FDRE Constitution Article 29 has granted Nation Nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia the right of thought, opinion and expression. But, the Constitution has also put limitation that any citizen who violates the legal framework on the exercising these rights will be liable.
Following the reform measures taken by the government, citizens have already started to practice their human and democratic rights freely. However, deliberately or indeliberately, this freedom is being abused by the majority. This is particularly true of the right of expressing one’s thought. Using social media as a means, majority are disseminating hate speeches. Scholars agree that, dissemination of fake news and hate speech is only restricted at social media. Mainstream media are also becoming instruments.
As the issue becoming a matter of concern for government and society, the Federal Attorney General has prepared a draft bill which will helps to fight dissemination of false information and hate speech. This draft is expected to be approved by House of Peoples Representative. But, the question is to what extent the law will ensure peace, stability and unity? This has become the concern of some individuals. Using as a ground The Ethiopian Herald had moments with scholars.
Amanuel Gebiru is an Associate Professor of Journalism and Communication at AAU. He said, drafting the bill is important by itself. Implementation of the law will have a deterrence effect. It will prevent people from going beyond their limit.
As to him, the digital technology is a major catalyst behind the instability but it is not a major cause for violence. There are other factors to ethnic clash and other related disorders.
“ The root causes behind the violence and instabilities are others. Both social media and other mainstream media are only serving as instruments.”
Amanuel agrees that this is an era where everyone has became prisoner of his own cellphone. The technology has controlled our mind and most people react without knowing the impact of their speech.
“Hence, the law framework is a better alternative to sustain peace and it should have a regulatory framework including how we communicate with others.”
Some years ago, there was some kind of attempts to regulate blogs and other websites that had an adverse effect on the peace and stability of the nation. Attempts are made to block them but it was not effective that much.
He added, controlling the technology and media could not be the ultimate solution. It is the legal measures that will have potential to curb the problem. Thus, if the law is practical it could have a positive impact on the peace and stability of the nation.
The Attorney General drafted bill could hold accountable individuals engaged in disseminating digital hate and fake news, if found doing so they will be punished for their misdeeds. It is punishable with jail and/or fines money.
Axum University, Political Science and International Relation Lecturer, Kahisay Gebirehiwot on his part said that the drafted bill has a key role to the nation. Freedom has its own limitation. It should go with countries situation. In this respect, the drafted bill is timely.
“We should learn a lot from the experience of others. Countries that were victims of genocide have lost their citizens due to hate speech. If we could not curb it at early stage it has a devastating impact within short period. In this respect, the drafted law will have a positive impact to sustain peace.”
He also said that it is not only social media that are serving hate speech, mainstreams media has also its own share in fermenting hate speech. In this regard, the drafted law has to be applied.
The Ethiopian Herald April 14 2019
BY GENET FEKADE
