Ethiopia is ahead, not behind

BY JOYCE NJERI (Inside Africa)/Khaleej Times Online

13 November, 2007

RECENTLY, on September 11 precisely, people from all over Ethiopia flocked in Addis Ababa, the country’s capital, to usher in the new Millennium, more than seven years after the rest of the world marked the 21st century. A host of other African and international leaders attended the event as well. Fireworks lit up the sk¬y above the city, as revellers gathered in the streets for a cultural festival to welcome the new millennium. How could this be possible?

Let me bring you up to speed. Ethiopia is unique in its own way. This East African country uses an ancient Coptic calendar, abandoned by the West in the 16th century. Unlike the normal 365-days Gregorian calendar we use, Ethiopia’s version squeezes 13 months into every year, 12 months comprising 30 days each and a final month of five or six days depending on whether it is a leap year.

The dating system has roots in the ancient Ethiopian Orthodox Church. As the rest of the world revised its calendar in the 16th Century, Ethiopia decided to stick with the old one, which means it was stuck more than seven years behind the rest of the world.

‘How do you expect these people to think forward when their timing is out all the way?’ I can hear you asking. Well, this is a country that has firsts of sorts. Despite the negative things you have read or heard about Ethiopia, this country with a long rich history can only get better. Granted, it has had its share of instabilities and wars with neighbouring Eritrea for many years. Another thing that has kept this country in the news is its dominance in athletics.

Ethiopia has some of the best track athletes in the world, like Haile Gebreselassie and Kenenisa Bekele, most notably in middle-distance and long-distance runners. Kenya and Morocco are often its opponents in World Championships and Olympic middle and long-distance events.

Situated in the Horn of Africa, it has been landlocked since the independence of its northern neighbour Eritrea in 1993. Apart from Eritrea to the north, the country is bordered by Sudan to the West, Kenya to the south, Djibouti to the northeast and Somalia to the east.

Ethiopia has a proud and long history extending to the known beginnings of humankind. It is one of the oldest nations in the world and Africa’s second-most populous nation. It has yielded some of the oldest traces of humanity, making it an important area in the process of human evolution.

For instance, its culture and traditions date back over 3,000 years, with over 80 different ethnic groups. During those days, the country was known as Abyssinia. And far earlier than that lived ‘Lucy’ or Dinkenesh, as she is known to Ethiopians, whose remains are now at the centre of the world’s archaeological research.

Secondly, Ethiopia is historically and remains a land of religious peace between Christians, Muslims and Jews. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the country is a biblical land that is mentioned in the Christian Bible more than 38 times. It’s also prominent in the Muslim tradition. Currently, approximately half of the population observes the Muslim faith in peace and without restriction.

More still, there’s one little-known fact about Ethiopia. Did you know that it is the only African country that was not colonised by outside forces? Other than the brief occupation of Ethiopia by the Fascist Italian army during World War II, it has been independent of outside control. Because of this, the country has always had a special significance for the rest of Africa.

This is truly a land of contrasts and extremes, a land of remote and wild places. Some of the highest and most stunning places on the African continent are found there, such as the jaggedly carved Simien Mountains, one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Other discoveries are still being made.

The early twentieth century was marked by the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie I, who undertook the rapid modernisation of Ethiopia. Selassie’s reign came to an end in 1974, when Mengistu Haile Mariam deposed him and established a one-party communist state.

The ensuing regime suffered several coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and a massive refugee problem. In 1977, there was the Ogaden War. Hundreds of thousands were killed due to the red terror, forced deportations, or from using hunger as a weapon. In 2006, after a long trial, Mengistu was found guilty of genocide.

Many tourists visit Ethiopia because of the remarkable manner in which ancient historical traditions have been preserved. So if you are planning to visit Africa, Ethiopia should be one of the stops on your list.

Joyce Njeri is a Sub Editor with Khaleej Times. She can be reached at joyce@khaleejtimes.com