
Foreign Correspondents’ Association of East Africa (FCAEA): FCAEA Statement on journalists arrested and killed in Ethiopia (02.03.2021)



More than three months into the crisis, MSF is very concerned about the humanitarian situation in Tigray. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes after fighting broke out in early November, 2020, according to OCHA. As of mid-February, more than 60,000 people have crossed to Sudan as refugees, while many others are displaced within the region, staying in towns, remote areas or trapped between localised outbreaks of fighting.
In the areas MSF teams have been able to access, displaced people and conflict-affected communities have very limited access to basic services, like food, clean water and shelter. Shortages of food and supplies and the interruption of essential services like electricity are having a devastating impact on the population and affecting access to medical care and livelihoods.
Most of the health facilities our teams visited in the towns and peripheral areas of Tigray visited so far were non-functional. It is crucial to restore essential life-saving services, including medical care, in Tigray to meet the population’s basic needs
We are particularly worried about the food situation, which was already bad before the fighting broke out. The fighting started at harvest time in a region where crops were already badly damaged by desert locusts, leaving food in short supply.
The scale of humanitarian needs is alarming and the response on the ground is still extremely limited. Access remains challenging, but is possible in some areas. MSF is scaling up medical activities in Adigrat, Adwa, Abyi Addi, Axum, Adwa, Dansha, Hiwane, Humera, West Tigray and Shire and Shiraro areas and we see huge needs requiring an urgent scale up of principled and humanitarian assistance.
Safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance and population’s access to services needs to be ensured in all areas of Tigray. There are still large parts of the region where MSF teams and other humanitarian organizations have not been able to gain meaningful access.
MSF response in the context of the Tigray crisis:
MSF teams have been providing medical care to some of the most affected people in the Tigray region since mid-December 2020 by providing basic primary healthcare to the displaced people and fighting-affected communities, as well as facilitating referral of critically-ill patients to secondary level of care facilities. Our teams also donated emergency and essential supplies such as medications, oxygen and food for patients, and rehabilitated key services of badly damaged health structures in all those areas we could access so far.
As of the end of February 2021, MSF teams are supporting 5 hospitals. We are also supporting health centres and are running mobile clinics in over 25 locations. Note: the number of locations with mobile clinics keeps changing constantly as teams are expanding outreach activities to new locations on a weekly basis.




“The way to put an end to this is to deal with it like fish… you will not able to gather all the fish of the Atlantic and Pacific ocean, to completely get rid of them, you will need to dry the oceans” – Fikadu Tessema, Head of Oromia Prosperity Party in yesterdays Oromia State Council meeting
It has been 31 days of hunger strikes of the Oromo leaders detained indefinitely. As there are reports of 50,000 political prisoners in Oromia alone. This being the leaders of Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) and Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). The leaders have been lingering in jail for so long without any substantial trial for the Oromo leaders. They are just persisting keeping them in prison without any evidence and reasons for the charges.
We know that Tessema is an trusted ally of Abiy. As he took over the Oromo Democratic Party (ODP) and his now the leader of Prosperity Party in Oromia. He seems to follow the orders and ideals of the Prime Minister Abiy.
He said this in Kenya in December 2020:
“Because peace is a foundation for everything that we are aspiring to transform the life of our people if we could eliminate Al Shabab and OLF from this region you can see how this people can be transformed into one family, one country and one people” – Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy in Kenya on the 9th December 2020.
Abiy and Tessema seems to plan this and working together to destroy and get rid the Oromo dissidents. They are clearly using the opportunity ahead of the elections to silence them all. This is not new. Since the Prosperity Party have gone after the Oromo leadership steadily. They only made peace for a hot minute to take them down later.
Tessema really wants to go after them and strike them down hard. He will nobody behind. There seems to be no redeeming factor here. The state is willing to take them all. This is the means of their game. If they speak of democracy and tolerance. It is all lies, as they are willing to “empty oceans” to get rid of the fish. That is the sort of play the state does now.
The Prosperity Party and its leadership will answer things with furious fury. We should worry and be worried. As this state is relentless and when it strikes. It doesn’t do it smoothly or soft, but with fierce force and fatalities.
