The deputy secretary of US State Department, Bill Burns, expressed his concerns over the application of the Ethiopian anti-terrorism law.
During a tele-conference held at the US Embassy here in Addis Ababa on Monday, the deputy secretary of state said that he had expressed his government’s concern that the application of anti-terrorism law can sometimes undermine freedom of expression and free press when he met with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi last week. Burns also added that he had underscored the US’s commitment to freedom of expression and the importance an independent media has in the democratic growth of any country.
The deputy secretary, who told journalists that he had very constructive meeting with Meles, still hopes that the recently ratified anti-terrorism law can be carefully reviewed and great care can be taken in ensuring protection of freedom of expression.
According to Burns, he and Meles also talked about the importance of building democratic institutions, respect for the rule of law and respect for human rights to realize the full potential of all Ethiopian citizens.
In a related development, a number of UN human rights experts on Thursday expressed their dismay at the continuing abuse of anti-terrorism legislation to curb freedom of expression in Ethiopia.
A week ago, three journalists and two opposition politicians were given prison terms ranging from 14 years to life imprisonment under Ethiopia's anti-terrorism laws. This follows the sentencing of two Swedish journalists to 11 years in prison on 27 December 2011. Another 24 defendants are scheduled to appear before the court on 5 March 2012, for various charges under the anti-terrorism law, several of whom may face the death sentence if convicted.
“Journalists play a crucial role in promoting accountability of public officials by investigating and informing the public about human rights violations,” said Frank La Rue, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, who emphasized that “they should not face criminal proceedings for carrying out their legitimate work, let alone be severely punished. Ethiopia has an obligation to fully guarantee all individuals’ right to freedom of opinion and expression under international human rights law.”
Ben Emmerson, Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights, said that “the anti-terrorism provisions should not be abused and need to be clearly defined in Ethiopian criminal law to ensure that they do not go counter to internationally-guaranteed human rights.”
The Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, emphasized that “journalists, bloggers and others advocating for increased respect for human rights should not be subject to pressure for the mere fact that their views are not in alignment with those of the Government.” Sekaggya was particularly concerned by the case of Eskinder Nega, a blogger in Ethiopia.
In addition to the issue of anti-terrorism law, Burns and Meles also discussed a range of issues on which the US and Ethiopia can work together to help promote regional security and economic development.
“We discussed further possibilities on economic growth and development in Ethiopia,” he said. They also discussed how to promote greater American trade and investment in Ethiopia. He was convinced that the opportunities were growing for American companies to invest in the country, the deputy secretary of state added.
Deputy secretary of state Bill Burns, who attended the 18th African Union summit in Addis Ababa on January 29 and 30 also visited Ghana, Uganda and South Sudan in his week-long trip.
Burns underscored that his trip, which came under the heel of secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s visit to West Africa two weeks ago, reaffirmed the high priority that the Obama administration attaches to Africa. It also highlighted the ongoing commitment to work with African partners both to see the opportunities and to address common challenges.
According to him, America’s commitment to the continent is underscored by its support to democratic governance, sustainable economic development and peaceful resolution of conflict. Burns added that the US is committed to support Africa’s long-term growth and short-term needs.
It is to be recalled that the US has played a leading role to respond to the drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, including the pledging of 870 million dollars in relief for the crisis.
“The United States also continues to provide extensive assistance to combat disease and to build the capacity of health systems as part of a 16.3 billion dollars five-year commitment,” the deputy secretary of state said when talking about the long-term support that his country would provide for African countries.
Burns holds the highest rank in the US Foreign Service. A career Ambassador, he became deputy secretary of state in July 2011. In 1994, he was named to TIME magazine’s list of the “50 Most promising American leaders under Age 40”, and to TIME’s list of “100 Young Global leaders”.
