Open Letter to
Prime Minister Tony Blair (
pdf file)
by Ambassador Imru Zelleke (ret.)
Ambassador Ayalew Mandefro (Ret.)
Professor Alemante G. Selassie
Dr. Teketel Haile-Mariam
Dr. Fekadu Fullas
Dr. Alula Abate
Dr. Tsehai Berhane-Selassie
Mogus Brook, Engineer
Diana K. Mariam, CPA
Dr. Mesfin Genanaw
Professor Berhanu Abegaz
Dr. Asfawossen Asrat
Relevant Links:
Blair launches Africa commission - BBC (Feb '04)
Blair to call for Africa aid package - BBC (June '02)
Blair promises to stand by Africa - BBC (Oct '01) - 
Listen to Sound Bite
Prime Minister's Official Website - (Feb '04) - email prime minister directly on this issue
UK launches Africa commission - UN Press (April '04)
Press Release 11/13/2003
EEDN's stand against Suspension of Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA) by EPRDF regime
As part of its relentless campaign against independent professional and civic organizations in the country, the EPRDF regime currently in power in Ethiopia has just announced the suspension of activities by the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA) as of November 10, 2003. As you know, the EFJA represents the independent press in a country where the state enjoys near monopoly of the media, and the government routinely denies the private press the right of access to what is considered in the public domain in all democratic societies.
The association received official recognition only three years ago--some seven years after its establishment following the issuance of the 1992 Press Law. Over the past few years, members of EFJA have been routinely jailed for indefatigably exposing official corruption and ineptitude, and many members were openly assassinated. Too many of the country's ablest journalists today languish in jail, face endless harassment, or are forced to live in exile.
While the pretext for the ban on EFJA's activities is its apparent failure to submit documents for renewal of license, it is an open secret that the action was triggered by EFJA's courageous and effective opposition to a draft press law whose draconian restrictions have been widely condemned by international bodies. Although Ethiopia is signatory to the major international conventions, both the 1992 and the proposed press laws contravene in important respects the freedom of expression that is guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Human Rights, the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of _Expression in Africa, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
The Ethiopian Email Distribution Network (EEDN), one of the largest and oldest discussion lists in the Diaspora, deplores this irresponsible attack on the freedom of speech purportedly enshrined in Article 29 of the Ethiopian Federal Constitution. The EEDN Board deeply appreciates that a basic tenet of representative democracy is that free citizens have a voice in government, and that this voice is an informed one. An independent and responsible press serves as an indispensable watchdog especially in countries like Ethiopia where democracy exists only in form. This wanton attack on fledgling institutions of restraint on abuse of public office is yet another bad omen that the regime has abandoned all pretenses of being committed to deepening the democratization process.
We respectfully urge you to condemn this act in the strongest terms possible as an expression of your support for the cause of democracy in Ethiopia.
Thank you for your support
Members of EEDN
Join EEDN! - Free Sign Up
EFJA Related News:
Ethiopian press group shut down
BBC - Tuesday, 11 November, 2003
ETHIOPIA: Journalists’ association suspended
Committee to Protect Journalists - November 12, 2003
Concern Over Possible Government Ban of Ethiopia Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA)
AllAfrica.com - November 6, 2003 - EFJA Executive Committee statement
Kifle Mulat
World Free Press Institute, 2000
Ethiopian press strike looms
BBC - Wednesday, 6 September, 2000
Press
Release
regarding
the intimidation and flagrant
violation of the civil rights of the citizenry. Please create
awareness arround.
Ethiopians
Demonstrate in San Jose, Protesting the border demarcation:
On Friday October 3rd, 2003 Ethiopian living in and around the
San Francisco Bay area held public demonstration in San Mateo
in front of Representative Tom Lantos' District office, in down
town San Jose and at the Federal building. Young Rahel was among
the demonstrators chanting, No to the partition of Ethiopia, No
to the defunct colonial treaties and No to the Algiers Agreement,
etc. The demonstration began at 9:30 in the morning and ended
at 4 PM in the afternoon. The demonstrators carried many slogans.
Most of the women who came to the demonstration and some of the
men were dressed in Ethiopian traditional clothes. It was the
most colorful scenery to American observers who stopped to take
pictures and chat with the demonstrators.
