Background information and Statement of the problem
In spite of Ethiopia’s long history and the fact that the nation is one of the ancient civilizations, the country is being ruled
by absolute dictatorship which evolved to ethnic based totalitarianism
under TPLF/EPRDF administration. Particularly in the aftermaths of the
2005 Ethiopian national elections, the regime developed a strategy of
steadily shrinking press freedom and systematically eliminating
independent newspapers in an attempt to rule the people of Ethiopia in
total darkness.
Among the enacted three deeply flawed laws by Zenawi’s
regime is the media law. The law contained numerous provisions that
fundamentally violets freedom and human rights guaranteed under
Ethiopia’s constitution and international laws – aimed at terrorizing
journalists that report facts and criticize the intolerable TPLF
policies. Escalating its repression the regime’s antiterrorism
proclamation (ATP) of the 2009 has been widely used to criminalize any
critical comments and dissent opposition in an attempt for an absolute
grip over the media and to root out the seedlings of democracy.
Pro-opposition websites has been blocked and jamming of websites and
Medias including VOA and ESAT is frequent and is widely acknowledged by
international organizations as stated underneath.
Reporter without
boarders stated that Ethiopia’s press freedom is worsening; newspapers
and journalists are under constant trait. It also stated that Ethiopia
has joined the list of sub-Saharan countries that are keeping a close
eye on the media and trying to control or influence editorial policies.
Due to the regime’s increasing intolerance, it has been doing everything
it can to stifle the critical impulses of journalists and to make life
difficult for the private media. “The government is trying to suffocate
the media”. In its statement the France-based international
non-governmental organization urged the Ethiopian government to stop
creating climate of fear against media professionals.
Freedom
House (an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic
change, monitors the status of freedom around the world, and advocates
for democracy and human rights) stated in 2011 authoritarian regimes in
various parts of the world censored news of the Arab uprisings fearing
domestic unrest. Governments of various countries in Africa and the
Middle East employed techniques ranging from information blackouts in
the state media to sophisticated internet and text-message filtering.
Ethiopia is among those nations which experienced substantial
deterioration of press freedom in 2011 and independent media’s continued
to face challenges. In its assessment Ethiopia score significant
decline and is not free. Freedom on the net status measures countries
level of internet and digital media freedom with numerical score from 0
the most free to 100 the least free.
In its 2012 report Freedom
House stated Ethiopia received a numerical value of 75 (freedom on the
net total) and Ethiopia is in category of not free (freedom on the net
status). In its assessment it indicated that Ethiopia is among those not
free countries where the government blocks large number of politically
relevant websites and the state invested significant resources in
technical capacity and manpower to identify content for blocking. It
also indicated that such governments (not free countries) employ a range
of tactics to curb internet freedom – including imposing pressure on
bloggers, arresting users who post political comments that are critical
of the authorities and use blocking and filtering as key tool for
limiting free expression. Moreover concerned with the power of new
technologies to catalyze political change Ethiopia is among the
authoritarian states that have taken various measures to filter,
monitor, or otherwise obstruct free speech online (Freedom House 2012
report).
According to the African Federation of Journalists, many
African countries have accelerated their abuse and imprisonment of
journalists and Eastern Africa is the worst affected. In its assessment
it stated that Ethiopia is sliding in treatment of reporters and
imprisoning journalists on anti-terrorism charges. In its report African
Federation of Journalists highlighted the case of Eskinder Nega –
renowned journalist who is among
Ethiopian journalists imprisoned on
anti-terrorism charges for criticizing of the EPRDF regime following
Arab uprisings. Moreover an open letter by international journalists to
the TPLF/EPRDF foreign minister highlights broader abuses: “Ethiopia’s
history of harassing, exiling and detaining both domestic and foreign
reporters has been well-documented. According to the Committee to
Protect Journalists Ethiopia is the second-leading jailer of journalists
in Africa. Over the past decade, 79 Ethiopian reporters have fled into
exile, the most of any country in the world, according to CPJ data. A
number of these have worked as stringers for international news
agencies. Additionally, since 2006, the regime has detained or expelled
foreign correspondents from the Associated Press, the New York Times,
the Daily Telegraph, Bloomberg News, the Christian Science Monitor, the
Voice of America, and the Washington Post.
Justification on the exceptional role of ESAT and the intended EU campaign
- Role, guiding principle and objective of ESAT
In
today’s Ethiopia there is one national TV, one national radio, one
national daily, one English daily, one internet service provider and one
telecom all under strict control of the dictatorial TPLF/EPRDF regime.
