Ethiopian federalism: autonomy versus control in the Somali region

This study examines the relationship between Ethiopia's federal and regional authorities since the Tigray led regime came to power in 1991. The redivision of Ethiopia into ethnic regions was aimed to effect two changes: to abolish certain ethnic domination of the state; and to enable various communities to govern their local affairs. Using material from the Somali Region, this article evaluates whether ethnic‐based regional authorities have sufficient autonomy from the centre to be accountable to local populations. The ability of local people to elect their leaders is central to undoing past ethnic injustices. Although communities have gained from the new order, however, the federal ruling party tightly controls regional political authorities. Federal domination of regional governance is partly the result of the ineptness of local elite. This arrangement creates formal ethnic regions without significantly altering power relations in Ethiopia. Consequently, the spirit of the 1991 change is lost as local communities lack leeway while a new ethnic group reigns supreme at the federal level.     

Legislative drafters: lawyers or not?

The aim of legislative drafting is to express the instructing client’s meaning. Legislative drafters are often lawyers with a significant impact on the interpretation and the implementation of the law. This article takes a different perspective and attempts to prove that legislative drafters do not necessarily have to be lawyers. The arguments of this hypothesis are important in establishing that legislative drafting is a specialised skill with general principles and conventions that can be acquired by training and practice. The conclusion would be to prove the hypothesis that legislative drafting could also be undertaken by non-lawyers.     

Fluorescence of 1,2‐Indanedione with Amino Acids Present in the Fingerprint Residue: Application in Gender Determination

1,2‐indanedione is used for latent fingerprint visualization on porous surfaces. In this paper, fluorescence spectra of 1,2‐indanedione after reacting with 21 individual amino acids present in latent fingerprints residue were measured in water‐methanol solutions. The fluorescence intensity depends on the amino acid used, while the fluorescence peak does not change much. The concentration of amino acids in fingerprint residue in females is almost the double of their concentration in males. This property combined with fluorescence of 1,2‐indanedione‐amino acids compounds is used for gender determination, by comparing the fluorescence intensity peaks in the same experimental conditions. In this preliminary study, the fluorescence signal from the samples representing females was almost two times the signal for samples representing males. In addition to the reduction by almost 50% of the number of suspects in a criminal research case, these results could be helpful in gaining some knowledge about the papillary residue composition.     

Enhanced Visualization of Latent Fingermarks on Rough Aluminum Surfaces Using Sequential Au and Zn/ZnS/ZnO Depositions

Detection and visualization of fingermarks on rough and diffuse surfaces is a relatively challenging task. We succeeded in developing latent fingermarks on scratched and rough aluminum surfaces by sequential deposition of a thin layer of gold followed by one of zinc or zinc‐based compounds on the fingermarks. The best image enhancement was achieved with sequential Au and ZnS depositions. Using this combination, we could enhance the visualization of latent fingermarks aged over 65 days in normal conditions. The optical reflectance from the fingermarks with the deposited layers of metal/dielectric is analyzed as a stratified medium. Significant contrast in the reflectance from the regions of the ridges and the valleys of the fingermark would enhance the visualization. Our results show that the Au and ZnS bi‐layer combination can have a large reflection contrast and improved fingermark visualization at wavelengths corresponding to the green light for specific thickness of ZnS.