The Ethiopia images that shocked the world wouldn’t resonate in the same way today
Late October 1984. As civil war and a devastating drought ravaged northern Ethiopia, the autocratic government of dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam began using food deprivation as a weapon against his enemies.
The resulting famine forced millions of innocent families from their homes and villages in search of food, water, and medicine.
Rumours of the coming tragedy swirled in the centres of power, but the Ethiopian government denied journalists entry to the northern provinces.
Against all odds, African photojournalist Mohamed “Mo” Amin and BBC journalists Michael Buerk and Mike Wooldridge managed to fly in under the radar – literally.
On a small aircraft chartered by the not-for-profit aid group World Vision, the three journalists and a handful of aid workers landed on a dirt airstrip in the small northern city of Mekele to chronicle the conflict and the suffering.
In the days that followed, Mo Amin – my father – created some of the most dramatic and impactful still photos and video footage of human tragedy ever recorded.
In late October 1984, the BBC broadcast a seven-minute report about the famine, the extraordinary death toll, and the Ethiopian government’s indifference to the mass starvation. The BBC report went global, or in today’s parlance ‘viral’, and millions of global viewers were stunned.
With a death toll of nearly one million people, the BBC news report became one of the most impactful in human history.
As we mark the 40th anniversary of Band Aid, it is essential to reflect not just on the music and its humanitarian mission, but also on the powerful visual narrative that accompanied it.
In 1984, the world was confronted with one of the most devastating famines in history, and it was the footage captured by the renowned photojournalist Mohamed Amin that played a pivotal role in shaping public awareness and response.
The Ethiopian famine of 1984-1985 was caused by a combination of drought, civil unrest, and political mismanagement. Amin’s footage, together with Buerk’s harrowing commentary, was not merely a collection of images and words; it was a profound narrative that evoked empathy and urgency. The graphic nature of his work cut through the noise of everyday life, capturing the hearts of those who viewed it.
Within days of the BBC report, musician Bob Geldof and fellow rocker Midge Ure founded the humanitarian charity Band Aid. Geldof and Ure composed and recorded the song Do They Know It’s Christmas with a legendary group of British and Irish musicians for what quickly became the biggest-selling single in UK music history.
Just two months later on 28 January, 1985, Harry Belafonte, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and more than forty of America’s foremost musicians came together at a studio in Los Angeles to record the song We Are The World.
During the song’s first weeks of release, millions of listeners purchased the hit single and album in an unprecedented effort to mitigate hunger. To date, We Are The World is among the best-selling singles of all time. The song set the bar for what is possible when creative forces unite for a common cause. Six months after We Are The World, Bob Geldof organised the 16-hour Live Aid concert, one of the greatest philanthropic efforts in history.
The success of these musical efforts not only provided immediate financial relief but also set a precedent for celebrity involvement in humanitarian causes. It marked a turning point in how the entertainment industry could mobilise public sentiment and resources for global issues. The song topped charts around the world, and its accompanying music video showcased the urgency of the situation, further embedding the images of suffering into the public psyche.
The combined efforts of the extraordinary journalism and the global music initiatives resulted in a significant shift in global awareness regarding humanitarian crises. For the first time, a large segment of the Western public was confronted with the stark realities of famine in Africa.
The emotional impact of the footage and the collective action spurred by Band Aid, USA for Africa and Live Aid fostered a sense of global responsibility. People began to see themselves as part of a larger international community, where their actions could contribute to alleviating suffering far from their own borders.
The impact of Amin’s footage was magnified by the limited media landscape of the time. With fewer channels and a less saturated news environment, his images could dominate public discourse. People were more likely to engage deeply with the content, leading to significant financial and political responses, including the establishment of humanitarian aid initiatives.
Fast forward to today, and the media landscape is drastically different. We live in a 24/7 news cycle, where information is abundant and often overwhelming. Social media platforms allow for rapid dissemination of content, but they also dilute the impact of individual stories. The nuanced narratives that once compelled audiences can easily be lost in the constant barrage of information.
Today, humanitarian crises are frequently reported, but the immediacy of 24-hour news can create a sense of desensitisation. Audiences may scroll past heartbreaking images without fully absorbing their significance, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of global tragedies presented daily.
Unlike the singular narrative evoked by Amin’s footage during the Ethiopian famine, today’s crises often compete for attention, resulting in a fragmented understanding of issues.
The challenge now lies in evoking a similar sense of empathy and urgency. While social media can raise awareness quickly, it often lacks the depth needed to inspire meaningful action. Viral videos and hashtags can create momentary outrage, but sustaining that attention long enough to effect real change is increasingly difficult. The emotional connection that Amin’s footage fostered is harder to replicate in an age where content is consumed in quick snippets, often without context.
As we reflect on the legacy of Band Aid and the work of Mohamed Amin, we are reminded of the power of storytelling – both visual and musical.
The Ethiopian famine of 1984 serves as a stark reminder of our capacity for compassion and collective action in the face of human suffering. While the media landscape has changed dramatically, the fundamental human response to suffering remains the same. It is crucial that we continue to seek out and amplify the stories that resonate deeply, fostering empathy in a world that can sometimes feel detached.
In commemorating these 40 years, let us honour the past by striving to create impactful narratives that inspire action, even in an age of information overload. The world is in a very fragile place and the importance of good and honest journalism, activism and action is needed more than ever before.
Kenyan photojournalist Mo Amin died aged 53 on board a plane that was hijacked in 1996. Salim Amin is the co-producer of a new documentary on the subject Stand Together As One: The Famine, The Music, The Impact. The documentary, co-produced with director Chip Duncan, chronicles the famine in Ethiopia and the efforts of Harry Belafonte, Bob Geldof, and the ongoing work of the organisations they started
