By Ezana Sehay, 05/27/09
Generations of Ethiopians have held
out the prospect of our country regain its past glory. This vision has been the
holy grail of our people. Now, the time we have been waiting for almost half a
century has come. Our country has become one of the world’s important nations –
Relatively free, peace full and stable. And our people have recognized the long
distant is now current event.
There are three reasons that
explain the rise of Ethiopia:
First, The steady double-digit economic
growth and its immense natural resources.
Second, The evaporation of years of
threat of separation and balkanization.
Third, Ethiopia has acquired the
geo-political strength and moral civility to play a more ambitiously benign
role on the world stage.
This being the reality, one
wouldn’t find such facts in the opposition media outlets (websites).
Considering that we now have greater access to information at any time in human
history, it is truly extraordinary how these websites are trying to make the
Diaspora ignorant and gullible by distorting news and facts. The Internet was
meant to fill the gap and plug the hole of peoples desire for information. But
the medium that is supposed to bring us understanding has made matters worse.
The reason is in my opinion is – in the cyber virtual reality there is no
accountability or moral discretion. And so our opposition media outlets are
practicing “yellow journalism” where in websites cheerfully abandon objectivity
and accuracy so long as the story fits their opinion. Such practice has put the
rumor mill into overdrive, allowing false information to reach millions in
matters of seconds. Such websites have become so dizzyingly infinite that they
have undermined our sense of what is true and what is imaginary collectivity
corrupting and confusing public opinion about everything from politics to
sports and entertainment.
They present selective and hugely
biased pictures of Ethiopia (Mostly negative). Their main agenda have become to
divide the Diaspora so that they can have an audience for their extreme agendas
and to be used as their echo chamber.
When like-minded people fixed
themselves speaking only with one another, getting in a cycle of ideological
reinforcement, it is natural such people will end up endorsing extreme values.
This will in turn lead to group polarization where every viewpoint is repeated
to hysterical pitch and becomes a serious obstacle to civility and mutual
understandings.
Freedom can be misused, as we all
know after wasting time online reading obscure stories on such websites. I
guess it is true what they say “ free speech” is noble but when it is so free
to be cheap we have disguised dirt as gold.
Fortunately, there are also
websites whose news coverage tend to evince objectivity without obliterating
the information required for readers to form their own opinion
Not so antics of our so-called
opposition web-warriors.
Among these websites are Ethiopia
First and Aiga Forum (the focus of this article) Ethiopians flock to Aiga for
inspiring thoughts, for intellectual challenge, for true stories, for
provocation – some times we get all of these in one piece. Aiga offers freedom,
but with guidance. The editors choose and pick stories and images that convey a
sense of what is important. Online readers who visit Aiga are choosing a guide
to help them use their freedom better. At best they are choosing a community.
ON LEADERSHIP
Dear Aiga! That you are doing a
great job is an understatement. You’re serving your Community with passion and
dedication. Your passion for truth and the good things in Humanity is an
inspiration for all of us .In a word of reason – Your faith in the power of
harmony is self-evident.
You constantly implant into our
mind the concept of individual responsibility for the interest of many. You
encourage us to work towards goodness not as means but as an end in itself, you
provide leadership without begins overstated. Always reminding us the virtues
of commonly shared values. In times of
uncertainty you assure us things will be better; in times of election you
remind us there is more to be done. Thanks to you and all those who contribute
to your site, we have learned the virtues of civil society.
ON POLITICS
You should be commanded and appreciated for playing an important
role in the progress of reshaping our country’s image and it’s journey to
democracy. You support most policies of the governments (Ethiopian)
deservingly, but you don’t shy away from making your opinion clear when the
same government makes mistakes. You have fought and soundly defeated those
toxic clowns (Diaspora extremists) – who spout nonsense that is highly divisive
and provocative. You are at the front line when comes to defending the interest
of our nation and people.
You are fighting all those foreign
enemies and local bandas with determination. On the other hand you promote
moderate, inclusive political forum that is worthy of support by all. Hence,
You advocate for political accommodation of the loyal opposition parties. Which
makes intelligent and strategic sense. Thanks to you and you contributors, we
have learned that, it is only the unity and force of what binds us – that
enables us to stay “ heads off” to naked extremism (Power of evil). And we can
only do that when we behave as conscious participants in the creation of common
moral bonds that make the good society.
ON DEMORACY
Democracy for Ethiopia is an
adjective that few will argue against.
But some use the term to support
the interest of few that offers narrow benefits to them – others only use the
term as a means to dismantle and destabilize or create chaos in our country.
Yes, Individual political freedom is one of the fundamental values in a
democratic society. But it also has some limits – Especially in a society like
ours. Therefore, Individual freedom must be tempered by the interest of many
(collective freedom). And the knowledge of wrong or right must accompany so
political freedom. Its mode of exercise also matters more than freedom itself.
Hence, your effort provides a
welcome pragmatism on all-important issues of
Democracy. And so you have earned
the title “THE KING OF INTEGRITY” in the land of Cyber - Ethiopia.
God bless
Keep
up the good job