Ethiopia calls WHO chief's comments on Tigray "unethical"
FOX NewsNov 26, 2022
The Facts
The UN Commission of Human Rights Experts for Ethiopia reportedly said on Monday that it had found evidence of widespread atrocities committed by all sides in Ethiopia since fighting broke out in the northern Tigray region in November 2020.
UN investigators also claimed that there's sufficient evidence to believe that the Ethiopian government has committed "war crimes and crimes against humanity," and warned of further atrocities amid a recent resurgence of hostilities.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The human suffering in northern Ethiopia isn't primarily the fault of the democratically-elected Ethiopian government. Addis Ababa has repeatedly offered peace talks and declared a humanitarian ceasefire, yet these efforts have been consistently undermined by the TPLF. By unilaterally taking sides with the TPLF, the West is complicit in this destabilizing conflict and the suffering of Ethiopians.
Pro-establishment narrative
While the Ethiopian government presents itself as the victim of a larger conspiracy, Addis Ababa is responsible for the latest resumption of fighting and widespread suffering. Even the supposed "humanitarian ceasefire" served Addis Ababa only by giving the army some breathing room. Abiy Ahmed's government isn't aligned with the international community and has no real interest in peace.
Cynical narrative
Both sides are to blame here, as civilians suffer the most in this conflict. Human rights abuses have been committed by both the central Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebels, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. Even though the number of casualties in Ethiopia's war dwarfs those of other conflicts, the media has consistently ignored the suffering of the Ethiopian people.
