Disclaimer: This is an English translation of an Amharic article taken from BBC Amharic and is intended solely for information purposes.
BBC Amharic - “They treated us as prisoners of war” say journalists exiled from their country
September 21, 2024
The year 2018 was considered a year when no Ethiopian journalist was in jail for the first time in 20 years. At the time Ethiopia ranked 110th, an improvement of 40 ranks in the international ranking for press freedom.
For this reason the United Nations hosted its annual international press freedom day in Addis Ababa.
Five years after Ethiopia was recognized for press freedom improvements, 54 journalists have been forced into exile from the country according to a report issued by journalist rights group CPJ last Sene (June 2024).
Three months after the release of this report two other journalists announced being forced into exile earlier this week.
The exiled journalists include founder of “Alpha Media” Bekalu Alamrew and founder of “Ethio News” Belay Manaye.
The journalists told BBC the reason for their exile was being “unable to work” in their profession in the country.
Bekalu and Belay had to travel for 11 consecutive days to leave the country.
“We followed a very troublesome road on foot, vehicle and motor cycle to leave. The travel restrictions and regular surveillance we faced made it impossible for us to follow regular roads” Bekalu says as he recalls his journey.
The two journalists were freed near the beginning of the month of Sene last year (June 2024) after spending months of detainment in Awash Arba military camp. They described their stay in Awash Arba as “very difficult”.
However prior to the two journalists being transported to Awash Arba they spent weeks detained in the Federal Police Criminal Investigations Bureau in the Mexico area.
“They told my family members don't cry, he won't return”
On August 6, 2023 (Hamle 30, 2015 EC) he was graduating students from New Generation University. Journalist Bekalu Alamrew was among these students. Bekalu received a Master's Degree in “Global study and international relations.”
After the graduation ceremony Bekalu returned to his home but he was not alone. He recalls that National Intelligence and Security and Federal Police members followed him until he entered his home.
Bekalu told BBC, “after the graduation ceremony they followed me and had me in their custody until I entered my home.” Bekalu says, “at the time when they had me in their custody there was intense insults, threats and suffocation” who continued in saying, “they told my family members don't cry, he won't return.”
Bekalu was arrested before he could celebrate receiving his Master's degree and instead spent the following two weeks in the Federal Police Criminal Investigations Bureau. Afterwards on August 21, 2023 (Nehase 15, 2015 EC) he was transported to the Awash Arba military camp.
Journalist Belay Manaye who was forced into exile from the country alongside Bekalu, on his end was detained by security forces four months after as he was returning to his home from Arat Kilo.
At around 6:30 am after he was seized by Federal Police and National Intelligence and Security personnel he says, “I was taken directly to the Federal Police Criminal Investigations Bureau.”
Belay spent three weeks in the Federal Police Criminal Investigations Bureau. Belay says, “only on one occasion they called me to an office with writing for my testimony” who also told BBC, “at the time they said you will use media to be a voice for Fano forces, you will worsen the current situation, is the kind of issue they raised.”
After spending 26 days detained in the Federal Police Criminal Investigations Bureau Belay was transported to Awash Arba.
He shared his sentiment at the time with BBC saying, “it was in the middle of the night when they forcefully banged on the door, they woke us up from our sleep, we were transported directly to Awash, we didn't know where we were being taken at the time, when they began to travel on the road we guessed but didn't know where we were being taken until the end.”
“I was wondering when I was going to be killed”
Over the past few years Awash Arba military camp was raised in the context of retaining members of the press and politicians.
Belay and Bekalu spent months detained in the camp which they described as “difficult”.
When Belay reached Awash Arba he had been suffering intense bodily abuse and when they arrived they immediately encountered detainees who had already been in Awash says Belay, “as we reached Awash we had very mixed feelings” as he recalls his feelings.
The journalists say the camp was surrounded by a forest on one side and the Awash river on the other. In addition, “we were held in a space inside the military camp, there were soldiers being trained inside the camp. Again there were also Federal Police personnel stationed in our quarters” says Belay.
After Belay was taken to Awash he had to wait two weeks before being able to tell his family members his whereabouts. Over the six month period he was not allowed to meet with anyone other than those detained with him inside the military camp.
“Nobody was allowed in from the outside, there were no lawyers allowed. No family members. It was very difficult to get information, only when new people (detainees) came were we able to ask what was happening” he says, recalling the circumstances.
When Belay described the situation in the camp, “we would face various threats from the military trainers. They treated us as prisoners of war. They did not treat us as civilians from Addis Ababa or as professionals. They treated us as through we were soldiers who were captured on the battlefield. This all made our stay very stressful.”
Journalist Bekalu also said, “ENDF soldiers would come en masse, they would insult us, we were treated as prisoners of war, they would mock us on a daily basis saying they were searching for us and found us in Awash Arba” he said supporting Belay’s thoughts.
“They treat us journalists as enemies” says Bekalu who continued saying, “they told us they would kill us. They would tell us we would not be brought before a court, there would be no formal charges against us but that they would take alternative measures against us.”
“I thought I would die in this desert, I was certain I would die” says Bekalu, “we thought of death. Everything we saw around us reminded us of death. I wondered when I would die” he said to BBC describing what he was thinking at the time.
Journalist Belay similarly said, “the entire time we feared for our lives. Each and every day we spent our time in fear of whether or not we would lose our lives.”
Belay and Bekalu for months spent their time in fear which suddenly dissipated
After months in detainment they were released. However one day before their release three National Intelligence and Security and one Federal Police personnel spoke to them separately, they told BBC.
The security personnel said, “firstly you cannot change your phone number or address, you also cannot give any kind of media interview concerning the circumstances of your arrest or the general situation in the country” is the warning they were given they told BBC.
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