We’re getting a distorted picture of the Ethiopian story – a
story that is a vital one in the context of African development. Ethiopia,
along with Rwanda, is advocating a very specific developmental model, one that
prioritises economic growth and socio-economic rights ahead of liberal luxuries
such as democracy, participation and human rights. It sees the stifling of a
free press as a justified causality in this process.
“Ethiopia’s government has systematically assaulted the
country’s independent voices, treating the media as a threat rather than a
valued source of information and analysis,” says Leslie Lefkow, Human Rights
Watch deputy Africa director. “Journalists critical of government policies and
their families live in constant fear of harassment, arrest, and losing their
livelihoods,” writes Lefkow, as “the state controls most of the media, and the
few surviving private media self-censor their coverage of politically sensitive
issues for fear of being shut down.”
Reporters Without Borders said at least six publications had
been forced to close in recent months and 30 journalists forced to flee abroad
as the result of the biggest crackdown on privately-owned press since 2005.
“Most print publications in Ethiopia are closely affiliated
with the government and rarely stray from government perspectives on critical
issues,” said the findings from HRW, which explain how publications critical of
Ethiopia’s government are regularly shut down, and printers and distributors of
critical publications closed.
Social media is also heavily restricted, and many blog sites
and websites run by those living in the diaspora are often blocked inside
Ethiopia. In April 2014 authorities arrested six people from the Zone 9
blogging collective, who have now been in prison for more than 260 days under
antiterrorism laws. Human Rights Watch says that this particular case has had a
“chilling effect” on freedom of expression in the country, “especially among
critically minded bloggers and online activists.”
It’s not just media, either. Ethiopia keeps a close eye on
NGOs and think tanks working in the country too, even those with continental
mandates, and has the power to grant or deny access to the African Union by
manipulating visas – if you don’t get a visa for Ethiopia, you don’t get to
visit. The result? Researchers and advocacy organisations are wary of being too
critical of the current Ethiopian administration, even if they shout loudly
about the failings of other African governments.
Ethiopia’s GDP is growing at about 10.4%. Over the past
decade, the country has registered statistically significant growth in the
welfare, education and health categories of the Ibrahim Index of African
Governance. But can we trust these figures? But in the absence of a free press,
or a free civil society, this data goes unchallenged. In the absence of any
kind of independent information we cannot gauge its effectiveness.
No comments:
Post a Comment