BY DARGIE KAHSAY
Our today’s guest is Surafel Getahun, Lecturer and Researcher at Dire-Dawa University Department of Political Science and International Relations. Surafel studied his BA degree in Political Science and International Relations from Addis Ababa University (AAU) and his MA degree in Peace and Security Studies from the same institution, AAU. In addition, Surafel has an additional degree in Peace and Development Studies from Haremaya University.
He presented papers in four international workshops and over 10 national and regional seminars regarding national, regional and international relations and political issues. Surafel is among the vibrant political scholars well known for his comments and opinions on current local and international political development in the media. The Ethiopian Herald sat to discuss the current IC and IO’ responses and threats to the crisis in Ethiopia.
How do you think should the International Community (IC) and International Organizations (IO) treat or respond to the Northern Ethiopian crisis?
The IC stances and responses to the northern Ethiopian crisis are of two types. On one hand, there were genuine efforts to restore peace mainly by organizations such as the African Union (AU). On the other hand, there were smear campaigns against Ethiopia by the international media since the war, which were started by Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), and there were unnecessary pressures against the Ethiopian government. Hence, the IC and IO’s actions in the Northern Ethiopian crisis are both constructive and deconstructive.
Still, in providing humanitarian assistance, the IC’s contribution especially to the people of Tigray was appreciated. Following the recent unilateral truce by the Ethiopian Government, the response of the IC and international aid organizations was big. In addition, there were efforts to bring peace by calling both actors to negotiation by a few actors.
In this regard, the AU invests its maximum efforts to bring the conflicting actors to peace negotiation by assigning Olusegun Obasanjo as its special envoy. The AU and the special envoy’s efforts under the principle of “African solutions for African Problems” try all its capacities to solve the problem through diplomatic means. The AU and Obasanjo were successful, especially in creating suitable ground for the humanitarian truce that was passed by the unilateral decision of the Ethiopian Government. This action helped the people of Tigray to get humanitarian assistance. And the unilateral Humanitarian Truce helped attract international aid organizations to provide aid to the people of Tigray without any limitation.
During the past six months only, the Ethiopian government and international aid organizations delivers around three billion support to the people of Tigray and this was unthinkable without the humanitarian truce. The humanitarian aid flow to Tigray was appreciated during these months and the Ethiopian government was fully supporting the process.
On the other hand, TPLF continued its belligerence during these months and the IC remained silent to condemn its activities of TPLF. In addition, there were smear campaigns against the government of Ethiopia by Western Media and different IO without any concrete reason. Though the Ethiopian government announced repeatedly to start negotiations to end the crisis peacefully, the TPLF continued to raise unfounded issues just to disturb the peace talks. Instead of pressurizing TPLF to enter the peace talks, the IC remains silent and that gives TPLF the confidence to continue the war.
Due to the failure of the IC to bring genuine peace talks in Ethiopia by pressurizing TPLF, the latter was encouraged to re-launch a war against Ethiopia and continued its offensive in Amhara and Afar states. Even the Ethiopian government decided on the unilateral humanitarian truce while TPLF forces controlled some kebeles of Afar and Amhara in the Waghimra zone. Hence, though the Ethiopian Government took all possible measures to solve the crisis peacefully, as we are experiencing now, the peace initiative already fails and another third round of war started. This is the failure of the IC, especially the Western actors. Now, because of TPLF, we are in total war.
As you mentioned, the truce has been already violated and TPLF has encroached to new places in Amhara and Afar states. How do you see the response of IO and Western countries to the current development?
Following the TPLFs offensive act, the humanitarian truce has already been violated. TPLF takes war as the only means of leaving other solutions behind. Surprisingly, TPLF looted oil that entered Tigray by IO for humanitarian operations in Tigray. After it looted over half a million liters of oil from World Food Program’s compound in Mekelle, it started a full-scale war against Ethiopia.
