
“While restrictions such as roadblocks and check points by ENDF and EDF may have been justified by the conflict the impact on the movement of essential goods such as food and medicine raises serious questions on the necessity and proportionality of the measures” (JIT, P: 62, 2021).
Today, the “Report of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC)/Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Joint Investigation into Alleged Violations of International Human Rights, Humanitarian and Refugee Law Committed by all Parties to the Conflict in the Tigray Region of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia” was launched and because of that. I needs to address it and drop the vital parts of the findings and also question itself. Since, the EHRC has been a partisan government body who works directly for the leadership in Addis Ababa and for their benefit. The EHRC clearly can stir the issue or change the goal-post. Therefore, I don’t expect to much or ability to investigate for that matter. Since, the Prosperity Party and Prime Minister Abiy wouldn’t want the truth out, but have a report validating their narratives.
First part that makes me question the whole report and it’s findings is the constrains and the lack of access to the Joint Investigation Team. As they were not allowed, had access or accessibility to Tigray or even parts of Amhara region. The communication was blocked and even some of their satellite phones was confiscated by the authorities. Therefore, there was a lack of willing to serve the truth or make it possible to do the work properly. This is a damning assessment, as the JIT should have free reign and ability to operate to find the truth and report about it too. You know it is bad when the JIT cannot even get security clearances to travel and lack of vehicles for field visits. This is described on the page 10-11 of the report.
“Lack of written responses from parties to the conflict, to the JIT’s list of issues and questions also presented a challenge. As at the date of this report, the JIT had not received a response from the TPLF, the State of Eritrea, and the Amhara Regional Administration” (JIT, P:11, 2021).
This here doesn’t help the case either. It is a proof that the Eritrean government still doesn’t cooperate with any United Nations body of any kind. That is not surprising, but that Amhara and TPLF isn’t says a lot too. While I think the latter wouldn’t because it doesn’t trust the EHRC and I cannot blame them for that. Not like the EHRC have been an independent body and an honest operator in the PP era.
On page 28 it concludes with: “Based on the information collected by the JIT, there are reasonable grounds to believe that all parties to the conflict – including the ENDF, EDF, and TSF – have undertaken either direct attacks on civilians affecting men, women, boys and girls – and civilian objects enjoying special protection under international humanitarian law, including houses, hospitals, health centres, schools, places of worship, and/or conducted indiscriminate attacks striking them” (JIT, P: 28, 2021).
This will be typical for this report, as it will state all parties, but that is fitting for the EHRC to say. As it doesn’t only incriminate the FDRE (Ethiopia) and SoE (Eritrea), but the regional state parties of Tigray as well.
On page 32 it concludes with: “The JIT concludes that unlawful killings and extra-judicial executions were perpetrated by the ENDF, EDF, TSF and affiliated militia, Fano (group affiliated to the Amhara militia), and the Samri (local Tigrayan youth group) and amounted to violations and abuses of international human rights law, serious violations of international humanitarian law, and breach of the Constitution and laws of Ethiopia” (JIT, P: 32, 2021).
Here they are saying everyone did it and it just shows the whole picture to vindicate for what the Tripartite Alliance did. They were the mighty force and the ones with two governments backing it. These armies should be put into question, as they invaded Tigray and such. Not like I believe any party or any militia in a war will not do crimes. Still, the report is incriminating everyone in the same manner and not questioning the levels and even showing the vast difference between the parties either.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe that torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment has been committed by all parties to the conflict, including the ENDF, EDF, Tigray forces and militias allied with the TPLF. The Tigray police have also been implicated. These acts have been committed against civilians and captured combatants in various locations across Tigray, including in military camps, detention facilities, victims’ homes, as well as secret, and unidentified locations” (JIT, P: 35-36, 2021).
Here we go again… and its the same story. This makes the report hard to believe and feel inconclusive. As it is so narrow and lacking conclusions of which shows the bigger picture. It is not strange the JIT didn’t get that. As they were either blocked, not getting access or getting answers from parts of the parties involved in the conflict.
