• AI, HRW deprive evidence
ADDIS ABABA- For the past three decades the TPLF terrorist group has systematically and deliberately killed, massacred and displaced ethnic Amharas from Welkait area with a vision of establishing ‘greater Tigray,’ chairman of the societal group said.
Addressing the Ethiopian American Public Affairs Committee and Global Ethiopian Advocacy Nexus recently, Chairman of the Voice of the Victims Abiyou Belew stated TPLF forcefully incorporated the Welkait area into Tigray and designated ethnic Amharas as enemies simply because of their ethnic identity.
As to him, the identity, history and culture of the people of Welkait was forcibly eliminated by the TPLF forces; widespread and arbitrary killing and displacing of ethnic Amharas were committed as part of creating ‘Greater Tigray’. Amhara’s ancestral lands of Welkait, Tegede and Telemt were labeled
by TPLF as Western Tigray to instrument its vision of seeding from the rest of Ethiopia.
“Right after the outbreak of conflict in November 2020, the TPLF forces massacred 1,100 ethnic Amharas in a small town called Maikadra. The government needs to hold them accountable for all those responsible for violations of human rights.”
Abiyou further noted that Welkait is not only home to the Amharas but it is a crucial area to secure the territorial integrity of the country and also saving Ethiopia from TPLF’s evil dream of dismantling the nation and it is critical to protect Ethiopia’s sovereignty.
Language and cultural replacement, resettlement, forcefully displaced ethnic Amharas, systematic killing and massacre are among the core things that were committed by TPLF forces in Welkait during its administration. Still today, the TPLF terrorist group is preparing to occupy the area and inciting conflict here and there.
Speaking on the occasion, Balsillie School of International Affairs Director and Political Science Professor Ann Fitz-Gerald said the joint report by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch lacks credible data. The information is gathered from the camp residents in Sudan, anonymous interview; telephone interview of Samri youth group which fled the country committing gruesome crime in Maikadra and other irrelevant groups.
It’s quite clear that the allegation and accusation of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch is clearly far from the truth, lacking basic research methodology and “Ethiopia does not need peacekeepers, what Ethiopia needs is truth tellers.”
The content of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch’s report is politically motivated and contradicts the reality on the ground. It makes allegations of ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. They didn’t’ mention about the displacement, mass graves of people killed by the terrorist TPLF over the last three decades in the area, the scholar emphasized.
BY HAILE DEMEKE
The Ethiopian herald 19/2022
