Mereja.Forum

[ittuabafarda]

Folks,

There have been boatload of news coming out of the country for quite some time now. The most recent ones are numerous and often contradictory. Many of them were put out for I’ll conceived purposes. But many others were real and usually concerning. I’ve never seen an information environment where there is almost invisible line between news in its legit/traditional roles and propaganda. The age of social media we live in has played roles in making the line even more invisible. Please don’t misread me about social media. Google, Twitter, Facebook and other platforms in the social media group have played increasingly deciding roles in taking millions out of poverty. Many citizens in the old country have been beneficiaries of the exposure they suddenly found at dirt cheap expenses on these platforms. But others have used these platform created with good intentions to spread poison of hate and preaching violence. The old country has not been spared from this curse either. It upsets me and makes me very sad to see individuals among us using some of these platforms to demonize entire group of people calling them ‘fascists’ and ‘extremists’. The sheer hate they have for others has blinded them from understanding the fact that there are sections in all societies who do not possess the sophistication to look through what they hear or read. These challenged groups are usually the most dangerous. Their raw emotion can be easily agitated and turn violent in a jiffy and unexpectedly. They turn violent and harm their next door neighbors they know from early childhood. That country has seen that too. But that does not matter and it is part of the scheme by these bigots here among us and over there. These are individuals whose education was paid for by the tax money of Oromos, Amharas, Somalis, Afars and every ethnic group in that country. I think this is their way of paying back.

I still believe there is a glimmer of hope for peace. All it only needs is the warring factions to give it a chance. Nobody will come out a winner in this senseless bloodletting. Everyone needs to expunge hate and suspicion for others from his/her heart and let the spirit of harmony and fraternity sinks in. This is the only way to get out this bloody mess. The alternative is mutual complete destruction beyond repair. Let’s hope and pray the roads will only lead to peace. Insha’Allah!!!