2 Buildings and accommodation (a) Cells The prisons are made up of very large halls also called houses or blocks or cells. The cells are of varying sizes. There are no cells for individual inmates. In the Addis Ababa Prison however, there is an inmate isolated from the others in a separate room (not a cell) because he has a chronic case of TB (see - section on Special complaints). There are no disciplinary cells as discipline, the authorities claim, is handled by the prisoners themselves (see section on prison committees). Many of the buildings are in relatively good conditions. With the exception of Awasa, Harar and Arba Minch prisons, the other detention facilities are relatively clean and well maintained. In the Awasa prison, the rooms are congested, not only with prisoners but also with their belongings found hanging all over the walls. As a result the room is very dark and less ventilated. The room is also poorly lit. In the Harar prison, the space is too small for the number of prisoners. Cells are generally overcrowded, especially in the female section. The cells in the male section are untidy as inmates chew and throw leaves of chard (local herb believe to give body stimulation) on the floor. In the Addis Ababa prison, there is construction work going on to improve the housing units. Modern structures are being built for vocational training and formal education. The prison walls are clean and well cemented. This is in contrast with the Harar and Awasa prisons. In the Harar prison for example, the muddy walls, especially in the female section are very rough and dirty. There are holes on the walls and the floors are very rough and un-cemented. These prisons have very poor ventilation as the windows are usually on only one side of the buildings thus preventing air from going across. In all the prisons, there are no separate areas for inmates to store their belongings. Prisoners have therefore resorted to making holes on the walls to hang their things. This makes most of the cells very crowded, dark and less airy. Most of the prisons are accessible and located at the outskirts of town. The Addis Ababa Prison is however located in a densely populated part of the capital city – a few metres from the African Union office. The prisons are however, inaccessible to persons with physical disability such as those on wheel chair or the blind people. (b) Kitchen The kitchens are relatively clean. The Addis Ababa Prison has outsourced the cooking of food to an outside company that prepares food for the inmates. In the regions however, food is prepared in the prisons. Most of the prisons use gas for cooking. 27 Report of the Mission of the Special Rapporteur on Prisons to Ethiopia 15 – 29 March 2004