PUBLIC STATEMENT: Global Society of Tigrai Scholars (GSTS)

The Global Society of Tigrai Scholars (GSTS) unequivocally condemns in the strongest possible terms the ill acts of Walta Information Centre which probably sanctioned by top elements of the Federal Government

Once again, it is with deep dismay and extreme anger, we, members of the Global Society of Tigrai Scholars (GSTS), received the fake news posted on 13th December 2019 on the Walta Information Centre's (WIC) official Facebook account of the death of Dr Debretsion Gebremichael, the Vice President of Tigrai Regional National State.

Therefore, we immediately and unequivocally condemn WIC in the strongest possible terms. We call for the closure, liquidation and disbursement shares of the WIC and other media that are irresponsibly engaged in spreading ethnic hatred and conflicts throughout the country.
More concerning, this recent fake news from WIC illumes the hidden agenda and wishes of the enemies of Tigrai and Tegaru and is probably sanctioned by top elements of the Federal Government who have increasingly demonstrated sophisticated and meticulously planned assassinations of Tigrean icons and other federalist forces. In fact, this is not the first time for WIC to be engaged in such outrageous act. Not long ago, WIC has broadcasted series of documentaries targeting ‘Tigrigna speaking’ people as the perpetrators of tortures and the only culprits for past atrocities, in a way creating negative narratives, prejudices and exposing innocent Tigreans for subsequent attacks and psychological pressure among the population. It is also a common place where other documentaries with fabricated lies targeting Tigrean businesspersons in Afar and other places are in production.
Despite the repeated public calls, official complaints and individual pleas, regrettably, WIC continues distorting facts, manufacturing documentaries of lies and concocting conspiratorial fake news constantly targeting Tigrai and Tegaru.

In the past two years, WIC has consistently proven beyond any shred of doubt that it is not only partisan but also manufacturer of venomous propaganda documentaries and fake news that could affect the long-standing co-existence of Ethiopians and the much-needed peace in the country.
WIC is not the first and lone outlet spreading such hateful fake news, but rather an addition to the other media outlets that made campaigns of attacks on Tigrai and Tegaru as their daily business. Radicals holding offices in the Federal governments and other entities are mischievously spinning this deliberate attack on Tigrai to target Tigreans working in WIC as the culprits of such wicked fake news.
WIC and others are acting like the Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) of Rwanda, inviting absolute chaos and targeted attacks on ethnic communities.
The Ethiopian people and international community need to urgently understand that media manipulations by WIC and the likes, governed by board members and management that are chauvinist and have bitter hatred against certain ethnic communities remain the most dangerous actors for survival of today’s Ethiopia.
The representatives of the International Community in Ethiopia and the Western media have deliberately kept quiet when millions are displaced; thousands murdered and mutilated; university students killed and properties looted and destroyed. These are plain facts and we don't believe that international community does not know these grave atrocities. Some out rightly deny the presence of targeted attacks, and a few even attempt to justify these attacks with a pretext of restoring peace. It would be irresponsible and historical mistake not to act now. We wonder how much innocent blood, and how many displaced people, and how many destroyed livelihoods the International Community want to see before they act following their conscience and verifiable evidence. The Federal Government and the representatives of the International Community residing in Addis Ababa did not only fail to investigate and stop such attacks, but they have ignored and actually tacitly endorsed such attacks by supporting such media outlets by providing the current governments of varied kinds of supports.

We call upon all Ethiopians to condemn such ill acts in strong terms and stand with the peace loving Tigreans.
We also call upon the International Community residing in Ethiopia and Western media to join us in condemning the use of media apparatus by the Federal Government to terrorize and destabilize Tigrai and other communities. We also call upon the International community to insist on independent investigations of the many atrocities, killings, assassinations and psychological maneuvers on our societies.