19 million people in Ethiopia has a television and radio - controlled by the government. Tamagne Beyene traveling around the world to raise money for the independent channel Esat.
Taken from: Class Struggle 26 February 2013
Posted by: Magnhild Folkvord
Long Verande refugees from Ethiopia fears forced dispatch, and fighting for the right to be in Norway, so at seven year old Nathan Eshete and his parents. At the same time traveling another Ethiopia Europa around to collect money for a broadcasting station that can provide other information to people in Ethiopia than they receive through the government-controlled media.
Party night
Sia 2005 Tamagne Beyene been full-time activist for Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT). He carries now a European tour to raise money.
More than 500 Ethiopians gathered at a big party night when Beyene visited Oslo for a couple of weeks ago. Some of them had traveled far, far away from the asylum capital. The main purpose of Beyene's visit to Oslo was to raise money for the free-standing television and radio station Esat, which reaches throughout Ethiopia and can be followed via the internet around the world.
Beyene has behind him a career as a comedian and entertaining in Ethiopia. In 1996 he was arrested because the authorities disliked some of the content in a presentation he had. Not long after he moved to the United States, where he now lives with his family.
Intolerance
Esat activist tells of a regime in Ethiopia who do not tolerate different opinions.
- Until 2005, we had a whole section of different newspapers. No there is no tolerance for different opinions, only one party and only one television station. 150 journalists have to leave the country, he says to the class struggle.
He is uneasy about the situation in their country and that a country like Norway provides financial support to the regime.
- Norway supports corruption and crime. Norwegian governments have to open his eyes and see if they support the people or the regime in Ethiopia, says Beyene.
- Our task is to provide information and promoting tolerance. Are we not that, it is civil war. The government, which represents an ethnic minority, promotes splitting. It is a dangerous situation. One must be a member of the ruling party to get the job, he says, and adds that the main emphasis of Esat lies on news broadcasts, but there are also broadcast entertainment program.
Successful beggar process
The free-standing television and radio station Esat, which has its main bases in Amsterdam and Washington DC, has been on the air since then 2008, but not without problems.
- We must cooperate with a satellite company, rent a channel and pay for it, Beyene explains, adding that both the Ethiopian and Chinese governments have tried to block their Esat.
- China invests in controlling the whole of Africa. They support the Ethiopian government and does not care about human rights, he says.
Experience so far is that Ethiopians residing outside their country ends up in the Esat greatly.
In 2012 it was collected only $ 120,000 in Australia.
- This record will we beat. The goal is to get 5000 people to bind themselves to give $ 20 a month, explaining Esat activist.
From Oslo he went on to both Munich, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, London and Brussels.
magnhild.folkvord @ klassekampen.no
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