Updated: February 24, 2021
Ethiopian federal forces violated the laws of war by carrying out indiscriminate shelling of urban areas in the Tigray region in November of 2020, Human Rights Watch said on February 10. These artillery attacks struck homes, hospitals, schools, and markets, resulting in at least 83 civilian deaths and over 300 injuries.
While US President Joe Biden has repeatedly claimed that his administration will defend freedom and human dignity around the world, he has yet to take any action in response to this issue.
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In the time since the Human Rights Watch’s conclusion, President Biden has not made any public statements about the attacks.
Biden spoke on foreign policy Friday at the Munich Security Conference, denouncing autocracy and affirming the importance of fighting for and defending democracy. The humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia was not mentioned in his speech.
Throughout his first month in office, Mr. Biden has repeatedly emphasized the importance of the United States’ role on the global stage. He has often expressed his plan to undo the previous administration’s “America first” approach to international relations, instead working to combat important humanitarian issues around the world.
During his first foreign policy speech on February 4th, the President spoke of his plan for addressing global issues, saying, “We must start with diplomacy rooted in America’s most cherished democratic values: defending freedom, championing opportunity, upholding universal rights, respecting the rule of law, and treating every person with dignity.”
Now is the time for the Biden Administration to make good on its plan and defend the freedom and dignity of the people of Ethiopia.
During that same speech, the President spoke of “renewing our role in international institutions, and reclaiming our credibility and moral authority, much of which has been lost.”
How can the United States possibly establish moral authority and credibility if it sits idly by while another government commits such horrible acts against its people?
During his speech Friday, Biden said “Democracy doesn’t happen by accident. We have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it. We have to prove that our model isn’t a relic of history; it’s the single best way to revitalize the promise of our future.”
If he is to defend democratic ideals around the world, as President of the United States, Biden ought to put extensive pressure on Abiy Ahmed, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, and demand answers for the human rights violations that have unfolded under his governance.
In a parliamentary address on November 30, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed maintained that Ethiopian federal forces had not caused civilian casualties during their military operations in Tigray that month.
A government Twitter account created during the conflict claimed that federal forces had “been successful in providing maximum protection to civilians” and “avoided combat in cities and towns of the Tigray region.”
Abiy Ahmed must be held responsible for the violations of international law that Human Rights Watch claims occurred under his leadership. If US President Joe Biden is to truly use his power to combat human rights violations globally, his immediate action in response to the developments in Ethiopia is critical.
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how much have you been paid to develop this report??? Nothing have been mentioned in your report what TPLF did to our Military Base in Tigray!! Look! be independent as a media outlet and value your profession!!
This government of Abiy Ahmed must be tackled by the international community from its disaterous and detrimental action he is doing now against humanity. This force is not only dangerous for Ethiopians but it is equally potential threat for the entire geopolitics of the horn region. Now what is going on in this country is gross violation of human right. Displacement and war has become the day to day activity of our people and people are dying by hunger and military forces everywhere and everytime. We need the actions of the concerned body to make stability in our llife etime. Enough is enough.
Many bad things happened in Tigray but that’s all because of the evil TPLF leaders and their forces. We are proud of what the brave Ethiopian army has done and is still doing in destroying the evil TPLF NAZIS and protecting civilians as much as possible. People will die,flee and be in lots of unplanned situations during this kind of time but if that’s what it takes to stop and destroy the TPLF NAZIS then that’s it.we Ethiopians will never forget what Those TPLF NAZIS has Done in brutally killing more than 1,000 Ethiopian Amharas b/c of their ethnicity and all the horror,poverty and Chaos for the past 27 years.
#VictorytoEthiopia(ENDF)
Really a trash analysis always forwarded by the paid junta’s analysts. you have asked yourself what the American will do if the defense force of the country attacked by irresponsible group of peoples. will they keep silent for the sake of democracy? No. The prevailance of the rule of law in Tigray region is a must by exterminating the military junta of the region. TPLF is a cancer for democracy and must be eliminated.
# Rule of law must be respected
#Defending the constitution is a must
Mr. Pitcher,
Its very sad to see that you are coming up with such a content which is totally nonsense. Its clear for many of us that you are producing articles having contractions against facts on the ground mainly because you will either receive monitory rewards from existing members of those TPLF Junta butchers which they have been looting from their own poor people for years and using it for districtions of different nature in Ethiopia- off course rewarding unprofessional personalities like you who can fabricate tabloids on the expenses or 95 percent of Ethiopians. Or you may possibly are part of the western whites mentally in which you are always motivated to see chaos and ongoing conflict prevailing among us. Both of your intentions will not be successful as Mr Biden is one among the few Genuine Leaders of America who has deaf ears for such corrupted personalities. Down with TPLF Junta butchers
First of all, the American president has no right to ‘demand’ ny thing. Second while we are on the topic of human rights, where were you Mr Pitcher, when 500 people were masacred by TPLF funded ‘Samri’ and TPLF cadres raped women in Tigray?
So Pitcher, although we all know you are nothing but a paid advocate for the fallen Junta, aka TPLF, I sugest you ask tour president to ‘demand’ about the plight of Black Americans, Hispanics and other minorities in the USA, and leave our politics to us!!!
#Justice should Same everywhere#
#Justice four Tigray#
#Silent is violent#
#Warcrimes onTigray #
#Tigray leave matters #
#Biden t I take action now#
#Stop genocide on Tigray peoples #