Look you can throw journalistic integrity out the window. Those of us who for long entrained the illusion that global big names in the media are equally strong when it comes to fact and fairness are learning the hard way that’s not the case. Did you say ‘fact?’ What do you mean by fact? After all fact these days is subjective. It boils down to the question “Is it profitable?” Eyes are not on the uplifting of truth but on some global stock exchanges where the value of shares rise and tumble by the minute! It’s about more about who owns those giant media institutions not about who runs them.
We might see it betrayal of truth and fairness; we might see it as so blasphemous outrage against journalistic principles; we might see it as had it not been for something going wrong in the workings of the machinery they couldn’t have been so arrogantly ignorant of the realities on the ground.
Over the past year or so we have seen I elections being held in countries which consider themselves as ‘Big Daddies’ to us in this corner of the r world. We have seen the conduit of their politicians who are fond of wagging that abnormally long sanction finger at us whenever they feel like. We’ve watched the process which put them on the top floor and haven’t been impressed.
Why haven’t we been impressed? Well, why should we? We couldn’t filter out any process that could we can take on. They try to tell us the A, B, C of real democracy. Had it been several years back we could have been all ears. But that is not the case. As an Amharic pun has it “No one ploughs the land with yesterday’s oxen.” Yes we are not looking at the world with all the misconceptions and misguided information we’ve been filled with for ages. We now watch, watch and ask; ask and get the unadulterated answers. That’s how it goes.
So when it comes to the behavior of much of the global media about what is going back here most of us weren’t alarmed. There were no “Oh, no! They couldn’t do these to us unless some sections have misguided them?” We couldn’t be that nice! Not with all the info we are armed with these days! If there was any misguidance they willingly did it to themselves.
If you are misguided you learn your lesson once the truth catches up with you and you pull yourself up from the edge of the cliff. They don’t seem to be anywhere to doing that! Why should they? There was no mistake on their part as they were working for the interests of certain groups with eyes on the, what else, the Mighty Dollar!
“Does this news sell or doesn’t it? If does how is the better way of representing it so that our ratings go high?” “Well, I think the facts we’ve gathered might not be that much marketable.”
“Then create your own marketable facts on the issue!” And deep inside ‘big boss’ says, ‘How did such a nut end up in my editorial meeting! Somebody should tell him my shareholders aren’t worried about the facts but the money!’
So when Ethiopia bashing turns into a favorite sport what we think of is the ‘trail of the money.’ There is the story of this village lady. Her tongue is so venomous and her insults and verbal abuses so horrendous the entire village was scared of her. So, some people approach her, give her some money and send her to insult and verbally abuse some person or family.
When she does the job she makes sure there are a lot of people around. That’s what’s happening in many sections of the global media. Maybe not always on institutional levels, but through their ‘international correspondents’ and their ‘experts’ who never came within a thousand kilometers of our country and still are sought after experts! Hilarious! We’ve reasons when we say it is about ‘the trail of the money!’
Speaking of betrayals many of us feel betrayed by some sections of the global community. No need naming names. But the silence is so deafening one can’t help wondering why they don’t think “if we don’t say something about it now, if we don’t fall I by the die of justice, fairness and humanity tomorrow it’ll be our turn to feel the heat. It’ll be us in the firing line and the insensitive world will throw is to the wolves.” because that’s what is happening now; they are trying to throw us to the wolves and the hungry wolves circling us to come rushing in for the kill. The numbers are there, the historical facts are there, from where the g aggressor rhetoric comes it is clear for everyone; and few have the courage to stand up and say “This is not only right’ it is inhumane.
Now this is not about grievances; it’s not about anger for being thrown under the bus. The times when nice words and broad smiling faces duped us are over. The when shout “Hip hip hurray!” for actors on the diplomatic circle are over. Don’t tell us you want the development and progress of our country when you’re doing exactly the opposite, denying us the opportunity to develop and progress.
Don’t tell us you would want to see our country feed itself when you are denying us our natural right just to do that! Don’t tell us you are concerned about the peace and stability of the region when you’re wrecking in your billions of dollars selling the arms to sides which could destabilize the entire reasons.
Don’t tell us about historic relationships when, truth be told, we’ve many stories of being sold down the river by you in the most pressing times when we needed the support of real friends. We’ve stories of being abandoned and left at the mercy of those who came to hurt us. We fought in Korea, we fought in the Congo, and our soldiers are presently all over disturbed place laying their lives on the line to ensure global peace and stability.
And what do we get! indifference by the very sections of the global community on whose appeal we sent our soldiers to paces where many wouldn’t venture. We are called to ensure the peace and stability of places torn by instability and when we try to ensure our peace and stability those very sections shout foul! Now don’t tell me this has anything to do with fairness! It’s all about ‘the trail of the money!’
Ephrem Endale Contributer
The Ethiopian Herald May 9/2021