by Ewnetu Tesema
There is probably no reporter in VOA Amharic service’s history, save Mimi Sibhatu, whose dubious and deliberately
manipulative reporting skills has raised eyebrows and controversies as much as those of Henok Semaegzer Fente. Some of Ethiopia’s well-known dissidents and rights defenders such as Tamagn Beyene, Obang Metho, Dr. Berhanu Nega, Abebe Belew, Neamin Zeleke and Abebe Gellaw, among others, have complained at various times on his dubious reports that are mostly borderline misrepresentation and over-edited or censored broadcasts that reflect a burning desire to do spin on sensitive political issues. The recent Addis Ababa University student unrest in which Oromo and Tigrian students clashed is a case in point. One can say that he killed the story by focusing on non-issues and giving little air to those who were the victims of the repressive measures.
Henok’s recent interview with Abebe Gellaw demonstrated another spin by Henok aimed at misleading listeners. While Abebe clearly explained to him that the issue was not about an attempt on his life but was a plot to commit murder which was nipped in the bud, Henok tried to leave the impression on listeners’ mind that there was no “assassination attempt” as far as the FBI was concerned. Yes, but an attempt was not the issue at all. If the FBI is investigating a plot, not an attempt, why was it necessary for Henok to enquire about assassination attempt, as the plot did not develop into an attempt, as widely reported. It was confounding why Henok’s effort was clearly to imply that the allegations against Guesh, still under investigation for serious allegations, were frivolous. This is undoubtedly a dereliction of duty on the part on the dubious VOA broadcaster who has been repeatedly accused of distortion and misrepresentation.
The most serious misreporting or rather under-reporting by Henok was observed during the May 18, 2012 G8 Food Security Symposium. While the protest of Abebe Gellaw was arguably a newsworthy event in the high profile gathering from an Ethiopian perspective, his coverage barely mentioned what happened. He dwelt too much on what Meles and other dignitaries said without properly covering the protest against the late dictator.
As a result of his dubious reporting, Ethiopians across the world complained and VOA was forced to make an apology to its listeners. It also made a correction to rectify Henok’s blunders. What was even surprising about that particular reporting was the fact that Henok and Abebe were reportedly sitting next to each other at that meeting. Henok witnessed first-hand what happened but preferred to cut out the flesh and wasted time gnawing hard bone.
Dishonest tactic
After the public outcry against Henok was heard loud and clear, he was given a chance to address what all the complaints and petitioning against him were all about. He appeared on VOA’s “Straight Talk Africa on May 23, 2012. The host, Shaka Ssali, raised various questions to Henok but he tried his best to elusively dodge the controversies surrounding his reporting tactics and spins.
Shaka asked Henok about the lowlights of the event as far as he was concerned. Again in his skilful manner of evading serious matters, he focused on side issues and talked about the “tough” questions he asked and the disappointing answers he got from some unnamed attendees. Confused with his non-answer, Shaka raised a blunt question at the end of his seven-minute long interview with Henok.
“What about some Ethiopians who have been complaining that you attended the meeting but you sort of under-reported the event? What is it that you knew very important to them that you did not bring out?”
As usual, the artful dodger was not prepared for an honest answer. “They felt their numbers were downplayed but as you know, Shaka, once the President of the United States is in a meeting it is not possible to move around, go out and cover demonstrations outside and come inside. And from a news sense, I give premise [sic] to what the President of the United States says more plus there is [sic] also world leaders discussing issues of food security inside. I was covering that. If they were misrepresented…of course it was because of that. It wasn’t in a way to stifle their voice or trying to undermine their political activism.” How nauseating! Was that all? According to Henok, that was it!
ESAT not credible?
On July 30, 2012 after a lengthy investigation, ESAT declared that the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was dead, according to credible sources at the International Crisis Group (ICG). The journalists who did the investigation explained quite clearly that they had access to confidential information held by the group. ICG did not pointedly deny any of ESAT’s reports. It only said it did not have direct information on the dictator’s health and whereabouts. ESAT was vindicated when ICG published the report that ESAT had access to hours after the regime officially admitted that Meles was gone forever ending the global hunt for the late dictator.
