From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Sat Mar 20 2010 - 06:57:29 EST
US condemns Ethiopia for VOA jamming
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/afp/brand/SIG=ofqlv2/*http:/www.afp.com>
AFP
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States condemned Ethiopia's blocking of Voice
of America broadcasts, calling the country's accusations of the US radio
service "baseless and inflammatory."
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi earlier admitted to jamming the US
government-funded VOA broadcasts in Amharic, saying he was prepared to
censor the broadcasts because of the service's "destabilizing propaganda."
He said Ethiopian authorities had been testing jamming equipment although
there had been no formal decision to block the US radio station.
But Washington said Addis Ababa was already jamming VOA transmissions in
Amharic, Ethiopia's main language. The United States "opposes" the move, US
State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said in a statement.
The Ethiopian leader also compared VOA to Radio Mille Collines of Rwanda,
which incited the population to exterminate minority Tutsis during the
Rwandan genocide.
Duguid condemned the comparison to the infamous Rwandan station.
"Comparing a respected and professional news service to a group that called
for genocide in Rwanda is a baseless and inflammatory accusation that seeks
only to deflect attention away from the core issue," he said on Friday.
"The prime minister may disagree with news carried in Voice of America's
Amharic service broadcasts; however, a decision to jam VOA broadcasts
contradicts the government of Ethiopia's frequent public commitments to
freedom of the press."
He noted that the Ethiopian Constitutions upholds people's right to freedom
of expression "without any interference" and that freedom of the press
includes "prohibition of any form of censorship."
"We look to the government of Ethiopia to abide by its constitution," Duguid
said.
Addis Ababa often accuses VOA of bias toward the opposition and of
attempting to foment chaos in the country.
The Horn of Africa nation holds elections on May 23, but human rights groups
have accused Meles's regime of instilling a climate of fear ahead of the
polls.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned
Ethiopia for "maintaining hostilities."
"Invoking the Rwandan genocide is an excuse to silence legitimate criticism
and scrutiny. The Ethiopian government used this reasoning to crack down on
the country's once-vibrant Amharic press after the disputed 2005 elections,"
said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Tom Rhodes.
"As Prime Minister Meles Zenawi stands for re-election in May, we urge him
to show leadership on constructive reforms to make press freedom, as
guaranteed under Article 29 of the Ethiopian constitution, a reality."
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