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Transcript/ScriptETHIOPIA NEW YEAR WAR
HEADLINE: Fighting Puts Damper on Ethiopian New Year
TEASER: The Tigray People's Liberation Front has named a team for negotiating an end to fighting and agreed to African Union mediation
PUBLISHED: 9/12/22, 5 p.m.
BYLINE: Henry Wilkins
DATELINE: KOMBOLCHA, ETHIOPIA
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Wilkins
VIDEO EDITOR:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: DLJ, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, ZOOM
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO__
TRT: 2:37
VID APPROVED BY: Reife
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) Ethiopians on Sunday marked Enkutatash, the start of their new year. Renewed fighting prompted a curfew in some areas close to the conflict, dampening celebrations. Reports that peace talks may start again have lifted people’s hopes, however. Henry Wilkins reports from Kombolcha, Ethiopia.
((NARRATOR))
On Sunday, Ethiopians celebrated Enkutatash, the Ethiopian new year – a time of new beginnings, for many.
Not least in Kombolcha, about 120 kilometers from where fighting in Ethiopia’s civil war erupted again just three weeks ago, after a five-month ceasefire. Most people VOA spoke to said they hope peace will return to the country soon. Yet they still fear fighting could resume in the town.
Due to the nearby conflict, a curfew has been imposed, which cut short the New Year celebrations.
((Elyas Abate, St. George Church in Dessie (in Amharic, 13 secs)))
“The church service during the nighttime can’t happen like it usually does. It has to follow the law, so it ends early, and the worshippers have to go back home early to meet the curfew.”
((NARRATOR))
A couple of hours before the curfew comes into effect, the streets are still busy. Afterwards, empty. Police stop those who fail to observe the new rules.
Kedir Seifu runs a food outlet attached to a local bar.
((Kedir Seifu, Butcher (in Amharic, 26 secs)))
Because of the curfew, everyone goes home early, around 7 p.m. By 8 p.m, people's movements have stopped. Our business has declined as we are not serving dinner, it’s really not going as well as before.
((NARRATOR))
Kombolcha was overrun by Tigrayan forces last year, before they were driven back by government and Amhara regional forces.
When fighting erupted nearby in recent weeks, there was a run on the banks, as people tried to flee the town, one local resident says.
((Dessiye Asres, Local Resident (in Amharic, 34 secs)))
There were long lines of people waiting to pull their money out of the Commercial Bank. Most of them were from the occupied and nearby towns further north… They pulled out their money for food, accommodations and for transport, either to stay here or go south to the next town.
((NARRATOR))
Residents’ hopes for a return to peace may be fulfilled.
In a statement on Ethiopia’s New Year’s Day, the Tigray External Affairs Office said that it had appointed a team to negotiate peace and said it would agree to mediation by the African Union, which had been a major sticking point between the two sides in the conflict.
Asked what aspirations the community had for the new year — 2015 by the Ethiopian calendar — one religious leader said…
((Melake Selam Komos Aba Samuel, Monk (in Amharic, 30 secs)))
“We hope to fill the people with brighter hope, we preach the words of God. We know there is still a problem. In 2015 Ethiopian, we hope God makes everything better. Only God can help us.”
((NARRATOR))
Ethiopia’s civil war has been going on for nearly two years. Belgium's Ghent University estimates up to half a million have already died in the conflict.
((Henry Wilkins, for VOA News, Kombolcha, Ethiopia))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)KOMBOLCHA, ETHIOPIA
Embargo DateSeptember 12, 2022 17:15 EDT
BylineHenry Wilkins reports from Kombolcha, Ethiopia.
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
