Ethiopian National Journalists Union: A Front for the ruling regime?

by Teshome Debalke

The Ethiopian National Journalists Union (ENJU) is the union of the cadres posed as Journalist to  give cover for the ruling Tigrian People Liberation Front (TPLF) run government of Ethiopia.

The front Union that forced out the true Ethiopian Free Journalists Association (EFJA) by the ruling regime’s decree over a decade ago is filled with a collection of barefaced government run Medias’ reporters and TPLF operatives posing as member journalists. Like its front counterparts in many unions and associations of civic organizations infested by the ruling regime’s agents, it unashamedly attempting to hoodwink Ethiopians and prominent international journalist organizations to show a resemblance of independently functioning Union of journalist in Ethiopia.
The so called Union’s Website tells the bigger story of the regime’s cat-and-mouse game with public and the international community; putting out false statement to cover-up the dirty deeds of the ruling regime’s human right violation and corruption.
Accordingly, its Website is full of deceit, cover-up, and diversion with noting worth of a Union.
For example, according to the Union the only journalist arrested in Ethiopia all these years was Wubishet Taye, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the defunct newspaper Awramba Times. And, it claims he was arrested “because of he is suspected of terrorist acts not his journalistic activities.”  Read the full story below

Awramba Times Deputy Editor-in-chief arrested Details

Thursday, 23 June 2011 18:06

Written by Anteneh

ADDIS ABABA – Awramba Times, a weekly Amharic newspaper, announced that its deputy editor-in-chief, Wubishet Taye, last Sunday- June 19 June 2011, 3: pm was taken by security forces.

Consequently, the Ethiopian National Journalists Union (ENJU) tried to verify the case and police told the union that Wubishet was arrested because of he is suspected of terrorist acts not his journalistic activities.”

His wife Birhan Tesfaye also told local newspapers that the police had court arrest warrant accusing Wubishet is suspected of terrorism when they arrest him from his house.

Recently the Ethiopian government has labelled five groups, three local and two international, organizations including al Qaeda and Al shabab as terrorist bodies.

ENJU is closely following the case.”
Ever since the arrest of Taye in June of 2011 no follows up or investigation was done by the only Union in the country established not to defend journalist as it claims but precisely to help eliminate independent journalist on behalf of the ruling TPLF regime.
Likewise, Eskinder Nega and Reeyot Alemu; the two legendary journalists and international award winning advocates of Free Press aren’t the concern of the Union in fulfilling its mandates as right-hand of the ruling regime.
Anteneh Abraham Babanto, the Union President and the newly elected second Vice President of The Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA), as reported on the daily New Times of Rwanda unknown to many Ethiopians beyond the journalist circle is the main man hand picked by the ruling regime to do the job.  He was earned his credential by hijacking UNESCO World Press Freedom Day event in Addis Ababa in collaboration with the ruling regime’s Government Communication Affair Office as reported by the Centre to Protect Journalist (CPJ) in June of 2011 as he was mandated to do in a cover of Union of Journalists.
Babanto primary job is to execute the ruling regime’s plan of closing down the Free Press and covering up the violation of the rights of independent journalist by the regime as the Union’s unofficial mandates dictates. In that regard, he is doing a wonderful job getting journalist arrested and exiled.

Pro government journalist: Center Mimi Sebhatu of Zami Public Connections Radio and Biruk Kebede TPLF-sponsored Fana Broadcasting Corporation

In the absence of viable institutions to expose and account the Union and its members effort to hoodwink the international community the President and its associates managed to get away with ‘murder’; causing havoc on the Free Press and the suffering of 100s of Journalist in Ethiopia.
For example, The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and East Africa Journalist Association the Union boost to work with to earn legitimacy have no idea it is a creation of the ruling regime and the Members are agents of the government. Otherwise, what possible reason a Union of journalist would have to completely ignore the state of Free Press and the plight of independent journalists in Ethiopia known for the whole world?
The failure of Ethiopians to challenge and expose the front organizations and their members’ volition of human right of the citizen on behalf of the ruling regime allow them to walk free in the world stage. The election of Babanto as Second Vice President of East Africa Journalist Association is a testimony to the absence of advocacy and speaks volume to the weakness of EAJA evaluation mechanism of its ranks to protect the Free Press and independent Journalist in East Africa.
The article written by Hindessa Abdul on July 11, 2013 posted on Ethiopian Current Affair Discussion Forum (ECADF) titled ‘The President talks, just listen and hope’ referring to Anteneh Abraham Babanto, President of ENJU explored the state of the front organization-ENJU. What is more fascinating and a lesson to all Africans is the determination of ruling regimes’ agents in committing unspeakable crimes on journalists on behalf of the ruling regimes and the lack of institutions including independent Medias to follow-up on their activities to make them accountable to the public.
The failed generation that left the people of Ethiopia as pawn for dictators and its front organization’s agents must take the responsibility and stop obstructing the young generation to take it to different level. The establishment of Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) is good model to follow and must be protected by the young to do the job of it is mandated on the behalf of the public.
Until young Ethiopians take initiative; willing to establish viable advocacy institutions to counter front organizations of tyranny in every sector the struggle for freedom and democracy will be long twisted road; unnecessarily delaying freedom and democracy.
Therefore, it is universally accepted knowledge there is no ‘good’ organization under the control of tyranny but an extension of the ruling regime. And, it is also visible every one of them are rotting from the head down. Thus, the challenge is clear; are Ethiopians willing to clean them up one after another or watch them rot society and destroy lives?
Moreover, there is no other proven method to clean up rotten front organizations of tyranny but the commitment to organize and establish transparent watchdog organizations and clean-up the mess they created.
Thus, protest isn’t enough; it can only take us halfway to the destination, the other half is what matters to reach the final goal.
Where are advocates of the Ethiopian Free Press and independent Journalists and the watchdogs of the brazen regime’s front organizations?
The solution rest on them; it isn’t a matter of expecting for someone else to do it but to take the initiative to do it ourselves. It is the time to ask ourselves and those doing the talking to do the walking. There is no an iota of excuses not to do it.
This article is dedicated to ESAT, G7, SMNE and many others that walk-the-talk. Ethiopians expect more from the talkers; establishing transparent institutions to do the walking is the only way. As they say talk is cheap.