Wednesday, 28^th April, 2004

Arkebe’s Example: To be EmulatedBy Fitsum Getachew

I was deeply touched by what I saw when ETV news transmitted images of Mayor of Addis Ababa, Arkebe Ekubay, giving his blood for a voluntary HIV test. This happened last Saturday at the inauguration of the Zewditu Memorial Hospital VCT, TB/HIV, Library and Training Facility constructed by the Centre for Diseases Control, CDC. Arkebe did that in front of the cameras, and the entire population of Ethiopians! There was, on the same occasion, the US HIV/AIDS Ambassador Rendall L. Tobias, who was here on an official visit to see what and how the US could contribute in the fight against the virus in the country (he gave 18 million USD as an initial resource commitment to Ethiopia to fight the spread of HIV).

Arkebe’s ‘gesture’ has its own immense significance, and I think it is with this in mind that the Mayor consented to do it, (and not for any other specific motive). He could have tested privately and kept whatever outcome for himself, and his family. But this move should be seen as an act pushed by a sense of responsibility and engagement. And I would like to extend my personal appreciation for the mayor for such exemplary zeal. In fact, Arkebe has been quite an extraordinary character ever since his controversial ascent to power, in Addis. At the beginning, he was seen as just another EPRDF/TPLF cadre or official with the mandate of supervising and controlling whatever was not palatable to the government, and was therefore not well accepted or at least was seen with suspicion. Many had even went to the extent of protesting against his appointment (apparently by Prime Minister Meles himself) because they had thought that Addis, the prime city of the country, should be governed by a fellow resident, and not by one who came from a smaller reality such as Makalle. What could he know about the problems of Addis, residents were heard complaining. On the other hand, however, given the good reputation that Arkebe had as an administrator in Makalle, he was missed a lot there. The move was even considered as a favour for inhabitants of Addis, following the disappointing tenure of office by former Mayor Ali Abdo. In another perspective, the appointment of Arkebe was immediately accepted on a note, ‘anybody but Ali Abdo’, so much was the frustration against the former City Council run by Ato Ali.

All this is now past history, and currently Arkebe is considered as a person doing a relatively fine job at the City Council, getting the whole machinery moving with a certain speed and efficiency ( sided by vice-mayor Hilawi Yoseph and City Manager Engineer Tesfamichael Nahusenay). So much so that certain private papers were speculating that he may have had attracted and deserved too much attention, even at the expense of some other more ‘revered’ or ‘to be revered’ government personality. Doubtless, there is bound to always be struggle for power and struggle to secure the most prominent place in it by people around the PM in a country where institutions are still at their infancy, and power resides in single personalities. In any case, despite the hundred and one problems that has continued to paralyse Addis, Arkebe has shown some commitment and motive to act in trying to change the image of the City and the life of its inhabitants.

This article is not meant to analyse/criticize or assess/evaluate Arkebe’s performance. I suppose there are people and structures with the institutional mandate to carry out such mansion. But it intends to appreciate and underline the gesture that he has voluntarily accepted to show in an unprecedented act of trying to be an example for others to follow, by giving his blood for an HIV test, and stating his impressions. This contributes to the battle against the current stigma and discrimination against people affected by the virus, regardless of the circumstances and the case in which they find themselves. (It could be personal, it could be something that affects their families, or even their friends and colleagues). We know that any one associated with the virus is being discriminated against, or still worse avoided in the day to day social routine. Arkebe’s gesture is therefore, psychologically, a breaking point. Many had auspicated that the PM himself undergo the same test imagining that his influence would be incalculably more extensive and exemplary! Much of the stigma would wither away overnight! Any way, it is every one’s hope that other noted personalities will follow the example of Mayor Arkebe and contribute their share in this tremendous challenge we are currently facing in our country.

