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Addis Ababa (AFP)
Jawar Mohammed, the Ethiopian media mogul turned opposition politician facing trial on terrorism charges, is no stranger to fighting with the government.
When a protest movement emerged in his home region of Oromia five years ago, Jawar used his Oromia Media Network (OMN) to help him grow, prompting prosecutors in 2017 to accuse him of plotting a coup.
The protests led to the fall of the previous government and the appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who, like Jawar, is a member of the Oromo ethnic group, the largest in Ethiopia.
The charges against Jawar, who was quick to claim credit for Abiy’s rise, were then dropped, and the men were seen as natural allies.
But less than three years after Abiy’s tenure, the relationship has soured.
Jawar faces trial today on charges of terrorism, incitement to violence, a firearms crime and telecommunications fraud.
The dramatic change in their fortunes reflects the turbulence of Ethiopian politics and the complex ties between Abiy and other prominent Oromos.
As Ethiopia prepares for next year’s elections, Jawar’s trial could shape public perception of Abiy’s commitment to democratic change.
Unless prosecutors present strong evidence against Jawar, his supporters are likely to view a possible conviction as proof that the courts are pursuing “politicized” cases, said William Davison, senior analyst at International Crisis Group.
“This will make it very difficult for the authorities to hold a successful election next year that is considered fair by all major players and constituencies, so the vote will not be the historic democratic moment that was expected,” Davison said. .
– Oromo ‘microphone’ –
The protests that began in 2015 were inspired by a government plan to expand the administrative boundaries of the capital Addis Ababa around Oromia, a proposal seen by many Oromos as a blatant land grab.
Jawar, a stocky 34-year-old with a high-pitched voice and goatee, turned to the OMN’s reach to coordinate protests against the ruling coalition that had been in charge since 1991.
The target was the powerful Tigrayan faction of the coalition which they accused of crushing dissent and marginalizing Oromos.
OMN is a television and web-based outlet that is particularly influential on Facebook, where it has a million and a half followers.
The network became a platform for protest organizers, who urged large crowds to attend.
Living in exile in the United States, Jawar himself kept Ethiopian schedules, staying up all night to share photos and updates on the demonstrations.
He positioned himself as a self-described “microphone” for the young Oromo, but his prominence earned him powerful enemies.
Commentators accused him of inciting violence against Tigrayans and other ethnic groups, while plainclothes police officers roamed Oromia neighborhoods and arrested people simply for watching OMN.
In the United States, Jawar said Ethiopian agents rented offices adjacent to his in Minneapolis, blasting music to interrupt his recordings.
– Fighting with Abiy –
Returning to Ethiopia after Abiy took office, Jawar initially spoke of transforming OMN into an independent media outlet inspired by the BBC.
But within a year he was openly at odds with the prime minister.
Like other high-profile Oromo nationalists, he accused Abiy of being a poor defender of the interests of the ethnic group and, more recently, of behaving like a dictator.
The dispute escalated into violence last October when Jawar, who is under close surveillance by armed guards when in Ethiopia, accused the Abiy government of trying to eliminate his security detachment and orchestrate an attack against him.
The complaint sparked anti-Abiy protests in Addis Ababa that escalated into inter-ethnic violence and left dozens dead across Oromia.
The following month, Jawar announced that he would be a candidate in the next election and joined the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress.
– ‘Ready to die’ –
The current charges against Jawar relate to the violence that erupted after the June shooting death of Hachalu Hundessa, a popular Oromo singer who gave voice to Oromo sentiments of political and economic marginalization.
In the days following Hachalu’s assassination on June 29, up to 239 people died in inter-ethnic violence and clashes with soldiers and police.
Although the charges against Jawar have yet to be read in court, his lawyer told AFP that they appear to be related to a fight over Hachalu’s body that resulted in the death of a police officer.
Jawar was one of more than 9,000 people caught in mass arrests that have fueled criticism that Abiy, the winner of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, is taking advantage of the unrest to silence opponents and political critics.
This week in court he denounced the case as part of a plot by Abiy to lock up his rivals instead of facing them at the polls.
“The public knows what is really happening. You cannot fool the public,” he told the court, according to his lawyer.
“I am willing to die for my people,” he added. “I am more than willing to die for my people.”
© 2020 AFP
