Three Ethiopian journalists told CPJ the government denied them applications to launch new newspapers on Tuesday.
All the journalists spent 17 months in prison following the country's 2005 elections. The newspapers were slated to become the country's first independent political publications since authorities banned eight local papers and forced at least a dozen others to close after the 2005 deadly post-election unrest.
Award-winning publisher Serkalem Fasil, her husband, columnist Eskinder Nega, and publisher Sisay Agena fulfilled all legal requirements and submitted applications for Lualawi and Habesha - two current affairs Amharic-language weeklies - in mid-September. By comparison, newly launched current affairs weekly Addis Neger cleared its registration with the ministry within one hour in October, according to owner and editor Mesfin Negash, who was never jailed.
Ethiopia's 1992 press law stipulates that a new newspaper is considered registered if the government fails to issue an official letter of certification within 30 days, but the document is required to obtain a mandatory commercial license, according to CPJ research.
Ethiopian Information Minister Berhanu Hailu and ministry spokesman Zemedkun Tekle did not return CPJ's calls for comment today. Another ministry official, Fantahun Asres, head of Press Licensing, declined to comment on the matter to CPJ on Monday, but informed the journalists by phone on Tuesday that their applications had been denied, according to Nega.
"Despite public assurances in July that it would allow former prisoners to resume their work, the Ethiopian government instead is using bureaucratic tactics to deny independent journalists an outlet," CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. "We call on the government to remove such obstacles and allow our colleagues the right to publish newspapers."
Fasil and Agena, the former owners of four banned newspapers, had their former publishing companies fined and dissolved in July 2007, three months after Ethiopia's High Court acquitted them of anti-state charges. Authorities subsequently withdrew an appeal to reinstate the charges in October, according to local journalists.
Ethiopia's ministry of information is mandated to "facilitate conditions for the expansion of the country's media both in variety and in numbers," according to the press law, but independent media outlets remain scarce, according to CPJ research. Last October, authorities allowed two independently owned media outlets to open: private commercial station Sheger Radio and current affairs weekly Addis Neger, although both operated under intense self-censorship, according to local journalists.
The Committee to Protect Journalists named Ethiopia the world's worst backslider on press freedom in 2007.
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The International Failures in Somalia (UN and Arab League)
The establishments of the United Nations and the Arab League organization were based upon high ideals and good intentions. Unfortunately, in the last several years, these organizations have not provided countries like Somalia with tangible and positive outcomes.
In the last seventeen years, the United Nations Head Office for Somalia was based in Nairobi, Kenya. The Somali expatriates employed with the UN are the largely people who are related to the Somali warlords and Islamists. The UN office in Nairobi responsible for Somali affairs is paid for by the international community and the real work is based in Somalia. The costs associated with having the Somali UN office based in Kenya are huge, especially considering the expenditures for travel to Somalia. This includes air travel between Nairobi and Mogadishu, without solving the problems in Mogadishu before flying back to Nairobi.
Somali is a member of the Arab League, and yet Somalia has not received any technical support nor reconciliations for peace from the Arab League. The Arab League provides money to the Islamists, including the building and funding of religious schools (madrasas). There have been historical tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, often based upon religion. In Ethiopia, there are approximately half a million Somali refugees, including members of my family. I have not received information that the Somali refugees were discriminated upon because of their beliefs. The Islamists and the Somali Transitional Government need to respect the rights of the Somali people, and the rights of its neighbours.
The African Union, especially Ethiopia and Uganda, have participated in initiatives to promote peace in Somalia. Recently, I was in Somalia, and I have seen the results of the Ethiopian and Uganda armed forces. The Ethiopian and Ugandan Armed Forces are upholding international law in Somalia, and are not participating in committing crimes against humanity. The UN and the Arab League are accusing the African Union of committing crimes against humanity in Somalia, which is false.
The interference of the United Nations and Arab League in regards to Somalia is not providing Somalis with a peaceful solution to its current instability. The Prime Minister of Ethiopia Meles has contributed a significantly to creating peace and stability in Somalia.
By:Aweis Issa Soil and Environmental Consulant, Vancouver, Canada 604-726-8198