Following the erection of a monument honoring Emperor Haile Selassie I, the founder of the OAU, which became the AU, in Addis Ababa, the website Allafrica published a revisionist article disparaging Haile Selassie and comparing him to common dictators in Africa. It is an outrage that in 2019 people can write pro-Mingistu propaganda, and publish it in a major platform for Africa.After the known atrocities perpetrated by the Derg government, which made Ethiopia synonymous with famine and poverty, and which all Ethiopians today decry and denounce as a period of horror, publishing such an article constitutes an open insult against all Ethiopians and all Africans who care for the dignity of African history.
That article not only describes Emperor Haile Selassie as a dictator, but speaks of King Shaka Zulu as a common war monger.
If revisionist history is accepted by Allafrica, why not publish an article supporting Apartheid?
We demand at once to know if Allafrica’s editorial board supports these views, or cares about outrageous revisions of African history such as the article of Mr Paunt.
The argument of allowing multiple views to be expressed is not acceptable to us.
When we know that millions of people lost their lives to an ideology, giving that ideology a platform is an invitation for disaster.
When the Ethiopian Government of Mr Abyi Ahmed is making such important strides in the direction of peace in the Horn of Africa, and taking measures to bring healing and reconciliation to Ethiopia, backward articles such as these can only be intended to disparage his valiant efforts.
FJN demands that such articles not only be taken down, but be rejected before they even get a chance to spread their intentional poison.
Africans do not need their history to be left at the hand of cynical revisionists, intent on minimizing the value of those who made us hold our heads high.
Anyone who knows Africans must know that we love Ethiopia, we love King Selassie I, we love Shaka Zulu.
Those who do not share this love do not wish the well being of Africans.