BY SOLOMON DIBABA
The news that The Economist published on its magazine on the 23rd of January regarding Ethiopia’s intention to use hunger as a weapon is not only false but a deliberate fabrication by the magazine to misrepresent the peoples and government of Ethiopia and to misinform the world. The world knows otherwise.
I would like to ask the editors of The Economist a simple question. From where did they get the notion or the information that Ethiopia appears to be wielding hunger as a weapon? If this is at all newsworthy, it should be sourced primarily because the most elementary requirement for news is that it should be sourced.
An international magazine like The Economist known for its news analysis and balanced views on major global and regional issues cannot base its news on impressions that are far from the truth on unverified information. As a senior journalist serving in the profession for over two decades, I understand that there is a great difference between impressions and facts.
I still feel and see that The Economist is a great magazine with no doubt but what I did not understand is why they fell prey to falsehood and lose their readership in Ethiopia and Africa at large.
Thinking and writing on false assertions that Ethiopia could use hunger to punish ant group of citizens depicts the total ignorance of the editors of The Economist on the history of this country and their blind folded and amateurish way of politicizing the issues of temporary shortage of food in Tigray triggered by the TPLF’s vandalistic atrocities waged on its own people.
The elementary ethical and professional standards in news writing demands knowing the content of the fact on the ground, fact-checking and verifying the facts for credibility and impartiality. On this particular issue of Ethiopia’s intention to use hunger as a tool for submission of citizens who were utterly mistreated under TPLF, The Economist not only lacked facts but confused impressions and opinions with hard verifiable facts.
Let us look into the next paragraph of The Economist’s distorted view of the reality in Tigray.
“Once again it looks as if hunger is being used as a weapon in Africa’s most populous nation. And once again the scene of the horror is in Tigray. Since fighting broke out in November, between federal forces and those of Tigray’s rebellious former ruling party, perhaps 2mln. out of 6mln. Tigrayans are thought to have fled their homes. Many could now starve because the government has let so little food into the region.”
The entire content of the news never mentions how the government is using hunger as a weapon. The false claim that the government has let so little food into the region is totally false and out of scope. The real facts on the ground are entirely different. Let us look at this news that The Economist managers I hope have seen and read.
Addis Ababa December 10/2020 (ENA) The National Disaster Risk Management Commission said it has been providing relief food and material support for persons in need of assistance in Tigray Regional State.
National Disaster Risk Management Commissioner, Mitiku Kassa told ENA that materials are being transported to be distributed to needy compatriots that fell victim to the man-made disaster in the regional state.
According to him, food and other items have transported by 44 heavy trucks have arrived in Shire town yesterday. The commission is reportedly making preparations to distribute the aid.
Similarly, the relief assistance dispatched to Alamata town five days ago has reached its destination and is being distributed.
Moreover, since the assistance dispatched to Mekelle with 30 heavy trucks has arrived distribution will start soon.
The commissioner also said 7,000 quintals of flour relief food being loaded on trucks at Adama city today would be dispatched to the region.
In addition, 15,000 metric tons of grain has been readied for delivery, it was learned.
The relief assistance, which includes rice, flour and food-related materials, is fully supplied by the government, Mitiku noted.
It is to be recalled that the government earlier announced that it could provide adequate supply to respond to citizens who need assistance following the law enforcement operation in the region.
However and to the contrary, the economist claims that only little food has entered Tigray.
In related news, the Ministry of Health has reported that it has dispatched medicaments and other health-related supplies worth more than 70 million Birr to be used in hospitals and all health facilities across the region. It is to be noted that TPLF has looted and destroyed major health facilities in the region, factories, schools, Mekelle Airport, major bridges connecting districts, electric power grids and telecommunication systems. The Economist failed to report on this reality that is on the ground and visible.
By all standards, the government of Ethiopia is under constitutional obligation to not only ensure the rule of law in the country including in Tigray but also to nourish citizens who are in need of food at the event of any disaster similar to what the TPLF has conducted in Tigray.
Apart from the massive relief program that the government is conducting in Tigray, international NGOs, religious organizations, and the UN Systems are busy in the region in
providing multifaceted support for the needy population in the region. The government of Ethiopia is conducting three interlocking programs that are of urgent priority in Tigray. Relief and Rehabilitation, support for the regional government and reopening of institutes of higher learning in the region.
The Economist is clearly aware of these positive developments in the region but deny the objective truth on the ground. No government or international organization is as close as the peoples and government of Ethiopia to the peoples of Tigray who need peace, development and better and quality services. Who stood against all this? I will leave it to The Economist to answer.
Tigray is one of the sources of Ethiopian history and civilization. Thousands of youth have sacrificed their lives for the promotion of democracy and good governance in this country. TPLF rebels as Economist called them are already irrelevant.
Certainly, not everyone is happy for the promotion of the rule of law and peace in Tigray. Indeed, the remnants of the tyrants and their followers will not leave any stone unturned to reverse the course of reform and democracy in Ethiopia. However, this is already impossible.
Ethiopia has responsible leaders who are grappling with a myriad of conspiracy theories hatched upon the country. They are on the right course to seeing to it that the country attains a sustained peace and development. It is a high time that the leadership of The Economist would be able to discern the rhetoric from reality and third-degree sensational news from verifiable ones.
On the other hand, the people of Tigray are kith and kin to the rest of Ethiopia. Any slip of the tongue or bad language and analysis cannot reverse this strong historical tie. The peoples and government of Ethiopia deserve respect and cannot be intimidated by The Economist’s yellow journalism.
The Ethiopian Herald January 27/2021
