@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

ZekuZelalem

@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social

Award winning journalist with an eye on Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa as a whole. Reporting mostly for Al Jazeera, elsewhere occasionally. Same handle on Bsky. Inactive on "X."
Contact: zechariaszelalem@gmail.com

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

timnitGebru, to random
@timnitGebru@dair-community.social avatar

My deep appreciation for David Yambio and the whole @refugeesinlibya crew. What you see publicly is not even 5% of what they do. May they get the resources and support they deserve. No one should see the daily horrors they see and experience with zero care from the world.

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@timnitGebru @refugeesinlibya absolutely amazing person and org!

ZekuZelalem, to random
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

Utterly ridiculous from the Pulitzer Prize committee today.

This Pulitzer citation supposedly honoring 🇵🇸 journos doesn't actually do so.

"Journalists & media workers covering the war in Gaza" includes everyone, Palestinian or otherwise.

The citation fails to mention the nationality of the journalists who "died" (euphemism which downplays the worst recorded journo slaughter), or the identity of their killers, the Israeli army.

Please compare with the 2022 citation for 🇺🇦 journalists.

The 2024 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Special Citations and Awards Journalists and Media Workers Covering the War in Gaza In recent years the Pulitzer Board has issued citations honoring journalists covering wars in Ukraine and Afghanistan. This year, the Board recognizes the courageous work of journalists and media workers covering the war in Gaza. Under horrific conditions, an extraordinary number of journalists have died in the effort to tell the stories of Palestinians and others in Gaza. This war has also claimed the lives of poets and writers among the casualties. As the Pulitzer Prizes honor categories of journalism, arts, and letters, we mark the loss of invaluable records of the human experience.

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

This special citation by the Pulitzer Prize committee is an insult.

To refuse to even mention that these are Palestinian media workers...and then to intentionally avoid distinguishing between those living and working in Gaza in extremely dangerous conditions and at risk of death at any moment...and everyone else covering the conflict remotely from North America or Europe, belittles the sacrifices of Palestinian journalists.

It's an attempt at sugarcoating Israel's direct role in their murders.

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

A far more proper citation was the one UNESCO made last week, which specified that it was honoring Palestinian journalists for its 2024 Press Freedom Prize. The UNESCO award failed to use updated figures for murdered media workers, and didn't identify the perpetrators of bloodshed.

But at least, this doesn't dehumanize Palestinians, as the statement names them and thanks them by adding that humanity has "a huge debt to their courage and commitment to freedom of expression."

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

Guess who won the Pulitzer for best International Reporting? The New York Times. Anat Schwartz et al.

Well oh well.

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@rivas I know! The aesthetics of it all couldn't have been worse this year!

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

Just realized that this single line I added in an Al Jazeera story I wrote in January by default lists me among the Pulitzer Prize Committee's "journalists & media workers covering the war on Gaza."

The committee's wording & its refusal to recognize the experiences of Palestinian journalists as being unique or different from those of non Palestinian journos, puts my typing of a sentence on par with dodging IDF airstrikes in Gaza.

You can congratulate me on my Pulitzer win now.

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@boud Spot on with your citing of Rudyard Kipling's poem! It's awful and racist, but entertaining to read and learn about and make the connection to the fiasco today!

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@timnitGebru Yup! Up there with Henry Kissinger winning the Nobel Peace Prize!

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@LALegault you are very kind thank you! But it goes without saying, neither me nor ANYONE out there this year should ever be considered for any major global special journalism prize citation highlighting courage and sacrifice amid conflict...ahead of Palestinian colleagues in Gaza!

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

The names of some of the Pulitzer winners who actually won are mind boggling.

The NY Times sealed the Pulitzer Prize in the International Reporting category for their Gaza coverage.

This means that the NY Time's Gaza war team are Pulitzer winners.

Anat Schwartz, the ex Israeli intelligence official hired by the NY Times following the October 7 attacks despite having no prior journo experience, fired in March for liking genocidal Twitter posts, is a Pulitzer Prize winner.

Let that sink in.

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@wcbdata Yes you are. We did it man!

video/mp4

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@ohmu Thanks! And I'll try and not use that phrase, I think it's overused anyways

ZekuZelalem, to random
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

Trevor Noah gone corporate?

An ad for a show by one of my favourite comedians came up, and I realized that I had not seen or heard from him since the Daily Show (i.e in like forever). I started going through his various pages, because certainly an outspoken activist and South African who routinely denounces Apartheid must have a lot to say about his country's ICJ genocide case against Israel...right?

Apparently no. Radio silent on Gaza. Trevor of all people! Disappointment.

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

Not a fan of hounding celebrities to speak up on the burning issues of the day. But Trevor through his comedy, literally presented himself as a progressive, social justice advancing commentator. For years, I'd tune in to hear his takes on the day's events the same way I'd tune in to Mehdi Hassan. At this of all times, and with his being a South African who has experienced apartheid...it's a colossal let down for him to casually sidestep the most important story in the world today.

