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| Last Updated: Jun 14, 2010 - 8:03:37 PM |
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Ethiopia:Open letter to CPJ, Condoleezza: stop journalist quota for asylum
5 Dec 5, 2007 - 6:10:45 AM
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TO: The Hon. Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington , D.C. 20520
Dear CPJ,
As retired journalists who worked in Ethiopia , it is easy for us to see the importance of free press and independent media in our country. Their development is a sign of maturing democracy.
However, it is saddening to see the negative role CPJ is playing in the development of Ethiopia ’s media, thus indirectly, in the development of democracy in Ethiopia . It is contributing to a vicious cycle where exiled dissidents during various successive Ethiopian governments make allegations of media repression in Ethiopia , thus encouraging journalists to flee to wealthy nations for economic benefit using the quota of just being a journalist. This cycle has to stop somewhere, since it is adding to the brain drain as well as sucking out the inspiration of Ethiopians to do their share in building democracy. It encourages journalists to disregard their responsibility (in addition to their rights) in this profession and shows some journalists that disobeying laws is rewarded by an asylum to go to rich nations. Even worse, Ethiopians who have never been journalists now use the quota to get an asylum pass.
What is happening is similar to other quotas for Ethiopians for numerous decades. Some ethnic Oromo-Ethiopians have succeeded in getting political asylum by saying “they are being persecuted FOR BEING OROMOS,” however unrealistic their claims are. In reality, it is mathematically erroneous for these dozens of asylum seeking Oromos to be persecuted while 30 million other Oromos live in Ethiopia running their businesses and farms. So in reality, it is not because they are Oromos, the problem is some support armed groups and insurgents. Therefore, despite the fact being that those Oromos seeking asylum were outlaws who belonged to the illegal armed organization called OLF, hundreds of them have been getting rewarded political asylum in the West for many decades. Now those who are enjoying economic opportunity in the WEST have attracted more Oromos to use the same quota, the same card. This is done often enough that it has simply become a lottery for those Oromos electronically aware about the economic benefits of fleeing to the West and about the quota & option for getting asylum. The same way, the journalist card has been used for decades, unfortunately stripping off more intellectuals out of Ethiopia .
This vicious cycle simply has to stop.
The little progress Ethiopia has made the last few years shouldn’t be condemned, it should be encouraged. The fact shows that, today, there are over 50 newspapers and there are dozens more independent & private media outlets in Ethiopia . This is up from nearly Zero a couple of decades ago. This progress should be encouraged. Also for the first time in Ethiopian history, private radio stations have licenses inside the country. No matter how small, these progresses must be encouraged. The encouraging facts about progress in Ethiopia is good news those people who want to see the positive side of the story but such progress is apparently bad news for those who make a living out of distributing tragic stories from Africa . Unfortunately, those who profit from tragic tales out of Africa are not just some non-African organizations but also dissident and exiled Africans who support previous governments of poor & war-torn African countries. This is the case with Ethiopia , where exiled supporters of previous governments make negative allegations in Ethiopia about present government. Then monitoring groups accept all allegations as facts and then the allegations-turned-facts are suddenly being circulated everywhere as true. In addition to the notorious Ethiopian Review website, which was inhumanely congratulating all massacres done by rebels in Ethiopia just because it doesn’t like the government, there are many more exiled dissident groups and outlets who are financing and supporting insurgents all around Ethiopia. But they are still defended by CPJ & the like.
It is time for CPJ to respect Ethiopian opposition forces who are obeying the rules instead of emboldening outlawed opposition groups and those who support bloodshed & insurgency. There is a lot of room for improvement in Ethiopia and there are many ways to do so but rewarding those who break the media regulations in the country is not one of them.
Yes the media regulations are tough and strict in Ethiopia . For instance, some insecurity in the middle east and the anti-America militants thousands of miles in Iraq have caused the American government to act abnormal by torturing suspects and doing secret surveillances that are unconstitutional. This undemocratic American government acts are wrong in principle but apparently necessary for security purposes to stop lawlessness and to stop terrorists before terror acts. In contrast, against the economically poor Ethiopia , the daily and immediate threats against our country are only a FEW FEET away with numerous insurgents in the horn of Africa, not thousands of miles away in Iraq . So proportional to the threats, successive Ethiopian governments have often had strict laws. Despite the media laws in Ethiopia being strict, they are still the country’s laws. They still must be respected no matter what. To create another asylum quota just because laws in Ethiopia are too strict is deeply unprofessional. Democracy can grow when appropriate laws exist to defend the constitution. For many years in Ethiopia , the CPJ has disregarded all charges against all who broke laws as “trumped up charges” and thus emboldened more people to break laws. This is wrong and breaking laws simply shouldn’t be rewarded.
So we ask CPJ to reconsider its approach, including the CPJ establishing journalism quota for asylum lottery. This is destructive not only for the present but also for the future of Ethiopia. If the current lawlessness trend continues, yet another coup will eventually overthrow yet another Ethiopian government. Again, attempts by new Ethiopian government to secure the nation will be revenged by the new rotation of dissidents when they make allegations and prop up the motive of the new round of insurgents. As usual, the cause of the insurgents and dissidents will be supported by CPJ against the new "oppressive regime." This vicious cycle goes on. But it has to stop somewhere.
We Ethiopians can’t avoid the reality that Ethiopia is poor and the West is rich. So we can only ask CPJ to understand all factors and to stop damaging the young freedom of press in Ethiopia . With peaceful Ethiopian opposition forces slowly being marginalized by lawbreaking opposition forces, democracy will never grow in Ethiopia . Instead it will diminish. If CPJ continues to reward lawlessness, instability will continue in the region –making it a perfect breeding ground for anti-West local and international terrorists.
Sincerely,
Network of Retired Ethiopian Journalists (NREJ)
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