At present, we Ethiopians have nothing more important and urgent than the fight against HIV. And every move, every gesture, every act that can contribute to this campaign should be welcome and appreciated. It must be an uninterrupted chain of actions and reactions designed to give a devastating blow to the virus, once and for all, to the stigma, to the prejudice against people living with the virus. We need a generation free from the threat of HIV, we need a clean and healthy generation that is not haunted or menaced by immuno-deficiency, we need a generation capable of rebuilding this nation from the ashes of the various intestinal and border wars and clashes that it had to accommodate, from the ruins of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, and contribute to the fight against poverty, underdevelopment, ignorance and other ailments. For all this, we need to avoid the major stumbling block that is taking away the lives of our youths!

By Mayor Arkebe’s gesture, citizens of the city, and of course the entire country, are encouraged to make a free and voluntary counselling and blood testing as a major boost in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The message is loud and clear. Every mayor of Ethiopian cities, specially those mainly affected by the virus, such as Dire Dawa, Bahir Dar, Makalle, Awassa, Nazareth, Shashemene and others, should follow the example of their more illustrious colleague, peer, and encourage their co-habitants to fulfil the same gesture. We would be glad to see ministers, commissioners, ambassadors, important and inspiring figures take the lead in this VCT and break both the silence around the issue, as with the stigma and prejudice. If Arkebe has done it, why not any other citizen, regardless of the results, which would remain strictly personal. In any case, it is a major step to prepare one’s life. It is at the same time, a pledge with oneself to avoid any circumstance and chance of contracting the menacing virus.

Of course, it is not that if people are tested, the pandemic will be arrested the next day. No! That would be day dreaming only, futile! VCT by itself, doctors tell us, is not a solution. However, it is the beginning of a long journey that puts things in the right perspective. It is the starting point from which we can engage ourselves in what doctors should tell us to do. We all need to know who we are, and then we can be sensitive about our surrounding reality. Our HIV status can determine what measures to adopt in our subsequent moves. It can positively determine our future, our lives, hence it is important.

If we are rated among the most affected by the virus, if it has been calculated that out of 12 HIV positive people in the world, one is Ethiopian, if we are rated as the third country in the world hit by the virus, then we have no alternative but to think seriously about what to do to change such reality, such image, such projection. And if things continue at this pace, the outcome could be something that we would not like to imagine.

The other day, I was watching the weekly ETV Amharic entertainment program called “Alebe Show”, and I saw an impressive interview with a couple of young Ethiopians living in North America. One lives in Toronto, Canada and is creator/designer of a website called , a website that tries to show to the world ‘the other face of Ethiopia’, which is not famine, war and HIV, but a distinguished and illustrious history, traditions, peoples of various origins and religions living peacefully for centuries, a sense of enduring commitment for work, for diligence and responsibility. Beneyam Kebede is such young man, son of a former journalist Kebede Beyene and now, chemist by training and profession, but immensely dedicated to the information world with a campaign of promotion of his land, using the website, as well as participating in a local TV programming in Amharic called ‘Admass Ethiopia’, produced in a private TV in Toronto. The other is another young man who resides in Washington DC, USA. His name is Yeneneh Tesfaye (Carlo) a film director and script writer, who has already made “Selemayizenga Wuleta” (the unforgettable favour) a film on the recent Ethio-Eritrean war.

Now, in connection with the rising momentum in the fight against HIV, both youngsters had the same televised voluntary blood test that Mayor Arkebe did. In the interview with Alebachew Teka of the Talk Show, they impressed me with their sense of devotion, their sense of responsibility and fervour of commitment, their anger and indignation against the current state of things relating particularly to HIV in Ethiopia. They showed all their outrage and fear about where the youths were heading, and that despite the staggering figures of people dying or being contracted by HIV, people still persisted in their old sexual behaviour, as if nothing new had emerged. One metaphor Beneyam used was impressive. He said 600 people were dying everyday due to HIV in Addis alone, and that meant, he went on, two jumbo jets were crashing every day with all passengers dying right away! Would any one board such a means of transport, if they knew of such reality, he asked!? He was teeming with emotions when he made the appeal. He said he would not, under any circumstances, dare to do it, and yet what Addis Ababan youths were doing was exactly that! And he expressed his shock and disbelief in front of such apathy. He then called on every one to do something to change such plight, specially at the family level. He declared that there was a tremendous lot to be done in that area, at the household level in terms of raising the awareness of the youths, potential victims. He called for continuous, frank family discussions on the matter. Both ‘guests’ abhorred the stigma attached to HIV positive people and invited every one to seriously reflect on such fact. Hence, they concluded there was nothing more important and urgent thing to do today in Ethiopia, other than contributing to the HIV campaign! The move hence that the Mayor, the number one citizen of Addis, has taken is, to say the least, exemplary and appreciable, just as the move that these two young Ethiopians in diaspora have adopted.

