History gives testament experiment with Jubilee was near fatal fiasco

It took photojournalist Mohamed Amin’s resolve to draw the world’s attention to the suffering of Ethiopians in 1984. Between 1983 and 1985, debilitating drought and the resultant famine hit Ethiopia, but because the oppressive military leadership regulated news out of the country, it took long before the world was notified and later galvanized into action to save the situation. But even as the horror leaked to the world, the Government denied such a thing existed. By the time the famine ended, the death toll stood at 1.2 million people.

Sadly, we are reliving that experience, and possibly headed the Ethiopian way if denials and pronouncements by senior government officials are anything to go by. The Media, having highlighted the problem, is being vilified for being sensational by those who would rather have this ignominy remain secret; for it exposes their hypocrisy.