U.K.’s High Court of Justice has issued an order in favor of Saudi billionaire Mohammed Al Amoudi in his libel lawsuit against Ethiopian Review editor Elias Kifle. (click here to read the order)

Bloomberg’s Kristen Schweizer wrote this about the case:

Saudi sheikh Al Amoudi, who owns several properties in the U.K., said a story in the U.S.-based Ethiopian Review website has subjected him to “serious libel centered around one of his young, unmarried daughters.”

“The Al Amoudi case is definitely libel tourism because Sheikh Al Amoudi lives for the most part outside the U.K. and is not a British citizen and the majority of readers of the Ethiopian Review are outside the U.K.,” Libel Reform’s Harris said. He said the draft bill is expected in late March.

Read the full text of Kristen’s article here.

General Manager of Al Amoudi’s Sheraton Addis told department managers last week that the hotel will be closed down soon and will stop taking reservations starting February 15 unless the management is unable to reach an agreement with the union, according to The Reporter. Sheraton Addis, built 13 years ago, is the largest hotel in Ethiopia. Read more in Amharic here.

This is a good news. Sheraton Addis is a whorehouse for Al Amoudi and his Saudi millionaire friends as well as the ruling party elite. Other Woyanne-affiliated businesses will soon follow suit.

By Hundee Dhugaasaa

The suffering of farmers in Ethiopia, especially in Oromia, Benishangul, Somali and Gambella regions is going from worse to the worst in Ethiopia as a result of inequitable land acquisitions, better called “neo-colonial land grabbing,” by foreign investors in the name of lease by the Ethiopian regime. This act is worsening the already broken food security situation in Ethiopia. The peasants are losing their farming and grazing land they owned for centuries in a matter of months. The draconian proclamations and the brutal police force behind the mess is a point to be noted. This new form of agrarian neo-colonialism is launched under the pretext of utilizing “Wastelands” while the reality and reason behind is completely different.

The Ethiopian regime officials already acknowledged that 8420 foreign investors have received licenses for commercial farms. Even if the problems started when contemporary Ethiopia assumed its current territorial definition at the end of the nineteenth century, the danger posed by this regime — even if it looks it is going under the pretext of law and the cover of investment — is extremely huge. The regime change in 1991 and the subsequent ratification of the Constitution (1995) failed to restore any tangible land ownership right. Articles of the new Constitution complicated the problems of alienation and powerlessness experienced by the people for so long. In the FDRE Constitution, the rights of citizens to possess farming land are maintained (Art.40.4). Proclamation no.89/1997 (Art.2.3) provides for the right to lease one’s holding. In line with the provisions of the decree, the Oromia State issued a Directive (no.3/1995) which states that any farmer may rent a maximum of half of his holding to anyone at any rate for a maximum of three years (Art.23.2). But contrary to all these pillars and precedents, proclamation 455/2005 gives authority to the Woreda and urban administration, not to defend and protect but to confiscate and expropriate land for any purpose the higher authorities believes are for ‘public purpose and/or investment.’ The farmers are expected to evacuate from their ancestral land with a short notice of 30 days, as per Article 4(4) of the same proclamation in discussion. Failure to comply with this short notice will entitle authorities to use police force to forcefully evict farmers from their land. This very proclamation clearly marked the end of land right of Ethiopian farmers and opened big door for land grabbers.

Looking at the controversial and self contradictory part of the constitution itself, the FDRE constitution Article 52(2) d that relate to the powers of Regional States are defective as they tie the latter’s power to administer land and the use of other natural resources to the provisions in the Federal Laws. Put it another way, the provisions give only nominal power to the Regional States, because the latter are not free to exercise full freedom to administer land and other natural resources in their respective regions. In effect it is the Federal State that decides how the land and other natural resources of Regional States should be administered and used. They maintain that the Federal State deliberately shaped the constitution in such a way that Regional States do not enjoy real autonomy, because if they did, the former could not manipulate the laws to fit its interests. The constitution and federal laws are designed to empower the Federal State to influence the decisions made at the level of the Regional States. This is particularly so when it comes to the use of land and other natural resources. State monopoly of land under the guise of ‘public ownership’ reduced land to a marketable commodity contrary to what had been the case before the state formation when land was seen not only as a vital source of life but also, if not more, as a symbol of identity since ‘people relate to land not just as individuals, but also as members of groups, networks, and categories’. What is more, even if the laws are perfect and states are autonomous on land issue, the regional state authorities are not there to protect the interest of the nation they claim to represent but that of the TPLF top decision makers. They are picked from their region just to show up and boost with empty federal structure. This can be well understood by looking at the formation and the last 20 years functioning of OPDO and others surrogate regional authorities.

