Meles Zenawi says no famine in Ethiopia in Q&A with TIME

(Medeshi) 9 Aug, 2008
Meles Zenawi says no famine in (Picture: died of malnutrition, three children's bodies lie in a makeshift morgue at the South Oromia clinic in )
Ethiopia in Q&A with TIME magazine
Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi denies famine in Ethiopia in an interview with TIME. He was quoted by TIME magazine as saying, "Famine has wreaked havoc in Ethiopia for so long , it would be stupid not to be sensitive to the risk of such things occurring. But there has not been a famine on our watch - emergencies, but no famines.".
Merriam Webster Dictionary defines famine as "an extreme scarcity of food", in just the past few weeks, this website has archived more than 45 articles written about "extreme scarcity of food" aka famine, mainly in the south and eastern part of Ethiopia. There were reports of death, see picture below from the recent report by TIME magazine. We have posted video clips made by news agencies and NGOs of the famine unfolding in Ethiopia.

Yet, the government mouthpiece Walta and state-run ENA completely ignore the famine that is killing mostly children of the Oromo, Somali and Southern tribes in the country, and the Prime Minister who famously promised to deliver three meals a day now denies famine under his watch, not in 2003 not now.


Historically famine in Ethiopia ravages mostly the northern part of the country, Tigray, Wollo and its former province Eritrea. This time around, things are, let's just say different, we have 'green famine', and what was once the breadbasket of Ethiopia, the southern part of Ethiopia, is starving. One wonders if this is political? Unfortunately it is not surprising if it is, it has happened before in Ethiopia, and the victims then were Meles Zenawi's tribe

Qaar ka mid ah Ururada Bulshada Rayidka ah oo walaac ka muujiyay mudo dhaafka golayaasha deegaanada

Annaga oo ah Ururada Bulshada Rayidka ah ee Madaxa-banaan waxaanu si wayn uga walaacsanahay