Without spending a few minutes, Henok felt the authority to quickly discredit ESAT on 30th July. He twitted a brazen declaration that ESAT was not to be trusted. “This ICG Meles rumor is senseless. Tweeting all day knowing it was not true in the 1st place is a waste of time. ESAT=Not credible.”
As a journalist, he was expected to do a thorough investigation before putting out a statement on whether ESAT was credible or not. But he is not interested in reporting the truth without distorting and manipulating it to convey his devious messages.
The organization Henok represents as a journalist has a declared mission. The mission says: “VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news. VOA news will be accurate, objective, and comprehensive.” One may wonder why this VOA Amharic’s broadcaster from hell does not make an effort to live up to the missions of his employer? The misreporting, distortions and manipulations on the part of Henok are obviously harming the credibility of VOA Amharic. It seems being accurate and objective is mission impossible for Henok. He is clearly misrepresenting and distorting the voices of freedom loving Ethiopians. It may be time to get mobilized again to stop such harmful misrepresentations.
Awkward position
There are hardly any journalists who are completely neutral on many sensitive issues that affect the society they live. In countries like Ethiopia where the regime is the enemy of freedom, journalists take positions. Whatever their positions they are expected to stick to the facts to be as objective as possible. Henok, who was reportedly a member of the ruling party while he was working for Amre Aregawi’s Ethiopian Reporter, should at least try to be fair to the facts rather than doing clumsy damage-control spins for the tyrannical regime in Ethiopia.
The pompous reporter is clearly a misfit for the VOA, which has served Ethiopians during tougher times. I am personally grateful to beloved broadcasters like Tizita Belachew, Addisu Abebe and Solomon Kifle. I grew up listening to them. I raise my hat off to them.
But Henok should stop being the male counterpart of the notorious Mimi Sibhatu, who is in a better position as she runs her own shows after she was banished from the VOA. Henok may soon follow her footsteps as he is also working hard to open his own FM radio station in Ethiopia to compete with me. I think the two will make great competitors to spin facts. Good luck to him!
Tags: Abebe Gellaw, ecadf, Ethiopian News
Abiy Ethiopiawi Segawi/wemenfesawi አቢይ ኢትዮጵያዊ ሥጋዊ-ወመንፈሳዊ
January 21, 2013 at 1:38 am
Neither of them,he is Agazi collaborator.By the way both spin doctor and reporter are respected Jobs.How can the choice can be with in two good things???This man pretend like on the opposition side,but he is not.Even he doesn’t stand for the Truth.I know where he is stand for.
I want to give him an advice from History;if he wants to learn about being a journalist.
Henok Sema-Devil, do you know the name Rudolf Kastner ?Please read this:
In the Second world War there (1906–March 15, 1957) was a Jewish-Hungarian journalist and lawyer who became known for facilitating the departure of Jews out of Nazi-occupied Hungary during the Holocaust.His name was Rudolf Kastner and was assassinated in 1957 after an Israeli court accused him of having collaborated with the Nazis.
Kastner was one of the leaders of the Va’adat Ezrah Vehatzalah —the Aid and Rescue Committee, or Vaada— a small Jewish group in Budapest who helped Jewish refugees escape from Nazi Europe into Hungary during World War II, then helped them escape from Hungary after the Nazis invaded that country too on March 19, 1944. Between May and July 1944, Hungary’s Jews were being deported to the gas chambers at Auschwitz at the rate of 12,000 people a day—for “resettlement,” as the Nazis said. Kastner negotiated with Adolf Eichmann, a senior SS officer, to allow 1,685 Jews to leave instead for Switzerland on what became known as the Kastner train, in exchange for money, gold, and diamonds.
