
ADDIS ABABA – New Africa Institute indicated through its evidence based analysis that much of the reporting of crimes in Tigray State of Ethiopia go devoid of evidence and context as they have sensationalized situations. The media, non-governmental organizations and Western governments have forwarded a number of allegations of crimes upon the people of Tigray which is far from evidence. New Africa Institute has indicated the
conflict in the Tigray region is resulted from an irredentist, ethnic secessionist war led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) against the multiethnic federal government. “Allegations against Ethiopia and Eritrea have proven sensational and racist with savage-like portrayals of Eritreans and Ethiopians that draw on old colonial troops of Africans. Eritrea has served as the primary scapegoat,” it stated.
According to Institute’s report, there has been an explosion of disinformation in the mainstream and social media since the commencement of hostilities. “Although the conflict officially started on November 4, 2020 after TPLF attacked the federal government’s Northern Command based in Tigray, this showdown had been brewing for decades,” the Institute mentioned.
New African Institute has assessed the nature of and problems with Western media’s overall coverage of the Tigray conflict and it has provided analysis of the actions by Western governments and likely consequences of those actions to encourage better policy decisions in the Horn of Africa moving forward.
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
The Ethiopian Herald may 11/2021