Very recently, the Ethiopian government has offered a huge land for a long term lease to private and government backed investors such as Karuturi Global Ltd of India which has acquired 1.8 million hectares, Saudi Star Agricultural Development Plc of Sheikh Mohammed Al-Amoudi, Saudi Arabia 100,000 hectares, German company Flora EcoPower 13,000 hectare, Djibouti’s first lady and president about 10,000 hectares and a group of Egyptian investors who have acquired 500 hectares. Ethiopia has already committed to hand over 1.7 million of the 2.7 million hectares of arable land to foreign investors. Prime Minster Meles has offered the land grabbers a “tax holiday” in which he exempted them from paying taxes and lease fees up to the first five years of production and allowed them to export all their production.

The federal government of Ethiopia has taken over millions of hectares of farmland from the States of Benishangul, Gambella and Oromia to distribute it to the so-called investors. By his speech of December 1, 2009 on World Economic Forum, Meles Zenawi claimed that his government’s policy will bring new ‘technology’ and ‘development’ into Ethiopia. However, as witnessed in many places of Oromia and Gambella, the mega-farms use rudimentary methods of farming similar to the typical Ethiopian farming. The new thing is that, the farmers turned labourers and have lost their dignity, ownership right and become slaves in their own country and land. Shamelessly, Mr. Zenawi said that this land giving policy works only in the south, revealing its racist policy of governance. He said the northern part of the Country is out of discussion as far as land selling is concerned.

After all, this is the same government that has closed down multi million hectares of mechanized state farms in few years after it seized a power in almost all part of Ethiopia, mainly in Wollega, Arsi and Bale. These farms used to employ high tech-machines including airplanes. The tractors, the combiners, and all the multibillion dollar investment of the farms properties were ignored as if it serves nothing and forced to collapse with its thousands of employees. In Wollega only, 65,000 head of families were thrown on the streets, exposing them and their extended families to starvation and humiliation. This will remain to be one of the dozens of crimes for which the EPRDF government headed by Meles Zenawi is going to answer sooner or later. The land and the property were neither privatized nor allowed to continue in corporation. Today these farms could have feed at least millions of Ethiopians looking for western hand outs, if not able to generate foreign currency. It looks as if this government is deliberately subjecting the people to a systematic impoverishment and shame.

Yet, in Gambella, the other fertile south-western region of Ethiopia, most of the land is forcibly taken from the indigenous subsistence farmers; not for the development of a needed infrastructure, but for lease to private foreign companies mostly from India, where neither the profits nor the majority of the produce will be shared with the communities. In all cases, the farmers and indigenous people receive little or no compensation for their land.

Currently millions are believed to be in need of food aid. But the government in Ethiopia is offering at least 3m hectares of its most fertile land to rich countries and some of the world’s most wealthy individuals to export food for their own populations. This fact clearly indicates that the minority PM Meles regime has neither a consideration nor accountability to the Ethiopian people but only to its corrupted will and interests.

A closer look at how this government handling of the land issue shows that the reason behind its decision to lease and sell fertile farm lands to foreign investors for an indefinite or century old contract. It is neither a quest for technology nor utilizing the excess land. The reality is, the TPLF dominated EPRDF officials are busy building their personal business empire for the last 20 years they are in power. TPLF officials own more than ¾ of the total business in the country, majority of them in decisive government positions and military ranks. As popular discontent grows, the TPLF leaders are getting worried about the future of their personal and group wealth and their Business Empire, which stretched to all corners of Ethiopia and dominates from small biscuits to large truck industry. The idea they came up with is that, to call up on foreign investors to cover them in this big scam they are involved. That is precisely the reason why land confiscation is so heated, foreign hands are lined up and the name of investors rather than native farmers is flown full over the air of Ethiopia.

