Serkalem wants her car back

Serkalem with her son Nafkot/ From Facebook Profile

Jailed journalist and dissident internet activist Eskinder Nega’s wife, Serkalem Fasil is seeking the return of a car that her husband was driving at the time of his arrest. Serkalekm told Fitih, an Amharic weekly, that her car is unlawfully being held by the Federal Police. Eskinder was driving the car to pick up his child from school before he was stopped and placed under arrest.The car was impounded since, Serkalem told the paper.

Reporter named in WikiLeaks flees country

An Ethiopian reporter cited in a US diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks has fled his country, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says. Argaw Ashine told the US-based media watchdog he was interrogated three times by the authorities this month. They wanted him to reveal the identity of his government source referred to in a 2009 cable about press harassment.
Wikileaks says Mr Argaw was not cited as a US embassy informant and “no journalistic source is named”. But the CPJ says it is the first instance in which a citation in a Wikileaks cables has caused direct repercussions for a journalist.BBC

Betengna wins media award

Betengna Radio Dairies, produced by the Ethiopian National Aids Resource Center and broadcasted through Addis’s FM 97.1, Sheger FM 102 and on the web , has been awarded the 2009 mass media award for excellence in HIV and AIDS strategic communication in Afirca by AfriComNet.
The project coordinator Amel Belay received the award at a ceremony held in Windhoek Country Club and Casino, Namibia on 12th June 2009. Prominent personalities, NGO representatives, government officials and Namibia’s First Lady attended the event.
The AfriComNet award recognizes outstanding contributions made by individuals/organizations in the field of strategic HIV communication.
Among the five finalists of various medias from Uganda, South Africa, Congo, Betenga has come to be the winner.

VOA correspondent arrested

A correspondent for the Amharic service of the Voice of America, Meleskachew Amha has been arrested in connection with printing and studio goods of Addis Broadcasting PLC, owned by Dr. Berhanu Nega and other well known personalities.
The Amharic weekly, Addis Admass reported today that Meleskachew and other four people were detained on Wednesday and kept at the Customs Authority compound near the Ethiopia Hotel for allegedly “trying to transfer duty-free imported goods to a third party.”
Melescahew and the other four suspects who appeared before court yesterday were denied bail, according to Addis Admass. The court granted police twelve more days to conduct further investigation, as per the latter’s request.
The Addis Broadcasting PLC had established a head quarters in Kechene Medanhialem but has gone unoperational for a number of years as it was denied broadcasting licenses and most of the shareholders disbanded after the 2005 election.
Meleskachew has been manger of the PLC for three months.
Dr. Berhanu Nega now leads an oppostion party, Ginbot 7,which the government has designated as a terriorist organization.

Journalist forced to flee country

A journalist for the Amharic Reporter, Teshome Niku fled to Kenya after he was beaten and hassled by unidentified persons, the paper reported yesterday. Source close to his family told the Reporter that Teshome might have taken refuge in Kenya, fearing for his life.

Some months ago, he was seized from his home and taken to prison in Gonder for writing about an employment dispute at Dashen Brewery employees, where management allegedly dismissed about 75 staff without following proper procedures, the paper recalled.He was freed on bail after three days of detention but has received many threats since then. He reported about the threats to Arada Sub-city Police station, which seemed to give it a heedless attention. Days later, armed men followed him on his way to his office, held a gun to his head and beat him.

Teshome, who graduated in political science and International Relations from the Addis Ababa University, has been working as a senior reporter for the paper.

In the past few years, many other Ethiopian journalists have been beaten, jailed, threatened with death while doing their job.

Songs banned from Radio Ethiopia

Kumneger, a monthly Amharic magazine, today came up with a list of Amharic songs banned from Radio Ethiopia and F.M 97.1.According to the magazine, the list is displayed on the walls of Radio Ethiopia and F.M 97 studios and offices. Most of the songs are banned for their political nature, including four of Teddy Afro’s and two of them for their sexual nature.
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 1. Teddy Afro -Jah Yasteseryal (Redemption) Chemin de Fer, Semiyelelew Afie, Kab Dahlack (from Dahlak, an island in the Red Sea, Eritrea)

2. Aster Awoke –Ayizoh (Take heart), Netsa Negn (I am free), Anid Adregen (Make us one.)

3. Gosaye Tesfaye -Lalibela

4. Moges Teka- Kutahan Abredew (Restrain thy anger)

5. Fikre Addis Neka Tibebe –Yam Yam

6. Bistat Seyoum -Basresagn (Would that you make me forget!)

7. Monica Sisay- Zim bileh shek shik

8. Ephrem Abebe- Tsom Adari (Those who go hungry)

9. Ye Gibts Hiwot Abay- Honkibgn yehuda (you have turned into Judah)

10. Simachew Kasa- Banch Maryam

11. Hibist Tiruneh- Yikerta (Sorry)

12. Kebede James- Ye Negestat Ager (Land of the kings), Modelist Temari, Min Yadergal Siltan (What is the good of power?)

13. Solomon Tekalegn –all songs except his Millennium single

(Though the magazine didn’t include it, I’ve heard that Gigi Shibabaw’s “Enen Yerabegn Fikir New (it is love that I am craving for) is also in the list.)