Ethiopia: Concern over possible government ban of EFJA

In a statement broadcast on Radio Ethiopia and Ethiopian Television on the evening of 4 November 2003, the Ministry of Justice's Associations' Registration Office said it is preparing to take measures against the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA), which obtained official recognition seven years after its establishment and which for the past three years has been carrying out its work under very difficult and challenging conditions.

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
_________________________________________________________________

PRESS RELEASE/ACTION ALERT - ETHIOPIA

5 November 2003

Concern over possible government ban of EFJA

SOURCE: Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA), Addis Ababa

(EFJA/IFEX) - The following is an EFJA Executive Committee statement:

EFJA's existence at a crucial point
Government considers taking action to ban EFJA

In a statement broadcast on Radio Ethiopia and Ethiopian Television on the
evening of 4 November 2003, the Ministry of Justice's Associations'
Registration Office said it is preparing to take measures against the
Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA), which obtained
official recognition seven years after its establishment and which for the
past three years has been carrying out its work under very difficult and
challenging conditions.

We at EFJA have over the past three years, and in the past several months in
particular, been making efforts to withstand and challenge destructive
propaganda and other malicious campaigns aimed at undermining us. These
campaigns have been launched against us by senior government officials,
government-controlled media and the ruling party. We have provided all the
information required by the Associations Registration Office and have been
submitting periodic reports to the Ministry of justice regarding the
activities of our association. Even though we have provided the necessary
information, the Associations Registration Office is presently engaged in a
systematic campaign to target EFJA, create divisions between its members and
discredit its leadership.

At present, independent journalism and EFJA's existence are at risk. This is
a crucial moment and one in which the Ethiopian people, our colleagues and
supporters of democracy should combine forces, responding immediately to
come to the aid of the free press.

We, the members of the free press, organised ourselves based on the civil
and human rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution. In the process of
organising ourselves we enjoyed the support and confidence of our people.
Since its inception, EFJA has been carrying out its work in accordance with
the law.

We have been demanding and continue to demand one thing: that the civil
rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution not be infringed upon. The
Associations Registration Office said in its statement that "it is prepared
to take action against EFJA because it has not fulfilled its legally
required responsibilities." In light of the rights guaranteed to us by the
Constitution, this statement is unacceptable. We therefore urge the
Associations Registration Office to re-examine and reconsider its decision.

We call on our international colleagues and allies and civic and
professional associations to voice their protest against the planned action.

We call on members of EFJA to prepare for the fourth general conference, due
to be held on 15 December 2003, and to carry out their mission of explaining
to our people and the international community the injustices being
perpetrated against us by the authorities.

Once again, we call on our members, our people, supporters of democracy and
the international community to closely follow the development of this case
in Ethiopia.

EFJA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
4 NOVEMBER 2003
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Kifle Mulat
President, EFJA

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send appeals to authorities:
- calling on them to prevent the Associations Registration Office from
taking action against EFJA

APPEALS TO:

House of Representatives
P.O. Box 80001
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251 1 550 900

H.E. Ato Girma Wolde Giorgis
President
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
P.O. Box 1031
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251 1 555 020

H.E. Ato Meles Zenawi
Prime Minister
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
P.O. Box 1031
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251 1 552 020

H.E. Ato Harka Hariye
Justice Minister
P.O. Box 1031
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251 1 552 020

Federal Police Commissioner
P.O. Box 199
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251 1 534 253

H.E. Ato Bereket Simon
Information Minister
Fax: +251 1 533 510
E-mail: [email protected]

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

For further information, contact Kifle Mulat, President, EFJA, P.O. Box
31317 / 33232, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, tel/fax: +251 1 55 50 21, mobile: +251
1 (09) 222 939, e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

The information contained in this press release/action alert is the sole
responsibility of EFJA. In citing this material for broadcast or
publication, please credit EFJA.
_________________________________________________________________
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
489 College Street, Suite 403,Toronto (ON) M6G 1A5 CANADA
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: [email protected] general e-mail: [email protected]
Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/
_________________________________________________________________