Several governments have come and gone in Ethiopia. However, the land issue has never been addressed satisfactorily to redress the injustices committed. Neither the existing laws nor resources are utilized so as to serve the interest of its citizens. In a country where 85% of its population rely as a means of subsistence on what is obtained from agriculture, the relation of land to man is crucial in a manner similar to the need of air to breath, sunshine and water to live. To deprive anyone of any of these vital resources is equal to rendering a death sentence on him or her and to their extended family members. Consequently the current land grabbing will fuel conflict, create political instability, uproots the indigenous peoples and results in food insecurity.

The land question in Ethiopia is a potential time bombs waiting to explode. The land issue was the major factor for the demise of all Meles’s predecessor in the history and has also already consumed a government in Madagascar. However the impact on health, Soil, water, food security, ownership right and the environment will remain an expensive price for the next generation to pay.

Hence, it is very important for the international community to stand in unison against brutal regime of Ethiopia and uphold the right of the peoples to land ownership, which is exploited, left defenseless and currently are running out of means to protect their right. The land grabbers (investors) should also understand the complicated reality they are involving in and need to calculate their risk on time before it is too late. Any land deal that has not been agreed to by the Ethiopian nations and nationalities will not be honored and will bring neither lasting peace nor development in the country and for the investors too.

It is also a high time for the UN and its concerned stake holders to call special investigation on this serious matter and issues immediate resolution against the continued suffering of farmers due to eviction and the serious poverty that followed. It is also very important to exert the at most possible pressure to undo the unfair law with regards of land issues.

(The writer can be reached via [email protected] or visit http://jajjabee.wordpress.com)

By Getachew Belaineh

Every city in the world has its own unique personality. Each represents a unique blend of history, natural settings, cultural patterns, and lifestyles. Some are old-fashioned yet attractive, others modern but boring. Likewise, Addis Ababa has its own unique personality. It is inherently a socially mixed city housing traditional and modern urban people.

Preserving this unique characteristic while moving the city into the 21st century is not only important for maintaining the city’s historical significance but also exemplifies the administration’s awareness toward the citizens. Relocating traditional and poor people to the city periphery away from socio-economic opportunities predictably has caused irreversible damage to the unique social makeup of the city. This is the main subject of this commentary. Other perturbing trends in the city such as the soaring food prices, liquidation of public parks, and the people’s unsanitary living conditions are also themes of this article. For a heads-up, public recreational and park areas in the city are on the verge of extinction. The high food prices compounded with joblessness and relocations is severely affecting the poor, as they are net consumers. People who are already poor are falling deeper into poverty. Especially the children, who represent the next generation, are suffering grave and irremediable damage to their health and education due to malnutrition and dropping out of school to look for work.

I was inspired to write this commentary by a personal experience I had during my recent visit to Addis. I felt compelled to write this commentary not to be critical of the city administration or the government, but rather to instigate awareness and dialogues leading to viable solutions. By no means is my intention to reveal anyone’s misdeeds.

I am starting with the endangered unique social blend of the city. Addis Ababa is experiencing growth and modernity in terms of buildings and roads, yet it is on the verge of losing its century-old unique social blend. Modern and traditional as well as rich and poor people have lived side by side throughout the history of the city. However, the present trend is to demolish traditional housing and housing for poor people within the city and relocate the inhabitants to a remote location, as they are deemed a hindrance to modernity. It is true that traditional people live by a stable age-old tradition and most poor families live in slums around the city that are characterized by the most deplorable living conditions. There has to be a better way of handling the situation than demolishing the houses haphazardly and relocating the dwellers to the city’s periphery away from socio-economic opportunities and mostly without fair compensation. In some cases, the relocation and the demolition take place with unrealistically short notice to the inhabitants.

