by T. Goshu
As it generally means a systematic way of dissemination and promotion of one’s ideas, propaganda can be used for good or bad. As the very focus of this piece of writing of mine is on the bad (deadly) play of propaganda, I want to proceed expressing my points of view accordingly.
Jason K. Stearns, the author of a book – Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa, 2011) states how an evil-driven propaganda incited and organized by political elites, more particularly by ruling elites could result in an incredible tragedy. He raises the case of Rwanda as an extremely shocking and fresh memory by stating that, “Rwanda’s genocide was organized by elites but executed by the people.” He states a figurative expression about the consequences of this very hard -to -comprehend situation as follows: … killing a sixth of the population and sending another sixth into refugee camps. I just wanted to begin my opinion with this deeply heartbreaking reality of our time to show how the propaganda of political madness could change a longtime and relatively peaceful neighborhoods into the killing fields of one ethnic group against another, of brothers against brothers, sisters against sisters, and neighbors against neighbors. Now, the Rwandans have a museum of skulls to be handed down to their children instead of museums which should have been stuffed with pictures, documents, arts and statues of peace and love among their parents and grandparents. Although, we may argue that this “horrible museum” can be taken as a bitter lesson not to repeat itself, there is no doubt that it is an extremely painful part of history that remains terribly hard to comprehend for the generations to come. The challenge that should not simply be ignored is that unless the politics of exploiting ethnic or any other differences within a society by deadly-selfish ruling elites comes to an end and replaced with a genuine political freedom and socio-economic justice, there is no guarantee for not slide back to similar, if not much more horrible situation.
Needless to say, the world has gone through unbelievably destructive conflicts. Most of those horrible conflicts had been caused by those individuals and groups whose minds and hearts have terribly been blinded by their blood-thirsty power monger. Those evil-minded individuals and groups have used any dirty means to get their evil-driven political agenda satisfied. They have incited hate propaganda between or among races, ethnic groups, religions, religious sects. The First and Second World Wars were the most devastating wars incited and waged by individuals and groups who terribly lost their minds of very basic and common human reasoning or rationality because of their madness about getting their monstrous power achieved and maintained. The very idiotic and deadly propaganda of racism by Adolf Hitler and its consequences is part and parcel of the unforgettably painful history of world politics.
The propaganda of great conspiracy of “controlling, ruling and modernizing a dark continent” had been employed in the process of partitioning Africa among the great European powers of the time which is historically knows as the Scramble for Africa (the Berlin Conference of November 1884- February 1885) with the exception of Rwanda of which its fate had been orchestrated and decided in Brussels, Belgium.
A very dirty work of propaganda of “civilizing the savage continent” had conspiratorially been played as the weapon of “legitimizing” the horrible colonial rule over Africa until the 1960s.
An evil work of propaganda had been used by Mussolini of Italy to propagate his own people in order to get support for his invasion that was aimed at settling them in that fertile and strategic part of Africa. He used the propaganda of making that part of the continent” a family of the civilized world”. He also had attempted to make the Ethiopian people believe that invading and establishing his fascist rule was good for them to be part of “modern civilization”. It has to be noted here that even religion (the Roman Catholic Church of the time) was part of the propaganda of that international political crime by offering its “Holy –blessings.”
We recently have witnessed many disastrous political propaganda works in Africa that were incited and inflamed by those ruling elites who had and have no any sense of morality and humanity except fulfilling their evil-driven self-interests by any evil means. Let me mention the following few cases just to make my points more clear and specific : one of the most notoriously ruthless dictators of Africa who had come to power by coup de ’ate and who had anointed himself as field marshal id -Amin of Uganda ( a country under a less-brutal dictator , Yoweri Katuga Museveni since 1986) ; the most horrifying genocide of the 20th century in Rwanda in 1994 which has given a chance for the current president, Paul Kagame to be seen as kind of benevolent dictator ( the developmental leader); the Darfur of Sudan that has made AL Bashir a wanted criminal by ICC (International Criminal Court in the Hague); the most devastated country ( Congo-Kinshasa ) by its late monstrous dictator-Mobutu Sese Seko and steal is suffering from the absence of an inclusive and truly reconciliatory political atmosphere; the suffering of Zimbabwe because of a stupidly power-mongering man (Mugabe) who is in power since its independence in 1980; the very terrible crisis in one of the small countries of West Africa (Liberia) during the rule of the most idiotic African politicians ( Samuel Doe ,1980-1989) and later Charles Tylor (1997-2003) ; the ongoing horrible killings of brothers against brothers in newly born South Sudan after two decades of deadly fight for independence.
