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Double-speak and duplicity of Potemkin Party (PP) officials is again in full and glaring display! Only last Thursday, PP's Foreign Minister tried to re-package, essentially to hoodwink the diplomatic community, Ethiopia's two-year long reckless war agenda and incessant saber-rattling for "sovereign access to the sea" in "self-defense" language. But on the morrow of the FM's speech delivered in English, a senior General in the Ethiopian army pleads, in Amharic, to the various internal armed movements "to give the ENDF a respite "as they are bracing for a "larger mission". This is indeed typical of the war-mongering agenda that PP senior political and military officials have been, and continue to convey, to their domestic audiences in cryptic, and often more explicit, terms. https://t.co/xWvLN4deKP

📜Opinion and Analysis Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party: A Case of Groupthink Gone Wrong BY : - Sertseyonas Negash Over the past two years, the Prosperity Party-led Ethiopian government has been engaged in a relentless and futile propaganda campaign against Eritrea, even going as far as threatening military invasion to secure what it calls “sovereign access to the Red Sea”. This reckless campaign has been marked by daily saber-rattling, a weapons purchasing spree, and an orchestrated media campaign disseminated through various platforms, including State media. These daily media campaigns revolve around exaggerated claims of Ethiopia’s military superiority and a fantasy of broad diplomatic support for its “sovereign sea access” ambitions in violation of established international laws and norms. Who is behind this anti-Eritrea media campaign? All sections and echelons of the Prosperity Party (PP), the military brass, and an assortment of “social media activists” have all joined in this reckless disinformation drive. The regime has even gone as far as to create tens of thousands of full-time “media army” tasked solely with promoting anti-Eritrea disinformation and defamation campaigns. According to various reports, the current PP regime has deployed 30,000 media army members with the sole purpose of posting comments on accounts or pages assigned to them. Still, they remain largely ineffective as their total edifice is built on quicksand. The PP’s threats of ‘using force’ are explicitly prohibited under Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which states that: “All member states shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.” Similarly, the UN General Assembly’s Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-Operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations (A/8082) - Resolution 2625 1970, further reinforces Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter by stating that: “A war of aggression constitutes a crime against the peace, for which there is responsibility under international law. “In accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations, States have the duty to refrain from propaganda for wars of aggression. “Every State has the duty to refrain from the threat of uses of force to violate the existing international boundaries of another State or as a means of solving international disputes, including territorial disputes and problems concerning frontiers of States.” In spite of these vociferous and provocative saber-rattling, Eritrea has chosen to handle the fabricated crises with wisdom and restraint. In its October 16, 2023 Press Release, Eritrea stated: “. . . the Government of Eritrea repeatedly reiterates that it will not, as ever, be drawn into such alleys and platforms. The Government of Eritrea further urges all concerned not to be provoked by these events.” However, Eritrea’s restraint and silence should not be considered as a weakness. Rather, this policy stems from Eritrea’s vision of promoting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa region. As has been stated countless times, Eritrea has fought many wars to liberate the country and defend its sovereignty, and is well capable of defending itself. The reasons behind the PP’s unlawful pursuit of “sovereign sea access” are apparent. Despite Eritrea’s goodwill in opening a new chapter of relations following Ethiopia’s belated acceptance of the Ethiopia–Eritrea Boundary Commission (EEBC) verdict in 2018, following Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s rise to power, the PP now seeks to divert the attention of the Ethiopian public from the country’s internal strife and dire humanitarian crisis by scapegoating Eritrea. Moreover, PP’s current behavior towards Eritrea reflects its state of confusion, desperation, and frustration, stemming from Ethiopia’s mounting economic, social, diplomatic, political, military, and security crises that require urgent solution. Instead of addressing these challenges constructively and wisely, PP officials have chosen a dangerous alternative approach that risks plunging the country into further chaos and destruction. PP officials must understand that a mistake cannot correct another mistake. Instead of externalizing their crises, they should address their nation’s pressing issues rationally and seek viable, long-term solutions that benefit both Ethiopia and the broader Horn of Africa region. To achieve this, they need wise and sensible policies capable of steering the country toward genuine peace and prosperity. Otherwise, their collective descent into irrationality will become a textbook example of “groupthink gone wrong”.