Ethiopians Urged to Push Back “Sophisticated Narrative war” Waged against their Country

ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopians on Wednesday urged to push back and reverse the sophisticated narrative war being waged against their country.

Experts say the level of disinformation campaign against the East African nation has increased since the conflict in Northern Ethiopia started on November 4, 2021.

In a message posted on Facebook, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said each individual has a role to play in repelling the distorted narratives against Ethiopia.

“My fellow Ethiopians, let us not forget that we are also engaged in a sophisticated narrative war waged against the nation with many using disinformation as a pathway for their sinister moves,” Abiy noted.

“Each Ethiopian must play a role in pushing back and reversing the distorted narrative,” he added.

“In unity we can write our own story,” the Prime Minister stressed.

‘Age of Disinformation’

Experts say that the disinformation campaign is a part of a ploy to bring the Tegray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) back to power in Ethiopia with some media houses inaccurately reported that their forces are about to enter Addis Ababa in “matter of hours”.

“Since the outbreak of the war in Tegray exactly a year ago, the world has been inundated with misinformation and disinformation,” said Bahru Zewde, a professor history at Addis Ababa University, in his article entitled ‘The age of disinformation: what exactly is happening in Ethiopia?’.

According to Bahru, the level of disinformation intensified further following the reported capture of the two towns by the forces of TPLF, a group designated as terrorist by Ethiopian Parliament.

“CNN and the rest have been describing the events in lurid terms. The US embassy has issued an advisory to all non-essential staff to leave the country,” he said.

“This is not surprising, as the US state department has chosen to side with the TPLF from the outset. Yet, indications from the front are that the ride is not going to be an easy one for the TPLF forces,” he said.

The historian also said the ride to the capital is not going to be an easy one for the TPLF forces to repeat history via disinformation as 2021 is not 1991.