort of crime against them.
