Ethiopia has not received much good press since its armed forces’ invasion of Somalia to oust the Union of Islamic Courts in late 2006. Last month, however, news of the release of opposition leaders who had been imprisoned since the violence that followed the 2005 elections was greeted enthusiastically in the international community. Nonetheless, conditions in Ethiopia remain harsh for advocates of more open government and greater freedom of expression. The regime continues to crack down on basic preconditions for a functioning free press through crude means including violence, imprisonment, and intimidation, as well as censorship and denial of broadcast licenses.
As a recent article in the Washington Post points out, even these seemingly positive steps, such as the release of journalists, are superficial in nature: the journalists in question were immediately subjected to threats credible enough that they felt compelled to flee the country. Not only should the government refrain from allowing (or ordering) such attacks, it should actively protect journalists from them. If it does not, it should not expect to reap any positive publicity for their mere release.
Ethiopia plays a critical role in the region due to its size, location, and history. Many foreign governments, not least the US, would like to see it as an example of incremental improvement; indeed, as the article points out, the State Department trumpeted the releases, stating, “we commend the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi for its statesmanship in resolving this issue.” But the continuing repression behind the façade of small improvements such as prisoner releases reveals that vigilance and pressure by the international community, along with sustained support for Ethiopian rights defenders, remains critical.