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

Another lesson for Zak on lowering one's expectations of famous people. Will I ever learn? 😬

ZekuZelalem, to random
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

My latest story for the Globe & Mail newspaper: cheap armed drones, manufactured by the likes of UAE, Turkey, Iran & China, are causing mayhem across Africa.

Sudan, Libya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Burkina Faso & Nigeria, have all seen drone massacres in recent times. Co-authored with legendary journo Geoff York, we cite five atrocities caused by drones that now cost as little as $1 million.

Also features survivors of a Feb 19 drone massacre of 30 civilians in Ethiopia.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-cheap-imported-drones-fuel-a-surge-of-deaths-in-africa/

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

Modern day wars are increasingly ending in unwinnable quagmires. It is forcing more and more warring entities to begrudgingly contemplate face to face talks with their enemies.

These drones are being pushed by their sellers as a solution for quagmires: a tool to finish off enemies without suffering huge casualties. As such, drones are emboldening more and more military commanders in chief to put off talks, as they think their new toys are the tool for a cost effective victory (N.B they aren't).

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

The confidence instilled in African leaders (who are giddy with glee after drone manufacturers sell them the idea of swift victory) is leading to the cancellation of peace talk initiatives & the prolonging of wars.

And of course, an increase in human suffering.

Anyone following the Gaza onslaught fueled campus protests, will have heard denunciations of corporations such as bulldozer manufacturer, Caterpillar.

In the same vein, my thread on drone manufacturer Baykar:
https://dair-community.social/@ZekuZelalem/111727472359712627

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@jbhayet it's frightening how the political scientist quoted in this story explains how drone usage could be linked with bored, idle teenage killers. Luckily, the drones being used in Michoacan appear to be the commercial variety (which of course, can still be converted to a deadly weapon) and not the military grade ones. For now at least

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@nitin Well I ended up reading the whole thing. Very insightful, I appreciate the expertise! I wasn't aware of just how lopsided the missile defense to offense costs ratio is, and the idea of India being somewhat at Israel/Russia's mercy as a result...eveything from foreign policy alignment to the intl relations "security dilemma" theory explored. Very thorough for a short piece! Do you regularly share your content here? If not where can one follow your work?

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@nitin "Walls, border fences, missile defence shields, surveillance technologies or strategic superiority can lull a society and its leaders into believing that the underlying problem has gone away."

October 7, 2023 in a nutshell.

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

Print version of the story, page A3 of the Globe and Mail newspaper.

ZekuZelalem, to random
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

We hardly knew ya :(

Another of the Twitter replacement initiatives is shutting down after failing to generate sufficient business growth. Post.news was touted as the journalists' paradise, but it feels as though most journos abandoned their accounts soon after joining.

I'm not exactly sure why it didn't catch on, although a journalist only platform was hardly going to entice the social media masses. I think from now on, the standard for social media is to be federated.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/19/24135011/twitter-alternative-post-news-shutdown

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@j2bryson @mattjhodgkinson definitely agree with you that the journalist only idea was a terrible plan from the get go. Imagine a platform for writers, but no readers! 20 years is a gloomy outlook...do you think Bluesky has the potential to replicate old Twitter?

ZekuZelalem, to random
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

Ethiopian government Facebook troll farm exposed.

Today, the BBC published a long form investigation in Amharic that I hope is made available in English for non Ethiopian audiences soon.

A 3 month investigation revealed that Ethiopian ruling party institutions have swarmed Facebook with inauthentic pro government accounts which like, comment and share content favorable to the party, and spread disinformation and hate speech that targets opponents.

https://www.bbc.com/amharic/articles/cp6gnd20675o

ZekuZelalem,
@ZekuZelalem@dair-community.social avatar

@boud @tsedale Gonna ask my Ethiopian BBC buddies how long we have to wait on this. As for Tsedale's outlet...the staff there did briefly highlight it, in a story of there's a week or so ago on a study which shows a spike in Ethiopian digital hate speech
https://addisstandard.com/ethiopias-online-boom-shadowed-by-rise-in-hate-speech-new-report-labels-threat-as-high-and-dangerous/

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • anitta
  • kavyap
  • cisconetworking
  • thenastyranch
  • magazineikmin
  • hgfsjryuu7
  • DreamBathrooms
  • InstantRegret
  • Youngstown
  • slotface
  • PowerRangers
  • Durango
  • everett
  • rosin
  • normalnudes
  • vwfavf
  • modclub
  • ethstaker
  • khanakhh
  • tacticalgear
  • ngwrru68w68
  • osvaldo12
  • mdbf
  • tester
  • cubers
  • Leos
  • GTA5RPClips
  • provamag3
  • All magazines
    •