The Horn of Africa? It goes without saying that the sub-region is one of, if not the most unfortunate part of Africa. Yes, it is a very sad situation to witness the peoples of this sub-region facing misery after misery mainly because of the coming and going of undemocratic and ruthless rulers who have employed any dirty and deadly propaganda machine in order to perpetuate their political power and economic exploitation. Despite the fact that the negative propaganda and conspiratorial political and diplomatic games by foreign powers (for their own interest) had and have a lot to do with the continuation of the untold sufferings of the peoples of the sub -region, there is no doubt that the main responsibility rests on the shoulders of the ruling groups or families of each country (Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Eritrea) were and are mainly responsible.
We may argue that Djibouti’s (a port city state) situation is not as bad as the rest of its neighbors. This apparently sounds true mainly because of the heavy influence and “protection” by its former colonial master (France).
As the case of Somalia (without government since 1991 in the real meaning of the term) is a very self-evident case, I do not want to say more about it. But, it is absolutely necessary to underscore that the dirty, divisive, and deadly propaganda by the ruling elites and war lords of that country since its independence is the root cause of the untold misery of the people. Imagine how a senseless and evil-driven propaganda can make the people even with the same religion and the same language hate and kill each other.
The ruling elites of the sub-region have had neither public legitimacy (in the real sense of the term) nor political set up with certain principles and values of democracy throughout the political history of the sub-region. They had used and still use deception, killing machine and betrayal in order to perpetuate the power they have grabbed by hook or crook. Their deadly propaganda of inciting or provoking hatred and animosity among their own people; and between or among the peoples of the sub-region is getting worse and dangerous from time to time. There is no need to do kind of study let alone research to tell or show how the people of the sub-region are being dehumanized by their own monstrous ruling elites in this 21st century. Needless to say, the main instrument for making the people not to fight against the ruthless ruling elites is keeping them apart by waging the propaganda of hatred and division under the cover of national interest and security. By the way, as there is no constitutionalism other than just a document (constitution) to serve the interests of the ruling elites, there is no national interest and security in the real sense of the term other than protecting the interest and security of the ruling elites under the cover of keeping a nation or a country save. In other words, the very essence of national interest and security have been terribly abused as they have become victims of senseless and lethal political propaganda by chronically cynical and tyrannical ruling elites.
The people of the countries of the sub- region have never had any opportunity to have their own says about their interests and destinies in their own respective countries let alone to make meaningful peace, stability and cooperation between or among their countries. The end of the cold war has brought about relatively better opportunities in many former socialist countries in most Eastern Europe and Asia. In Africa, we may mention the case of Tanzania only as relatively success story. Unfortunately enough, tyrannical regimes such as ours have gotten another play card for playing their internal dirty politics. And that very deceptive playing card is anti-terrorism. Sadly enough, what we are witnessing is that this ‘ deadly new ‘playing card is targeting and attacking civic organizations and opposition political parties which vehemently oppose the sufferings of the innocent people under dictatorial ruling elites .
Ethiopia? Yes, we have a great country of never-colonized and one of the sources of ancient civilization that should make us proud. There is no doubt that our Patriotic forefathers and mothers had to pay ultimate sacrifices for protecting, and safeguarding and handing down a country from generation to generation. It goes without saying that we should be deeply grateful to those leaders of our country who had used a powerfully articulated, genuinely patriotic propaganda in mobilizing the people during extremely difficult times of foreign invasions. Yes, we remain proud of them for providing their wise and decisive leadership that had/has a lot to do with our shining and exemplary history of never surrender to the enslavement under foreign invaders and colonizers. Unfortunately enough, our rulers who have come to power in different times and through different means have made the country one of the economically impoverished and politically oppressed countries of the world. That truly patriotic propaganda against foreign invaders and colonial powers did not change into the propaganda of internal political freedom, the supremacy of law, genuine social cohesion and socio-economic justice. The reign of the absolute monarchy of Emperor Haile -Selassie used a very mystified propaganda of “God- chosen and God-anointed”, and a very deceptive and fake expression of “The people we love; and so do they”. The military junta in its turn used a very horrible propaganda of “crashing white terror with red terror” that killed a very patriotic and energetic generation of the country under the cover of “saving the revolution and protecting the nation.” Well, all these and so many other senseless, deceptive and deadly political propagandas have left us with another deadly divisive and poisonous political propaganda which we are terribly suffering from at this moment in time.
