(borkena) As in elsewhere Ethiopian government approach to total repression is multidimensional except that the end in the case of Ethiopia is sustaining power the very core values of it is ethnic supremacy.
At times it employes outright lethal repression through security forces, at times it exploits the “legal” system and since recent times it is practicing the use of thugs to intimidate and attack opponents. And all are combining to effect what is desired: an apartheid like regime, in fact in a more subtle but worst forms of it, with a very firm grip in power with unprecedented wealth.
The press landscape in the country is now one more addition where ethnic TPLF affiliated entities are dominant over the rest of the Ethiopian society. But the effects of domination in the media could be much worse than the effects of domination in other areas.
Addis Guday magazine remained a strong single hand presence to herald voices of Ethiopians who are not related to the regime in one way or another until the hope of becoming an outlet for dissenting voice is completely shattered and the publishers had to fee Ethiopia this week.
ESAT report quoted Endalkachew Tesfaye, owner of Addis Guday that his team worked hard withstanding intimidation from the regime and the magazine managed reputation as an informative press product through years of hard work and the magazine was got the highest circulation in the country with over 11 copies sold (note that the number is considerably high in the context of Ethiopia and in light of a reign of total repression with difficulty to circulate the magazine out side of Addis Ababa). However, recently the intimidation and illegal attack proved to be unbearable for the publishers. Government even used state television to accuse the magazine and ,from experience, the next thing is to jail publishers. In fact, one of the journalist is thrown to prison something in April along with Zone 9 bloggers.
Intimidation and harassment against the publishers was worsening following the accusation on state television.
Ibrahim Shafi, Endale Teshale and Habtamu along with the owner Endalkachew are compelled to leave the country.
What that means is Addis Guday is not publishing in Ethiopia any longer and the press is now virtually in the hands of TPLF affiliated products like The Reporter