While there is no denying of gross human rights abuses, possibly massacres of civilians by joint Amhara militia, Ethiopian Federal forces and Eritrean Army in the Tigray military offensive, the defeated leaders of TPLF and its affiliates are stepping up disinformation and propaganda campaigns of unprecedented scale to discredit the administration of prime minister Abyi Ahmed. In this media and diplomatic offensive, remnants of TPLF, its supporting diaspora media outlets and connections are accusing Ethiopian Government of the same crimes they have been committing for over 27 years of misrule, but got away with heinous crimes against humanity. For nearly three decades TPLF has been hosting a military campaign of massacres against Somali Ethiopians, Oromo, Amharas, as they have been running turture prisons for anti-regime activitists of every nationalities in the country except Tigreyans. The same Tigreyans, who were silencing journalists and free press for decades, would like the world community now to listen to their plight with empathy. They say, what goes around comes around, unfortunately.
It is a twist of fate that people in power in Ethiopia today are either the victims of Tigreyan repression or insiders and eye-witnesses of TPLF abuses and atrocities.
Before jumping into conclusion, the international community should appoint investigators to look into what was happening in Ethiopia in terms of rights violations for the past three decades, avoiding to limit itself to current Tigreyan conflict only. The world community needs to know the root causes of this conflict to help Ethiopia not to repeat it.
(This article has been updated since posting).
Warsame Policy & Media Network (WAPMEN) 