An Ethiopian journalist accompanying Prime Minister dictator Meles Zenawi defected to seek asylum.
Shewangizaw Kassahun, special journalist at the Prime Minister’s office, national palace and parliament, who was also head of the Audio Visual department at the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), came to the US with premier to attend the annual global initiative of the Clinton Foundation and UN general assembly.
The journalist has attended the six days meeting with the premier and finished his final mission before leaving the group for good. Anonymous sources at the News Agency say Shewangizaw was a photo journalist and web editor very close to the palace. His defection has stunned the premiers group including his fellow journalists who never suspect him of failing to return home. His reason of defection is yet not known.
It is known that journalists working for government owned media ENA, ETV, Ethiopian Radio and Ethiopian Press Agency fail to return home if they get the chance to go abroad. This year alone not less than 10 journalists sought asylum in South Africa, Japan, England and USA. Shewangizaw adds the immigrating journalist number to over a dozen.