By Sam B.,
Now that the tempest in a teacup, the imaginary coup d’état, that was perpetrated over the internet by crackpot “journalist” with little respect for facts or context, is over, we as Eritreans have to reflect, yet once again, over the fact that we are being held hostage by western propaganda machines that masquerade as news agencies.
As Eritreans we have to recognize the fact that our media delivery system has for all practical intents and purposes failed. This fact was effectively once again demonstrably clear today. None of what are called “our” media outlet, or websites with sufficient reach, had anything to say on the events unfolding back home or the lies spread through the internet. All the narrative was set for us by the enemy propaganda machine. All we had left was to react to it. It is time to fix this dangerous situation. And no one has more responsibility to fix this situation more than the Government of Eritrea.
It is disheartening to see the same forces that told us President Isaias was dying and was flown to Dubai and then died, the same forces that worked hand in glove with the Ethiopian regime to convince us that Meles was still alive, I could go on as the lies are endless, somehow manage to disturb plenty of good hearted Eritreans in diaspora and managed to have them glued to their computer screen today by claiming a coup d’état was taking place in Eritrea. Imagine their claim: that “1oo solders” taking control of the Ministry of Information, amounted to a coup d’état, ought to have been laughable. Leave alone the Government of Eritrea, where on earth will a government fall because 100 people stormed the information ministry? The irony is, there were no 100 soldiers that stormed the ministry. And yet, armed with such silly narrative, today for sometime , the enemy propaganda machine had control of information flow.
Whatever took place, I have it from a good source, the GoE will update us soon, maybe tomorrow. Regardless, it is high time that we as Eritreans must insist on having a PR mechanism that gives us timely and relevant information. We must insist that we no longer be victims of malicious propaganda. We must insist not to be abandoned to misinformation and psychological warfare campaign that is being waged against us. We have to have timely and relevant information to fend off the psychological warfare that is being waged against us. This is nothing but simply insisting on self-reliance in media.
Reports of Coup, Arrest and Death of Eritrean President
By Mekete Media Committee,
Rumours, Gossips and Speculations with regards to ‘coup in Asmara, Eritrea‘ are splashed yesterday in the websites of some news organisation across the internet.
The situation, on Monday the 21st 2013, in Asmara and all over Eritrea is no different from any other day. It has been peaceful and business as usual and there is no sign of mutiny, coup d’etat or any kind of uprising.
There was a small incident that has occurred in the offices of the Eritrean Television that was resolved peacefully. The details of the incident will be clear in the coming days, but there was no force involved in the incident. The Eritrean Television staff members have reassured their offices is peaceful.
However, a few western individuals such as Martin Plaut, Dan Connel and others like them who have been attempting to destabilise the Eritrean government for a long time are fueling a virtual coup d’etat in the internet to create confusion amongst Eritreans in the vain attempt to kick-start a real Coup d’etat.
The western media journalist Martin Plaut who works for the BBC as director for Africa has been tweeting furiously all day about an imaginary Coup d’etat in Eritrea even claiming that the Eritrean President is under arrest.
Dan Connell, a man who has developed an insatiable craving to see the unseating of President Isaias Afwerki at any cost wrote an article today and could not hide his real intentions of stopping the mining industry in Eritrea. He could not even pretend to appear to care about Eritrea or Eritreans.
Reports from AFP about the imagined coup has managed to link the story with the share prices of the main mining company with clear intention to affect negatively the share price and frighten any potential investment on the booming industry of Eritrea.
These same discredited sources of information have been claiming the President of Eritrea was dead of illness in order to divert attention from the fatal illness and eventual death Meles Zenawi only 5 months back in 2012.
Not satisfied with the lie, deceit and destruction caused by their reports on the imagined death of Eritrea’s President few months back; they are now back with even more imagined coup d’etat of a President who was supposed to be dead by their own accounts.
It is very clear this virtual coup d’etat is designed out of frustration by the detractors and destabilisers of Eritrean government who had recently started a major investment drive for its citizens in all aspects of the economic sectors.
Eritrea had the highest rise of Economic Development in 2011 and this trend was continuing in the next few years fuelled by the heavy investment made in the country’s infrastructure over the last decade.
