Most people think of the Holocaust as being the worst example of crimes against humanity in human history. Because, it was perpetrated targeting a specific ethnic group (ethnic cleansing), it is considered as the cruelest crime in the history of humankind.
However, in my view, the crimes committed by the terrorist TPLF group could be one of the ferocious crimes, for the reason that the extents of their cruelties are too heartbreaking, tormenting and extended far beyond any mind could think of it.
It is known that crimes against humanity are felonious assaults that target a specific group of people based on their religion, ethnicity, or some other traits, which is not a direct result of something that group has done. And one of the most common crimes against humanity is genocide, which is the murder of a large portion of the population.
In the same manner, the terrorist TPLF group has committed a number of horrifying inhuman crimes targeting innocent civilians- including women and children- which is totally contradictory to the international law of war- apart from looting public and private properties and damaging service providing institutions
Members of the enterprise, in areas that were once under their control, raped women regardless of any differences, massacred many innocent citizens brutally on account of their ethnic and religious background and for their political ideologies.
It is recalled that the terrorist TPLF group has been escalating its violence by expanding its incursion in Amhara and Afar states, resulted in tremendous atrocities and humanitarian catastrophes in areas it occupied including in Woldiya Town, Northern Wollo Zone of Amhara State.
The inhabitants of Woldiya recalled that they have been subjected to countless abuses and horrific atrocities by the terrorist TPLF from the day the group entered into the town.
As residents of the town shared their stories to local media, after the town has been liberated, the militants of the rebel group have committed unspeakable barbaric atrocities. They gang raped women, looted and destroyed public and private facilities, including Woldiya University and Woldiya Specialized Hospital.
As to the dwellers, immorally, the rebels even plundered money from the beggars, which is unusual and embarrassing.
The distressing and humiliating crimes and atrocities committed by the group against them have left deep scars on town’s dwellers.
“Militants of the invader have forcibly raped women in the town, massacred civilians cold-heartedly, looted properties and wrecked facilities,” the residents pointed out.
The terrorist invading forces, while they were invading the town, killed many young people in public, raped women in groups, looted properties in a manner it seemed retribution, and causing human sufferings, including raping and killing civilians, burgling and destroying properties were their end purposes, the residents underscored.
For instance, they cited the case of a woman in the town who was raped by four persons and then shot dead by them.
One of a young resident expressed her joy despite the deep scars and psychological traumas on the victims, perpetrated by the terrorist TPLF.
“It is like as if we are born again; because we have declared our freedom from months of agony. Many of our sisters, daughters and mothers were raped, and our brothers did not return to their home. In general, we suffered a lot; we were forced to bow our heads.”
Another resident of the town, a man said “they raped a woman in a group of four and shot her with seven bullets that could never happen anywhere.”
He added “the militants of TPLF ordered a man ‘to kneel down’ where I am standing here. In a way he was kneeling down, the insurgents shot him dead. Three other people were also killed the day before Woldiya Town was liberated, he indicated.
“They raped our women and massacred our brothers for no reason. For example, my own brother was killed while he was fetching water. I have seen so many innocent people being killed every day,” a lady resident of the town said.
Also, another old man residing in the town said that “they had been killing us every day since they arrived in the town. Entering into every bar and every house, they were compelling us to give them money.”
According to residents approached by ENA, the terrorist TPLF forces have looted, wholly or partially damaged and demolished the town. They have left the residents without property.
The residents also indicated that health facilities, schools and financial institutions, including Woldiya Hospital and University, have been completely looted.
Finally, the inhabitants reaffirmed their commitment and readiness to do whatever is required of them by joining the security forces.
The shocking incidents that the insurgents perpetrated in this specific town are just the tip of the iceberg as several unspeakable inhuman crimes have occurred in areas that were under the control of the group.
The weird, terrifying crimes that members of the faction committed against civilians pain and anger Ethiopians and Ethiopia’s friends.
However, what makes the story more heartbreaking and saddening is that, the international human rights groups and the western media could not give their ears for the atrocities committed by the terrorist TPLF in Amhara and Afar states for unknown reason. Embarrassingly, they could not directly and clearly speak about the crimes, call a spade a spade, and condemn the wrongdoers openly.
While they are well aware of the crimes that amount to war crimes, and potentially crimes against humanity, they could not move an inch to make the wrongdoers accountable, except accusing the government unreasonably.
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD DECEMBER 23/2021
