Ethiopia says campaign against controversial Dam project “baseless”
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
August 18, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Ethiopian government said today that the propagandas waged against the nation’s controversial hydroelectric project is fabricated and far from the reality.
The National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, Abay Tsehaye, after paying a visit at the massive Gibe III Hydro power project, said the ongoing campaigns are an “empty attempt of some interest groups who do not want to see Ethiopia march towards development”.
“It is Unfounded and unreasonable campaigns” he said adding “ it is just aimed to meet self interest under pretext of the agenda putting political and diplomatic pressure on the country there by seek money from donors.”
While Briefing to media outlets, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi Last week stressed that no outside pressure would stop the Ethiopian government from completing the construction of the dam.
“Ethiopia will accomplish the construction at any cost whether donors continue funds or not,” prime minster Meles Zenawi stressed.
Organizations like Survival International, friends of Lake Turkana and other are trying lobby the international community not to provide loan to the dam construction alleging that the construction of the dam threatens the survival of tribes along the Omo River and causes massive ecological disaster.
Upon completion, the 1.7 billion USD, Gibe III power project will have capacity to generate up to 1,870 megawatt electric power enabling the country to potentially export power to various neighboring countries.
According to the new five-year Development and Transition Plan (DTP), the horn of Africa’s country plans to boost the current 2,000 MW hydropower generation capacity to 8,000 MW.
(ST)
Aduol Liet
Ethiopia says campaign against controversial Dam project “baseless”
Tesfa Alem Tekle.
Please tell your Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to keep his mouth shut up. Ethiopian people are still immigrating outsider while million Ethiopians people are huggers of food need. The Dam which you want to constructed will not going to stop hunger of Ethiopian in the Communities just shout ting all the times will not help your people.
Why Males is complaining while he has been getting foreign money too. Let us helping each other rather than being a selfishness and discredit others I mean you can not block watering from Egypt, because they are African citizens but you can use water nicely way to show that we can share things together. Meles Zenawi is a good friend with Omar al Bashir and that construction of Dam will block some water flow to Khartoum North Sudan and it is not only Egyptian will have a problems of water.The real question to Mr, Meles Zenawi is that, Ethiopian are hunger need food within Ethiopia and thousand others are always leaving to go outsider does Meles Zenawi think his government is good or bad.? My answer the Ethiopia government is bad indeed because Meles himself has divided up the Ethiopian in to small grouping and there is no doubt he is the second dictator man in Eastern Africa nations while his friend Omar al Bashir is the most killer wanted.