Kastner moved to Israel after the war, becoming a spokesman for the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 1952.[2] In 1953, he was accused of having been a Nazi collaborator, in a pamphlet self-published by Malchiel Gruenwald, an amateur writer. The allegation stemmed in part from his relationship with Eichmann, and with Kurt Becher, another SS officer; and in part from his having given positive character references after the war for Becher and two more SS officers, thus allowing Becher to escape prosecution for war crimes. The Israeli government sued Gruenwald for libel on Kastner’s behalf, resulting in a trial that lasted two years, and a ruling in 1955 that Kastner had indeed, in the words of Judge Benjamin Halevi, “sold his soul to the devil.”[3] By saving the Jews on the Kastner train, while failing to warn others that their resettlement was in fact deportation to the gas chambers, Kastner had sacrificed the mass of Jewry for a chosen few, the judge said.[3] The verdict triggered the fall of the Israeli Cabinet.[4]
Kastner resigned his government position and became a virtual recluse, telling reporters he was living with a loneliness “blacker than night, darker than hell.”[3] His wife fell into a depression that left her unable to get out of bed, while his daughter had to endure her school peers throwing stones at her in the street.[5] The Supreme Court of Israel overturned most of the judgment in January 1958, stating in a 4-1 decision that the lower court had “erred seriously,” but not before Kastner had been assassinated.[4] He was shot on March 3, 1957 by Zeev Eckstein, and died of his injuries twelve days later.[6]
You can hide the truth as possible as you can,but God will expose you one day when time comes!!
Enjoy your Collaboration Secretively !!!
Detchisa
January 17, 2013 at 8:44 am
I used to listen to VOA until I got better alternative one of them of course is ESAT.When Henock started with his station he was not a journalist it looks like they brought in a younger person to read the news;simply he got his eduction of “journalism”with VOA I must say he did pretty good his English has improved too as commercial media people who take a one week crush course reading a book called”Journalism for dummies”:having said this,what I want to remind many of you is, do not give this guy fame who is far away from being an amateur journalist by discussing his issue on a same level with Abebe Gelaw.
Abebe is a professional journalist his record shows as well as a human right activist.
Henock is a hassler and imposter planted by Woyane to harras the professional Ethiopian journalist.
henok
January 17, 2013 at 8:39 am
በጣም ፡ የሚገርም ፡ ነው ! May 18, 2012 G8 Food Security Symposium ስብሰባ ፡ ከመካሄዱ ፡ በፊት ፡ የVOA ድምጽ ፡ ራዲዮ ፡ ልዑካን ፡ወደ ፡ ኢትዮጵያ ፡ሄዶ ፡ ነበር ።በዚያን ፡ጊዜ ፡ ወያኔዎች(በረከት ፡ ስምኦን ) ፡ የተወሰኑ ፡ እውቅ ፡ፖለቲከኞችና ፡ ጋዜጠኞች ፡ በ VOA እንዳይቀርቡ ፡ ጠይቀው ፡ ነበር ። ይሄንን ፡ ሚስጥራዊ ፡ ውል ፡አበበ ፡ ገላው፡ አጋለጠው ። ይሄንን ፡ተከትሎ ፡ የተቃውሞ ፡ ሰልፍ ፡ ዋሺንግተን ፡ተካሂዶ ፡ የVOA ፡ ተወካይ ፡የሰጠው ፡ መልስ ፦ እኛ ፡ ከማንም ፡ ነጻ ፡ ነን ፡ ማንንም ፡አንከለክልም ፡ ነበር ፡ ያሉት ፦ ለካ ፡ እኛ ፡ የነሱ ፡ ሴራ ፡አልገባንም ፡ ነበር ። እንደ ፡ ሄኖክ ፡ሰማ ፡ገ፧እግዚአብሄር ፡አይነት ፡ መዥገር ፡ ጋዜጠኛ ፡ በመጠቀም ፡ለኢትዮጵያ ፡ህዝብ ፡ ወሳኝና ፡ በጣም ፡አስፈላጊ ፡ የሆኑ ፡ ወቅታዊ ፡ፖለቲካዊና፡ ኢኮኖሚያዊ ፡ጉዳዮችን ፡ እንዳይሰማ ፡ ማዳፈን ፡ ነው ። ወያኔዎችም ፡ሆኑ ፡አሜሪካኖቹ ፡(VOA) ፡ እያታለሉን ፡ ነው ፡ ያሉት ። ታክቲክ ፡ ብቻ ፡ ነው ፡የቀየሩት ። እስከ ፡ መቼ ፡ መታለል ?
