GENEVA/ADDIS ABABA — Worsening malnutrition and the threat of disease outbreaks are compounding Ethiopia’s humanitarian crisis. The World Health Organization is working with the Government of Ethiopia and health partners to support the 4.6 million people needing urgent emergency food relief nationwide.
The number of people needing food assistance is increasing markedly in Ethiopia, and health risks are being compounded by the global food security crisis, the impact of drought on agricultural production and the country’s weak health system. During the coming months, annual rains are expected to again cause large-scale flooding, increasing loss of crops and risk of disease.
“In humanitarian terms, the situation is unacceptable,” said Dr Eric Laroche, Assistant Director-General for WHO’s Health Action in Crises Cluster. “The health of millions of Ethiopians is worsening by the day, and the international community must act to support the country’s government to ease this terrible suffering.”
In three regions alone (Somali, SNNP and Eastern Oromiya), the number of government-run feeding centres has risen from 200 three months ago to 605 today. Some 75 000 children aged under 5 need therapeutic and supplementary nutrition support. WHO, UNICEF and nongovernmental organization partners are supporting these centres.
Additional major gaps affecting people’s health and livelihoods are lack of access to safe drinking water, shortages of drugs and medical supplies and insufficient human resources. The areas affected by shortages are also at significant risk of disease outbreaks: diarrhoeal diseases, measles and meningitis. Cases of acute watery diarrhoeal have been reported in 16 districts, and outbreaks of cerebrospinal meningitis in 37 districts. More than 7000 cases of measles have been registered in 38 districts.
WHO works with Federal and regional government partners, UN agencies and nongovernmental organizations to provide better health and nutrition services throughout Ethiopia using emergency mobile teams; deploy drugs, medical and nutrition supplies and staff for emergency action in affected areas; plan the rolling out outpatient therapeutic programmes in the health extension programme which promotes the primary health care approach in Ethiopia; and strengthen disease and nutritional surveillance systems to enable rapid response.
Response efforts include:
– Strengthening disease and nutritional surveillance, particularly for severe acute malnutrition to enable critical response.
– Preventing measles via immunization activities, including vaccinations and vitamin A supplementation. The first phase of supplementary immunization activities had a more than 95 % coverage rate.
– Training and support for health staff and strengthening systems to address health needs.
– Water treatment and hygiene and sanitation promotion interventions to stop the spread of acute watery diarrhoea and other communicable diseases.
– Provision of urgently needed drugs and medical supplies to support health services and therapeutic feeding programmes.
For more information please contact:
Paul Garwood
Communications Officer
Health Action in Crises
World Health Organization
Telephone: +41-22-791-3462
Mob: +41-794755546 [email protected]
Sam Ajibola
Communications Officer
WHO Regional Office for Africa
Telephone: +47 241 39387
Mob: +242 653 70 22 [email protected]
NAIROBI, 10 July 2008 (IRIN) – Médecins Sans Frontières Switzerland (MSF-Swiss) has withdrawn from Fiiq, Somali region, saying repeated administrative hurdles and intimidation had prevented it from providing medical care to vulnerable populations.
“Over the six months of our intervention, our medical teams could only work for 10 weeks in Fiiq town and five on the periphery of the town where the most important needs are,” Hugues Robert, who heads the Ethiopia programme in Geneva, said in a statement. “It significantly reduces the medical impact of our action.”
A senior Ethiopian official, however, denied the claims.
“They did not face any problem,” the official, who requested anonymity, told IRIN in Addis Ababa. “They might have their own double agenda. Otherwise there was no intimidation or administrative hurdles from our side.
“If there was intimidation, they would not have stayed for the last six months.”
MSF-Swiss said despite an agreement signed with Ethiopia’s federal authorities, its staff had not received the necessary work permits and could only be on-site for short periods.
Despite severe malnutrition rates in some villages, the charity added, only 84 children suffering from malnutrition had been helped. “In addition, over the past six months, MSF mobile teams have only been able to give medical consultations to 677 patients in the most affected rural area around Fiiq, while many more patients would have been expected.
“The authorities’ attitude towards humanitarian organisations has translated into recurrent arrests of MSF Switzerland staff without charge or explanation,” it added. “Despite continuous attempts to improve the working relations with the authorities, our organisation can only regret the absence of any room to bring independent and impartial assistance.”
