Part II
Understanding the fact on the ground, many partners and humanitarian actors including the UN, the EU have acknowledged the progress made and the milestones undertaken by the federal government together with regional government and international partners.
Humanitarian aid providers have been allowed to coordinate food and non-food items across the region. More than 200 UN agencies staff, international NGOs, including over 80 journalists, have been provided access to the Tigray region to support, coordinate and cover the emergency responses.
The contestation around the military escort in some areas or military check poling have other reasons as well because in some cases we have credible evidence indicating that some actors under the individuals of humanitarian assistance have attempted to smuggle weapons beyond check points in support of the terrorist.
Another contentious area has been the granting of visa for humanitarian workers and currently visas has been granted for period of three months with a possibility of extension and again depend on the volume of the work.
Communication materials are also another contentious area. Currently, the ministry of peace has developed a guideline and circulated to all partners to follow the direction. But the import and utilization of the communication equipment has to be in adherence with the law of the land. So, demands to import equipment that go beyond the needs of the humanitarian assistance cannot be accepted as it contravenes laws.
The Ministry of Peace is closely working with international partners like EU, WB, and UNDP to rebuild the state. Regions police force takeover from the federal police. About 4,000 regional police officers participated in training and are now on duty. Community police and independent observers organized in Mekelle city are working to enhance peace and security.
More than 2,000 civil servants in Tigray have participated in public dialog. Some 1,300 youth have also participated in national youth voluntary community service program. They took a one-month training course comprising life skills, leadership, digital media virtues, civil and social virtues, consensus building and diversity, peace building and other activities.
There is security concern related to the armed terrorists who are active in the area and there are deliberate attacks on convoys. Financial and material constraints are also witnessed. Misinformation and disinformation in the region is heavily prevalent. That is one of the key challenges in terms of vividly showing the reality on the ground to the world.
Fabricated data and distorted narratives shared by the credible institutions without foresight and examination of the authenticity of claims and allegations are trying too. For example, a recent utilization of destruction image in Yemen war pretended to happen in Tigray, claim of use of chemical weapons by TPLF chief accomplices abroad, image of TPLF crime during 2016 Irreechaa massacre being used to fund raise online for organizations claiming to support the people of Tigray and the recent audio that has been doctored stitching words and sentences to make a resemblance to prime minister’s sayings. Paid media are also working with TPLF.
Second the 6th national elections. It will be arguably first the FDRE attempt to hold free and fair elections. Around 40 million citizens are registered to vote and this is by far more than previous voters’ registration accounts. Following failure to build democratic culture earlier, Ethiopia is now confronting with two challenges in building necessary institutions and mind set to enable a robust democratic culture and practice.
The National Election Security Committee, comprising members of the Federal Police, the Attorney General, National Intelligence and Security Service and Ministry of Defense, has been established by the government to ensure peaceful and legitimate elections is underway. The Prime Minister has also continued convening regional presidents, Electoral Board officials with a view ensuring that Ethiopia has to experience the first free, fair and democratic elections.
Federal Attorney General presented a report on criminal investigations and prosecutions that has transpired in Tigray over the past few months. The senior and veteran leaders and affiliates of the TPLF are suspected of committing crimes, crimes for which it has been duly designated as a terrorist organization and allegations of sexual assault and the killing of civilians in the state have been investigated.
The investigation on TPLF leaders has ascertained the following facts. The TPLF leadership through its executive committee or police bureau established the Tigray military command organized, stuffed and commanded by retired generals from the ENDF. This illegal force had eight divisions and one mechanized unit and 23 regiments and its own logistics, structure and command apparatus.
The leadership of the TPLF which is not a designated terrorist organization played an active role in organizing, arming and financing this armed force. The TPLF had armed, financed and supported different armed cells in various parts of the country including in Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Beninshangul-Gumuz states. The TPLF had used these entities as agent in its efforts to destabilize the country and undermine the federal government.
