BY KFLEEYESUS ABEBE
On the night of November 3rd, Tigrayan Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) attacked Ethiopian army base in the north that subsequently resulted a law and order operation by Ethiopian National Defense Force. Obviously, the incident caused destruction and fatalities, but the international community pointed all the blame against Ethiopia including the denial of TPLF’s aggression. Of course, this is due to international media baseless portrayal of Ethiopia as an attacker and abusive. The western media and countries such as the United States and some European countries have accused Ethiopia for committing atrocities amounting genocide, and war crime for the use of starvation and sexual violence as ‘weapon of war.’
Ethiopia did not just slam these fabricated allegations but it went on inviting independent human investigators to investigate and understand the situation on the ground. It also expressed readiness to take all corrective measures for any humanitarian violations might have committed by its forces. But it was confident that gross humanitarian or genocide hasn’t happened. Therefore, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have been jointly investigating victims of the war beginning from May, 2021. Ethiopia’s truth has begun to take a light as the Joint Investigation Team (“JIT”) released its report.
To begin with, the report has shown that the terrorist TPLF group is responsible for triggering the conflict by attacking Ethiopian army base on November 3rd. The report presents the genesis of the conflict as this: “On 3 November 2020, the Tigray Special Forces (TSF) and allied militia attacked the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and took control of the bases and the weaponry. On 4 November 2020, the federal government announced a military operation against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and its forces.”
Second, the report falsified claims and allegation genocidal killings and the use of starvation and sexual violence as weapon of war by Ethiopia forces during the conflict. The report “could not confirm deliberate or willful denial of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Tigray or the use of starvation as a weapon of war.” Though it is now found to be false, the international media’s fictitious reporting of Ethiopia using starvation and sexual violence has already hurt Ethiopia’s name and has to appear situation at the United Nations Security Council several times.
Ethiopia received the report positively but also stated some of its serious reservations concerning some aspects of the report. Among the shortcomings of the report were limitation in scope both in time and geographic location. The report hasn’t exposed horrific brutality that the terrorist group has committed against civilians in Afar and Amhara regional states. It does not address the campaign of massacre the TPLF’s proxies and allies have committed in places like western Oromia.
However, in a statement on Wednesday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the report exposed baseless lies and accusations that were circulating since the outset of the war. The statement expressed its regret the international community to be misled by this fabricated lies. “We have always known these allegations were false but our enemies have worked tirelessly to mislead the international community.” Prime Minister Abiy wished the report would open eyes of friends of Ethiopia that have changed their policies influenced by “a well-organized and orchestrated disinformation campaign” of international media outlets. “We hope the report will cause these nations to reconsider and review policies enacted based on false information.”
The statement indicated that findings of the joint investigation team have clearly established “the claim of genocide as false and utterly lacking of any factual basis. The report also concluded the often-repeated allegation that the Government used hunger as a ‘weapon of war’ is without merit.”
The premier in the statement expressed his governments’ readiness to take corrective measures as well as provide compensation for victims. “We recognize and accept the report as an important document that complements our on-going effort to provide redress to victims, ensure accountability, and take preventive measures.
The report has confirmed that “genocide”, “hunger as weapon of war”, “sexual violence as weapon of war”, “humanitarian assistance blockade” are sensational stories all politically motivated propagandas of the terrorist group, its affiliates and western media that have shown its ill interest since the outset of the conflict. They may have sectionalized it, build up facts but as the end they are fabricated stories.
An example that there is hidden political interest is the United States suspension Ethiopia from tariff-free African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) yesterday. The United States suspended Ethiopia from tariff-free African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) yesterday on the pretext of “gross humanitarian violation even before hearing the report. Before this action the United States had to wait for the report and understand the situation if the case was really about humanity but it wasn’t the case.
There is no rationality to end the opportunity introduced to lift up living condition of sub-Saharan countries on the pretext of human rights protection. The actions will eventually affect livelihoods of hundred thousands of people mostly women in southern Ethiopia working in textile factories that export to the US. So, it is easy to recognize the intention of the international media as well as western countries as their acts aren’t complementary.
The report would let the world know that Ethiopia has been a victim of smear campaign, disinformation and uninformed decisions of some nations. It maybe now time the time to countries that have been genuine to criticize Ethiopia for human rights violation to accept the report and correct their stances. Unless it would crystal not for Ethiopia but the rest of the world that actions that are being taken against Ethiopia aren’t due to its human right violation. But it would be taken as pure actions of interference on its territorial integrity or interest as a nation.
Furthermore, with the reality of this report, Ethiopia has shown commitment to protection of human right as itself invited to investigation and accept the result despite some of its limitations. Therefore, the world should also accept the result, renew relation with Ethiopia and support Ethiopia in repatriation of victims and other necessary precondition for durable protection of Ethiopians right.
The Ethiopian Herald November 4/2021