The government official said disagreements had arisen with the charity. “The region has a right to monitor whether they conduct their operations according to the agreement they reached [but] they do not want our close monitoring,” he said.
Among other activities, the official added, the charity had refused to give information about its patients, had failed to seek clearance to move operations from one area to another and at one time, landed a plane in Fiiq without notifying anyone.
“We did not arrest any MSF expatriate staff,” he told IRIN. “Five national staff of MSF are in detention. We do not know the reasons behind their arrest but if a citizen is found to be a criminal, a government has a right to arrest [them].”
According to the official, MSF Greece, Belgium and Holland were still operating in the region.
Clashes between government troops and the rebel Ogaden National Liberation Front, related disruptions to trade, transport and social services along with limited access for aid agencies have compounded the humanitarian situation in the area.
ADDIS ABABA (AFP) — The Meles dictatorship in Ethiopia on Wednesday denied Sudanese accusations it had launched a cross-border attack against a police base killing 19 people.
“This simply isn’t true,” Prime Minister the fascist dictator Meles Zenawi’s spokesman, Bereket Simon, told AFP.
On Tuesday, Sudan’s army spokesman claimed Ethiopian forces had attacked a police base 17 kilometres (11 miles) inside Sudanese territory, killing 19 people, including one police officer.
“It is a very long border between the two countries, lots of people cross the border, sometimes minor incidents between locals can happen,” the propaganda chief said.
The Sudanese army spokesman provided no reason for the attack in the Jabal Hantub area of Gedaref state, which lies on the northern part of the long international border.
Bereket said both countries enjoyed good relations. “We maintain good neighbourliness. We don’t know why they are accusing us,” he said.
The on-going, American-backed atrocity continues to rage in Somalia, where George W. Bush has launched a third “regime change” front in his global Terror War, with the help of one of his many pet dictators, Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia.
This week the head of the UN Development Program in Somalia, Osman Ali Ahmed, was shot dead as he left evening prayers at a mosque near his home in Mogadishu. The Bush Administration immediately blamed insurgent factions fighting against the Ethiopian-imposed government; insurgent leaders immediately denied the charge: “All the Mujahedeen are not behind his killing and it is not becoming of them to kill important persons who help the Somali people on whose behalf we are fighting,” said a spokesman for one of the Islamist factions opposed to the Ethiopian-imposed government. Whoever carried out the killing was obviously trying to foment more chaos in the shattered land and derail the fraught and fragile peace process, which has as one of its ultimate goals the withdrawal of Bush’s Ethiopian proxy army.
The brutal conflict in Somalia – which has seen the U.S. bombing of fleeing civilians, “renditions” of innocent refugees to Ethiopia’s torture dens, the usual “collateral damage” from botched “targeted assassinations” by American forces and the cheerfully admitted use of American death squads to “mop up” after covert ops – has been almost entirely ignored by the U.S. media and political establishments. [For copious links to these and other aspects of the U.S. involvement in Somalia, see Willing Executioners: America’s Bipartisan Atrocity Deepens in Somalia.] It has not figured in the U.S. presidential contest at all; neither John McCain nor Barack Obama is in the least bit troubled by this killing spree on the imperial frontier.
Why should they be? After all, both men have pledged to continue the even larger Terror War atrocity in Iraq – McCain more forthrightly, Obama by stealth. The Democratic nominee’s pledge to “end the war” is based on a “withdrawal” plan that could leave a “residual force” of up to 80,000 American troops in the conquered land, training Iraqi security forces, carrying out “counter-terrorism” operations, and providing “force protection” for American interests. Obama has also noted that “we’ve got to make sure that Iraq is stable” before any large-scale pullout: a stance which is a virtual guarantee of a long-term, major American military presence, given the vast societal, cultural and civic ruin the American war of aggression has wrought in Iraq. Thus we can see that despite all the partisan rhetoric and heated disputes over this or that detail, there is, at bottom, a bipartisan consensus in Washington for prolonging the war crime in Iraq in one form or another. How then can we expect anything different for the scorned and abandoned people of Somalia – dying by the thousands and displaced by the millions in a “sideshow” not worth mentioning?
