Message from Ethiopian Airlines to Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

The following message was sent to Business & Human Rights Resource Centre by Ethiopian Airlines, in response to an article linked to from the Resource Centre website entitled: “Ethiopian Airlines - The Purse of Ethiopia's Dictatorship”, Mathaba.Net, 20 June 2007: http://mathaba.net/news/?x=556052

The Resource Centre had posted a link to that article, with a link to the Ethiopian Airlines website alongside.

26 July 2007

Dear Sirs;

Greetings!

This refers to a defaming article linked to your website originally posted by Mathaba News Agency titled “Ethiopian Airlines – The Purse of Ethiopia’s Dictatorship”, dated June 20, 2007. We were utterly surprised and very disappointed to see your organization Business & Human Rights Resource Centre to have the article, which is factually incorrect and far from reality, linked to your website without bothering to ascertain whether the contents were based on facts or not.

The article was written by individuals with a deliberate and very malicious intent to tarnish the image of Ethiopian Airlines.

Ethiopian Airlines is one of the fastest growing African airlines widely acclaimed for its dependable services, providing employment to 4700 Ethiopians. It is the pride not only of Ethiopians but of Africans as well. Yes, Ethiopian Airlines is 100% government owned but contrary to what has been stated by the article, Ethiopian Airlines enjoys complete autonomy in its management as a viable business entity. The airline reinvests all of its profit in the expansion of its operations to enable it remain strong in a highly competitive market.

The amount stated as the airlines’ executive salary is so far removed from the reality that it makes the intent of the article clear – an intent calculated to damage Ethiopian Airlines’ reputation and good image. Let alone the monthly salary to be as stated, the yearly total of the highest paid salary would not be a fraction of the stated amount.

We, at Ethiopian strongly object to the article. We believe that linking your website to the malicious, factually incorrect article will place your credibility in question. We strongly request you to post our response in your website.

Sincerely, Manager PR and Publications Ethiopian Airlines