The Ethiopian Satellite TV has been on air for almost a
decade now. In spite of its denial, many including myself believed and continue
to believe that it was the mouth piece and propaganda tool of Ginbot 7
armed group. The leaders of G7 have been leaders of the TV and were in the
forefront in mobilizing financial support and participating in the core programs
including granting frequent interviews to attract viewers. The fact that it was
a platform for disseminating the G7 propaganda cannot be denied nor can it
disputed. Let me site one good evidence and justify my argument. Which other
media had an access to the training ground of G7 in Eritrea? Which other
journalist had worn the uniform of the so-called G7 fighters except for the ESAT
ones? Reports with the uniform of G7 trainees is there for any one
interested to see in YouTube (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8kdChJkkKM
)
In fact it is difficult to consider them as journalists in true sense of
the profession because they only use it as a cover to preach the gospel of
hate and chauvinism( the suppression of interview by Reeyot uncovered their
true color). Of course, in that they are not alone, as it is hardly possible
to find any professional journalist in Ethiopia like we see in the western
media. Like politicians, they take positions and propagate the political
outlook of a political party or organization, in this case that of Ginbot 7.
That defeated the very essence of neutrality of media operators. It was expected
that they refrain from mixing the political outlook with the profession of
journalism. The blanket and blinded hate expressed against a given group or individual
is not the norm of free and independent media.
The divisive approach they use to divide the nations and nationalities
in Ethiopia was also an act of irresponsible media. The fact that Ethiopia is a
nation of diversity is not subject for debate. Promoting citizen based politics
is any one’s right but others who promote unity based on diversity should also
be allowed as a matter of right to stand for what they believe in. It is
disheartening to undermine with contempt the fight different nations and
nationalities waged against the regimes that subjugated them to national oppression
that is now being dismissed by ESAT. It is also a total disregard of the heavy
sacrifices the Ethiopian nation’s and nationalities paid for their right. Fundamental
lack of respect to individuals especially from the South is their hallmark, the
way they belittle, degrading and dehumanize fellow human beings is
inconceivable. Their hate against TPLF and its members and by extension to the
people of TIGRAY is unheard of from a media that unashamedly preaches one thing
and does something else. How does that make them happy or make them human
rights champions as they claim to be? The first thing in human rights
principles is to respect someone’s choice because that is what is called
freedom of choice. In some western countries, even your choice to lose your
life is legally respected. Whether one agrees or not with the choice is totally
a different matter. So is the views of others should be respected. The patronizing
attitude and at times insulting manner lacks the basics of journalism; the ethics,
professionalism and principles of journalism. Let me corroborate it with one
recent evidence. When the office of the PM established a committee to study the
nature of the problem between the Oromia Regional State and the Addis Ababa
City Administration, the condescending description given about the two members
from the south was unbearable. Forget about the content but it does not even
make any sense. Because there is a problem in the South, the leader of the
SEPDM, they think should not participate in any national affairs, just does not
make sense at all. It is just like labelling criticizing against PM Abiy for
his visits in the region to shoulder his responsibility on regional matters.
Leaders cannot abscond their international responsibility because they have a
problem at home. So do the leaders from South can absent themselves from
national duty, because there is a problem in the Southern Region? Their
judgment about the two is nothing new but the continued insulting attitude they
have been displaying on the leaders from the South. They have the temerity to state
one of them as criminal without presenting the audience with any evidence. That
is no less than undermining the intelligence of the audience. That has been the
trend over the years and in fact because of such utterances they could have ended
up in a court of law. The use of media platform without bearing responsibility
has time and again proved to be fatal. If there was any editorial policy for
the TV, accountability was in order.
One can only wonder how the Ethiopian Satellite Television
has created ‘Know all Experts’ who pretend to know everything under the sun.
Just watch their Eletawi program, for any issue from politics to economy, from
IDPs to Diplomacy to aviation crisis, from legal to scientific issues, you have
permanent featuring actors who present themselves as experts and opinion makers
on any issue that they so pick at their will and spend good 50-60 minutes of
air time. The airtime, as I understand, is financed by the contributions of
individuals who just trusted them without any accountability for finance and
content and they get away without anything because there is no accountable and
transparent governance at ESAT. The creation of a new ESAT YouTube has been
allegedly disclosed by someone because there was no official company account
and the contribution ended up in individuals account? It is rumored. Suspicion
is out there that anti Ethiopian establishments are behind the financing of
this media. What the leader of G7 once said about Egypt donating ½ a million
dollar for the TV program (presumably ESAT) cannot be lost on us. Let me
challenge them to bring out the audit report to the open and clear the rumors,
if they are clean in what they have done so far?
Listening to their analysis is entertaining. Watch and
listen to their recent commentary on the postponement of the census. By the
way, the first census in Ethiopia was conducted 35 years ago and not 45 years
ago as the moderator stated. Let me quickly add that Ethiopia is conducting census
not for the first, the second or the third time but for the fourth time. It
was the same Central Statistical Authority that conducted the 3 previous censuses
and many other national surveys that generated statistical data that were used
for national planning and for socio economic and political purposes. The role
of the CSA was and is to provide technical and secretarial services to the
census commission. In developing counties like Ethiopia, no one single agency
can carry out a national project like census by itself as this requires
massive nationwide mobilization. That is why the constitution provided for
the establishment of National Census Commission. No single agency will have
the capacity to conduct such massive undertaking. The main responsibility of
the commission is essentially to provide the necessary policy guidance and
all the necessary logistics and financial support to the successful conduct of
the census. Secondly, there are several international partners and UN agencies
that do provide financial, technical and expertise support to countries like
Ethiopia when conducting such a huge national exercise. Conducting census is
based on a scientific methodology and it is not something that you do
informally as purported by one of the discussants. The data for each individual
must be collected in a scientifically designed data collection form so that
it easily be coded and serve the analytical methods to be used later in data
processing and analysis. It is not something you gather head counts for a kebele
administrative purpose as proposed. This, however, does not mean that
information cannot be gathered for administrative purposes. However, the
reliability, completeness and accuracy such data is not guaranteed. Taking
sample survey is normally done around midterm in between two censuses so that
the projections are supplemented by the results of survey. Surveys also have their
limitations and that is why countries, under normal circumstances, conduct
census every ten years.
The repeated and unduly criticism of the capacity of the CSA
discredits the work of the agency. CSA is one of the oldest statistical
agencies in the continent of Africa and for that matter a respected one. It is
a victim of our own attitude that we do not trust and respect our own
institution which is held with esteem by others. We are good at belittling our
own and glorify others. It is a curse for the nation. We undermine our own
achievements. I am not trying to suggest that CSA is a perfect organization. No
one for that matter, whether it scientific or professional or political organizations
or media is perfect. The necessary capacity including the enumerators and
supervisors and logistics is mobilized by the commission for the purpose of the
census. Census is a national project and it should is conducted under one
arrangement. No power of delegation is given to regions to carry out census in their
respective regions. That is untrue. The regional leaders are members of the
commission because their support is indispensable. In reference to the last
census all sorts of allegations and theories regarding the size of the Amhara
population has been an issue of political debate. However, CSA with the support
of renowned international scientist in the field scientifically reviewed the
entire data by deploying all available scientific knowledge and technology. No
different finding or explanation was found. But one thing was for sure, there was
no systematic omission on the side of those who conducted the census. By the
way the Chair of the Commission was Ato Addisu Legesse who was the DPM then. It
would be absurd think of any ill motive against the Amhara to have been
conspired under his watch.