Mike Whitney has an excellent round-up of recent developments in Somalia, along with relevant background, in a very important article that has appeared at CounterPunch and at one of our associated websites, Pacific Free Press. Among many chilling facts and sharp insights, Whitney notes:
Heavy fighting and artillery fire have reduced large parts of Mogadishu to rubble. More than 700,000 people have been forced to leave the capital with nothing more than what they can carry on their backs. Entire districts have been evacuated and turned into ghost towns. The main hospital has been bombed and is no longer taking patients. Ethiopian snipers are perched atop rooftops across the city. Over 3.5 million people are now huddled in the south in tent cities without sufficient food, clean water or medical supplies. It is the greatest humanitarian crisis in Africa today; a man-made Hell entirely conjured up in Washington.
Just weeks ago, Amnesty International reported that it had heard many accounts that Ethiopian troops were “slaughtering (Somalis) like goats.” In one case, “a young child’s throat was slit by Ethiopian soldiers in front of the child’s mother.”
In another Democracy Now interview, Abdi Samatar, professor of Global Studies at the University of Minnesota, had this to say:
The Ethiopian invasion, which was sanctioned by the US government, has destroyed virtually all the life-sustaining economic systems which the population have built without the government for the last fifteen years. And the militia that are supposed to protect the population have been looting shops. For instance, the Bakara market, which is the largest market in Mogadishu, has been looted repeatedly by the militias of the so-called Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, supported by Ethiopian troops. And the new prime minister of Somalia, Mr. Hassan Nur Hussein, has himself announced in the BBC that it was his militias that—who have looted this place. So what you have is a population that’s hit from both sides: on one side, by the militias of the so-called Transitional Federal Government, which is recognized by the United States, and on the other side, by the Ethiopian invaders who seem to be bent on ensuring that they break the will of the people to resist as free people in their own country…. What you have is really terror in the worst sense of the word, a million people have been displaced that the Ethiopians have been denying humanitarian aid, and the United States which seems to just watch and let it happen.
It’s like there’s has been a calculated decision made somewhere in the world, maybe in Washington, maybe in Addis Ababa, maybe in Mogadishu itself, to starve these people until they submit themselves to the whims of the American military and the Ethiopians, who are acting on their behalf.
Calculated decisions have indeed been made to consign the Somali people to perdition. And they are still being made, in Washington, Addis Ababa – and in Chicago and Arizona, where the two would-be presidents have made it clear that in their administrations it will be business as usual for Somalia – the blood-soaked business of empire.
Thousands of Ethiopians have descended on Washington DC for an annual Ethiopian Soccer Tournament organized by ESFNA. The entire week greater Washington has been buzzing with scores of events and activities organized by various groups for social, political and cultural purposes. On Wednesday the 2nd of July, 2008 around 8:30 pm, a unique occasion was unfolding in a more dignified and magnificent way.
The occasion was aimed at honoring an extraordinary Ethiopian war hero of the modern era. Several hundred Ethiopians have over packed the hall of Trinity Church located at 6000 Georgia Ave, NW Washington DC. They were anxiously waiting for the arrival of General Legesse Teferra, the honoree of the special event, one of the most outstanding war heroes of Ethiopia and recipient of the highest order of Medal for heroism, (Ye Hibretsebawit Ethiopia Woder Yelelew Jegna).
Inside the hall, at the top of the stage hangs a ten feet banner. It reads: Ye Jegnoch Mishit, (An Evening of Ethiopian Heroes). Poster-size photos of the hero, General Legesse, are placed on both sides of the banner. At the entrance, a very large poster is also placed on a tripod. The writing is in Gold on a black background: a tribute to and representative list of Ethiopian heroes who gave the ablest leadership to the former armed forces, those who died while heroically fighting, and all those heroes who fell in line of duty for Ethiopia and their honor in the eastern, southern, and northern fronts in the 70s and 80s. Among those listed, there are names of those members of the armed forces who are still alive. These are representative names from the Army, Air force, Navy, and the Police forces.
Also at the front entrance area, members of the former armed forces and members of the organizing committee dressed in jet black suits, white shirts and a tie were greeting and sitting Ethiopians coming to attend the event. Ato Samson Kebede, Capt. Fikru Debebe and other members of the committee were displaying on a table all kinds of items prepared for the occasion. A special issue magazine prepared by members of the AMFEA that has Gen. Legesse’s colorful picture on its front cover and a book about Gen Legesse Teferra, entitled The Tiger of the Sky (Ye Ayer layie Nebir) were few of the publications and items for display and sale at the back of the hall near the entrance.
