Date: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
A Response to "To Avoid Another Conflict in the Horn of Africa, Now is the Time to Act" by Former Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome Wirtu on Al Jazeera
By: Yemane Abselom (wedi abselom)
February 18, 2025
For decades, global news reporting has been dominated by Western media outlets such as the BBC (British), VOA (American), and DW (German). While these outlets claim to uphold principles of free and independent journalism, their coverage often aligns with Western political and economic agendas. When Al Jazeera emerged, there was hope that it would provide an alternative voice—one that would prioritize the interests of the Middle East and the Global South. Its early reporting on Iraq and Afghanistan, which exposed Western propaganda and war crimes, won it widespread respect.
However, telling the truth comes at a cost, and it appears that those financing Al Jazeera were unwilling to continue paying that price. Over time, its editorial stance has drifted closer to that of Western media, sacrificing journalistic integrity in the process. The publication of Mulatu Teshome’s article—an unsubstantiated attack on Eritrea and its leadership—further underscores this decline. Al Jazeera cannot hide behind the disclaimer, "The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance." As a media institution, it has a responsibility to fact-check the content it publishes. Allowing blatant misinformation to appear on its platform only accelerates its slide into irrelevance.
The digital age has democratized access to information. When a plane crashed in Toronto recently, a passenger was on TikTok within minutes, sharing a firsthand account of the incident. When Israel launched its war on Lebanon, independent journalist Rania Khalek provided real-time coverage from a Lebanese perspective, reaching thousands around the world. Today, citizen journalists equipped with smartphones expose the truth as events unfold, making traditional media outlets less indispensable.
If Al Jazeera and other Western-backed outlets choose to distort the truth about Eritrea, the reality remains readily available for anyone willing to seek it. As long as they fail to uphold rigorous journalistic standards, the public will continue to turn to alternative sources for accurate reporting.
The modern Ethiopian state was formed through conquest under Emperor Menelik II, incorporating various ethnic groups through force. Those subjugated have long felt marginalized, leading to a history of resistance and liberation movements. Ethiopia’s political landscape has been shaped by ethnic power struggles, where each ruling group prioritizes its own interests at the expense of others.
This pattern is evident in the formation of various liberation fronts, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), and the Sidama Liberation Front (SLF), among others. Each of these groups has waged conflicts for decades in pursuit of autonomy or political influence. Consequently, Ethiopia has been in a near-constant state of internal strife, only experiencing brief periods of calm when a new ruling group takes power—before the cycle of exclusion and rebellion begins anew.
Ethiopia’s leadership has also frequently engaged in external conflicts to divert attention from its domestic challenges. This pattern is well-documented and continues to this day.
When Abiy Ahmed Ali became Prime Minister in 2018, there was renewed hope for both internal and external reconciliation. He extended an olive branch to opposition groups, spoke of national unity, and took concrete steps toward peace with Eritrea by agreeing to abide by previous international rulings on the border dispute. His efforts won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.
However, it was not long before Ethiopia’s deep-seated ethnic divisions resurfaced. Many groups soon felt that Abiy’s administration was merely paying lip service to inclusivity while prioritizing his own ethnic group, the Oromos. The TPLF, which had dominated Ethiopian politics for decades before Abiy’s rise, resisted its loss of power, igniting the devastating Tigray War in 2020. That war lasted two years, with catastrophic consequences for Ethiopia.
Meanwhile, conflict erupted between the government and Ethiopia’s second-largest ethnic group, the Amhara. Today, Ethiopia remains embroiled in multiple wars, with fighting continuing in Tigray, Amhara, and Oromia, alongside ongoing liberation movements in Sidama and elsewhere. The instability is so severe that the Ethiopian government struggles to exercise authority beyond the capital, Addis Ababa.
Ethiopian leaders have long sought external scapegoats to distract from their country’s internal failures, and Eritrea has frequently been a convenient target. Mulatu Teshome’s article follows this familiar pattern, falsely blaming Eritrea for Ethiopia’s own conflicts.
History tells a different story. Ethiopia itself violated the United Nations-mandated federation agreement with Eritrea, sparking the 30-year war for Eritrean independence. More recently, it was Ethiopian troops—not Eritrean forces—that fired upon an Eritrean patrol unit along the border, killing several Eritrean soldiers. Furthermore, the international court ruled that Badme—an area at the heart of the Eritrea-Ethiopia border conflict—rightfully belongs to Eritrea. Yet, Ethiopia refused to abide by the ruling for over a decade, occupying sovereign Eritrean territory in violation of international law. It was only under Abiy Ahmed that Ethiopia finally withdrew its forces and honored the agreement.
Now, as Ethiopia faces mounting internal instability, its leaders are once again looking for a scapegoat. Rather than addressing their own failures, they accuse Eritrea and its leadership of fueling conflict. Mulatu’s baseless claims are just another attempt to shift blame.
Ethiopia is at a crossroads. The country is on the brink of collapse due to its internal divisions and ongoing conflicts. The last thing it needs is another external war.
Instead of fabricating narratives about Eritrea, Ethiopia’s leaders should focus on resolving their internal crises. Blaming others will not end the wars within Ethiopia or bring peace to its people. True stability can only come from within—through meaningful political reforms, inclusive governance, and a commitment to justice for all ethnic groups.
If Ethiopia is to have a future, its leaders must stop looking outward for excuses and start looking inward for solutions.
