ethiopia: New government proposals threaten press freedom and EFJA

IFEX- News from the international freedom of expression community
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PRESS RELEASE/ACTION ALERT - ETHIOPIA

21 January 2003

New government proposals threaten press freedom and EFJA

SOURCE: Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA), Addis Ababa

(EFJA/IFEX) - The following is a 17 January 2003 EFJA statement:

The very existence of EFJA is at a risk!

The right of citizens to freedom of expression has, for ages, been brutally
suppressed in countries like Ethiopia, where democratic systems have not
been established.

After the EPRDF (Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front) put the
entire country under its control and usurped state power, it accepted and
ratified the UN Declaration of Human Rights, approved the charter during the
transition period and promulgated the press proclamation. Ever since then,
numerous free press publications have been rendering services as alternative
sources of information.

The free press publications that emerged in our country, which had no
previous experience in terms of exercising the right to freedom of the
press, are only ten years old. It is therefore believed that the free press
publications may have shortcomings due to a lack of sufficient knowledge and
training.

EFJA and counterpart international associations and human rights
organizations have maintained that it is possible to avoid problems and
mistakes that arise from a lack of sufficient practical experience through
training for practicing journalists and not through subjecting them to
various forms of punishment, including imprisonment, harassment,
intimidation and enforcing new laws.

The Ethiopian government, through the Ministry of Information, conducted a
three-day national symposium (from January 15 to 17) to address the
following theme: "The Ethiopian government wants to come closer to, and
discuss issues with, the free press to enable it to play the constructive
role expected of it in the national development process."

The government's purpose in organising the symposium is clear: it is a
propaganda stunt designed to show to the world that the government is
democratic. It is also a measure calculated to win the hearts and sympathies
of donors and creditors.

The symposium was originally scheduled to be held from February 8 to 10.
EFJA was invited to present a paper to the symposium entitled, "Problems
Faced by the Free Press and their Solutions". In accordance with the
invitation, EFJA had prepared the paper, but for unknown reasons, the
Ministry of Information announced that the programme was cancelled. One
month after the announcement of the cancellation, the entire event was held
in secret, and then, the objectives of the symposium were only revealed
through a telephone message.

The agenda items of the symposium focused on the new press law being drafted
exclusively by the Ministry of Information, the draft journalists' and
publishers' code of ethics and regulations for the establishment of a press
council.

The agenda item on the problems facing the free press and their solutions
was totally dropped.

The issues being discussed by the symposium are well known to EFJA,
international counterpart associations, human rights organizations and
activists since February 2001. These organizations have repeatedly commented
on the issues faced by the free press.

EFJA had requested that the authorities give it a copy of the draft press
law and see to it that the draft law is developed with the participation of
citizens, professional lawyers and EFJA members. Unfortunately, however, the
pertinent offices did not give EFJA a satisfactory response to its request.

EFJA and counterpart international associations have repeatedly stated that
the matters of a journalists' professional code of ethics and a press
council should be addressed by those parties that are directly concerned,
and not by the government.

EFJA had expressed its willingness to jointly organize the symposium and
enable it to come up with fruitful results. Yet the government has sidelined
the repeated calls made by EFJA and counterpart international institutions,
and decided instead to conduct the symposium through the Ministry of
Information, with the support of the British Embassy, to discuss the new
press law, which is designed to undermine the existence of the free press.
Members of the free press did not participate in the symposium.

EFJA and its members were present at the symposium but withdrew after the
opening because they were invited as mere guests and promises that were made
to them at the outset were broken.

EFJA and its entire membership have been disappointed by the fact that the
British government, which does not itself have a press law and has given
recognition to organizations such as Article 19 and human rights
originations such as Amnesty International, has extended financial support
for the running of the symposium, in which journalists of government media
services, employees of regional information bureaus and public relations
professionals are participating and various department heads are presenting
study papers.

Members of the Ethiopian free press have undergone great suffering under the
repressive press law and civil and criminal laws that have been in force for
the past 40 years. Heavy fines have been imposed on them. They have been
thrown in prison. In spite of all these and other repressive measures
against them, they have been in a position to withstand the measures and
maintain their existence. Other additional pressures imposed on free press
publications include the occasional increase of printing costs, income tax
increases and lately, the imposition of a value-added tax (VAT). These
measures have greatly threatened the very existence and survival of the free
press.

These events come at a time when the value-added tax is on the verge of
throwing many of the free press publications out of business. Requests are
also being made at the international level for the repeal of the existing
press law, because it is not in tune with the constitution and contains many
ambiguous provisions. There has been a call for its replacement with a new
law that would involve broad participation. The government has made public a
draft proclamation that will end the existence of the free press.

If the government enforces a professional code of ethics and regulations for
the establishment of a press council (which should be put in effect by those
directly concerned), it will serve as a clear indication that democratic
rights are being trampled upon and that dictatorship is gaining the upper
hand in this country.

EFJA and its members have played a vanguard role in exercising the right to
freedom of expression. However, inasmuch as the right to freedom of
expression is the right of all human beings, the Ethiopian people, our
international allies and supporters and human rights organizations are asked
to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ethiopian free press and make their
voices heard.

EFJA also calls on Ethiopia media professionals and friends of the free
press to fulfil their obligations and prevent this danger facing the free
press.

EFJA strongly protests the activities of the Ministry of Information, which
are aimed at promulgating a press law that restricts freedom of expression
and information exchange and exposes Ethiopian free press journalists to
imprisonment and fines under the guise of a code of ethics.

EFJA will keep you all informed of the latest developments on this matter.

Kifle Mulat
President, EFJA
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send appeals to authorities:
- protesting the government's drafting of a new press law, a journalists'
code of ethics and regulations for the establishment of a press council
without broad consultation within Ethiopian civil society
- expressing concern that Ethiopian free press journalists may face
harassment, imprisonment and fines under the proposed code of ethics

APPEALS TO:

H.E. Ato Meles Zenawi
Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Fax: +251 1 552 020

H.E. Ato Bereket Simon
Minister of Information
Fax: +251 1 533 510
E-mail: [email protected]

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

For further information, contact Kifle Mulat, President, EFJA, P.O. Box
31317 / 33232, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, tel/fax: +251 1 55 50 21, mobile: +251
1 (09) 222 939, e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

The information contained in this press release/action alert is the sole
responsibility of EFJA. In citing this material for broadcast or
publication, please credit EFJA.
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