At the front raw tables, the invited guest of honors of evening: Honorable Ambassador Imiru Zeleke, Honorable Ambassador Ayalew Mandefro, Col Brehanu Wubneh of the Airforce have taken their seat. While another one, Col. Tsegaye Yimer, a person who gave a distinguished service to the Ethiopian Ground Forces for several decades, was unable to make it due to illness. Other invited and distinguished guests who have taken their seats include: Brig. General Ashenafi Gebre Tsadik, an Air force pilot and another war hero on his own right; Brig. General Tsegaye Habtie Yimer, a prominent Air force officer who served in various high positions including as a commander of its Flight Training Academy; Ato Gebreyes Begna, a prominent businessman; Dr. Aklilu Habte, the former president of Addis Ababa University; Ato Mulugeta Lule, the prominent veteran journalist; Ato Solomon Kifle, distinguished veteran journalist now working for the VOA, Dr. Gebreye Wolde Rufael, a prominent physician known also for his contributions for democracy and Unity, Ato Abraha Belai, Editor-in-Chief of Ethiomedia, and many other distinguished guests have taken their seats.
Around 9: 15 P.M, Gen. Legesse accompanied by his wife, two daughters, and other members of his family arrived. When General Legesse entered the Hall, three members of the former military in Army, Navy, and Air force uniform greeted the General with formal military salute with military marsh music at the background. Hundreds of those who were present stood up while members of the former military formed a straight line both at the right and left side of the hall way to give proper honor for the arriving hero. Gen Legesse Teffera, walking in front along his close friend Capt. Bezu and his family members were followed by the uniformed men before he took his sit at the special table reserved for him and members of his family.
Artist Tamagne Beyene, the lead person of the stage for the event, formally announced the arrival of Gen. Legesse and Artist Shambel Belayneh took over to play a patriotic tune while the attendees sang, with ululation, rounds and rounds of applause to welcome the hero. Soon after dinner was served, Artist Tamagne Beyene invited Ato Hailu Balcha, a member of the organizing committee, who spoke briefly about purpose of the special event of the evening and gave background information how the committee was organized. The committee that consists of representatives from Association of the former Ethiopian Air force, The Harar Military Academy Alumni Association, The Ethiopian Ground Force Veterans Association, patriotic Ethiopians, and Artists, members of Gen. Legesse’s family managed to execute a special and colorful event to honor Gen. Legesse Teffera due to a team work that took more than four months of hard work, he told the audience. Ato Hailu expressed his appreciation to all members of the committee who worked very hard and the able leadership provided by Ato Brehanu Wolde Selassie, the chairman of the Association of the former Ethiopian Air force (AMFEA) and the chairman of the organizing committee of the special event, Ye Jegnoch Mishit. Then Ato Neamin Zeleke, a member of the organizing committee and program coordinator for the event, read brief biographies of the guests of honor for the evening and invited Birg Gen. Tsegaye Habtieh Yimer to the stage.
Brig General Tsegaye is among those who served the former Ethiopian Former Ethiopain Airfoce in various capacities, including as commander of the Air Force Academy. He attended the Harar Military Academy seventh course for cadets with Gen Legesse Teffera and others. As a friend and colleague of Gen Legesse for more than four decades, Gen Tsegaye spoke at length his memories, far and near, about Gen Legesse, his contributions, the General’s heroic deeds, and his professional achievements .
After Gen Tsegaye concluded his speech, Artist Tamagne Beyene announced the special gift presentation ceremony. Ato Yohannes Demissie and Ato Ayalneh Ejigou, members of the organizing committee carried the special gift and handed it to Col Berhanu Wubineh, one of the guests of honor and one of the ablest and distinguished members among pilots and members of the Air force. He was one of those who educated Birg General Legesse while he was a cadet. During the Ethio-Somali War of the ’70s, Col Brehanu also contributed much as a pilot and commander of the F-5 E Interceptor squadron, a squadron that made tremendous contribution and sacrifice in defeating the Air force of the invading Somali forces.
When Col Brehanu, accompanied by other the guests of honor and members of the organizing committee, presented the special gift to Gen Legesse , there was a another round of heavy applause, ululation, and emotional singing heard from among the large crowd of attendees. The special gift was a model F-5 E Fighter jet with the same serial number that was flown by Gen. Legesse to execute many of his heroic deeds during the war against the invading Somali forces and the very one shot down before he was taken as a prisoner of war (POW) in Somalia for eleven years.
