Mereja.Forum

[Zmeselo]

Gaslighting Ethiopia

"Gaslighting”, refers to a specific type of manipulation where the manipulator is trying to get someone else (or a group of people) to question their own reality, memory or perceptions.

Gaslighting, is not a new invention. It has been used successfully to justify slavery, colonialism and racism to the victims themselves and now in 2021- it's being used with little subtlety to break the spirit of Ethiopia.

As part of the strategy, black journalists and politicians are being co-opted as faces of this campaign to further undermine the legitimacy of the grievance of millions of Ethiopians who know beyond a shadow of doubt that a coordinated campaign is being employed against them.

Ethiopians feel voiceless and betrayed, since the institutions that are the perpetrators of this campaign were the very same institutions that were supposed to stand for truth and freedom. How naive we were!

Ethiopians look at the MSM-HR-AO complex with disbelief while these ‘venerable institutions’ tell them that their experience of betrayal, persecution & oppression is not only valueless in the eyes of the 'IC' but also un-real.

In 2015, Amb. Rice was asked about the TPLF government's claim to be ‘democratically elected’ by 100% of the electorate! Ethiopians looked on with horror, as a representative of the ‘free world’ laughed & laughed over their oppression and their pain.

The same sentiment was repeated by Samantha Power, at the beginning of August. She told Ethiopians, that the TPLF oppression that we struggled against for three decades was in 'reality' the most benevolent government Ethiopians have ever seen.......a regional ‘anchor of stability and security’. Apparently, Ethiopians were blinded by their 'ungratefulness' to see it. A classic case of: ‘pearls before swine’.



Gaslighting Ethiopia did not start with Amb. Rice; neither did it end with Power.
.
Over the past eleven months, there have been numerous instances of gaslighting.

- In November, victims of the MaiKadra Massacre were accused of being perpetrators by the very people who went door to door and massacred them.

- In early July, UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi admonished the Government of Ethiopia to ensure the safety of Eritrean refugees in Tigray; knowing full well that the TPLF was the one in control of the refugee camps in Tigray.



- Yesterday, the chief of the WFP went on a spree of pure gaslighting by insisting the GOE is the one hindering the delivery of aid; eventhough by their own admission, the major problem is the number of trucks that are not returning from Tigray.

And now, a certain Mr. Steven Walker, State Dept Chief of Mission in Eritrea, is insisting that Ethiopian accounts on SM are actually run by Eritreans. For Mr. Walker, it is not enough to deny the truth of our voice, it is imperative to deny our very existence.

This is, the pinnacle of gaslighting! A white man in Asmara is telling Ethiopians on SM, that we don’t exist. He has gone beyond telling us, our truth does not exist. He has gone beyond telling us, our reality does not exist. He is telling us, we do not exist!



The US lectures the world about the sanctity of freedom of expression, while their official in Asmara is denying the existence of Ethiopian voices. What’s next? Should we implore Mr. Walker to acknowledge the existence of Ethiopians, in Ethiopia? You never know, man! shrugging!

We live in the postmodern world of constructed reality; and unfortunately for us, the West is the sole realtor and constructors of this ‘reality’. Unlike colonial times there is no scramble for Africa, they own the 'reality' of Africa in the eye of the world.

Ethiopians, Eritreans and Somalis in the US should channel this frustration into political action. They need to engage their representatives, their senators and their governors and show them the reality on the ground. Unvarnished and unmanipulated by the media.

It is time to talk to our neighbors and our colleagues. It is time to engage the local news outlets.

It is time to tell and live our truth!

Thread by: Addis_Qnie, MD: @Qnie_Addis

[Abdisa]

Gaslighting Ethiopia

"Gaslighting”, refers to a specific type of manipulation where the manipulator is trying to get someone else (or a group of people) to question their own reality, memory or perceptions.

Gaslighting, is not a new invention. It has been used successfully to justify slavery, colonialism and racism to the victims themselves and now in 2021- it's being used with little subtlety to break the spirit of Ethiopia.

As part of the strategy, black journalists and politicians are being co-opted as faces of this campaign to further undermine the legitimacy of the grievance of millions of Ethiopians who know beyond a shadow of doubt that a coordinated campaign is being employed against them.

Ethiopians feel voiceless and betrayed, since the institutions that are the perpetrators of this campaign were the very same institutions that were supposed to stand for truth and freedom. How naive we were!