For the last quarter of a century? The propaganda machine used since the very inception of TPLF of the late Ato Meles Zenawi has been deadly poisonous. Although the people of Ethiopia have never allowed the deadly poisonous political propaganda well-orchestrated by TPLF that has been and is being accompanied by its brain children (ANDM, OPDO and SEPDM) to destroy the very essence of peoples’ togetherness, there is no doubt it has made its own severe damage .And the damage is painfully felt in our difficulties and failures to shorten the incredible suffering we are experiencing by bringing down a tyrannical ruling circle. The very reason why I just highlighted TPLF is that the other three members of the so-called Front are nothing, but parts and parcels of a senseless and lethal political propaganda as they were created and nurtured by TPLF itself. I wish things could be otherwise. But the very hard fact we have witnessed for the last 20 years and continue to witness could not be otherwise. And that is a very sad reality the country and her people are facing. Who controls all the critical political powers and most important positions of all ministries and agents, and who benefits the most from all available resources of the country is a very common knowledge of the people. Yes, it is powerfully self-evident that the ruling elites and their parasitic cronies are the ones who do live at the very expense of the very lives of the innocent people of Ethiopia.
Needless to say, the political practice of the ruling party has proven itself to be dangerously deceptive and highly contaminated. I here strongly want recommend to any genuinely concerned Ethiopian to read the book (YALTEHEDEBET MENGED -In Amharic) written by a truly patriotic citizen who has been sentenced with a politically fabricated and orchestrated accusation and is paying a huge sacrifice in Kaliti prison, Andualem Arage. He particularly dedicates Part One of his book on this dangerous ethic-based political propaganda of the ruling party, particularly TPLF. I want to add here that given an extremely hostile environment he is forced to be in, Andualem’s approach to the subject matter he wants to deal with, and his analytically objective and powerfully constructive discussion is amazingly remarkable.
I am well aware that some fellow Ethiopians may argue that as all evil-driven political propagandas by the ruling party are well-known, it is not necessary to repeat them. Well, this kind of argument makes sense if we really make unnecessary repetition over and over again without being selective at all (major and minor). But, we cannot afford not to repeat very major and critical issues as long as they stay with us unresolved.
It has to be underscored here that if we do not as a people come together, walk together and work hard together, and change the challenges we are facing into opportunities and get rid of the those ruling elites whose political power base is deadly irresponsible and senseless propaganda, there is no reason not to expect the worst .
Yes, it has to be reiterated that the most stupid and lethal political propaganda is still a very serious threat not only to bring about a genuinely democratic and prosperous Ethiopia but also to the very survival of the country itself. Our ruling elites have never shown any sign of regret and correcting what has terribly gone wrong, and I strongly believe the cannot afford not to say zero -tolerance to this horrible political behavior and practice.
Sadly enough, the more the ruling party becomes frustrated and worried about losing its political power as the result of the zero tolerance from the people, the more it loses its limits and boundaries of its responsibilities and functions and the more it acts just like a dangerously mad beast. That is why it attempts hard to make a dangerous hatred and conflict not only between Christians and Muslims but also within the same religion. We have a strong reason that emanates from our day-to-day experiences, not from far-fetched or past experiences that if the ruling party is not challenged with a strong, well-coordinated and mutually respectful popular uprising; there is no any plausible ground not to expect the worst. I hope the better will prevail over the worst through a rational and well-coordinated leadership of genuinely concerned opposition political forces with rationally aggressive and timely participation of the people.
We witnessed when our current ruling elites tried hard to locate and dag the mass graves of the victims of the red terror not to honor the ultimate sacrifices they had paid, but for an extremely cynical and hypocritical political propaganda consumption. As a matter of fact, it is not an exaggeration at all to say that TPLF/EPRDF has used the remains of the victims of the red terror for its political propaganda while it has on the other hand kept torturing, killing and burring those innocent citizens for the simple reason they have tried to exercise their political freedom and basic human rights. The case of what happened during the 2005 election is a fresh and horrible memory. Will this repeat itself next year? I hope it will not!