Following the oil looting, different IO condemned the act. But, there was no action against the looter. What is more important is that no country or international organization condemned TPLF’s war against Ethiopia. The IC and organizations remain silent though TPLF continued encroachment offensive in Amhara and Afar states. In addition, TPLF continues recruiting child soldiers, which is a clear violation of international laws. Though it is a clear war crime and the atrocity against civilians remains a top international human rights violation, the world chooses to be silent.
So far I have never seen any concern or condemnation against TPLFs current offensive. It is shame for the IO and the IC. The IO’s stance reflects that they are acting only to protect their interests since the IOs are the creations of the Western world. Due to this reason, IO’s stance on Ethiopia mostly is not constructive. The IO’s are pro-western world and without the blessing of the western countries, the IOs never condemn or take action against any belligerent actor.
In the current Ethiopian conflict, there are various actors and interests. Hence, by remaining silent about the TPLF war against Ethiopia, they are showing tactical or systematic green light for TPLF to continue the war. The civilian causalities and civilian property destruction are nothing for the IO if it is not against their basic interest and they are proofing this natural stance in the current acts of TPLF.
The IC’s and IO’s silence also is creating a difficult condition for the people of Tigray. The current action by TPLF is prolonging the solution for the people of Tigray. Hence, the silence of the IOs is disturbing the peace in Ethiopia and the way for peace talks plus it is prolonging and complicating the crisis of the people of Tigray. The silence of the IC is contributing its share to the continuation of the crisis in Ethiopia. This makes the crisis a vicious circle.
What do you think will be the impact of the international organization’s tendency to stick to the principle of bothsidesism given the atrocities committed by TPLF so far?
From the beginning, one thing is clear here. It is blame shifting or equalizing though the atrocities are made by TPLF. The IO and the IC never saw civilian property destruction and violations of civilian rights and displacements in Amhara and Afar states as crimes or as atrocities. This is blame shifting strategy. It is already to not touch TPLF. Though most actors know every detail on the ground and who is the violator, they are blaming the government who is acting responsibly and the group that is labeled as terrorists by the Ethiopian parliament. On the other hand, a few actors may have not clear information since TPLF and its lobbyists are shouting through the belligerent itself.
This is a clear sign that the western world’s stance is to pressurize the federal government of Ethiopia. This is mainly the product of Neo-liberal policy actors and it is due to their interest. Currently, there are new rivalry developments in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea area between the West and some eastern countries mainly China. So, to control the geo-politics in this area, the western world wants a puppet government in Ethiopia and the current Ethiopian government stands by itself without siding to any block. This made the western world angered and tries to pressurize the Ethiopian government using internal actors. So, they are calculating from this point of view. So, they remain silent to condemn the TPLF’s destruction of civilian properties. The war is now in Amhara, but they are not ready to condemn it.
This indicates that, in any way, the IOs and the western world are pro-TPLF and that is why the peace initiative failed since these actors are siding with TPLF at least tactically. If you do not have a moral to condemn the problem creator, you never become a genuine mediator to bring peace.
See, the aid for the displaced people in Amhara and Afar by the international aid organizations is insignificant or almost unavailable. There are over 180 thousand internally displaced people in Debarik and tens of thousands of displaced are found in Seqota and different camps in Afar.
In addition to their interest, by the way, the strong relationship that the TPLF-affiliated supporters created during the past 27 years make the IO biased. The TPLF-affiliated persons in different IO build strong networks and using these networks, they are influencing or misinforming the IO. Hence, the current stances of the IC are just the status quo of the 27 years of relations with TPLF. Through the old network, the TPLF is lobbying the IO’s easily either to stand with TPLF or to remain silent or to equalize both actors in atrocities. This is a bad tactic by the way.
The actions of the World Health Organization’s Chief, Dr Tedros Adhanom and other high officials of the United Nations are lobbying for TPLF to leave behind the impartiality of UN institutions.
The US, EU and Great Britain assign special envoys to the Horn of Africa to resolve the Ethiopian crisis and recently, all these special envoys visited Ethiopia. But, these countries and organizations already have failed and played almost nothing to bring peace to Ethiopia. What do you think is the problem behind this failure? Is it due to their interest or a natural failure to manage the issue?
