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The Battalion
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hom
‘5,000 people died one day. . . ’ u eath
Former Ethiopian revolutionary remembers struggle for freedofc
iSOCIATED P
By Sharon Maberry
STAFF WRITER
Revolution, persecution and star
vation are not simply newspaper
headlines, but a tragic episode in the
life of at least one Texas A&M stu
dent.
A first-year A&M veterinary stu
dent was forced to flee his country
or face prison and probable death.
Ayalsew Mekonnen, 32, spent
most of his life in Ethiopia with his
family. The third child of eight, he
lived in central Ethiopia until he was
13. He then went to live with his un
cle in northern Ethiopia where he
graduated from high school. Follow
ing graduation, Mekonnen lived in
Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, un
til a bloody revolution forced him to
flee his country.
In 1979, Ethiopia’s monarch of
forty years, Hilleslasse, was deposed
by a military regime.
“They said they wanted to change
the system,” Mekonnen said. “They
said that they were representing the
people, but they really came from
different military groups through
out the country, including police,
army, air force and marines.”
In the beginning, about 10 mem
bers of the regime held the real
power, Mekonnen said.
“It was a revolution,” he said
“People were demonstrating, asking
for economic, social and political
change. Every part of the society
wanted change. It was a kind of
chads. Peasants were asking for land,
workers wanted higher wages and
students and teachers wanted re
forms. The whole society was dem
onstrating against the system.”
In an effort to quell demonstra
tors, the military resorted to force.
“That’s when so many people
were killed (bv government offi
cials),” he said. “Five thousand peo
ple died one day in one demonstra
tion in Addis Ababa.”
As open opposition of the govern
ment became more dangerous, un
derground organizations began
forming. Workers, students, teach
ers and women started organizing
and Mekonnen joined in.
“When a society is deprived of its
rights, it creates its own organiza
tions to practice those rights,” Me
konnen said. “In America, you can
say whatever you want. But we
couldn’t do that in my country.”
The government responded with
imprisonment, torture and murder
of the protestors.
“I had three close friends impriso
ned,” Mekonnen said. “Two of them
were beaten so badly in prison that
they had scars all over their bodies. I
was shocked to see that. One of them
was in prison for about six months
and they killed him.”
Shortly thereafter, a friend of Me
konnen was coming to visit him.
During the 26-mile walk, he joined
another traveler and began dis
cussing Ethiopia’s plight. Mekon-
nen’s friend told the stranger about
some underground activities in an
effort to win the man over for the
cause.
However, the traveler was a gov
ernment official and upon reaching
Mekonnen’s city, his friend was im
prisoned. When he was tortured, lie
gave officials more information
about government dissenters, in
cluding Mekonnen’s involvement.
Through various connections,
Mekonnen heard that the govern
ment soon would be coming for him.
“I knew then that I would be next
and I would go to prison,” he said. I
fled, although I didn’t know where
to go. I stayed in hiding for two days
until a friend arranged for me to go
where people wouldn’t know me.”
Graduation in 4 years
becomes less common
By Sherri Roberts
STAFF WRITER
Texas A&M tradition says stu
dents become “dead zips” upon
reaching the fourth year of their col
lege education. However, more than
a few seniors are prolonging life at
college beyond a four-year degree
plan.
Although the actual statistics will
not be available until later this year,
many University officials agree the
number of undergraduates who take
more than four years to graduate is
increasing.
“As a rule, students are taking
longer to graduate,” Daniel Orozco,
assistant director of the Placement
Center, said. “The trend is four-and-
a-half to five years.”
Orozco said reasons for the trend
vary among students.
Students involved in the cooper
ative education program often take
longer than four years to graduate,
he said. The program requires stu
dents to include in their degree plan
three semesters of work experience
at a company related to their career
interest.
Because of the difficulty of their
curriculum, many students prefer to
take fewer hours per semester than
the number required to graduate in
four years, he said.
William Von Gonten, professor
and head of the petroleum enging-
eering department, said students en
rolled in the College of Engineering
receive undergraduate degrees in an
average of four-and-a-half years.
In order to graduate in four!
years, students must complete at
least 18 hours each semester. Be
cause the courses they take are de
manding, many engineering stu
dents take fewer than 18 hours a
semester in order to maintain a good
grade-point ratio, he said.
Orozco said students often choose
to take fewer hours a semester be
cause they work or want to devote
time to extracurricular activities.
In general, recruiters do not look
negatively upon students who have
taken more than four years to grad
uate, he said. Most prefer to hire
these students if they have been in
volved in extracurricular activities,
rather than students with little extra
curricular involvement who are
graduating in four years, he said.
Often prospective employers feel
students who have been involved in
extracurricular activities will be
more likely to adjust to their com
pany than those who have not, he
said.
Orozco said graduation is delayed
for some because they take classes
outside of their curriculum require
ments.
Paul Parrish, associate dean of the
College of Liberal Arts, said students
who have been exposed to a wide va
riety of curricula often are perceived
as being well-rounded by potential
employers.
“Professionals in a variety of fields
say students with a wide background
are better for it,” he said.
Parrish said the attitude ol stu
dents has shifted from the attitude
of many students who attended col
lege in the 1960s and 1970s.
Whereas many individuals of the
past two decades attended college
for vocational and practical careers
purposes, many current students
perceive college as being more than
a training ground for a particular
! , he said.
