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[[The northern Ethiopian town of Lalibela, a U.N. World Heritage site just a few miles from the Tigray region’s border, was a tourist hotspot before the war. Known for its rock-hewn churches, tourism came to a halt with fighting that saw the town change hands several times. For VOA, Henry Wilkins looks at its efforts to recover, in this report from Lalibela.]]
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptETHIOPIA TIGRAY WAR TOURISM (TV)
HEADLINE: Residents of Ethiopia’s World Heritage Site Struggle to Recover
TEASER: Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches have stood for centuries, but can the tourist trade that has grown up around them survive?
PUBLISHED AT: 5/15/2022 at 4:33 pm
BYLINE: Henry Wilkins
DATELINE: LALIBELA, ETHIOPIA
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Wilkins
VIDEO EDITOR:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Salem Solomon, Steve Hirsch
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, ZOOM
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO__
TRT: 3:07
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: There is an accompanying radio piece.))
((INTRO)) [[The northern Ethiopian town of Lalibela, a U.N. World Heritage site just a few miles from the Tigray region’s border, was a tourist hotspot before the war. Known for its rock-hewn churches, tourism came to a halt with fighting that saw the town change hands several times. For VOA, Henry Wilkins looks at its efforts to recover, in this report from Lalibela.]]
((VIDEO-VOA: SHOTS OF CHURCHES IN LALIBELA - various, ESTABLISHING SHOTS OF BEYENE - various))
((NARRATOR))
The rock-hewn churches in Lalibela have stood for almost 900 years, it is thought. Last year, however, the U.N. expressed “serious concern” for their future as Lalibela became a battleground in Ethiopia’s civil war.
During the conflict, the town changed hands at least five times, between forces from the Tigray region and the federal government and allied forces.
Beyene Abate is the chief receptionist at Lalibela’s Top 12 Hotel. He says the hotel was ransacked and used as a field hospital by forces from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front during the occupation. They were only able to reopen two weeks ago, after the cleanup.
((Beyene Abate, Top 12 Hotel Chief Receptionist (in English)))
“The main problem is hydroelectric power, water supply. Even the road was not yet finished. The contract was with the Chinese people. They take all the machines, the
TPLF soldiers. Because of that, many tourists are not coming here. Just a few tourists came by airplane.”
((VIDEO-VOA: HOTEL STRUCK BY DRONE - various, ESTABLISHING SHOTS OF BEYENE - various))
((NARRATOR))
It could have been worse. The hotel next door was hit by an Ethiopian government drone strike after TPLF forces occupied it, residents say.
The town’s economy relies on Ethiopians’ pilgrimages and the international tourism that has sprung up around the churches. The combined effects of COVID-19 and the conflict mean visitor numbers have plummeted in the last two years. The town is struggling to recover. There is no electricity and access to water was severely affected.
Dinku Fente, who sells souvenirs to tourists outside one of Lalibela’s churches, says earning a living under the TPLF was tough.
((Dinku Fente, Souvenir Seller (in Amharic) ))
“The war totally froze my business. During the conflict, no one even dared to try to sell souvenirs and religious books at the market as we were far too scared. The TPLF soldiers would steal any money you made anyway, so we chose to just stay away.”
((VIDEO-VOA: HOTEL STRUCK BY DRONE - various, ESTABLISHING SHOTS OF ABEY - various))
((NARRATOR))
Local tour guide Ayalew Abey said his business shut down during the conflict too. Now, he is finding it nearly impossible to recover.
(Ayalew Abey, Tour Guide (in English) ))
"Before this case happened, almost every two, three days there was the chance to work as a tour guide. But, for the last three years, nothing at all, all the things are blocked or closed, no one is working properly here.”
((VIDEO-VOA: SHOTS OF CHURCHES IN LALIBELA - various))
((NARRATOR))
UNESCO says it plans to support the city of Lalibela.
((Lazare Eloundou Assomo, UNESCO World Heritage Center Director (in English))
((Mandatory cg: Zoom))
“Our major concern is the communities who are living at the site, who are caring about the site, who are caring about this important world heritage site, to manage the site and continue using it the way they have been using it the way they have been doing since many, many centuries.”
((VIDEO-VOA: SHOTS OF CHURCHES IN LALIBELA - various))
((NARRATOR))
Assomo said a UNESCO delegation is due to visit at the end of the month to assess the type of support that is needed.
((Henry Wilkins, for VOA News, Lalibela, Ethiopia))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)LALIBELA, ETHIOPIA
Embargo DateMay 15, 2022 16:37 EDT
Byline((Henry Wilkins, for VOA News, Lalibela, Ethiopia))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
