February 18, 2018
Press Release – Indian Ocean Newsletter: Another False Story
In its 16 February Publication (No 1468) this week, the Indian Ocean Newsletter (ION) falsely claims that “talks are underway between Eritrea and Ethiopia to resolve the border dispute”.
The Newsletter goes on to say: “… Official communications between the two countries had already begun in the greatest secrecy and a meeting had been planned between the Eritrean President Issayas Afwerki and the former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn…who stepped down yesterday”.
To imbue credibility to this hoax, “exclusively obtained”, story, ION produces a list of personalities and “accredited figures” who have presumably launched “personal initiatives” towards this end.
It is not the first time for the ION to indulge in innuendos, and/or to publish utterly fictitious news and analysis on Eritrea and the region as a whole. The timing of this particular disinformation however raises questions of ulterior motive.
Be that as it may, the MOI advises the ION to give some respect to its readers and desist from disseminating hoax news for trite reasons of sensationalization or other sinister agendas.
Ministry of Information
Asmara, 17 February 2018
