Ethiopia: Prime Minister Abiy blocking aid to Tigray

There needs to be clarity as it pertains to UN access for humanitarian assistance. The agreement signed is for assistance to be led and coordinated by the Ethiopian government. No entity, multilateral or unilateral can supplant the responsibility of the government”– Ethiopian Ambassador to Eritrea Redwan Hussain (08.12.2020)

In moments like these it’s easy to loose hope in humanity. As the ice-cold hearted men are ruling in impunity and in injustice. They are not only ordering war together with allies, but brutally stopping United Nations and other Humanitarian Organizations access to the battle-torn region. As they are blocking World Food Programme and others access to the Tigray Region. The National Army has already killed UN Personnel after the “ceasing” of “warfare” and the fourth phase was starting. Alas, the government wasn’t honest about that either.

The government and Eritrean forces is still battling it out in Tigray. God knows the consequences and the damage being done. The amount of looting, gender violence and blunt killings. As the state hasn’t allowed reporting nor investigations into the matters. Only self-serving propaganda and media releases, which benefits their cause and not the whole truth. Just like the TPLF is dropping their dozes and their stories to benefit them. Therefore, both parties are blinding the perspective, while blocking for a third eye to see the deal.

The Humanitarian Corridor have been blocked, as it was a week ago the United Nations and Federal Governments signed an agreement. This is happening after weeks of reporting of blocked borders and shelling of towns and Mekelle in Tigray. There over 50,000 civilians who has fled to Sudan and who knows whose hurting more. As there are reports of raids, looting factories and taking assets from the region. We cannot imagine the horror or the suffering happening right now.

This is happening while the UN and World Food Programme haven’t been allowed to enter since 4th November 2020. That is over a month without logistics and manpower to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the Eritrean refugees and citizens lacking basic commodities. As the state and the army have blocked them from entering. That is grave act against humanity to block food, water and basic commodities to enter the region.

That the Prosperity Party and Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy can do this and continue to freeze accounts, block telephone-lines and internet. Is all big black-out of information in combination of blocking international reporters and journalists from writing on it too. As the Federal Government only wants their “victory” and “fluff” pieces out.

The Ethiopian authorities doesn’t want the truth. The brutal truth. The reality and the hardships, the amount of deaths, the killings and the crimes against humanity out. They want it silenced as they know what they are doing, but doesn’t want it told. If they had nothing to fear or nothing to loose. They would have opened up the floodgates, as this is free food and commodities. The state isn’t paying for it or delivering it. No, its foreigners and international funds collective engagement securing the basic needs of starving citizens. This isn’t taxpayer money from Addis Ababa or revenue earned from exports. No, this is international solidarity given to the region of Tigray.

The humanitarian effort given by the United Nations and others are by the donors making it possible. Not committee controlled and working for the Ethiopian government. No, they are coming there because the Ethiopian government doesn’t have the capacity or the heart to help its own. This is why a “third force” is entering with a mandate of peace and shelter. Something the Federal Government cannot sufficiently deliver or have the ability to serve its citizens.

If everything was fine and dandy. Then the UN and World Food Programme wouldn’t need to come. However, the dire needs and the situation at hand. Their hands and their services are needed. Because, the Addis Ababa clearly doesn’t have it or can do it. If they did, then it would have happen a month ago. Peace.

Ethiopia: Tigray Region Humanitarian Update – Situation Report, 7 December 2020 (07.12.2020)

Ethiopia: Very Concerned by Situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray Province, Secretary-General Calls for Quickly Restoring Rule of Law, Public Services Delivery (07.12.2020)

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary‑General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General is very concerned about the current situation in the Tigray province in Ethiopia.

He feels that it is essential to quickly restore the rule of law, in full respect for human rights, promote social cohesion, an inclusive reconciliation, as well as to re-establish the delivery of public services and guarantee unfettered humanitarian access.

The United Nations remains totally committed to supporting the African Union initiative. We also remain fully committed to mobilizing the full capacity of the United Nations to provide humanitarian support to refugees, displaced people and all populations in distress.

The Secretary-General has also been conveying these messages in the numerous conversations he has had with United Nations representatives on the ground and regional leaders, as well as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia with whom he spoke today.

Ethiopia: Office of the Prime Minister – Current Phase of the Rule of Law Operations in Tigray Region (07.12.2020)

Ethiopia: Unconfirmed reports of the arrests of TPLF President Debretsion and Advisor Reda

BREAKING : Tigray state president Debretsion Gebremichael reportedly captured alive along with other senior aides during a joint operation by the Ethiopian Military and Amhara Regional State Paramilitary Forces in the conflict hit Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia” (Halgan Media, 06.12.2020).

Unconfirmed reports on social media TPLF leader Debretsion is arrested but Amhara Goverment office advising to not celebrate since the arrest is not confirmed and official yet” (Addis Media, 06.12.2020).