If Tessema gets his way. There will be a bloodshed and the OLF/OFC will be in danger. They will be hit so hard and the state with ruthlessly search for anyone involved or active in these parties. Just to take them down and never let them go.
That is what we can expect and anticipate. We have seen how the state have acted in Tigray and before in Oromia. So, the signs on the horizon is a bloody red moon. It is dangerous times ahead and it will horrific. To think otherwise is naive. As this state and Prime Minister rather get rid of their enemies, than talking to them.
And when allies of him propose these sorts of methods. We should be not cautious, but be alarmed. Because, there is no ending of warfare, conflict and usage of arms towards civilians in the Republic. That will be targeting the parties of Oromia. Even if they have already done so for a long while.
Now will they will strike even harder and that should worry. There is no end to this tyranny. They are just using new means to get rid of the ones who dissent to PP and the PM. Peace.

Since the 4th November 2021 there have been little to no eyes on the conflict in the Tigray Region. The Federal Government have blocked access to both humanitarian organizations and media houses. This week they have allowed humanitarian access to the region, but also 7 international media houses.
So, to keep in line with the black-out the state is continuing that. Even as the international media is trying to set their feet in their region. The Law Enforcement Operation is persisting and the military is still using force on civilians to gain control of the region. They have allies in the Eritrean army and Amhara Para-Military Group called Fano. Therefore, the unknown atrocities, massacres and violations of the Geneva convention is only mere speculation. As there are only small glimpses of the actions made in Tigray.
Just like the state constantly debunks and dismiss the little articles and reports that comes out. As it never them or allies who are doing the war-crimes, but always TPLF. Even if the TPLF was supposed to be practically “dead” at the end of November 2020. We are supposed to forget that fact as the conflict is on its 4th Month.
We know the Prosperity Party and the regime wants to keep things at bay and only have their propaganda to the world. As the ones that could help the foreign reports to get stories and fix things for them was arrested yesterday.
These are:
Fitsum Berhane (working for AFP) and Alula Akalu (working for Financial Times) professional translators arrested in Mekell.
Tamirat Yemane (contributor to Aiga Forum), local journalist arrested in Mekelle.
These three was picked up by soldiers, beaten and taken to a unknown location.
Two friends of Akalu was arrested as well: Biniam Abraha and Yohannes Haftom. All of them has beaten and arrested by the soldiers. Also, taken to unknown location and without warrants.
We don’t know what charges the state has for all of these gentlemen, but we know the reason why they were arrested. As the state is “preparing” for the “access” so that they can ensure favourable reporting and only the one the state wants out from the warfare.
If they really believed in free press and have “access”. These folks wouldn’t be arrested for no other reason. That they are connected to media and could help the foreigners to get a deep cover, insights and understanding of everything that’s happening. Instead of eating of the hands of the government and peddling their narrative. Which is easier to do, when they are in the hands of the authorities and not getting outsider help.
This is deliberate and done with purpose. They allow them in and doing so as long as they print what the government likes. Only to ensure that the foreign journalists doesn’t get proper stories or ability to translate interviews. They are doing this with purpose and done to silence the media still.
It’s like you allow someone to enter, but they will not get whole context or situation, because no one locally will be able to tell or translate for them. They only have to go by the words of public officials and state agents, which in the end has an agenda and interests to serve. Not civilians who just got an eye-witness account, which will differ with the interests of the state. The state which happens to have soldiers on the ground and using force to take total control. Peace.

The Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy and his Prosperity Party (PP) will work ahead to clean its image. No matter what sort of reports, reporting or stories that comes out from the Federal Republic. His supposed to look good ahead of elections. That is something he needs to be crowned king later in the year.
