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Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, H.E. Demeke Mekonnen, has held a webinar discussion today (November 15) with Ethiopian Ambassadors and mission leaders in the Asia-Pacific countries about the ongoing operation in Tigray.

The meeting sought out to identify successful engagements of the missions in creating awareness about the objectives of the operation among stakeholders while pointing out challenges and chart out future direction.

The meeting reached a consensus that a one-size-fits-all approach in addressing issues of the operation to stakeholders is not fruitful since context differs everywhere.

The mission leaders said the Asian countries understand that the operation in the Tigray region is the internal affair of Ethiopia and should end without alien interference.

The countries also expressed their confidence that the government would give the operation a swift conclusion by considering the protection of civilian lives.

Considering the existence of many Asian investors in Ethiopia, the mission leaders said they addressed the concern assuring that the operation would not target their staffers and economic interests since targets are carefully selected to achieve the objectives of the operation.

In all engagements with stakeholders, said Mr. Demeke, mission leaders should underscore that the operation aimed to restore the constitutional order in the region and bring the criminals to justice.

It is only through implementing this objective that the government could ensure the safety of investors, investments, and people’s right to work and live in peace anywhere in Ethiopia, he added.

Mr. Demeke said mission leaders should make people understand that any responsible government will not tolerate unprovoked attacks on its National Defence Force.

Talking about news outlets, mission leaders said the media in Asian countries do not have a biased narration about the operation in Tigray.

However, some news stories and publications in Asian media are influenced by reports of international media outlets, the mission leaders added.

Mr. Demeke finally said mission leaders should encourage the Ethiopian diaspora to create networks for better information flow regarding the operation.

Ethiopians living abroad are expected to produce journalistic outputs that correct misguided media narratives, he added.

Ambassadors of Ethiopia to China, Japan, Australia (through his representative), Korea, Indonesia, and India, including relevant bodies in the ministry have attended the meeting which was facilitated by H.E. Ambassador Birtukan Ayano.

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia,

OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

The Ongoing Law Enforcement Operations in Tigray: Causes and Objectives

A. Causes of the Ongoing Law Enforcement Operations: What makes the Law Enforcement Operation directed against the extreme elements of the TPLF clique just and necessary?

The examination of the justness of any law enforcement operation rests on two basic principles: (1) the rationale for taking the law enforcement measures; and (2) the principles governing the conduct of the law enforcement operation.

On the question of rationale, any law enforcement measure is justified if there is a legal basis for it; if the measures are taken as a last resort or in self-defence. Unprovoked aggression is always wrong and makes defensive measures immediately and absolutely necessary.

On the question of the conduct of the operation, the principles of proportionality and discrimination should apply. Proportionality requires that the force used should be proportionate to the goal of the law enforcement operation and, whenever possible, civilians should be spared from violence. There is thus a sound basis to take the law-enforcement measures against the TPLF clique.

(1) Attack on the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defence Forces:

In the early morning of 4 November 2020, in an unprovoked act of aggression, the criminal TPLF clique attacked the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defence Forces that has been stationed in Tigray since the end of the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea in 2000. The surprise attack was a premeditated and treasonous act in which the TPLF clique ordered ethnic Tigrayans members of the Northern Command, but whose loyalties lay with the TPLF and its murderous mission, to open fire on their comrades from within, causing unimaginable human suffering, demonstrating extreme cruelty, and showing unprecedented betrayal. The current law-enforcement operations shall continue until those who planned and executed such acts of cruelty and betrayal are held accountable.

By engaging in hostile acts against Ethiopia, the leaders of TPLF committed a crime of high treason as defined in Article 248 of the Ethiopian Criminal Code: “Whoever, enjoying Ethiopian nationality or being officially entrusted with the protection of Ethiopian national interests takes up arms or engages in hostile acts against Ethiopia has committed high treason.”