■Britain prot
Thursday over
llomeini’s ore
Rilshdie, the au
Vines,” and r
Ran threatenec
The bounty fi
Irn writer was
ran, and Britan
w British Airv
xfrity follow!
igainst some llij
llhe death tl
lie, whose tx
unced across
sphemous, i
” by the U.!
leading Islai
iposes the hoc
omeini erred
Photo bv Phelan M. EbenkJr t
Keachance to i
Ayalsew Mekonnen, a former political subversive, nowisa
student in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Mekonnen traveled by bus and
walked for eight hours to reach his
destination. When he finally located
the man with whom he was to stay,
he said he had received no message,
so Mekonnen stayed in a nearby ho
tel.
The message about Mekonnen
came die next day and the man
brought him to his home. Mekonnen
stayed with him for live days, during
which two other government dts
senters joined them.
On the fifth day, a rainstorm
washed out the roads and several
military troops were lorced to sta\ in
the village. While there, they became
suspicious of Mekonnen and his
companions.
“That evening, the guy w'e were
staying with told us we were in trou
ble and we had to gel out," Mekon
nen said. “But there was nowhere to
go We started at about 8 p m. and
walked through a rainstorm almost
until morning when we readiel
place where a friend’s relatives
They were surprised to see us lj
were wet, tired and hungry,
"We staved there for two
I Rushdie, a
pose novel has
Its from I slat
i canceled a ]
:book in the
jiins in hiding
|fe, Marianne
ports said the
Sard in Britain
I hey didn’t want to tellusweliiil
go, but they were very poor;.,
nothing to offer us. We didu M^ os ^ ems sa )
anything Mends their f
On the second das. Met(j:M°P^ et
and his two friends disguisedifc
selves as peasants and waitedli
man w ho was to lake them to
other sale place. Bui the wii
weather had caused the riven
Hood before the mancouldtt
Mekonnen
" I he people we were sjayinti
said we could go another twod
journey and stay with someont
for at least foui months untiliht
ers subsided," Mekonnen said
had no choice.”
When the men arrived an
See Mekonnen
ying tr
ligion;
that Isla
ves as prostii
wrote the K
iving it from *
The British
oned Iran’s 1
n, told him I
atally unacc
ecial proteci
nbassy, and I
plomatic rela
ite.
'age:
“We recoerni
In Advance
jlhers may ha’
he contents of
C avalry travels to Houston toi rodeo, parai
1 he Parsons Mounted Cavalry
will travel Ur Houston this week
end to participate in the Houston
Livestock Show & Rodeo parade
and grand entry.
Thirty-five cadets, 26 horses,
two mules, the wagon and the
cannon will participate in the 10
a.m. parade Saturday through
downtown Houston on Main
Street.
“The Washington parade was
fun, but parades are more fun in
Texas,” Matt Lindsey, a senior
member ol the Cavalry, said.
“They know how to have them."
Eleven mounted riders also will
be participating in the grand en
try of the rodeo in the Astrodome
Sunday at 4 p.m.
The cadets will have Saturdav
afternoon and Sunday morninf
free to enjoy the livestock sho»
exhibits.
“It’s always a fun tr ip,” Lindse
said. “There will be a lot of Ag
gies there and a lot of horses.”
Ihe Bryan-College Station “Go
Texan" Committee is helpingthe
Cavalry raise the $500 needed for
transportation. The parade and
grand entry will be televised bv
Houston television stations and
can be seen locally on cable.
British Foreigi
ney Howe saic
[oned Irania
phammed B.
(“However, i
50 incite peopl
soil or ag
iyatollah Klu
[tally unaccep
Phone line provides financial aid information
I he Texas Association of Stu- On Feb. 18 and 19, theassoda
dent Financial Aid Administra
tors can help students in search ol
information about scholarships,
loans, grants, part-time jobs and
other options to pay for college.
lion will have its third annual Pav
ing for College Informaton Line
People can call 1-800-253-898
for toll-free financial aid infer
mation from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Educators learn about needs of gifted children
The 1989 Conference for
Early Childhood Educators, “Un
locking Giftedness in Young Chil
dren,” is being held today and
Saturday in the MSC and Rudder
Tower.
The conference will begin to
night with a reception for partici
pants including performances by
the Kim Family String Quartet
and magination Station.
Dr. Nancy Robinson, director
ol the Center for the Study of Ca
pable Youth at the University of
Washington, will he the keynote
speaker at 8:30 a.m. Saturday
Robinson will speak on matching
the needs of gifted children wiili
their instruction.
Workshops will he ottered for
teachers, administrators and par
ents on identifying ability in
gifted children and planning cur
riculum to aid social and emo
tional development.
The conference is sponsored
by Texas A&M’s Institute fortlie
Gif ted and Talented and the Ed
ucation Service Center, Region
VI in Huntsville. For more infor
mation. contact Din Patrida
Haenslv at 845-1802.
GE Supply
Distribution Management Program
Interviewing May 1989 Business and Industrial
Distribution Graduates
Wednesday 2/22 * /q .O A O A -On\
Thursday 2/23 V® ^ 4-OUj
Reception to be held Tuesday, February 21
at 7 p.m. in the College Station Hilton
All students interested in a Distribution Mgmt. Career with General
Electric are invited to attend. Students not on interviewing schedule
are encouraged to bring resume and complete an application. For
more info please call Tony Dalessandro, (713) 939-5265
MSC CAMERA
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1989 7:00 P.M. 146 MSC
Special Guest: fony^tydzewski will speak onThe visual art of
photography. He is a graduate of the L.A. College of Design and
a photographer for Texas A&M. Ail members of the TAMU
community are invited to attend.