THE ETHIOPIAN WMD

Ezana Sehay 09-15-2021

It has become hard to keep track of all the developments in the frenzied circus of tome foolery and gutter politics that is the Ethiopian government. But one thing is certain, it has become an embarrassing mess, a degrading and degraded spectacle, driven by rivers of frantic speculations, feeding on fake news, conspiracy theories, and hyper-tribal narratives, and ultimately powered by self-serving certitude of the side that has lost civil and political legitimacy.

In this amphitheatre, the main play has become information: dissemination of misinformation and disinformation -- that is. The modus operandi: fake news. In fact, it is safe to presume that Abiy Ahmed’s Ethiopia is the first [hopefully the only] country that has granted legitimacy to fake news.

They say we are living in a post-truth world, where all facts are open to interpretation, spin, and doubt – thus we are living in a “post-trust” world! Experts concur these are exacerbated by the fake news phenomenon.

The issue of fake news, news that is not true, was brought to the fore front of global attention circa 2016, during and after the US presidential election. But for Ethiopians that was old news, as their political life has been preoccupied with the phenomenon and its effects for years, thanks to the anti-EPRDF media the likes of ESAT [ Ethiopia Satellite Television] and VOA [ Amharic language division].

Fake news is of two kinds. The first kind does not intend to be true, but serves the purpose of satire, or comedy, and sometimes malice. The later is serious matter, as the multiple prohibitions on fraud, slander, and other forms of deceit testify.

The second kind of fake news presents itself as reality, but is – or at least, is claimed to be by others – false. This latter is deleterious of common life, for such can not be built on foundation that is suspected to be fraudulent.

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The Ethiopian media news [almost all of it fake] if definitely not satire – rather it is malice, venal, and spiced up with delusion.

To put it in its perspective, the news one sees or hears on the Ethiopian government media and affiliated outlets (hired web media) is straight fake news or fabrications masquerading as facts – thus trading accuracy for cheap propaganda.

The star of this shenanigan is none other than the Prime (crime) Minister, Colonel Abiy Ahmed – The Weapon of Mass Deception.

We all are aware of Abiy’s pathology to lying. But with the coaching of the cabal surrounding himself with, he has raised up the ante, especially since his colossal defeat as a result of his misadventure in Tigray. Abiy and his cabal are well aware of… in developing societies like Ethiopia, lying works, albeit for a short while.

Furthermore, Abiy now believes the bigger the lie, the more likely to be believed. So, his governments motto has become – when all else fails, just lie. Make it up as you go along.

His government’s approach to news is therefore: fake it till – you – make it happen, hence, everyday it brings a doze fresh and more inventive lies.

They say if one keeps throwing mud on to the wall, some of it might stick, but most of it will fall. But, to the contrary, Abiy’s and members of his clique’s relentless dispersion of fake news about everything in general, but Tigray in particular seem to have no negative consequence for the government.

Based on the above observation, one is led to raise the relevant inquiry: Are the Ethiopian people such gullible or plain stupid? You be the judge.

Tigray prevails!