Africa-Press – Ethiopia. The renewed mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) intends to present an image of Tigray as victim and cultivate a narrative around the rebel TPLF, the British writer and charity worker Graham Peebles said.
Speaking to ENA, the writer stated thatthe initial findings of the commission which accuse the Ethiopian governmentare biased accounts of the conflict and the human rights abuses that have takenplace.
The commission also fails to mention that the TPLF started thewar, never agreed or accepted a ceasefire, and re-ignited the ongoing fightingin August 2022.
Asked about why the resolution for the extension of thecommission’s mandate was supported by the Western powers, Peebles said that itwas a result of wrong foreign policy.
“It is a shameful act that foreign policy of western powers isnot determined by altruism but driven by self-interest… Prime Minister AbiyAhmed is independent and Ethiopia is moving towards becoming a regional powerand a legitimate democracy,” the writer noted.
Recall from the outset that Ethiopia had opposed the EU-sponsoredresolution establishing experts’ commission on Ethiopia in December 2021. By the authors own admission the report ispoorly researched, rushed, and premature.
Thereport is primarily based on web based submissions and telephone interviews.The researchers spent only a week in Ethiopia during which time they stayed inAddis Ababa and did not speak to people directly affected by the conflict.
Yet, the ICHREE presented its initial findings on the allegedhuman rights violation in Tigray and accused the Ethiopian government of crimesagainst humanity.
The government categorically rejected the initial findings ofthe commission as it is a manifestly political statement issued under the guiseof an “investigation report.”
Moreover, the United Nations Human Rights Council recentlyadopted a resolution extending the mandate of the International Commission ofHuman Rights Experts on Ethiopia.
“I assume this is to present an image of Tigray as the victimand to cultivate a narrative around the TPLF as a rebel force fighting forindependence. In fact they are a terrorist group that wants to overthrow thegovernment.”
The writer pointed out that authors of the ICHREE report havemade it clear that they have not had time or resources to conduct detailedresearch.
However, Peebles argued that given the biased distorted natureof the report so far compiled the prospect is that any further report will alsobe inaccurate and slanted.
In the initial findings of ICHREE, there are scant mentionof TPLF atrocities in Afar and Amhara regions and no record of TPLF use ofchild soldiers, he stated.
According to the analyst, TPLF leaders have been employing thesame recruitment methods when they were in power. Forced recruitment of men andwomen as well as boys threatened with violence and families compelled tosurrender at least one person from a family is strictly enforced by the group.
The authors of the report also failed to relate that the TPLFstole over 400 WFP trucks in 2021 and in August this year stole 12 more WFPtrucks with 570,000 liters of fuel, he stated.
As the report is a further attempt by western powers todiscredit and smear the Ethiopian government, the writer said it should beignored.
Peebles appreciated the Ethiopian government for rejecting thereport and called on the UN Security Council to do likewise.
Ethiopia and all African states need to turn to one another andaway from western nations, he urged. The writer commended the pivotal role ofthe African Union (AU) in “convening peace talks in South Africa as positive.”
Peebles is confident that the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission is well placed to carry out a detailed report once the fighting stops.
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