As I mentioned earlier, any actor with his interest can never be a genuine peace initiative actor between two conflicting parties. Though the Western countries and western-based IO are assigning special envoys, they failed to bring peace to Ethiopia. If you take the recent statement after these special envoys visited Mekelle, it was not a genuine statement. The total content of the statement was to blame the Ethiopian government and praise TPLF. So, how do you think these actors can bring meaningful peace? They already remain silent to recognize the actions of the Ethiopian government for the unhindered humanitarian flow for Tigray after the unilateral truce. They focus only on issues raised by TPLF.
The Ethiopian government invests all its maximum capacities for unhindered humanitarian flow to Tigray including oil and fertilizer. The Ethiopian government’s actions were in a difficult situation since TPLF continued in disturbing the humanitarian flow. But, the recent joint statement by the envoys failed to recognize the Ethiopian government’s efforts so far. Even the Ethiopian government announced to start a peace talk with TPLF without any precondition, at any place and any time. But, they failed to appreciate and recognize the Ethiopian government’s stance.
This shows us they have their interests. The joint statement of these envoys was something unexpected. Tigray is part of Ethiopia and these actors first should give due respect to the government of Ethiopia. Even the statement fails to recognize the territorial integrity of Ethiopia. They know, that TPLF’s stance is to continue with its defense force, but they failed to condemn it and pressurize TPLF to change this stance. But, they call the federal government to fulfill TPLF’s questions.
Even recently we are hearing that the United Nations Secretary-General held talks with the TPLF leader. This is totally against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ethiopia and similarly against the very principles of the UN.
As you try to mention, the WHO Director-General has been openly siding with TPLF putting aside his responsibility as an official of the UN. Now, UNSG has also been reported to have talks with the TPLF leader. What do you think would be the consequence of this action in the relations between the UN and Ethiopia?
These actions of UN officials are totally against the Geneva framework of the United Nations. There is a clear framework for how the UN and its umbrella institutions would operate. But, the actions of these UN officials are clearly against the UN framework. This violates the UN’s stance of protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity framework. The UN framework makes it clear that any UN institution’s formal relation with states is only with a single body which is the government of any given state. Hence, the acts of the UN officials are against the UN framework and they know it well.
Direct contact between a rebel group leader and the UNSG without the consent of the federal government is something odd. It is clearly against the sovereignty of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Permanent Mission at the UN should ask for a brief from the UNSG. Ethiopia is the founder of the UN and among the top peacekeeping force contributors of the UN member states. But, the UN head is leaving behind these credits and the role of Ethiopia in the UN. This is wrong and unacceptable. This is to show his stance against the government of Ethiopia.
By the way, for me, the action of the UNSG may come due to pressures from some permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Ethiopia should ask the UN for a briefing.
Concerning Ethiopia and the relation between the UN as an institution, the relationship should be continued as usual. But, Ethiopia should continue in fighting the ill-actions of the UN institutions that stand against the territorial integrity of Ethiopia by violating the frameworks and principles of the UN. Even though the UN and some of its institutions are continuing in smearing misinformation and taking action against Ethiopia’s clear interests including its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Ethiopia should continue to work closely with the UN.
Finally, what is your recommendation for Ethiopia regarding the stances of the IC and IOs? What should be done?
As we discussed above, the reason behind the unnecessary pressures on Ethiopia from the IC and IOs is from two sides. On the one side, it is to protect their interest and they know every single development at home. For these actors, it is best to continuously aware to change their stance. On the other hand, there some actors are siding against Ethiopia due to the smear misinformation campaigns by the TPLF-affiliated activists and the western media. For these actors, it is important to be continuously aware of the reality on the ground through all available diplomatic means.
To change these stances, it needs continued diplomatic efforts of the government and the citizens of Ethiopia all over the world. The Twitter campaigns by Ethiopians should continue to aware the IC. In addition, continuous press releases and press conferences with the media including the international media are very important in this regard to challenge the misinformation campaigns.
Thank you Mr Surafel
It’s my pleasure!
The Ethiopian Herald September 10/2022