That is why all authorities, state agencies and such is putting in so much efforts to “debunk” and “dismiss” any negative story about the warfare in the Tigray Region. A war brings atrocities and deaths. That is just a matter of fact. When you operate a war and conflict. There will be blood spilled and no mercy on innocent civilians who get caught in the cross-fire. Even if the Prime Minister promise to not hurt any civilian. His army has most likely killed civilians either by bullets or by default for closing roads, shattering access and hunting for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
The TPLF will do their bidding against their enemies. They have to stand responsible for its actions. However, they are not in the same pickle as Abiy. Abiy have to look good and astute as a statesman. While his acting as a warlord. The PP and Abiy have already named the TPLF a Terrorist Organization and Outlawed them. So, no matter what they do. They will “win” in the end. As the state have stand accountable for the conflict and the rebuilding of the region. That is not something you can pin on the former ally and coalition partner TPLF.
That is why Abiy have hired lobbyists to look better and get better coverage. Why his government has allowed 7 media houses to cover the region and now opening up unfettered access to humanitarian organizations too. That after claiming to do so much humanitarian work itself as a government. Who is there with Eritrean army, Amhara Para-Military Group “FANO” and own national army fighting on enemy, which it has now been doing since early November 2020. A conflict that was supposed have ended in late November close to December of 2020. We are now in end of February and soon March 2021. This sad tragic conflict seems to have no end and no positive outcome in close proximity.
Even if the Prime Minister needs to grow trees, opening up industrial parks and prove agricultural output. The PM needs to show the quality of the coffee and the basis of financial growth. While asking IMF and World Bank to cover his deficits. As the state is struggling financially and needs to still look vibrant ahead. All for the sake perception, as he cannot tank everything.
Especially, when his “reforms” only have let the world see more pain and suffering. The reforms have only arrested development and detained the opposition. If has detained it… he has silenced it and outlawed it. If it is in Ogaden, Oromia or in Tigray. There is all a bloodshed, people detained and paying the price for the wrong association. That is the reaction his leadership has brought, while he consolidated one coalition into one party. The others he brought peace with after getting power is behind bars. That is the tragic enterprise of this man.
Abiy is only in it for total power. He doesn’t care how many who dies or get in chains. As long as his crowned king. The warlord, the emperor and the sovereign who gives no fucks about the consequences of his actions. As long as he gets all the glory and festivities. He needs the salutes and the praise.
That is why Abiy is reacting now. Giving some ways and speaking of investigations. Even though they will end up nowhere. Just like the Court Orders helping Oromo leaders behind bars. They are shunned and doesn’t matter, as the “Superior Order” have more value then the rule of law. That because the pride of Abiy is mattering to much. He can do this, because he has the state power and doesn’t intend to loose it.
He has to calculate ahead. As the devastations and atrocities will come out. The reports and stories, which entails horrific acts and violations against humanity. Where there been blunt destruction, death and assault on a region. All to prove a point. Burning villages and killing anyone in sight. That is the stories of war and Tigray will be no different. The media blackout, social media blackout , telephone jamming and such have helped to lesser the leaks. Only later witness stories have been let out by refugees fleeing to Sudan. Where the state also claims war-criminals have fled to safety from the state and they want them returned. So, they are planning to persist their attacks on the region for a long time.
Just as the peacekeepers from Tigray was assaulted in Juba,as their time in South Sudan was over and the commando took charge and beat them into submission there. That says it all about the state of affairs. When even the ones serving and the ones who await punishment coming home. They want to avoid that, but is punished before even entering a plane “home”. This is a story, which is reflecting how the state operates and is leaked, because it happened in Juba and not in Addis Ababa.
Abiy doesn’t want that and wants that dismissed. Its inaccurate and always wrong. Just like any other story. However, he can lie and deflect. He can say things that is easily to see is wrong. Like the time he claimed only “youth” was refugees. That was easily debunked, but proves his character and his will to peddle own propaganda for his cause. Therefore, they will go after the ones who dare to question and will most like silence the ones that dares to talk. Especially, ahead of the elections.
When Abiy again needs to be the golden child and be the poster-boy of modernity. Abiy needs to be figure and posture of flair. He cannot look like or talk like a warlord, even if his actions speak of those. As the dead are mounting up and the unknown costs of the Law Enforcement Operation is in the air. Since, the state keeps that hidden and don’t want that out.
What we do know… is that Abiy needs to look good, even when he does bad. Abiy needs to look like a saint, but that is impossible. When his men is killing civilians on a daily basis. Peace.