On November 4, 2020, the military that was organized by the TPLF attacked several bases and facilities of the Northern Command. These were coordinated attacks that remain to wipe out and neutralized the Northern Command. In addition to the attacks on the Ethiopian National Defense Force, there were also additional attacks against the federal police units in Shire, Mekelle, and Axum Airport and other federal facilities in the state.
There were also attacks among others on the Ashegoda Windmill, the Mekelle and Adigrat Petroleum depots, the Tekeze Dam and electric plant and the Alamata Electric Station. The facilities and network of ethio-telecom were disrupted under the order of the chairperson of the TPLF at that time. These are the key findings in the first phase of the investigation that has now been completed.
Several suspects who have been implicated in these crimes have also been apprehended. Once we have finalized the process of entering these evidences and testimonies to the record of the Federal First Instance Court the appropriate charge will be pressed at the Federal High Court. The above sets of facts which have been ascertained through our investigation constitute serious crimes. Several suspects who have believed to have had a direct and major role in the commission of these crimes will now face charges including not limited to outrage against the constitutional order, armed uprising and instigating civil war, impairment of the defensive power of the state and crime of terrorism. The investigation into the crimes perpetrated by the TPLF over the years will continue in subsequent phases of our investigation.
The killing of civilians and the cases of sexual assault or rape investigations have been carried out by four different entities. As far as the military police and prosecutors are concerned, they have focused their efforts particularly on cases of killings of civilians, and the cases of rape and sexual assault perpetrated by members of the ENDF.
Whenever there have been such instances of violation, military prosecutors and the military police have conducted their own investigation. And so far, they have pressed charges against 28 soldiers who have been suspected of killing civilians, in situations there were no military necessity. Furthermore, the military prosecutors have also pressed charges against 25 soldiers who have been suspected of committing acts of sexual violence, rape. The trials of these suspects are also underway.
In addition to the military justice system, the state authorities, law enforcement agencies including police and justice bureau have also received and are investigating complaints and allegations of sexual assault and rape that have been reported to them in various parts of the state.
The federal police and the federal prosecutors have focused on allegations of major atrocities or mass killing of civilians that have been reported since the onset of the conflict in the Tigray State. Our focus so far has been particularly onto localities. The first report of major crimes and atrocities to be emerging in the state concerned the killing of several hundreds of civilians in and around the town of Maikadra.
A team of federal police investigators and prosecutors were deployed to the area and after an extensive investigation in which testimony of more than 250 witnesses have been taken and also after exhuming remains and conducting forensic investigations (using US forensic experts), the investigation team has ascertained that more than 200 individuals have been killed and several victims have sustained sever and serious injuries.
The investigation team has identified around 200 individuals who have believed taken part in the commission of these crimes. While most of the suspect are believed to have fled to Sudan, around 23 suspects have been apprehended and charges have been pressed against the suspects at the Federal High Court and their trial is already underway. Course of major crimes and atrocities concerned incidents in the city of Axum.
Furthermore, we have also tried to investigate into allegations of killing of civilians particularly from November 27 to 28. In this investigation that is still underway we have received testimony from around 120 witnesses. We have also gathered medical records and other pertinent evidences concerning those who have been injured and who have received medical treatment. We have also obtained some video and photographic evidences concerning the damage to civilians, civilian properties and installations.
The investigation shows that a significant number of more than half of these civilians seems to have been killed in the city while they are outdoors and there are indications that some of these large number individuals might have been irregular combatants who have received a two-day crush military training by TPLF.
There have also been close to 40 civilians who seem to have been killed in situations where there were no active fighting and where they did not pose any threat to the troops in the area. So, as soon as we finalize these investigations, we will be able to determine what charges need to be brought against whom. But the investigation so far indicates that some of the reports regarding the killings of civilians were credible.
BY STAFF REPORTERS
The Ethiopian Herald June 6/2021
