Eritrean opposition radio starts broadcasting from Ethiopia

By Tesfa-alem Tekle

March 7, 2008 (MEKELLE, Ethiopia) — A coalition of Eritrean opposition groups backed by big supports in Exile launched anti-Isayas Radio broad cast.

The Broad cast which has been on trial since January is based in northern Ethiopia Tigray region’s Mekelle city.

Recently some 11 Eritrean opposition groups have launched TV broadcast in Ethiopia’s Capital, Addis Ababa .

“The target of the new broad cast is to brain wash the ill-ideology Eritrean regime has inflicted over Eritrean people against the Ethiopian people” the man currently in charge of the Radio station, Hagos, who refused to tell his second name, told Sudan Tribune Today.

“We are trying to bring together the two brotherly people and bury their enemyness one the other and make sure no more blood shed is repeated again as the result of rouge propaganda of Isayas Afewerki- led regime” Hagos said adding “we, on be half of the people are assuring the Eritrean people that Ethiopia is in-foe only with the Eritrean leadership and not with the Eritrean people at all.”

The new radio station named WEGAHTA (Tigrigna translation- dawn) airs programs twice a day, for 3 hours beginning 6 Am in the morning and for 7 hours beginning 5Pm in the afternoon for a total of 10 hours a day.

“The program is a major bridge to bring back on track the historic ties of the two brotherly people” Twelde Abai, a historian and resident in Mekelle town said.

Currently the radio station airs programs to Ethiopia , Eritrea and partly to Arab nations.

Hagos denied any Ethiopian Involvement on the broad cast.

“Neither the federal government of Ethiopia , nor the regional government of Tigray has hands on the broad cast he said adding “But it is on the best and mutual Interest of the two neighboring people.”

(ST)