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Chronicle Staff As television magnifies for Canadians the painful images of famine-stricken Ethiopia, a new student at University of St. Jerome's College in Waterloo has a personal stake in that horrifiy human tragedy half a world away. 130th Year No. 20 Aweke Alemu, 28. of Bale, Ethiopia has been sponsored by St. Jerome's College since his arrival in Canada in September, 1984. He is enrolled in the second year of an Arts program and lives in the College's Men's Resi dence. In Ethiopia, he worked for the Ministry of Agriculture for three years and says that the current Gamine was partially predictable. He has travelled in 13 of the is Ethiopian provinces and is aware of the land's potential fertility. "Agriculture has been largely ignored by the govern- ment," said Aweke. "as they focus on industralization and militarization. Most Ethiopian youth have been conscripted into military service and are engaged in civil Melodee Martinuk Chronicle Staff With 1985 the busiest spring in years, local realtors and builders are predicting this will be a boom year for housing construction and sales in Waterloo. "It's (housing sales) been excellent. 1984 was a fantastic year, and we're running ahead of that already. ICs a boom," said Stuart Burk- holder, president of the Kitchener-Waterloo Real Estate Board. ". "; ‘rv.,.,.,-M - _ 5trt" Viva". _r 'r wzmfiz ( f . tiricc'ir'qt) ”“’ jsc', 'tya'" Tft, €;" i' T c?yfd' T rcce, I, Ar ','t'tii,/_i'i,'ir"rs',i(,", l T ' on- = e .c , ' "W trit' According to Real Estate Board figures, trom January to April of '85, 229 more homes were sold in Kitchener-Waterloo than during the same period last year, a 27-per-cent increase. "Interest rates have stabilized and people appear to have more faith in the economy. They're not as afraid to make that big decision to buy a home," he said. __ “Houses areict staying on the market for long now. A good listing on a good home moves pretty quick , within tro weeks it’s sold. In the first four months of this year 1,518 properties, valued at $109.7 million were sold in the Twin Cities, compared to 1289, worth $82 million last year. At the same time. more new homes are being built in Waterloo. According to Canada Mort- gage and Housing, housing starts are up 32 per cent in this municipality. As well, from January through April this year Waterloo's building department approved $i0,it0,000 in construction permits, involving 183 dwelling units. This compares to $4,506,306. for " units, during the same period in 1984. Rosy picture for real estate St. Jerome's College student has witnessed pain of Ethiopian famine (Continued on page IO! Wednesday, May 15, 1985 W . q ' _ , ___ - It?" q NM"; l f4}: _ sk', I “a wars in the south, north and in the Ugaden Desert th the east." The result, he says. is that no agricultural work has been done in these areas. "Merchants are not allowed to take their goods into Rebel occupied areas because they will be accused of helping the enemy." said Aweke. "The end result is that villagers are not getting vital food supplies and most are nomads. A severe drought complicates matters." . "They also receive a heavy indoctrination on a daily basis. They are led to believe that what they are doing is good for Ethiopia and I've seen brother kill brother for the sake of the revolution." Aieke believes the military tolerates such inequities because they themselves are well fed and well paid. As for 'iiauiisarkd/actuaiiy coming into the hands of those who need them most, Aweke expresses some skepticism. A _ -viihG/iwas in the army, I can remember using a blanket donated by UNICEF. The Government was Waterloo, Ontario x ": _ _ F, _ l " u" if: 4 . x“ y " . 25 cents at the Newstand clearly not directing these goods to the children for whom they were intended." k . Tired of fighting his own people. Aweke requested a discharge from the army, was refused and was forced to flee Ethiopia. He lived in Nairobi, Kenya until he received word of his sponsorship in Canada. * St. Jerome's, a Catholic-based College federated with the University of Waterloo, has sponsored Aweke through The World University Services of Canada. The College has paid for his accommodations and living expenses, Beaver Foods has donated his meal plan and an; Col1ege's Student Union is paying for Aweke's ks. Once he completes his studies at St, Jerome's, Aweke plans to return to a Third World country to work in the development and relief field. “I feel obliged to help the poor," he says. "People are dying every day and sometimes 1 don't see any hope, I must return to do what I can." C' . A," ‘3 v" x m _ ', _ w It ' _ » r , ' N P " ' A. F ' "