Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Ass’n (EFJA) Appeals to African Union
July 7, 2004

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H.E.Proffesor Alpha Oumar Konare,

Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union

AU Headquarters,

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Via Fax: (251) 1 513036

e-mail: [email protected]

6 July 2004

Your Excellency,

We would like to extend our best wishes to your excellency and through you to the African heads of state and government, delegates and brothers and sisters who are participating in the Assembly of Head of State of Government of the African Union (AU) due to be held from 6-8 July 2004.

We are convinced that the present AU Summit would perform tasks that would have a major positive impact on the growth and development of the African peoples.

We hope that our newly established organization, AU would, among others, focus on and discuss the issue of the exercise of the rights to press freedom which is based on the right of peoples to freedom of _expression.

We are desirous that the African Union Constitution would firmly stand for the respect and exercise of press freedom; embrace the accountability and responsibilities of all concerned parties, protect press freedom from attacks; and strongly protest against undemocratic practices of dictators, and strongly requires professionals to be governed by code of ethics.

We have concrete grounds for calling on the African Union to focus its attention on the question of the respect of the right to freedom of _expression. Journalists in Africa work under particularly hostile circumstances and, because of their important role in building and maintaining democracy, require recognition and protection.

In several AU member states, journalists are arrested, harassed, and intimidated solely for their reporting and many countries resort to harsh, outdated laws to prosecute journalists for their work. Research conducted by African and international press institutions shows an alarming pattern of governments interfering with the free flow of information and zealously prosecuting journalists for their work-in some cases even drafting legislation deliberately aimed at suppressing the dissemination of dissenting views.

For instance, a government in an African country has shut down the entire independent media and has so far detained a dozen journalists. Several others have fled the country. A government spokesperson acknowledged to CPJ that independent journalists are currently imprisoned and held incommunicado but would not guarantee that all of the detained journalists were alive.

Our country, Ethiopia also has a dismal press freedom record, and its government is planning alarming changes to the country’s 12-year-old press laws that would severely restrict the rights of Ethiopia’s already beleaguered private press corps. Although the Ethiopian authorities claim that the new press law would promote “constructive and responsible journalism,” we believe that the statutes would lead to a crackdown, driving many of them out of business or putting them behind bars.

Currently, one journalist is imprisoned in Ethiopia, more than 40 journalists have pending court cases. While these and other few African countries are the most egregious press freedom violators in the AU, international press organizations, have documented state harassment of independent reporters and news outlets all over the continent.

The Ethiopian Free Press Journalists’ Association (EFJA) respectfully reminds Your Excellency that most AU member states have signed Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Articles 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, all of which recognize an individual’s right to seek, receive, and impart information without fear of reprisal.

Besides, the Ethiopian government has recently suspended our organization EFJA and its leadership. It has established an association that would suit its ulterior motives. It has also designated the leadership of this puppet association. The illegal measures it has taken in this direction has become a matter of great concern to all who stand for the great cause of democracy, press freedom, freedom of self _expression and the respect of human rights.

The Ethiopian People, press institutions throughout the world, human rights activists, counterpart professional associations and 12 members of the US Congress have strongly condemned the interfering of the government with the internal affairs of the professional association (EFJA). I kindly request your excellency to confirm your allegiance and solidarity with the Ethiopian Free press Journalists’ Association (EFJA) and its members.

At present, the existence of free press journalists and EFJA is at risk. This is a crucial moment at which the Ethiopian people, all our professional allies and all democratic forces should muster their forces and salvage the Ethiopian free press from permanent destruction. This is a crucial time when, your excellency, friends of the free press and all concerned should give a rapid response to the final question of existence and survival put before you especially by members of the free press and our association (EFJA).

As an African association of journalists dedicated to defending press freedom in Ethiopia EFJA strongly believes that media outlets and journalists should be able to work freely, and that a public’s ability to gather and receive information should be enshrined and recognized as a fundamental human right. We also believe that journalists should not face arrest detention, or harassment for their work.

We call on your Excellency and the African heads of state and governments to:

respect AU and International Laws
release imprisoned journalists in their respective countries.
change their repressive press laws
ensure that the media in the AU member states can function freely, without intimidation, harassment, or restrictions.

It is our sincere hope that the AU Summit would come up with successful results that would be to the ultimate benefit of the peoples of the African continent.

We also hope that press freedom would flourish in Africa and the rest of the world.

Sincerely,

Kifle Mulat

President,EFJA

e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

Tell/Fax: +251 1 22 21 07 / Mobile pho. + 251 9 222939

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia