'Man Of the Year 2014' Kassahun Seboqa
Posted by Yeharerwerk Gashaw
Honoring Outstanding Ethiopian Journalists International Committee U.S.A.,
Posted by Yeharerwerk Gashaw
International Press Release
January 1st, 2015
Dallas, Texas U.S.A
Honoring Outstanding Ethiopian Journalists International Committee U.S.A.,
Ethiopian Unity People's Voice Congress,
DFW Ethiopian Community BlogSpot.com
and Ethiopian Women For Peace & Democracy
and Ethiopian Women For Peace & Democracy
name journalist Kassahun Seboqa
as 'Man Of the Year 2014' and
SBS Amharic radio program as 'Best International Ethiopian Radio Program'
Kassahun Seboqa 'Man Of the Year 2014'
Journalist Kassahun Seboqa is being honored by the Ethiopian Unity People's Voice Congress, DFW Ethiopian Community, Ethiopian Women For Peace & Democracy and Honoring Outstanding Ethiopian Journalists International Committee U.S.A., for his vast contributions to Ethiopian journalism.
According to records from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) based in New York, Seboqa, a journalist was unfairly harassed and interrogated by Ethiopian security personnel while back in Ethiopia 1996. In order to escape the unlawful imprisonment, he was forced to flee the country. He found refuge in Kenya where he studied journalism, and eventually settled in Australia where he went on to begin the country's first Ethiopian radio program in Amharic on 4EB AM. He went on to acquire a spot as executive producer of the SBS Amharic radio program. He worked hard to overcome his obstacles in order to pursue his goals, and as such, should be a role model for all to continue work hard to achieve their dreams despite any obstacles they may fore come.
Thank you to Dr. Mankelkelot Hailessilase, Dr. Arega Demeke, Ms.Tsehanesh Ayele, Dr. Hailu Tekalegn, Ms.Genet Gutema, Mr. Anteneh Meshesha, Engineer Belete Shewamen, Dr. Haile Araya, Col. Dawit Abayeneh, Dr. Girma Gizaw, and many more who provided information, genuine input, and support in order for us to honor Mr. Seboqa.
From this year on, we will continue honoring utstanding journalists and programs on an annual basis. Our goal is to motivate journalists and educate the public in the importance of transparent journalism within the Ethiopian society.
Listen to Kassahun Seboka on Mondays & Fridays @ http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/amharic
picture taken from SBS' Facebook
According to records from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) based in New York, Seboqa, a journalist was unfairly harassed and interrogated by Ethiopian security personnel while back in Ethiopia 1996. In order to escape the unlawful imprisonment, he was forced to flee the country. He found refuge in Kenya where he studied journalism, and eventually settled in Australia where he went on to begin the country's first Ethiopian radio program in Amharic on 4EB AM. He went on to acquire a spot as executive producer of the SBS Amharic radio program. He worked hard to overcome his obstacles in order to pursue his goals, and as such, should be a role model for all to continue work hard to achieve their dreams despite any obstacles they may fore come.
Mr. Seboqa informs the Ethiopian people honestly, constantly being transparent and unbiased in his reporting. As an executive producer, host and journalist, he utilizes his Amharic program on SBS as a tool to uncover truths about issues within the Ethiopian community both in Ethiopia and in the diaspora. What makes Mr. Seboqa's program unique is his non-biased approach. Seboqa works to bring together varied leaders from opposing ends of the spectrum for the good of the Ethiopian people to be informed of what is being done by these groups on their behalf, information that would otherwise not be conveyed to the public. His panel discussions and other forms of debate between different individuals bring opposing leaders from every facet of Ethiopian issues face to face in order to deliver the bare truth about these issues. His round table allows them to express themselves on neutral ground and convey their respective truths to the public. His open mindedness and willingness to bring together all people in spite of beliefs that may oppose his own have created a more open forum for our people to communicate and promote mutual understanding. Seboqa's analytic questioning is also greatly apparent in his interviews, bringing out the best of his interviewees in order to bring out the utmost truth in order for Ethiopians to gain a true and factual understanding of current social and political topics. Each interviewee is given the respect and freedom in conveying their perspective. Last but certainly not least, Seboqa gives the opportunity to all Ethiopians to express their beliefs, no matter their status, sex, religion and profession, and has especially given women a greater opportunity to give their own perspective as equals than has been seen in the past.
For such honorable character and work, we commemorate you Mr. Seboqa. Thank you for being a neutral news source, a hub for fair and open discussion on Ethiopian issues, and an inspiration to us all on what it means to serve your country and community through your work. Your contributions are greatly admired.
Thank you to Dr. Mankelkelot Hailessilase, Dr. Arega Demeke, Ms.Tsehanesh Ayele, Dr. Hailu Tekalegn, Ms.Genet Gutema, Mr. Anteneh Meshesha, Engineer Belete Shewamen, Dr. Haile Araya, Col. Dawit Abayeneh, Dr. Girma Gizaw, and many more who provided information, genuine input, and support in order for us to honor Mr. Seboqa.
From this year on, we will continue honoring utstanding journalists and programs on an annual basis. Our goal is to motivate journalists and educate the public in the importance of transparent journalism within the Ethiopian society.
For more information on Mr. Seboqa, please see the following links:
Ethiopia:Attacks on the press
https://www.cpj.org/attacks96cpuntries
December 13
Kassahun Seboqa, Amharic, HARASSED
Kassahun, editor in chief of the independent weekly Amharic, fled to Kenya after being harassed and interrogated by Ethiopian security personnel. The interrogation, ordered by the attorney general, focused on Kassahun's interview with a relative of the late emperor, Haile Selassie. The article covered repressive laws, harassment of opposition leaders, and the eviction of citizens from their houses.
For more information contact africaweb@cpj.org
Kassahun, editor in chief of the independent weekly Amharic, fled to Kenya after being harassed and interrogated by Ethiopian security personnel. The interrogation, ordered by the attorney general, focused on Kassahun's interview with a relative of the late emperor, Haile Selassie. The article covered repressive laws, harassment of opposition leaders, and the eviction of citizens from their houses.
For more information contact africaweb@cpj.org
WWW.PROFESSIONALS.CELEBRATAFRICANAUSTRALIANS.ORG
Kassahun Seboqa is the Executive Producer of SBS Radio's Amharic language section. He joined SBS as a University intern in 2005 working on SBS’s Amharic language program.
Kassa studied journalism in Ethiopia and at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. Since then he has worked as a journalist in the print media in Ethiopia, as a Freelance Writer, Reporter, and Editor-In-Chief.
He migrated from Ethiopia to Brisbane, Australia in 1998 and set up the first Amharic language radio program in Australia with 4EB AM. Kassa served as the main broadcaster, panel operator, and as the group’s Convener from 1998 to 1999. Since then he has been working with a financial company as a senior consultant and has continued to follow international affairs. Kassa completed a BA in International Studies at RMIT University in Melbourne in 2007 with a particular focus on Ethiopian diaspora affairs.
Kassa studied journalism in Ethiopia and at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. Since then he has worked as a journalist in the print media in Ethiopia, as a Freelance Writer, Reporter, and Editor-In-Chief.
He migrated from Ethiopia to Brisbane, Australia in 1998 and set up the first Amharic language radio program in Australia with 4EB AM. Kassa served as the main broadcaster, panel operator, and as the group’s Convener from 1998 to 1999. Since then he has been working with a financial company as a senior consultant and has continued to follow international affairs. Kassa completed a BA in International Studies at RMIT University in Melbourne in 2007 with a particular focus on Ethiopian diaspora affairs.
Kassa delivered Australian, homeland and international new and current affairs to the community with fair and balance high standard professional journalistic manner. He hosted many guests such as; Community Leaders, Ambassadors, Opposition party leaders, Academics in variety of professional field, Religious leaders, Entertainers, Journalists, Head of States. Kassa is personally committed to serving his community and giving them a reasoned voice in Australia.
Muzzling the Independent Press
By Moyiga Nduru • NAIROBI, (IPS) • January 13, 1997
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Ethiopian journalist Kassahun Seboqa Negewo has travelled over 1,000 kilometres, crossing rivers, mountains and forests, to flee the regime of President Meles Zenawi which, he says, forced him to give up his job.
By Moyiga Nduru • NAIROBI, (IPS) • January 13, 1997
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Ethiopian journalist Kassahun Seboqa Negewo has travelled over 1,000 kilometres, crossing rivers, mountains and forests, to flee the regime of President Meles Zenawi which, he says, forced him to give up his job.
Negewo, who is now in Kenya, fell foul of the Ethiopian authorities when ‘Tomar’, the independent Amharic-language weekly he edited, ran a story in which a former Ethiopian ambassador, Yodit Imiru, called Zenawi’s regime despotic and urged his country’s more than 40 million people to rise up against it.
Imiru is a member of the late emperor Haile Selassie’s family, which ruled Ethiopia for several centuries until 1974. The Zenawi administration, in power since May 1991, saw Imiru’s interview as linked to a campaign by the late emperor’s supporters and other opposition groups to seize power in Ethiopia.
“Following the publication of the story, I was taken before the attorney-general by Ethiopian authorities and imprisoned for one day,” Negewo told IPS. “Soon after my release … I was given my last warning through a telephone call that I give up my job or else harsh steps may be taken.
“Having no alternative, I abandoned my job on April 15, 1995 and since then went on hiding until I was informed by my workmate, who had also been arrested and ordered to report on my whereabouts. Then, the police chief in charge of the area where I was detained announced through the media that either I surrender or face the consequences.” Negewo said he was faced with two grim alternatives: either to flee Ethiopia or face death, as he could have been gunned down by security forces.
“I left Addis Ababa on December 11th, 1996 and crossed into Kenya on foot on December 13th 1996,” he said.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says in a recent report titled ‘Clampdown in Addis: Ethiopia’s Journalists at Risk’ that more than 50 Ethiopian journalists were imprisoned from 1993 to 1995. “Of those, 31, were behind bars at the beginning of 1996,” it said.
The CPJ works to get detained journalists out of jail, directs international protest campaigns against repressive governments and provides practical safety information to reporters assigned to dangerous areas. It says Ethiopia’s independent journalists work under threat of arrest and prosecution by either a poorly trained police force or an inexperienced, partisan judiciary working in a backlogged court system.
“Both are spurred on by government officials who are easily offended by public criticism of their policies,” says the report.
The CPJ urged the United States, which supports the Zenawi government and gives Ethiopia the second highest amount of U.S. aid allocated to individual sub-Saharan African countries, to influence the development of a free press in Ethiopia.
It also called on Washington to give media training higher priority when allocating funds for democratization in Ethiopia.
Negewo, who is in touch with the Nairobi office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), claimed that Ethiopian agents were tracking him down so as to kill him. “I feel insecure here,” he said. “There are many Ethiopian hitmen in Nairobi and in various refugee camps in Kenya.”
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) says his security and safety might be compromised if he continues to stay in the country. “Some Ethiopians have been threatened and in some cases attacked by agents of their government in Kenya,” it said in a Jan. 8 letter to the UNHCR, a copy of which has been made available to IPS.
KHRC’s Njuguna Mutahi urged the UN refugee agency to seek an alternative settlement for Negewo to prevent him from suffering a fate similar to that of Ali Jalani, an exiled Ethiopian opposition politician murdered here in 1992.
Kihu Irimu, secretary-general of the Kenya Union of Journalists, says Negewo has even received threats in Nairobi from people associated with Ethiopian police hunt-down gangs.
“Any assistance given him will go a long way in encouraging other courageous journalists who are today operating under extremely oppressive regimes throughout Africa and the Third World in general,” said Irimu.
Before he fled his country, Negewo received a support letter, dated Dec. 1, from the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association (EFJA) in Addis Ababa to highlight his plight to the international community in the Kenyan capital.
“According to his recent written appeal to our office, Kassahun was unable to move freely in Addis Ababa, work and earn his bread due to the persistent hunt-down by the security police, who at one instance in the past had announced over the state radio that a warrant to track him down and arrest him was still in force,” wrote EFJA President Kefale Mammo.
“Kassahun…is under a permanent death threat…the security police might get hold of him and shoot him dead on the spot. He believes … that he has definately lost his right to life in Ethiopia, and that he was forced to look for a better alternative till conditions in Ethiopia improves,” wrote Mammo.
However, President Zenawi recently denied that his government was muzzling freedom of expression. “People are free to express their views in Ethiopia,” he said.
