Ethiopia accuses Kenyan TV of providing platform to “terror group”
By Tesfa-alem Tekle
August 11, 2009 (ADDIS ABABA) — An exclusive four-part investigative report aired by a private Kenya broadcaster nation television (NTV) on the Ethiopian separatist Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), raises diplomatic dilemma between the two horn neighbors.
The Ethiopian government has accused the Kenyan-based NTV of lending support by giving a platform to an unlawful organization.
Formed in 1973, the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), which Addis Ababa considers as a terrorist group, is a movement which fights for a greater autonomy of the Oromos, the largest ethnic group of the vast horn Africa nation. However, several political groups of the ethnic group participate in Ethiopia’s politics and are even in the government.
Last week, Ethiopia sent a strong protest to Kenya, seeking the Nation Media Group stop airing a television programme on a rebel movement fighting the Addis Ababa Government.
Ethiopia ambassador to Kenya, Mr. Disasa Dirribsa in a protest letter he wrote, warned that airing the documentary could undermine relations with Kenya.
Though failed, appeals to cancel the series were backed by Kenya’s foreign ministry, which argued that Kenya’s national interests were at stake in the diplomatic row.
The Ethiopian embassy wrote to the Nation Media Group dismissing the OLF as “a terrorist group whose activities have been known to be anti-democratic and anti-peace.”
“It is a minority group whose agenda runs parallel to the aspirations of the Oromo people. Indeed, OLF has been totally rejected by the overwhelming majority of the Oromo population, who are exercising and enjoying their democratic rights.” It said.
The embassy further stressed that airing the programme confirmed suspicion of a larger conspiracy to “speak for these terrorist elements in our sub-region, leading us to question NTV’s covert or overt political agenda”.
In the programme, NTV ventures into the OLF infested territory in south western Ethiopia to demystify a guerrilla outfit that has fought successive Ethiopian governments for over three decades.
The NTV crew spent five days travelling through the rough and dusty terrain cutting through Isiolo and Marsabit to Moyale at the Kenya-Ethiopia border, where an OLF linkman smuggled them into the rebels’ bases on the Ethiopian side.
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Jabeessa
Ethiopia accuses Kenyan TV of providing platform to “terror group”
Well, what Ethiopia is trying clearly tells its nature. Its nature in Home exacly looks waht she is doing now. Who empowers Ethiopia to warn sovereign nation whose democracy and freedom of media is far mor better than its own. Is Ethiopia seeking to enact the law of its kind to Kenya? Or what? NTV is not ETV (Ethiopian Television). Ethiopia has only authority (if it suffices authority) to control its own media. It doesn’t or will never have an authority to tell Kenya what it must and must not do.
Isn’t it sameful people? Isn’t it shameful of Ethiopia to expose its nature and who she is with regard to Media?
The other thing is that, the false and unfounded accusation of the nation by calling OLF a terrorist organization. Ethiopia has been using such a label to detter any movement in Ethiopia. Using the fierse sentiment of the word, it wants to earn a profit by terrorising the peopole. That doesn’t work for Kenya, because Kenya is not Ethiopia and Ethiopia doesn’t have any authority be it political or moral to tell Kenya what it should do.
If indeed OLF is a terrorist group as Ethiopia branded them, they wouldn’t have any office in any part of the world. But, OLF does have many offices inside the big and even Capital cities of the Western countries. Washington is one of such cities in which OLF’s offices dwelled.
The other thing is that, the letter that the so called an Ambassador wrote to Media group. What a heck is this? Doesn’t he know the chaos and mistreatment Oromo people are in at this very moment? Isn’t he himself a Oromo in the first place? How could possibly a man from such an oppressed and suppressed vast majority group be a donkey and horse for minority TPLF group who is currently rulling the nation ruthlessly? The TPLF totalist government is mercelessly killing, eliminating, jailing and accusing any Oromo falsely because they are Oromos.
Whatever they may say, whatever they may write, Kenya is not a proxy nation they have made to protect the interest of them. Shame on TPLF. Shame on Mr. Ambassador. One day the Oromos may come out of this harsh life and will hopefully enjoy the right, peace and prosperity as a free man. Indeed the time is not so far. By then, Mr. Ambassasor, you will be judjed for what you says today. May God help Oromos.
Dagim
Ethiopia accuses Kenyan TV of providing platform to “terror group”
by taking into comsideration the past behavior of Kenya, which was very careful in selecting instruments of foreign policy, this is a new move. even though the report was aired by a private media, it also shows the position the kenyan government is holding towards Ethiopia & the Group it calls Terrorist(OLF). if you ask me, I believe that OLF is a threat for Ethiopia”s national interest. So, as a citizen of this beloved motherland, ETHIOPIA, what the TV station did was very disappointing, but it is also their right to do so. because they are kenyans, not ethiopians. And may be the station has done the greatest damage to the OLF side by showing off what and how they are doing it. May be they sold them out.