“Information gathered and assessed as credible by the JIT affords reasonable grounds to believe that the parties to the conflict, ENDF, Tigray forces and allied groups, the Amhara militia, and the EDF have engaged in detentions, many arbitrary in character, abductions and enforced disappearances, in violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law” (JIT, P: 40, 2021).
Is it strange, if people question this report? When these are the conclusions for everything. It is just made and in a language that make it seems that all parties are alike. That all parties have done the same and to similar extent. This is why the report is lacking and proving the concern of how far the investigation went and how it have been stifled in the process. Also, since it worked with EHRC we can expect it make it worse for the Tigray Defence Force and the Regional State Government of Tigray. Well, they are the terrorist and they needs to vilified here too.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe that all parties to the conflict – the ENDF, EDF, and TSF – have committed sexual and gender-based violence and that, in many cases, rape and other forms of sexual violence have been used to degrade and dehumanize the victims” (JIT, P: 48, 2021).
If you see a pattern, please do the call and ask for a better and a fair investigation. Because this is a farce and a white-wash of the conflict. The FDRE and SoE is getting of easy. While they can pin the Tigrayan forces easily with this. As it has vilified it too.
“The JIT concludes that the State has not taken all possible measures to provide internally displaced persons with satisfactory conditions of shelter, hygiene, healthcare, safety and nutrition, in line with its obligations under international human rights and international humanitarian law. Mass arrest of IDPs without due process also violates human rights law and instills fear in IDPs in other parts of Tigray. The lack of recognition by local authorities in Dansha as to the existence of an IDP site is extremely concerning and formally excludes IDPs in Dansha from services that they may have otherwise benefited from. In several camps, particularly in Gondar, Dabat, and Dansha, IDPs had not received food rations – 15 kg of wheat earmarked by the government – for up to 4 months, nor did they receive support from other actors. The JIT also notes the effects of lack of basic necessities, particularly for hygiene, sanitation and medical services, on the health of women and persons in need of support with their mental health” (JIT, P: 58, 2021).
Here we are seeing what the state does and shows what the blockade does. This is only for the IDPs, but just imagine if the FDRE does this to them. What is it willing to do the ones living within Tigray region? Just imagine right? This says it all and we are supposed to take the ENDF, Amhara RSF, Fano and EDF didn’t do massive crimes against humanity. While the texts of the Report make it seems like everyone did it to a similar level. Therefore, when the state is doing this to IDPs? What would it be willing to everyone else? Just think about that…
“Individuals were unable to seek, receive and impart information using the internet and other communication technologies because phones and internet communications were cut off in Tigray. General shutdowns of internet and telecommunications violate multiple rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and access to information, if it can be established that they were killed due to their work, and hinder others, including the right to free assembly. The disconnection may have been justified until the expiry of the state of emergency” (JIT, P: 65-66, 2021).
Here there is more information of the besieged and the blockade of the Tigray region, which has been reported about for months. This has been established and is well-known truths of this conflict. That has been done to hurt and damage the region as much as possible. Make the crimes happening in darkness. This is the reality of it all and this report just proves it. As the EHRC have made this report such a finesse…
“The conflict in Tigray has been characterized by large scale destruction and appropriation of property perpetrated by different actors, including armed forces, militias and civilians. There have been cases of widespread pillaging and looting of public and private property, including household items and money. Additionally, there was looting and destruction of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, including crops, foodstuffs, and livestock” (JIT, P: 69, 2021).
Here there is stating the destruction of the region of Tigray. While not concluding who is behind it. Just stating what was done and that’s just convenient, right?
“The JIT found that there were access restrictions, including multiple checkpoints by EDF and ENDF, which impeded or delayed delivery humanitarian assistance to parts of Tigray and Amhara region. Tigray forces were implicated in setting up road blockades that resulted in delay of humanitarian relief. While the JIT could not confirm deliberate or willful denial of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Tigray or the use of starvation as a weapon of war, it recognizes the need for further investigation on alleged violations related to denial of access to humanitarian relief and killings of humanitarian workers” (JIT, P: 73, 2021).
