Ethiopia: After CNN reveals Tigray massacre of UN rights, says war crimes may have been committed

Ethiopia: After CNN reveals Tigray massacre of UN rights, says war crimes may have been committed

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Michelle Bachelet said Thursday that an “independent, objective assessment” of the situation on the ground in Tigray is needed, given the “deeply disturbing reports of sexual and gender-based violence, extrajudicial killings, widespread destruction and looting of public and private property” by all parties. ‘

“Credible information is also still appearing about serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict in Tigray in November last year,” Bachelet added.

A CNN investigation published on Friday revealed that a massacre took place at the end of last year during a religious festival in the city of Dengelat. Eyewitnesses told CNN that a group of Eritrean soldiers opened fire on the church while the masses were going on, claiming the lives of priests, women, entire families and a group of more than 20 Sunday school children.

The UN Human Rights Office said it had “succeeded in corroborating information” about the massacre in Dengelat, along with other incidents, including indiscriminate shelling in Mekelle, Humera and Adigrat.

“A preliminary analysis of the information received indicates that serious violations of international law, possibly amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, may have been committed by several actors in the conflict, including: the Ethiopian National Defense Force, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, Eritrean armed forces and Amhara regional forces and affiliated civilian forces, ‘Bachelet’s office said in a statement.

Amnesty International reported in a report on Friday that Eritrean troops had killed hundreds of unarmed civilians in the city of Axum in November by indiscriminate shelling and shootings and extrajudicial killings, according to which the human rights organization could amount to a crime against humanity.

Eritrea’s government has denied involvement in the atrocities reported by Amnesty, but has not yet responded to CNN’s request for comment on the Dengelat massacre.

Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed since Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military operation against leaders in the Tigray region. CNN reported earlier that soldiers from neighboring Eritrea had committed many of the extrajudicial killings, assaults and human rights violations in the Tigray region.

More recently, the UN’s Human Rights Office said it had received reliable information from sources about the killing of eight protesters by security forces between February 9 and 10 in Adigrat, Mekelle, Shire and Wukro.

Between December and January, more than 130 cases of rape were reported in hospitals in the eastern region of Mekelle, Ayder, Adigrat and Wukro.

UN Security Council to discuss Ethiopia conflict following CNN inquiry into Tigray massacre

Bachelet called on the Ethiopian government to “give my office and other independent monitors access to the Tigray region, with the aim of establishing the facts and contributing to accountability, regardless of the offense.”

While welcoming the Ethiopian Government’s declarations on accountability, he called on the authorities to ensure that these commitments are translated into reality, stressing that the UN Office of Human Rights is ready to to promote, support human rights. ‘

Amnesty International joined Bachelet on Thursday for an independent inquiry.

“The UN High Commissioner’s statement today underscores the seriousness of the alleged crimes committed by all sides in the Tigray conflict, and the urgency of the UN acting now,” said Sarah Jackson, Amnesty’s Deputy Regional Director for East -Africa, the Horn, and the Great Lakes, said in a statement.

“Given the complexity and seriousness of the situation, a UN-led investigation rather than a joint investigation with Ethiopian institutions is urgently needed to establish the truth and lay the groundwork for accountability. There is no time to lose. work on this must now begin before evidence can be destroyed and memories blurred. ‘

US Secretary of State Tony Blinken spoke to Abiy on Tuesday “to highlight the United States’ concern about the humanitarian and human rights crisis in the Tigray region of Ethiopia,” the State Department said.

In response to CNN’s investigation, the Ethiopian government said it was “continuing to bring all perpetrators to justice after thorough investigations into alleged crimes in the region”, but gave no details about the investigations.

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