Africa-Press – Ethiopia. Media reports of the West about the security situation in Ethiopia and their baleful framing entirely contradictory to the reality on the ground, Americans visiting Ethiopia told ENA.
The US citizens who were approached by the news agency during their visit in Addis Ababa revealed that the information they heard over the media outlets in their country before they came to Ethiopia were exaggerated and far from the reality on the ground.
Though the Western media flooded the globe and their country with scary false information, Rod Thompson and his friends came to Ethiopia and are traveling in different places of the country.
Recent reports of the West, including BBC, CNN, and Reuters among others, have been claiming that Addis Ababa is encircled and the terrorist will march on the capital city within days.
In contrast to those media narratives, however, Pastor Rod Thompson said he and his friends have not encountered any security problems in Ethiopia.
“We got through no problem and we arrived at our hotel safely in the morning. Yeah! You know what? I feel very safe.”
According to him, the media portrayed those alarming reports to serve their own agenda.
“I would say that you have to be careful because like I said the media have their own agenda…. And they are going to portray things the way they want us to see and understand it. So we have to be careful that we just don’t accept the way they present.”
Michael Howard, another American citizen, said on his part news stories disseminated by the media before he came to Ethiopia had been disturbing. “The news that we were reading before we came made us concerned as if the forces are in the north of Addis Ababa and there is going to be a siege and then attacks.”
Even if those ill-intended news framings are coming from various western media outlets, Howard said Addis Ababa is safe and Press Secretary Billene Seyoum’s interview on CNN last week has exposed the framings of the international media that have malicious intentions on Ethiopia.
“One of things I did that was very helpful to know the current Ethiopian situation is I was listening to your press secretary, and she handled herself very professionally. The interview on CNN exposed the reality about Ethiopia.”
The news about the Ethiopian security situation, particularly in the capital Addis Ababa, contradicts with the reality on the ground and it is exaggerated and there has not been any security difficulty, the missionary Theresa Haward said on her part.
“The security situation here in Addis Ababa is very calm and peaceful,” she pointed out.
Haward finally apprised people around the world and those concerned about Ethiopia that Addis Ababa is peaceful, adding that “things are very exaggerated; and if you make your way here, you will receive the warmest welcome.”
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