Ethiopian Folk Tour Called a ‘Traveling Prison’

The recently defected artistic director of an Ethiopian folkloric group that failed to appear for two weekend performances in Burbank described the troupe’s good-will tour as “a traveling prison” and was at a loss Sunday to explain the whereabouts of his former colleagues.

Tesfaye Lemma, 41, a composer, lyricist and choreographer, was one of four performers to defect to the United States after shows in March and April in Washington. Lemma had come to Los Angeles last week to meet with troupe members scheduled to appear Friday and Saturday at Burbank’s Starlight Amphitheatre.

But the 56-member group, Adei Abeba Folklore Ensemble, never showed up.

Police were forced to turn away about 2,000 concert-goers Friday night, predominantly Ethiopian immigrants who had come from as far away as Oregon and San Diego. Show producer Laurie Scott said Sunday that the group’s whereabouts “is still a mystery” and the Ethiopian government officials who organized the good-will tour had not contacted her.

The group, whose members are among the most popular Ethiopian entertainers, was supposed to fly to Los Angeles from Canada. Los Angeles was to have been their last tour performance.

Scott said she intends to contact Ethiopian consulates in New York and Washington today.

The worldwide tour, with performances in the United States, Europe, Cuba and Mexico, was designed as a public relations effort by the Ethiopian government to thank Americans and others for their humanitarian gestures to the victims of the Ethiopian famine.

Lemma, however, said the troupe members were under strict guard because government officials feared defections. Ethiopia is ruled by a one-party, Marxist-Leninist system.

Could Not Leave Hotel

While on tour, Lemma said, he saw controls become “more and more strict.” Group members were not allowed to leave their hotel or meet with American friends.

“They are in a traveling prison,” Lemma said. “That’s not the way to handle artists who have to feel free.”

He said he defected, leaving behind his wife and three children, to seek artistic freedom after being imprisoned twice for writing what the government found to be counterrevolutionary lyrics and for demonstrating for artistic freedom. Lemma said he slipped out of his Washington hotel before dawn on April 9 and hid at a friend’s house.

He said he has applied for political asylum with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. He said he will return to Washington, where he hopes to form his own folkloric ensemble.