December 30, 2013
The Free Press in Ethiopia can’t be free until the drifters, apologists and want-to-be journalists and Medias are put out of commission. It’s about time Ethiopians draw the line between the real things and those masquerading as journalist and free press to deceive the public.
by Teshome Debalke
The once celebrated ‘journalist’ and editor of Awramba Times, Dawit Kebede sought political asylum in the USA a few years back an d abandon his protection and return home to the same regime a few month ago he gave refugee status a whole different meaning.
When the accidental journalist, refugee, tourist and alleged spy took a daylight flight out of Addis Ababa Airport a few years ago to seek protection from a regime known for its atrocious treatment of journalists something wasn’t kosher. But, when he return back; after enjoying the privilege and throwing jabs on his compatriots he broke his sworn journalistic duty and became a gossip peddler with an extended tourist visa.
No one knows how he managed to secure a passport, exist visa and a ticket from the same regime he flee claiming to fear for his life. But, to retune to the same regime that allowed him to resume his work and interview a high ranking government official within weeks of his return not only insult journalism profession but the people that paid the price for it. It was like watching ‘Alice in the wonderland’ episode that can qualify for Grammy nomination for the best acting and directing.
Absurd as it may sound; his official excuse to return home was to be closer on the ground where the struggle for freedom from the same tyranny he fled. When that wasn’t enough, the ‘prize wining journalist’ that fled his country not only welcomed with open arms but granted him permission to interview with Shemle Kemal, the Deputy Communication Affair Minster known for his duplicity telling him the none existence of journalists in Woyane prison.
No one knows how he managed to dupe the sponsoring organization – the Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) or whether he falsified his fear of persecution to the US Immigration Naturalization Service (INS) to be granted asylum. Nor, what he told INS the reasons he surrendering his asylum status or what passport he used to travel home. Whatever the case may be and however he managed to elude the CPJ or INS to come and go, the case is ‘under review’, according spokesperson for INS.
