Draft law meeting

I had an interesting weekend which started off with a long but intriguing meeting at the Hilton. The meeting was supposed to be a stakeholders’ forum on the draft of Ethiopia’s media and freedom of information law. To be frank I have not really looked into the draft much but from my minimal reading there are issues which warrant amendments. And as expected much of the gathering have also presented their views in regards to their proposed amendments and this allowed me to get to know some of the contnetioous issues. My problem with the whole proceeding was the format of the meeting the moderator was the minister of information and the speaker was the government’s broadcasting chief who is also the chief prosecutor which gave little room for rebutalls from the gathering as well as enough time to indicate their reservations in regards to draft law.
For those who have not been following the draft law saga the law was proposed some five years ago which started a tug of war between the government and those seeking greater press freedoms in Ethiopia. Since then portions of the draft press law have been included into the nation’s criminal code and other laws prompting various denouncements. But I do welcome the discussions but would have rathered them to have been more egalitarian. But the fight goes on despite some walking out probably caused by the long talk on genesis of the concept of freedom of press from the Universal Human rights declaration and an article by article elaboration of the draft law, the various sources of inspiration of the draft law from Indonesia, Sweden, Germany, USA, South Africa and a couple of other nations which my limited memory cannot conjure up at this moment. But it was not a total loss some have even provided the gathering with thick documents [I really mean thick] in regards to the shortcomings of the document. ]
My position on this whole affair? Yes there is room for improvements but opting to impose order by laying out an unpopular law isn’t in my opinion the best way to go about it and do not understand the need to rush in the legislation when with the Ombudsman has not yet started discharging in full its duties and we have all not yet reflected on the matters affecting the press in Ethiopia following the 2005 elections.

The cracks are showing

We are at the half way mark of the Easter fasting season Menyelenal has so far broken fast in four unfortunate  occasions. I think temptation has gotten the better of me in those rare occasions of weakness but I persist and try to purge those minor indiscretions through a strenuous cleansing ceremony but I am happy to note that I have so far  withstood the lure of alcohol [except for the freak accident when i accidentally drank a friend's drink over a heated argument- hey accidents do happen].

Work wise things are okay I actually have more reserves of strength partly because of the extra rest I got from ‘nocturnal ’social engagements’. I did however inspire two buddies to resist the lure of alcohol one has stayed strong for two weeks another surrendered to the call of alcohol last night – a pity today would have been his alcohol free week I would have liked it if he had focused on our joint project but not everyone can be as strong as menyelenal. I did  notice some others who have caved in last night at one bar I continue to frequent – fear not I only drink tonic and soft drinks.  My new choice of drinks have encouraged a lot of regulars and new comers to speculate on my true motives some have speculated that I have finally found God and others have gone so far as to state that I have lost my marbles.  I actually have become a good tipper so as to get the waiters satisfied with my sudden descent into non-alcohol beverages. I do not know why but I have this crazy craving for milk I rarely drink milk alone usually drinking milk for me would require a generous splash of coffee.

Remember    the dentist appointment that I had been putting off well it became so unberable that I had to drop by at the dentist and had a tooth pulled out. A painful experience that required constant aneastethic shots and a long battle between my tooth that refused to part company with its siblings and an over enthuiastic dentist that refused to give in to that little guy despite my constant appeal to look for alternative means to resolve the matter – my advise would be a a strong regiment of pain killer medication that would help me go through teh pian untill I reach 80 years and the tooth would call it quits after the pain killers numbed me from its contatnt complaints. It is a pity that I had to seek medical attention my last vist to a docotr’s office was on January 18, 2001.

let the fasting begin

The Ethiopian Lent fasting season started today. I don’t know why but something about two months fighting the urge to stuff oneself with meat, poultry and diary products brings a smile. I used to be a devout  faster or abstainer if you like I would growing up me and my siblings would compete against each other on who could out do the other I remeber times where soem of us actually fated or a certain sibling ’sleep walked’ into teh kitchen and devoured a cheese cake. The past two years however temptaton has gotten the best of me and my brief stint at fasting lasted only two weeks- I get rebukes all over.

This year however I have a good feeling about fasting one I do not fast purely for religious purposes but to discipline oneself plus it is a nice opportunity to purge oneself from excesses of gluttony- I say gluttony because there was too much festivities in  my social life two friends and a cousin got married,  not to mention a steady of launches for one book, NGO you name it I just happen to be smack in the middle of things. Plus I have noticeable grown chubbier the last couple of months and have not been exercising that much.

I am now also exploring other part time gigs  the pay  get isn’t helping last week I had a rude awakening a kilo of potatoes now costs 6 birr I remember last year it was around 2.50- 3 birr a kilo, a can sardines is up by to 10 birr from a mere 6.50, beer has also gone up by 2 to 5 birr depending on the establishment  – notice I put down beer under bare necessities . Any way my new partime gig will now have me busy during Saturdays and will entail going outside Addis which i totally love. All I need now is to work around on how I can upload pictures on wordpress. cheers every one