Unreported colonisation or civilising mission? Tales of two cities

[Abu-Salman]

Unreported colonisation or "civilising mission", Tales of two cities?

 

 

Mekele (No Somalis, Oromos and others)

 

 

Mek'ele is a city and woreda in northern Ethiopia. Located in Enderta which is in the Debubawi Zone, Mek'ele is the capital of the Tigray Region and home to the headquarters of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is located some 650 kilometers north of the capital, Addis Ababa, at latitude and longitude 13°29′N 39°28′E / 13.483°N 39.467°E / 13.483; 39.467 with an elevation of 2084 meters above sea level.

 

Mek'ele is one of Ethiopia's principal economic and educational centers. Intercity bus service is provided by the Selam Bus Line Share Company. A new international standard airport, Alula Aba Nega Airport (ICAO code HAMK, IATA MQX), has been opened very recently, as well as northern Ethiopia's principal cement production facility. In May 2000, Mekelle University was created by the merger of Mekelle Business College and Mekelle University College.

 

There are two primary local landmarks in this city. The Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) monument commemorating the struggle against and overthrow of the Derg, is visible from most of the city - pictured below.

 

The other is the palace of Yohannes IV at the northern edge of Mek'ele. It was built at the Emperor's command by Giacomo Naretti, who had served Yohannes already at Debre Tabor, with the assistance of William Schimper, and completed in 1884.[1] The complex still stands and now serves as a museum, where the Emperor’s throne, royal bed, ceremonial dress, rifles and many other valuable historical collections can be seen.

 

Other notable landmarks include the churches Enda GabirEnda Yesus Mek'ele Bete Mengist, Mek'ele Iyesus Bete Kristiyan, Mek'ele Maryam Bete Kristiyan, Mek'ele Selassie Bete Kristiyan, and Mek'ele Tekle Haymanot Bete Kristiyan. Trans Ethiopia is the local soccer team. A local market has been held every Monday since at least 1890.

 

 

Jigjiga(Hawd, just outside Hargeysa, declared capital of the large "Ethiopian Somali region")

 

 

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Jijiga has an estimated total population of 98,076 of whom 50,355 are men and 47,721 are women.[12] The 1997 census reported this town had a total population of 65,795 of whom 33,266 were men and 32,529 women. The four largest ethnic groups reported in this town were the Somali (61.58%), the Amhara (23.25%), the Oromo (7.32%), and the Gurage (4.37%); all other ethnic groups made up 3.48% of the population.[13] This city is the largest settlement in Jijiga woreda.