Ethiopian Journalists Flee as Others Tried for Terror

Ethiopian Journalists Flee as Others Tried for
Terror

16 November, 2011 | By Peter Heinlein (Voice of America)
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Two newspaper

columnists known for

sharp criticisms of

Ethiopia's government are

reported to have fled into

exile, just as other

journalists being tried on

charges of treason and

espionage.

Ethiopia's journalist community was abuzz Tuesday with word that
"Abe Tokichaw" has become the latest government critic to flee
the country. The pen name, which in the Oromo language means
"Abe the one and only," is the moniker of writer Abebe Tola, who
gained notoriety for political satire that pokes fun at Ethiopia's
ruling party and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

His irreverent columns have appeared in two privately owned
newspapers, Feteh (Justice) and the Awramba Times, both
known for their anti-government editorial line.

Abebe was last seen by colleagues a few days ago at the trial of
Awramba Times Deputy Editor Woubshet Taye, and Feteh
columnist Reeyot Alemu, both of whom were arrested in July on
terrorism-related charges. At the time, a government spokesman
said the arrests had nothing to do with their professional activities.

Abebe is reported to have fled in the company of Tesfaye Degu,
who writes a column for the opposition Unity for Democracy and
Justice (UDJ) party newspaper.

A topic of discussion

The number of government critics in exile was the topic of
discussion Tuesday at the terrorism trial of 24 others, including at
least six journalists and a number of opposition political figures.

All but one of the journalists are living abroad and working with
opposition media. The only journalist in the defendant's box:
Eskinder Nega, who continued to blog after four newspapers that
he and his wife operated were shut down following the disputed
2005 elections.

Political figures standing trial include Andualem Arage and Natnael
Mekonnen, two rising stars in the UDJ, the largest party in the
main opposition coalition Medrek. The UDJ chairman, former
Ethiopian president Negaso Gidada, said the espionage and
treason charges they face sound like the legitimate activities of any
political organizer.

"Andualem and Natnael are official leaders of UDJ, and whatever
they speak is for UDJ," said Gidada. "Unless [the prosecutors]
have very different evidence, the accusations they brought against
them should be in fact directed against UDJ. Public relations,
youth organizing - they are supposed to do these things, and
saying that Andualem and Natnael are accused of these things is
really funny."

The exiled journalists being tried in absentia include senior editors
of Addis Neger, a newspaper that closed down in the face of
government pressure in 2009. The paper has continued its critical
editorial line in an online edition.

Several other journalists have since gone into exile, including
Argaw Ashine. Argaw was named in a WikiLeaks cable as having
warned the Addis Neger staff that they were the target of a
government investigation.

All 24 defendants on trial Tuesday are accused of belonging to the
outlawed Ginbot 7 party led by Berhanu Nega and Andargachew
Tsige. Ginbot 7 is the Ethiopian calendar date of Ethiopia's
disputed 2005 elections, in which Berhanu was elected mayor of
Addis Ababa.

Andargachew, described in the charge as the founder of Ginbot 7,
is accused of working with Ethiopia's arch enemy Eritrea to
organize a terrorist plot aimed at assassinating senior public
officials and attacking sensitive government institutions.

Both Andargachew and Berhanu were tried in absentia in the
same court on similar charges last year. Both were sentenced to
death

Courtesy