Ethiopians look at the MSM-HR-AO complex with disbelief while these ‘venerable institutions’ tell them that their experience of betrayal, persecution & oppression is not only valueless in the eyes of the 'IC' but also un-real.

In 2015, Amb. Rice was asked about the TPLF government's claim to be ‘democratically elected’ by 100% of the electorate! Ethiopians looked on with horror, as a representative of the ‘free world’ laughed & laughed over their oppression and their pain.

The same sentiment was repeated by Samantha Power, at the beginning of August. She told Ethiopians, that the TPLF oppression that we struggled against for three decades was in 'reality' the most benevolent government Ethiopians have ever seen.......a regional ‘anchor of stability and security’. Apparently, Ethiopians were blinded by their 'ungratefulness' to see it. A classic case of: ‘pearls before swine’.



Gaslighting Ethiopia did not start with Amb. Rice; neither did it end with Power.
.
Over the past eleven months, there have been numerous instances of gaslighting.

- In November, victims of the MaiKadra Massacre were accused of being perpetrators by the very people who went door to door and massacred them.

- In early July, UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi admonished the Government of Ethiopia to ensure the safety of Eritrean refugees in Tigray; knowing full well that the TPLF was the one in control of the refugee camps in Tigray.



- Yesterday, the chief of the WFP went on a spree of pure gaslighting by insisting the GOE is the one hindering the delivery of aid; eventhough by their own admission, the major problem is the number of trucks that are not returning from Tigray.

And now, a certain Mr. Steven Walker, State Dept Chief of Mission in Eritrea, is insisting that Ethiopian accounts on SM are actually run by Eritreans. For Mr. Walker, it is not enough to deny the truth of our voice, it is imperative to deny our very existence.

This is, the pinnacle of gaslighting! A white man in Asmara is telling Ethiopians on SM, that we don’t exist. He has gone beyond telling us, our truth does not exist. He has gone beyond telling us, our reality does not exist. He is telling us, we do not exist!



The US lectures the world about the sanctity of freedom of expression, while their official in Asmara is denying the existence of Ethiopian voices. What’s next? Should we implore Mr. Walker to acknowledge the existence of Ethiopians, in Ethiopia? You never know, man! shrugging!

We live in the postmodern world of constructed reality; and unfortunately for us, the West is the sole realtor and constructors of this ‘reality’. Unlike colonial times there is no scramble for Africa, they own the 'reality' of Africa in the eye of the world.

Ethiopians, Eritreans and Somalis in the US should channel this frustration into political action. They need to engage their representatives, their senators and their governors and show them the reality on the ground. Unvarnished and unmanipulated by the media.

It is time to talk to our neighbors and our colleagues. It is time to engage the local news outlets.

It is time to tell and live our truth!

Thread by: Addis_Qnie, MD: @Qnie_Addis

Ditto!

[Zmeselo]

Miss Bruton is onto something, here.

[Sam Ebalalehu]

I disagree with Bronwyn Bruton assertion that Biden has to respond. He shouldn’t. Ethiopia has a right to say you are “ unwelcome” to stay in Ethiopia to any foreign diplomat or UN personnel. That is the business of Ethiopia, not Biden.

[Zmeselo]

If you read what she's saying in context, it's that, in this highstakes chess going on, it's expected of a US prez. normally to say something when UN staff are being expelled somewhere around the world (not that it happens so often) but in this case he can't.

That's why she started with the US, being in a tough spot. The US supported the weyane for so long & now that their betting horse seems to be losing the race, the US can't afford to antagonize Abyi any longer; unless it intends to push him even further into the hands of China & Russia. Remember, for the US, this is ultimately about their rivalry with China & Russia. The weyane are just the tool, to not losing influence.

At least, that's how I understood it. Plus, her record shows she has in no way previously been against Abyi. She works in a think-tank, tho. So, caution is always good.

I disagree with Bronwyn Bruton assertion that Biden has to respond. He shouldn’t. Ethiopia has a right to say you are “ unwelcome” to stay in Ethiopia to any foreign diplomat or UN personnel. That is the business of Ethiopia, not Biden.

[Sam Ebalalehu]

Zmeselo, I completely understand what she is trying to say. She is my favorite person after all. I just quoted her the way I did to make a point.