Many traditional houses in primarily residential areas are being demolished because the city can make more revenue by leasing the land to investors, and the inhabitants are traditional people who do not belong there anymore. The demolition of traditional housing and relocation of the inhabitants away from the city is a matter of meaningful concern. Traditional people have been an integral part of the community since the inception of the city around 1880. If these buildings were in dilapidated condition, it would be better if the owners were assisted in renovating them rather than the city removing them from the face of the city. These buildings are not only historical but are also physical symbols of Ethiopian cultural heritage. There is nothing wrong with upholding these houses with their century-old traditions.

The slums are known for their awful environmental sanitation, non-existent waste disposal arrangements, overcrowded and dilapidated habitation, insufficient water supply, and vulnerability to serious health risks. These slums have to go. The city administration is rightly demolishing slums in phases. Currently, the demolition of the slums is underway in the Arat Killo area, while around the Lideta area, construction of massive multistoried residential and commercial buildings is in full swing once the slums are demolished. The slum dwellers obviously cannot afford any of the condominiums that are being built in the city and are relocated in areas that are economically isolated, have a higher costs of living, and provide fewer choices of where people can spend their limited resources. The relocated families are often “captive consumers,” paying higher prices for inferior basic goods and services compared to when they lived in their former neighborhoods. Getting to work (if they have any) or anywhere is disproportionately costly and time consuming. All of the above drives them deeper into the hole of poverty.

I like to mention what was brought up in an international conference that took place in Durban (South Africa). During the Durban Conference, in which the unfair treatment of one group compared to another was discussed, Jacob Zuma of South Africa said the existence of shack inhabitants and slum settlements on the continent remained a constant reminder that we have not fully achieved the goal of restoring the right of human dignity to all our peoples. He went on to say, “We cannot ignore the indignity suffered by families living in shacks with no ablution facilities and no sanitation, no water, electricity or any other basic services we take for granted ourselves.” I am quoting Mr. Zuma here to signify the role governments should play in restoring and protecting their citizens from substandard life.

One of the preferred alternatives to improving the shanty living conditions is to restore their human dignity by giving them the opportunity to improve their living conditions through the Assisted Self-Building Approach (ASA). Assisted Self-Building Approach is not only a compassionate and responsible intervention, but it also minimizes disturbance to the people and the economic life of the community. At times, it is also cheaper than relocating the dwellers. In ASA, the administration or government improves the environmental conditions by removing unsanitary human waste and polluted water and upgrading the infrastructure to a satisfactory standard to provide adequate clean water, sanitation, and storm drainage. The city administration need not worry about the shanty living conditions. The dwellers can do this mostly by themselves if they are assisted in improving their incomes and offered optional home improvement loans. ASA works if the area is earmarked on the land use map as residential. If the area is earmarked for commercial or something else, then relocation of dwellers is a must.

As one final remark on the land use plan, the modernization of Addis Ababa has been questioned leading to a growing emphasis on the human rights aspect and calling for a better-balanced approach with a concern for social issues and equity for the traditional and poor. The problem began when the community was ignored in the process of the development of the city land use plan. City planning is a professional practice aiming at optimally utilizing resources. Involving local community members is an important aspect of development. Consultation allows people interested in, or affected by the new plan, to offer their point of view before a decision is made. The critical steps for city administrators are to (1) recognize the right of traditional and poor people to live in the city and share in the benefits of urban life and (2) allow meaningful public involvement in the development of the land use plan. This can help the city administration achieve better and balanced outcomes.

The soaring price of basic food items is the second issue that attracted my attention during my stay in Addis. It was a good thing that the government recently attempted to impose price caps on some food items. Interestingly, some of the price caps have already been revised shortly after the price control announcement. Actually, in the views of many people, this jeopardizes the credibility of the price caps. For instance, the retail price of palm oil was bir 40 before the price capping. The initial price cap reduced the price of oil to bir 16 which few days later changed to bir 24.50. Not knowing the basis on which the price caps were determined, this writer’s fear is that it may result in a shortage of commodities. Basic economics says that the law of supply and demand determines prices. What is happening in Addis Ababa is that the supply is down, while demand is growing with the population growth. Agricultural food products are in short supply in the domestic market because they are being exported to foreign markets.

