Ethiopian Review

by Addis Neger Addis Ababa Contributors

European and American scholars involved in study projects that relate to aspects of Ethiopian politics and economics will be carefully managed by Ethiopian government. In a confidential discussion document sent to the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Bereket Simeon’s Office of Communications, it is stated that the objective of the systematic management of western scholars is to either make them publish positive reports about Ethiopia’s political and economic progress or deterring them from publishing negative study papers.

The document proposes that the government ought to actively cooperate with academics and scholars of western research institutions by allowing access to records of importance as well as government departments and officials and involve as much as possible in the research process to affect the final output in favor of “Ethiopia’s interest.” Researchers working with local institutions affiliated with the government or research assistants with EPRDF connections will be treated favorably. According to the discussion document, western institutions that have research offices in Addis Ababa will be formally and informally lobbied to hire Ethiopian researchers sympathetic to the government’s interests. The discussion document details deterrence measures to be taken against western scholars who work with the opposition or publish study papers that tarnish Ethiopia’s record: vigorously and robustly criticizing their works and integrity, denying them access to data and governmental institutions, denying them visas or hassling them at the airport and actively pressurizing their funders and institutions that they are linked to.

EPRDF blamed several western scholars for the post-2005 international attention to the government’s human rights abuses and democracy deficit. It started replying to critical western scholars through a weekly Ministry of Foreign Affairs bulletin in 2007. The bulletin is sometimes edited by former BBC man Patrick Gilkes who consults the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The government has also used some of the carrots and sticks proposed in the document in the past. The document is intended to lead to a more coordinated and organized process of management.