The state-run media is solely focused on crude propaganda and shuts out
critical views. As a result of this Ethiopians have been hungry of a
media outlet that report facts and provide accurate analysis established
for and by Ethiopians thus is accountable to the people. Realizing the
complex challenge free press experiencing in our country and the
inexorable aspiration of Ethiopian people for free media, Ethiopians
founded the Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) in 2010; and also
established international support chapters all over the world. ESAT
aspires to fill the gap so that the Ethiopian people will have
unrestricted access to information, diverse viewpoints and perspectives.
The
guiding principle in establishment and broadcasting of ESAT, the first
independent Ethiopian satellite service, fully concur with Article 19 of
the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights that “everyone has the
right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom
to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart
information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
To this end since its establishment ESAT is tasked to produce accurate
and balanced news and information, as well as other entertainment,
created for and by Ethiopians. It is committed to the highest standards
of broadcast journalism and programming and will strive to provide an
outlet of expression to all segments of the diverse Ethiopian community
worldwide. Particularly it subscribes to the central principles of
professional journalists that “public enlightenment is the forerunner of
justice and the foundation of democracy.” (http://ethsat.com/editorial-policy/)
ESAT believes that a well-functioning independent press is an essential
element of a democratic system by exposing corruption, abuse of power,
mismanagement and embezzlement of public resources. ESAT also believes
that without free access to information and ideas, citizens are unable
to participate meaningfully in the political system by exercising their
right to vote or by taking part in the efforts to shape the process of
public policy and decision making (http://ethsat.com/about-us/).
The primary objective of ESAT is therefore to provide free access to information for the people of Ethiopia (http://ethsat.com/about-us/).
- ESAT fund raising and the scheduled Europe campaign tour
Currently,
ESAT relies on the support it receives from individual donors and
contributions from the Ethiopian Diaspora. Hence ESAT relies on the
contribution of its supporters to stay on air. Given the fact that
successful task of public enlightenment is not usually cheap and rarely
works overnight; sustained fundraising campaign is vital. In any
society the journey for democracy requires various instruments of
democratization. The appeal of the media either as companion or
alternative to other instruments of democratization is obvious. It is
cheaper and less dangerous. It is also more effective than the acts of
diplomacy in successfully igniting the path for democratization.
Moreover in Ethiopia’s oppressive political system ESAT contributes in
converting from opponent to democratic point of view or at least
encourage rationality- is a possibility – which must appeal to all
except the misanthropes. Countering the crude propaganda of the regime’s
run media with fact based reporting and analysis do provide the
Ethiopian public the data and thus confidence to demand genuine
democracy. Free media also helps in protecting the path for democracy,
when successfully ignited.
Mr. Tamagne Beyene ESAT Europe tour
Since
its establishment ESAT has been striving to raise fund from Ethiopian
diaspora all over the world. In this regard the renowned activist and
artist Tamagne Beyene has made many successful campaigns all over the
world. The scheduled Europe campaign tour by Mr. Tamagne is part of his
active and unwavering commitment to see democratic Ethiopia.
Particularly his role towards supporting and fund raising for ESAT is
remarkable. Subsequent to the 2005 Ethiopian national election the quest
for democracy by Ethiopian people, both at home and in the diaspora,
has been significantly weakened. To this end ESAT has played momentous
role in uplifting the spirit of Ethiopian people, the quest for
democracy and unity – in which the role of Mr. Tamagne is again very
remarkable.
Expected output and beneficiaries
The
planned campaign in seven cities across Europe has several benefits for
EAST and Ethiopians both at home and in the diaspora. The tour will not
only inspire people who are already ESAT supporters to keep on
contributing to this novel case; but also encourages those who felt
hopeless to take part towards the common objective for democratizing
Ethiopia. In the aftermath of the 2005 election one of the ingredients
that significantly depressed many Ethiopians, on the quest of democracy
in our country, is lack of strong credible independent Media of our own.
The establishment of ESAT successfully voids that gap. The tour by Mr.
Tamagne thus promotes democratic sentiment among Ethiopians at home and
abroad particularly the diaspora residing in Europe. It contributes
towards encouraging Ethiopians to demand human and democratic rights in
our country.
The planned tour also helps to encourage pessimists of
democracy and even fanatic supporters of the regime to question their
view and the danger that such exclusionist view has been pausing on our
country. In such circumstances countering the crude propaganda of the
TPLF regime, which attempts to manipulate and control public opinion,
with accurate and fact based reporting urges those fanatic individuals
who stood naked and unprotected to comprehend the true side of the story
from the independent media ESAT. In this regard the benefits of the
tour range from keeping motivated the already subscribed supporters of
ESAT to convincing those who have not yet took part in supporting ESAT.
Public opinion is essential and the core in the strive for democracy and
thus the tour by Mr. Tamagne assists to maintain and enhance the
approval rate of ESAT whilst contributing to raise the much needed
funding to keep it on the air.
Support ESAT, the voice of the silenced people of Ethiopia!!
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