Eritrea accuses Ethiopia of blocking media

October 9, 2007 (ASMARA) — Eritrea on Tuesday accused its arch-rival Ethiopia of blocking broadcasts and web pages by its media in the latest round of accusations between the Horn of Africa foes.

“The [Ethiopian] regime is engaged in attempts not only to block the broadcasting of Eritrean media outlets, but also Web sites,” Eritrean information minister Ali Abdu said in a statement posted on his ministry’s Web site.

Eritrean tightly-controlled state media broadcasts programs in many languages, including Amharic – one of Ethiopia’s major languages – promoting Ethiopian opposition causes and criticizing Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

Tensions are growing between the two neighbors, who have been at odds since a 1998-to-2000 border dispute. Tensions remain, despite an international panel demarcating the frontier.

(AFP)