Saturday, March 08, 2008

Eritrea opposition group begins broadcasting from Ethiopia

Sudan Tribune reports: A coalition of Eritrean opposition groups backed by big supporters in Exile have launched an anti-Isayas radio broadcast. The broadcast, which has been on trial since January, is based in the northern Ethiopia Tigray region’s Mekelle city. Recently some 11 Eritrean opposition groups have launched TV broadcasts in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa .
“The target of the new broadcast is to counter the negative ideology the Eritrean regime has inflicted over the Eritrean people against the Ethiopian people” the man currently in charge of the Radio station, Hagos, who refused to reveal his second name, told Sudan Tribune.
“We are trying to bring together the two brotherly people and bury their animosity to each other and make sure no more bloodshed is repeated again as the result of the propaganda of the Isayas Afewerki-led regime” Hagos said, adding “on behalf of the people we are assuring the Eritrean people that Ethiopia is only in dispute with the Eritrean leadership and not with the Eritrean people at all.”
The new radio station named Wegahta (Tigrigna translation- dawn) airs programmes twice a day, at 0600-0900 and 1700-2400 local time (0300-0600 and 1400-2100 UTC).
“The program is a major bridge to bring back on track the historic ties of the two brotherly people” Twelde Abai, a historian and resident in Mekelle town, said.
Currently the radio station airs programs to Ethiopia , Eritrea and partly to Arab nations. Hagos denied any Ethiopian Involvement in the broadcast.
“Neither the federal government of Ethiopia , nor the regional government of Tigray has hands on the broadcast,” he said, adding “But it is in the best and mutual interests of the two neighbouring people.”
(Source: Sudan Tribune/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)