ETHIOPIA: Diagnosis Denial

Ethiopia rulers now perfect model of denial

Editorial: EritreaDaily.net

Oct 20 2003

Today’s media report “Addis Ababa again attacks border commission” clearly reveals that Ethiopia rulers have now vegetated into a perfect model of a severe psychological disorder known as denial: It is a psycho-pathological disorder and a state of mind that humans suffer from, and is marked by an inability or refusal to recognize and admit the truth or reality of a situation or experience. It is inter alia a defense mechanism that the ego uses to protect the conscious mind from threatening feelings and perceptions, or to prevent unacceptable ideas or impulses from entering the conscience. Simplistically expressed, “denial is a way to avoid facing the negative consequences of reality. Furthermore, denial permits one to distort reality – a very powerful psychological defense.” That being the definition of denial as provided by the pertinent literature, further review of the pertinent literature also reveals a list of various forms of clinical manifestations of the negative consequences of unresolved denial, such as that what Ethiopia leaders are currently suffering from. For our purpose today, we will consider three forms:

Unresolved denial can inter alia give rise to:

· Projecting the problem or the result of the loss onto others.

In today’s report, Ethiopia rulers accuse the EEBC and its president of:

“arrogance” and “major shortcomings”. What a gimmick? They didn’t lose the case because of “arrogance” and “major shortcomings” of the EEBC but only and only because of the fact of the matter, not to speak of the fact that half of the members of the EEBC are of their own choice?

“Cloaking itself with the mantle that its ruling would be final and binding, it stubbornly stuck to it untenable position,” “final and binding” nature of the ruling was not EEBC’s creation but was agreed upon, laid down and established by both parties; and the EEBC didn’t have the authority to bend or adjust it to meet the needs of either party. You can’t blame EEBC but your self for that.

Those are utterly perfect clinical examples of projecting the problem onto others (EEBC, arrogance, shortcomings, etc)

· A maladaptive pattern of copying with the loss or problem (Faulty or wrong pattern of copying with the loss or problem)

“Its President [Sir Elihu Lauterpacht] probably concluded that a poor country like Ethiopia would have to submit to his ruling whatever the merits of its argument.” Firstly, the president speaks on behalf of all the members of the EEBC and its collectively endorsed ruling. The president does not have his own ruling but speaks on behalf of the ruling of all the members of the Commission. Secondly, it has absolutely nothing to do with Ethiopia being a poor country for Eritrea is no better than that; may be even poorer? This kind of argument reveals, beyond any doubt, the wrong and faulty way/pattern of copying with the loss/problem that is reflective of the maladaptive pattern that people in denial, like Ethiopia rulers, resort to in dealing with their denial of reality.

· Fantasy or magical thinking, allowing distorted thinking to become a habit.

“The situation calls for the thorough attention by the institution responsible for global peace and security, the UN, and the guarantors of the Algiers Agreement who could together help the parties overcome the failings of a Commission that has been transformed into a party to the dispute,” This is a perfect example for fantasy or magical thinking that people in denial resort to, and in this case it is becoming a habit. There is no need to fantasize or engage in magical thinking: The case is closed. The decision is final and binding without right to appeal and is guaranteed to be enforced/implemented as agreed upon and accepted by both parties. There is no way around that, even if the Ethiopia rulers in denial make it to a habit to repeat their fantasy and magical thinking.

Finally, there is the statement of an identified diplomat “We are at a loss to see how this one can be resolved or how Ethiopia can now work with the commission it has so strongly denounced,” one diplomat in Addis Ababa told IRIN. No one can blame the diplomat for being perplexed by statements coming from people who find themselves in a critical stage of a terminal state of denial because the diplomat is being confronted by blatant denial of reality that he/she and the rest of the world perceived, recognized, and accepted, life immemorial. Having said that, the diplomat must know that diplomacy cannot talk Ethiopia rulers out of denial. For that, Ethiopia rulers necessitate other specialized attention outside the scope of diplomacy, which the int’l community must seriously consider. What the diplomat must do is to move on with the reality of enforcing/implementing the EEBC decision expeditiously and as called for by int’l community and to let others take care of Ethiopia rulers’ state of denial.

Viva Eritrea

Team EritreaDaily