Artist Tamagne also announced that Dr. Assefa Negash who came from Holland has prepared a special gift to present it to Gen Legesse. Dr. Assefa gave a copy of O Minilik in frame, a newspaper named after Emperor Minilik and printed in Brazil by Black Brazilians who were struggling against racism and servitude to gain their freedom in Brazil several decades ago and the Sons of Sheba’s Race, a book by Prof Scot. He then made a brief remark how the African Diaspora or the black world in general back then looked up to Ethiopia for inspiration, and in this day and age where Ethiopia and Ethiopaiwinet have been under assault and negation from various forces, it is yet another testimony what and how much Ethiopia meant for the African people around the world, Dr. Assefa reminded those present. Ato Kebede Hale Mariam who came from Vancouver, Canada disturbed chest pins of the Ethiopian Flag to Gen Legesse, the guests of honor, and to the hundreds of Ethiopians present for the occasion.
After receiving these gifts, Gen. Legesse made a brief speech tanking all Ethiopians who were present for giving recognition for his contribution as citizen of Ethiopia and discharging his duties as professional officer and pilot during the most trying times for Ethiopia and her people in the late 1970s. Moving poems conjuring the danger that was faced by Ethiopia back then and dedicated to Gen Legesse and other heroes were read by Maj. Kifle Abocher, the famous man of letters of the former ground force, and the renowned Artist Alemtsehay Wodajo. It was indeed a very sober and emotional moment for many who were present.
Then Ambassador Ayalew Mandefro, one of the guests of honor, also spoke about the political and historical context of the Ethio-Somalia war of the seventies and shared his intimate knowledge of the events and incidents during that time in his former capacities as Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Somali and a former Minister of Defense. He said that During the Ethio-Somali war of 1977, the performance of the Ethiopian Air force pilots from their F5E cockpit against the more advanced Mig 21 & 23’s flown by the Somalis was just brilliant even if measured by the highest standard of an air to air battle. Indeed the heroic flight maneuvering skills displayed by pilots such as Brig. General Legesse Tefera and his colleagues epitomize succinctly the military adage – “what counts most in warfare is the human element behind the weapon and not the caliber of the weapon itself.” A second shinning and crucial performance the EAF recorded during the war was their execution in breaking the logistic line of the advancing enemy which saved the fall of Dire Dawa and perhaps beyond, Ambassador Ayalew reminded the audience.
Dressed in Air Force flight uniform, Artist Tamagne Beyene took the stage again, announcing to an applauding and amused audience the following program of the event: a presentation of a special documentary produced for this special occasion. Tamagne pulled an amazing feat by taking many historical videos and a well researched narration to produce a documentary that lasted 30 minutes. The documentary film depicted the Somalia invasion of Ethiopia in the seventies and the heroic role played by the Ethiopian Air force. Among those mentioned in the film are General Legesse Teffera and other air force pilots, including Brig. General Ashenafi Gebere Tsadik, Col Brehanu, both were present at the occasion. Gen Ashenafi , another war hero present at the occasion, flew fighter jets side by side with Gen Legesse and many others, contributing much to reverse the grave danger posed to Ethiopia’s’ sovereignty and unity by the Somali invading force. When the jet fighter flown by Ethiopian pilots wee seen blowing the Somalia Mig jets to pieces, there were heavy applause from the over exited and emotional audience. There were moments were people were heard crying. This was yet one of the most emotional and memorable parts of the eventful evening.
Upon the film’s conclusion, a deafening applause and cheer filled the hall, an expression of approval for work well done as a yet another tribute to Gen Legesse and other Ethiopian heroes by Artist Tamagne. Shambel Belayneh and other artists continued to stir the aroused patriotic feeling of the attendees by singing patriotic songs, shileela and fukera of the traditional war songs.
At last, it was time to read short stories of representative and outstanding leaders of the former Ethiopian military and that of prominent heroes who fell heroically in line of duty in eastern and northern fronts as well as those among those who lost their lives during the failed coup attempt of 1989.