This may come as a surprise to some, as it was to this writer. Living in Addis Ababa is not as costly for foreigners as it is for its own citizens. According to the latest cost of living survey from Mercer, Addis Ababa is the cheapest African city for foreigners to live in. Luanda of Angola is the world’s most expensive city for expatriates. It is not a bad idea to make living in Addis cheap for foreigners in order to attract international workers, but it should not cost its citizens more.

For a long-term solution, the government must move its focus from export to domestic consumption. Again, considering oil seeds as an example, Ethiopia produces a large quantity of oilseeds and pulses that are known for their flavor and nutritional value, as they are mostly grown organically. However, nearly all oilseeds produced in the country are sent abroad to foreign markets. Actually, oilseeds are the second-largest export item in the country next to coffee. Because of the oil seed shortage in the domestic market, food oil producers stopped producing which created shortage of food oil. This is the real cause of the price jump for food oil. Palm oil imported from Middle Eastern countries was made available in an attempt to ease the shortage. Actually, biomedical research indicates that palm oil, which is high in saturated fat and low in polyunsaturated fat, is a major cause of heart disease. This writer is not sure if the consumers are aware of the health issue associated with palm oil. Think about it. Ethiopia exports good quality oil seeds to the Middle East and imports unhealthy palm oil. The right of the people to utilize their agricultural and food products at the domestic level must be respected prior to exporting all the good quality products to foreign countries. The government must protect the country’s food sovereignty.

The last, but certainly not the least issue, in my diary is the structural transformation of the city. Certainly, the new buildings and roads continue to fascinate most visitors. Indeed, they are fascinating. However, the predicament with the structural transformation of the city is that no adequate attention is paid to the basic infrastructures and public facilities. The city continues to face one of the worst sanitation problems in the entire world. Garbage is everywhere and sewage flows freely in open ditches. With the exception of some privileged areas such as the Bole area, the garbage collection services are nearly non-existent. Even in the privileged areas, it accumulates for weeks if not months. In sum, the sanitation problem is overwhelming.

Public facilities such as parks and sport fields are on the verge of extinction. Even existing facilities are either already taken or reserved for future construction. I remember there was a sizable field in my neighborhood where we used to play soccer or engage in other athletic activities. However, two 4-story buildings now take that space. The small soccer field adjacent to Addis Ababa Stadium and the one near the municipality in Piazza are gone. Itege Mesk, once popular neighborhood soccer field near Filwiha, is gone too. None of the newly built schools have sport fields—not even small playgrounds. No wonder the city does not have good soccer players anymore. During my three-week stay, I haven’t seen any open space for kids to play. My prediction is that in the near future kids will have to travel to Debere Birhan or farther to find open space to play and have fun.

In addition, it appears the city administration is contemplating converting Peacock Park into Zoological Park. Peacock Park, popular as a wedding park, is located on the Bole road behind Peacock Café. This is good news. It would be even better if Peacock Park was left alone and the Zoological Park was established somewhere else. On the other hand, the lion park near Sidist Killo is chronically underfunded which puts it on life support. Africa Park is no longer functional. Africa Park, which is stretched along the road from Menelik Palace to the Economic Commission for Africa Building, was established in 1963 to mark the formation of the Organization of African Unity and was functional and accessible to the public since then. Reportedly, the business tycoon Sheik Al Amoudi renovated the park only for it to be closed after its completion.

Parks are not civic frills but urban necessities. Access to parks increases people’s physical activities. It brings the community together for outdoor activities. Addis Ababa is a park poor city. The city administration ought to consider the development of new parks and green spaces and maintain the existing ones as an integral part of the modernization effort.

In conclusion, I like to use a phrase somebody used for Washington D.C a while back. Addis Ababa is a living, breathing city that changes all the time. On that regard, the effort to modernize the city is praiseworthy. However, that effort would be more meaningful if accomplished with the awareness that the citizens’ right to continue living in the city should be protected and space should be preserved for environmental and public use. If modernizing the city is not intended to make a better place for its citizens…then it misses the major target.

(The author can be reached at [email protected])