Tedla Asfaw
January 17, 2013 at 7:22 am
I met Henok of VOA in front of Regan Building in Washington, DC on May 18, 2012 if I am correct around 8am. I informed him about our action earlier when we caught Meles Zenawi’s entourage trying sneak in the back door of the building around 7 :30am.. I told him to interview people who were in that tense action. Guns were drawn right on our head and we were charging to the entrance were forced to kneel down or face the consequence.The memory is still fresh which I considered as one of the greatest thing happened in our community in 2012.
When Obama’s entourage come to the building around 10 am Unbilevable anger towards Obama. Henok never to be seen to tell this story because he is in the hall with Abebe Gellaw and ETV people. Henok is not interested to tell the story of the opposition to Meles Zenawi rather he joined ETV for the propaganda from inside. I rather prefer to hear ETV than VOA when it comes to covering Meles Zenawi. They know him better than Henok.
When Henok was interviewed on Straight Talk of Africa about G8 I also called the show to tell the story of the opposition to late Meles Zenawi. The host of Straight Talk asked him direct question why opposition accused him of under reporting ? His answer was about number of protesters which he might have counted low. The case was not about number of protesters but the message of the protesters Henok wanted to ignore but failed miserably. Our voice was not silenced at all !!! Foreign and local medias covered about the rally. The protest by Abelbe Gellaw which Henok did not want to recognize and VOA failed to report was one of the lowest for VOA. VOA censuring itself !!!
When we had a protest rally in NYC on Oct. 2012 denouncing Abyssinian Baptist Church and foreign diplomats for praying for the killer not for the victims of Meles Zenawi he wanted to contact us to make an interview. He never contacted us because he knows very well that we will not allow him to play number games because our message was out for all thanks to David Shin. Even Meskerem Getachew of ETV could not hide it in her propaganda piece. Therefore the best avenue for Henok is to hide and shut his mouth.
In general Henok of VOA is a biased journalist that has exposed himself by his coverage. His interview with Abebe Gellaw is not different than Aba Mela of Civility Room. The only difference is Aba Mela is on the way raising fund for defense of Gush Abera while Henok showed that he is not qualified to cover legal matter. Let him focus on “development” indeed “Yelemate” Gazetegna.
Thanks,
Tedla Asfaw
Selamawit Solomon
January 16, 2013 at 3:41 pm
Thank you Ewnetu tesema
Its a freedom loving and Pro-Democracy Ethiopians duty to Expose TPLF agents misleading lies and decpetion when and where ever we encounter them -And we must base our accusations backed on well documented facts which differs us from them -Its a great Start .~!
Gudu Kassa
January 16, 2013 at 1:48 pm
Why you surprise about Henock. His father is Woyana and best friend of Bereket and his Mom is Shabia. Berket son spend his vaccation with Henock. He grown up
beka@hodaderoch.org
January 16, 2013 at 12:35 pm
I read your article and i felt the anger heating up in me boiling my blood to the limit, but Imagine my level of anger, if we didn’t have ESAT and thank God for that. People like Henok are spineless people who goes to bed with dictators and child killers no matter how bully they are for as long as they are the current winners of the game. Luckily the weyannes time is coming to end and the citezen of Ethiopia will all be winners, we will be able to render these kind of people and behaviors useless.
solomon dagnachew
January 16, 2013 at 12:22 pm
There is also Solomon Abate who might be loyal to people at the helm of power in Ethiopia. I didn’t forget his honey coated poisonous questions in order to trap the prominent Human rights activist Obang Metho in May 2012.
However It doesn’t surprising me after I watched the video posted on ESAT YouTube Hailemicheal Spoke with Teddy Fiker-American born Ethiopian Community Observer.
