World leaders, int’l agencies send messages of condolence

10 August 2006

ADDIS ABABA - World leaders and international agencies express heart-felt sorrow over the loss of human lives and properties in Dire Dawa town following the overflow of the Dechatu River, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

In a statement it sent to ENA yesterday, the ministry said leaders including German President Horst Kohler, King of Morocco Mohamed VII, and Queen of the Netherlands, Beatrix R sent messages of condolence to President Girma Wolde-Giorgis over the death of people due to the flooding.

Meanwhile, the embassies of Uganda, Switzerland and Serbia in Addis Ababa, the Economic Commission for Africa as well as Ethiopian embassies in Tokyo and Moscow also expressed deep sorrow over the death of people and vowed to support efforts in rehabilitating the flood victims.

Similarly, the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekaneyesus has provided 100,000 birr to support victims of the recent flood in Dire Dawa town.

The church called on the laity to provide financial and material support to the victims while it sent a team to assess the magnitude of the problem with a view to providing further assistance to the victims.

The church also called on all community members to stand on the side of the government to alleviate the problem.

Various civil society organizations and employees have also continued making pledges of financial and material assistance.

The Dire Dawa Food Complex pledges to provide 50,000 birr in support of flood-displaced people, while its employees decided to donate 50,000 birr from their salary, Manager of the Company Zeratsion Tsegaye said.

He said the workers pledged to buy and distribute among the flood victims some 50,000 birr worth product from the company.

Similarly, the Dire Dawa Textile Factory pledged to donate 50,000 birr in cash and mattress and pillow worth of over 20,840 birr in support of the victims, Deputy Manager of the Factory Mekonnen Tewolde said.

Members of the business community in Dire Dawa town also donated 32,000 birr and 450 pairs of sheets to the displaced.

Moreover, the Somali State Health Bureau has sent health professionals, over 1,500 canopies and malaria drug to prevent the possible outbreak of epidemic in the area.

Furthermore, Chief of the East Hararghe Zone of the Oromia State said civil servants in the zone agreed to donate 10-20 per cent of their monthly salary in support of the flood-displaced people.

Meanwhile, the Dire Dawa District Office of the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) said it has opened an alternate road to traffic in place of a road damaged by the recent flooding.

The detour is opened to traffic in place of the 14-kms road damaged by the overflow of a local river in the town, road maintenance manager with the district Yeneneh Assefa told ENA yesterday.

Similarly, another road leading to Shinele which is damaged by the flooding has been cleared and opened for traffic, he said.

Some 250 police trainees are constructing dikes to prevent further flooding in the area, he said.

(ENA)