Pessimists and critics might consider this gesture as long overdue and perhaps of minor significance. But it is not so. It is neither too late nor is it of minor significance. This is the first blood testing of a high profile government official in an official and public forum. Compared to what Ugandans have done, with the first blood testing carried by the President and his spouse, it might seem too little, too late, but it should be interpreted in a positive manner, see the brighter side of things instead of blindly criticizing or condemning the deeds of others. This is a trend setter, a pacesetter and for that alone should be praised! We should not forget that many people still entertain fright-inspiring taboos against blood testing, even people who would have absolutely nothing to fear of the eventual results. Of course, this has something to do with our traditional mentality, that we always try to avoid doctors and medicines, (we think they might tell us an ugly story and increase our apprehension, our anxiety and contribute to our defeat!). But this notion is clearly based on sheer ignorance and bias. Doctors are there to heal our wounds, to alleviate our sufferings and not the contrary. So is it with medicines. And enlightened people do realise that such check up (and with frequency advised by doctors), would be only add to our eventual healthy life.

‘Better Late than Never’ the saying goes. Millions might have died of HIV until now, in the world, the majority from the poor underdeveloped countries for obvious reasons. But there are other millions to save, there are other millions who need continuous care, support, attention and love, only if we can spare it to them. And we can save them, only if we take the appropriate, timely action now! The sooner the better! The crusade against HIV has been picking up momentum in the last years, also thanks to the increased attention taken by this government, the concerted efforts of all sorts of associations and organizations, and above all following finances that continue to flow inwards from overseas. The media, the arts, music, films, entertainment are trying to contribute their share and all this strengthens the crusade. The Funds being very fundamental in the campaign, the Global Fund for HIV, launched and granted by US president George W. Bush, is playing a significant role in the dynamics of the campaign. Admitted that there is a huge task ahead of us, we can’t afford to be discouraged any way. The challenge remains in the area of the creation of a correct awareness, correct understanding of the HIV dimension, its implications, specially among the youths, a correct understanding of how to treat, care and support HIV positive people, HIV orphaned children etc. We know the young are more vulnerable to the virus and hence we need to give them a lot of teaching.We need to begin to give the lessons from the very early ages (such as ten and above). The more people know exactly what we are talking about, the less the risk of any kind of contagion. The worst case is always the case of contagion that happens due to ignorance. If those who know or should have known got exposed themselves to the virus, well, too bad, no one can help them! But for those who get contracted just because they did not know, or did not have the means to know, that would be really tragic. And our responsibilities are glaring!

It has repeatedly been said that HIV and poverty are closely interlinked, in a way, feeding each other. That is why side by side with the campaign against HIV, we need to mount an assault against poverty. With better sanitary conditions, with better life conditions, (decent housing, better access to clean water, more employment opportunities and people economically being more independent, specially women), the impact of the virus would diminish remarkably, the roads that lead to the contraction would be blocked. People’s sexual habits, people’s general ways of life would change, for the better. Here is where the role of government and civil societies, and all those who need or are morally responsible to guide society begins to take concrete shape. Mayor Arkebe Ekubay has broken the deadlock, Beneyam and Yeneneh are two other good examples of this venture. We hope others will follow soon, and VCT would be something not even to talk about, so routine it would be. By then, the HIV campaign would have reached its apex and the countdown shall have begun. The countdown for its extinction from the face of earth!