Alem
January 16, 2013 at 12:05 pm
Dear Ewnetu: It is good you brought up a case of a VOA journalist assigned to cover news on Ethiopia abusing his power. In a piece titled, Ethiopia’s New Prime Minister and the Challenges Ahead [VOA, October 8, 2012], and written by Sophia Gebrehiwot, a certain Solomon Ayele Dersso was presented as a political analyst but ended up misleading the public. I responded to the analysis in the comment section pointing out what the problem was and providing the facts as I saw them. You would think VOA would publish my side of the argument? Wrong. And so I contacted the appropriate office with my complaint. After nearly two weeks of correspondence I gave up because someone at VOA was blocking the publishing of my comments. Please allow me to print it here. You may want to take a look at Sophia’s article for comparison. Here is the piece:
BEGIN
I am struck why or how Sophia Gebrehiwot failed to catch Dr. Solomon’s misleading statements. The interview sounded like an apology for Ethiopian rulers. Sure, the premiership “has the power inherent in the job.” But the question is whether the current premier [Hailemariam] could, indeed, exercise power as did his predecessor Meles [who handpicked him to show the world the ruling minority is inclusive]. Let us remember, Hailemariam [with no training or experience in diplomacy] was assigned to head Ministry of Foreign Affairs with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Berhane GebreKristos running the show. Hailemariam’s other assignment as Deputy Prime Minister was no more than symbolic. Meles never planned to die in July 2012; the plan was for him to retire to his newly built villa on the palace grounds and from there rule as long as he lived [that is in addition to the 21 years, without public consent].
The parallel with Kenya is rather shallow and simplistic. Kenya is a presidential system. Moi was the founder in 1960 of Kenyan African Democratic Union [KADU] which later merged with the larger Kenyan African National Union [KANU] formed by Kenyatta. Moi served as Minister of Education and Home Affairs before becoming Vice-President [1967-1978] and President at Kenyatta’s death which he lost to the 2002 elections [Meles said he and his party will remain in power at all costs]. Moi was already very popular when he took over from Kenyatta; so popular was he that he was given the Swahili name Nyayo. The tribe he hailed from [Kalenjin] comprised 12% of the total population [Meles’ is about 5% of the total; hence, the widespread resentment].
What Mr. Solomon did not say and VOA journalist Sophia failed to enquire is Hailemariam’s statements after taking oath of office and in subsequent interviews [one by VOA’s own Peter Heinlein] that a/ it is going to be a collective leadership [guess what that could mean] b/ he will in no way veer from the correct path set by the late-“Great Leader” Meles. Another component to all this is that the core 9-member group of the TPLF [Tigray Liberation Front] still runs the show. In other words, we’re back to the status quo; TPLF leaders have a vested interest to keep it that way. The only change so far is that Abay Woldu has replaced Meles with Debretsion as his deputy. Obviously, one could argue that TPLF is just one of four parties that constitute EPRDF [Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front]. For starters, the three ethnic coalitions were put together and continuously purged over the years by TPLF and secondly, TPLF holds every key position in the military, in foreign affairs, in security, telecommunications [Internet access] and in the economic sector [including banking]. Now you know who really has power!
The elevation of Hailemariam to premiership is due mainly to pressure from Obama Administration and in-fighting within TPLF – Meles’ wife Azeb and Bereket on each side of the aisle. The fact that Azeb has not yet vacated the palace premises for the incoming Premier and First Lady says volumes about the state of politics in Ethiopia.
Here is the thing. Ethiopian government has managed through the years to use VOA to project a democratic front [pun intended] from the belly of the beast, so to speak. The action is reversed on the home front, however, in that VOA is jammed and VOA reporters jailed and sent packing [more recently, Heinlein and now Marthe Van Der Wolf]. Either way, American taxpayer is short-changed as Ethiopian audience is deprived of alternative information. Let us once again remember VOA is there “to promote freedom and democracy and to enhance understanding …” Why the State Department continues to prop-up undemocratic regimes is incongruent with the mission of VOA and why American public is served misleading information is simply unconscionable. END
zzsd
January 16, 2013 at 9:43 am
We Ethiopians are lucky with these human like devils. So,Henock is one of them. To my surprise,I greatly observed that why people having a name of,you know like” Henok Semaegzer” and the likes act as a devil contratry to thier name. Henok,in bible is a great name and this henok(the VOA) one took a sacred name but devilish deed. I can name many of them but their action is devilish.
God bless Ethiopia.