A chief is the highest official or in other words it is a ruler with trust and authority. Designated to hold such a position, the individual should independently discharge his or her duties with emulation and without being bossed around. Among the duties of Maureen Achieng, on top of administering the International Organization for Migration as a chief in Ethiopia, she is well aware of her responsibility as a whistle blower when things go wrong. She should have had absolute backing of United Nations as it is among its primary objectives.
Supposedly, the United Nations is organized to ascertain peaceful coexist within a country and between countries without taking sides or be in favor of one or the other party. In this case, Maureen did the right thing in exposing the mistakes the UN has blatantly committed just to please and support the erring group or the junta with all its vicious activities. She complained that she was being sidelined by UN higher-ups who were sympathetic to Tigrayan rebels. As responsible and honest diplomat, she had the gut to expose what the international community deliberately turned its blind eye to. The United Nations is geared to seeing only the TPLF’s side ignoring what this group has done to tens of thousands of Innocent Tigrians, Amharas and the Afar people.
The idea of partiality should not be mentioned and entertained when it comes to the United Nations endeavor to settle conflict between two groups within a country.
‘The United Nations Charter underscores the centrality of conflict prevention as a responsibility for the whole of the United Nations system. Conflict prevention involves a range of actors across the three pillars of the UN: peace and security; development; and human rights. Each of these pillars works in distinct but mutually re-enforcing ways to address both the immediate and deeper causes of violent conflict, through engaging at the local, national, regional and international levels, partnering with communities, civil society, governments, regional and sub-regional organizations, and other international institutions.’ At times, things they claim do not correspond with what they are doing to Ethiopia with little concern about their global reputation. As of late, the third world countries are beginning to doubt some activities of the organization. They use the humanitarian assistance as bate to keep these countries under their control.
From its look, the charter of the UN is meticulously placed that the intrusion of partiality into the UN activities is utterly unthinkable. Yet, the truth is that the allegation directed to this massive international organization holds water. Media tend to cover crises after they have turned violent, when dramatic scenes are more likely to capture audience attention.
The tragedy in this situation is that the media operates within the range of specific directives given by the powers that outwardly manifest the image of justice which they have failed to prove. Apparently, while the terrorist junta inflicts unimaginable crimes in full knowledge of the international community and the UN, they did not want to understand the gravity of the situation from the Ethiopian side. Yet, they claim that conflict prevention remains, however, a relatively under publicized aspect of the UN’s work. Perhaps conflict prevention to them means taking sides with the perpetrators and condemning the victims who suffer the bitter consequences of the atrocities for none of their mistake. At this junction, justice is seen publicly trampled on mercilessly for the strong have the scepter in their hands and use it anyway they like. They can pass verdict that is in line with their national interest disregarding that of the other nations.
The other concern here is they keep telling the world about the war in northern Ethiopia that has driven hundreds of thousands of people into famine-like conditions, according to UN estimates, and sparked mounting global concern. Those who are concerned about the famine are none other than those who are committed to alienating the third world from political and economic independence. As the child of freedom and genuine democracy, Maureen Achieng stood up to such unjust system of neocolonialism. It is time for all nations of the world to be vigilant and ward off the encroaching international crisis consciously designed to enslave and impoverish countries like Ethiopia.
As a matter of fact, the United Nations Security Council, which has a key responsibility in the prevention of violent conflict, at sundry times, has refused to take punitive measures against the terrorist junta for all it has done to the people in north Ethiopia. Had it not been for peace-loving countries, the situation could have taken the wrong turn. Tenaciously clinging to their policy of outright denial of the truth, they still press nations to accept their false allegation and unjustly take action against Ethiopia. Because of the negligence of the West and the United States, escalation, continuation and recurrence of violent conflict uncontrollably continued in the war zone. Evidently, this too did not mean much to them; the misery is to the denounced party. This is the sheer indication of taking sides even though they vehemently deny it. After all, who cares for the dead fish? That is the principle the world is currently hinged upon.
On the contrary, conscience-driven individuals like Maureen Achieng could not sit back and watch the wrong doing in which the life of thousands is subject utter misery and death. As a genuine advocate, she vehemently voiced against the violation of the human rights which totally is denied by the top officials of the United Nations. For this justifiable reason, she is now faced with the administrative measure of her bosses at the headquarters.
The audio, for which they accuse her had been surreptitiously recorded and selectively edited in the deliberate act of undermining her and tainting her good reputation. Yet, the bold step taken by Achieng was supported by Pearce a writer who has published multiple articles defending the Ethiopian government’s conduct of the war against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Antonio Vitorino, Director General of IOM, brushing aside the truth, wrote, “The opinions attributed in the audio recordings to the staff member do not correspond to IOM’s principles and values and should not in any way be considered as expressing IOM’s positions.” If that is the case, why don’t they come out to where the war is going on and honestly observe everything and make honest judgment. Why do they rely on the fake news of the partisan journalists? The validity of the news should be scientifically proven before making it public. Maureen Achieng who was very close to the war site, depending on her practical observation, made an honest comment about what is taking place in north Ethiopia.
Obviously, Achieng exactly knew what she was doing. She did not want to hide the truth from the world. She was and is still very much aware of the fact that there is nothing static in the world. One way or the other, sooner or later, things change in obedience to the dictates of the natural law of dynamism. Situations, due to power of money or military strength whether we like it or not can take the opposite direction contrary our desire. The falsely maneuvered affairs of nations can be disproved and the fault can be brought to light. Those who were economically or politically forbidden to exercise their rights can break the chains of bondage and herald their inalienable holistic independence. Since they are granted by the timely force that deposes the strong and lifts the weak to power, nothing can pull them back to their former servitude. There is time for everything – time to attack and to be attacked; time to give and time to beg and so forth. Nature provides privileges and misfortunes in its own time whether or not we understand it. From what is done to her, Achieng said she was “deeply disturbed and disappointed.” What else can she say?
BY JOSEPH SOBOKA
The Ethiopian herald October 23/2021
