By TesfaNews,
For the past several days, the Eritrean-wanna-be-opposition groups that are based and funded by Ethiopia and the west has been busy of their usual misinformation campaign. But what makes this latest ‘fairytale’ different from the previous ones was, it perfectly exposed their bankrupt and corrupt nature.
It was a fairytale about President Isaias’ state of health and in fact his mysterious ‘death’ that they were trying to tell us. As if there are no tomorrows, they coordinate and spread their dumbest stories ever that an average Eritrean can never comprehend. Stories about ‘Isaias’ mother flying back to Asmara for burial; the American soldiers from state department that are heading to Asmara; the tense situation and the amphibian tanks around Asmara; the squabbling of the Generals for the top job, bla … bla…
This is the worst kind of insult an Eritrean can get from a group that says it stands for his freedom and democracy. It is a complete disregard to an Eritrean intelligence. The good thing is though, it backfires and exposes in their entirety how much this so-called ‘opposition’ are bankrupt, cheap and shallow.
Eritreans all over the world have never put faith on these groups and especially after this episode, everyone is in agreement that these “Disgruntled” groupings are in no position to assume responsibility and leadership. They are unfit and they don’t need to go beyond this to prove it otherwise. They are against the people and are opposing the people. They are an opposition to Eritrea at large. The honorable name “Opposition” doesn’t fit them anymore. They simply are collections of “Disgruntled” criminals.
Today on April 28, 2012, they have lost whatever trust they have ever left from the Eritrean people. They are now busted by their own fabricated story. They are EXPOSED! They are TPLF puppets!
THE INTERVIEW (LOOSELY TRANSLATED):
The interview began with the interviewer welcoming the President and thanking him for doing this interview:
President Isaias Afwerki thank you for being here today for this short conversation. There has been a lot of stories about your health, that you were ill and finally that you were dead. Can you please tell us a story of your own?
The President explained that he had not been in Asmara last week and finally returned at the end of the week. On Saturday and Sunday he went on a trip to Gash Barka the South Western region of the country. It was this time that the stories of his health were being told in several different media outlets claiming that he had been extremely ill and finally that he had died. These rumors were entertained on social media networks as well and quickly spread to Eritrean communities around the world. The President stated that he had received the news in a note from a member of the News Station and that people have been wondering about the health of their President.
Isaias Afwerki said, The wind blew, this is not my issue, I have no illness, I am lucky is what I am trying to say. The build up of these stories can be translated in my eyes as running after the wind or jumping on the bandwagon. Creating a worrisome environment shows that people need to be a little smarter. This is not an issue about my health. If you ask me if I have an illness, I’ll say, my illness is only in their minds, those who want to believe that I have an illness. It’s their minds that have a mental illness otherwise I am fine. They have an illness of the desire to cause trouble and scare our people, the Eritrean people.
He continued by explaining that these people spreading rumors and lies have tried everything to break the unity of the Eritrean people. They failed at dividing and confusing the people of Eritrea. The reason for all of these desperate attempts is because their stress and aggravation has increased as they continue to fail in their tactics. The country is developing and becoming a stronger state, the economy is growing and getting better which means it is becoming more difficult for these people to defame Eritrea.
For me to come on television or news to speak about my health is unnecessary and people will become smarter in times like this cause it will only continue. Today, technology and information can be used to easily spread information and misinformation to its highest potential. At the same time, this technology is being used as a tool to spread lies and to confuse people. When this happens, and media/technology is being used for ill reasons, find out why this is being done. You cannot just listen to any news you hear you have to think critically and find out the underlying reasons this news is being spread. We should all be smarter and more conscious and use this example to help.
The interviewer continued the conversation asking how information technology is being used today.
Information technology has been used and abused wrongly over time in order to serve interests. For example, when you watch a program on television, there are many commercials stuffed into your one hour program. These commercials are repeated hundreds of times to the point where you don’t even think for yourself anymore, you just want to buy something you never thought you even wanted. It supports consumerism. Now methods are used to help create and enforce propaganda, legitimize wars, and cause instability or confusion or bombardment of false information. And this happens in closed doors, in secrecy, there is no face to where it comes from. Large Media outlets and big corporations with money have lots of power amongst their leaders when it comes to what information is spread and the people only the absorbers of information.
Towards the end of the conversation the interviewer asked His Excellency President Isaias Afwerki if he had a message to the people of Eritrea.
Well, it should not be necessary for me to come on television and speak about my health. This is a bigger issue, and I am not here to talk about my health. Of course I can say that I am not ill and I am fine but the fact of the matter is that this address is for the respect of the Eritrean people, because of the false information being spread, people were confused and they were worried. But it is important for everyone to understand that things like this event will continue, more lies will come tomorrow and the next day. We have to continue to think for ourselves, find out why this is happening and don’t just jump on the bandwagon because everyone is saying a certain thing. I am not saying not to listen to the news or not to read the news, but be critical and be conscious.
(Courtesy of youngpfdj.org )