Ato Neamin Zeleke asked the audience to stand up to honor and remember those who have died heroically and salute those who are still alive. Brief stories of those selected for the occasion- Brig General Teshome Tessema, at Massawa, Eritrea; Birg General Legesse Abeje, at Axum , Tigray front, Col. Mamo Temtime, at Nakfa, Eritrea, Col Belay Aschenaki at Masswa, Eritrea, Commodore Belege Belete and Commodore Getachew Siyoum of the Navy at Massawa, Eritera –were read. Also among the ablest military leaders of the modern armed forces that of Maj. General Fanta Belay of Air force, Maj. General Demissie Bultto of the Army, Maj. General Amha Desta of the Former Ethiopian Former Ethiopain Airfoce who died during the failed coup of 1989 were also read.
Families of the armed forces, those who had fallen heroically and those alive were also present on the occasion. Ato Dereje Demissie Bullto the youngest son of the late Maj. General Demissie Bullto, one of the ablest leaders of the former Ethiopian Military, came from Boston for the event; Mimi Legesse, the daughter of Brig General Legesse Abeje, another hero who fell while fighting at Axum , Tigray front was present. The presence of Wro. Elizabeth Abdissa, the daughter of Col. Abdisa Aga, one of the outstanding heroes during the fascist Italian invasion of Ethiopia, made the event even more touching and memorable. Messages of best wishes and congratulations sent from Maj. Dawit Wolde Girogis from West Africa, Prof Getachew Haile in Minnesota, the poet Ato Assefa Gebre Mariam from Las Vegas, and the former Minster of information and later Ambassador, Maj. Girma Yilma, were relayed to General Legesse Teferra
The special event got coverage by Voice of America, German Radio, and Ethiopian Television Network (ETN), Ethiomedia.com (where Ethiomedia Chief Editor Abraha Belai was one of the Guests of Honor), Ato Muluneh Yohannes of Ethiomedia, Ato Aberra Wogi, Ato Abebe Antallew, Ato Tekelemickael Abebe, and reporting for of the Ethiopian Current Affairs Discussion Room, Ato Abebe Belew of Addis Voice , Videographers and photographers from Addis Culture, and other members of the media came to provide coverage for this special and historic event.
(Photos: Courtesy of Photographer Dereje Getachew)
The names of outstanding leaders and heroes, both alive and dead, from the former Army, Navy, Air force, and the police forces, representing unnamed thousands of other heroes from Generals to line officers, from NCOs and privates to militia members of the former armed forces were read.
Capt Dawit Wondifraw, Getachew Degefu, Beyene Debalke, Yesahnew Lemma, and Girma Legesse read the following list:
Maj. General Fanta Belay
Maj. General Merid Negussie
Maj. General Demisse Bultto
Maj. General Amha Desta
Maj. General Abera Abebe
Maj. General Mesfin Gebre Kal
Maj. General Kinfe Michael Dinku
Maj. General Kumlachew Dejene
Maj. General Hailu Gebre Mickael
Brig. General Teshome Tessema
Brig. General Legesse Abeje
Brig. General Yilma Gizaw
Brig. General Temesgen Gemechu
Brig. General Tesfu Desta
Brig. General Tesfaye Terefe
Brig. General Tesfaye Habte Mariam
Brig. General Kassaye Chemeda
Brig. General Behailu Kinde
Commodor Belege Belete
Commodor Getachew Siyoum
Brig. General Araya Zerai
Brig. General Woubetu Tsegaye
Brig. General Merdesa Lelisa
Brig. General Berta Gomoraw
Brig. General Gennanaw Mengistu
Brig. General Desalegn Abebe
Brig. General Taye Balaker
Brig. General Lemesa Bedase
Brig. General Solomon Begashsaw
Brig. General Ashenafi Gebre Tsadiq
Brig. Genreal Kifetew Merine
Brig. General Afework Wolde Michael
Brig. General Negussie Zergaw
Brig. General Kebede Mehari
Brig. Geneal Hailu Kebede
Brig. General Addis Aglachew
Brig. General Hailu Berawork
Brig. General Legese Haile
Brig. General Mesfin Haile
Brig. General Erkyihun Bayyisa
Brig. General Kebede Wolde Tsadiq
Brig. General Yemata Miskir
Brig. General Engda Gebre Amlak
Brig. General Techane Mesfin
Brig. General Tadesse Tesema
By Najum Mushtaq, Inter Press Service (Johannesburg)
A new media law – six years in the making – has been passed by Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives. Its preamble declares that “the proclamation removes all obstacles that were impediments to the operation of the media in Ethiopia.”
