Geldof in Ethiopia to mark 25 years since famine
Irish rocker and founder of the Band-aid charity Bob Geldof (C)
interacts with local people during a visit to Korem.
26 November, 2009
KOREM, Ethiopia (AFP) – Twenty-five years after releasing a hit single to raise funds for victims of Ethiopia's infamous famine, Bob Geldof on Wednesday visited one of the then worst-affected villages in the north of the Horn of Africa country.
Dozens of children and women greeted the Irish rock star as he arrived in Korem village, some 600 kilometres (370 miles) north of the capital Addis Ababa, waving placards emblazoned: "No more deaths from hunger."
"It's a miracle to come back after 25 years to this beautiful place and see you all in healthy shape," the 49-year-old told a cheering crowd, among them survivors of the devastating hunger.
Geldof arrived in Korem the same day 25 years ago when he released "Do they know it's Christmas?," a song he co-wrote after galvanising some of the world's top musicians to participate in the charity drive.
"What happened here deeply affected every human being outside of Ethiopia," he said. "Nobody who was here 25 years ago doubted that you could rebuild your lives in the way you have now."
Geldof spoke at a hospital site financed by his Band Aid group, British author J.K. Rowling and other donors. The hospital is expected to cater for the district's 250,000 people when completed in four years time.
The site bears great symbolism as it was the feeding centre where the BBC's live footage of dying children propped up against their skeletal mothers was shot and broadcast to the world.
Locals recounted horrifying tales of the 1984 famine -- which killed a million people -- recalling how families who arrived at the feeding centre, some already too weak, died and were buried in a nearby grave site.
"They were buried here, hundreds of thousands of them," said Gebremedhin Alemu, gesturing at empty fields strewn with stones and trees, but no grave markings.
Now a guard at the hospital site, Gebremedhin told AFP he lost his one-year-old son, an aunt and mother in law.
"May God rest their souls. They were simply piled on top of each other, void of any respect," the 55-year-old added, shaking his head in sadness.
"There will never be a repeat of 1984, never again," mayor Gebrehiwot Abraha pledged during a ceremony, with Geldof nodding in approval.
"In fact, we're now facing rain shortages identical to those of that time, but we're competent now in handling such situations."
Ethiopia's then military regime was blamed for sparking the disaster through untenable land policies, forcible eviction of millions of people and covering up the famine. The regime was toppled in 1991.
Korem now bears little resemblance to its former self. Buildings have shot up and infrastructure been established. Officials say more than 90 percent of residents have access to education and health care.
However, Ethiopia has yet to overcome food shortages due to cycles of drought.
Last month, the government appealed for 159,000 tonnes of food aid worth 121 million dollars to feed 6.2 million people until the year's end.
It is expected this week to revise that figure up.
In a report to mark the famine's 25th anniversary, Oxfam also last month called for a change of strategy towards human suffering in Ethiopia, Africa's second most-populous country after Nigeria.
It urged donors to focus on helping communities devise ways of preparing and dealing with disasters, such as building dams to collect rain water to be used during dry seasons rather than sending emergency relief.