Ethiopia troubled by war, famine and now peace

Mennonite Central Committee
Saturday, 24 June 2000

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- The two-year-long conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea is over for now, after the two governments signed a June 18 peace plan brokered by the Organization of African Unity (OAU).

"Many are hoping that the recent peace agreement signed between Eritrea and Ethiopia will allow these two countries to now spend all their energy on relief and development," said Willie Reimer, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) director of food, disaster and material resources, who recently returned from disaster assessment tour of Ethiopia.

The bulk of a 4,500-metric-ton wheat shipment to the Somali region of Ethiopia has arrived and the remainder will be in Ethiopia sometime soon, said Reimer. MCC is partnering with the Ethiopian Mennonite Church (MKC), the Lutheran Church and Afar pastoralists to distribute food to people affected by the drought and to those displaced by the Ethiopia-Eritrea war. "Many vulnerable people, primarily the elderly, women and children are affected by the war. The outside world, while it supports humanitarian efforts, must also be aware of the effects of war," said Reimer.

While the war and peace have been drawing most of the headlines, Ethiopia continues to suffer from its second serious drought in a decade. Linda and Bob Hovde, MCC and Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) Ethiopia representatives, reported that the food situation in Ethiopia appears to be steadily worsening. Rains have failed for the third straight year in some areas and some have been without rain and adequate food for months.

MCC grain shipments are made via the Canadian FoodGrains Bank.

MCC and EMM, in conjunction with MKC, will contribute $90,000 Cdn./60,500 U.S. to hire a material resources coordinator and to purchase a vehicle. This is an effort to build MKC's capacity for disaster response.

Ethiopia was the first African country in which MCC worked. MCC program began in Ethiopia in 1947. MCC continues to accept contributions designated for "Ethiopia famine relief."

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org