(2) Planning, Training, Financing and Executing ethnic and sectarian conflicts in Ethiopia:

Over the past several months, the TPLF junta sponsored, trained, and equipped anyone that was willing to engage in violent and illegal acts to derail the democratic transition in Ethiopia. Their objective is clearly to make the country ungovernable by instigating clashes along ethnic and religious lines; to sow division and discord so that the democratic transition will lose its momentum. The TPLF clique and its criminal surrogates are responsible for the horrendous crimes in several part of the country, including in Western Gondar, the destruction of the town of Shashemene, and the massacres of innocent civilians in the areas of Arsi, Bale, Benishangul, Gura Ferda and most recently in Western Wollega.

(3) Endangering the Constitutional Order:

The TPLF, acting in blatant violation of the FDRE Constitution, claimed to have adopted its own electoral law, established its own electoral commission, and orchestrated a sham and illegal election in which it won all the seats in the Regional Council. By doing so, the Regional administration showed its contempt for laws of the nation, including the Constitution, and pushed a “de facto” statehood thesis.

Not only did they claim to have established a new administration based on an illegal election, the TPLF clique openly declared that they will not comply with laws, directives, and regulations, among others, to be enacted by the federal government after October 05/2020. TPLF recalled all representatives from Tigray in the Federal House of Peoples’ Representatives and the House of Federation after October 05, on grounds that the Region would not recognize any of the federal state organs.

The attack on the Northern Command of the National Defence Force — a significant portion of the army accounting for the bulk of Ethiopia’s most experienced ground combat forces — was aimed at destroying the capability of the army to safeguard the sovereignty and integrity of the country. The TPLF calculated that by defeating a division with significant firepower, and taking possession of its military equipment, it would shift the balance of power in its favour and remove the federal government by force.

No constitutional order can tolerate such level of treason. That is why the Federal Government was compelled to launch, however reluctantly, the current law enforcement operations to defend and protect the constitutional order and uphold the rule of law.

(4) Corruption and violence Human Rights:

The TPLF’s three-decade rule is characterized by egregious violation of human rights, corruption and self-enrichment at a grand scale. Public investment projects were awarded to members of the regime and the Metals and Engineering Corporation (METEC), which they operated, leading to considerable wastage. Because of METEC’s failure to deliver, the federal government incurred over billions of birr in additional reassignment costs for national projects.

The functioning of a genuine democracy depends on the rule of law. Enforcing the law is essential in order to secure peace, provide public services, and bring about sustainable development.

Rule of law, especially in a federal arrangement such as ours, requires that both regional states and the federal government respect the constitutional division of powers. It is in accordance with this constitutional provision and its duty to enforce federal laws across the whole county that the Federal government is undertaking a strategic operation to end impunity and criminality.

B. Objectives of the Ongoing Law Enforcement Operations

The Government’s law enforcement operations in Tigray are proceeding as planned. From the outset, the operation had limited, clearly defined and achievable objectives: (1) disarming the TPLF junta; (2) restoring legitimate administration to Tigray; and (3) enforcing law and order in Tigray and bringing fugitives to justice. The success or otherwise of the ongoing operations will thus be measured in terms of the attainment of these objectives.

1) Disarm the TPLF junta Under Article 52(2)(g) of the 1995 FDRE Constitution, States within the Ethiopian Federation have powers to, inter alia, “establish and administer a state police force, and to maintain public order and peace within the State”. However, since it lost control of the ruling EPRDF in April 2018, the TPLF leadership has been ensconced in Tigray, plotting its way back to power in Addis Ababa through unlawful means. To this end, the TPLF, the ruling party in Tigray until its legitimate rule ended on 9 September 2020 (when it claimed to have acquired a new mandate to lead the State through unlawful elections conducted contrary to the FDRE constitution), used the ensuing period to build a full-fledged military force larger than the national armies of many, perhaps most, independent sovereign states, complete with mechanized regiments with a capacity that, in the words of the leader of the TPLF junta, was “comparable to or exceeding the firepower of the Federal Government”.

Although the Federal Government repeatedly and consistently declared its commitment to resolve all differences by peaceful means, the TPLF junta pursued a three-pronged strategy to bring itself back to power by unlawful means: (1) recruiting, training, financing, arming, sponsoring and directly executing acts of violence against innocent Ethiopians throughout the breadth and length of the country; (2) building irregular forces; and (3) launching an all-out attack on Federal Defence Forces stationed in Tigray along with attempts at coordinated attacks in all parts of the country.

