Continuing their unwar ranted pressure against Ethiopia, some western countries and their propaganda machines are going low by waging an open misinformation campaign against the country. The new wave of misinformation campaigns is aimed at lionizing the terrorist group and belittling the Ethiopian government. Since last week, some countries have begun doubling down their pressure by issuing untrue yet disturbing travel warnings with some countries urging their citizens to leave Ethiopia immediately. Yet, the current situation in the country paints an opposite picture.
As the west has been bombarding the world with overblown travel advisories, Ethiopian have taken to the street to show their solidarity to the democratically elected government and denounce the terrorist TPLF and Shene groups. The demonstrations that brought millions together across the nation were concluded peacefully. This incident negates the information that was being echoed by some biased global outlets.
There is no denying that western countries have been putting pressure on Ethiopia bringing into play a wide variety of fabricated stories working in close collaboration with some media outlets targeting at twisting its arms and making their hidden agenda become a reality. However, through the concerted efforts of Ethiopians, the western powers failed to materialize their dream.
Notwithstanding the fact that westerners know the unvarnished truth going on across the country like the palm of their hands, they continue to keep taking side with the terrorist’s agenda. In the present climate, some media outlets are turning out to be a real pain in the neck for Ethiopia coming up with scores of fabricated stories.
By the same token, some countries have been working in close association with internal adversaries of the country with the purpose of dismantling the country like that of Syria, Libya, Somalia, and more of the same. Needless to say, attaining the sought-after goal is easier said than done.
In an act of mounting pressure, recently some countries and the UN made inflammatory announcements that would further add mayhem in the present circumstances of the nation. For the sake of truth, some travel warnings issued by embassies based in Ethiopia do not at all reflect the existing situation of the country. The statement in black and white demonstrates the hidden agenda of the westerners.
In actual fact, apart from admitting the fact that it is getting off track, the international community should make every effort to familiarize itself with the exiting reality on the ground. Following the statement, all and sundry were taken by surprise in view of the fact that it does not reflect the honest truth going on across the country.
Regarding the case, Ugandan Journalist Daniel Lutaaya tweeted that “ watching CNN, and other international media before my flight, I thought I was going to a war zone. Was in Addis yesterday, In Adama now but there is nothing, No bullets, No tension, bars are open, No roadblocks. There is actually more Military presence in Kampala than in Addis Ababa.”
As Ethiopians have been fighting the terrorist TPLF that have been making every effort to dismantle the country working closely allied to westerners, the international community should be able to stand by the side of the government instead of adding fuel to the fire.
Though the international community knows the fact that the terrorist group has been working day and night to destabilize the peace and tranquility of the nation and the Horn of Africa, they have been calculatingly turning a blind eye and giving the cold shoulder to the honest truth.
Foreign nationals should not be disturbed based on cooked-up stories that have been disseminated all over the world by western media outlets to perplex the international community and partaking in a smear campaign against Ethiopia.
As long as Ethiopia has the capacity of handling its internal matters without the help of a third party, foreign nationals residing in the country should not be disturbed by the propaganda of the western media outlets. While on the subject, instead of fixing untraced foreign policies, the international community is replicating smear campaigns against the country targeting at inflicting more harm by coming up with a wide spectrum of statements which are full of evil deeds.
In an interview with local media Prof. Lawrence Freeman, a political economic analyst for Africa said, “The U.S. is going to increase the pressure on Ethiopian government to declare a ceasefire and negotiate with the TPLF. “The removal from AGOA trade relations would be another severe attack on the very people of Ethiopia. The U.S. under the presidency of Joe Biden is losing its influence in the Horn of Africa. If it loses its longtime ally Ethiopia by turning it into an enemy this would make the U.S. irrelevant in a larger part of Africa.”
He went on noting that President Biden is not well informed and his advisors like Antony Blinken, Samantha Power, Susan Rice and others want to impose their dictatorship of democracy on Africa and Ethiopia. However, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has refused to go along and is pushing a different direction for the development of Ethiopia not beholden to the west.
“There are forces in the U.S. and around the world. I would call it a political oligarchy who would like to see Ethiopia dismembered and they are even willing to see the entire horn of Africa destroyed,” he added.
In a related move, speaking to local media a well-known political activist Zelalem Tessema regarding the issue said Western media have been shifting the intensified misinformation campaign against the current Ethiopian government to a deliberate and systematic information warfare with a view to altering the power balance advantageous to the terrorist TPLF clique.
“The corporate media have been hugely engaged in a systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the criminal faction,” he added.
He further said that western media have made intense efforts to influence and mislead the public perception and harm their trust on the government and their reports largely include bias to promote the TPLF’s perspective. “The intent of this escalated information war is to push government officials to flee, disarm the national army and terrorize foreigners residing in Ethiopia to leave the country.”
“Besides the financial, diplomatic and political support to the rebellious group, the main objective of some Western powers is demoralizing Ethiopians who are dare to sacrifice their lives to fend off TPLF’s belligerence thereby crafting a state collapse.”
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD NOVEMBER 9/2021
