Ethiopian: opposition urges a national forum over Inflation

Tesfa-alem Tekle

June 5, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Ethiopian Democratic Unity Party (EDUP), one of the Ethiopian opposition parties in parliament, has called for national forum to discuss over the rising food prices in the nation which is threatening social crises.

The call comes after Ethiopia on Tuesday officially announces that 4.5 million of its people among which, 75,000 children are in an acute need of emergency food assistance.

“We call on all stakeholders and representatives of the community to openly discuss in the country current food crisis which has reached a critical stage and which mainly is affecting the poor parts of the community.” a statement said.

“Though EDUP has been urging the government since last year action to betaken before the situation gets worse but our proposal did not get the required majority votes in parliament then, which they said has now become a day-to-day agenda for the majority of the people.” it added.

Ethiopia has seen a consecutive economic growth over the past 5 years but her 81 Million people are facing up to a 100 % price increase specially over the major food Items Which PM Meles believes it is the effect of a high economic growth.

The party has indicated the current measures underway by government to cope up the price shoot up is far less and it warned that failure to an immediate and strong action might lead to social crisis across the nation.

Ethiopia, over the past few months have been struggling to distribute oil and food items on affordable price to the most poor but majority of the people are still unable to confront the sharp increase in food prices and all other items in market.

Many believe that the food price increase in Ethiopia were triggered by brokers and grain traders.Government officials have recently arrested hundreds of irresponsible traders and brokers who it said are accountable for the ever increasing prices on major food items.

Mean while Ethiopian Officials have refuted reports by international media on the current food crisis as bogus and exaggerated. A government statement on Wednesday said it was a misrepresentation that Ethiopia was in need of supplementary feeding for its six million children facing acute malnutrition.

“Unlike what are being reported, the numbers of children with severe and acute malnutrition problem are estimated to be 75,000 all over the country,” said Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) Director General Mr. Simon Mechale.

The UN has been providing solid assistance to help Ethiopia address the challenge. The Horn of African country has a history the worst drought in the memory of life that killed a million Ethiopians in 1984.

(ST)