Ethiopia Census Report Leads to First Public Fight Among EPRDF MP
by Ze Ethiopia (videos)
By Kirubel Tadesse, Capital
http://ethiopolitics.com/news_1/20090622950.html
In an highly unusual seen, MPs from the ruling coalition, the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), partnered with opposition groups to mount a strong protest against the latest census that recorded the Amhara population as over two million below projection.
Backed by opposition groups, members of the EPRDF party, the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM) called for a full recount.
The long-awaited national census unveiled last December put the national population at 77 million and Addis Ababa at 2.7 million, both below international organisations' estimates.
However, the more contentious number was for Amhara Regional State's population, which was 17.2 million, well short of the Government projection of 19.6 million in 2006.
Birtukan Sebsibe, a ruling party MP, protested when the census was first presented by the Population and Housing Census Commission. "It is better to do it again," Birtukan had said at the time.
After what she called a rigorous analysis and investigation, Central Statistical Agency (CSA) director general Samiya Zekaria reported to parliament last Thursday that the number was accurate and there is no need for a recount.
This, however, was unacceptable to the 105 MPs who refused to endorse her report.
The nineteen page report CSA presented before parliament explains the three members technical committee and two international consultants that teamed up with four local experts from Addis Ababa and Awassa universities all reached the same conclusion: the census is accurate. The team also did three other regional investigations at the same time, to check if there were any inconsistencies.
As MPs pointed out, their region has a high fertility rate, with one mother giving birth to five children on average. However, the CSA report suggested that this did not necessarily lead to a high population rate, which is low at 1.7 per cent, as other factors balanced it out. According to the agency, the factors that landed the region with a low population growth are, primarily, internal migration and a high mortality rate.
The CSA says life expectancy, despite projections, is low in Amhara compared to other regions and the reason is HIV/AIDS.
"Including this in the report is disrespectful in itself. It reads as if the epidemic is in that region alone," MP Tadesse Meselu, another ruling party MP from South Gondar, protested.
"This is official data from the Ministry of Health," Samiya responded, adding that the high mortality rate accounts for approximately one third of the 2.4 million missing from projection.
This statement also displeased many MPs, who interrupted the session repeatedly.
"When we ask people where they are from, they don't know," the CSA director's senior aide said, attempting to explain why migration data is not available.
However, this also served to cause uproar amongst MPs. "Whether it is adequate or not, you have presented your report and we may or may not accept it. However, you should not disrespect people stating that they don't know where they live, simply because they are farmers," another ruling party MP said demanding order. The aide responded that no disrespect was intended and cut his testimony short.
"The two thirds missing from the projection are said to be due to internal migration. This is a wild assumption that still does not confirm the figures put forward. Why wasn't a recount conducted as per the House request?" the MP from South Gondar asked, implying that the entire report was misconceived.
Shitaye Minale, deputy speaker and a party colleague intervened stating the House did not order a full recount.
"The best solution, still, is to do a full recount to ease any concern the Amhara people have," Ethiopian Democratic Party whip, Abdurahman Ahmedin, said, repeating ruling party MPs' calls.
According to a Capital source, some ruling party MPs had first requested to discuss the report as a party before the general session, but that did not happen. In last Thursday's session, some ruling party MPs queried why the technical report contains a political decision to not recount. They felt the decision should not have been made by the CSA.
However, ANDM senior member in the House, Government Assistant whip Meles Tilahun asked for the House to endorse the report despite sympathising with his colleagues' concerns.
The census was opposed by 61 MPs with 16 abstentions when it was first presented.
However, the latest report saw more strong opposition; 79 objections and 26 abstentions.
While few ruling party MPs did not vote at all, some abstained despite the CSA's assurance to conduct an internal migration and comparison between the different surveys to further ease concern
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Ethiopia Lidetu on Dr. Berhanu Part 1by weyegood15,159 views
Ene eco lemin woyane kenezi gar gizewin endemiyabakin algebagnim ? they should just kill them, kill all of them in cold blood, and they will love you for that in fact they will praise u just like Israel and USA, Kindness to ur enemy Is a weakness!
Ak47eier 3 months ago
@habetamub you are good
Ahmedmahad789 3 months ago
Lidetu seems very very nervous...as if he has something to hide...
We know he is guilty of a few things...
zedonutube 3 months ago
yezorebih Diaspora endezi eyalachu bewushet bealubalita mechem lewut atametum....Lidetu is one of Ethiopia's wise leader....woregna diasporawoch gedel gibu!!! LIDETU IS ALWAYS MY HERO.
Amico.
amico196 5 months ago
TPLF SPY LIDETU AYALEW ......... please Ethiopian for God sake don't believe this Guy ....... He came out from Ethiopia to make diversity and unstable united among Diaspora's ........ which TPLF couldn't do ........ please ........ please .....please ...........be wise ......... and make strong united .......... long life to Ethiopia
habetamub 6 months ago
@ZeEthiopia
ZeEthiopia alik...Eunetim anten bilo Ethiopian alech sister RastaGirl1185.
Why the hell did u mess up the voice of Lidetu, He tells the truth and you know it and it hurts to haters like you isn't it.
KINGoftheuniverse 8 months ago
yesew maferia antene belo ethiopian
thuglife19154 10 months ago
dedeb anten belo zeethiopia endezh aynet neger setakerb,ye wenetgnawen sew Ledetu voice lemn abelashew?ahun ye ethiopia hizb Berhanun awkotal kedada mehonu.enkuanm mercha 97 seltan alyaze .egzaber agerachenen tebkuatal.
RastaGirl1185 10 months ago