The Economist does it again!
Further to Desta Berhe’s much needed and detailed response to the Economist’s “Ethiopia and the United States: A loveless liaison” I wanted to add my comment which I had posted on the Economists webpage at http://www.economist.com/world/africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10979876
I had also emailed the Africa Editor on the 4th April but have not received any response to date!
I would strongly suggest to Desta Berhe to email his response (if he has not already done so) to the Editor at large and the Africa Editor as they seem to be in dire need of more credible sources of information as well as a long overdue reality check.
The Economist (amongst others) seems to be a serial offender and its crime being misinforming it’s readers about Ethiopia. I recall an article they printed last year entitled “A Repressive Ethiopia” in which they printed distortion after distortion quoting none other than, the notoriously absent on the ground, Amnesty International, as the expert adjudicator on Ethiopia’s worthiness as a foreign aid recipient.
For those interested please see the article and our comment on that article
http://www.economist.com/world/africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8742038
http://www.economist.com/blogs/theinbox/2007/03/ethiopia.cfm
Last year alone the Economist managed to print at least an article a month on Ethiopia and every other one of them was biased and shamelessly falling below the standards of impartiality one would naturally expect from such a publication.
So whilst I do not claim to know it all, the little that I do know tells me that it is wrong and unacceptable for the many western journalists, who do claim to “know it all”, to continue such unjustifiable actions. Hopefully through persistent expression of our concern we can maker them think twice before they decide to publish future publications on Ethiopia.
Dear Editor,
I was astonished, (to say the very least) to read the article entitled “ Ethiopia and the United States : A loveless liaison”, mainly because of its glaringly distorted stance on Ethiopia !
It seems to me that the “Western Diplomat” whom you quote in your introductory paragraph is your only quote worthy hence "credible"?? source of information, (in addition to the unmentioned but obvious oppositionists) and conveniently sets the inaccurate tone of the rest of your piece. Could it be that this “Western Diplomat” (no names need mentioning here! ) is a newly appointed one whose few months in office should not and does not warrant him an authority on Ethiopia !? did your journalist even bother going outside of Addis Ababa and speaking to the majority of the Ethiopian people who are a more accurate source of information as they are on the receiving end (as in any democracy) of the policies of any government they choose to elect?
The issue of the arrest and subsequent release of the opposition party members was resolved through a lawful and transparent process; the Ethiopian people have made their peace with it and have moved on! Why can’t you? With regards to the section about the US HR2003 Bill, are you aware that there were just as many Ethiopians who lobbied against and opposed the passing of the superfluous Bill that you refer to? I am one amongst the many who did so. There has even been an online group created out of a strong collective conviction that the Bill is not in the best interests of the Ethiopian people and should not be allowed to be used by neither American republicans nor American democrats (and most importantly failed oppositionists) as an instrument to either punish or reward the Ethiopian people. Who are they to play God? I am sick and tired of publications like yours repeatedly printing flawed information about my country!
The Economist is a highly regarded, wide-reaching publication whose readers trust in it’s stated aim, said to be “to take part in a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress”
It seems to me that with this article, the first part of your aim has been seriously marginalised and the timid ignorance allowed to reign. This has left me rather distrustful of your publication as a whole and is causing the obstruction of the progress of Ethiopia and its people!
I urge you to please take into consideration our (Ethiopians) view points, experiences and intelligence when publishing such articles.
Wintana Tsegai Demoz
04/09/08