It follows that the first key objective of the ongoing law-enforcement operations taking place in Tigray is to systematically degrade, dismantle and destroy the fighting capacity of the TPLF and bring the perpetrators to justice.

2) Restore Legitimate Administration to Tigray

Once the illegal army in Tigray is demobilized and the Region is brought within the realm of the Constitution, the next step in the law-enforcement operations will be to establish a legitimate administration in Tigray, capable of enforcing law and order in the Region through a lawful state police force with sufficient capacity “to maintain public order and peace within the State”. In this context, it must be noted that the Region has been without a legitimate State Government since 9 September 2020 when the TPLF junta claimed to have acquired a new mandate to lead the State through unlawful elections conducted contrary to the FDRE constitution.

The alleged regional election had, of course, been declared null and void by the House of Federation.

The House of Federation also suspended the Regional Council and Executive Organ allegedly established following the illegal election and put in their place an interim administration to lead the Region.

From this perspective, the second key objective of the current law-enforcement operations is to root out the last vestiges of the TPLF junta and to create the conditions for the interim administration to take over until the general elections, expected to take place throughout the country mid-2021, are conducted and an elected Regional Assembly constitutes a legitimate Regional Executive for the State of Tigray.

This objective is also currently progressing. In accordance with the decision of the House of Federation for the establishment of a provisional administration that is accountable to the Federal Government within the Regional State of Tigray, pursuant to Article 62(9) of the FDRE Constitution and Article 14(2)(b) of the “Proclamation Governing Intervention of the Federal Government in the Regions”, the Council of Ministers adopted a regulation “Concerning the Provisional Administration of the Tigray National Regional State.” And on the basis of the decision a Chief Executive of the Tigray Regional State Provisional Administration has been appointed.

3) Enforce Law and Order in Tigray and Bring Fugitives to Justice

From the day a new team took leadership of the EPRDF in April 2018, the TPLF effectively designated Tigray as a safe haven for individuals charged with high crimes, including torture, extra-judicial executions, corruption and money laundering. Such notorious criminals as Getachew Assefa, head of the brutal National Intelligence and Security Services for nearly two decades, and several others, who are being tried before the Federal Courts in abstentia, still occupy important party and Government positions in Tigray. The TPLF junta effectively took the people of Tigray hostage, forcing the Federal Government to adopt patience as the only viable policy to protect the civilian population.

From this perspective, the third key objective of the ongoing operations is to enforce law and order in Tigray, bring the fugitives to justice and end the status of Tigray as a safe haven for individuals wanted for the most heinous crimes under national and international law.

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Ethiopia: A New Horizon of Hope

Following a wave of popular protests that swept across the country for almost two years, the reformist government led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in April 2018. In his inaugural parliamentary address, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed promised to implement deep political and economic reforms in order to overcome the multi-faceted and complex socio-political and economic problems of the country. Within less than eight months after coming to power, he introduced profound changes that brought hopes to many in Ethiopians and beyond.

Amongst others, the government of Ethiopia released political prisoners and journalists and invited exiled political parties and armed groups to take part in peaceful political contestations. It repealed unjust laws and brought in several ground-breaking economic reforms. It restored peace between Eritrea and Ethiopia, for which Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was rightly recognized with the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.

The beginning of TPLF’s complaint

In as much as it was undertaking transformative reforms in political and economic arenas, the government of Ethiopia was also engaged in ensuring the rule of law, while advocating peace, reconciliation and healing to many of our ailments as a nation. In terms of ensuring the rule of law, the government of Ethiopia undertook several drastic measures. Some of these included arresting individuals suspected of involvement in serious crimes.

As a symbol of its commitment to peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia, the government established a new Ministry of Peace and set up a new Peace and Reconciliation Commission. In contrast to the prevalent political culture in Ethiopia, peace, love, unity and reconciliation became new terms in our recent political discourses. TPLF’s lexicon, on the other hand, is replete with ideologically laden labels such as “rent seekers”, “narrow nationalists”, “chauvinists”, “parasitic elements”. Ethiopians from all walks of life welcomed this peaceful and non-violent transition with great enthusiasm, except for those that wanted to maintain the status quo at any cost.

