The Name of the Grand Millennium Dam changed

The Ministerial Cabinet meets

The renamed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Millennium Dam on the Blue Nile

By Anko Zuta,Blogger of De Birhan Blogspot

15-04-2011

I remember discussing with one of my friends after a history class (I loved history and always scored 99 or 100), when I was in high school in Addis about the Abay River . During those years, Ethiopia and Eretria were in high time of border war. He asked me, "would you go to war if Egypt was to invade us for the sake of the Abay River?" I replied “ABLSOLUTELY” with high valour and fervour, same was his reply. We were just teens then, and I still can sense it after over a decade how ‘ticklish’ the matter was and will always be. The political dough that was almost to explode into protest and revolutionary u-turn in today's Ethiopia is seemingly being quelled by the very systematic and strategic politico-developmental ‘propaganda’ centred around the renamed The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Millennium Dam Project on the Nile Dam of the Meles 'sultanate'.Meles' 'sultanate' has been capable enough to mysteriously divert the full focus and attention of Ethiopians at home and in the Diaspora into the the Damming of our River,Abay. The Ministers Cabinet that met today in Addis Abeba sent out this press release , “to keep the heat of people’s emotion and attention on the construction of the Dam, a National Council has been established today April 15,2011 to undertake the PR and other works of the Project'' . The Project has been also renamed 'The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Millennium Dam Project' at the meeting . As to Garth S. Jowett, Garth Jowett, Victoria O'Donnell (2006 ) changing names is one of the techniques of the art of propaganda. They offer this similar historical anecdote,“Operation Desert Shield” was changed to “Operation Desert Storm” when U.S. forces invaded Iraq in January 1991. Changing Shield to Storm enabled people to alter their perception of the U.S. military operation from “protective” armies to “raging” forces. This proves that EPRDFites strategy has also justified itself. The whole mission of the newly established Council would be keeping the talk and attention of Ethiopians on the Dam and the Dam only. No revolution, protest, food and fuel price or so talk. Just the Dam. Just after two decades of rule ,the EPRDFites have now come to the agreement that they should use the unity, Ethiopianism, Abayism and patriotism principles of solidarity as rhetorical and propagandistic ways of propagating their iron fist rule. Ethiopians have no compromise on the above listed principles though the whole thing is Gray Propoganda. The huge focus of the regime on media campaign and propaganda than wearing fingers to the bone, demonstrates the scheme behind the Dam i.e. ATTENTION DIVERSION. Damming the Nile would have been the last attention diverting ‘issue’ that the regime could have used and they DID.I don’t know what they will generate when the unbreakable days come soon .Today, more than other times State Media in Ethiopia are in a continuum that is so difficult to say whether they are doing ‘developmental journalism ‘or ‘propaganda journalism’.

“… propaganda is a form of communication and

it uses both informative and persuasive communication concepts to

promote its own objectives by controlling the flow of information, managing

public opinion, and manipulating behavioural patterns. Propaganda is a

subset of both information and persuasion. Sharing techniques with information

and persuasion but going beyond their aims, propaganda does not

seek mutual understanding or mutual fulfilment of needs. Propaganda

deliberately and systematically seeks to achieve a response that furthers the

desired intent of the propagandist.” Garth S. Jowett, Garth Jowett, Victoria O'Donnell (2006 ).

As to sources Meles Zenawi has bestowed the Council that was established today to apply its maximum effort of ‘keeping the momentum at any cost’ in the month of May, the month that Ethiopian democratic forces are preparing to peacefully protest the ‘undemocarticness’ in the country. This includes organizing grand music concerts, advertisements, and infotainment programs on the media, rallies and similar attention grabbing projects. They(the National Coucil appointed by the Prime Minister ) are promised ‘huge sum of money’ by the Prime Minster, which will partly be funded by Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Ali Al Amoudi to the execution of the Campaign. The Council will incorporate artists, journalists, advertisers, business people, and athletes and other dignitaries such as Haile Gebresellasie, Serawit Fikre, and Wubishet Werkalemahu.

Many more projects of ‘keeping the momentum’ or attention diverting methods, to better call them, are also in the pipeline.

The military and the youth are targeted.

Sources are also indicating that a 'Millennium Renaissance Great Run' ,where over one hundred thousand people would take part,is set to be held in Addis Abeba, bearing the slogan 'Engenebawalen' meaning 'we will build it'.

At a time when the 2011 'interplanetary revolutions'have reached sub Saharan Africa : Uganda and Swaziland, the countering strategies planned by Ethiopian opposition forces and youth movements,are to be seen.