Ethiopia
Ethiopian Election Coverage Lacks Independent Media VoicePosted Jun 2 2010
On Tuesday, May 25, the Ethiopian electoral board announced that the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) won the parliamentary election. The EPRDF is currently the ruling party led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Although Thijs Berman, European Union chief election observer, said the voting was peaceful and orderly, he acknowledged that it was an “uneven playing field.”
According to IPI, the days leading up to the election and the voting process were characterized by “the absence of a free, independent media.” Because of this, IPI is asking the future government to relax its control of the media.
“Ethiopia failed miserably to have both free and vibrant media, and therefore a free and fair election,” Mesfin Negash, managing editor of Addis Neger, said. Addis Neger ceased publication in November 2009 because editors and managers received warnings that they would be targeted under anti-terrorism legislation.
There are approximately 65 political parties in Ethiopia and many of these parties are protesting the election results, just as in the 2005 election.
During the 2005 parliamentary elections, there were also protests of fraud. Voice of America reported that almost 200 people were killed and more than 100 were arrested, including politicians, journalists and activists. Journalists were jailed on fabricated charges and publications were shut down, IPI said. Many of these publications remain closed.
In light of the May 2010 elections, IPI urged the Ethiopian government to ease their hold on independent media. It also condemned Zenawi and EPRDF’s attempt to limit the flow of information to people in the country.