Ethio-Zagol
One can’t get a better example of shoddy journalism than this. The best spin we can give to the story is this: the young AP journalists wanted to make a juicy story out of EPRDF’s allegation that it had foiled Ginbot 7’s alleged attempt to overthrow the government. Most of AP’s subscribers are in the US. So referring to the group leader’s connection to a US university would raise the profile of her story. Yada, Yada…
But I see a more sinister motive here. Anita Powell is a lousy journalist. Since Antony Mitchell’s death, her reports have mostly been what the government demands of foreign journalists - stories that portray the positive images of the country. She regularly hob nobs with government officials and EPRDF sympathizers at the Sheraton hotel, and has a not-so-hidden distaste for Birhanu Nega. So what does she do? Embarrass the institution which hosts him by making it the center of her story. Simply put, she is telling her US readers that Bucknell University is harbouring a “terrorism” suspect.
And her story will surely get traction in the US. Read this AP story. It will no doubt be in most Pennsylvanian and other US papers on Sunday. It is already in some of them. The EPRDF government is also using her story to put pressure on Bucknell so that it rethinks Birhanu’s position in the University.
But the story has a silver lining. We need to push back vigorously and systematically. There is a pile of credible evidence about the behaviour and character of the EPRDF government. It is a pathetic liar human rights abuser and totalitarian dictatorship. Let’s compile them and hand them over to the newspapers and wire correspondents who are assigned to do the story.
