Helen Meles, a former war fighter with the Eritrean People`s Liberation Front and one of the country`s most famous pop singers, prepares for a recording in a studio in Asmara May 16, 2008. Picture taken May 16, 2008. REUTERS/Radu Sigheti
The Eritrean-state owned television channel, ERTV, has started airing a 30-minute weekly (Wednesdays) programme in Somali, which is supportive of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a rebel group active in southeastern Ethiopia. Ethnic Somalis are the majority community in the Ogaden region.
The programme is made up of different segments that could be mistaken to be individual shows.
Its name is not clear, as the show, which BBC Monitoring first observed on 27 July at 1500-1530 gmt, begins with a news bulletin without an introduction of its name or that of its male presenter.
Broadcast on 3 and 10 August
The show aired on Wednesday 3 August was repeated on 10 August.
One of the reports in the news bulletin (first segment of the programme) described the Ethiopian government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi as “dictatorial” and the national army as “oppressive and colonial”. The bulletin focused on issues in Ogaden, especially the “killing of Ethiopian government troops by the rebel group and the diversion of food aid meant for the drought victims in Ogaden by the Meles regime”.
This seven-minute bulletin was followed by an eight-minute long programme titled “Aragtiida Halgamaaga (The View of the Freedom Fighters)”. This segment had reports questioning claims by the authorities of democracy in Ethiopia. It was supposed to “awaken the Somali public living in Ogadenia”. Ogadenia is the ONLF name for their homeland.
The presenter said “there is no doubt” that Ethiopia “forcefully seized Ogadenia” and anyone who doubted that “should speak to the people of Ogadenia and ask their views”.
The video footage featured in this segment showed burnt villages, supposedly in Ogaden. There was also footage of placards - in English - reading “Where is the international community” and “Ethiopia stop burning villages”. Other placards read: “Ethiopian PM is a war criminal”, “We are united against the barbaric Ethiopian regime” and “Stop rape of Ogaden.” The placards were carried by protesters filmed during a demonstration in an unidentified town, possibly in Ethiopia.
Sii Akhri
