The Challenge of Democratization Process in Ethiopia The challenge of democratization process in Ethiopia, and the role media outlets could play in promoting or hampering the process. By W.Yilma In principle mass media have a broader meaning, and it plays a prominent role in people lives. It is a source of information, education, communication, entertainments, enjoyment, advertisements and marketing promotion. At this information age, many people have access to various media outlets. I am not talking here about all means of mass Media s outlets that are exists and the crucial role they plays in the society at large. My knowledge is limited on these broad and complex fields. Therefore, my focuses here will be in some of the Broadcasting, Printing and Internet Medias. I am not sure how many Ethiopians back home have access to these media outlets, and also not sure, what percentage of them have a confidence, to believe that the messages various media outlets are broadcasting or publishing through theirs various distribution sources are true. In fact the existence of government and private media create confusion among the public, due to the fact that both are not honest to tell the truth. As long as there is no a commitment both from the private and government owned media outlets in promoting democracy through education, and participatory approaches this trend will continue, and hard to argue with this facts. What is true though is that the local and foreign private media outlet sources have more consumer than the government owned media outlet. Because I assumed my comment may be sensitive and provocative for some who do not like the truth, readers should understand that my intention here is not to condemn as a whole the private media outlets. There are some who are responsibly and ethically doing their business no matter what difficulties they are encountering. My focuses will be to those who called themselves as a "Free private media outlets but failed to provide the public fair and balanced information. I said this because I truly believe that free media could play a crucial role in building democratic institutions in Ethiopia. The word democracy have a universal meaning and every individual regardless of her/ his religion, race, economic status and political outlooks should be enjoyed it. In fact to me freedom and liberty of individual is a gift of GOD. However, to establish a collective democracy in one society it requires time and how and for how long depends on each country s objective realities. Establishing of democratic societies is not one party or one group responsibility. All the interested parties, especially the media outlets should be participated without limitation, as long as all have a willingness to be in the same page, and have the same goal or purposes. Unfortunately, it will be a rough road to achieve it, due to the fact that our political engagement history lacks compromise, and not free from 1
hate, a debilitating diseases consuming us. We have many private media outlets that are functioning under the disguise of "free media or free press". However, from their inception, it is only in names some of them are claiming that they are free from any political affiliations. After the fall of the Dergue regime, private Medias were flaring up like mushrooms in Ethiopia. However, the same as mushrooms, their life was short, and die off when the Sun rises. Some were drying out and extinct gradually, and some are still exists and running the business as a political toxic to our societies. This trend is persistently continues until the present days. The owners of these various media outlets are un willing to spend more time to educate themselves as well as the public, how as a society we can lay down a foundation for democratic principles. It is a foundation of democratic principles that could lead us to pursue happiness, freedom, and enjoy democracy. One of the principles of democracy is talking about the truth, not distorting information for political purposes. The majority of the mass media outlets are afraid of speaking the truth, and they deliberately distorting the information to attract attention from the public. They seek a piece of information then they distorting it, expand it in a way it could attract readers. Generally, people easily pay more attention to negative events. War, and conflict, and rival political discourses attract more attention than development or science invention news or literature and love stories. When it comes to politics, people generally like to hear what they want to hear, and do not care much whether or not the information is true or not. To be frank, some sectors of our societies have this problem. We are addicted to hear unfiltered information without asking our conscious. It is scary when individual politician spread hate politics. However, the scariest thing will be when those politically motivated media outlets disseminating it and spreading it to the public. Unnecessary sensationalism of an issue and persistently bias to certain group(s) may project wrong information to the public. To be a journalist is not the same as a high school cheer leader! The media out lets should have responsibility what to post and broadcast, especially with sensitive national interest and security issues. Otherwise it will be a challenge to implement democracy and empower our people to practice it. Because of the advancement of media technology, we are now at the information era, and message is becoming more powerful than anything else at this time, and if not scrutinized carefully it will cause harm and danger to any societies. When I said here scrutinizing, I do not mean a censorship need to be implemented to control the media. What I mean here is that the media outlet should not be immune from legal issue if they cross the line. If media outlets have an upper hand and continues to mingle carelessly as they are practicing in the developed world, the developing countries including Ethiopia fate will be in question. This field is now dominated world wide by western corporate media out lets and their puppets organizations you name it. These western media outlets have political, financial and well established "brand "names to dominate the politics of the world. They play a pivotal role in shaping their native governments policies towards the third world, including Ethiopia. They also have a power to create chaos in any developing nations by disseminating false un endless smearing campaign and wrong propaganda, mainly by targeting the government in power (their aim here is not about democracy, it is 2
