HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY PRAISED FOR EXCELLENT ORGANIZATION OF THE FIFTH APAP NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION

Action Professional Association for the People (APAP), a Non-governmental Organization working in Human Rights areas; and the organizer of the five National Moot Court Competitions, stated in its current online newsletter that the 5^th National Moot Court Competition which was organized in the main campus of Haramaya University, Resource Center was the most successful of all the five moot court competition. It is to be recalled that Haramaya University won all three trophies.

“Many of the participants said that the event was the most successful of all the five moot court competitions held hitherto, in that it was well organized. They, nonetheless, added that the credit should go to the host university”

http://www.apapeth.org/News/Recent6/FifthMootcourtCompetition.html

APAP Holds Fifth National Moot Court Competition

APAP’s fifth Moot Court Competition among the students of the law faculties of eight Ethiopian institutions of higher learning was held on the campus of the Haramaya University from November 27 to 29, 2009.

The law students who participated in the competition were drawn from the Mekelle, Gondar, Bahir Dar, Jimma, Hawassa, Addis Ababa, and Haramaya Universities as well as from the Royal University College, which is a private institution of higher learning.

This year’s case was the currently burning issue of the environment, and it was titled “The Right to a Clean and Healthy Environment.” The participants got together on the evening of Thursday, on November 26th, for the drawing of lots, so as to determine which institutions of higher learning were to debate against each other in the preliminary rounds that were slated for the next day: Friday. Of course, an institution of higher learning that argued for one side of the issue in the morning session had to argue against it in the afternoon. Accordingly, four of the institutions made it to the semi-finals and were, therefore, paired based on the lots drawn. The ones that made it to the finals were, however, the Hawassa and Haramaya Universities.

Subsequent to that, the final round was held on Sunday—November 29, 2009—in the Assemby Hall of the Haramaya University. Present on the occasion were invited guests, high-ranking officials of the various universities, lecturers and staffs of the law faculties and a large crowd of students from the Haramaya University. As the Assembly Hall could not accommodate them all, many spectators had to remain outside the hall and follow the final chapter of the competition on TV.

The final chapter of the competition was officially opened by Professor Tilahun Teshome, Chairman of APAP’s General Assembly.

In his opening remark, Professor Tilahun spoke about the objectives of the moot court competition and what it could help the competitors achieve. He said that the law students who participate in the moot court competitions are expected to translate the theoretical knowledge they gained in the classrooms into practice by presenting themselves in these simulated courts of law. He also underlined the fact that the program had been a huge success, so much so that a large number of law students awaited it with great anticipation. “It goes without saying that the platform is very useful for experience-sharing among the law students of the various institutions of higher learning,” added Professor Tilahun.

The competition was officially closed by Professor Belay Kassa, President of the Haramaya University.

In his closing remark, Professor Belay reiterated what Professor Tilahun had noted earlier with regard to the huge success of the program up until that day. He also disclosed that he had truly enjoyed the debates that took place on the campus of the University, of which he is at the helm, during the oral rounds.

APAP gave the Haramaya University a certificate of acknowledgment for successfully hosting this year’s moot court competition in a colorful manner. The certificate was handed out by Professor Tilahun Teshome to the President of the Haramaya University, Professor Belay Kassa. At the end of the certificate-handing-out ceremony, Professor Tilahun expressed what he referred to as being his “heartfelt gratitude” to the Haramaya University for efficiently taking care of all accommodations and logistics.

Many of the participants said that the event was the most successful of all the five moot court competitions held hitherto, in that it was well organized. They, nonetheless, added that the credit should go to the host university.

It is to be recalled that the previous four moot court competitions were held in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Jimma and Mekelle on various ESC rights—in that order.  
 
The Acting Executive Director of APAP, Ato Wongel Abate, for his part, handed out the certificates of participation to the students who participated in the moot court competition.

The winners in the various categories of the moot court competition were the following:

• For the Best Written Memorial: the Haramaya University, the Addis Ababa University and the Mekelle University;
• As the Best Oralist: A law student at the Haramaya University: Fekadu Assmamaw; and
• For the Best Oral Pleadings:  the Haramaya University, the Hawassa University and the Addis Ababa University.

Cups were awarded to the two categories of pleadings, whereas a special prize was handed out to the individual who ended up being the best oralist.