Here we go again… the report is making it believe that the Tigray Defence Force (TDF) would starve their own people and the ones they are defending. That is really a statement to put forward. We know there is report of the FDRE blocking access and stopping humanitarian assistance from reaching the Tigray region. Secondly, the FDRE has stopped fuel from coming in, as the FDRE thinks this fuel will be used to war-effort of the TDF. That says it all and this has ensured the state starve the region and create a man-made famine. We know the FDRE and SoE have participated in the stoppage of humanitarian assistance and creating the blockade… So who is the JIT kidding here?
“The JIT has documented looting and destruction of health facilities in all parts of Tigray by parties to the conflict, which had a direct impact on the right to healthcare of the civilian population. The JIT has found inadequate provision of food and water to the civilian population. The conflict had a direct impact on the provision of telecommunications, electricity, and banking services, due to damages caused to the infrastructure necessary to provide these services” (JIT, P: 78, 2021).
Here it is just saying the same things again and reckoning it too. In other words than before, but like always… it is saying “parties” destroyed health facilities, but not who in general who participated in the destruction of it.
However, in the annex there was some juicy quotes from the FDRE retorts to the draft report and these shows the heart of the Ethiopian government at this current time. These are the gems of this one and I will leave them in the end. Because they says so much about the lack of heart or how they are dealing with things, as they have moral decency or care for anything else than their cause.
“Second, the GoE wishes to underscore the fact that the ENDF consistently follows
standard procedures in terms of the protection of the civilian population and civilian objects in
all its operations; in conflict settings attended by heavy ammunition, this mainly involves the
adoption of precautionary measures such as cautious assessment of military targets and their
proximity to civilian areas, the issuance of advance warnings to civilians to stay at home or leave
affected areas temporarily, and the conduct of operations at times that are believed to be optimal
to avoid or minimize collateral damage. It should also be noted that throughout the conflict
TSF’s use of civilians as human shields, and TSF’s storage and operation of armaments inside
places of worship has posed a great challenge to the ENDF” (JIT – Annex V, P: 5, 2021).
“However, the GoE assumes full responsibility for the protection of human rights across
the entirety of its territory; in this light and given the extent of casualties, in this case, the GoE
commits to take up the finding of the JIT and comprehensively investigate the incident, the
circumstances of their occurrence, and the degrees of involvement of the EDF and the TSF in the
context of the fighting in Humera” (JIT- Annex V, P: 6, 2021).
“Violations of human rights including extrajudicial killings and executions are a matter of utmost concern for the Government of Ethiopia. The Government of Ethiopia has noted the JIT Report’s allegations of the commission of unlawful or extrajudicial killings and executions in different parts of Tigray by ENDF and other parties to the conflict. The GoE regrets that there had indeed been instances where a small number of rogue members of the ENDF committed unlawful extrajudicial killings and executions contrary to the clear rules of engagement and direction given to them during the operation in Tigray” (JIT – Annex V, P: 9, 2021).
“The GoE believes that most of these detentions by the ENDF, motivated by imperative security considerations, do not amount to arbitrary detention. However, given the total collapse of the ordinary law enforcement apparatus in Tigray, including the police, courts and prosecutorial authorities, as a result of the conflict, the Government of Ethiopia is cognizant of the possibility for incidents that might amount to arbitrary detention to have occurred. The Government is fully committed to take the necessary remedial measures to minimize the occurrence of such incidents in the future” (JIT – Annex V, P: 10, 2021).
These are just a few of the gems there, but the Annex V is the most interesting, because it shows again how the FDRE is busy trading it’s own origin story of how the “Operation Law Enforcement” was started, but keeping key elements away and also withholding the planned efforts, which encircle the Tigray region. Where the state had mechanical divisions ready, artillery, brigades surrounding it and even flown military personnel to Eritrea to attack from all sides of the region. That couldn’t happen without meticulous planning and will. The attack on the Northern Command happened, as the Tigray Defence Force knew something was up and the Tripartite Alliance attacked the region a year ago.
This report is very flawed, lacking and without shadow of a doubt a shoddy report made to undermine, duress and make the FDRE/SoE look better. That is the clear intent and it’s evident. Not shocking when the EHRC is involved and it’s proven, yet again. They are Human Rights Mercenaries for the Government and not “independent”. That is verified yet again and sad that an UN organization was taken for a ride too. Peace.