We have witnessed and continue to witness the erection of statues, building memorial halls, and naming roads and schools after those members of the former rebel force and the current ruling party who have sacrificed their lives in the name of the struggle for freedom and justice. Unfortunately enough, the reality on the ground for the last two decades has shown us quite the contrary. I strongly argue that the horrible history of glorifying a brother or sister who kills/ killed his or her brother or sister for the benefit of very few tyrannical ruling elites on the one hand, and condemning the brother or sister who was/is killed for the simple reason he or she stands against those who grossly violate his or her fundamental rights has to come to its end. Yes, the political history and culture of erecting or building statues/memorial squares for brothers and sisters who kill each other as a political propaganda has to be dealt with seriously and honestly. How? By not allowing those few ruthlessly power- mongering ruling elites to continue their deadly political agenda.
I recently (4/16/14) watched the continuation of a very idiotic, irresponsible and deadly political propaganda on ETV. Although the political history of the inner circle of the ruling party is chronically characterized by senselessly irresponsible behavior and practice, “Akeldama” and “Jihadawi Harakat” were and are the most idiotic and dangerous political dramas of our time. The latest one (the orange revolution) was held by two journalists of ETV. By name: Tadesse as a moderator, Gebre-Michael as the producer of a documentary film on “Yeqelm Abyot” in Ukraine, and Yenebeb as “international affairs researcher.” It is not difficult at all to understand that the main objective of the “discussion” was to send a warning message to opposition political forces in particular and the public in general that TPLF/EPRDF will never tolerate a popular political movement like the one in Ukraine which forced the former pro-Russian corrupt president, Victor Yanukovych to step down and run away. Imagine how “our” ill-guided ruling elites are extremely frustrated and worried about losing their dirty political game. They had to instruct those self- disqualified “journalists” working for one of the deadly propaganda machines (ETV) to pull out a documentary from their junk file or borrow from the Russian Embassy in Addis and use it to make a scare propaganda aimed at the people of Ethiopia.
I really felt sad about those three people when they struggled hard to make sure that they could perform the very mission they have been assigned by the tyrannical ruling circle. I am well aware about our usual argument that those ETV and Radio employees (if it makes sense to call them journalists –in the real sense of the term) have to do any dirty job assigned by the ruling party in order to secure their daily livelihood. And that is exactly what the inner circle of TPLF/EPRDF and all its painfully parasitic cadres are doing. They never hesitate to make art and artists and even religious institutions parts and tools of the continuation of the miserably senseless and deadly political propaganda let alone ETV which is the main propaganda machine under their absolute control. What is an extremely difficult challenge we are facing is what and where is the bottom line to say no to a this kind of dehumanizing way of doing politics. The poor “producer” of the documentary tried to show himself as if he did a very fantastic job. He struggled to describe and discuss the various phases and timings of the Orange Revolution (before, during and after elections) and tried to show his bosses ( the top ruling party cadres) that “his documentary” accomplished its mission by making it “strongly” relevant to the very approaching elections in Ethiopia (next year). I felt deeply bad about the so-called international affairs expert (the poor Yenebeb) when he tried to educate us that development and democracy are internal matters of his bosses (providers of his daily beard and butter). I do not think the guy is that much stupid about the universality of democratic and human rights values? I do not think he has without an elementary knowledge about the question of who are the beneficiaries of “development “in a country of which its resources and economic sectors (investment, trade and business, etc.) are controlled by the ruling party and deadly parasitic cronyism. I hope all these very sad self-disqualifying and self-dehumanizing situation can become the story of the past by only and only get rid of the dirty and deadly political game.
Let me conclude my opinion with a powerfully challenging argument by Andualem Argage in his book I cited earlier. On page 107 of the concluding paragraph, he argues, “Selezeh bewunet, benetsanet enna befitih layi yetemeseretchn ager lelijochachin lemawuress zare eyye’tesereche yalewun yetsere-wondemamachinet merz mamiken khulum belayi qidimia lessettew yigebbal- (And therefore, in order to hand down a country that firmly established on truth, freedom and justice to our children; overcoming the ongoing dissemination of anti- brotherhood poison must be given the highest priority.” I want to remain optimistic that this very powerful message will be taken seriously by those opposition political forces which are trying to do the best they can in particular, and the all citizens in general.