When the new reformist government came to power in April 2018, it did not take any retributive measures against TPLF as a vengeful punishment—and as some wrongly claim. The government brought to justice individuals who were involved in grave human rights violations and massive corruption scandals, some of them being members of the TPLF.

It is worth remembering that key ministerial positions were held by TPLF members until TPLF finally refused to join the then newly established Prosperity Party. Even after the merger of the four-member parties of Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, several ethnic Tigrayans were discharging their responsibilities in the federal government in many key positions. In short, the federal government did not have an intention to marginalize the TPLF. Angered by the unexpected loss of the disproportionate influence and undue privilege they enjoyed, powerful figures within the TPLF led the clique into self-isolation and a senseless blame game.

TPLF brushed aside opportunity for change

Under TPLF, millions of Ethiopian men and women had suffered widespread political repressions, economic as well as social marginalization for two decades. These repressions eventually led to unending protests across the country and brought to power the incumbent. Despite the body of evidence showing the wrong doings of TPLF, however, the government did not want to repeat the same old mistake: destroying everything that came before and start anew. As some political commentators close to the TPLF have once remarked, TPLF was given a “golden parachute” by the new administration—not out of fear but in pursuit of the spirit of reconciliation rooted in the desire to direct the nation along the path of democratic progress and economic prosperity.

But these new conciliatory political shifts are anathema to TPLF as it wanted to maintain the status quo at any cost. It seemed it did not have the heart and mind to understand it. Even today, three years after the reform began to take root, it seems adamant and kept its heart and mind closed to any notion of change and progress.

No sooner than the new administration began to take undertake reforms, TPLF began to accuse the federal government of targeting Tigrayans- a claim that suffered lack of concrete evidence and deep and correct context. TPLF hurled accusations at the federal government of displacing Tigrayans and harassing them because of their identity. But this was not true. Tigrayans, like fellow Ethiopian, are living in peace with other Ethiopians in many different parts of the country. Likewise, like many Ethiopians, they were victims of pervert political plots set by TPLF itself in many parts of the country.

The establishment of Prosperity Party and the fury of TPLF

When the establishment of Prosperity Party was announced in December 2019 after EPRDF was dissolved, it did not come out of the blue. The establishment of a nationally unified party was an idea long entertained within EPDRF party even when the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was in power. Top officials of TPLF have, on several occasions, been expressing their wish to have a nationally unified party. The establishment of this party was just a realization of this long-overdue dream of EPRDF member parties. But this dream came to reality only after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power. TPLF however resisted the idea, as though it was a proposal that was being discussed for the first time.

In terms of political ideology and internal party functioning, EPRDF toed a rigid and undemocratic line for more than 27 years. The ideology of revolutionary democracy championed by TPLF became a mother of all political problems, as many political scholars in Ethiopia rightly argued. The ideology encouraged the culture of making an enemy out of one another for 27 years. TPLF’s doctrinal system mobilized supporters and recruits in a dichotomous way by establishing ‘an opposing reference group’ and demonizing this other group. The unfortunate effect is that the binary party outlook tended to constantly divide the country into irreconcilable groups.

The internal functioning of the party was also undemocratic and exclusionary. Not all ethnic groups in the country were regarded equal within EPRDF. Among nine, only four regions were represented in the decision-making process of the party. Others were marginalized and humiliated for a long time based on the claim that certain ethnic groups have not attained the socio-economic maturity and consciousness to shoulder a political program that is as sophisticated as revolutionary democracy. Furthermore, each of the four regions was not proportionally represented, tipping the power balance always towards the TPLF. The establishment of Prosperity Party ended this undemocratic culture within EPRDF. But it did not end the complex and multi-layered political tensions in the country. It increased the fury of TPLF and exposed its true colours even more.

Disinformation campaigns of TPLF

The first absurd accusation of TPLF against the government was thrown shortly after Prosperity Party was established in 2019. TPLF labelled the government as “anti-federalist” “unitary” desirous of bringing back the centralism of past authoritarian regimes. But this was all but an empty accusation. And it was a clear beginning of disinformation campaigns that have continued till today. Through its organized social media campaign, TPLF continued to falsely accuse the federal government of being a “dictator”, “neo-neftegna”, etc.

