Editorial misread situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray region

Thanks for adding Ethiopian interest stories into your publications. However, your August 16, 2021 editorial titled “Regional states silence over Tigray deafening” lacks objectivity and non-partisanship.

Instead of relying on facts and consulting the Ethiopian embassy, which has an open-door policy towards the media, The Standard resorted to publishing a misleading piece. And it borders on an incendiary piece rife with misleading and fictitious claims.

 Deliberately framing the law enforcement actions by the Federal Government in Tigray Region to quell a seditious terrorist element - TPLF junta - that threatens the peace and security not only of Ethiopia but entire the Horn, as a “situation…[that] is slowly getting out of hand” is a lamentable misreading of what really transpired.

Bold statements such as these suffer from misinformation. Factually, the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) together with the Regional States is doing everything in its capacity to combat the TPLF menace that is threatening the wellbeing of our Tigrayan folks, the constitutional order as well as peace and order of the Horn.

The GoE has made it abundantly clear that the war that is being fought is against the TPLF terrorists, not the People of Tigray. The GoE steadfastly believes that the People of Tigray must be liberated from the incessant cruelty and captivity of this cabal that on a daily basis terrorises hapless civilians and threatens peace of the country.

The GoE also issued a unilateral ceasefire on 28 June 2021 aimed at enabling humanitarian assistance that is being hampered by the TPLF’s sabotage and continued harassment.

Contrary to this, the TPLF adamantly rejected the unilateral humanitarian ceasefire and committed appalling massacres in Afar. Hence, the article’s lack of recognition for these persistent efforts to protect the constitutional order, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the most populous nation in the entire region.

Taking the continued commitment of the leadership of PM Abiy to holistic peace, development and prosperity both at home and in the sub-region into consideration, talk of “things …slowly becoming nightmarish and…a veritable risk of an all-out war in the country” is utterly preposterous.

While appreciating The Standard’s concern to solicit support from “international and regional countries” to ameliorate the condition, we are surprised by the precarious overgeneralisation of the current situation as one of “anarchy” and that “regional countries must step up efforts to pacify Ethiopia”.

First of all, the situation at hand is a perfectly domestic matter that must be left to the Government of Ethiopia to take care of. Secondly, conflating a localised issue with a lack of peace and order in the entire nation is a dangerous conclusion that needs to be reconsidered with the scrupulous seriousness that it deserves.

Last but not least, drawing parallelism between the current situation in Tigray region of Ethiopia and “disastrous conflict like in Somalia” is a factually erroneous and fallacious premise that does not reflect the reality on the ground.

It is also incumbent upon The Standard to expose the conscription of child soldiers by the TPLF junta, which is against all moral and legal standards of a civilised society.

The TPLF terrorist enterprise that has been piping an insufferable tune of “If I don’t rule Ethiopia, then let it be destroyed” has become a willing accomplice for our enemies and drumming destruction and instability.

On top of this, it is a well-known fact the Ethiopian people, well aware of the problems within the TPLF terrorist group, have given it many opportunities and twenty-seven years to self-reform.

Conflict, displacements and horrific killings and crimes against humanity throughout Ethiopia have become the mundane deeds of this force and affiliates on its payroll such as “Shene”. The GoE makes painstaking efforts to ensure that the people of Tigray are not put to harm due to the vicious nature of the junta. 

– Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi