It has also, relatively, been a forum to interact with the mind of some intellectuals, who came to the forefront criticizing and opposing undemocratic governance and with those who clamored for change. It was/is through the free press that people raised and discussed issues of concern to the nation which would otherwise have been impossible or at least difficult.

To mention a few instances, the conflicts instigated along ethnic lines, the massacre perpetrated by the regime in power in different parts of the country at different times, the tricky and illegal “international agreements” that the regime entered into on behalf of Ethiopia and Ethiopians would have remained oblivious objects to the majority of Ethiopians had there not been the free press. This is because the media has been monopolized by the government and hence it was/is in the service of the regime in power not in the service of the people. As a result, stifling and/or distorting information has been the rule and releasing accurate information an exception among the media controlled by the government.

In consequence, journalists working in Ethiopia Radio, ETV, Ethiopian Herald and Addis Zemen etc. came under the captivity of the party possessing the payroll and other important arms, if needed. And as Captives, they are not free to freely, but with etiquette, exercise their profession to the best of their expertise. They are, rather, used as an important tool to propagate the policies of the government and they are required to eulogize personalities in the regime and make a fake roll of honor.

That is the fact which necessitated the existence of the free press in the country. And the free press can only be healthy in a situation where there is a tolerable press law and where there is a professional backing which obviously springs from a professional association, in this case Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association . The recent attack on the press law and the very recent suspension of Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association on flimsy grounds is ill-advised and has a potential to bring about a serious information crisis in the country. “Yezefen dardaru eskista newu”. What happened to the association may extend to the free press itself. In fact the free press and the free press association are two sides of a single coin.

The key question here, why did the government opted to take this action at this particular time? This is the time the government is entangled on various issues. The border issue and the upcoming election campaign coupled with the formed political coalition are some of the sensitive issues that brings a large section of the population together and it is there in the free press people speak out their minds and discuss issues. And that is where people could obtain accurate information and information is power as people in the west claim. This means no room is left for the government media to distort information and that is a blow to the regime as it loose its important tool. I think this is the reason.

What ever may the case be it is suspending the Ethiopian free press Journalist’s Association is unfair and illegal. It amounts to suspending the free press and that in turn amounts to suspending people’s right to know which is completely against the principles of Human rights. At a time when the government should concentrate on curbing the food crisis in the country, it is trying to intensify starvation for free discussion, the starvation for information, and the starvation to know. Elaborating on the liberty of thought and discussion, in his essay “On Liberty”, John Stuart Mill asserts, “there have been and may again be great individual thinkers in a general atmosphere of mental slavery. But there never has been, nor ever will be, in that atmosphere an intellectually active people.”

The regime in power has always wanted to bring the people under a state of mental slavery. The free press, with all the hardships and to some extent, has been helpful to enlighten the people on various national issue and has also encouraged the people to speak out freely their mind. Many Ethiopians have lost their lives and have found themselves in jail while fighting mental slavery. In doing so they have set a good example to teach people what it is like to live for mental freedom. While the government was trying to ditch all these information the free press has been very instrumental to expose events like these. And we can say that it has contributed a lot in enlightening the people on freedom as it has been a forum for discussion. The move to paralyze Ethiopian Free Press Journalist Association by the government will paralyze the free press and ultimately people’s right to know. So Ethiopians from all walks of life should loud their voice in support of EFPJA and against the government.