People demonstrate in Addis Ababa on May 24 against security forces who shot at students at a peaceful rally weeks eearlier in Oromia state. (Reuters/Tiksa Negeri) If they cannot indoctrinate you into their thinking, they fire you, said one former staff member of the state-run Oromia Radio and Television Organization (ORTO), who was dismissed from work last month after six years of service. Now we are in hiding since we fear they will find excuses to arrest us soon, the journalist, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal, told CPJ. On June 25, 20 journalists from the state broadcaster in Oromia, the largest state in terms of area and population in Ethiopia, were denied entry to their stations headquarters, according to news reports. No letters of termination or explanations were presented, local journalists told CPJ; ORTOs management simply said the dismissals were orders given by the government. Apparently this has become common practice when firing state employees in connection with politics, U.S.-based Ethiopian researcher Jawar Mohammed said in an email to CPJ. The government seems to want to leave no documented trace. The journalists, some of whom had worked for the state broadcaster for over five years, can only speculate on the reason for their dismissals. Two of them told CPJ they believe it is linked to student protests earlier in the year. eth-freedom.blogspot.no/2014/07/twenty-ethiopia-state-journalists.html
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 22:34:33 +0000
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