Africa is Awakening to Western Media’s Lies

November 21, 2021   

BY ADDISALEM MULAT

As always, the U.S and some inappropriate international media outlets have been perplexing the international community with fabricated stories. Their propagandas have shown no sign of slowing. To everyone’s dismay, the so-called international media outlets have continued to report fake news with a view to dismantling the country working in close collaboration with the terrorist TPLF group and its allies.

Notwithstanding the fact that Ethiopia has been pulling out all the stops to provide the international community with unvarnished truth surfacing all over the country, some international media outlets have been mystifying the international community with cooked-up.

Following the evil mission of the terrorist group and the hidden agenda of some westerners, quite a lot of African nations have been counteracting the coordinated camping against Ethiopia. They have been as well standing by the side of Ethiopia in countering the ongoing smear campaigns against Ethiopia coming up with a wide variety of information that in black and white demonstrate the ongoing reality on the ground.

To everyone’s dismay, the so-called international media outlets do not have the courage to reveal the whole truth going on in the northern part of Ethiopia. While deliberately accusing the federal government of committing, the media are turning a blind eye to the gruesome gang rape and other grave atrocities being committed by the terrorist group in Amhara and Afar states with impunity.

To the surprise of everyone, since the onset of the law enforcement operation that underwent in the Tigray State, the international media outlets have been showing a one-sided approach getting off journalistic ethics. Nothing makes them happier than standing by the side of their terrorist group and criticizing the government for lack of access.

In the ministry’s weekly press briefing Ambassador Dina Mufti, the spokesperson of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia said, “The BBC had misquoted the opinions of a retired U.S. Navy admiral who said, “Ethiopia’s Civil War is a Problem. The U.S. Troops Can Help Solve”. Two points have to be clear here:

First, the way the BBC reported this opinion boldly suggesting that the US has decided to send its troops to Ethiopia to solve the current problem is false. Although the BBC later changed its headline, we believe the story should not have been presented in a distorted way in the first place.

Second, although Ethiopia respects the opinion of the admiral, it should be underscored that we are capable of solving our problems through our own initiatives. We believe peaceful solutions from within, not due to External military interventions; will solve Ethiopia’s current challenges.

A Kenyan TV Show Owner Journalist Mumbi Seraki (Ph.D.) in her recent TV show dubbed ‘Wake up Africa’, Mumbi said that Ethiopia, a final frontier of Africa, is not going to fall, but the whole world is seeing how situations in Africa have been manipulated. “We are witnessing the invasion of Ethiopia by foreign forces. Ethiopia is in a narrative war happening by the propaganda of the western pressure as Africans haven’t their own narratives.”

She went on to note that foreign forces are working helping rebel groups to have divided states in the country. Ethiopia is like the final frontier of Africa and is not going to fall, but the whole world is now seeing how situations in Africa have been manipulated. They will try the same play. The situation in Ethiopia is not a civil war. This is something where people want to stop the progress of the country. The country will continue to face an onslaught until Africans get alternative narratives. Even if they push Ethiopia, they cannot stop its finance to finalize GERD as well as they couldn’t stop diplomatic ties as China, Russia, and other countries standing with it.

“Africans should put their petitions to the highest, the ancient ones sharing the correct and true narrative identifying those alternative sources. Without sharing what CNN and BBC are saying to help the enemy with a strategic plan to invade Ethiopia.”

What is happening to Ethiopia is connected to the whole of Africa because Africa has not been bowing down with the double big situation. Africans should be ready to try to stop the fabricated news by any means necessary. Foreign forces are aggressive with their propaganda and shameless points. This is how they invaded Iraq as well as Libya. Now, they are trying the same to Ethiopia as it has been standing so long and speak their own languages.

“All the pressures are linked with the Nile River and GERD. “The war that we’re seeing happening right now in Ethiopia is what trying to manifest is physically, but the Ethiopians are standing firm. There is so much information many are alleging to create the divided states funding the rebel groups.” She wrapped up.

Regarding International media outlets, Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta said he stopped watching Western news media outlets including CNN, Sky News, and BBC claiming he found their reports about Africa are always casting the continent in a negative light.

President Uhuru once stated that Western media have been mesmerized by the bad features of Africa. “Every single day, the Western media cover the negative aspects of Africa; as a result, they have contributed to the perception problem towards the continent.”

“We have a problem, a perception problem, unfortunately, created by the media. Every single day, it is the negative aspect of Africa that is brought out there,” he added.

“I keep telling people; you watch the news which I have stopped watching. Because you find Al-Jazeera, CNN, Sky News, whichever one you flip to.”

The President further pointed out that the Western media are reporting on African affairs while they are not on the spot; pretending as if they are at the right place and time for reporting. “This is really unacceptable and far apart from the concrete fact.”

“They are talking about something that has happened in Rwanda, in South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia,… my friends sometimes even as far away as Nigeria on the other side of the continent. And then, when the guy is signing off “this is Jon White reporting from Nairobi Kenya.”

“Everybody now, think in their mind, Nairobi Kenya is where Boko Haram moves on and thrives, as well as, where there is hunger and starvation because the reporter reporting from Nairobi. The story is forgotten… that is Nairobi Kenya.”

Uhuru urged the Western media to respect the fact that Africans are one, but they are unique in their respective countries.

‘We Are Watching’ in Swahili slang means “Our goal is to educate, inform and entertain you all about the real Africa while showing the World that Africa is Watching,” he remarked.

In a similar manner, Prof. Jan Abbink Leiden University Politics and Governance in an article published in South Africa’s news website titled ‘Business Day’ recently said that too many are letting the TPLF get off scot-free and accuse only the federal government of wrongdoing instead of a reasoned evaluation of the facts on the ground. “The sad success of this campaign is TPLF propaganda has been repeated as truth by global media and is driving policy responses.”

The scholar further pointed out that supporting and condoning TPLF, a radical element that has brought mayhem and instability to Ethiopia and the wider region is unproductive and politically and morally questionable.

The U.S., EU, and other ‘concerned’ parties, including global media, would do well to restore balance and change course in their policy towards Ethiopia, including getting fuller evidence of all relevant facts on the ground. This shift must start with an appreciation from the international community, including the Western donor countries and the UN that one cannot work with the TPLF as a “political partner.

While on the subject Gabreil Christian, Juris Doctor in his video message said that some unethical and irresponsible western media have recurrently defamed Ethiopia—a symbol of Africa-by presenting distorted narratives and opening floodgates of lies to undermine a legitimate government.

He went on to note that since Ethiopia is one of the greatest nations aging over three thousand years and three wise men one of whom was from Abyssinia cited in Bible and a symbol of African victory, rich in history and a role model of the fight against colonialism, it should not be attacked by biased media narratives thereby undermining its legitimate government currently headed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (Ph.D.)

“Today, Ethiopia is in peril as the West has been giving support to rebel groups either directly or indirectly against the genuine decision of Ethiopians via electing a democratic government led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, which is who recognized by the African Union, the United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, and all other major powers.”

“Why have the US and the west have been exerting constant effort to challenge a government in Ethiopia and try to weigh some degree of parity for rebel or tribal forces with the democratically elected government?”

The victory and unity of Ethiopia are that of the entire Africa. Therefore, Africans at home and abroad have to rush to Ethiopia to help it be victorious over its internal and external enemies. If Ethiopia is defeated, it will just be one more failed state like Syria, Afghanistan, and Libya.

The Ethiopian Herald November 21/2021