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A30 world news
Diabierna 5 november 2021

Ethiopia compares Tigray forces to ‘rat’ as war marks 1 year

(AP) — Ethiopia’s government emergency with sweeping detention airstrikes resumed there on Oct. 18,
marked a year of war by lash- powers. Instead, the prime minister has urged and 80% of essential medication is no
ing out Thursday in response to citizens to rise up and “bury” the Ti- longer available.
international alarm about hate The spokeswoman for Prime Min- gray forces who long dominated the
speech, comparing the rival Ti- ister Abiy Ahmed, Billene Seyoum, national government before he came The Tigray forces say they are pres-
gray forces to “a rat that strays did not say whether Abiy was meet- to power. On Wednesday, Facebook suring the government to end the
far from its hole” and saying the ing with U.S. special envoy Jeffrey said it had removed a post by Abiy blockade, but the spreading insecu-
country is close to “burying the Feltman, who this week insisted that with that language, saying it violated rity as they push south through the
evil forces.” “there are many, many ways to initi- policies against inciting violence. It neighboring Amhara region has ham-
ate discreet talks” toward peace. was a rare action against a head of pered aid delivery to hundreds of
The statement from the govern- state or government. thousands of hungry people.
ment communication service, posted United Nations Secretary-General
on social media and confirmed by a Antonio Guterres has said he spoke The government statement on A university staffer who fled the Am-
government spokesman, came amid with Abiy “to offer my good offices to Thursday took aim not only at Face- hara town of Woldiya before Tigray
urgent new efforts to calm the esca- create the conditions for a dialogue so book, accusing it of showing its “true forces arrived weeks ago said friends
lating war as a U.S. special envoy ar- the fighting stops.” Uganda’s presi- colors,” but also at media, humani- who stayed were climbing nearby
rived and the president of neighbor- dent called for a meeting of East Afri- tarian groups and others allegedly hillsides to call the outside world
ing Kenya and others called for an can leaders, and the European Union “working hand in hand with the ene- with reports of low food supplies and
immediate cease-fire. warned of “fragmentation and wide- my in propagating its false narrative.” people drinking from rivers, while
spread armed conflict.” It warned it would take action over electricity is cut. There is no aid in
The war that has killed thousands of “destructive behavior.” the occupied areas, Alemayehu said,
people and displaced millions since But so far, such efforts have failed. giving only his first name for his se-
November 2020 threatens to engulf Last week a congressional aide told But Ethiopia’s government aimed its curity.
Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. Ti- The Associated Press that “there have harshest language at the Tigray forc-
gray forces seized key cities in re- been talks of talks with officials, but es. “TPLF and its puppets are being “I wish the war ends before it moves
cent days and linked up with another when it gets to the Abiy level and encircled by our forces. As the saying to the capital, that’s my prayer to
armed group, leading the government the senior (Tigray forces) level, the goes, ‘a rat that strays far from its hole God,” he said, adding that he opposes
of Africa’s second-most populous demands are wide, and Abiy doesn’t is nearer to death,’” the statement the Tigray fighters.
country to declare a national state of want to talk.” said, referring to the Tigray People’s
Liberation Front. With the government statements
and the new state of emergency, eth-
The U.N. special adviser on the nic Tigrayans in the capital told the
prevention of genocide, Alice Wair- AP they were hiding in their homes
imu Nderitu, told an online event as authorities carried out house-to-
Thursday that dehumanizing speech house searches and stopped people
in Ethiopia is “of extreme concern,” on the streets to check identity cards,
and she warned that the risk exists of which everyone must now carry.
the war spilling across borders and
“becoming something completely One lawyer, speaking on condition of
unmanageable.” She warned that eth- anonymity for fear of retaliation, esti-
nic-based militias are “so dangerous mated that thousands have been de-
in this context.” tained this week, citing conversations
with “many people from the four
Kenya increased security along its corners of the city.” He said Tigrayan
borders amid fears of a wave of Ethi- lawyers like him were powerless to
opians fleeing as one of the world’s help because of their ethnicity.
worst humanitarian crises spreads,
while its foreign ministry said state- “Our only hope now is the (Tigray
ments inciting ordinary citizens into forces),” said one young woman,
the conflict “must be shunned.” Rahel, whose husband was detained
on Tuesday while going to work as a
Tigray forces spokesman Getachew merchant but has not been charged.
Reda claimed they had “joined hands” “They might not save us, to be hon-
with another armed group, the Oro- est. I’ve already given up on my life,
mo Liberation Army, to seize the city but if our families can be saved, I
of Kemisse, which is even closer to think that’s enough.”
the capital.
Another Tigrayan, Yared, said his
“Joint operations will continue in the brother, a businessman, was detained
days and weeks ahead,” he tweeted. on Monday, and when he went to the
police station, he saw dozens of other
A security source confirmed that the Tigrayans.
two armed groups had linked up to
control Kemisse and said Tigray forc- “It’s crazy, my friends in Addis, non-
es were pushing east as well as south Tigrayans, are calling me and telling
toward the capital. The source spoke me not to leave the house,” Yared
on condition of anonymity because said.
they were not authorized to speak to
journalists. “They go through your phone, and
if you have some material about the
All sides in the war have committed Tigray war that would be suggesting
abuses, a joint U.N. human rights supporting the war, they would just
investigation said Wednesday, while detain you,” he said. “The past four
millions of people in the govern- days have been the worst by far, the
ment-blockaded Tigray region are no scope at which they’re detaining peo-
longer able to receive humanitarian ple, it’s just terrorizing. We don’t feel
aid. The U.N. says no aid has en- safe in our homes anymore.”
tered Tigray since Ethiopian military