ETHIOPIA: Minister defends new press law
ADDIS ABABA, 22 October (IRIN) - Ethiopian Information Minister Bereket
Simon on Tuesday launched an impassioned defence of his country's
controversial new press
law.
He argued that the new law upheld constitutionally enshrined rights of
free expression, denying at the same time that it was too harsh. His
statement followed widespread criticism of the new law by international
journalists' organisations and the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists'
Association (EFJA).
The minister's comments came at the launch of a three-day international
round table on media law reform in the Horn of
Africa being held at the UN conference centre in the capital, Addis
Ababa.
He also launched a strong attack on the EFJA, which he accused of
undermining "responsible" journalism in the country.
Bereket went on to accuse the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
and the International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ) of engaging in "unwarranted criticism" of the new law, asserting
that the CPJ and IFJ had attacked the law without first reading the
relevant bills.
"The existence and continuation of the press in general and the private
press in particular is an indicator that the nascent media as an
institution of democracy is indeed being nurtured," the minister stressed.
Although Ethiopia currently has some 82 weekly and 32 monthly
newspapers, critics argue that journalists working in the
country face oppressive laws and imprisonment. UK-based Article 19,
which campaigns for greater freedom of expression, said that the revised
law still included a number of restrictive measures.
Sections of the law that have come in for criticism include provisions
which, the critics say, require newspapers to pay tax on press releases
and give government officials 30 days to respond to questions.
They also caution against a proposed Press Council overseeing the media
in the country that, they argue, would be in the hands of the
government. Under the new law, the government also would have power over who can
practise journalism in Ethiopia and control access to foreign
publications, they add.
Bereket pointed out that human rights and freedom of speech had been
denied during the 17-year rule of the former Marxist regime
headed by Mengistu Haile Mariam, whereas following its overthrow in
1991, his government, which had then come to power, had committed itself
to upholding democratic rights.
"The creation and development of a vibrant and socially responsible
media is a noble task that we Ethiopians primarily and decisively should
shoulder," he said. "Yet also this noble task also needs to be supported
by all who genuinely believe that
they have a stake in the democratisation of Ethiopia. This is a firm
conviction of the Ethiopian people and government. We expect no less
[than] a constructive role from our international
partners."
ETHIOPIA: ADB loan for tackling massive migration problem
ADDIS ABABA, 20 October (IRIN) - Ethiopia has been awarded US $86
million in loans and grants from the African Development Bank to help tackle
migration to urban areas from rural communities.
Theodore Nkodo, a vice president at the ADB, said the bank was backing
three projects aimed at combating entrenched poverty in the country.
Ethiopia is witnessing a massive urban population explosion as families
move from rural areas to cities to try and make a better living.
The country, which is reeling from a severe food crisis, is facing one
of the highest migrations from villages to cities in Africa.
Urban population growth in Ethiopia is increasing at around six percent
a year compared to other sub-Saharan countries where growth rates are
rising by four percent.
The funding is part of an ADB scheme to ?make financial services
accessible to the rural poor and to further strengthen the rural financial
infrastructure?.
It includes a US $32 million development project to upgrade the 157 km
Wach to Maji road and open up credit for rural farmers.
And it is financing a major study aimed at harnessing the potential of
the Awash River basin ? which is home to more than 10 million people -
and to prevent devastating flooding.
In a statement, Nkodo said that the projects would help boost rural
enterprises and reduce rural urban migration.
?These interventions are consistent with the Bank Group?s Country
Strategy for Ethiopia and will contribute immensely to poverty reduction,"
he stated.