Ass'n  to commemorate  Korean war  send-off ,  martyrs

BY WORKU BELACHEW

ADDIS ABABA — Six decades and plus from now Africa had been under the heavy hand of colonialism, but Ethiopia was the only nation representing the continent and stood by the side of innocent people who were invaded by aggressors and fought bravely joining hands with the American-led UN force in South Korea.
 

Ethiopians knew what loneliness  mean, as their appeal to the League of Nations in 1936 did not entertain a response according to the League's  principle of collective security. Hence, the Italian invading force occupied  some parts of the  nation for five years.
After the end of  WWII, South Korea had been in same situation. As a founding member of the United Nations, Ethiopia accepted the call of the UN to support South Korea  according to its Charter and responded quickly. Accordingly, Kagnew Battalion, best soldiers selected from First Division Imperial Body Guard  had received intense training on the mountains of Ethiopia.
 

“We were there to support the helpless South Korean people, our presence by no means need to be translated as war against ideology, be it capitalism or communism,”  Ethiopia Korean War Veterans Association President Colonel Melesse Tessema told  at  a press conference organized  regarding the commemoration of  the 62nd  anniversary  of Korean War send-off and  Ethiopian martyrs  next Saturday.
 

He further said commemorating Ethiopian Korean War martyrs at the St. Trinity Cathedral where their bodies were made to rest and  paying tribute to South Koreans for their support for the war veterans as well as their families are among the programmes scheduled for the day.   
“We won't  forget  what the late Prime Minister Meles deed to us. He was on our side when we establish this association and also had active involvement when the Korean government  decided to pay a regular allowance for the war survivors,” he said, adding veterans faced various challenges to establish this association during  the previous  Derg regime and it was in Meles time we got due recognition. 
Ethiopians not only participated in  the war, but had done miraculous deeds .  In all the 253 patrols and six  full scale wars  122 died and 534 received wounds . Ethiopia  sent over 6,000 soldiers of which 3,500 were  engaged in the war . 
 

“We were soldiers as any of our fellows but the spirit of our forefathers had been with us and we even  did not have any war prisoner,  nor did have a single person missed  after the 1953 cease-fire,”  narrates Association  Vice President Captain  Yilma Belachew.
He also made clear that Ethiopians never left their dead and wounded behind. “We treated the injured  and evacuated  the dead,” he added.
 

The relations  between  Ethiopia and South Korea is bonded with blood and they are now helping us in various ways including awarding veterans children with scholarship in technical and vocational trainings. Accordingly, 60 youngsters are now in South Korea attending their training  while preparations have been  finalized to send another 120 this year.

Sidewalks in Addis Ababa: Abandoned?

 By worku Belachew

Going on foot is the most common way of transportation in Addis. This is not, of course, out of pedestrians choice, but quite a number of them could not either afford public transport or due to the current roaring scarcity of transportation.

A recently conducted study has revealed, inter alia, that the presently available modes of public transportation have addressed a demand for only 2.2 million people in Addis Ababa. And it is estimated that there is a 1.4 million transport service coverage demand gap in the city. Accordingly, 60 per cent of residents are pedestrians while 11 per cent and 20.6 per cent use bus and taxi respectively. The rest 3.3 per cent uses private, government and non -government vehicles.

 Walking in such situation would rather raise one's blood pressure than giving pleasure

Compared to other cities of developed countries such as London and New York, the East African City, Addis Ababa, could be lucky for the majority of its residents are pedestrians, which significantly lowers emissions from vehicles. A good number of Addis Ababa residents face transport challenges while they are moving from place to place. Plainly speaking, walking in Addis is becoming a situation that raises one's blood pressure, than giving pleasure. Handfuls of reasons can be mentioned to back this assertion. In some cases, it seems that pertinent bodies that have engaged in road construction seem to fail ensure that adequate and standard pavements are available. In some places, even the relatively modern arterial roads' pavements are poorly designed and constructed. In short, it is to say that the pavements are too narrow. There are people who use wheelchairs, crutch or parents and guardians who need to assist their kids, or the disabled on a baby carriages, without proper pavements. By the way, the latter should not be understood as a luxury, it is people's preference. To make the issue in discussion worse, billboards, cafes, liquor houses and street vendors compete these narrowly built pavements. The issue is becoming a serious one which the pertinent bodies are giving it a blind eye on the contrary.

In addition to the barriers mentioned above, another gravely disastrous problem is arising recently. Some investors are totally ignoring their social responsibility. Firstly, they build high skyscrapers almost on the pavements. Some skyscrapers appear to be waiting for a taxi with passengers as built close to the through ways. Secondly, the remaining pedestrians way is arbitrarily used for a parking lot for their customers. This is too worrisome. And it ignites at least two questions: Have the city lost its master plan enforcing bodies and what does the design and construction body do in this regard?

Another funny abuse of pavements is attributable for both private and government institutions. Nowadays, prohibiting pedestrians to walk on some pavements adjacent to some institutions for security reason is a fashion compounding traffic jam. In fact, some government institutions and embassies apply that to tighten the security of the institutions. This is also for the security of the country and citizens. But, other government and private institutions also practice that without any convincing reasons. And this calls for the legislation of blocking partial pavements in this regard.

Actually, the barriers mentioned above are few among the many cases. Meanwhile, another worth mentioning issue is that even the available sidewalks do not get proper and timely maintenance. Imagine how it affects mobility late alone for persons with disabilities and for senior citizens.

Poor designing and construction as well as unbefitting usage of pavements not only set mobility difficulties, it is also one of the major causes of vehicular accidents in the capital, which has already become an elevated cause of public health threat. Most accidents involve pedestrians as the pavements are victimized by the various menaces treated so far.

In conclusion, the diplomatic hub of Africa which has been playing various historic roles for the entire African continent should not entertain poor designing and construction of pavements. It is a hard fact that road construction in the city is booming than ever before. That is a plus! Hence, road construction that has given little or no attention to sidewalks would have no meaning. The construction of the roads need to meet international standards, thereby, meeting the demands of pedestrians. In so doing, the capital would get a better look and the emission of traffic fumes would be at minimum. Above all, pedestrians would not be exposed to vehicular accidents. Being that the case, the city administration need to see into itself and try to fit every construction with the city's master plan.

(The writer originally produced this piece as editorial, published this April 6 on The Ethiopian Herald)