But an analysis by Ethiopian journalists finds it actually clears the way for government to continue to harass and persecute the messenger when the message is not in line with the whims of the rulers.
The ‘Mass Media and Freedom of Information Proclamation’, which purports to update and reform the first ever Ethiopian press law of 1992, has been a source of controversy ever since its initiation in 2002.
In countless meetings with the ministry of information — which regulates Ethiopian media — local and international activists have been lobbying in vain for revisions in the draft to make it compatible with international norms and conventions on press freedom. The version adopted by parliament last week seems certain to further restrict freedom of expression and intimidate journalists.
“We have come to understand… that the proclamation is incompatible with the (Ethiopian) constitution and other international human rights laws, conventions and agreements. It is a reversal and desecration of victories achieved by the repealed press law (of 2004),” says a resolution adopted Wednesday at the end of a UN-sponsored workshop of media practitioners in Addis Ababa organised by the Horn of Africa Press Institute (HAPI).
The workshop reviewed the new legislation and called for “a reassessment of all the provisions of the law” as it imposes “substantive restrictions with heavy burden and obligations” on journalists.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the new law is that the government has appropriated the right to prosecute defamation cases against the media even if the ostensibly defamed government officials do not initiate legal proceedings. Article 43 (7) of the proclamation says that defamation and false accusation against “constitutionally mandated legislators, executives and judiciaries will be a matter of the government and prosecutable even if the person against whom they were committed chooses not to press charge.”
This provision overrides the 2004 criminal law which had stated that cases of defamation would go to court only when the victims make complaints. Also, the compensation for moral damage caused by mass media has been raised from 1,000 birr to a crippling 100,000 birr — just over $10,000.
Journalists attending the workshop also pointed out that many restrictive measures had already been incorporated into other laws during the six-year debate on the media bill. For instance, the Criminal Code of the country which came into force in 2005 includes penal provisions for “participation in crimes by the mass media.”
In another example, the role and duties of the Ministry of Information were redefined in 2007 to give the government arbitrary powers to use registration and licensing procedures as a punishment for dissent. It also empowers the government to stop distribution of a newspaper if the attorney general deems a news item to be a criminal act.
And in a country where most of the established newspapers as well as radio and television channels are government-owned, the new law undermines the growth of the independent private sector by placing its fate in the hands of the information ministry.
“We understand that the regulatory authority itself is involved in the media and news making and has no institutional freedom,” the workshop resolution observed.
Banned journalists
The new law fits into a pattern of official persecution of journalists seen over the last three years. Soon after controversial 2005 elections, three newspapers and magazines belonging to the country’s largest private publisher, Serkalem Publishing House, were closed down as part of a widespread crackdown on media that dared to criticise the handling of the poll. Serkalem Fasil and her family were imprisoned for over a year.
Ten other independent publications were also forced to shut down, leaving hundreds of journalists unemployed.
Already this year, the government has forced two more magazines out of circulation using laws against disturbance to public order. One of them, Enku, a fashion magazine, was not only confiscated but its deputy editor, Aleymayehu Mahtemwork and three colleagues spent four days in jail for covering the trial of a popular pop star whose songs angered the government. Though he was released, the case against him remains pending and his magazine is yet to be revived.
Fasil recalls the recent history of media persecution by the state and observes and explains the apathy of the international community: “Much to the utter amazement of the of the Ethiopian public, the international community shrugged and moved on, perhaps writing off the democratic cause in Ethiopia as superfluous in light of the perceived danger posed by Islamic extremists in the Horn. Every single one of those papers is still closed, and almost all journalists that worked for them are either in exile or remain unemployed to this day.”
She told IPS that a few months after her acquittal she applied for new press licenses as prescribed by the press law and the constitution. “And though we were assured by the Ministry of Information that we had fulfilled all legal requirements and are entitled to the licenses by law, we were advised to pursue the issue at the prime minister’s office, which had extra-judicially interceded to block the applications. Ten months later, we are still patiently waiting for the application of rule of law.”
“The provisions of better laws are desirable,” she says, “but they will hardly matter if they are not binding and could be abrogated at will by government officials, as has been clearly established in our case.”
Signs are that the government intends to widen the scope of its assault on people’s rights. The current session of parliament is also taking up a bill to regulate non-governmental and civil society organisations. The banned journalists, it seems, will soon have more allies to share their adversity and join their struggle.
