BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
“The basic challenge of the war that we are involved currently is not the bullet; but fabricated news and misinformation,” said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently while talking the destructive effects of fake news and lies.
True, misinformation and disinformation that are disseminated simply and irresponsibly can yield undesirable effect,bring about counterproductive outcome and create chaos.
These days, several irresponsible media houses have continued deliberately spreading distorted information and lies about Ethiopia to frustrate Ethiopians, scared members of international community residing in the capital and create wrong assumption in the eyes of the global community as if the country is in more dire situations.
The recent fake news, which has been circulating on various media and stated ‘the siege of areas surrounding Addis Ababa by the terrorist TPLF and Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)Shene factions,is the one.
This fabricated news has surprised and angered many Ethiopians and foreigners.It has also left bared the wave-like disinformation campaign that was plotted by some entities against Ethiopia; but in support of the terrorist group.
However, as the old adage goes “Fake news has a short lifespan,” all the misinformation and disinformation have melted and evaporated quickly as truth speaks and reveals itself at the end of the day.
HermelaAregawi,Ethio-American Journalist, utters as she is tired of the biased reports coming out of global media houses. Most of the news they are producing about the current situation in Ethiopia are biased, unbalanced, and fake. After learning the 24/7 horrendous tasks of those media houses, she called on the people of the U.S. to carefully examine the global media including CNN, New York Times, and AP biased reports of Ethiopia’s conflict.
The international media compromise journalism ethics while covering the current situations of Ethiopia and their accounts cannot be regarded as news reports, but propaganda messages, she told the Breakthrough News (BT). The Western media deliberately shun the fact that TPLF does actually start the war.
It is evident that a large number of civilian communities in the northern part of Ethiopia are immensely affected by TPLF’s belligerence and the corporate media have given little attention to this fact.
The media have also overlooked Prime Minister Abiy leadership’s tierless efforts to invite the terrorist TPLFto the round table for discussion instead of going in the direction of war.
“The U.S. is going with their own old partner. The faction was America’s trusted ally from 1991 to 2018 and I can’t necessarily speak to specifics on that but clearly, there is an alliance, a beneficial alliance for those two groups but that benefit does not necessarily trickle down to Ethiopian people during those years”.
AlemuAytegeb, is an Ethiopian origin, but Israeli citizen. Currently, he is here in Ethiopia along with his comrade, DerejeKokefor humanitarian workfor displaced people through a non-governmental organization Ethio-Israel Black Lion Global Unit. As he witnessed the reality in the ground, the report spread about the capital is totally untrue and aim at destabilizing the country.
Speaking to ENA, Alemu said that reports of some Western media, including CNN and BBC, regarding the situation in Ethiopia are full of lies and do not exist on the ground.
He said that he was very surprisedand annoyed by the report that CNN has produced a few days ago. It had broadcast asif the rebel forces have reached the outskirts of Addis Ababa.
But “there is nothing in Adama and Bishoftu cities; that aresituated some 100 kilometersfar away fromthe capital, Addis Ababa. What I want to tell CNN, BBC journalists is that I am listening to them every minute. All the Western media, including them, are unfortunately disseminating lies to the world. The people of the world have to get real information. It is their right to know the truth.”
He further stated that hundreds of thousands have been displaced due to the invasion of the terrorist TPLF group on Amhara and Afar States.
There are about 360,000 displaced persons living in DebarqTown of North Gondar Zone of AmharaState alone, Alemu revealed, adding that many people were killed and farms burned down by the invading TPLF terrorist group.
“People located at the borders between Amhara and Tigray states have been terribly affected. I have never seen incidents of such kind in any war. Even cows are killed. Many people are massacred, kicked out from their houses; their farmlands have been set on fire. And I have never seen such a war. All these inhuman atrocities are committed by the terrorist TPLF. This is the truth on the ground,” the Israeli elaborated.
The other Israeli of Ethiopian origin, Dereje Kuke said on his part that the reports of some Western media regarding the situation in Ethiopia are biased.
The international community including Ethiopians living abroad should not be misled by the disinformation campaign being carried out by some international media such as CNN and BBC, he noted.
Mentioning his visit to Ethiopia, Dereje said he has observed that many people have been victimized and displaced because of the invasion of the terrorist group.
“I want to convey my message to the international community to stretch their hands to people in need in Ethiopia since there are many displaced persons looking for humanitarian assistance,” he said.
The non-governmental organization Ethio-Israel Black Lion Global Unit has been mobilizing resources from Israel for humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Herald November 13/2021