There also reports that Getachew Reda was also arrested with the TPLF President Debretsion as they we’re fleeing the area in Sekota as priests. Some has said the Woreda Communications have confirmed this and that they are held by the Court Martial.

However, none of this information is currently verified. It is not yet clear. The Media blackout and government stranglehold on information. Makes the process of gathering information from the Region of Tigray much harder. Therefore, we can not yet say if this is true or not.

It would be a big blow for the TPLF. Losing main leaders and getting them behind bars. These folks will get no mercy from the Federal Government. As they will be proven “terrorists” in their eyes and will not shown any redeeming character. They will be taken and shown as an example for the rest of the Republic.

This would be a big victory for the Prime Minister and the Prosperity Party. If these two are arrested and other aides of the TPLF President Debretsion. The TPLF will be damaged by this. We don’t know how this goes for the Command Structure and the current fighting in the Region.

If these folks are arrested. It is a propaganda victory. Nevertheless, I doubt it will be enough to cease the fighting and the current battles in the region. Peace.

African National Congress (ANC): ANC Calls for Peaceful Resolution of the Conflict in Ethiopia (05.12.2020)

Plan International – Ethiopia Conflict: Urgent support needed for unaccompaanied child refugees in Sudan (03.12.2020)

Ethiopia: Tigray Region Humanitarian Update – Situation Report No. 7 (01.12.2020)

Ethiopia: Tigray Friendship Liason Office – Tigray Emergency Situation Report – Report from within Tigray (03.12.2020)

Prime Minister Abiy’s Tragicomedy: The 2021 election!

Tragicomedy, dramatic work incorporating both tragic and comic elements. When coined by the Roman dramatist Plautus in the 2nd century bc, the word denoted a play in which gods and men, masters and slaves reverse the roles traditionally assigned to them, gods and heroes acting in comic burlesque and slaves adopting tragic dignity. This startling innovation may be seen in Plautus’ Amphitryon” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica – ‘Tragicomedy’ 25.08.2014, Encyclopædia Britannica).

I don’t know about you… but at this point. Who believes the words coming out of Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy? Well, I don’t and I think his full of himself. His ego has hit the stratosphere and is a long lost individual. Who is high on his own supply. That he himself believes in every word that he says.

We are now in the end of 2020. It has been a long time coming for the “transitional government” and now on the “unconstitutional” 6th Year in Office. Which will be ended by an election through universal suffrage. The August Elections in 2020 was postponed because of COVID-19, but the same Prime Minister had no issues ordering a internal war and a conflict. However, it was to bad conditions to actually hold elections in the same period.

So, the man has no scruples, which I will detail more under the quote from ENA saying his will deliver “free and fair elections”. I beg to differ…

Prime Minister Abiy restated that the efforts of the Federal Government to make the 2021 elections free and fair. “I shared the federal government’s unwavering efforts to lay the foundation for free & fair elections,” he said. The highly anticipated and historic election, which will be held following the reforms of critical democratic institutions in Ethiopia over the past two and half years, is noted as the most consequential election in its demonstration of Ethiopia’s democratization journey initiated in 2018, it was indicated” (Ethiopian News Agency – ‘PM Abiy Vows to Lay Foundation for Free, Fair Elections’ 02.12.2020).

This must be a joke. It must be a sarcastic and punchline from the comedian on stage. The Prime Minister couldn’t say this with all of his heart and conscience in order. Because, that doesn’t make sense. Especially not in December 2020. No, a free and fair election will not be held by the Prosperity Party or the Federal Government under Prime Minister Abiy.

It is tragic… a tragedy. Sincere apologizes, but the ones believing this is naive. Journalists writing stories opposing or in direct conflict with the messages from the state gets arrested too. Exiled Ethiopians who are speaking their minds to international media get arrest warrants. Former government party and part of the previous coalition EPRDF, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) is deemed terrorists and outlawed. While other opposition leaders, activists and others either end behind bars or gets killed. This is the leadership of the Oromo opposition parties and others too.

Prime Minister Abiy isn’t a man of democracy or democratic value. No, his a man of a selective taste. A taste, which is bitter-sweet. It is only the his voice and his orders that matters. The rest are supposed to bend their knees for the emperor and pledge allegiance to him. If you don’t… well, don’t say I didn’t warn you, but you will be punished. There are so many examples. It is so many people who has died since the man took over and consolidated power. This man will use all means and make “fake” coups to install his men in power in the regional states. That is the sort of fella and ruler Abiy is.

With the knowledge of this… do you expect the man to give the Federal Republic, a free and fair elections?

Who are we kidding here? What sort of sick joke is this?

The man who has arrested the opposition and letting them rot in jail. That man will deliver free and fair elections. That is a sketch and a bad SNL skit. Heck, a tragicomedy … and Abiy plays the main role. That is how things seems these days. He could trick the world at one point, but can he fool it again?

It shouldn’t be possible. However, the world wants to be fooled and maybe Abiy is the dishonest “hero” the world needs. Peace.