TPLF also made political allies of a few political parties and individuals that sought to trade integrity for transient political gains. Some of them contributed towards the escalations in the aftermath of the despicable assassination of the popular Oromo Musician Hachalu Hundessa. TPLF and these new friends found a common cause in distorting the image of the government and collaborated in destabilizing the nation. Thus, they have joined resources, including hundreds of social media pages to spread disinformation and to sow confusion.

Involvement in actual crimes on the ground

The government has been gathering evidence from its intelligence and other credible sources that TPLF has heavily been involved in planning and implementing violence and conflicts seen over the last two and half years in Ethiopia. Hidden hands of the TPLF were there in the killings of civilians in many different parts of the country including Guji and Wollega areas of Oromia Regional State. TPLF military officials trained the outlawed OLF-Shane group with the aim to wreak havoc on the region. Had it not been for the support of TPLF, this outlawed armed group would not have killed more than 1500 people in Wollega and Guji zones alone over the last two years.

The displacement of millions of Ethiopians from Somali Region in 2018 and 2019 did not take place without the blessing of TPLF. The Gedeo-Guji conflict, the death of civilians in Benishagul Gumuz Region had TPLF conflict entrepreneurs behind them. The recent unrest and death of civilians in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region have not taken place without the knowledge of TPLF. At the beginning of its tenure, the government of Ethiopia never foresaw that TPLF would gamble in a shameful manner with the lives of thousands of Ethiopians for the sake of power- whose fair share it could have secured through fair and democratic engagement. Yet once again, TPLF have shown the world that if it does not maintain its grip on power entirely, it is ready to disturb the country at the cost of millions of innocent lives.

TPLF went unconstitutional

In its adamant refusal to adhere to values of unity, respect and togetherness we have as a country, TPLF began to openly transgress the supreme law of the country. When COVID-19 broke out in 2019 and became a universal health threat, the National Election Board of Ethiopia announced it is not in a position to hold a free and fair election within the remaining period due to the then unpredictable nature of COVID-pandemic. The board decided to postpone the election for an indefinite period. This created a constitutional gap that required interpretation by the House of Federation. The House of Federation, at the end of this process gave a constitutional interpretation and decision that mandated the postponement of the election. TPLF dismissed this democratic process as an “orchestrated drama” by the federal government to “unconstitutionally” extend its term.

Disrespecting the decision of the House of Federation to postpone the election until 2021, when the threat of COVID19 could become more manageable, TPLF defied the authority of the federal government by establishing a regional election commission – a clear violation of the Ethiopian constitution. It was clear from the beginning that a regional election commissioner hand-picked by TPLF itself cannot guarantee free and fair elections in Tigray. But TPLF would not refrain from flagrant violation of the constitution.

In the illegal election held in September 2020 in Tigray Region, TPLF announced a hundred percent control of the seats of the Regional Council. But the House of Federation dismissed it as “null and void”. The House further urged the government to take legal measures against the regional government for violating the constitution. It authorized the federal government to take measures such as redirecting budgetary support to towns and local administrative units in Tigray.

TPLF, however, strongly opposed the move of the federal government. “This is tantamount to declaring a war,” several of its officials told the media. But this was not the first time they were talking about declaring a war. Earlier, TPLF officials were boastfully telling their foreign sympathizers that they would go for a war if “a blockage” is placed on their way to maintaining hegemony.

TPLF then said the region will not comply with laws, directives, and regulations, among others, to be enacted by the federal government after its current term in office came to an end on October 05/2020. It also openly called for the establishment of a transitional government replacing the constitutionally established government.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed his deepest desire several times that the government did not want to hear a single gun-shot in Tigray. The people of Tigray do not deserve this, “We want to send to Tigray faces masks, not a bullet,” he said in an interview. This sentence has captured the whole conviction of the Ethiopian government until everything had to change on Wednesday, 4th November 2020.