about dismantling the country they are targeting).they are persuading the developing nations local private newly emerging media outlet sectors to copy their models, without taking into consideration the objective realities of that particular country. The huge and very rich western corporate media outlets are joining with other developed nations organizations, like Human Right Watch (HRW), International Criminal Court (ICC), International Crisis Group (ICG), NGO's and others to promote their governments geopolitical interest. Because of their financial and political powers they are now at the stage of hijacking the developing Nations infant media out let, and influencing them to promote the developed nations interest. Because of the support they get from the western corporate media, and other sources, the infantile third world media outlets are now become a hostage and are promoting the developed nations interest. The Ethiopia case is an example. Some Ethiopians own media outlets, especially in Diaspora they are hand and glove with foreigners to promote negative propaganda campaign against Ethiopia. Continues and persistent propaganda campaign is going on against the large scale agricultural development, hydro power, and social and other economic policies the country is now pursuing. Implementing socioeconomic policies in any country is not a smooth road. There are issues that could open for criticism. However, the motive of some Ethiopian private media and their surrogate, western media outlets with regards to Ethiopian issues is way beyond limits. Politically motivated journalists are using media outlets as a missile launcher, not only to attack their opponents, but also to miss inform the public and endangering the country. The news regarding the construction of the GRD, the land lease for agricultural development, the death of prime minister Meles Zenawi and the release of the two Swedish journalist from Ethiopia jail is a few examples how media outlets are excessively using their profession to distort things. I am not denying the problem encountering in the construction of the dam or land lease. My concern is if message carelessly continue to flow to the public, aiming at instigate social unrest and resentment or they could be potentially a source of destabilizing factor. The social change which comes through violence brings neither peace nor democracy. It only took the country from one problem to another, and may be total collapse. One of the examples for this truth is the social uprising we have been seen in most of Arab countries. The social movement in some Arab countries have internal political, social and economic in equalities. However, these social movements were hijacked by western media to promote their countries national interest. No Arab country was achieved a social justice or economic equality other than transferring of power from one dictator to another religious affiliated group. Most of the Arab governments established at this time through "Arab Spring or Tahrir square uprising" whatever you name it were affiliated with radical religious groups. No moderate government was established as the western corporate media out lets are advocating. If we call it democratic change and expecting to see economic, religious and social equality, at the expense of a hundred thousand deaths, we are in a wrong side of the history. Let's be here a realistic, which Arab country gain peace and democracy now? Where is their economy now? Or do we in clear term forecast where their destination will be? I am pessimistic in this regard, and history will show us where these social movements will end up. Un organized social mob is a result of oppression but not necessary it would bring a bright future to the people, unless it led by 3
visionary and well organized political party. We have seen it in our country in 2005 election, when our politicians and their mouthpiece media outlets failed terribly to lead the people in a right direction. History will remember it as a missed opportunity for the establishment of democratic system in our country. The insanity of some media outlets, especially in Diaspora should be stopped and nobody wants a power vacuum to be happened in our country. Our people should not be asked to pay more sacrifice to bring in power few arrogant elite politicians. Throughout Ethiopian history, it is the ordinary people of Ethiopia who paid the greater share of sacrifice, both during internal and external conflicts. These martyrs never asked benefit or compensation from their country. However, on the reverse, the elite who benefited a lot from this poor country never sleep to cause harm against their own country. This is what the elite are doing for the last 40 years. To make me clear, it is not only the government system which is creating unfavorable environment for free speech, but the private media owners and their cohorts backward thinking and dishonest approaches also have a big share in worsening the establishment of free press in Ethiopia. I understood the challenge the private media are facing in Ethiopia from the beginning. But the question here is what role do they play to promote democracy in Ethiopian political system since their inception? Especially, those who are advocating the opposition camp, other than opposing everything and spreading hate, I personally do not see any significant role they play in promoting democracy in Ethiopia. Media outlet should be fair, knowledgeable, abide by rules, neutral, humanistic, care about the well being of the people, and not to compromise in any way 9no matter who is in power) with our country s national interest. However, the majority of our private media are ignoring these principles, and pursuing a path of destruction. Truth is stranger than fiction in this camp! It is wrong to think that the main mission of mass media is to focuses on negative add and oppose everything what the government in power is doing. Beyond this there are a lot of things they can do to educate and to aware the engine of social change, in this case the public. Positive change comes not from elite politicians, but from well organized and politically matured society. This is what we Ethiopians should discuss openly, to change our country image. Last, my advice to those media outlets that support the government should show the courage to entertain different opinions. Entertaining different opinions will help the government to see itself in the mirror, and those civil service government appointees will act not according to their own interest, but according to the law of the land. There are problem from the government side as well as from his supporters media out lets. If their media outlets serving only to those who supporting the government, and limited or suppressed for those who have different opinions, they lack window to look what is going on outside of their comfort zone. The governments have a big share in promoting democracy in Ethiopia. If people do not have a chance to have access to government or government supporters media out let they are looking those media outlets who are addicted to post only negative and destructive opinions and comments. The government supporter s media outlets should not close their door to entertain different opinions, and should not follow the footsteps of the opposition media outlets. Ethiopian people are very 4
smart people and they look things beyond the political party s line. They know the importance of peace and political compromises. They know better than any other party s officials, the importance of unity and living with harmony with diverse social groups. They know how important it is to live in peace to raise their families, to feed them and to educate, even in difficult circumstances. It is up to the media outlets to incorporate these principles in their ethics to better serve their customers. Long Live Ethiopia! 5
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