TPLF crossed the red line

The government of Ethiopia has been persistently patient with TPLF’s illegal and reckless actions for several years now. Its patience came to an end last Tuesday when the special forces of Tigray, along with some members of OLF-Shene shamefully attacked the Northern Command of the National Defence Force and the Federal Police Force. In doing so, TPLF publicly declared that it had crossed the red line. Attacks on the national defense force amounts to destroying the last refuge of the Ethiopian people and sovereignty of the country. The government cannot tolerate this outrageous act without disregarding the constitution and its mandate to protect it.

The government of Ethiopia has been patient with TPLF because it had a firm conviction that we should leave behind the history of war and usher into the era of peace, development and prosperity. But now this is no longer possible to uphold. Attacking the defense force and the federal police force is not an action the government can tolerate.

It is not only the act by itself that is outrageous, but also the manner in which the attack was waged. Members of the National Defence Force had been part of the life of our citizens in Tigray for more than 20 years. They have been building schools, constructing roads, helping Tigrayan farmers plough their farmlands and harvest their crops. They recently helped the people of Tigray in the fight against heavy desert locust invasion and COVID-19 pandemic in the region and other regions. Many men and women in the army married locally and have settled there for a long time. They were not outsider. Nor did the people of Tigray consider the army a stranger.

The early hours of Wednesday November 4, 2020 marked a very tragic day in the history of our country. The Tigray special force members surrounded and massacred their own brothers and sisters in several places in Tigray. This incident was painfully gruesome and inhumane. “I’ve never heard of such a cruelty on one’s own people. This might be the first time this is happening in history,” said the Chief of the National Defence Force, General Birhanu Jula during one of his recent press-briefing sessions.

Conclusion

The government of Ethiopia wants to make it clear to all, that such a cruelty cannot be addressed or redressed by sitting at a table for a negotiation. Negotiation makes sense only when there is good faith and desire for peace. The federal government is determined to enforce the rule of law to the region. While TPLF is behaving like a criminal enterprise, negotiation is wrong in principle and is unlikely to result in peace. The Godfathers of corruption and terror within TPLF have to be held to account and the rule of law and the constitutional order have to be upheld before any talks could be considered.

Like yesterday, the government of Ethiopia has a great concern for our people in Tigray. As the government has made it clear time and again, during the current law enforcement operation, we will take maximum care to reduce civilians’ casualties and collateral damage. Our modern airplanes and drones will hit targets with precision. This will greatly contribute towards protecting our civilian citizens in Tigray. The Ethiopian Defense Force will also make maximum effort to make sure that civilians are not targeted.

Some of our international partners, friends and people of good will have expressed a concern that this might turn into an all-out war. Once again, we want to make clear to you that this operation will end within a short time, and we shall soon return back to our normal daily life. Within this view, the government echoes its position once again that, “There should not be any mistake made in treating the Federal Government as equals with a criminal group.” This operation is all about ensuring respect for the rule of law and maintaining the constitutional order of the country. We will, beyond any doubt, have a lasting peace in Ethiopia when the criminal force of TPLF is brought to justice. The government of Ethiopia will no longer allow impunity to prevail on our soil.

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ኢትዮጵያ: አዲሲቷ የተስፋ አድማስ Ethiopia: A New Horizon of Hope

Law enforcement operations in Tigray are proceeding as planned, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said in a tweet this morning.

He said the “operations will cease as soon as the criminal junta is disarmed, legitimate administration in the region restored, and fugitives apprehended & brought to justice — all of them rapidly coming within reach.”

In a recent tweet, the Prime Minister said that the operations are aimed to restore the rule of law and the constitutional order in Tigray.

Moreover, the operations are intended to safeguard the rights of Ethiopians to lead a peaceful life wherever they are in the country.

US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo expressed concern over reports that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front carried out attacks on Ethiopian National Defense Force bases in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

Secretary Pompeo also urged immediate action to restore the peace and de-escalate tensions.

Meanwhile, in a statement he announced via his spokesperson, Secretary General Antonio Guterres has renewed the commitment of the United Nations, with its partners in the region, to support eh Government of Ethiopia in its reform efforts aimed at building a peaceful and secure future for all its people.

The Secretary-General also called for solutions to address issues between the federal government and the Trigray Regional State in order to ensure a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

He underlined the importance of the stability of Ethiopia for the Horn of Africa region.